My crazy music playlist

The Grammy's were on last night and truthfully I didn't watch them but I am enjoying a variety music on my iPod this morning. I have to say it always makes me laugh about what I have on my iPod when I hit shuffle. I certainly would like to have more music on my iPod but I don't either have the time to add music or I'd rather spend the money on something else.

So I wanted to see what would pop up this morning when I hit shuffle on my iPod. So here we go:

RADIO - The Coors
JEOPARDY - Greg Kihn Band
BREAKAWAY - Kelly Clarkson
HE'S ALIVE - Easter Practice Music
I'M ALRIGHT - Kenny Loggins
IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE - Boyz II Men
BACK IN BLACK - AC/DC
IF I KNEW THEN - Lady Antebellum
CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU - Phil Collins
ALL OUT OF LOVE - Air Supply
HEAD OVER HEELS - Tears for Fears
FAITH - George Michael
SING NOEL/GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN - Christmas Practice Music
URGENT - Foreigner
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN - Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker
LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR - Aerosmith
FUNKYTOWN - Lipps Inc
PER TE - Josh Groban
IN THE RAIN - Kenny G
TEENAGE DREAM - Katy Perry
CELEBRATION - Kool & The Gang
SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT - Corey Hart
THE SKY AND THE DAWN AND THE SUN - Celtic Women
WHAT IS LOVE? - Howard Jones
RHINESTONE COWBOY - Glen Campbell
PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ - Taco
PRICE TAG - Jessie J
COME FLY WITH ME - Michael Buble
FOOLIN' - Def Leppard
BLESS THE BROKEN ROAD - Rascal Flatts
DON'T ASK ME WHY - Billy Joel
OVER YOU - Anne Murray
OWNER OF A LONELY HEART - Yes
WASTED - Carrie Underwood
JESUS HE KNOWS ME - Genesis
WITHOUT YOU - Keith Urban
MAGIC - Olivia Newton John
TIJUANA TAXI - Herb Alpert
THEN THE MORNING COMES - Smash Mouth
ONE FOR MY BABY - Bette Midler
TOMORROW WE'LL SEE - Sting
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT TAKES - Robyn
SOMETHING STUPID - Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman
EYES ON MY - Celine Dion
LET'S GO - Steve Angrisano
COME & GET IT - Selena Gomez
ALRIGHT - Darius Rucker
LET'S GO CRAZY - Prince & the Revolution
PUT DOWN THAT WEAPON - Midnight Oil
CANDYMAN - Christina Aguilera
ALL ABOUT TONIGHT - Blake Shelton
SO MUCH TO SAY - Dave Matthews Band
I WILL BE HERE FOR YOU - Michael W. Smith
BAD ROMANCE - Lady Gaga

So you get the idea, I've got a wide variety of music on my iPod (with a heavy cover of 80's music and certain artists that I love a lot). It cracks me to up to hear one song after another and how different they can be. Try it, it might make you chuckle.

14 Days of Love

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I was thinking about great ways to share the love with my family. I was inspired by the "12 Days of Christmas" posts I've seen that I was thinking the "14 Days of Love" would be a nice thing to try and maybe make a tradition for my family. I've got just over a week to plan how I'm going to execute this so here is what I've come up with so far.

I found the following website (www.thedatingdivas.com) through Pinterest to help me with my planning. I may not follow all their ideas but I'm sure to incorporate them into my plans. I like day 14 for actually celebrating Valentine's Day (sparkling cider is great because I'm not much for champagne). Most of the plans work great for a significant other but I want things for Smiley.

Last year on Valentine's Day I put big paper hearts up all around the house and I'm pretty sure Smiley didn't even notice. I'm also pretty sure my husband thought I'd lost my mind when he was wondering around the house. So I'm looking for ideas for both Smiley and B-man.

