B-day

Well, life is going to be insanely busy for the next couple of weeks as we wrap up the school year, host family, and enjoy spring.

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Lots has happened that I'm excited to share, but some pics of my birthday last week will have to do for now. The big 'ol twenty-six. Andrew surprised me with a home-made double layer cake.
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LOVE that guy.

Happy weekend, all.

MEMORY MONDAY--honeymooners

{*post edit}

This may be the only picture I have of our honeymoon: just the two of us...officially married...riding off into the sunset...living the adult-life alone! I love that it perfectly captures the golden, happy mood of the whole trip.
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{And if I remember right, this picture was actually taken by a polygamist family who happened to be on the bridge at teh same time.}

Being married to Andrew really is the best.



But after my dad saw this picture, he e-mailed me a picture of his own:

He and my step-mom...on their honeymoon...on the same bridge...at the same time of day...in the same pose.

*awkward silence*




I know, right?
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The myriad of complicated emotions that surfaced for me then, all seemed to be synonymous with the word: uncomfortable at varying degrees.

Don't get me wrong. I like these guys...but...weird. Do I really need to explain myself any further here?


I'm doing my best not to let it taint our own golden glow.
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SUN VALLEY INN

Back in December, in celebration of Andrew's graduation and our 4th wedding anniversary, we took a vacation to Sun Valley Ski Resort. 

We checked in to the hotel amidst crazy snowfall. There were seventy-something inches on that mountain we'd be boarding on. 

The resort is insanely ritzy. We never could have gone were it not for a gift card given to help shoulder the cost. It felt like the kind of place you'd expect to see a movie star come around the corner at any moment. It was all very surreal. 

Finding our room.

Here was the cozy, happy, yellow stripe-ed bedroom. I loved it. 

Somehow, we ended up in one of the few rooms with a private balcony. 

The view was beautiful and forest-y and mountain-y. And as you can see from the accumulation on the railing...snowy. 

That first night, we relaxed, watched a movie, and drank hot chocolate next to the fire. 

The only thing needed to complete this picture is a french maid vacuuming in the background and a smoking cigar held nonchalantly in Andrew's left hand. 

Even the toilet paper was fancy. Have you ever seen something so ridiculous? I'm sorry, but I can't imagine a more foolish waste of my time then folding bathroom tissue into little points. 

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I'm just too practical for the rich life I guess.

Outside the Inn, all the festively decorated trees made for a stunning, nighttime stroll. 

Not to mention the snow sculptures...

And the ice sculptures. I love the Christmas ornaments frozen inside!

In the morning, we splurged on room service. To give you an idea of just how grandiose this place is, we found a corn dog and fries on the kid's menu for nine bucks! 

But the food was yummy!

Um, Andrew? As much as I appreciate you demonstrating my point, will you please just smile at the camera like a normal human being? 

Thank you. That's better. 

Then we got dressed for a day on the slopes! 

That there is my: "I'm so stoked to go snowboarding on a foot of fresh powder today!" self portrait. 

And what a fine day it was for it too! Just look at that sunshine! 

But the rest of the story will have to be saved for another day...

GRAMPS

{I did NOT take this picture. It was taken by the fabulous FIFE PHOTOGRAPHY. I borrowed it from my cousin's wedding album HERE.}

Grandpa Brown turned 80 this week. As a surprise, it was arranged for him to sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. How cool is that?

The next night, was a hopping shindig with cake. And cookies. And like, six hundred cousins.

Okay, I exaggerate. Not quite that many.

But there were tributes rendered, poetry read, memories shared, and tears shed. And then we all laughed and talked the night away.




Gramps has had a darn, interesting life. He took Grandma Jennie, my mom, and her five brothers on quite the lifelong adventure. He worked for American embassies around the world, pioneering the LDS church in remote areas as he went.
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As a result, my mom's growing up years were spent in places like:

• Baghdad, Iraq
• Tehran, Iran
• Bogotá, Columbia
• Jakarta, Indonesia
• Brasilia, Brazil

I think that's cool.



We lived with him after Grandma died, from the time I was 12 until I was 16 (...my snottiest of years, now that I think about it...it's a wonder he still likes me) Here are a few things I remember from that time:

*Grandpa hates cats. Once, when a stray kept hanging around, he grabbed it by the scruff of the neck, tossed it in the trunk, and released it in the middle of the Mexican desert. No joke.


