Let's Play Catch-Up

Hello again friends! So I have been trying for the longest time to write on my blog. I got on this evening determined to write and publish one tonight. Then I had found that I had six saved drafts that have all been attempts over the past year and a half to make a post. However this post will not turn into another draft but an actual published post. Let me catch you up on the past year and a half in like five minutes.

Last time you read this I was in Colorado having a total blast with the Preston's. I will always and forever be so grateful to them for welcoming me into their home, letting me watch their (our) wonderful little girl, and making me feel apart of their family. I had a blast. 

After Colorado I went to Rexburg, ID where I have been for the past two years and am kinda bitter/sweet about the whole thing. Love Rexburg (even though sometimes I tend to call it Suck-berg), love the friends I have made and the people I have met, and love all the out door activities I can do here. However, the reasons why I tend to call it Suck-berg: 

It is freezing cold here,or colder during the winter. And I know I can't complain too much Kelsie, but in someways I kinda sorta feel like I can a little bit and only because I have to walk in it everyday.

There is ice everywhere! And it's super sneaky and hides from you so you don't see it or know that it is there until you fall on your butt in the middle of a cross walk which has happened on more than one occasion.

If it is not snowing or raining it is so windy that my balance gets thrown off and it is hard to walk and the wind just adds to the bitter cold feeling you get in your bones. That's a true fact: not being dramatic. 

When it finally warms up and stops snowing, you will still have occasional random rainy thundery days. 

If it is not raining there are wind storms that make doing your hair not worth it. Any effort your put in to doing it will just be pointless because no matter how many bobby pins or how much hair spray you use, none of it will work and you can hear the wind laugh at you as it undoes all your work. 

But it is pretty here when it is not deathly windy or dumping snow. Everything here is so green and beautiful. Everyone emerges from their bear caves where they have been hibernating and all come out to play out side. It is so enjoyable here during the Spring Semester.

So enough about the weather.

I left my first year of college, went to girls camp (as a leader:not as a young woman attending), came home, went on the annual Cola Family Vacation where I got a rockin tan just in time for Deasiya's wedding! 

Deasiya

Yes; in case you didn't know Deasiya got married to Brenan Barker and we are all extremely happy for them. They are living in Provo and she is almost done with school at BYU.

After D's wedding I went back to visit the Preston's for a bit and then finally went home (and stayed home) in October. 

Aaron

Aaron started Jr. High this year and is doing amazing. He loves all the extracurricular activities. He was on the soccer team and the track team and does the high jump. Have I mentioned that is extremely tall! He is definitely going to the be the tallest in the family we're hoping he surpasses the six foot mark. 

Adam

Adam (finally) got his eagle scout award. We were all very proud of his and mom's achievement. He he he. And just a little side note: one of the best parts about Adam's eagle court was that our Uncle Randy and his family (what are now referred to as the Texas Cola's) were all able to be there and Uncle Randy was able to be apart of Adam's court. 

 Another big step in Adam's life: he graduated high school and he is preparing to serve a mission. He plans to put in his papers some time towards the end of the summer and hopes to leave sometime in the fall. CRAZY! It is going to be rough. I just love my little brother. But it's ok because I will just force Aaron to hang out with me. Or Ben. I guess he is kinda like my brother now too. We are all excited for Adam and proud of his decision. 

Me

When I got home, I unwillingly went to singles ward and Alexis called me as one of her minions on her activities committee. For as much as I did not want to go to the singles ward and be a minion for Lex, it was really so much fun. When I left Colorado I was dating someone, but after I while of being home I decided that I needed to break up with him, so then I was living the single life for a while. However a little before I left for school I met this one guy who just so happened to also be a minion on the activities committee. We started hanging out, went on a few dates, and right before we both headed back up to Idaho BOOM! We decided to date! Crazy how things work out. Haha. But this guy's name is Sean Thompson.

He is just the butter (and occasional added salt) to my bread. I laugh at his jokes and he just mostly laughs at me. Haha. We both attend BYU-I from January to July so we have just had so much fun over the past six months (not that anyone's counting) hanging out and getting to know each other. It has been a blast.

For those who are losing interest I'm almost done. Really. 

Emma

Emma is all over the place! She is doing her intern right now in Rexburg and working full time. Even though it is tough and she is exhausted all the time she manages to work through it and wear a smile on her face. On top of working full time she is also taking the last nine credits she needs to get her bachelors degree and gradates in three weeks from today. We are all very proud of her.

Alexis

One recent event is that Alexis got married. I now officially have a brother-in-law. Ben Starkey. Our relationship is odd. At first, I will be honest, I really did not know what to think about Ben. However being around him I have learned that even though he puts on a front, he is really just a big softy. He likes to tease me because I can get worked up so easily, but I have learned that when I don't get worked up, it drives him crazy. So it is more of a breaking contest. Luckily due to Adam, I can hold in there and usually win. But we love Ben and he just really loves my sister and would do anything for her and as her little sister that's all I can really ask for.

