As a Matter of Opinion

Forever Young

2011-11-22T08:53:00.001-08:00

"There comes a point in your life when you’re officially an adult. Suddenly, you’re old enough to vote, drink, and engage in other adult activities. Suddenly, people expect you to be responsible. Serious. A grown-up. We get taller, we get older, but do we ever really grow up?
In some ways we grow up. We have families, we get married… divorced. But for the most part, we still have the same problems that we did when we were fifteen. No matter how much we grow taller, grow older, we are still forever stumbling. Forever wondering. Forever… young."
-Grey's Anatomy

Hey Stephen

2011-10-25T08:37:00.001-07:00

Okay, first attempt at guitar, and I have the blisters on my fingers to prove it! I can't play and sing very well yet but I'm proud that I've learned ONE whole song! Taylor Swift.... of course.

Dream On...

2011-10-11T21:54:00.000-07:00

So... I've decided I'm going to start taking guitar lessons. I've always loved music, loved to sing... but have never been able to play any instruments well. I've always dreamed of being able to play my favorite songs on guitar, but sadly I've never been able to do so! I'm always so jealous when someone has that talent. I miss playing music. So, I'm going to start again! .... I'll keep you posted.

Just for kicks, here are a few songs from my old band "Losing Indiana." We were just a small little band, but we played shows and had so much fun. Seems like a million years ago now! I co-wrote these two songs with my former band-mate, Chad. So.... yeah.

Cause I'm feeling like a criminal.

2011-09-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

Whatever happened to Fiona Apple? I went to see her in concert when I was 15. I went with my best friend, we were both obsessed with her! I'm pretty sure Fiona was either drunk or high through the whole thing, and about half way through her set she crawled under her piano and started rocking back in forth. About that time my friend took pot from these 40 year old men sitting next to us and started smoking with them. Somehow I managed to cover for her when her mom picked us up an hour later. Good times, good times. BUT I did get a pretty rocking Fiona Apple t-shirt from some man on the street, which I still sleep in these days. And I'm pretty sure I still have the "No Fur" sticker that PETA was handing out at her concert, stuck to one of my old journals. Oh Fiona.... you take me back to those angry-teenage-girl-days of my youth.

Knowing is better than wondering

2011-09-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

"A couple hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. “Never leave that ’till tomorrow,” he said, “which you can do today.”

This is the man who discovered electricity. You’d think more of us would listen to what he had to say. I don’t know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, I’d say it has a lot to do with fear.
Fear of failure, fear of pain, fear of rejection… Sometimes the fear is just of making a decision. Because, what if you’re wrong? What if you’re making a mistake you can’t undo?

Whatever it is we’re afraid of, one thing holds true… that, by the time the pain of not doing a thing, gets worse than the fear of doing it, it can feel like we’re carrying around a giant tumor.

The early bird catches the worm. A stitch in time saves nine. He who hesitates is lost. We can’t pretend we haven’t been told. We’ve all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the poets urging us to seize the day.

Still, sometimes, we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep today’s possibility under tomorrow’s rug, until we can’t anymore, until we finally understand for ourselves, what Benjamin Franklin meant:

That knowing, is better than wondering. That waking, is better than sleeping. And that even the biggest failure, even the worst, most intractable mistake, beats the hell out of never trying."

-Grey's Anatomy

BTW, I have a Tumblr now... any of you have one? If so, send me your link so I can follow you!

Weather

2011-09-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

The weather in the south is a strange and unpredictable thing. Seasons change suddenly, and are sometimes forgotten all together. More often than not, the summer heat scorches into the 90's, only to be followed the very next day by 50 degree weather, and snow the next week. Tank tops turn to jackets and flip flops to boots overnight. Temperatures rise and fall suddenly, sirens wail in the night, tornadoes and lightening leave a wake of destruction in their path.

That's what he was to her, a sunny day interrupted by torrential rain, a tornado that passes through... or sometimes even a moment of sunshine on a gloomy day. He was as unpredictable as the weather, a powerful force that often left a wake of destruction in her path.

(From my WIP)

"May the odds be ever in your favor."

2011-09-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I was headed to the pool without a book to read! I had just finished "The Castaways," (Very Good) and hadn't picked up anything else. So, I grabbed "The Hunger Games" off of Jake's nightstand and decided to give it a try.

I couldn't put it down!!!! I started reading that afternoon and finished it early the next morning. I immediately drove to Barnes and Noble to buy the second book in the series, "Catching Fire," and stayed up until 4AM reading, and finished it! The next day I bought the third and final book, "Mockingjay" and finished it on Saturday! Needless to say, I accomplished nothing last week because I was so obsessed with these books. If you haven't read them yet, run, don't walk, to the nearest bookstore and pick up your copy. You won't be sorry! Here's a little information about the first book, "The Hunger Games," by Suzanne Collins:

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love."

I definitely recommend these books. And best of all, they are making a series of movies that come out in March! I can't wait!

In other news..... I'm now without a book.... what should I read next?

Songs on Repeat

2011-08-23T15:56:00.000-07:00

This weeks playlist:

“From the moment I wake, from the moment I sleep, I’ll be there by your side, just you try to stop me.”

“Got this feeling that you can’t find, like this is city is on fire tonight. This could really be a good life, a good good life.”

“Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead.”

I <3 Dia Frampton.

You and I

2011-08-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

I hate "The View," but I love love love this song.

Poetic License

2011-08-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

"The scene is a memory and is therefore nonrealistic. Memory takes a lot of poetic license. It omits some details; others are exaggerated, according to the emotional value of the articles it touches, for memory is seated predominantly in the heart."

-Tennessee Williams (The Glass Menagerie)

Tan Lines

2011-08-14T21:01:00.000-07:00

Wow I never blog anymore! I really have to get back into the swing of things. I've been traveling so much this month. I was in Nashville helping open a restaurant the first week of this month, then off to the Bahamas! I earned Arbonne's Incentive Trip to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas! Every year Arbonne offers a trip that you can earn based on sales and sponsoring, and this year it was to Atlantis. It was so amazing, beautiful weather and beautiful surroundings, made even better by the fact that it was free! And best of all, the entire UofL team and coaches happened to be staying at the same resort since they played conference games there this past week. I got to hang with the team all week, even got invited into the coaches private cabana, got to go to the Welcome Dinner with the whole team, AND we went to the scrimmage and thursday night's game. Pretty cool! I'm sad to be back. I have a just 5 days home before I leave for Michigan on my next adventure. I have plenty to do before then, so let's hope I don't lose my mind! Here are a few pics of our trip:

Jake in front of the Royal Towers of Atlantis, where we stayed.

The water is so beautiful there!

Me and my Arbonne gals Sandy and Cindy.

Me with Peyton Siva! Point Guard for UofL.

Us with Mirra and Van Treese. We look so short!

The most beautiful beach I've ever been to!

Thanks Arbonne!!!

Killer Cosmetics

2011-07-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

Killer cosmetics?

Your lipstick could be toxic

By Suzanne D'Amato
The Washington Post

Lipstick tainted with lead. Mascara that contains mercury. A hair-straightening treatment that slicks your tresses with protein ... and formaldehyde? As three recent controversies show, the world of beauty can be downright ugly. Take the lipstick debate. Last fall, a study gave women reason to worry about their war paint: The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 lipsticks for lead. The group found that 61 percent of the lipsticks tested contained a detectable amount of the contaminant, and several exceeded the Food and Drug Administration's lead limit for candy. The FDA does not set lead standards for lipstick.

Even a minuscule amount of lead is a big problem, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics spokeswoman Stacy Malkan said. "What the companies will often say is, 'There's a little toxin in one product and you can't say it causes harm,' " she said. "But none of us uses just one product." Lead is a neurotoxin that accumulates in the body over time, which is why tiny amounts ingested regularly could be hazardous.

Not everyone sees lead in lipstick as such an issue. "Lead is in our environment, even without all the industrial production of chemicals," said John Bailey, chief scientist for the trade association Personal Care Products Council. "It's part of the earth. ... I don't think it really warrants these alarmist conclusions."

Right now, concerned lipstick lovers have few options. "The only way to find out if your lipstick has lead is to send it to a lab and pay $150," Malkan said.

It's considerably easier to find out if your mascara contains mercury. Traditionally added as a preservative, the substance is rare in cosmetics these days. When it exists, it's generally in cake mascaras rather than wand versions. It may be listed as thimerosal.

In eye-area cosmetics, the FDA allows mercury if no other effective preservative is available.

"It's a potent neurotoxin that can cause brain damage in developing fetuses," Malkan said.

Bailey said the FDA uses a voluntary reporting program for cosmetics ingredients; the program has no current registrations that report mercury being used in the eye area, he said.

"We certainly can't count on a voluntary reporting program," Malkan said. "We need a real reporting system."

To see whether any products you use contain mercury or other potentially hazardous ingredients, she recommends the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Web site (www.cosmeticdatabase.com), which lists information on more than 27,000 cosmetics and personal-care products. That may seem like a high number, but it's a small fraction of what's on the market, Malkan said.

The Skin Deep site analyzes only over-the-counter products. Salon treatments are not examined -- and for controversial ones such as the Brazilian Keratin treatment, that's unfortunate. The BKT, as it's known, is a hair-straightening process that has smitten women in search of silky, frizz-free tresses. It also contains formaldehyde, a carcinogen.

Beauty products and treatments don't have to get FDA approval before hitting store shelves; the FDA mandates such approval only for color additives in cosmetics.

Use products that are pure, safe, and beneficial!

One Day and Something Borrowed

2011-07-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

Between the hospital visits and the sleepless nights after, I've been doing a lot of reading lately. I've just finished "Something Borrowed" and "One Day." Do you see the pattern? Yup, I like reading books that they turn into movies.