*We had all just moved into a new house. Around the dinner table, Grandpa told us about his first experience with his new shower. Not realizing there was a step down, he stumbled in and landed on the tile floor. After getting back on his feet, he went to turn the water on only to have the unexpected power of the water pressure send him right back down to the bottom.
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I probably shouldn't laugh so hard at this memory. But I do.


*Grandpa is staunchly against wasted food. So, most days, I came home from school to a pot on the stove of what we eventually dubbed: "goulash". It was a mixture of all the leftovers he could find in the kitchen, heated together, with raisins and salsa thrown in for good measure.


I love that guy.

BECCA'S BIRTHDAY

She came over to celebrate, and we gave her that hat. I hope she enjoys it, because I'm going to steal it the first chance I get.

Unconventional as always, she asked for peanut butter cookies instead of cake. We made it work.
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By the way, she turned 21...or 23...or 12...
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Heck, I can't even remember how old I am anymore. (But that's what I have Andrew for. He keeps track of stuff like that.) Happy mnphth birthday, Becca. Last month...

GRADUATION ALBUM

Hello, Andrew. That is certainly a weird hat you've got on there.

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After years of hard work an sacrifice...

Andrew is the first college graduate in his family!

I cried through the entire thing. This was the result of several factors:

1.) I was proud beyond words.

2.)I was miserably feverish.

3.)I had insomnia from 1-4 that morning and was horribly sleep deprived.

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All of these contributed to one very emotional me.

This was the first graduating class to hold commencement in the newly built BYU-Idaho Center. In case this picture doesn't illustrate it, the place is HUGE.

Its size is comparable to the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, which seats 21,000 people. The BYU-Idaho Center is the same design on a slightly smaller scale. It only seats 15,000.

The other half of Andrew's waving, screaming fan club.

After commencement, the College of Physical Science and Mathematics moved to the Taylor Chapel for convocation.

Beforehand, Andrew chats with his good friend, Dave.

"...Andrew Dee Ashmore...Bachelor's in Construction Management..."

Hooray!

This professor ("Mort") came to shake Andrew's hand afterward, and they both bawled like babies. As such, I figured this would be an important picture to take. Andrew always seems to make best buds with the old guys.

The graduate.

And the proud wife.

...I apologize. This couldn't be helped.

Congrats, Andrew! Now, on to the future, our business, and home building for new professors moving in to teach at the growing University.

That's right. We are both graduated and yet, we are sticking around our small-town Rexburg, Idaho. Who'da thunk we'd settle here? But we are excited for what the future will bring!

FOUR YEARS

I have such a good man. Our wedding anniversary makes me think back to that crazy courtship of ours, and what a miracle it was that we ended up together. (I'm not going to go over our story now, but you can read it HERE.) It was absolutely meant to be.

This song makes me think of that time. Everything was so full of unknowns and uncertainties, but two things helped me through it:

1.) I had distinctly felt that marrying him was what the Lord wanted. I was assured that Andrew was a good person, and God's word was good enough for me.

2.) My family supported me in the decision. I can only imagine the fears going through my mother's mind upon learning I was to marry a man neither of us had known more than a few weeks. But she stuck true to her promise: After expressing her concerns once, she went forward with 100% support and trust. There wasn't even a hint of dissatisfaction coming from her during that whirlwind engagement.

But I'm sure it also helped that Andrew's good heart became increasingly evident the longer we knew him. We all fell in love with him fast, because he is good. And I feel blessed to have had the Lord be out matchmaker. God knew what He was doing.

And doesn't Carrie Underwood sing this song so beautifully? Listen to those high notes!

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OUR FIRST

We have never hosted a Thanksgiving meal before, that the preparations weren't carefully supervised by a more experienced mother figure. This time we were on our own. There was no one to ask how to roll out a pie crust, to share the best fruit salad recipe, or provide reassurance that the turkey is in fact, cooked through.

Okay. I got it into the pan. Now what?

We tag teamed the pie. Andrew handled the filling while I conquered the crust. Ready to bake!