So Lex and Ben got married on a Saturday, Deasiya, Emma, and our friend Stephani left Bakersfield the next day, and that Sunday night, Deasiya and Brenan welcomed into the family Little Baby Tyson. He is just the most precious baby EVER! 

I have been lucky enough to go down to Utah to see him a few times in an effort to make myself his favorite aunt. So far I think it is working. 

Finally the parents. 

Renee and Xavier are as crazy as ever but are probably as happy as ever too. Dad works all the time for the school district and part time in some nursing homes. He has some of the best stories. Mom is working at GemCare right now and still has not departed from her phone. In fact her boss gave her a business phone. So now she has two. Like I said, crazy. But they are doing well and adjusting to life with just the boys now that the girls are all out of the house. They also just celebrated 26 years of being married. Mom told me that they have been super pleased with how the past 26 years have gone. A few bumps along the way but no complaints.

I can't really complain either. My family is pretty awesome. We might be all over the place and our time together is limited however whenever when we are together, it's a party.

Sorry everyone had to sit through as I journaled about the past year and a half but I hope you are all caught up. I also hope that I don't only post every year and a half from now on. More like every week, or week and a half so I promise the next one won't be as long.

Also, I will be leaving Rexburg in less than three weeks to go to girls camp and go back to Bakersfield so we all know that there will be lost of good posts there.

Until next time! 

I'll Just Stick to the Bunny Slopes Thanks.

So last weekend my friend Joe came into town and invited me to go skiing with his family. I was so excited however there was this minor flaw to this great plan. I have never skied before. So already you should know that it was a good weekend.

So he knew and his mom was all prepared to teach me.

So the first lesson that she tried to give me was to get get back up after falling down.

She was like, "It's going to happen so it is important to learn."

So she "fell over" and taught me what to do. So it took her like 15, 20 seconds.

So then she stood up and told me it was my turn and that because I needed to know she was not going to help me at all. So then she made me sit down like I had "fallen over" and make me try to get up.

So after almost five minutes she finally helped me up and said, "We'll work on that later, lets try stopping."

What a huge fail! I was so embarrassed but it really was so funny! But who know it was kinda, just a little bit hard.

So then she taught me how to do the pizza slices to slow down and stop. So then it was my turn to try. And I don't think that at the time my pizza slices were as good as they grew to become because I couldn't stop and I went past the little flag marker and into this huge ditch thing that had so much snow in it that me and my skis got stuck. So then Suzy came into try and save me but then got sucked in herself. So then we are laughing because we are stuck in snow that literally came up to my hips. So then she also took this time to teach me how to pop off my skis so I could some what crawl my way out of this pit of snow.

So finally after another five minutes I started stopping again.

I felt kinda bad because a little while later when Joe's dad came over she was like, "Honey. Why don't you try and she if you can explain it differently to her."

Pretty much translates into, "Oh my gosh home girl in totally incompitant and keeps falling over and I want a break for a few minutes because home girl is killin me."

It was like, horrible but funny. I honestly felt like I should have video taped forever one so you would know that it was really as bad at it sounds. I just kept falling over. And over and over and over. Luckily I didn't walk away with any bruises that were too crazy, but there were a few. And benefit. I did finally master the art of being able to get up. 

Ugh. It was horrible.

But, after a while (a semi-long while) I started doing pretty well. Well enough for me to try the lift. So they warned me that it was gonna be a little weird at first and that it might fall over. Well they forgot to tell me to lean forward to so yeah. I defiantly fell over. But, after the second time, I was a pro and totally mastered the art of the lift. So that was a big accomplishment.

So like I said, after a while I actually got pretty good. Well goodish. I still wasn't Lindsey Vaughn status goin all crazy and what not but it was good.

So at one point Joe was like, lets try a run. It'll be super easy. It's just like a bunny slope except a little longer. 

So after he convinces me to go,  I wanted to die. So the first slope we come to was super steep! I was like Joe! Are you serious right now. So we start going and, of course, I start going towards that side of the mountain off into the flagged area towards the trees. So I couldn't stop and I just kept going so I just decided to do what I do best and fall over.

So after we make it down this tiny little steep hill of death, it did get a little easier. Until Joe and I found out that the easy run that we had planned on taking was closed! So then it combined with another run that was ridiculous. The whole last hill was completely steep and I just wanted to slide on my back all the what way down. I'm sure that would have been a lot fast.So anyways, after 46 minutes of this one run, and about 45 falls later, we finally made it to flat ground. It was really a lot of fun but I felt so lame. Haha. 

And it was super irritatingly, funny that I would see these little seven, eight years old passing me, looking at me, and judging me through their little doll size ski masks because I kept falling with every inch of progress I made.