Something Borrowed

by Emily Griffin

This was a pretty good book... an easy read. I haven't seen the movie yet, so I'm anxious to see how it compares to the book. The story follows 2 best friends, Rachel and Darcy, one the classic "pushover" (Rachel) and one the popular, pretty one (Darcy). As Rachel turns 30, she finds herself in a sticky situation when she falls in love with Dexter, Darcy's fiance. She must choose between the love of her life, or her oldest friendship. Overall... I would recommend it. The ending was a bit of a surprise, and I'm not sure I cared for the way things were finalized, but nevertheless, it was worth reading.

The second book that I just finished today is a must read!

One Day

by David Nicholls.

It was fabulous! I finished this one in three days and could not put it down. It's the story of Dexter (strange that two books in a row had main characters named Dexter) and Emma. Dexter and Emma meet the day they graduate from college and become good friends. Each chapter begins on the anniversary of day they met, July 15th. Year after year we read about their separate lives, their amazing connection through time, and the struggle between friendship, love, and timing. It's a wonderful book that has left me thinking and wanting more. I highly recommend this one... you have to read it! I'm so excited for the movie that's coming out soon starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. It looks so good, I can't wait to see it!

I will try to fix you.

2011-07-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've written. It's been a hard couple of weeks. My best friend has been in the hospital and just lost her twin boys at 5 1/2 months. Now more than ever I see just how badly we need things to change in this world. How does anyone go through times like this without faith and hope? Life is so precious.

Shuffle

2011-06-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

Hello friends, it's been a while! Hope you are doing well and loving life. Here's a few of my favorite songs at the moment, hope you enjoy them! I'm a sucker for anything stripped down or acoustic.

Coldplay: "The Hardest Part"

"And I tried to sing, but I couldn't think of anything. And that was the hardest part."

Lady Gaga "Speechless"

"And I know that it's complicated, but I'm a loser in love so baby, raise a glass to mend all the broken hearts of all my wrecked up friends."

Silverstein "Replace You"

"I used to settle but now I make a scene you won't believe."

Talk Derby!

2011-05-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

It's official, Derby time is over. : ( Here in Louisville, the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby are filled with festivals and fun! It starts in April with "Thunder over Louisville," one of the largest fireworks display in the world, which is always a lot of fun! And of course, the main events are the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby has been a tradition here in Louisville, at Churchill Downs, for 137 years! This year, we went to the Oaks, which is the race for the Fillies. We had a blast! We didn't bet (I like my money too much to gamble), but we had a great time watching the races and the people! Lots of celebrities come in town for the festivities. I got to meet Betsy Johnson, it was very exciting!

When you go, you of course have to wear a hat, or fascinator!

And to the Oaks you wear pink to support breast cancer.

You can feel the horses thundering down the track!

Jake and his Mint Julep

I had a "Lilly"

My Mama and Sister in Law

We had a great time all day, until it was time to leave!! The parking lot always fills up super early for Oaks and Derby, but for these events, people that live around the area will sell you a parking spot in their yard. So we decided to park in some random persons yard, and were shuttled by a golf cart to the track. As soon as we got in the golf cart, my brother said he "set a pin" on his IPhone so that we would know where we parked. Yeah.... the pin was not set. It took us over an hour to find our car after the race was over. Not one of us out of the six had any clue where the vehicle was. NOT a good day to wear stilettos! Haha!

In other news......

Congrats to Plum Pretty for winning The Oaks!

And Animal Kingdom for winning The Derby!

There is no better time to live in Louisville, Kentucky! I love my city!

$100 off Arbonne RE9 Sets

2011-04-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

Special Offer: $200 Arbonne RE9 Advanced Anti-Aging Skin Care Sets!

RE9 Advanced by Arbonne is the best anti-aging system on the market. It contains 9 Anti-Aging Elements and is clinically proven to start working in 24 hours to dramatically diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The set retails for $323.00... that's over $100 in savings.

The set includes a wash, toner, day cream, serum, eye cream, night cream, and free neck cream.

Ask me for your free 5 day sample today. This offer ends April 15th.

To learn more about Arbonne visit my website!

Or email me at: ashleystone@insightbb.com

Piece by Piece

2011-04-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

I finally feel like everything in my life is falling into place.

"He is giving to the tired one power; and to the one without dynamic energy he makes full might abound. Boys will both tire out and grow weary, and young men themselves will without fail stumble, but those who are hoping in Jehovah (God) will regain power. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not tire out.”

-Isaiah 40:29-31

QOTD

2011-03-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

"If you want to do something, you'll find a way - If you don't, you'll find an excuse..!"

-Jim Rohn

Drama Drama Drama

2011-03-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

For the first time in a long time, I can honestly say that I have no drama in my life. And let me tell you, it feels great! All my life I have found ways to either personally create drama, or to throw myself into the middle of everyone else's drama.... and it's been exhausting. I'm a fixer, always trying to fix everyone else's problems. But the truth is, some people don't want to be helped, some problems can't be fixed, and some people will always have drama in their lives. But, I'm not gonna be one of them anymore! I have some friends going through some stuff right now, and though I want to be there for them, I also realize that for my own sanity, I need to just stay out of it. I can't fix it, I can't make it better, and no one has asked for my help....so for once, I'm going to steer clear of the drama. Whew.... it feels so nice to be boring!

Pillows!

2011-03-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

I got these great pillow covers from Mason Moonbeam's Etsy Shop!

(Please excuse my poor photography skills...)

I love them! Not only do they look great, but I was able to recycle some old ugly pillows by just covering them up, which worked out perfectly. They are a nice sturdy material, so they even stand up against my animals, who have already decided to lay all over them. The quality is definitely like anything you'd get at a design shop. I definitely recommend you visit her site, she has lots of patterns and sizes to choose from. Here are some of my other favorites she has to offer:

PLUS.... she's offering my readers
15% off on your order!

Just use the promotion code: toomanypronouns

Click HERE to visit her site.

Happy Shopping!

P.S. TEAM EMILY.... come on Brad, make the right choice tonight.

Take a look...it's in a book

2011-03-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

Okay guys and gals... I'm in need of a good book! I've been bookless for a few months now, and I just can't seem to find one that really captures my attention. The last book I read was "The Glass Castle," by Jeanette Walls, and I must say... it was soooo good! I read it in less than a week, I couldn't put it down. And I'm such a ditz... I didn't even realize it was an autobiography until like 3 chapters in when I noticed finally that the main character had the same name as the author... duh! The fact that it's a true story makes it even more incredible. Jeanette tells the story so well of growing up in true poverty, with an alcoholic father and crazy mother... but it's told in such a lighthearted manor, that it never feels like a "sad story." I would definitely recommend it if you haven't read it already.

What great books have you read lately?

Review: Emerilware Pro-Clad Pan from CSN

2011-02-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

I have been in need of some new pans for a while now, so when CSN contacted me about doing another review, I jumped on the chance to try out this pan. I've been getting rid of all of my caphalon pans, because I know they aren't good for my health, so I've been going to all stainless steel.

EmerilWare Pro-Clad 8" Frying Pan

I LOVE this pan! It's so pretty! I feel like a pro while cooking with it. It is small, so it's good for cooking up an egg, or when you need to saute something. I would like to get the larger version of it so I can have a nice size pan for larger jobs. But I would definitely recommend!

You can buy it from CSN for $29.85, which I think is a reasonable price!

Old Hollywood

2011-02-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

Wow I fail at blogging. It's been forever! I've been so busy lately, in a good way, but busy! I miss you all and I promise to catch up with you. This past weekend my mom and I threw an "Old Hollywood" party. It was such a blast! Everyone dressed up and we danced to old music all night long. We had a red carpet as everyone entered, and we played "Casablanca" projected on the wall of the dance floor. It was so much fun and I want to do it again! Here are some pics of the evening.

Me and Jake channeling our inner movie stars.

My best friend Wendy was excited to win an Oscar!

My mom was belting out some Sinatra!

My brother and his wife Joanna.

I've always been a bit of a diva....

Me and my friend Cindy... she won an Oscar too!

Jake literally danced the soles off of his shoes!

My beautiful friends!

Jake takes the mic!

Don't mess with Wendy!

Waltzing with my dad.

"Here's looking at you kid."

Arbonne Ginger Citrus Winner

2011-02-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

I didn't forget!!!

The winner of the Arbonne Ginger Citrus gift set is......

Haley!!!

Congrats!

Super 8, Pawn Shops, and Kevin Costner...

2011-01-28T22:06:00.000-08:00

Wow, I have been so out of touch with my blogging world lately. I've just been so busy and I feel horrible that I've not kept up with you all! So if anyone's still reading this boring blog, I appreciate it!

I just got back from Vegas last week. I was there for my Arbonne conference, and it was a lot of fun, and very motivational. I went with my whole team and we had a great time!

I am soooo ready to kick start my business into overtime. And soon, very soon, I will be earning my Benz! Can you tell I really want this car?

Wednesday night after our conference, we decided to go sing karaoke, so we asked the concierge at the MGM, where we stayed, where a good place would be. She recommended a place called "Ellis Island." Well, here's a little fact about Ellis Island that you may not know.... it's connected to a Super 8 motel. That should tell you all you need to know. Needless to say the 2 cabs full of friends that I took there were not too thrilled with my choice, haha. But it was entertaining to say the least! We got to see some Elvis impersonators, Las Vegas locals, and a few girls who I'm pretty sure were "ladies of the evening." It was a memorable night at least!! Some of my friends were a little frightened though.

Sandy didn't have any love for "Ellis Island."

The next day we drove even further into skeezy Vegas when my friend Erin took me to a pawn shop! Haha, apparently it's a pawn shop that's on a show called "Pawn Stars" that she watches. I dunno..... just looked like a pawn shop to me. Anyone watch that show?

Erin at "Pawn Star"

The last night of the conference Arbonne paid Kevin Costner and his band, Modern West, to come sing for us. I wasn't sure what to expect, but they were really good! We made our way to the front row and I got a pick from the band! ....no one seems to share my excitement when I tell them that. haha.

We had a great time and got to hear some wonderful speakers. My favorite quote came from best selling author, Dr. Betrice Barry:

"You can be dumb all by yourself, no need to join up with stupid."

