Day 9~

Day 9 of the blog challenge~ Show a picture of someone that has gotten you through the most! Well it my true Ashley fashion I can't just choose one person. I feel like I have a whole posse (am I a member of a rap group...haha) of people that have helped me through it all. I have a wonderful group of friends and family members that are my rock! I can't picture my life without these people and I am so very thankful to have them in my life. So here's my posse...

Ahh my family! I love these people more than I can say really!

These are the fabulous people I volunteer with at church. We all work with the youth group and have a great time together. I consider these people family!

Hannah and Lynsay! 2 loves of my life! Lynsay (on the right) and I have been BFF's since 7th grade.

This is only part of the group....if I could Photoshop Sheena and Tracy in I would. Some amazing women, mommy's and friends  that I love dearly!

These are two of my favorite ladies...Ashlee and I met Alli through the School of Ed. I seriously don't know how I would have gotten through school without these girls!

Bringing it back old school! Love this girl so so much!!

This is a glimpse at my life and the people that are in it! I am so blessed to have a great support system of people in my life.
Happy Wednesday night to you all! I know it was a little late in the day, I was out sick and slept for most of it. BUT....I did blog 2 days in a row. I'm stepping up my game! Holla... 

Day 8.....and a little Camp Barnabas

Day 8....I know I skipped a couple days. I promise I know how to count! Today's task was an easy one for me, I have so many pictures that make me laugh it's hard to choose. I'm not one for taking a bunch of nice, sweet pictures when I'm on vacation or just in general. I think the best photographs are the candid/ funny ones! So here is goes, you know me I can't just choose one.....

This is one of my best friends Carrie from it seems like ages ago...We had an I Love the 80's night at youth group (Holla). I think we achieved the look!

Oh Hannah, this is one of my roommates from college. We had just gotten home from the midnight showing of Harry Potter.     (As you can see we were a little amped from the movie and used her conducting stick as a wand.)

I studied abroad in Italy one summer....this is me and some of my School of Ed. girls trying to make a museum outing a little more fun. 

Camp Barnabas (more on this below) This is Kent one of the campers in my cabin a couple years ago. I turned around to find Kent wearing a King of Hearts costume and him also holding the Queen's outfit. He then asked me if I would be his Queen....never heard that one before. haha

Another one of my all time besties and roommate from college Lynsay. Photobooth is a great way to procrastinate from studying. Enough Said.


These are just a few of many pictures that make me laugh and warm my heart. I have some amazing friends that love to laugh as much as I do!


Onto another topic that has been on my heart lately...Camp Barnabas! Check out the video before you continue reading.  I know it's kind of long but it shows exactly what camps about. If you cry easily you may or may not want to have tissues on hand. It's good stuff though I promise!



I've posted before about this wonderful place, but it has more recently been on my mind and heart. I've been going to camp for a number of years now and worked on staff last summer. It was exactly where I needed to be last summer and was crossing my fingers that I could swing it again. But, I've been praying over my decision for a couple months now and decided that with work (school) it's just not the place God wants me to be this summer. I am faithful in the Lord and in the choices I've made, it was still a hard decision! My sister is going to be working all summer at camp and it's going to be strange not sharing that experience again with her this summer.

My words don't do this place justice (why I posted the videos), the amount of joy my heart feels for this place is abundant. It's inspiring working with a group of people all working towards the same goal, making the week AWESOME for the campers! I love what this place does for the campers that come...they get to experience a week where a disability doesn't define them. They get to be a kid like everyone else! It's a beautiful thing watching someone be themselves and have no worries. That is what Camp brings to these wonderful individuals. 


As a youth leader I was able to look at camp from a different perspective. I brought our youth group and watched their lives transform in a week. It was a hard and tiring week both physically and emotionally. It's hard selling camp to teenagers at first....but this is the end result once they take that step of faith! (This is a video of our group that I made for Camp Sunday at church. We shared this video with our congregation and some of the teenagers gave testimonies.)

"For the Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save you. He takes great delight in you and quiets you with his love. And he will rejoice over you in song. 
Zephaniah 3:17
This is one of my all time favorite songs that is sung at camp...

Day 5....I Know I'm Behind!!