Like, if I wasn't trying t ski and was just watching safely from the lodge with some hot chocolate then I would have been totally so impressed by them and their ability to do flips and trick and single handed trout grabs when they were only as tall as my  hip. But because we were on the same snowy field, it brought it to a whole new level of competition. A level that wanted me to push them, or throw and small snowball, or maybe my skiing pole at them as they flew by me. Judging me. But I love kids! Yay for them.

So anyways. It was super good. I loved it. Hopefully when or if the next time I go it won't be so bad. But even for falling over a lot it was so much fun. 

But I think was made me feel a little better was knowing that that my skiing outfit was cute. That whole thinking of if you look good, you feel good really is true. 

However it was always much better after I dusted all the snow off my back that way it didn't it didn't totally show like I had just fallen all they way down the slope. Yes. Much better.

So Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving.

So as most of you know, or found out, but I did not come home for Thanksgiving this year. It was my very first Thanksgiving away from home however I was still able to spend it was my family.

The Monday before Thanksgiving is when the whole Preston Family (minus one granddaughter) was going to show up and stay in the house for a whole week. 

How many people total?

There was:

Grandma Preston,

Jeff and Aki and their two kids,

Andrew and Pam and three of there kids,

Brendan and Corinne with me and Kate,

And Shawn and Megan with there four kids, making a grand total of 20 people living in one house for one whole week. Yes at points it might have seemed a little crazy however it really was just so much fun. It was the first time in four years that all the family had been together for a holiday.

So because there was going to be so many people I thought that it might be a lot easier to cook the weekend before and freeze everything it and just pull it out as we need it rather than have about fifty thousands dishes to have to cook and clean in one night.

So the Friday night before I went to Costco with Beth and Kate. Oh how I have missed my Costco time. So then after Corinne and I ran a few errands the next morning I spent the majority of my day cooking.

By the time I was done, I had cooked two lasagnas, two chicken casseroles. and cooked two of those huge cans of whole peeled tomatoes  into spaghetti sauce. Yeah. I was just a little tired. However it was so nice, and a lot less stressful, to have everything all cooked without having a huge clean up and everyone ate lots of it. 

So Thanksgiving was super fun.
We all woke up and played Turkey Bowl. It was so good. The good team consisted of Myself, Brendan, Andrew, Megan, and Matt.
The Lame team was made up of, Jeff, Shawn, Garrett, Preston, and our friend from institute Ben.
Obviously they are the lame team because they won. However it was a super close game that came down to who could cheat the better. And I am proud to say that it was not our team. Ha. False.Actually they just got lucky. But whatever. I'm not bitter. But next year, you are getting it Jeff and Shawn.
Then after we all went home and started getting diner ready.

Everyone kept asking me if it was so much different than what I was use to because it wasn't so crazy but really it was very similar to the Cola family Thanksgiving. The only thing that didn't happen was a family fight but that only happens every so often anyways so no. It wasn't that different at all.

So after dinner Corinne and I decided that we wanted to go to Target for the midnight black Friday opening since either of us had gone before. 

Corinne had invited Matt over after he got off work so he could have food but instead he had to take it to go because I made Matt go with us. It was fun. Corinne got a bunch of stuff and I got a few things and Matt got an 18 piece pot and pan set for like 20 bucks. I would say that it was super successful trip full of laughs and tired mid-night giggles.

So then we came back, dropped Corinne off, Matt got more food and then we went back out to the mall.

So I have never gone Black Friday shopping but it wasn't as crazy as I thought it would be. It was super fun and I actually got a lot of stuff.

So after we came back and sat down for a little but, Matt passed out on the couch and I passed out on the floor. It was quite funny when I woke up and was totally shocked that I was on the floor and had absolutely no clue how I got there. I guess I was just a little tired.

So after I woke up all the men and and two older boys left to run a few errands leaving Preston all by himself. So I decided that we would go on a small date. I was tired and needed something to wake me up. So we ran around the corner to Seven-Eleven and got some gas, hot chocolate, and I let him get a candy. But it was a pretty big deal because I was able to get permission for him to sit in the front seat. I think that he secretly fell in love with me.

So then after the boys came back we all played this game called Ticket to Ride. So there are only five pieces so the married couples were each their own team, Riley and Garrett were a team and I got stuck with Matt.

So this story made short. Matt and I have never played, or had heard of this game, but we won! We TOTALLY dominated. I think they were all kind of bummed but were super impressed with us. I was gonna take a picture but Shown started putting away all the pieces so I couldn't post my win.
Uh, can you say sore loser? Ha ha. Just kidding.
But I feel like my Uncle Randy would have been so proud. I wanted to call and tell him but I think because of the time difference he might have been asleep, but I think that  brought honor to my family that night.

After Friday everyone started departing one family at a time. It was super sad to see them all leave but it was super fun while it lasted.

