My New Baby!

For the first time ever I have a CAR in my name! Like it's REALLY mine! I'm a first time buyer, a recent college grad, and it was a Certified/Pre-Owned... which meant I got an AMAZING rate. No, really, an unheard of rate! lol. I couldn't believe it!! I have loved the new Altima model since I first saw it on the road back in 2007 and I couldn't be more proud of myself for having the credit, the job, and the ability to afford a CAR!

I called my dad before making any decisions (and of course Zach was there to voice his opinions/concerns/negotiations) and we FINALLY got it after sitting for 5 hours doing paper work and the waiting game! We left Nissan and went and showed my parents. My dad took it for a test drive and liked it and then right before we left he gave me a Chili's giftcard to celebrate and 20$ for a tank of gas! Hehe. I love my parents!

Crappy Phone Picture...but here she is!!

Parked at the apartment...

rainy and through the patio screen shot!

Thanks Zach for doing all the talking for me - love you tons and your ability to "talk to people"! lol.

-Ashley

Chicken Bones + Dogs = DISASTER.

Zach came home after class yesterday to a house full of trash... It happened all the time in Oklahoma, but since we've moved into the apartment it has only happened once since our trash is now locked away in the laundry room. Well, Zach's grandma threw something away yesterday afternoon and accidently left the door open. When we got home, besides the mess, everything seemed fine. I took the dogs out at 5:30, they did their business, and then I left for Monday night TV with the girls while Z had training for his NEW! job....

Anyway, I returned home at about 9:30 and Z had just got home too. Kahlua wasn't there to greet me (strange), but I did find a huuuuge puddle of pee on the bed. It was gross and really weird and just a big mess! Lua was under the bed acting really unlike herself. Zach pulled her out and noticed her belly was a little wet like had laid in the spot of pee. I took her and Lace out again and Lua had really soft stool. After I brought them back into the house we could tell she was sick or stressed out about something (we took her to the vet earlier in the day so we thought maybe that made her upset). After thinking about it for awhile though I rememebered we had Boston Market for lunch on Saturday and the bones that were once in the garbage were no where to be found... except for 10 minutes later when she vomitted them up! Yikes. She had muscle tremors and couldn't sit still, but wouldn't get up either. We called our vet and then Zach made a B line to the 24 Hour Animal Hospital with her...

My poor baby ended up getting shots for nausea, fluids, and a strong sedative. We weren't trying to dish out $1,000 for just an x-ray and an overnight stay... so we did what we could and even though she didn't move her whole night in the crate *scary!* I'm happy to say she seems to be doing better. I came home from work early today to take care of her while Z was in class and she happily greeted me and we went on a short walk. We were instructed by our normal vet to give her 1tbsp. of rice every 2-3 hours. She quickly ate that when I gave it to her, but has slept most of the day. I'm hoping she will only get better as the night goes on! She really gave us quite the scare.

Chicken Bones are the DEVIL!

Sleeping the day away..

Love you Lua! Feel better SOON!

-Ashley

Shopping

After church Z and I went to the mall to buy Z some black work pants and a white dress shirt or two. We ended up eating lunch there and then he took me to a store where I got to pick out a new VB school bag and matching wallet (I let Z voice his opinion and he nixed my first choice-lol)! I was verrry excited because I had my last school bag since I started at USF back in 2007!!! If I find something I like I will use it forever as long as it isn't ripped/unusable because change isn't always my friend.

Well, after like 5 blogs today I think I'm done for the week! lol. Until next time... adios!

-Ashley

FLDoE Certificate

After a lot of paper work, time, and effort I received my temporary teaching certificate in the mail... I can officially teach in Florida! :) In order to get a permanent one I must take two long, boring tests, but I don't have to have that done until 2012. I think I'll sign up for the Subject Area Exam soon so I don't forget the information I just learned... and then the next round of tests I'll take the Professional Education Test! Bye, bye 350$, but then I'll be done with testing school stuff for a long, long, long time!

WoooHoooo!

-Ashley

Dog Park

The other day at the dog park Lacey met her twin... I can't even begin to pronounce his name because it's French for bad boy, but they were pretty cute together! The owner had a hardcore French accent and the dog only responded to French comments so who knows what she was saying to him - lol! Z had a crush on the lady and her accent, which I found to be pretty funny... She also had a fiesty chihuahua. The dogs love going to the DP here at the apartment complex and come home pretty dirty... The weather has been AMAZING here lately and it's so fun to go most days after work! :)

Is that a mirror?!

(Lacey is the thinner/taller one)

-Ashley

Why Men Should NOT bake!