I have not been keeping up with the blog challenge....the last couple of days have been super busy. As you can see I have a new look....which took me ALL afternoon and evening. I'm not exaggerating when I say I just finished around midnight, I'm new to all the design business and I had a hard time deciding what I liked. I decided to change the title of my blog to EveryDay Blessings....I just felt like I needed something new and this name speaks so true. I have SO much to be thankful for and God has blessed my life in so many ways. (Stay tuned for more on this)

Anyways, on to Day 6....My Favorite Memory! This was hard because I have so many wonderful memories, the one that's sticking out the most is the day KU won the National Championship. It was a glorious day and the week leading up to it was one of the greatest times I had in college. I remember watching the game with my roommates and the second we won....we sprinted out of the apartment and ran down to Mass. St. (on the way we saw a naked man running down the middle of the street) I had never experienced anything like it before, people were EVERYWHERE and it seemed like the party was never going to end. It was a GREAT day to be a Jayhawk!!

New Look!!

I decided to redesign my blog! I'm still trying to work out all the kinks, this was my first remodel putting everything together myself. I wanted to pull my hair out a couple times during the process. Hopefully I'll get the hang of it and it won't be so bad next time around. It'll be a work in progress for the next couple of days....Hope everyone had a great weekend!


 New post coming soon!!
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Ashlee & Ashley

Day 2 of the Blog Challenge! Todays task is to show a picture of the person you've known the longest and been the closest with. This was pretty easy since I've been best friends with the lady since Kindergarten!

We looked like little kids our first year of college!
This would be Miss Ashlee.....We have been best friends since Kindergarten. We have seen each other through it all literally...all but those first 5 years of life. Having a best friend with the same name and initials was interesting growing up. Introducing yourselves to new people was always the same comments..."Hi What's your name?"..."Ashley"...."And what's your name?".....Ashlee..."WEELL that'll be easy to remember...ha ha ha! or Whoooa that's crazy you have the same name!" It got even better in college when we'd meet guys that had been drinking, they would get slightly confused. I mean I'm sure our parents thought they were being unique when they named us.....we had 6 Ashley's in our class in elementary school. (I think they all had the same idea.)

Graduation....trying to be gangsta!

 Anyways, Ashlee and I lived together our first year at KU and ended up having the same major. We got into the same education program and had almost all of our classes together. Not many people can say that they went K- college with their best friend. I was lucky and couldn't have gotten through it without her! I have so much love in my heart for this girl! She is the best!! She knows me better than anyone probably and I can never get anything by her cause she knows me too well. She's beautiful inside and out!

Day 3 and Some Other Business

Can we say over achiever?? Just Kidding....I'm just mad at myself for dropping the ball!

I need to address something right off....I feel like the worlds worst teacher. I forgot Dr. Seuss's birthday, big FAIL on my part. I really dropped the ball of this one I feel like....I didn't even know it was a "thing" we were supposed to celebrate. So instead of being a cute, awesome Kindergarten teacher today having themed treats and activities all day for my little critters.......I spent a good part of the morning googling free Dr. Seuss printables and trying to correct this huge mistake and have SOMETHING! It all ended up working out because we had a busy day to begin with, this week is our Book Fair and we had the bookmobile this morning. 


I just feel like I need a teaching bible that has ALL the important cute holidays, or themes I need to celebrate with my kids. Could someone please create that for me, I would much appreciate it! Sometimes (a lot of times) I feel like I am treading water and wish I could sit down and plan my heart out. Tiffany and I have already decided we are getting together this summer and doing it! I feel like until then I'm holding my breath and crossing my fingers that the rest of the school year goes smoothly, I need some summer time action.


Sorry Moment of Freak Out....


Anyways, on to more pleasant topics....Day 3 of the Blog Challenge! Show a picture of the cast from your favorite show! This is a really tough decision because I have SO many. So instead of picking one I am going to show my top  5 :) In no particular order (and please don't judge me...haha)

1. Glee: This is my new obsession! I finally got through both seasons and am caught up to the current episode. I LOVE LOVE the singing and just bought 2 of their CD's...which are fabulous btw. I have been jamming to work all week with these suckers on! 

2. Grey's Anatomy: I have been a loyal Grey's fan for years and also heart this show!! 

3. Jersey Shore: I'm not going to lie Jersday has become one of my favorite days of the week. It's so awful you can't NOT watch it. My friends and I have gotten some sweet one liners off this show that we use in everyday conversation. LOVE IT!

