Thanks!

I am thankful for:

*Fake lighting candles without which my home would have been burned down long ago!

*Chi straightening irons and being born in this era! Nope I am no natural beauty. Inner beauty...ya ya ya I know. ;)

*All kids cartoons. Thank goodness I have something to keep Audrey's attention while I clean and blog!

*Dishwasher, clothes washer/dryer, indoor plumbing, electricity and my car. Again so thankful to be born in this era!

In all seriousness though....

*I am thankful for God!

*I am thankful for family and friends!

*I am thankful for this country we live in!

Ashleyness

During our stay in Colorado I got some serious shopping in. I HAD to go to Hobby Lobby because they always have good sales after holidays. I am telling Miss T and Audrey too be so very careful because both ladies are like bulls in a china shop. I started looking at this rooster thing. I'm not even really into roosters but it was kinda cute. Then....

slipping....

slipping....

almost got it....

dang it....

BOOM BANG CRASH!

Brett was in another area of the store and as soon as he heard it knew immediately it was our family who had made that crash. So this is my new rooster box thingy....without the lid. What am I going to do with it?! At least it was 50% off. After I paid for it the lady took the in tact half and was going to keep it....broke or not if I paid for it I'm taking that puppy home!

**Be sure to read this post and let me know what I should do**

A BIG fat Christmas Question

I really would like to do something nice for Christmas this year for someone else. I have thought really hard about grabbing a few of the gift tags off the tree to fill. There is one problem though. A person from a local store once told us that most families come in and exchange the gifts for money. There are two sides to this problem as well. If the family needs food more than gifts obviously this is a wise and right choice but what if they're exchanging little John's gift for booze or drugs?

So what to do? Do you just buy in good faith that the child will actually receive the gift or the money will be put to good use? Or is there another way our family can be charitable and actually know that it is for the good of a family?

INPUT INPUT INPUT NEEDED!

Sorry Momma!

My dad stopped by for the day! He is an over the road truck driver and I haven't seen him in a really long time. Even though I am 25 years old I still beg my dad to stay longer! Eventually I would LOVE it if my dad was able to come off the road.

A slight correction. While here my dad read my blog. He was concerned that my mom might be a little hurt over my Wal-Mart coat post. No my mom did not treat me unjustly I was a spoiled little poop. My Wal-Mart coat was indeed very cute and warm. In truth I am not sure if it even was from Wal-Mart all I know is that it was not a outrageously expensive jacket with a sport logo on it that I was not even a fan of. Again...I was a spoiled little poop!

So a hat's off to my Mom and Dad for raising me despite my cries for stuff I didn't need, getting into trouble at school constantly and always giving my parents sass. Love you guys!

If you are wondering what the heck post I am talking about click here.

Can someone please pass me the Tylenol PM?

*It is currently 2:48am. Yes that's right only new mom's and weirdo's are up this late. I guess I'm the latter of the two.

*The first picture is me with my Aunt Elena

*The second picture is my cousin Ryan, Uncle Rick and Aunt Elena.

*Yes Ryan and I could possibly be the whitest Mexicans on planet earth. Yes you can smile at that!

*My daddy adopted me when I was 7 years old. My parents most graciously allowed me to have a relationship with my biological father's (Dino) family.

*My Aunt and my Uncle would take me for a week or two each summer. Without them I really would have not have been able to have know the Mendoza side of my family.

*I have a hard time explaining this connection to myself and to my mom and dad.

*Being adopted is a delicate balance between all families. I do in fact love my Mendoza family and there is no denying that it is a weird/nice feeling to be around people who have the same physical traits as you. I also really love my Mom's side of the family and my Dads side of the family.

*Whew! Did ya get all that?! Yes I need to chart my family so maybe you won't get so confused. Just remember my family tree could totally be on Jerry Springer.

*Seriously though my parents are the best. They really have made it so I really have the best of both worlds. Plus I am so ready to see my Mom & Dad for Thanksgiving! Can you tell I'm homesick?! I LOVE WYOMING!!!!

*My Aunt is an author of a book called Dreams without Boundaries. It's truly amazing. I have only been able to flip through it but I am already in awe. My Aunt really cares about making a difference in children's lives.

**Okay current time 3:28am! Going to try to sleep again...or blog stalk...dang me for forgetting Tylenol PM!**

The silver lining

*After getting 2 flu's in the same month something amazing came out of it...okay not AMAZING but at least a nice side effect. I lost some weight!

*I have been working out and eating as healthy as I can and I have to say I could rock a bikini.

*Except it's stinking NOVEMBER!

*Audrey really likes to crack jokes right before bed in an attempt to stay up later. I have been encouraging her to start kissing on the cheek and instead she grabs my face with a pretty good grip, kisses me on the lips and then smothers me with her kisses. It makes me wonder what Brett and I look like when we are kissing!

Some of the scenery we were taking in and a few houses I will gladly take off of people's hands!

Today I'm gonna

...Be frugal -- For real

...Be excited and happy to be a teacher in my home. I can make a difference and my attitude towards even the icky moments are what shape the mood and character of my home.