I told Zach this afternoon that he should make us a snack and so he popped in some PACKAGED Snickerdoodles... the ones where they are already in squares and you just have to plop them on the tray. Ya, they tasted awful and turned out black. I guess it's true that a woman's place is in the kitchen! lol. Good try hun, there's always next time! :)

Snickerdoodles?!

-Ashley

Z's Big Dome

My husband has a HUGE head... we're talking almost 8in! Hats that are "one size fits all/most" do NOT include him. Everywhere we go shopping that has sunglasses he tries them on, but none of them fit past his ears or they look tiny around his eyes. It makes me giggle, but it frustrates him like crazy! Well today, on the way home from church, the sun was shining brightly in the Sunshine State and I felt him staring at me...so I turned and looked at him and he was wearing his sexy 3-D glasses... which have ZERO UV ray protection, but I don't think he cared! LOL. It made me laugh that they almost looked normal on him though!

I love my very own personal Mr. Big Head! :)

-Ashley

Nuclear Cowboyz

On Friday night Z got free tickets to a motokross (?) event at the St. Pete Times Forum (where the Lightning play). It was interesting to say the least! lol. The group of people on the dirt bikes called themselves the Nuclear Cowboyz. Some of the tricks they did were pretty crazy, but I don't think I would ever pay for to go to something like that. Sean and Erica and also a friend of Zach's and her boyfriend went. It was super loud in there so there wasn't much talking, but it was something different to do!

Z and A!

He loves self-photos. NOT!

I definitely didn't take this...

View from our seats of the set-up.

-Ashley

Taylor Swift

Guess who is going to the sold out Taylor Swift concert on March 4th?? ... If you guessed me - you guessed CORRECT! Lol. Zach surprised me with two tickets this afternoon and my BFF Heather is going with me! I'm pretty excited - I love both of her CDs! Even if we're the only ones there over the age of 15 I know we'll have an amazing time!

Thanks Zachary!

-Ashley

P.S. Saw Valentine's Day yesterday after work and Taylor should DEFINITELY stick to music! :)

My White Trash Dinner

Tonight Zach went to play hockey so I was stuck fending for myself at the house... Well, we didn't defrost anything and I didn't want to eat out another night - so I looked in the pantry and then in the freezer and this is what I cooked up... After I put my plate together I realzed this DINNER is kind of trashy, but hey! easy clean up :)

Mac-n-Cheese and a Corndog (which isn't as burnt as it looks!)

At least the noodle are "whole wheat"!

-Ashley

Valentine's Day...

was not very romantic this year! I helped a friend move all day and Zach is spending the whole night playing hockey with Sean... I'm glad we were able to spend Friday night together though and "celebrate" this day early! You know you've been together for a long time when today is just like any other day. heh.

I think I'll watch a movie and hit the hay early... back to work in the morning!

-Ashley

What a View...

I was laying in bed yesterday afternoon and when I looked over I saw this...

My babies are the cutest (and one is the "rolliest") in the whole wide world, I know! :)

-Ashley

Mr. Hang It

Zach has been super busy around here lately. I thought after we were officially moved in we'd have everything up that we'd need, but that was not the case! There were a few bare walls here and there, but I'm happy to say they've been filled and we're DONE with decorating!

Busy, busy hubby!

We found this at Kirklands yesterday... it's in the kitchen!

The colors go perfectly with our place!

This was put up above the couch...

Thanks for ALL of your help Zach... not only hanging things, but helping with picking them out too - glad we can agree these types of things!

-Ashley

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Even though Zach and I have been together for the last 7 V-Days.... this is only our 3rd one actually physically together! Dang you long distance relationships! lol. Anyway, even though we already celebrated I'm excited to say I have my Valentine with me today and a hug and a kiss from him is much better than a card and a dozen roses showing up at my door (even though that is always a plus and I would never say I don't appreciate/LOVE that! haha)

After our VDay dinner...

He loved his cookie pizza and doozies and they have been a big hit around here. Yesterday I had a friend of mine (Brittany) come over with her parents to see the place, another one of my friends (Ashley) stopped by for the first time, Heather came over with Ry to go with Lace/Lua to the dog park, and Zach had Sean and his girlfriend Erica over... so at least we had some help eating them! :)

Hope you enjoy your Vday and get to spend it with the one you love! :) Can't believe it's already back to work tomorrow...

-Ashley

Happy Valentine's Weekend!