So my first Thanksgiving away from home was super good.
I was really sad that I wasn't able to be with my family however I loved being with my adopted family!

Crap Happens

I think that being able to laugh at unexpected things and yourself, is one of the most important things you could ever learn to do.

So the Wednesday before Lynn and Gary left it honestly felt like anything that was totally horrible and random happened one right after the other. So first. It all started with the snow.

Tuesday night through most of Wednesday it started snowing and it was pretty heavy. So all the roads were icy and covered with snow and for a few hours there was even warning of "blizzard-like conditions." So because of all this I found out a little bit before my morning institute class that I was so excited to go to because I had to miss a week that it was canceled because of the conditions and because the schools got canceled as well. So then it hit me. All the schools got canceled so that meant that Kate would not have pre-school either.
So sad. So institute and school canceled.
So Matt was already up on this side of town when we all found out so he decided to stop by for a little bit before he had to drive all the way back home. So as I was waiting for Matt to come we all heard a crash come from the kitchen.
So we all go in and find the blinds had fallen on the floor. Gary had tried to pull them up and the plastic at the top broke. As he looked at them he noticed that they were broken before and someone had just glued them back together.
(But for super glue and the past four months of us being her they have help up pretty good.)
So classes canceled, and now the blinds broke.
So Matt finally gets here and Kate wants to play Hide-n--go-Seek. So we play that for a while and then Kates gets tired and wanted Matt to read her a book. So Kate sits on her bed, I start to walk down the stairs and then Matt sits on the edge of the bed and I hear a crack, boom!
So I painfully turn around and see that Matt and Kate have fallen to the floor. Apparently where Matt sat the wood had cracked and split and that foot and a half of the bed had broken and fallen off.
So Matt accidentally broke that bed. So then Matt and I look at it and totally figured out a way to fix it. Actually it was my idea but he was the actual labor part.
So we take a quick trip to Home Depot because it is the closest and fixed the bed. So then we test it with Kate. Then with Matt. And then with Kate and Matt together.
So classes canceled, blinds broken, and a broken bed.
So then after we finally took a quick breath we both get a text. The Wednesday night institute class was canceled too!
I was just like really? Really. Really right now? I was SO bummed! I just wanted to go to institute. Is that so much to ask?
All our classes canceled, broken blinds, and broke the bed.
But yes. Really. So then we decided that we were gonna call Mikey and meet her in Manitu because we had not seen her since she get home and we just missed her and were bored and mow had nothing to do. So on the way there, I tell Matt to pull over, I step outside of the car, and I throw up.
After I got it out of my system we continued onward.
Canceled classes, broken blinds, broken bed, vomit.
So we finally get to Manitu and we are parking and Matt is reversing his car and then his tire pops.
Matt and I looked at each other and we just knew. We just sighed and got out of the car.
Feeling defeated we get out of the car and start to change his tire. We tried really hard to hurry and change it before Mikey would got there so no one would ever have to know; however that of course would not be our luck. Just a few seconds later Mikey pulls up and was like, "Oh my gosh what happened?"
Huge sigh.
My favorite classes, and Kates's only class cancelded, broken blinds, broken bed, vomit, and now a popped tire.
So that became out motto for the day. Crap happens. We honestly said it just about after every event. And sometimes it wasn't as funny as other times.
Luckily we can honestly laugh about it now (for the most part) and make jokes about it however I still can just not believe that all of it happened in one day.
Sometimes I will catch myself sitting and just still think about it.
Canceled classes. Broken blinds. Broken bed. Vomit. Popped tire.
And then I just remind myself.
Sometimes Ashlynn, crap happens.

Bibbidi-Bobbidi-BOO!

So Halloween. Good times. 

It was funny. The Saturday night that Matt, Mikey and I all went to Cheyenne Mt. we were talking about how the YSA here never have any dances. They had one at the conference but none since or before that I can remember.

So then the next day at church, we found out that there was going to be a Halloween dance.

We were excited but then super bummed because Mikey was the one who brought it up and then she left that morning for Utah and would totally miss it.

But anyways, I spent what little, spear thinking time I had that week thinking about what I was going to be. And every time I asked Matt what he was going to be he was always someone, or something different.

So finally I decided on Friday evening (like an hour and a half to two hours before) to be an Indian! I thought it would be so cute.

So I had just enough time to get ready and then guess what ironically Matt showed up as. . . 

a cowboy. Yeah.

So anyways, we head off the dance and then spent a while there.

So while I was there I took just a few pictures of costumes I thought were worthy of the blog.

The first one.

Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy

The Second

Toad from Mario.

(Please excuse the blue party cups. I didn't really think about it until now. But they are just filled with water so don't think I am a total devil child)

And the third.

Robin Hood and Maid Marian. 

They actually won the couple costume contest! I was so happy. But there was also Prince William and Kate that I thought was super cute/clever too but I'm glad Robin Hood and Maid Marian won.