...Be organized. The car needs some serious serious SERIOUS cleaning.

...Call my grandpa. I miss him!

...Appreciate the small things.

...Give my husband a good kiss.

...Get up early. I say that every night but for real I'm going to this time.

We have been house sitting for a week now and I have to say that I miss my little trailer! It is just small enough that it is so much easier to clean, it is kid proof and I can keep a better eye on Audrey. So I am grateful for a lesson in bigger is not always better. I really just want a basement because I have a terrible fear of tornado's.

**PICTURES TOMORROW!**

So Ashley...

Q: How is the envelope system going for you?
A: Ummm it's not...going...at all. I tried I really did. We have been pretty busy we'll have to try it again soon.

Q: What do you think the main thing is that you need to do to save money?
A: Stay out of Wal-Mart, Kohl's and Maurices. Dang it :(

Q: What is it that you can't resist buying?
A: Clothes for Audrey

I know it's silly to buy new clothes for her. She's two! She will never remember that I bought her clothes at a used clothing store.

....story brewing...mist seeping up.....memories flooding back....

I was in 4th grade hanging outside. I saw all the really popular girls running around having so much fun being all athletic, happy and really really popular. I was watching with my red nose in my little Wal-Mart coat and my poofed out permed hair. Thinking what is it about these girls that is different from me? Nope it's not that I am clumsy, a little weird, a lot hyper nope it's their coats! They all had these really cool basketball sport coats.

....memories fading away....mist leaving...back to reality

So I guess I want to spare Audrey from ever feeling left out. Ashley....again she's two! You can say that it's not the clothes you wear but what's inside that counts but at times I feel that might be a little untrue. I remember being kind of a big girl (really I was) at the beginning of senior year and second semester losing a ton of weight. I was surprised and honestly kind of hurt at how much better I was treated. I would go into a store and be greeted with WAY more enthusiasm, boys liked me WAY more and even seemed to help me make and keep friends.

I guess this is something that I need to get over. Audrey has absolutely no idea what the difference between clothes is and as long as she is clean and warm that is what counts. --My new mantra to say while I'm shopping.

DOG POOP! MOVE!

**Quality of pictures a little iffy because I'm getting used to a NEW camera! Yay**

Today November 16th is mine and Brett's two year anniversary. Nice! We haven't killed each other yet and that is reason to celebrate! I love this man more and more each day. We have been through ups and downs and I can say right now without a doubt that I really love Brett. Love you Maximus and I am so thankful to be on this journey with you!

So...if you are in my family you might also know that today is also the anniversary of my Grandma Audrey's death. Am I crazy for getting married on this day? Well...a little. To be honest it fit in with everyone's schedule and also I wanted to replace a really bad day with a special one. PLUS my grandma was a little cuckoo herself and I know she would have understood.

*My grandma once bought matching t-shirts with big Trolls on them. One for me and one for her. I thought this was too cool.

*Brett has always really helped me be a better mom. From the beginning he was never freaked out when Audrey would cry and always reassured me that as long as she was fed and diapered she was okay to cry for a bit!

*I wrote a journal in letter form addressed to my grandma for almost two years. I think because I just was not ready to let her go.

*Brett won me over by taking to places I had never been before in Casper. Putt Putting, Casper Mountain star gazing, swinging at the park, fine dining and dancing to the radio.

*Grandma always put sprinkles on my PB&J's. I thought this was really special and I always think of her when I see sprinkles

*When I first met Brett he thought I was with my boyfriend (my brother) and I thought he was a banker. We were both so wrong!

*Grandma and I were travel buddies. Whenever we would go on trips to Utah/Idaho we would ride together. Eat, sing, visit and just talk. She taught me how to roll my r's.

*When we first met neither Brett or I were wanting to settle down! He was wanting to move to Texas and I was wanting to just be single. I knew he was the one on our second date!

*I miss my grandma. :( I miss talking to her. I miss laughing with her. I miss getting lectured by her. I miss my grandma. I know my mom misses her mom. My heart aches for my mom when she is sick or lonely as I know she misses her mommy.

*I am so blessed and thankful to have a family of my own. To have Brett as my husband is a HUGE blessing in my life. He gives me a level head and helps me so much. He goes to a church that isn't his and he actively helps me with a job that is not his responsibility. He is the rock of our family.

Fish Kisses

Mom I touch a sting way with two fingers. Two fingers only mom. Touched it's wing! Yes Audrey what else did you see? Pish! Sharks, oc-a-puss and tigers! Mom! I touched a sting way. I touch it with two fingers! Only two fingers mom!

We had such a fantastic day yesterday! The Denver Aquatic Center is amazing! As we were driving in Denver I was thinking how awesome it would be to live in the city. Shopping, eating, shows the people! I was even imagining our little family in a cute townhome or condo. Then....we were in traffic. Brett was driving. I saw a big semi turn on his blinker and I yelped a little...okay a lot! Then Brett yelped a little at me! Needless to say my big city dreaming went down the tubes in those ten seconds.