Haha, love it! Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

Keeping warm by the fire....

2011-01-23T22:05:00.000-08:00

There is nothing I love better in the winter time than a fire going in the fireplace! I love that we have a real wood fireplace in our home (one of the only perks to an old house), but it can be messy. We've been in desperate need of some fireplace tools for a while now, but I couldn't seem to find any that I liked. I didn't want a big set that would be an eye sore. So when CSN asked me to do a review for them, I was excited to see these fireplace tools that are exactly what I was looking for.

This 3 piece fireplace set is great because it's cast iron and sturdy, but small. The whole set is only 22" tall, so it doesn't take up a lot of space. There are 3 tools, which is really all you need. It looks great. My only negative is that it came unassembled, and some of the parts didn't seem to want to fit together at first. But after fooling with it a bit it worked out.

Check out CSN and all of their awesome products!

Want to do a review/giveaway?

2011-01-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

Check out my friend Jesse's very cool new website: Bloggerdise!

It's a free way for bloggers to link up with companies that want to offer reviews or giveaways.

Pretty cool!

And speaking of giveaways, this is the last week to enter my Arbonne giveaway, so go do it now!!!

Insane in the membrane

2011-01-15T23:26:00.000-08:00

Have you ever looked back on a time in your life and wondered "what was I thinking!?" It seems like so many moments of clarity have been coming to me lately. "Ah-ha" moments, as Oprah would say. It's no surprise that I over-think things, and I'm constantly trying to analyze myself, but it seems like the best moments of clarity have come from the simplest things. A song, a photograph, a sentence.... It's amazing how perspectives can change in a moment.

So, for all of the stupid moments in my life, I would like to plead temporary insanity.

....what was I thinking?!!

High School Reunion

2011-01-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

Oh my.... my 10 year high school reunion is in August.

So you know what that means.

Better get my butt in gear so I can look good!

Oh and P.S. last chance to enter my Arbonne Giveaway!

Very few entries, so chances are good!

Still an Innocent

2011-01-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

A message about letting go, moving on, growing up, and all that good stuff. To myself and whoever else wants to listen.

Plus, I just love this song.
.....and apparently have too much time on my hands.

Free Cleaning for Women with Cancer

2011-01-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

I just heard about this wonderful organization today called:
Cleaning for a Reason.

They provide free home cleaning for women with cancer. Isn't that awesome!? If you know of a woman who could benefit from their services, click on the link above to learn more.

Redecorating

2010-12-29T09:52:00.000-08:00

I get to do another review for CSN, yay! CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish furniture, modern bedding, or great cookware!

We have been working on our house hardcore lately: new roof, new gutters, new windows, finishing our basement, and re-doing just about every room......sheesh... so I've definitely been browsing CSN lately.

In fact, we are re-decorating our bedroom. I'm painting my walls a dark charcoal color, and my furniture is going to get painted a very high gloss white. But... I can't decide what to do for bedding. Here are few options I found on CSN:

I don't know though... this might be too much grey.

I like this one. Maybe just accent with colorful pillows?

What do you think? Maybe I should just go with solid white bedding and add color in the pillows?

Decisions, decisions.

I just received some fireplace tools from them that I'll be writing a review on in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Daydreaming and Reading.

2010-12-28T21:53:00.001-08:00

I started a new book today, “The Glass Castle.” Anyone read it before? I’m only a few pages in, so I hope it continues to keep my attention!
In other news…
Today was a very busy, but exciting day!   I do sales for my parent’s printing company, and today I got a call from one of my customer’s, a popular hotel chain that we do printing for, and they asked for a quote on 500 vehicle wraps!!!!   I’m trying to not get too excited, but I’ve already been dreaming about what I’d do with that commission check.   I can’t help it!   If I get this job the first thing I’m going to do is hire someone to finish our basement, because after 3 years of “working” on it, it’s clear that me and my husband are NEVER going to get it finished!   So I’m holding my breath that I can just hire someone to do it for me, haha.
I’m so proud of my parent’s.   They started the business out of our family room when I was 8 years old, and now we handle national accounts.    It’s really amazing.   I witnessed from a very young age how to be an entrepreneur. And that is why I am a horrible “employee,” haha.   I have to work on my own time and schedule. I’m so fortunate that I get to do that, because I would get fired right away if I had to be somewhere at 8 AM every morning!
Anyway, tomorrow I start with my personal trainer.   So, I’m eating a bag of M&M’s as I write this.   Real productive huh?     I should never allow them in my home, they are addictive.   I need to tell my personal trainer that, maybe he can hang them from a string and dangle them in front of me on a treadmill. …I bet it would work.

Oh yeah, don't forget to enter my Arbonne giveaway!

Water for Elephants

2010-12-27T08:46:00.000-08:00

On monday I bought the book "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen, I finished the book Friday night.

It. Was. Fabulous.

I couldn't put it down.

The story is written from the perspective of Jacob Jankowski, an old man who is reflecting back on his days as a young man in the circus during the great depression era. It's a wonderful story that touches on the difficulties of the time, the complexities of the circus, and his impossible love for the ring master's wife. This book has everything: action, romance, even murder.

If you haven't read it, go get it today, I promise you won't be able to put it down!

Plus... the movie comes out soon, starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon.

I can't wait to see it! View the trailer below.

Oh.... and don't forget about my giveaway.

Stay Classy

2010-12-23T21:05:00.000-08:00

My brother came up with this so that the employees at my family's company would remember the quality and environmental policy. I think it's hilarious!

Arbonne Ginger Citrus Giveaway!

2010-12-21T21:37:00.000-08:00

You all know by now that I love Arbonne!

Arbonne has pure, safe, and beneficial skin care, cosmetics, nutritional products, and more....

Each year they come out with a holiday catalog in September, and every year I wait in anticipation until I can order their "Ginger Citrus" line. It smells soooo good and is only available Sept-Dec.

Because I love it so much, and I love you all so much, I'm giving it away! One very fortunate reader will win a mini Ginger Citrus Body Wash and a Ginger Citrus Body Butter.

Here's how to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog and leave a comment telling me. (1 entry)

2. Visit my website and tell me something you learned about Arbonne or a product you'd like to have.

(2 entries)

Return to Oz

2010-12-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

A wonderful lesson of leadership from Oz....
and Michael Clouse.

Return to Oz

We're off to see the Wizard... The wonderful Wizard of Oz... He truly is a wonderful Wiz, if ever a Wiz there was...

Seems "We're all off..." to find something. Searching for answers ... Sometimes for people ... Whatever it takes to get from where we are to where we want to go.

Dorothy just wanted to get back to Kansas. And, lest we forget, the friends she met along her way were searching, too: for brains, a heart and courage.

The Wizard of Oz is a classic metaphor for leadership. Dorothy discovered that leadership begins with knowledge in action—"Just follow the yellow brick road"—and ends with the realization, "There's no place like home."

Because from time to time we all need to be reminded, that if we just stay the course, we will reach our goals. Yet, the real wizardry of Oz is more subtly intertwined throughout the movie.

Remember, Scarecrow believed he didn't have a brain, but he masterminded Dorothy's rescue. Convinced he was without a heart, the Tin Man tried, repeatedly, to contain his emotions. And when it mattered most, the Lion, still searching for courage, was absolutely fearless. Each one possessed exactly what he had been searching for all along.

And yet concealed in Oz's last scene is perhaps the greatest leadership lesson of all:

Dorothy: Can you help me...

Good Witch of The North: You don't need to be helped any longer. You've always had the power to go back to Kansas.

Dorothy: I have?

Scarecrow: Then why didn't you tell her before?

Good Witch of The North: Because she wouldn't have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.

Dorothy believed the Wizard had the power—turns out he was just the little man behind the curtain.

Dorothy had the Ruby Slippers—the real power—all along. And that's what true leadership is about. Helping people see their power, helping them bring out the greatness that was really there all along.

Because the dreams you dare to dream really do come true...but only when you decide it's time to wake up and live them!

"Oh Auntie Em, it's you..."

-Michael S. Clouse

Open Your Eyes

2010-12-11T00:52:00.001-08:00

"What is any life without the pursuit of a dream?

My dreams are a cruel joke. They taunt me. Even in my dreams I’m an idiot…who knows he’s about to wake up to reality. If I could only avoid sleep. But I can’t. I try to tell myself what to dream. I try to dream that I’m flying. Something free… it never works.

Open your eyes.

The little things…there’s nothing bigger, is there?

This is a revolution of the mind.

Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.

I want to live a real life…

I don’t want to dream any longer.

Forgive me, I’m blowing your mind."

-Vanilla Sky

What great lines!

Calling all bookies...

2010-12-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

I need a new book. It's been a while since I've read a book I could really get into. Right now I'm reading "The Girl Who Played With Fire." It's pretty good, but I just can't seem to get into it as much as the first one, "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," which I loved! Earlier this year I read "The Time Traveler's Wife," "Memory Keeper's Daughter," and my favorite.... "April and Oliver." So, what next? I keep picking up my Twilight books and reading them over and over because I just haven't found one lately that really captures my attention. I like books that are character rich, where it's more about the people then the action. Have any suggestions? What books have you read lately that you couldn't put down?

The sun has gone to bed and so must I

2010-12-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

Alert the media......

It's 11:00 PM, and I'm going to bed....

For the second night in a row.

Come to think of it, I've been going to bed earlier and earlier lately.

Uh oh....

Am I growing up? Or just getting old?

....I think there's a difference?

Either way, it feels kind of nice!

"See ya kid."

2010-11-23T14:52:00.000-08:00

Memories, light the corners of my mind

Misty watercolor memories of the way we were.

Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind

smiles we give to one another

for the way we were.

Can it be that it was all so simple then

or has time rewritten every line?

If we had the chance to do it all again

tell me would we? Could we?

Memories, may be beautiful and yet

what's too painful to remember

we simply choose to forget

So it's the laughter we will remember

whenever we remember

the way we were.