• I did find some heart magnets to put on the frig and Smiley has been playing with them. Should have held them back but I was so excited and she is enjoying them. 
• I'll most likely put hearts up around the house again . . . maybe one a day so that we have 14 total by Valentine's Day. 
• Smiley is too young for candy right now (choking hazard) so I'll avoid that. 
• I think we will make pink cupcakes one day.
• All girls love flowers so I think I'll be giving her flowers at least one of the days -but not right before Valentine's Day - woo too expensive.

• She'll have to send her Valentine's cards out so maybe we will have craft day once.
• Smiley is going to have goodies for her schoolmates so we will have to put those together a few days before, along with teacher presents. And when I say we you know that means me.

Ugh I'm running out of ideas. I know I want to make it fun for her but at 2 I'm limited. I think a scavenger hunt will be fun one day when she's older. Along with a party for her friends. We can make a special dinner for daddy one of these days but right now its not happening.  At least I've got a start on ideas. Any suggestions?

Love in a Reality Show Way

I don't faithfully watch the reality love shows but last night I didn't have choir practice so I took the opportunity to watch The Bachelor. The current Bachelor Juan Pablo, is supposed to be a wonderfully fabulous guy so I tuned in. And yes, oh yes he is a very good looking guy, is well spoken, loves his daughter and has some seriously nice abs. But that is not what had me sucked into the show.

What got me was the reactions by the women who are participating in the show. This is the 18th season for The Bachelor. You don't have to watch the entire season to understand how it works. ABC chooses one handsome/wealthy/talented guy to woo 25 to 30 women living under 1 roof. He chooses several women to go on "one-on-one" dates and the rest he goes on group dates with and slowly eliminates women he isn't connecting with at the rose ceremony. The purpose of the show, to allow this bachelor to find his potential perfect mate.

What has me puzzled about this show is all the women who participate know how it works (they always know who the bachelor is from seeing him on a previous season of the show. So why, oh why do they get so upset and at least one of them breaks down saying "I didn't know it would be this hard to share him"? Every season several ladies break down in tears and say that.

I know you can't fully understand something until you go through it but think logically ladies. But lets break this down: You are 1 of 25/30 women in one house trying to get one on one time with this handsome guy. He either chooses you for a private date or you have to fight for his attention in the group date. Come time for the rose ceremony the ladies know there are more girls than roses. Each week you see girls fighting for his attention, doing anything they can to stand out and then you see girls being sent home and they are in tears. How do you think you are going to handle it? Everyone will crack under the pressure cooker that this situation. Even the strongest person is going to have moments of weakness.

I am always amazed when there is one girl who sits there with a smug look on her face and starts to talk nasty about another girl who has gotten the lucky chance to have a one-on-one date with Mr. Wonderful. It never fails that she will say "I'm not jealous". Seriously if you are not jealous then what do you call your behavior? Oh and then some other girl will end up in the bathroom crying to her new BFF that she didn't know it would be so hard to share him with all these other women? WHAT? Is it in your contract to be dramatic and say something like that? Are you really that naive? Come on ladies - just suck it up and say "I was hoping I wasn't going to be "THAT" girl (you know the one who gets her feeling hurt)". I would have more support for you for being real and just saying hey it happens, let me blow my nose and wash my face and get back out there and smile my little butt off.

Is he really the one? Is he worth going through all this? If he is, shouldn't you feel comfortable with the situation and know in your head and heart that hes going to pick you in the end. Oh sure you can be jealous, just admit it. Come out and say it, you are smitten with him so seeing him kiss another girl is going to make you jealous.

Hopefully Juan Pablo will find the woman of his dreams and they will all live happily ever after. . . somehow I'm not sold. But ABC is because I'm sure they are already in the works for the next season of Bachelorette and then will be onto the next season of Bachelor.

Trying to break the habit . . . eating too fast.

One of my "goals" this year (no I won't say resolution) is to get healthier and hopefully lose weight. I know I have several personal struggles ahead of me like 1) I love carbs, 2) I have a sweet tooth, 3) I eat later than I should so I can eat with my husband, and 4) I eat too fast. I've tried to attack all of them with a different mindset and while each have their own challenges I am finding eating too fast is the worst of them. Eating too fast - ok stop smurking at me. Yes I eat too fast. I know I do. It is a bad habit I picked up 22 years ago.

