Today

Today, I woke up at 5 to take Zoey potty, then went right back to sleep.
Today, my alarm went off at 8 to tell me to go running, so I turned it off and went right back to sleep.
Today, the first thing I ate was one of the brownies from the batch I made last night.
Today, my chewed-up computer cord finally gave up on me.
Today, I finally paid tuition for this semester.
Today, I actually went running... an hour and a half after I had originally intended.
Today, I finally sent back the comforter that got eaten by the washer.
Today, I bought a new computer cord.
Today, I decided to blog, but not about Christmas, like I should.
Today, I realized I needed a new background for my blog because the one that I had was still Christmas themed.
Today, the repair man will hopefully come to fix our washing machine, which has been out of order since New Year's Day.
Today, I will try not to eat the rest of those brownies.
Today, I will make dinner that requires more effort than I've put into a meal since we've been back from visiting family for the holidays.
Today, I will watch old episodes of Bones and stay up late texting my husband while he is at work.
Today, I thought I had accomplished a lot, but reading this list makes me feel differently.
Oh well. There's always tomorrow =]

Christmas Song of the Year

The other night I went to the "weekday relief society meeting" (formerly known as enrichment).  It was a Christmas theme, mostly about Mary.  There were a lot of songs, but there was one that I thought was just amazing.  It's called "And His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful."  You can get a free download of the song from that link, if you would like.  There are two versions available and you can bet I downloaded both of them.  The sheet music is also free to download and print.  I really like this song.  I think it's beautiful.  I was really impressed by the lady who sang it in the meeting too.  She's this little lady from the Philippines, with a really heavy accent.  Let's just say i was a little surprised to hear such an amazing voice come from someone who I sometimes have a hard time understanding when she speaks. Anyway, it was amazing, and if you're looking for a great CHRISTmas song, I highly recommend this one.

This & That

I'm sure you're all dying to know what has been happening around here lately. So I will tell you.

After tonight, Sam will have worked 4 of his 7 days off.  This means a bigger paycheck to help out with the holidays, but a grumpier me.

I learned last night that Sam has never seen The Grinch. GASP! It's only one of the best Christmas movies EVER!

Speaking of Christmas, I was pretty sad because i didn't think we would be able to have a tree this year because 1. the tree Jessica gave me is still in Joseph City and 2. we would have probably had to move our table outside in order for the tree to fit in our little apartment and 3. I'm sure Zoey would love to eat an entire Christmas tree.  Luckily for me, Jessica gave me the idea of a Charlie Brown Tree! Genius! I'm pretty sure Sam thinks that us having a Christmas tree is unnecessary, but I'm also pretty sure he knows I would have been a little bit sad devastated if he wouldn't have let me get one.  So here is our 3' tall (short?) tree.  I got it at Target for $5 off the listed price and was very proud of myself.  I also got those tiny ornament balls. But no star, because I am an airhead and didn't buy one.

Moving right along here...

A while ago, Zoey went through a phase where she liked to hang out on my shoulders.  I was worried for a while that she might be part parrot, but no worries, she hasn't sprouted wings or a beak yet.

Also, Zoey lost some teeth. I thought it was HI-larious!  They have mostly all been replaced by permanent teeth by now, but I took this picture a couple weeks ago and I still laugh at it whenever I see it.

But, since she is teething, she likes to chew on things even more now, which i did not think was possible.  Today, she destroyed one of Sam's flip flops. I guess you can say it no longer flips, it just flops.  Also, she's been working on the cord for my computer.  I just had a mini heart attack when I plugged it in to charge it a few minutes ago and the charge light didn't come on immediately.  No worries, my heart and my computer cord are still in working condition.

Mom and Kourtney came to visit.  It was a grand time! We didn't go to the zoo like I had hoped because it was as close to freezing as it probably ever has been this time of the year in Tucson.  We're talking some really cold wind, people. So instead, we went to the Foothills mall... twice, and  Kourtney and I had a little too much fun in Claire's.  

Oh, and no worries, we still went to see Harry Potter.  My brother-in-law, T came to babysit the little girls and we were able to go.  I. Loved. That. Movie.  Also, Brigette was pretty funny when T showed up.  First, she asked where his little boy was.  Um... T does not have children.  Nor does he have any friends that could be considered "little boys."  I have no idea where she got that idea.  Next, she said, "I thought he had hair!"  Hahahaha! Kourtney had to explain that T is like Papa and he doesn't have any hair.  Oh boy, Brigette is a nut!

Here is a blog post that has provided many tears of laughter for me and Sam.  I suggest reading it because it is funny.