4. One Tree Hill: Another one of my favorites from back in the day....I'm so happy it's still on. I feel like I went through college with this cast. They helped me procrastinate before countless finals and still bring me entertainment today! 

5. Army Wives: This isn't one of my all time favorite shows, but I do love it and am excited for the new season to finally start. I know it's on Lifetime and can be super cheesy....but let's be honest I enjoy cheesy!

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!! It's almost Friday!

Happy Jersday to all of you! 
If you want to participate in the Blog Challenge head on over to Fierce, Fit and Fabulous and link up!

Spring Blog Challenge- Day 1

Blog Challenge time....I have failed miserably at this in the past, so will see how well I do this go around. I have been so busy at work lately I have been neglectful to blogging. I'm crossing my fingers that this challenge will keep me updating more frequently! Today's challenge is...Post a picture of yourself and 10 facts about you!

Ten Facts About Yours Truly:
1. I am a Tv on DVD junkie....if it's out on DVD sign me up I'll give it a try!! It all started Freshmen year of college with the O.C. and it's went downhill from that point on. It's WAY better then waiting each week for a new episode to air!
2. I have recently started working out with my friend Melisa. Running has never been part of my life but I am having a great time getting into it. It's been hard work....but seeing my progress has kept me motivated to keep pushing through the pain. 
3. I am a huge chicken when it comes to theme parks....Roller Coasters (are you kidding me, not happening) I used to love the rides that spin and now I'm nervous that I'll get nauseous and puke. (side note: I have never actually gotten sick on any ride I've been on, it's just the thought of vomiting that I can't handle...it's ridiculous I know!) Puke and myself don't really have a good relationship, it involves a lot of crying on my end and me acting like a big baby. So theme parks (other than Disney...who doesn't love themselves some Disney?!?) I usually steer clear of or I'm the chick riding the kid rides with the little ones. 
4. I have an amazing group of friends that I consider family! I honestly don't know where I'd be today without these people in my life. It definitely wouldn't be as fun! They all have had sweet little girls and I have had such a great time being "Aunt Ashley" to them all!
5. I want to travel all over the world and see everything! I would love to go on some vacations, but I would also love to travel with a purpose. I have been to Europe once to study abroad in college and having a purpose and connecting with the locals made a huge difference. I would love to serve and go on a missions trip somewhere (anywhere that I can be of need). 
6. I went to KU (The University of Kansas) Rock Chalk baby! I never thought I'd be one of those alumni that is hardcore in love with their school. I AM! When the commercials come on for the school I get chills! Don't even get me started on the Rock Chalk chant....oohh buddy I get real excited! It took me it seemed like forever to graduate, but I am so proud of myself for sticking with it and getting it done. 
7. My family is wonderful! I have 2 amazing parents that have supported me through the rough times and celebrated with me in the good times. My sisters...you'll just have to check out my post on them. I'll just say this, they're pretty cool I guess. :)
8. I can't wait to have a family someday...I want a big family with a bunch of kids running around. I want that whole controlled chaos atmosphere, with love bursting through the roof! 
9. I have my first big girl job and am loving it. (I got hired 2 days before school started this year, can you say mass chaos!) I teach Kindergarten to 16 little critters that melt my heart most of the time and drive me crazy a tad. I have the BEST coworker ever, we were both new to the school and kindergarten this year and have grown together. She is younger like me and we just click, I can't wait for next year when we have time to finally breath and set things up the way we want.
10. I just cut 12 inches off my hair and donated it to Locks of Love! It was a random decision that involved me breathing heavy and closing my eyes while she chopped it off. It went to a wonderful cause though and I am very happy with my choice to chop it.
11. (Sorry I went over) I have a huge heart for kids/adults with disabilities. I have taken our youth group to Camp Barnabas in the past and worked on staff last summer. It is a wonderful place where individuals with disabilities can come and have a typical camp experience during the summer. This place is filled with God's love and joy and you see it all over the kids faces! If you've never hear of Camp Barnabas check it out, it's a slice of heaven located in Missouri.


That's all for today, if you'd like to join in on the March Blog Challenge hop on over to Cait's blog. It's super cute!