I don't really count this guy but he really just had a creey-creeper outfit.

Oh. And he is the Billy Joe Sushi guy too. Haha.

That that really raps up the dance.

So Monday Night.

Kate decided a while ago that she wanted to be a princess (who didn't see that one coming). So then when she thought about it, saw all the princess costumes, and then noticed the ones she was missing, she finally decided to be Cinderella. It was quite cute.

The school did a parade and so they went throw the whole building and got to show off there costumes. I missed it because I went to Denver to pick up Brendan. But then Monday evening, I took Kate up stairs and did the whole sha-bang; the works. 

So we first started with the traditional Cinderella bun. After the hair we did some make-up!

Kate loved it! She felt like she was really getting the royal treatment.

And of course, just to help put us in the mood, we listened to Disney music. It was so much fun to dance and sing with her as we got her already. It was almost like getting ready for a dance but with a four year old.

So what was I you ask? Well what would Cinderella be without her Fairy Godmother! 

That's right. $4 dress at Goodwill. Super good find.

So this is us outside underneath the arch that Gary so nicely set up.

She was so cute! It was funny; I felt so special. So Corinne and Brendan almost left without me (but I'm not bitter) but then Kate started saying, "Wait! No! We can't leave with out my fair godmother! We can't leave! I need my fairy godmother!"

It made me feel noticed. I loved it.

So then we took off.

Kate walked around the whole night in her little heels. We didn't think that would last very long but it did.

Even Cammy came for this special event.

So Kate I think got the whole routine down this year. The stairs were something that she wasn't completely prepared for however she worked through it.

It was funny.

So she was coming down off the stairs and she lost her slippers! Just like Cinderella. We all laughed.

So anyways, Kate actually surprised us and lasted for quite sometime. Towards the end we just made Kate turn around and hit up the other side of the street. But she did really good. I was impressed.

So we returned back home to Lynn and Gary who stayed behind to pass out candy so then Kate thought that she would give it a try. Oh my gosh! Home girls is nuts.

She was so devoted to making sure she gave the kids the candy she wouldn't leave the door because she wanted to be right there when they came to the door. Finally she started sitting on the couch so then when the doorbell would ring she would just jump up and sprint to the door. At first I thought that that would be super great because then she would just hopefully crash and go to bed. However I then noticed that every time she came to the door she had a knew piece of candy in her hand. So yeah. It was a little nuts. But it all worked out it the end. The very late end.

It was so weird. I noticed going trick-or-treating with Kate it was a totally new experience taking and helping someone trick-or-treat then it was to either be the one trick-or-treating or just giving out the candy. I don't really knows if that makes sense but this year was just different for me. But a good different. I loved it and now have lots of new chocolate to add to the stash.

Oh My Gosh! If My Head Wasn't Screwed On. . .

So I totally forgot a major detail in my last post! Like a MAJOR, MAJOR detail.

So let me take you back to right before I left in June. Long story short, Brittany Bulkeley taught my how to hem my pants because she thought that I am always going to be short, I am always going to have to hem my pants; because I'm so short (Yeah.That part burned me a little). So she taught me and I TOTALLY, HONESTLY meant to say that and give all (or most) of the credit to her in my last post but, you know what happens when your brain thinks faster than your fingers and type. Especially my short little, sausage fingers. 

So I am SO sorry Brittany! 

Really. I just feel so bad! 

Galvan and I totally appreciate all that you have taught me! I just love you and thank you so much and think of you every time I were my jeans that we hemmed together. I am so sorry and am so thankful that you got tired of hemming mine and Deasiya's pants and forced me to learn how to do it myself.

Brittany, thank you for being you!

Martha Stewart, Robin Ray, and Susan Dunn Would be Proud.

So Halloween weekend was crazy! It was a good crazy though.
So Lynn and Gary had just gotten here the night before so Saturday morning they took Kate and I out for breakfast. (Corinne was at the hospital working.)
So after breakfast we went to Wal-mart to get a few things that they need.
They are just so funny when they shop together. I loved it and thought it was rather great.
So then after Wal-mart (the real reason I was excited for Saturday) I made. . .

!!!!!

Lynn actually sent this package out for Kate and Corinne a week or two before the came out and apparently at the bottom of the box, was this book for Asher! I absolutely love it! There are like a bazillions and one ways to make different kinds of cake pops. Anything from clowns to aliens, or from farm animals to zoo animals, or from baby faces for baby showers to turkeys for Thanksgivng. Even dradels  for Hanukkah! It's amazing.  

So anyways. I thought that I would start with something super simple and go with the season so I decided to make pumpkins.
So I made the cake and started doing all the required steps to make heaven into little balls dipped in chocolate.