Back in May of 1992 I joined the local rescue squad to make a difference in the world and learn a skills. Who would have thought that while I earned my EMT certification I also earned the ability to eat fast. This is not a skill that I intended to pick up but it came out of necessity.

I didn't always eat fast but when I joined the squad I learned that sometimes the only way to get food into your system was on the run. Eating in an ambulance is a no no (especially in the box) so I learned to eat what was put in front of me quickly. You never know when the tones are going to go off again and when you will get to eat something. Food was something to be consumed, not really tasted or enjoyed in my mind. Heartburn was almost always a bonus that I got with eating. And truthfully I put eating off as long as I could because it became a challenge instead of a joy.

To add to the wonderful joy of not knowing when I'm going to be able to eat something again on shift another problem pops up. Bathroom breaks, you gotta go when you can. As a woman it is a little harder for me to use the bathroom in the great out doors with privacy, decorum and speed. So when you need to go, don't wait - just go. I've always suffered from itty bitty bladder syndrome. Mom use to limit my drinks when we traveled because I was that kid that as soon as we got a mile from the house "MOM I HAVE TO GO" would come out of my mouth. Needless to say I ran into my fair share of issues on the ambulance. OMG I thought I was going to die after a 5 hour structure fire. I made the mistake of not stopping by the bathroom on the way out the door. I'm sure my kidneys were calling me all sorts of names.

Needless to say my attitude became adding food + itty bitty bladder syndrome = who wants to eat or drink on shift?! Adding to the joy that is my body, I also suffer from an extreme case of IBS. Yes I've been to the doctor and had all the tests, so medically I have been diagnosed with IBS. I'm not going to delve deep into what IBS is (that is what Google searching is for) but it doesn't add to my desire to eat on shift. Want another fun tidbit? I'm also lactose intolerant. Again, you can do the searching and the math as to what fun it is for my digestive system. So with all this "fun" going on in my digestive system you can imagine why eating fast was a necessity. Sadly it is a habit I still have today. I'm trying to break the habit and eat slowly like the normal people do but man it is hard.
 

According to the New York Times article written by C. Clairborne Ray, and published May 6, 2013, "The risks of simple indigestion and gastroesophageal reflux disease are frequently cited as reasons to follow your mother’s advice and enjoy a leisurely meal.There is also some evidence linking speedy eating to disruption of chemical signals of fullness, leading to over consumption and obesity. In one small study, presented by Medical University of South Carolina researchers at a digestive disease conference in 2003, 20 healthy adults had their acid reflux levels tested after both 5-minute and 30-minute meals of a chicken burger, french fries and a 16-ounce carbonated beverage. The participants had 10 reflux episodes when they ate slowly and 14 when they ate quickly. A 2008 study in The Journal of the American Dietetic Association examined the feeling of fullness in 30 healthy women when they ate fast and slow meals on separate days. The fast meals resulted in higher caloric intake but less satisfaction. Long-term effects of fast eating on weight gain were examined in a 2006 Japanese study using questionnaires filled out by 3,737 men and 1,005 women. The faster they reported eating, the higher their reported body mass index and the greater the increase since the age of 20."

Ugh, well needless to say I have an uphill battle but I think if I can get myself to slow down when I eat then I just may be able to lose some weight and get rid of my frequent heartburn.

A hand model I will never be...

I love fun and funky nail polish. My favorite colors are blues and purples so as you may guess, pale pink is not for me. I almost always have my toe nails painted a fun color (Heck I even tried orange one time).

***CONFESSION TIME: Right now my toe nails are not painted (oh the horror). What? Don't judge me. Are yours done? It's only because I haven't really put forth the time to do it. I promise little piggies I will have you decorated very soon.

I found the following really cool paint colors that I would love to do to my toe nails.

