{ i love having a sister in TX }

My sister came to visit with her three kids! It was so much fun! Her girls have been wanting a puppy, so we were very excited to share ours with them. I was thinking they might not want a dog after being around the real thing- one that can bite, poop, and doesn't always listen- but I think they actually adored Pippa! Sorry Hoey you aren't off the hook. :)

Peyton insisted on holding Ky.

Jared was excited to show off some of Pippa's tricks! Pippa knew she could usually get a treat out of Peyton.

I love Sunday walks! What a gorgeous day in February!

Adorable girls!

This is a miracle picture. Heather doesn't like dogs and she let Pippa sit on her lap! I wasn't even home at the time, so I know it wasn't to appease me. I think she secretly liked her.

There was even a drinking fountain for dogs.

We cut Ky's hair! No more wings.

It was so much fun just to be together! I always love being with family!

{ valentine's day #5 }

This year was our FIFTH Valentine's Day together! I pretty much cannot believe that five years ago I was living in a dumpy basement apartment falling head over heels for a silly boy who brought me over nothing more than a stuffed animal! Obviously I was mortified when I realized I had gone a little overboard with my giant box full of personalized gifts. I begged him not to open it, but he did anyways.

5 years later my husband is still not the best gift giver. (Love him though.) There was no false advertising there. So sometimes I tell him I'll pick up the clearance flowers a few days after the holiday so I can get what I want. Celebrating after the fact is more convienient and a whole lot cheaper. These were $10!

We went to The Vow and ate pineapple curry on the stairs of the theater. It was a fabulous date.

I feel so lucky to be married to this amazing man! Our marriage is far from perfect (hard to believe I know), but at the end of everyday I am SO grateful to have such a good man to love and to be loved by.

{ new york }

Kat found a great deal on plane tickets to New York and one of our childhood friends is out there for school, so of course we took a fabulous girls trip! It was my first time in New York and I loved it! A HUGE thank you to Amber for being such a great host!
This is a shot of the street right by the twin towers. It was crazy to imagine the chaos that took place right there!
The fire station across from where the twin towers were.
Fondue! Does dessert get any better than that? Luckily we didn't catch anything on fire.
One of my best friends from high school, Sydnee, is living in New York now. It was so fun to see her!
Valentine's Dinner!
Kat and I went to the broadway play Memphis!
Cupcakes! The key lime one was delicious!
A ferry ride to see the statue of liberty!

Other highlights included: Hour long foot massages in Chinatown, following some man forever to a park full of sketchy jewelry and purses, late night talks, seeing the temple, lots of shopping, and yummy food!

I can't wait to go back with Jared someday!

{ Utah Trip }

I had a much needed trip home to Utah at the end of January! It was a very full and fun week! Me, Heather, Heather's kids, and Dustin all got a nasty sickness while we were there! That was a bummer. Who has time to be sick on vacation?! Not me. But we still managed to party it up and have fun! Here is another photo dump.

Girls weekend with some of the cousins and my Aunt Dicksy. I love all of these ladies so much!

We all share a love for Target! Heather what was the name of the guy that took this picture? I really wish he was in it! JK

My sweet mom and sisters threw me a baby shower while I was home! It was so adorable! I'm so grateful for all the people that came to support me in this new adventure! Me and this baby got very spoiled and felt very loved!

Spending time with the nieces and nephews is ALWAYS a highlight for me! They are just he cutest things and they are growing up way too fast!

We have a tradition of taking balloons and letting them go at my grandparent's graves on their birthdays. This year we even made some little snowmen.

I am the luckiest girl to have my sisters and mom! They are the best friends I could ever want!

This might seem like a photo overload, but due to illness the camera really didn't come out nearly enough! I can't believe the next time I go home I will have a baby with me! How crazy!

{ New Years }

I really need to be better at updating my blog! Maybe this blog wouldn't be so lame if I wasn't updating about January when it is almost April... I'm really going to try harder to be better!

New Years Eve with the Meier's.

Jared is Kev's mini. They are such kids at heart and I love it! (Even though their firework adventures scare me just a little. )

-Jared and Ashley-

The night was full of fireworks, LOTS of games, Wii dance party, and good food!

I love celebrating and New Years is no exception! I always think of my cute grandparents on New Years. Even when they were in their late 80s and early 90s they loved to celebrate! My cute grandma was pretty much bedridden, but she would stay up and be sure to have her pots and pans ready to bang! I hope so badly that Jared and I can be just like them someday- Always celebrating life and making it fun no matter what!

I feel so lucky to have had my grandparents influence in my life! I miss them lots, but I'm so grateful we can be together again!

{ christmas }

We were able to have Christmas in Dallas at Katie and Adam's house. They were so nice to host all of us! It was lots of fun to all be together. The holiday was full of all the good stuff- family, friends, good food, ticket to ride, minute-to-win-it games, a puppy, presents, the Christmas Story, and lots of laughing.













This was the first year we had a real sized tree in our apartment and I loved it! I loved having a house full of Christmas music and decorations.

I really love Christmas time! I love that we get to celebrate Christ and the wonderful life he lived for us. I love how easy it seems to make him the center of our home at Christmas time and I hope to try even harder this year to make that last. This last year I was able to understand the atonement more fully and feel my Savior's love for me so deeply. I am so grateful for my Savior.

{I definitely missed my family lots though. I don't think I'll be going a whole December without a trip home to Utah again... I'm a little spoiled I know.}

{ Mouse in OUR House }

One day when Jared and I were taking a nap back in December we woke up to what sounded like someone typing on a computer. It sounded like it was coming from right under the bed. We were certain there was some critter somewhere stirring about. We searched everywhere but didn't find anything. We only heard it once more, and then we'd sort of just put it out of our minds.

Well while I was gone last week Jared saw a little mouse's tail hanging out from under my nightstand. NASTY!!! After he told me I literally had nightmares about mice. Naturally I'm thinking Jared would go buy a trap, clean up the poo, and take care of it before I got home.

Not so lucky. My husband, who usually is not one for emotion, is a huge softie! He kept begging me to give him one more night to CATCH the mouse and let it free outside. He kept saying, "I'm not sure why you are so set on killing the mouse."

He didn't catch it before I got home and I made him go buy a trap! Sorry I don't have a soft place in my heart for a little nasty critter that has been running around my house peeing, pooping, and probably eating stuff.

Last night the trap went off! HOORAY! Jared felt so bad that he could hear the little thing struggling that he took it on the patio and drowned it.

He just informed me that he used to have a PET mouse named Pete. Maybe that's why it was so emotional for him.

I love him. He adds so much to my life every single day.