So note to self, I felt like using a spoon got me nowhere so then I started using my hands and that made the whole experience that much better.
Yeah and my hair was a hot mess and there was gunk all over my hands so I couldn't really fix it. However I really didn't care.

So then after I mixed we started rolling.

This was probably a fourth to a third of what was made.

However because there was a bunch we didn't dip them all. We kinda have just dipped as we go, or as needed. 

But after we finished rolling we started dipping!

Aren't they so cute!

I used cheap white chocolate just because, well lot of reasons. It was the first time and so it was more like a test run so I really didn't want to buy the expensive kind in case it was a total fail. So it didn't dip very smoothly, however it totally got the job done and tasted really good. And I think they look really cute for some thing that I have never done before and that we were just going to eat and not even display!

So then, at some point in the middle of all of this when Matt found out I was baking, he came right over. Ha. Oh boys and their food.

So as we were cleaning up the cake and chocolate mess Matt's roommate, Galvan, called and asked if I could sew.

My response, "Um. . .depends."

So then Galvan showed up too, we offer him a cake pop and asked him to explain the reason for his visit. I guess "what had happened was" Galvan was going to this Halloween party so he went to Goodwill and got a bunch of blue random articles of clothing and was like, random things you find at Goodwill. However the pants he got were huge and about a size or two too big. So I ended up taking in the leg a little and hemming them. I felt super cool.

I felt like Susan Dunn. Not gonna lie. I think she thought all those times I went over to have a dress taken in or fixed I just sat there and talk to her the whole time. But really, I was taking mental notes for a day like this that I would have to whip them out and impress the Military (and myself).

They actually turned out super good. He was in kinda a big rush so I wasn't able to take a picture of the finished product but, all you need to know is that they were well done and looked, and fit really well.
But then, right before he left, he said something about a tie and he forgot to have someone tie it.
So then I was like, "What? You have a tie too? Do you need it tied?
"Yeah. Can you tie ties too?"
"Hand it over Galvan."
"Oh my gosh! You can tie ties too?! Oh my gosh. I owe you. Thank you so much."
Then he was off to his party.
After I tapped the little bit of sweat off my forehead I ran up stairs and got ready for stake conference. So I went to Stake Conference. Love it. They talked a lot about temples and scriptures and testimony. You know, the usual, but I really, really enjoyed. It was a nice calming way to end the day.
Over all, even though it was a super crazy, busy Saturday full of events planned or not, it was really a lot of fun!

So Saying No Isn't Such a Bad Thing. Maybe I'll Learn How Someday.

So to all the mothers whose sons that have taken me out on dates, thank you for making sure that your sons know what is appropriate for a date. And to your mothers who are now raising sons that will eventually date, please help them out and raise them right.

So for obvious reasons I won't use real names. Except mine.

So this story starts and goes back to August. Remember when I went to that YSA Conference? Yeah. Well one of the things that they talked about was having a Temple Recommend and the kind of traits that people who have recommends have.

So I was wearing my yellow skirt with a black shirt and those black flower shoes I got for Mormal junior year. So anyways, this guy walks up to me and has his temple recommend out. so he says, "Yellow skirt. Hi Yellow Skirt. So, um yeah. Can you read this? Can you read this right here?"

As he is pointing to his name I say; "Billy Joe?"

"Yep. Billy. Billy. . . so what's your name?"

"Ashlynn."

"Ashlynn. Hi. So what ward are you in?"

"Oh. I'm in the Cheyenne Mt. Ward."

"Oh good, good Me too. Nice meeting you Ashlynn. I thought I should let you know that I really like that yellow skirt. It's nice. Well it was nice getting to meet you Ashlynn. Hopefully I'll see you around."

I know right? The temple recommend.

So that was about the last time I really talked to this Billy guy. I'd see him occasionally and say hi but that was about it.

So then I went to FHE one night and then I was standing in a group of people talking and so he asked me if I had a boyfriend and I was like, ha. No. False. 

So then he asked me if I was dating my friend who had seen me with a couple of times at church which was TOTALLY false. Just because you had seen me talking to my friend a couple times does not mean we are dating. So then I confirmed that I was not dating anyone and then he says, "Oh really? Good. I thought you guys were dating. That's why I stopped hitting on you." 

For real right now?! No. It really happened!

So then he asked, in front of everyone, "Oh. So good. We should go on a date. When should we go on a date?" 

Not gonna lie. There was a little part of me that wanted to punch him in his mouth, and then there was that little part that couldn't do anything because I was still in shock and confused that he really asked me out and in front of everyone. But because he had made it perfectly clear to everyone that I didn't have a boyfriend, and then asked me in front of everybody in the group who were all listening by this point so I would have felt kinda like a jerk, and/or awkward if I said no. So we decided that Tuesday would work best.
So then he was like, "Oh. You like sushi? If you like sushi we should totally get sushi."

Heck yes I like sushi. So not gonna lie. Billy had me at sushi.