Aren't they really cool - I love the silver ones the best. Sadly my finger nails won't ever look like these hand models nails do. Why you ask? Because I have crappy nails that's why. They are short (even shorter than the model's nails, well except one or two here and there - usually my pinky or my ring finger), brittle and split all the time. I don't have pretty nails and I know it. I took a picture of my hand to include in this post and I couldn't do it because they were so crappy (and the cuticles looked so crappy). Ugh I need a manicure.

I have never had pretty nails. OK that is a lie Ashley, you have had pretty nails twice in your life. The first time was when I broke my arm in the 7th grade. I had long and pretty nails on my right arm. Just my right arm (there is the kicker). That arm was casted for forever and a day so they just grew (didn't hurt that there was so much extra calcium being sent to that part of my body to help the bones heal that it was a win win situation for my right hand). Sadly the cast came of after the good portion of a year and they broke. It was a sad day in Mudville boys and girls.

The second time I had nails was when I bought and paid for them. Yep I had fake nails . . . and so did every other girl in my college. And were they pretty? Heck yeah! I would pick a fancy french manicure (with pink tips) or a holiday theme (sometimes even adding a decal or sparkly). The colors were great fun too. I loved picking out the names of the colors (OPI has great names for their colors . . . "Bastille My Heart", "Pink Before You Leap", "I'm Not Really A Waitress" , "A-Piers To Be Tan" and "Ski Teal We Drop") for my nails, so much that sometimes the name was entertaining enough that I wanted to wear the color so people would ask me the name of the color. I kept them squared and not too long, probably a little longer than the sliver nail polish chick. It was great . . . that was until I got into week 2 mark. You know when you are getting ready to have a fill appointment. By that time they were starting to pull up on the sides and break off. And trust me that hurts. Anyone who has ever had a fake nail break on them or even pop on them - oooh that stings. I even got infections of the nail bed because of the lifting and pulling up (even with being double primed). So I said no thanks, for the cost I'm paying they should stay better. Bye bye pretty nails. It wasn't even the nail lady's fault it was my crappy nails being bad hosts.

I was excited when I learned I was pregnant with Smiley because I was sure I would have pretty nails finally. I was good at drinking my milk, my OJ and faithfully taking those nasty horse pills they call prenatal vitamins. Guess what? I was denied! No pretty nails.

I had heard that after a baby is born your body changes (I've seen it happen to women I know - no not the whole belly and butt change - I've seen hair get thicker and darker on some people) so I kept my fingers crossed and hoped that I would get my pretty nails after she was born. Much to my surprise (I don't know why I had wished for it) my nails began to get longer (all of them!) But mother nature has a great sense of humor. Sure she gave me these neat new nails but she also gave me a newborn with soft tender skin that I didn't want to scar up. I wasn't use to this little bundle of sweetness or the nails and I kept scratching Smiley. Like a good mumzie I cut my new nails (wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh) for the sake of my child (hum must remember to use that one when she is a teenager). Big Time Sad Face!!!

So to this day (Smiley is 2 now) I do not have pretty nails. My mom did not have pretty nails. My sister doesn't have pretty nails. My dad has BEAUTIFUL long and hard nails. I even told him to cut them recently because I was jealous. Sad I know but it is my life. My husband keeps his nails short so I don't know what kind of nails he has, but his mom has long pretty nails so hopefully Smiley will inherit her nails and not mine.

So for those of you who have nails know that I'm jealous. Yes I look at your hands longingly. No I don't feel bad you when you say you need to cut them. Secretly I'm happy when one of them breaks (sorry its the truth - rotten as I am - it's the truth).

I went online to look up to see if there were an posted causes of brittle, splitting nails and one source said that it had to do with a thyroid problem. Maybe that is true but I will never know. My mom had a hyperactive thyroid so she was super skinny all her life so that might explain why she didn't have pretty nails. I get tested regularly by my doctor but the tests all come back as my thyroid is fine. Sigh guess I'll just have to be one of those women who will never have long pretty nails.