Yesterday, Sam and I were looking for something to do with our free time, and I found this:

Last summer, my Grandma taught me and Kourtney how to crochet.  We were super stoked.  I even took this bad boy to college with me so I could work on it... which I never did.  But yesterday my desire to crochet came back.  It took me a couple of tries, but I remembered how to do it.  And after I realized that this scarf that I am making is as long as my bed, I decided that I should maybe make this a blanket or something.  We'll see if my ambition lasts long enough for me to crochet a blanket.... It might end up just being a crocheted thing that is too wide and long to be a scarf but not wide enough to be a blanket.  Maybe by the time I have my first (or last) kid, it will be a blanket? Well, here's to wishful thinking!

Also, I have a question for all of you.  Where has the year gone!? I can't believe Christmas is less than 3 weeks away!

P.S. Kourtney - What does your family want for Christmas? We have no idea what to get you and a hint would be nice... Just sayin...

I'm a Little Bit Country

On Friday it came to my attention that I'm kind of a hick.

I first started to realize this when my chemistry teacher was talking about her trip to school that morning.  She had seen a coyote.  (she pronounced it ky-oh-tee.  I mentally corrected her: ky-ote)  She thought it was so cool to see a coyote just running across the street in the middle of the city.  Pretty soon half of the class was telling stories about how they occasionally see coyotes and javelinas running around and how they find it fascinating.  I was thinking, "big deal.  I grew up on a farm.  I saw coyotes practically every other day out there."

The realization hit me again during our lunch break.  I went to lunch with the two girls I have been working with.  After it came up that I was from a very small town, we saw a dog almost jump out of the backseat of an suv.  I don't remember the conversation exactly, but I mentioned how sometimes when I was little, we'd take our dogs places in the back of the truck.  Here's what was said next:
Sarah:  What if they jumped out and you were going really fast or something?
Ashley:  Well we didn't take them everywhere.  It's not like we loaded them up to go into town or anything.
Sarah:  Haha you're so country!  "Go into town!"  That's so funny!
Apparently I was the only one in the vehicle who had to "go into town" to do "city things" growing up.  But come to think of it, I think "going out of town" would have been a more appropriate term since we had to leave town to get to some place that even had a grocery store.

We got back to school about 15 minutes before class started, so we were locked out.  We were sitting there talking about this and that, and more evidence of my country-ness was there on my feet.  I was wearing cowboy boots.

I come by it rightfully though.  My parents came to visit this weekend.  When we went to lunch, a little boy in front of us kept looking at my dad very excitedly.  I turned to my mom and whispered, "I bet that little boy's thinking 'Wow! A real cowboy!'"

So I'm a little (maybe a lot?) country. Big deal.
You know what my response is gonna be next time someone tells me that?
"Thank you."

Exciting things to come*

The next few months are filled with fun stuff coming up! They are (in order)

• November 11:  

No School!  I get out of my boring computer class! And we get to honor all the veterans that have served our country.  Great holiday, in my opinion.

• November 19th:

Harry Potter 7 comes to the theaters!!! Woot!

• November 25th:

Thanksgiving! I guess we're going to Las Cruces to spend Thanksgiving with Sam's family... and I'm trying not to be a big baby about that.  Is it bad that I miss my family this much?  Well I love Thanksgiving, because, well... I love good food, so I'm going to (try to) be happy about Thanksgiving being something a little different this year.  No Bushman Thanksgiving Football Bowl? I'll try to get over it.

• November 28th:

These two are coming to visit me! (I've told the world... now you can't get out of it!)  Harry Potter will be watched and maybe a trip to the zoo will take place for Brigette and Tera.  Ok, I admit, I'm exctied about the zoo, too.  It will be a marvelous couple of days.

• Week of December 13th:

 

I'll be done with school for the semester by the end of this week (I think by Thursday)!  This semester has been... not my favorite.   I'm actually liking my Organic Chemistry class a little bit - it's not as hard as i thought it would be!  Even though 6 hours of chemistry in one day is not my idea of fun, it's not completely horrible.  But this computer class I'm taking is the definition of boring.  Ugh.  Anyway, enough complaining about school, because it'll be out soon! YAY!

• Christmas!

Yay For Christmas!  This is the only Christmas Sam gets off for the next 5 YEARS (no joke).  But sadness aside - IT'S CHRISTMAS! And I will get to see my family!  I'm pretty sure Christmas is the next time i'll be going back to Joseph City =( but once again, I'm trying not to be a baby! 

Well there's my list of excitement! Looks like the rest of the year is gonna be good!

Did I freak anyone out because I made Christmas seem so close? Hehehe =]

*I was going to name this post "What I'm Excited For" but the grammar freak in me wouldn't allow that preposition at the end of my sentence. (thanks a lot, Ms Bowler...)