I sometimes picture my life like it's a movie, or better yet, a music video. Like somehow me just driving down the road could be set to music and it would instantly be more interesting. Doesn't music make everything more interesting? As overdone as it's been, I must say that "The Way We Were" brings up those photographic images in my mind. Every time I hear it I think of my own memories and the people, places I've left behind. What a wonderful movie to go with the song. The ending in my opinion is one of the best. It brings me to tears every time. We all have our own cinematic moments in our lives. Some we look back on and smile, and some we'd rather forget. But I guess it's the good and the bad that make us who we are and who we were.

"I can't come Katie... I can't."

"I know."

Sigh..... what a great movie!

You want the truth?

2010-11-21T20:36:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by my friend Amy over at Handprints of the Heart to do this "truth" survey. So here goes:

Can you fill this out without lying? You've been tagged, so now you need to answer all the questions HONESTLY. At the end, choose at least 3 people to be tagged.

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth? A gluten free chocolate chip cookie... and it was delicious.

2. Where was your profile picture taken? My friend Mary took it at her house.

3. Can you play Guitar Hero? I've never played. But I have played Rock Band (same thing) and I love it! I hate all video games except for Rock Band.

4. Name someone who made you laugh today? Jake, my mom

5. How late did you stay up last night and why? Till around 2:30. I had to work until 1 and then it took me a while to wind down once I got home.

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you? Probably not at this point in my life, unless my circumstances changed somehow. Though I would love to live somewhere else. Top on my list would be New York, California, or even London.... but at this point in my life I probably will end up staying where I'm at.

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks? I can't remember specifically if I have or not.

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you on FaceBook? Jake, my husband. He's my friend on facebook and he lives with me!

9. Do you believe ex's can be friends? Not really. I think it always gets complicated.

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper? I used to love it, now it seems gross. I haven't had it in probably 10 years.

11. When was the last time you cried really hard? I cried twice today actually for dumb reasons! Once while watching "Oprah's Favorite Things" and once while listening to a song.... haha! But cried "really hard,".... it's probably been a while, and I can't remember exactly the reason.

12. Who took your profile picture on fb? Mary Green

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of? Jake with Yoda

14. Was yesterday better than today? Yes, I got to go to the UofL game, though I did have to work last night. But today we worked on the house all day, so that was boring.

15. Can you live a day without TV? Sure, though I usually don't. I usually watch at least an hour every day, unfortunately. I love too many shows!

16. Are you upset about anything? Nothing at the moment, other than the fact that my shoulders really hurt from painting earlier.

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it? sure

18. Are you a bad influence? No, or at least I hope not.

19. Night out or night in? Night out definitely.

20. What items could you not go without during the day? Make Up and my Cell Phone

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? my Papaw when he had his stroke.

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say? "Hey, what are you up to?"

23. How do you feel about your life right now? Pretty good.

24. Do you hate anyone? No

25. If we were to look in your FaceBook inbox, what would we find? lots of messages, mostly about Arbonne

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass? Of course. I've never done drugs a day in my life!

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before? My mommy, and my husband....before he figured out the truth. haha

28. What song is stuck in your head? "Angry all the Time" by Tim McGraw, it was on the radio earlier.

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., whom would you want it to be? A friend in need, or who wants to talk. I'm probably awake anyway.

30. Wanna have grandkids before you’re 50? Um no. I don't even have kids yet so I'm definitely not planning grandkids.

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow: Go to Ikea with Wendy, yay!

32. Do you think too much or too little? Too much.....way too much!

33. Do you smile a lot? yes I think so

I tag Amber @ Musings of Amber Murphy, Erika @ Consistently Random, and Jennifer @ Unedited.

Guest Blogger

2010-11-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

Well we've been planning for weeks a wonderful blog post to be written today by my baby, Yoda. But I'm very sorry that he will not cooperate. Next time I have a guest blogger I'll be sure to steer clear of the divas.

What a brat.

Yeah, I'm boring.

2010-11-10T21:17:00.000-08:00

I feel like I haven't written a real post in a while. I guess because I haven't had anything too exciting going on. We've been working on our house a lot, trying to get it all painted before it gets too cold. It looks SO much better! We have a brick home but we've been painting the trim and doors and it's made a big difference. Also we're getting new windows, yay!

Anyway, enough of the boring stuff. Did I mention that I've been taking hip hop classes? That's right, I'm hardcore. Jake's been taking them with me. It's been a lot of fun. We have our concert coming up the first week of December, I'm excited for it! I'll have to try to post a video when it's all said and done so you can all laugh at me trying to be gangster. ; )

Sorry I'm so boring these days. In random news, I have been totally obsessed with this song lately. I don't even like Pink usually, but I love this song, and I cannot stop watching her grammy performance... it was amazing!

I'll write again when I can think of something more interesting!

My Ode to Summer

2010-11-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

Oh summer, dear summer...

where have you gone?

you promised to call,

but it's been way too long!

My tank tops are saddened,

my flip flops are too,

my skin is so white,

it almost looks blue!

I hate wearing sweaters,

and coats are for fools,

I just want the sun

and a day by the pool...

I know there are some,

who cursed at your heat,

but baby I love it,

You're SO hot to me!

I'll take heat over cold

any day of the week,

cause those who love winter,

are seriously freaks!

So please come back to me

and help me get tan

cause summer, I promise

I'm you're number one fan.

I can't decide...

2010-11-03T06:12:00.000-07:00

CSN has asked me to do another review/giveaway.... so stay posted! CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish handbags, to modern bar furniture or great cookware! Now to decide what I'd like to review.... hmm.....

I'm thinking of getting me some outdoor lights for my garage...

Which one do you like better??

Decisions, decisions....

Winter Veggie Bean Soup w/Pesto

2010-10-26T20:08:00.000-07:00

Whenever fall comes around I start wanting "fall" comfort foods like soup and chili! Due to my new diet, I'm forced to get creative in my cooking. Here's a recipe that turned out pretty yummy! It's vegetarian, Gluten Free, and can even be made vegan pretty easily.

Winter Veggie Bean Soup with Pesto

5 1/4 cups Vegetable Broth

2 medium Carrots, diced

3 medium Potatoes, peeled and diced (I left these out because I can't eat potatoes)

1 medium Turnip, peeled and diced

2 large Leeks, sliced

2 stalks Celery, sliced

2 cans white Kidney Beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Easy Basil Pesto (see below)

Instructions:

Place 1 3/4 cup broth, carrots, potatoes, turnip, leeks, and celery in a pot. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

Reserve 1/2 cup broth for the pesto. Add remaining broth, beans, bay leaf, and red pepper to the pot. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until veggies are tender. Remove bay leaf. Serve topped with Easy Basil Pesto.

Easy Basil Pesto:

Mix 2 cups backed fresh basil leaves, 3 T grated Parmesan Cheese (I used soy cheese), 3 cloves Garlic, and 1/2 cup reserved broth. Place in either a food processor or a blender. Process until smooth.

The soup turned out really good! And it was pretty easy to make. I had never cooked leeks before. In fact, I didn't even know what leeks were! They look like big green onions. I had to call my mom and ask her which parts I was supposed to use. She said to use the bulb, and then a little bit (about an inch) of the leafy part. But first she told me to fill up my sink with hot water and to soak the leeks for about 10 minutes to get all of the sand out. I'm glad I did that! Those things are dirty! So just a little tip in case you too are new to leeks...soak those babies!

Hope you enjoy the soup! I think it's pretty yummy!

Who do you think you are?

2010-10-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

I know I can't take one more step towards you

Cause all that's waiting is regret

And don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore

You lost the love I loved the most

I learned to live half a life

And now you want me one more time

And who do you think you are

Running 'round leaving scars

Collecting your jar of hearts

And tearing love apart

You're gonna catch a cold

From the ice inside your soul

So don't come back for me

Who do you think you are?

-Christina Perri

P-Nut the Rapper

2010-10-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

All you hardcore gansta rap fans out there are going to love the new kid on the block: P-Nut. P-Nut is a 7 year old rapper from Memphis. His newest single "You Might Be the One," is a compelling story of his love for a 3rd grader. I personally like when he offers to be her "study buddy" and complements her on her hopscotch skills.

Oh my goodness, this is the best thing I've seen in a long time. It is downright funny!

I know, I've posted twice today! But I just couldn't help but share this.

Oh cheese... how I miss thee.

2010-10-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I met with a bio-chemist and had my saliva and urine tested. (mmmm.... don't you just love hearing the words saliva and urine in the morning??!) And it turns out, I'm allergic to the following things: Tomatoes, Eggplant, Green Peppers, Peanuts, all Potatoes, ALL Dairy Products, and Gluten... which includes wheat, spelt, rye, and oats.

: ( BIG SAD FACE!

The first thing he said when he came back in the room is "wow, you do not get enough sleep." How he can tell that from my pee, I have no idea, but he is right, I don't! He said that my body is severely lacking adrenaline, my blood sugar is low, and my progesterone levels are low. It's weird because I haven't necessarily been feeling bad. In fact, I would venture to say that I probably eat healthier than most people that I know! I eat hardly no sugar, I'm vegetarian, I exercise, and I use natural products. I mostly went because I figured I had some sort of food allergies because my skin breaks out when I eat certain foods. But anyway, he thinks that if I start getting more sleep and get my hormones balanced, that some of the food allergies will go away.

And because I am really committed to bringing cheese, potatoes, eggplant, and tomatoes back into my life... I went to bed at 11 PM last night! Seriously.... that's like a record. I never go to sleep before 2 AM. I'm also starting on Arbonne's natural progesterone cream tomorrow. So... we'll see!

I'm hoping to lose the 10lbs I've gained over the past 2 years, and keep my skin from flaring up. I've done gluten free before, so I don't think that will really be a problem for me. But life without cheese and potatoes will be hard, and tomatoes.... eggplant.... okay it's all going to be hard.

I'll keep you posted.

Day 1.....