So as I mentioned in the tag line, a hand model I will never be, but a girl can dream anyway. Now time to pick out the color for my toes (which I sadly have to admit are hard as rocks - oh the Irony). Anyone need to borrow my nail clippers?

Sewing . . . No Can Do

I consider myself to be a crafty kind of person. I command a glue gun like a pro. I love to go to Michaels so much that my husband teases me that I need to be supervised when I go. I can make/repair jewelry. I can even do counted cross stitch. I even took a class on how to make stained glass designs and was great at handling the soldering iron. Yet I've never master the art of the sewing machine.

Oh sure like most people I look the required classes in middle school and we made all sorts of things but I never really learned how to sew. I don't know the basics which is really sad. My mom has a very nice sewing machine and could do the basics but I never learned. I really would like to be able to do things with the sewing machine. I spend lots of free time on Pinterest and see all these great ideas for things that require basic use of the sewing machine and I actually get sad because I can't do the project. I really do need to do something about it. I'm not looking to be able to make my own clothes but I'd like to be able to hem things and do basic things on the sewing machine. Joann Fabrics and Michaels would both be places I'd need supervision if I could master the basics.

I see that my local Joann Fabrics Store offers a 2 1/2 hour class on sewing basics for $35. Maybe I should try that and then just buy fabric and practice. Suggestions from any long time sewers?

My Dream Job

I love this quote because really it is true!

How many of us are doing what we love and how many of us are doing what we know because it pays the bills? For those of you doing what you love, congrats! I am very jealous. Needless to say I work at a job not my career. Why? Because I don't really know what I want to be when I grow up (well besides a ToysRUs kid). With that said, I do have an idea of what my dream job would be, you know if I was rich and could just start a business from scratch without worry. 

YOU: So Ashley what is your dream job? 

ME: I'm glad you asked . . . I would be a personal party planner. 

How many of you were shocked at that revelation? Hands up. You in the back a little higher I can't see you.

Not a real shock to those who know we too well. I love to plan and put together a party. I love to entertain (big or small). I get that from my mom. I get great enjoyment out of planning and executing a party. Then I love to watch the party happen and see how people react to what I've created. I love every little bit of it . . .  from picking a theme (usually comes pretty quickly to me), to the food and drinks (hours and hours are spent on that aspect), to the decorations (probably my favorite part and I think I spend more time looking into decorations that planning on the food) and finally to the little knickknacks and giveaways. Oh how I love it. The only part I don't like is the clean up afterwards. I mean by the time the party is over I'm pooped and frankly who likes to do the dishes and pick up the trash? If you do well then when I become rich and start this business you have a job! Wait a second, come to think of it if I had my own business it would be because I was rich and I would already have enough money to hire someone to do the clean up. Score - problem solved!

I don't know the name of this company yet but I do know one thing about it. It would be for small private gatherings not the big huge record launch parties I'll be invited to attend (remember I'm rich by this time so I go to rich people's parties). Oh sure big grand parties are fun but I just like the feel of a smaller personal party. Now don't get this confused with an event planner . . . no no no that's too much headache with trying to find the location, talking with the chef to plan the menu, ordering the linens, designing the set up, getting the bartender and the DJ and on and on. This will be different because I will have the creative control for the party. My clients are just too busy to put together the party for themselves but they know kind of what they want and they are comfortable with me creating an exciting party for them with a little input. I know it sounds like I'm a control freak but hey, it's my company and those are my rules. 

These parties would be held at a private residence or a small venues (that are like a home away from home). I love coming into a home and using the already existing structure and furnishing as part of the decor. An example is when I throw a party at the house (well actually I mean at my dad's house) I incorporate things like the columns, flow of the house and the ceilings into consideration for party planning.  What? My townhouse is just too small and quiet frankly my mom designed her house to be a place for entertaining so I use it as she wanted. Oh sure you have to move some tables here and there but having a hard shell with furniture is so much better than rented round tables and crappy rental chairs with a long head table (blah blah blah). It gives your party that homey/personal feel which is what I would want for your husband's 40th birthday fiesta or your best friend's baby shower or even junior's 8th birthday party. Don't forget mom and dad's 30th wedding anniversary or your family reunion.