Our makeshift place settings. We took our tiny kitchen table built for two, pushed it up against our skinny hall table, and covered it with a spare window curtain. We didn't have enough matching place mats for our three guests, so I just went with the mismatched look. Not only the place mats were different, but so were the chairs, and all of the dishes. Apparently, we're not set up very well to entertain.
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And I'm still wondering why I took a picture of the table...and not the people.
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But we enjoyed a lovely meal with belching Becca, her Canadian roommate, and Andrew's crippled Canadian business partner (ha!). Then we played card games, ate pie, and kicked our friends out, so we could hit the icy road. We were off to Utah for the next day's Thanksgiving dinner!

(The camera doesn't capture it, but imagine a whirling blizzard out that window.)

SNAPSHOT SATURDAY--Andrew's Kill

I got a text message yesterday with this picture and a note:

"Not bad for my first buck!"


I am so happy that Andrew is so happy!
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As long as he doesn't ask me to help skin it, that is. I'd prefer not to see the poor animal until it's neatly packaged in my freezer.
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Congrats, hon!
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FOCAL POINT FRIDAY--10/15/10

Well, friends, it's a new week. Let me share the focal points of the last seven days from both ends of the spectrum.



WORST:
We drove to Main Street to feed my ardent shaved ice addiction...only to find a devastatingly depressing sign posted in the window.

I immediately made Andrew drive me to Wal-Mart, where a frantic search for snow cone making machines ensued. I was eventually informed however, that the item won't be in stock until after winter.

And what a long, dark, miserable winter it will be...

BEST:

On the other hand, Andrew's sister was joined in matrimony this week. I love how weddings bring family from other states that you are rarely blessed to see. There are never enough excuses for gathering to enjoy the familial associations that make life so sweet. Especially in the temple.

OUR CARS

I seem to remember mentioning that we name our cars. My family has since I was little, and I suspect others do the same. Here is a family photo album of the cars that have come and gone in my life.

My first car was an old 2-door Toyota Tercel. She was good to me. She was loyal, hard working, and all mine. She was my baby. I can't count the number of times I had to encourage her up a steep hill with cries of, "C'mon, Baby! You can do it, girl!" She and I went on many drives together, when I needed to escape...working that stick shift like a race car driver. I loved her like an old friend.

Sadly, this is the only picture I have of the ol' girl...which is really only a picture of me...six years ago...looking very orange.


Despite her old age, Baby let me put an insane amount of miles on her until one day, she just kind of melted from the inside out. I had to actually pay someone to take her and give her a proper burial.

Within a month, I met Andrew. He was working full-time, and living the high single life. As such, he could afford his brand-new Dodge Ram. Her name was Roxy.

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Roxy holds a special place in my heart, because she took us on our first date, was around for the long good night kisses of engaged life, traveled with us on our honeymoon, and to our new home in Rexburg. However, Roxy was too expensive for newly-wed college students to keep long-term. And we needed two vehicles.

So we traded with Andrew's sister for a more affordable Toyota Camry, and then bought a beater Dodge Dakota pick-up for Andrew. The Dakota was quickly dubbed: Dusty. It just seem to fit. The Camry, luxurious beyond anything I had ever driven, was named after what she appeared to be in my eyes: Porsche. Power windows and a working air conditioner?? I had never owned such a vehicle in my life!

About a year later, again seeking smaller payments, we traded Porsche in and got a Dodge Status. She has been my mode of transportation for a couple of years now, and we are getting along swimmingly. But I still haven't gotten over the power windows and air conditioning bit. It still blows my mind. I call this one Lexus.

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What if I actually end up with a real Lexus one day, you ask? I don't know, I'd probably name her Bessie or something. Or Butch.

But speaking of Lexus, I got in the car this week after work, and happened to notice that she was at exactly 50,000 miles. I thought it was worth documenting...even if only with my cell phone camera.

About the same time that we got Lexus, Andrew traded Dusty in for a more reliable, and actually, a more affordable truck. Andrew picked the name: Candy. I realize that this isn't the toughest of names for a big, manly truck, but Andrew is very adamant on the fact that all vehicles are female. So "Candy," she is.

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On a side note, we will own Candy free and clear after one more payment. What a beautiful feeling...

This accomplishment was made possible in part, by the sale of Mia the Miata! (Click HERE for more of her story.)

Anyway. What is your car's name and personality?