Life as we know it

2010-10-17T23:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight we went to see the movie "Life as we Know it." It was really good! I've been wanting to see it for a while now, but ya know, you never know how movies like this will turn out. Thankfully, it was as good as I had hoped. Jake even said it was "better than expected." I would definitely recommend it.

The best part?

Josh Duhamel

Um.... yes please!

Not on the list

2010-10-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

One of my oldest friends is getting married this saturday. We've been friends for as long as I can remember. Our families have been friends for decades, and we were always together as kids. She was my first best friend. She's 2 years older than me, so I always have looked up to her. We moved away to Michigan when I was 5, but we still stayed friends. She came to visit me and I of course came home to see family and got to hang out with her along the way. Through the years, we were never the kind of friends who spoke all of the time, but we always could catch up where we left off, like family.

When I got married, she of course was a bridesmaid in my wedding. She spent the night with me the night before, and we stayed up talking about how my life was about to change. Then, shortly after I got married, she moved away to California, which is where she's lived since. Now, she's never been very good at keeping in touch, but that's just kind of how she is. But through the years, I've tried to keep up with her through emails and the occasional phone call. The last time I saw her was almost a year ago. She came in town to visit and we went to lunch. We had a great time catching up, and it seemed like no time at all had passed. Not long after that, she went to Paris on vacation, where she met a guy. We spoke a few times through email about this new guy, and how the relationship was developing. And then...... that was it. I haven't heard from her since.

It's been about 9 months since we've spoken. The last email that I sent to her got no response. News came of her engagement through the grapevine. After I heard, I called her and left her a voicemail telling her congratulations and that I wanted to hear all about it. No response. Then, I sent her a text saying the same thing about a week later. No response. Then, I sent her another email. No response.

And now, the wedding is Saturday, and I'm not even invited. The wedding is here in Kentucky, and no doubt she's already in town, getting ready for the rehearsal which is probably tomorrow. Lots of my friends are traveling in for the wedding, and even some of my family members are going. But not me.

I don't understand. I don't understand how she could just forget about me. We never had an argument, or a falling out of any kind. The last time we were together was great! And yet, here I sit, with no response in over 9 months.

She's my oldest friend. She was IN my wedding, and I'm not even invited to hers. I'm a little bit angry about it, but I'm mostly just sad. Sad that I mean so little to someone who means so much to me. I've never even met the guy she's about to marry.

I've always tried to be a good friend to my friends. I try to be there for them, to be supportive, to show that I care. And so little of them have returned the favor.

I guess I just have to realize that she obviously doesn't care to be my friend. And I guess there's nothing I can do about that. So.... I wish her well. I hope that she has a beautiful wedding, surrounded by all the people she cares about.

It's kind of a funny story

2010-10-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

So a few months ago I was heading to my brother's house when I got pulled over. The road to his house drops suddenly from 55 to 35, and wouldn't you know it, as soon as I passed that sign there were lights flashing behind me. : ( He gave me a ticket for speeding and because my tags were expired.

I had fully intended to go to court and fight this one! The signs are really unclear and the sign where the speed limit drops is actually on the OTHER side of the street going the opposite direction. So, on my court date, I went in to argue my case. But, of course as soon as I got in there, the police officer asked if I wanted to contest it.... and I lost all my nerve (clearly intimidated by the badge) and said "no, I'll pay it." So... that's what I did. They dismissed the charge for my expired registration since I showed them that I had renewed, and then I paid my ticket. End of story. Or so I thought....

Fast forward to last Sunday. My family and I head to Frankfort, (about a 45 min drive) for a one day Bible convention. Jake and my dad left early in the morning because they had to be there by 7:30 to help. My mom and I arrived together later that morning. And boy am I glad I wasn't with Jake! He got pulled over (we should really buy stock in law enforcement.... oh wait... that's called taxes), and got a speeding ticket. But after the cop runs his license, he comes back and says "by the way, are you aware that there is a warrant out for your wife's arrest?" Um.... what!?? No, it's safe to say neither he nor I were aware of that.

My first reaction when they told me that was to laugh, only later to find out that he totally would have taken me to jail if I had been there! Can you imagine me getting hauled off to jail on the way to a Bible convention!? Now that would have been a story to tell! Since I haven't committed any crimes lately, my only guess was that they somehow didn't post that I had paid my ticket. Of course I had to wait until Monday to find out, so until then, Jake refused to let me drive, convinced that I would get taken to jail if I got pulled over. He toted me to and from work saturday, and drove like a snail, afraid that HE would get pulled over again.

First thing Monday I marched myself to the courthouse decked out in the cutest outfit I could find, complete with my black ruffle high heels and coach purse (if I was going to jail, I was going in style) and announced "I'm here to turn myself in, I hear there's a warrant out for my arrest." Haha, I couldn't help it. The cop looked at me like I was crazy, and then finally went to run my license. The result? There was no warrant out for my arrest. Never was. They had no idea why the police officer said that. I don't know which made me more mad, the fact that the one officer said there was, or that the other said there wasn't! I mean.... I'm glad I didn't go to jail, obvi, but it's really irritating that it was all for nothing!

As I was leaving the police officer said "sorry, we can't lock you up today, but maybe another day!"

Sigh.... I kind of liked having the street cred.

Look what Faith can do

2010-10-04T21:10:00.000-07:00

I feel like I have been playing catch up since we got back from our trip. I haven't even completely unpacked yet and we've been back almost 2 weeks now! I know.... poor me, I got to go to Europe. Trust me, I'm not complaining! It was definitely worth it, I just have a lot to do now between work, and stuff around the house.

Yesterday we started painting the outside of our house. Wow, I did not know how big of a job it was going to be! It's a brick house, but the trim all around it desperately needed to be repainted. Right now it's cream, with green shutters. We're painting the trim white, and the shutters black. It's going to look great when it's done, but there's still a lot left to do and we're running out of warm weather. Hopefully we can get it done over the next few weeks. I'll be sure to post pics when it's finished!

On an un-boring note, did anyone see Oprah today? I love a good animal story and the show was full of them!

Meet Faith, the 2 legged dog who is truly an inspiration!

Faith was born deformed and she only has two legs!

This little dog was taken in by a loving family and learned at an early age to sit up like a bunny and hop.

Here she is today, a healthy and happy dog who gets around just fine!

She stands up on two legs like a person, walks, hops, and even runs.

She is really an inspiration!

She had to learn to get around with only 2 legs....

kind of makes my long to-do list look pretty pathetic.

WINNER WINNER

2010-09-30T12:34:00.001-07:00

Okay.... so I bet you thought I forgot about my giveaway! Well, you would be wrong. I didn't forget, I have just been out of town and blah, blah, blah....

SO.... (ever notice how I love to use "....." while I blog?), thanks to CSN Stores, I'm giving away this great Wine Rack!

Thanks for everyone who entered, and the winner is:

AMBER TIDD MURPHY!!!!

Yay!!! I was so excited when your number popped up! You're preggers so you will just have to use it to store the wine for now, and in a few months you can empty it out. : )

You all might not know it, but I've known Amber for a long time, since high school in fact, so I'm really happy she won! Be sure to check out her blog, she's hilarious!

Congrats!

Hope everyone's having a great day.

I reluctantly came back home

2010-09-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

I'm back!!!! Wow, I feel so out of touch with everything right now! We got back from Europe last week. We had such an amazing time! This past week I've just been trying to play catch up. Plus I caught a cold while I was over there, so I've been kind of out of it. Hopefully it will be gone in a few days. I could write a book about everything that we did.... but don't worry, I won't. Here are a few hi-lights of our amazing trip:

LONDON

In front of the London Eye.

Warwick Castle

Shakespeare's home in Stratford Upon Avon

Oxford College

The Anchor Pub. Shakespeare used to drink here!

The Globe Theater

PARIS

Our first day there, we headed straight to the Eiffel Tower!

The Moulin Rouge!

At a cafe in Montmartre, my favorite part of Paris.

The Louvre

Last night in Paris.

It's so awesome at night!

ROME

The Colosseum is an amazing sight.

The reason why I gained 3 lbs in 12 days.

The Trevi Fountain

The town of Cortona in Tuscany... sigh.

Everything is beautiful there.

In Montepulciano.

Anyone recognize this from a certain movie!??

Yup.... it's "Voltera."

The Cantina Contucci, a 1000 year old winery!

Gelato... another reason for the 3 lbs!!

Sigh.... we had such an amazing time. I can't wait to go back. I loved all 3 countries for so many different reasons. I have to say though that I fell in love with Italy. I can't wait to go back and spend some more time in Tuscany. It is so beautiful there. I want to move there, buy me a pink moped and buzz through the streets in a trench coat and heels! I would also settle for living in London! They speak english there so it would be easy to manage, and it's just a short (and cheap) plane ride to so many amazing and beautiful places! Plus, Arbonne has a headquarters in London, so I'd be just fine conducting business from there! Sounds good to me!!

Maybe someday.....

I have my priorities.

2010-09-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

We leave for Europe in 3 days!!! And it seems like it's all I can think about.

Here are things I've done this past week in order to prepare:

1. Drove to 3 different stores and spent half the day looking for passport covers... cause it's very important to have a cute passport cover when going to Europe... obvi.

2. Bought a new pair of shoes to take, and wore them to break them in. Got blisters and decided not to take them with me.

3. Stayed up until 4 AM researching the laws on bringing wine back into the US from Europe. .....I don't know why it seemed so important that night?

4. Bought a new outfit for Yoda (my chihuahua) to wear when I drop him off at my mom's house before we leave.

5. Bought a power converter, 3 new dresses, 2 shirts, 3 pairs of shoes, a new jacket, a sweater, a purse,a journal, and 3 new head bands for the journey.

Things I have NOT done in preparation for my trip:

PACKED.

Guess I better get on that.

A Whole Lot of Redneckin’

2010-09-02T20:27:00.001-07:00

You know you’re a redneck when….

I bet someone was pretty proud of himself for thinking of this!

Sure! Just put them on a rake!

Wow.

Redneck spoiler!

Redneck sprinkler.