I love to go onto Pinterest and find various ideas for my party planning business. If you are ever on my page, check out my board entitled PARTY IDEAS. I have pulled from so many different Pinterest pins that I could plan a neon night party, a jungle safari, a princess party or a monster madness party. Oh the options are endless from the tableware, to balloons, to feathers, food, drinks, set up and invitations.

 Something like this:

 

So what would your dream job be? Money is no object (meaning you already have an income to pay the bills) and you want to so something for a living that would allow you the creative freedom you have always wanted? No dream is silly in my book. Now I just have to win the lottery so I can quit my job and start my career!

My PSA for the day shall be called : A+ Ashley

Throughout my life I have known many people who faithfully give blood. My friend Nancy has been donating blood regularly for as long and I've known her (and that is a long long long time). She tried to convince me to donate blood on many occasions and I just couldn't do it. I have this fear of needles that goes deep and it has kept me from doing many a thing. I won't even watch when they draw my blood at the doctor's office. I never went to get that tattoo because I'm afraid of needles. I'd never given blood because I just couldn't do it. Good thing I changed my majors from Pre-Med to History in college because it wouldn't do for a doctor to pass out while trying to start and IV right?!

After years of watching Nancy give blood and helping to host blood drives at the rescue squad I finally got the courage up to give blood. I think it was more after a long night of staffing and no sleep she convinced me to give blood. So we went to give blood and they tested me with a finger prick and the test said my iron levels were too low. They did it again and still too low. They did it again (I guess they really wanted me blood) through a different test and I just barely passed by the hair of my chinny chin chin. So I mentally prepared to have this large needle drove into my arm to such out all my blood (just kidding but seriously that is what my mind thought the process would be like). After a slightly painful stick I sat there and just chatted away about our evening on the ambulance and the plans for the day (which included a long nap once I got home). Blood was collected, OJ was given and cookies too. Time passed and it was ok for me to go, I got up and sat right back down. Whew the room was spinning and my legs were really weak. Time for me to lay down and get my BP taken. I don't recall the numbers but yes it was low. After probably 15 min of laying there I was allowed to sit up, drink a coke and go. Ha ha just kidding - woozie again. Must be due to the lack of sleep right? Right! More coke, more relaxing and then I was allowed to go. I was better but teased about giving blood and being a wimp.

About 2 years later we were having a blood donation at work and I signed up for my time slot. I got plenty of sleep the night before, ate my red meat and ate a good breakfast. I confidently sat in the chair. Had the finger prick and again I was just barely cleared to give blood based on my iron levels. I sat there, big girl faced the needle stick. Chatted away with the people giving blood. Got my coke and cookies and went to go back to my desk. Only 30 min had passed and all was good. . . that was until I stood up. Got weak in the legs, the room started spinning and 2 nurses (yep I got 2 of them) came straight to my chair. Laid me down and said relax. I got another coke and a cool wet towel (man I must have given them a real fright). I know I have pale skin (say thank you to my Irish heritage) but I can really get white when I don't feel well and it scares a few people. So I must have gotten really white for them to jump into action like that. Anyway, I ended up spending an hour with them trying to recover. The nurse asked me if this had ever happened before so I recounted the first time I gave blood. She then said, are you anemic? I said the doctor said I am slightly anemic during the regular days and during "that special time" I am very much anemic. Well the nurse said that you very much for your donation today but don't ever give blood again. You will DFO (Done Fall Out) every time and your blood isn't worth all that.

So if you can, please donate blood today. Many people need it and some of us can't give it. Oh and if you are a first time donator you usually get a cool T-shirt.

Also how cool is this. I was just on the American Red Cross website and they have teamed up with Keebler to donate cookies based on blood dontations. Keebler® expects to donate around six million cookies a year. That’s six million delicious reasons to donate blood. And one simple way you can make a difference