So we decided Tuesday night plus sushi.

So here it goes.

He gets to my house, meets Corinne and she asked, "So what are you guys going to do?" 

So then he says, "Oh! We're gonna go to Subway, then we're gonna go get some windows markers and write on peoples cars."

So Corinne started laughing because she thought he was joking. However I knew. I knew he was not joking. I knew he was serious. So I tried not to show the MAJOR disappointment that I felt when I found out that sushi was no longer apart of the plan.

So yep. We really go to Subway and we go inside and then he says, "So how hungry are you? I could probably do like six to eight inches. But a foot-long would be too much."

So I say, "Oh yeah. Me too. I probably won't even finish six inches."

"Oh cool. Well it's any-tober which means any foot-long of your choice for five dollars. So you go ahead and order any foot-long you want, put whatever you want on it, and we'll split it."

Silent pause.

So I ordered a foot-long that we really split.

So then after dinner we really drove across the parking lot to Wal-mart. We go in and he really buys two white window markers.

So then we walk outside and he really started writing on peoples car window. Nothing harmful, but still kinda awkward for me. I worry about EVERYTHING! So I worried that someone was gonna walk out and catch us and not think it was as funny as he did, or I don't know, something bad. I just worried ok.
Oh. And side note. Did I mention that it was suppose to snow that night? So it is extremely cold, and rainy, and windy. Yeah. . .
So we went to two more parking lots and then he finally asks, "Hey. Do you want some hot chocolate?"

Oh Billy, once again, you had me at hot. Chocolate was just a major bonus.

"Yeah. Sure. Sounds good."

"Sweet. Ok. So honestly, the best place for hot chocolate, Seven-Eleven."

Sigh.

So then we really went to Seven-Eleven and get hot chocolate.

So then we start driving around and he's telling me this story about this one time that him and his two best

friend toilet papered his ex-girlfriends house last November and then  Billy says, "You know what?! I'll show you her house right now. We're right here!"

So yep. He really drives me by his ex-girlfriends house and he doesn't just tell me the whole story, he shows it to me.

Sigh.

So then he pulls over to this walking path (after we left the ex-girlfriends house) and we get out and walk around that for like an hour. In the almost snowing (still rainy and windy) cold.

So then we get in the car and come home. Home, sweet, warm home.
So then I tell Corinne, who happened to be talking to Brendan and the time, and they just laughed the whole time.
And then 45 minutes later, it started snowing.

So then the next day I was telling Matt at Institute and he was like, "What!"
Matt is Billy's Home Teacher so he was talking to him before institute to try and find a time for them to meet and Billy told him, "Well I went out with Ashlynn last night, I have improv practice Thursday, and then I just got a date for Saturday night. We're going to Sushi."

So this other girl who he asked out after me got my sushi!

So then on Sunday he was like, "Oh, hey. Want to see what I did last night," and starts showing me all these pictures of melted crayons. And then it hit me. These pictures were from his sushi date! I was like WHAT! Are you serious right now! But of course he was. But he is officially crossed off the dating list!
I really don't hope like I sound like I am complaining that someone took me out and spent money on me. However, it is pretty crazy that this is a true story but I can totally laugh about it and Billy and I still say hi to each other and occasionally small talk to each other which in nice so I think that over all, I got a good experience from all of this. I think. Or at least I hope?

Lord of the Flames

So the Saturday after Brendan left and Kate got her filling, me and a the two friends that I hang out with the most decided to hang out that weekend.

So let me just introduce them first before I get into the actually story.

So this is Matt and Mikey! 

(Mikey on the left and Matt on the right. And me in the middle)

So Mikey.

Mikey actually just moved out here like a month after I did form California. She's from Orange County, graduated high school, and came out here to work for her aunt for a few months before she goes to school at (guess where) BYU-Idaho in January. She's pretty much the super cute, blonde, skinny version of me. So it's been way fun getting to party with Mikey in Colorado before we both have to leave and get to party even more in Rexburg. I just love her! I think she's so cute.

So Matt.

Matt is a Military Brat and has been all over. Born and started being raised in Arizona. Then he spent 5 years in Japan, moved back to Arizona. Then moved back to Japan for three years and then moved back to Arizona for like three days and then went to Canada for his mission. Then he came back from his mission and lived in Texas for a while and then he left to California for six months before he finally landed up in Colorado Springs this last March for work.. So anyway, he's an engineer and works on satellites in the Air Force and has a really cool leather A-2 Flight Jacket that I want really bad.

So the story.

So the Saturday after Brendan left Mikey, Matt, and I all decided to hang out because it was Mikey's birthday the weekend before but her mom and sister were in town and then she was leaving to Utah for a week the next day to visit some friends so we thought that this would be the best time. 

So Mikey got off of work and then came over to my house to get changed. After she changed we all left and went to Chili's! 