Redneck Santa.

And last but not least…..

Yup…. that’s right. They put a window unit in their car!

It's the final countdown.

2010-08-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

12 Days and I will be in London!!

"It's London baby!" (Think Joey from friends.)

I'm so excited! 3 nights in London, 4 nights and Paris, and 3 nights in Rome. Everything is planned and I can't believe it is coming up so soon! I went shopping for passport covers today...cause you know... I needed my passport to be cute... and outlet convertors. I think I have everything I need. I've been trying to eat healthy and exercise these past few weeks cause I know once I'm over there it's all over! All I want is bread, cheese, and wine for every meal!

"What!? Bread makes you fat!!??"

(One of the only funny lines from "Scott Pilgram vs. the World, which my husband made me see last night.)

The countdown has begun!

Just a piece of a story.

2010-08-23T22:18:00.001-07:00

Okay, so… I’ve been writing. It’s really because of all of you! You have all inspired me with all of your wonderful literary works. I’ve never considered myself to be a writer, but after reading all of your awesome blogs and works in progress, I’ve decided that I want in on the fun! And because I’m a “rip off the band-aid” kind of girl, I’m going to share!

Here is an excerpt from my work in progress. I know many of you are wonderful writers, so I’d love your feedback. It’s a little long, so if you read it all, you must really love me. Haha. Here we go:

She heard the knock on the door, but she ignored it. She enjoyed her long showers, even though she knew she’d hear the complaints later from her roommate. It gave her time to think, and today of all days, she needed time.

The day had finally come, as she knew it would. And now, standing in the shower, the reality hit her. He was gone. She felt a lump forming in her throat, and she tried to shake it off. She had promised herself she would not cry over him ever again. After all, how can you cry over the loss of someone you never had to begin with?

“You are so stupid,” Autumn whispered out loud to herself. “You are so, so stupid,” she repeated. She could feel it coming, and she couldn’t stop it. She shook her head, and splashed her face with water. She never allowed herself to lose control, to feel anything for him anymore. What would be the point? What would it change? But on this day, here, alone in the shower, she had finally reached her breaking point. She let go of the breath she had been holding in, and with it, an outcry of sheer pain. The tears came quickly, and she sank to the ground, sobbing out loud. She buried her face into her knees and let the water run over her. She was suddenly flooded with a million emotions, feelings that she hadn’t allowed herself to feel. Sadness, pain, and worst of all, regret.

Looking back, Autumn couldn’t remember a time when she didn’t know Oliver. He was always just, around. Their mothers had been best friends for years, and they loved to tease the two of them about how they would someday marry. Oliver was five years older than Autumn, and he loved to pick on her, he would mess up her hair as he would walk past, and would run laughing as she chased after him, screaming . Her mother loved to play the home video of her as a toddler proudly proclaiming “Ollie is my boyfriend!” She had loved him all her life, but Oliver barely noticed Autumn, at least not in that way, after all, she was just a child to him, just an old family friend.

When Autumn turned sixteen she began working for her father. Her dad owned a bakery, and after school Autumn would work behind the counter as a cashier. It was a boring job, but she didn’t mind it so much, because Oliver worked there too. They began spending more and more time together, and it seemed to everyone that it was only a matter of time before their romance would blossom.

Oliver dated other girls through the years, and Autumn even dated other boys, but nothing ever stuck for either of them. Over the next few years, they grew closer as friends. They would talk on the phone for hours, go to lunch together, to an occasional movie, and even Autumn’s high school prom. He teased her about her “goody goody” disposition, and how young she was. He was a bad boy in all of the obvious ways, but Autumn didn’t care. She knew that someday he would settle down and be hers. They never spoke of love, or romance, and despite her best efforts, he never kissed her. But he told her often “you know, someday we’re going to get married, you’re just too young for me right now.”

And she did know, she knew someday they would be together. She figured as soon as she was older, that he would finally proclaim his love for her. She counted down the days until her eighteenth birthday, until she was finally an adult. She imagined him, showing up at her door, taking her into his arms, and kissing her in the way she had dreamt about for years. But sadly, that’s not what happened at all.

Her eighteenth birthday came and went, and nothing had changed. Sometimes she wondered if he even knew how she felt. Did he know that she was in love with him? It seemed so obvious to her, and to everyone else for that matter, but was it obvious to him? So many times she thought of just telling him. So many times she wanted him to just put her out of her misery, to let her know once and for all if they had any kind of future together. It was torturous, hanging onto a possibility.

The day it happened she had spent the night at his house. He still lived at home, and Autumn had stayed up late watching movies with Oliver and his mother, Donna. She fell asleep on their couch. When she woke up the next morning, she wandered up the stairs to find him rummaging through the refrigerator.

“Good morning,” she said, quickly running her fingers through her long blonde hair, suddenly aware that she must look like a mess. “I guess I fell asleep, thanks for letting me crash.”

“No problem.” He shrugged, pulling a milk carton from the refrigerator. He opened it, took a drink, and then put it back.

“Ollie! What have I told you about that?” Donna hurried in to the kitchen, swatting him on the back of his head. Oliver laughed, and quickly kissed his mother on the cheek.

“You know you love me,” he said charmingly. Autumn thought it was sweet the way he acted with his mother.

“Morning honey,” Donna gave Autumn a peck on the forehead, “have a seat, let me fix you two some breakfast.” Autumn climbed onto the wooden bench that sat behind their table, tucking her legs up under her.

“Ah thanks mom, but I have to run, I’m meeting the guys to play ball.” Oliver glanced Autumn’s way for the first time, “I’ll see you girls later.”

Donna looked at Autumn, then back at Oliver, “Oliver, you have a guest, don’t you think you could reschedule with the boys?” She eyed him carefully.

“Oh, it’s just Autumn, she doesn’t care, do you?”

They both looked at her.

“Oh of course not,” she said quickly, “I have to leave soon anyway, go play ball! I mean, you seriously need the practice.” Autumn laughed nervously and stuck her tongue out at him.

Oliver rolled his eyes. “Okay, see ya!”

And he was gone.

Donna turned to look at Autumn, eyeing her suspiciously for a few moments. She shook her head in silence, then began to make breakfast.

“You don’t have to make me breakfast Donna,” Autumn said quietly, getting up from her seat, “I really do need to get going.”

“Don’t be silly,” Donna replied, “you don’t have to be anywhere. Now sit and let me make you some eggs!.”

Autumn sat back down. She tucked her legs back under her and turned to look out the window. There was a butterfly right outside, and she began to stare at it absently. She wondered how long ago it had been merely a caterpillar.

“My son is an idiot.” Donna said suddenly, she cracked an egg on the side of her mixing bowl.

“What?” Autumn laughed, turning her attention back to the room, “You’re just now figuring that out?”

“I’m serious, he’s an idiot.”

She put down her spoon, and looked at Autumn. Autumn could see the pity in Donna’s eyes, and it made her suddenly embarrassed. Was she really as pathetic as she felt?

“He doesn’t deserve you honey.” Donna said quietly. “And if he can’t see how special you are…. He really is just an idiot. I love him! But he’s an idiot.”

Autumn felt the blood rush to her face, she looked down quickly and took a deep breath. She opened her mouth to protest, to say that she didn’t know what she meant, but nothing came out. What was the point? Everyone knew she was in love with him. She sighed.

“Thanks Donna,” she whispered, looking up at her. They stared at one another for a moment, and then she turned back to the window. The butterfly was gone.

If you really knew me...

2010-08-22T22:08:00.000-07:00

First of all I just want to say that I'm so excited to have reached 200 followers! I can't believe that 200 people are following my randomness. Thanks so much to all of my friends, it's been so wonderful getting to know you all.

Speaking of my bloggy friends, Leslie @ A Blonde Ambition, opened my eyes the other day to this new show on MTV called "If You Really Knew Me." Have you all seen it? I hadn't watched MTV since Carson Daily hosted TRL and I was home from a day at High School... but after listening to Leslie's description, I sat down tonight to watch it. It was so good! The show travels to different high schools in an attempt to help bring kids together. They profile the jocks, loners, stoners, geeks, and popular kids, and then put them through some amazing exercises together. They share their secrets, insecurities, and fears with one another, and the results are really powerful. Remember the scene in "The Breakfast Club?" It's kind of like that!! Definitely tune in.

So following Leslie's lead, here's my own little version of "If you really knew me."

If you really knew me, you would know:

I'm really scared of snakes. Okay... beyond scared... more like terrified. I can't even look at a picture of a snake without freaking out. It's very annoying.

I have really crazy dreams all of the time. Last night I dreamt I was "Veronica Mars" and I was dating Logan Echols. A few weeks ago I dreamt I rode a shark through the ocean, and the shark had a seat cut out of his back for me to sit in. Haha.

I have five living grandparents. My mom's parents, my dad's parents, and my mom's grandmother (my great grandmother), are all still living and doing well. I feel so fortunate to have them all in my life.

I'm late just about everywhere I go. I hate that about myself. I know that it's an awful quality. My mom tells me that when someone is always late, they are saying to the world that their time is more important than everyone else's. Sigh.... I'm working on it.

I have a very addictive personality. When I love a song, I can listen to it on repeat. When I love a restaurant, I can eat there every night for like 3 months! I totally go in waves with things.

I love to eat late at night.... though I'm trying to resist!

I remember kindergarden pretty clearly, and then 2nd grade through senior year. I have no memory whatsoever of 1st grade. Even when I looked up my teacher's name, it brought back no memories. It kind of freaks me out, haha.

I love to make lists.... a trait I inherited from my mother!

Okay, so what about you?
What would we find out if we really knew you?

Summer... don't leave me.

2010-08-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

I feel like summer is almost over and it's depressing!! The older I get, the faster it seems to go by, and the less I feel like I have time to actually enjoy it. Oh to be 10 again so I can spend everyday playing outside! Tomorrow I'm spending the day at the pool with my friend Wendy, and I couldn't be happier about it!