Zach and I are going to be celebrating Valentine's Day tonight because we thought his mom and brother were coming down for the weekend, but because of this chilly weather they decided not to... I had planned for them to come so now I need to give him his gift ASAP since I made it thinking they were coming... Anyway, I am very excited about going to dinner and getting to spend the night with just Z! :) We don't even know where we're going, but it doesn't matter to me because I know we'll have a good time. Last night while he was at he Lightning game with Sean I went over to Heather's to work on his surprise! We had met up after I got out of work and bought everything we'd need ... and a bottle of wine or 2, of course! We ended up making a cookie cake and a lot of double doozies (the cookies stacked together with frosting in the middle). He hasn't seen it them, but I plan to give him this part of the surprise when he wakes up from his nap. He has such a rough life... he slept in until after 10 and did some ice skating today and he must've really wore himself out! heh.

The Final Piece... waiting for him!

The dooooozies!

Cookie Pizza!

Heather and I...

Thanks for ALLLLL of your help LOBE! xo

I got my gift the other day... a vaccum cleaner and a fake tree and plant for the living room. It looks a lot better having something to take up space on both sides of the TV stand.

My Fica

Anyway, I guess I should start getting ready for our date... if he decides to wake up for it! ;)

-Ashley

Tampa Bay Lightning

Last night the guy Z usually goes to the Lightning game with had other plans, so he invited me! I actually had four different options of things to do, but since Z is so lucky I chose to go to the game with him instead of doing anything else... yes, I know, I'm an amazing wife! lol. It was my first one this season and we had a really good time! The Bolts ended up winning 2-1 in overtime so Zach was so excited - which made it even better! :) I enjoyed delish bbq nachos and yummy fruit filled sangria... thanks for the fun date night Zachary!

Love you hunny!

-Ashley

Super Bowl Sunday

It wasn't a hard decision to figure out who I'd be cheering for this year. I started to like the Colts when Dungy left Tampa and went to Indy... and who doesn't like Peyton Manning?! They are definitely my favorite team in the AFC and unless they are playing the Bucs - I want them to win!

If you ask Z who he is going for tonight you'll get a different answer, but from me you'll hear: GO COLTS!!!

-Ashley

Crackberry

Well, I finally broke down and purchased the Blackberry Tour 9630. This is the older model... my "friends" at Crackberry were wrong on the new ones release date and I just got sick of waiting. I'm already obsessed with it and love that it does just about everything! :)

I have 30 days to exchange it if and when the new one comes out... so here's hoping! If it doesn't come out, I'm thinking this one will be just fine! I went and bought a black cover and ordered a pretty pink one!



Well I'm off to celebrate a friends birthday party down town... Happy Weekend!!

-Ashley

Life is Rough!

Zach and I moved in on Monday and slept here without the dogs. We picked them up from my parents house yesterday and having to take them on the leash when they need to go out is already not very fun, but at least there is a little lake almost right outside our door that has a sidewalk around it and doggie poop bags to pick up their mess! lol.

Anyway, when Zach left them alone for the first time this morning they were barking like crazy (I think they suffer from separation anxiety) and when I got home they were STILL barking two hours later! I'm not sure if it was nonstop, or just because they heard a car door shut... but I think they are better now that I'm home! :) What a hard life they live!

I love my dogters!

-Ashley

Things That Make Me Happy Lately...

• Having a half day, but getting paid for a full (today!)!
• Having DVR. I'm totally enjoying the fast forward and pause feature!
• Fridays off for Student Day at the Fair (Friday!)!
• Having my own bed to sleep in ... and being in it next to my hubby!
• Living super close to family and friends!
• Getting to see my mom every day at work!
• Having ALL of my stuff back!
• Having a job that pays 3 times as much as I've ever made...
• 2 1/2 day work weeks...!
• Smoooooothies.
• Living the life! hehe.

-Ashley

Our new Home!

We are ALL moved in! Cable is on, internet hooked up, walls painted, art hung, furniture set up, and dogs are here (and going crazy)! We've spent the past 2 nights here and I'm SOOO happy with the way everything has turned out. We still have a few small things to purchase to make it PERFECT, but I think that will come with time. I'm so sad I can't find my camera cord... it has to be some where at my parents house, but until I find it laptop quality pictures will have to do!

BEDroom...

Lua enjoying the bed!
TV in the bedroom!

We have since taken then the dresser out of the closet and put it here...

Another angle... and Erica checking out the pic! lol

side of the closet 1. Side of the closet 2!
Love the way the bathroom color turned out...

The dryer... exciting! lol Washer... even more exciting! ;) Kitchen! I gave Z one wall... this is how he chose to decorate it!

I want something hung on the other wall... and my table to one day be cleared! Zach and Sean playing hockey...

Surprise, surprise! hehe

Needing another tall lamp and a plant or 2 here..

The end!

-Ashley