(That was really my only random, selfish request. I know. And out of all the places to go Chili's? But sometimes, it just hits the spot.)

So that was really good and where the above picture of the three of us was taken as well.

So then after Chili's we were going to go down to Manitu to the penny arcade and do some damage there however, for some reason, when we got there it was closed. At 8:30 on a Saturday night! We were all super confused and disappointed as to why the arcade was closed so early on a Saturday however we didn't let that rain on our parade.

So then we all loaded back into Matt's car (which by the way we named Aeneas which is Greek for "the praised one." I just LOVE that little grey Aeneas) and started diving to the top of Cheyenne Mountain. 

So when Matt first moved here his crew went to the top of Cheyenne Mountain and so he has been wanting to take us before it go extremely cold so we thought that this would be the perfect time.

So as we kept driving up I soon found out why Matt wanted to take us. The higher up the mountain you got the more of Colorado Springs you could see and it was so pretty. (I tried to take pictures but that didn't really work out like I envisioned.) But it was just so quite and peaceful and all you could see where thousands of lights. It was just SO pretty. It was definitely a sight to see. I loved it. I think that my husband will have to propose there now. I don't really know how that will all work out but yeah. He'll just have to figure that out. Ha ha. Just kidding.

So after we looked at the lights we pulled off into one of the camp sites and built a fire for some s'mores.

So you like the random piece of wood? Yeah. I found that and thought that that would just be a fun thing to burn. And it was. But get this. See those three big pieces of real wood? Yeah. I chopped those up myself. With an ax. It was a pretty big moment for me. I felt like that one time at girls camp when the Bunting Boys and Kacey Kennington all took turns chopping wood for our fire. It was pretty much one of the funniest things I've ever witnessed in my whole life.

But anyways, Matt and I just keep looking for things to add to the fire but then stopped because after a while it got super hot! Mikey and I kept scooting back and because our legs were on fire. I'm pretty sure that the hairs on my legs were singed just by sitting close to it. And I was wearing jeans. But it was one of the best fires that I have ever been apart of. I'm super proud. It wasn't big but it was just hot! 

So part of this big venture was to introduce the Reese's Peanut Butter-cup S'more to Mikey. She had never had one and I was like, "Mikey, Girl. Really. You have never lived."

So I got it all ready and showed her and started chowin down.

So Mikey, not as sold on the idea, started her's and then took a dive into heaven.

Mikey's exact words after her first bite, "Holy cow. Oh my gosh this is really good! Oh my gosh. Who knew? Holy Cow."

It made me very happy. Told you Mikey.

Me and Mikey VERY satisfied.

 

So Matt was being  EEXTREMELY lame 

and wouldn't take any normal pictures. 

Until I told him we wouldn't stop until I got one good picure.

I don't ask for much Matt!

So then Matt and Mikey took a few pictures. Oh my gosh. Some of the funniest things ever. I wish I could have just started recording instead of just taking pictures.

This was fine. But then they just got silly.

I don't really know what this is but I call it Matt's GQ.

And Mikey. . .being. . .Mikey.

I think this is my favorite.

What can I say. They are dorks but they make me laugh.

So this next picture describes my relationship with Matt. 

He gets busy when and then leaves himself vulnerable. So then I take advantage of that and I attack.

However. . .

it usually doesn't ends up in my favor. So then when I ask for help, Mikey is just sitting there and is laughing so hard I don't get any. However, in this case, she just happened to snap a few pictures while she was laughing. 

I actually felt kinda bad. I meant to push him backwards and instead he rocked forward and, somehow, his hand landed on some hot sand! I felt really bad but luckily it didn't burn him. It just. . . surprised him. And luckily he had just put the fire out so no flames were involved. Just the remains.

So then we packed up and started headed back down. It was so much fun. But it wasn't over yet.

So on the way back to Aeneas (the car) this white truck comes flying super fast down the mountain. So then Matt says, "was their door open?"

So then just a few minutes later we see their car pulled off to the side and this guy starts waving us down. So Matt rolls down his window and this guy walks up to the window and says, "Y'all got any jumper cables?"

Matt did so he steps out of the car (and then I locked the doors Dad. Don't worry) and helps these guys jump start their car. So while this is happening they start telling Matt their whole story.

Turns out their battery had died. So they were going super fast because they were coasting down the mountain and their door was open because the guy was standing out of the car shining a super small flashlight on the road to see where they were going because their head lights went out. Can you say billies from the hill?

So from the, "Ya'll got any jumper cables," to the guy standing out of the car shining a flashlight on the road, Mikey and I almost pee'd our pants form laughing so hard. It was the best, most random way to end the night. We joke about it all the time and  people just look at us like we are so lame. But that's ok because if you were there you would be laughing too.

It was crazy but I am definitely lookin forward to what other crazy adventures the three of us will encounter.