On a side note, this week we were working outside and snapped some pics of my baby, Yoda, chilling in the sun. Isn't he so cute?

He's my little snaggle tooth.

Mama needs to buy him braces.

Have a great weekend!!!

Hoping to find some new followers, I'm almost to 200!

If you're new here, be sure to enter my giveaway.

Giveaway Giveaway Jiggity Jig

2010-08-18T19:06:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! Don’t forget about my giveaway from CSN Stores. It’s this really cool wine rack that holds 6 bottles. I hung it in my dining room and it’s the perfect size.

Yup, I’m aware that I need to buy some more wine! One bottle just doesn’t do it!

Anyway, only like 12 people have entered, so your chances are good! Enter HERE.

Add a comment below on this post and get an extra entry!

Songs that move me to the core

2010-08-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

I guess we all have the songs that move us, that remind of us someone, some place, or some moment in time. Maybe it's just the lyrics, the melody, or one word... whatever it is, these are some of the songs that can stop me in my tracks, that move me.

"You say go slow, I fall behind, the second hand unwinds..."

"We keep coming back disassembled and I keep losing this fight..."

"I'm not sorry, there's nothing to say..."

"Stay with me, this is what I need, please..."

"Nobody said it was easy..."

"Perfect make up but you're barely scraping by,

and you can't fake it hard enough to please everyone..."

"I don't know who I am without you, all I know is that I should..."

"I believe in yesterday..."

"I can live without you, but without you I'll be miserable at best..."

"I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show, and I thought that being strong meant never losing your self control..."

"And though there may be darkness, there is still a light that shines on me, shine on till tomorrow, let it be."

What are the songs that move you?

Follow Me, Chickadee

2010-08-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Well... almost, it's actually 11:52 on Thursday as I write this. I'm participating in "Follow Me, Chickadee Fridays" this week. It's time for me to make some new bloggy friends!

In sadder news, today it stormed and our power flashed on and off... and my mac died!!! It won't turn on at all. I'm hoping for a macstore miracle tomorrow. I'm going to be uber depressed if it's fried. : (

Don't forget about my Wine Rack Giveaway, there are just a few entries so far!

Welcome to my new friends, can't wait to meet you.

How is your race?

2010-08-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

There comes a time when every life goes off course. In this desperate moment you must choose your direction. Will you fight to stay on the path while others tell you who you are? Or will you label yourself? Will you be honored by your choice? Or will you embrace your new path? Each morning you choose to move forward or to simply give up. Because it's only when you´re tested that you truly discover who you are. And it´s only when you´re tested that you discover who you can be. The person that you want to be does exist, somewhere in the other side of hard work and faith, and belief, and beyond the heartache and fear of what life has.

-One Tree Hill

Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door.

-Emily Dickinson

How is your race?

Sort me out

2010-08-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

I lack organization, in every way possible. My home, my car, my time, my thoughts. I wish I had a personal organizer for my life. Someone that could reach into my head, sort out my thoughts, categorize them with color coded tabs so that everything made sense. One of these days I'm going to find some focus.

"Close your eyes, clear your heart, cut the chord."

Hide your kids, and your wife, and your husband….. ready to laugh?

2010-08-06T13:39:00.001-07:00

This is possibly the funniest thing I have ever seen. I just had to share it with you. It’s 4:30 on Friday and it’s time for a laugh:

Okay…. now watch this one:

I want to be friends with these people, I’m pretty sure I would never be bored!!!

Don’t forget about my wine rack giveaway!

Yeah...so I'm a journalist.

2010-08-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

Wanted to tell you all about my new little venture. I'm now a writer for examiner.com. I'm the Louisville Vegetarian Examiner! Please check out my first article, I'd really appreciate the feedback! Plus I get paid based on how many people read and subscribe to my page. haha!

If you would be interested in becoming an examiner for your town, you can apply by going to their main page. Be sure to tell them I sent you!

Oh and don't forget my wine rack giveaway, there are only like 8 entries so far, so chances are good!

Hope everyone's having a great day!

Wine Rack Giveaway!!!!

2010-08-02T21:55:00.000-07:00

I love CSN stores! They have such an amazing website where you can access over 200+ online stores. They recently contacted me about doing a review and giveaway, so of course I was very excited!! I chose an item from one of their websites, Just Wine Racks.

I got this Six Bottle Wall Mounted Wine Rack

Isn't it cool?! And guess what.... thanks to CSN Stores... you can get one too!! One reader will win this wine rack!

There are several ways to get an entry:

1. Follow my blog and comment below to let me know (1 Entry).

2. Visit CSN's website and comment on another product that you'd love to have (1 Entry).

3. Tweet about this giveaway, (@ashleybstone) (1 Entry per day)

4. Blog about this giveaway (2 Entry's)

Falling Slowly

2010-07-30T22:09:00.000-07:00

Trust me on this, go rent the movie "Once." Amazing. That's all I can say. Just trust me and watch it. It's so deeply moving, I can't stop thinking about it.

"Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice, you've made it now."

Maybe Life is a Song...

2010-07-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

"Many people die with music still in them. Why is that so? Too often it's because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it,
time's run out."

-One Tree Hill

European Vacation!! Calling all experts!

2010-07-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

It's official! We are going to Europe in September!!!!! We are going to:

LONDON!

PARIS!

ROME!

We are so excited about our trip, but there is so much to decide! We fly into London and spend 3 nights there, then take a train to Paris where we spend 4 nights, then fly to Rome where we spend 3 nights. We have been wanting to go to Europe for years and now I can't hardly believe it's actually happening. I only wish we had more time over there to be able to see everything!

So for all you travelers out there, what are your absolute must-do's for London, Paris, or Rome? We are considering doing a day trip from London into Stratford Upon Avon and Warwick Castle. We're also considering doing a day trip from Rome into Chianti, Umbria, and Montepulciano. I really want to do the day trip from Rome because it's a wine tour, which I think would be amazing, plus Montepulciano is where they filmed Twilight - New Moon!!! Haha. But it would be like $300 so I'm not sure.

I don't think we'll book any tours for when we're in Paris. I mostly just want to soak up the atmosphere while we're there.

Another thing I'm having trouble deciding on is our flight from Paris to Rome. Have any of you ever flown with Easyjet, Vueling Airlines, or Iberia? You can fly from Paris to Rome for only like $65 on these small jets... but it kind of scares me! But the major airlines are like hundreds more.... so I can't decide. I just don't want to get over there and have our flight cancelled or something crazy!

Anyway I am SOOOOOOO excited I can't hardly stand it! We've never been to Europe and we are counting down the days! Have you ever been? What were your favorite things to see?

I Say "Tomato," You Say "Pass the Beef."

2010-07-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

(Here's a short little article I wrote about being a vegetarian):

Let's face it, life as a vegetarian can be an every day struggle. It takes knowledge, planning, and conviction. Even more so when you are the sole vegetarian in the family! After all, what do you cook for dinner when one loves tofu and the other loves chicken? It's true that it may be easier to just eat out, or to have a "fend for yourself" attitude about meal times, but we all know how important it is to eat dinner together as a family. So what can you do to bridge the gap between the herbivores and carnivores?

For starters, have a frank conversation with your family and explain why you have decided to become a vegetarian. If they understand your reasons, they will be more likely to support you in your decision. Along with that, try to resist the urge to criticize your family members for eating meat. You may feel very strongly about your vegetarian diet, but if you expect them to support your decision, than you must be prepared to support theirs. If it's something you are passionate about, by all means speak up, but be calm and respectful in the way that you do it, and do so away from the dinner table. No one likes to hear about animal cruelty while they are eating their dinner!

Lastly, when preparing meals, look for recipes that allow for meat to be left out or added in. Casseroles, Stir-Fry, and soups are all great examples of meals that you can make half vegetarian and half with meat. Spend time together preparing the meal and have fun eating it afterwards.

It may take some effort, but rest assure, you can be successful as the sole vegetarian in your family!

Salt, Starbucks, and Sinks... my A.D.D. post.

2010-07-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Saw the movie "Salt" tonight. It was much better than I expected. I think there are much better movies out right now (Eclipse, Inception....), but it's definitely entertaining. Check it out!

In other news, I started my new job last week doing sales for my family's company. I'm still active with Arbonne of course, but now I'm only bartending on saturday nights. It's gone pretty well so far. I got a laptop yesterday that the company bought me, woohoo! Now I can blog from starbucks and all sorts of fun places!

Anyway, this isn't a very exciting blog post, just wanted to give my little movie review! Jake made me a really cool concrete countertop for our bathroom, so tomorrow I'm going to go pick out a bathroom sink, one of the bowl type ones. I'll post pics wants it's all installed!

Is this not the most random blog post ever!?

Goodnight Moon and Goodnight You

2010-07-23T23:04:00.000-07:00

This is my song of the moment:

Goodnight Moon by Go Radio

Don't go to bed yet, love

I think it's too early

and we just need a little time to ourselves

If my wall clock tells me that it's 4 in the morning, I'll give it hell

Cause I've been trying way to long to try and be the perfect song

When our hearts are heavy burdens

We shouldn't have to bear alone

So goodnight moon and goodnight you

When you're all that I think about

All that I dream about

How'd I ever breathe without, a goodnight kiss from goodnight you

The kind of hope they all talk about

The kind of feeling we sing about

Sit in our bedroom and read aloud, like a passage from Goodnight Moon

And sing for me softly, love,

Your song for tomorrow

And tell me my name's the one that's hidden in there somewhere

And dream for me anything

but dream and in color about

We know the sun's still rising and we don't care

Cause I've been trying way too long to try and be the perfect song

When our hearts are heavy burdens

We shouldn't have to bear alone

So goodnight you and goodnight moon

When you're all that I think about

All that I dream about

How'd I ever breathe without, a goodnight kiss from goodnight you

The kind of hope they all talk about

The kind of feelings we sing about

Sit in our bedrooms and read aloud, like a passage from Goodnight Moon

And there you were, as I saw my Juliet

Come graceful down the stairs

It's hard to miss the way her eyes light up the room

And steal the air

Just feel her lips lock on to every breath I take

And breathe it in

Do you feel us falling?

Cause I feel us falling

So goodnight moon and goodnight you

When you're all that I think about

All that I dream about

How'd I ever breathe without, a goodnight kiss from goodnight you

The kind of hope they all talk about

The kind of feeling we sing about

Sit in our bedroom and read out loud, like a passage from Goodnight Moon

Goodnight Moon

And there you were, now I saw my Juliet

Come graceful down the stairs

It's hard to miss the way her eyes light up the room

And steal the air

Do you feel us falling? Cause I can feel us falling.

Children get older, I'm getting older too...

2010-07-22T22:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I find myself waiting for my life to start. Like some magical day I'm going to wake up and everything will be as it should be, as I thought it would be.

When I was a little girl, I dreamt about how perfect life would be someday. And though in my dreams I never could quite see the details, the story always ended the same: Happily Ever After.

Sometimes I still feel like that little girl, still dreaming about what life will be like when I grow up. And here I sit, getting older every day, and I find myself wondering when I'm going to start living? I spend so much time waiting.... for that happily ever after. But the truth is, life is not a fairy tale. Don't get me wrong, life is beautiful, my life is beautiful. But life is a journey, a long and winding journey, with ups and downs. I just have to keep reminding myself to open my eyes along the way, because there are beautiful things happening all around.

I need to learn how to let go.

Of people I've loved, and lost.

Of ideas I had about who I should be

Of mistakes that I've made.

Of what might have been.

I need to stop waiting

And just let it be

stop dwelling on the past.

Stand up and walk out of your history.

-- Phil McGraw

and remember that things change.

I need to start living.

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us.
-- Joseph Campbell

The Story of Cosmetics

2010-07-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Did you know only 20% of the ingredients found in most personal care products have been tested for their toxicity levels? Would you fly with an airline that only tested 20% of it's airplanes?

No one is regulating what you put in and on your body, or your kiddo's bodies. Make the smart choice and become a label reader. Educate yourself and make sure your making safe choices for you and your family. Most people think I sell lipstick, but really, I educate people on how to live healthier lives. Every choice matters!

Thank you Arbonne for keeping my family safe!

Papa...Paparazzi....

2010-07-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

Last week Jake and I had our pictures made by a friend of ours, Chelsea Lewis with Chelsea Lewis Photography. I am sooooo not photogenic, and I hate having a camera pointed at me, but I warned her before we started that I was going to be awkward!! Haha. Thankfully Jake is a big ham and after a while they got me to relax a little. Here are a few of my favorite shots. Let me know what you think!

P.S. I saw "Eclipse" today for the FOURTH time. Obsessed much? I think so.

Okay mom, you can read my diary...just this once!

2010-07-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

A blast from the past, a page from one of my many diaries. I think everyone should keep a diary, especially when you're young. It's so fun to look back on. I'm not entirely sure which guy I wrote this about, haha.... but whoever it was sure had pissed me off!!!! Too funny.

January 2, 2002

(I was 17)

So, I'm in love with you?

Funny how I never knew.

And how you never knew me.

My beauty, intelligence, depth.

Things you'll never see.

It's a shame.

All that you could have had.

Excuse me, what did you say?

I can't hear you,

Your hair gel is screaming too loud.

It's making the statement that

"You're so vain..."

You probably think this poem's about you.

Oh well.

Too bad, so sad.

You'll never have what you could have had.

Cry me a river...

2010-07-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

"...you know that a good, long session of weeping can often make you feel better, even if your circumstances have not changed one bit."
-Lemony Snicket (The Bad Beginning)

So tonight on "The Bachelorette," Ali said that her decision had nothing to do with the families...but come on.... would you really want to be married to a guy who's dad has a basement full of dead animals!? Creepy!!!!!!

Anyway.... as Ali was tearfully saying goodbye to Kirk tonight, for some odd reason I started to think about how weird tears are. I mean, don't you think it's strange how our emotions can elicit a physical response like that? I do. I googled it tonight and was surprised to find that no one really knows why we cry. They know why it happens when our eye is poked, or we are in physical pain, but they still haven't figured out the connection between our emotions and our tears. Strange, isn't it? I did read one article that said how our tears that are produced from an emotional response, are different from those produced by physical pain. The emotional tears have more of a certain hormone in them that is a natural pain killer! Interesting, isn't it? I guess that's why some believe that crying is therapeutic, though that has never been proven scientifically really.

"Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are best relieved by the letting of a little water." ~Antoine Rivarol

One article said that in a recent study, it was found that women on average cry 64 times a year, and men only 17. It is also stated how difficult it is to figure out the cause of crying, because it involves so many questions as to whether tears are involuntary or not. For instance, in recent times, more and more men are learning that crying can be seen as a positive thing, that it shows that they have a sensitive side, that they can be vulnerable. And just the opposite, more and more women are fighting back the tears in order to show that they are not too sensitive or too vulnerable.

"I often want to cry. That is the only advantage women have over men - at least they can cry." ~Jean Rhys

Just another thing that is influenced by the world around us. Politicians seem to be able to cry on cue these days, and most of the great schools for acting have courses on how to cry on demand! It's just another thing for us to judge people by I suppose, because even tears can seem so insincere sometimes!

I've found that the older I get, the more and more I cry. I'm not really sure why that is, but I think a lot of it is having the confidence to know that it's okay to cry. I used to see it as a weakness, but I don't anymore. I think it's okay to cry sometimes, and even good for you. It's a strange thing, that's for sure!

"Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts."

~Charles Dickens,Great Expectations, 1860

I smell like smoke, pot, and hippies.

2010-07-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

That can only mean one thing: Forecastle!! Tonight we went to the Forecastle festival, and it was a lot of fun. One of my customers is a sponsor so he hooked us up with free tickets...score!

I mainly wanted to go today to see "She and Him," which is Zooey Deschanel's band. I love her, I think she's adorable. My husband thinks so too, in a very different way!! Haha.

We had a lot of fun, despite all of the nasty smoke!

Oh the sights you see at Forecastle!! These ladies were very entertaining, haha.

I made him do this, haha.

"She and Him"

Zooey and the band sang "I put a spell on you" as an Encore. I loved it!

Though I really wish she would have sang this:

OH, and I have a bloody lip from my husband. That's right, he punched me in my mouth and bloodied my lip!!! Okay, it was an accident. He was trying to get his wristband off his wrist after the concert and his hand flew back and hit me in my mouth. But I'm totally going to tell people he hit me!!!!! ; )

Take a look, it's in a book...

2010-07-10T23:25:00.000-07:00

I got a new book today that I'm excited to start!

Anyone read it before? I'm looking forward to the movie with Julia Roberts that's coming out soon, and it really got me interested in reading the book, especially when I found out it's a true story! I hope it's good!

Besides the Twilight books, (which I read constantly over and over again), here are some other books I've read lately that I would really recommend:

This book is sooooo good! It's about two people who grew up together, finding one another again after years apart. I know it sounds completely generic, but it's not at all! I was hesitant to read it at first, but I'm so glad that I did. It's definitely a book you should go pick up! I think it's actually one of my favorite books I've read.

I actually bought this book on accident, but I'm glad I did! I was disappointed at first when I got home and realized that I had the title wrong and it wasn't the book I was expecting. But, I kept reading and was instantly drawn in. It's fabulous, and I can't wait to read the sequel.

What great books have you been reading?

Almost as emo as this bunny.

2010-07-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

I've been in quite a funk lately. I've really been lacking in motivation, to do just about anything. I feel like I'm at a crossroad right now, and someone is hiding the map from me! I have so many decisions to make, and I don't want to make them. So, I'm avoiding. I find myself just sitting, staring into space like a crazy person, in fact, I think my husband is convinced I'm nuts. My parents, and others, have been asking what's wrong with me a lot lately. And to tell the truth, I don't really know. I'm not sure if it's just stress, or what, but these past few weeks I've just been out of it.

My parents have offered me another position at their company. This time, I'd be doing sales, from home, on my own terms. They've offered me salary plus commission, a cell phone, and insurance. They said I could still pursue Arbonne, and do both. Obviously, it's a lot more money than bartending.... so why am I not jumping at the opportunity!? I met with my dad two weeks ago, and I've yet to give him an answer. Something is holding me back, and I'm not even sure what that is. I know.... how about you all just tell me what to do!!! Then, if all goes wrong, I can blame you, instead of myself! Kidding...sort of.

To add another thing to the equation, today I auditioned for a local dinner theater. It was my first audition in almost 10 years, and I blew it. I was so nervous! I told myself to be confident, and was convinced that this would prove something...to myself, to others. But there I stood, shaking! I got through my monologue okay, but then as I started the singing portion of my audition, I began my song in the wrong key. I recovered a few bars in, but I only had 16 bars of time in the first place. "Okay," the casting director said after my song, "thanks for coming in, that's all we need to see." In other words "don't call us, we won't call you." I've been mad at myself all day. I choked under the pressure, and I'm really disappointed. Everyone's been telling me all day that I shouldn't be upset, that it was my first audition, that it was probably not as bad as I thought.... but haven't you ever known that you could have done something so much better!? That's how I feel, like I could of nailed it, but I let my fear win.

Anyway, with the audition.... and everything else going on, I'm just feeling really lost right now. It's so strange because just a few months back, I felt like I pretty much had everything in my life figured out, and now...here I am confused again. And it's not just about my career path... it's kind of everything. These past few weeks I've felt kind of zombie like. That's my natural reaction.... when I start to feel overwhelmed, I shut down. I'm not sure why I'm even so overwhelmed!

I think the truth is, that I'm scared of change. I'm scared that at this point in my life, the decisions I make will be final, and I'll settle into the rest of my life, into who I am, and who I will be. And I'm not ready yet to be defined. Does that even make sense?

Oh well, give me an hour and I'll feel fine. My mood changes on an hourly basis these days! Maybe I'm just going crazy? Hmm.... don't answer that!