Here is Hannah after she won tickets to see Wicked after her 10th time of trying. Of course I was her guest of honor.;) They were awesome front row seats. It was wonderful!!! 

I got to take Hannah on her first trip to Amish Country. It is tradition that if you go with me to Lancaster County you have to have a whoopee pie. YUM! 

School ended on May 1. Wow, how bittersweet. I am still waiting on final grades. Please pray that I pass everything. (You have to have a 3.0 or better to pass on to the next semester at PBU.) My wonderful friends at school...from L to R are KT, Holli, Aletheia and Jocelyn. I start my one and only summer school class a week from tomorrow. It is on Revelation/Daniel...awesome!! 

...colorado...
good times, mostly. i made friends and they were so fun to hang out with. (and got to connect and catch up with old ones.) i got to go to pikes peak twice. it is incredible. i recommend you hit that up if you are in that area. i also learned a lot and came back feeling like the conference was so worth my time. i was nervous about it but it was a worthwhile trip.
...wyldLife...
we have had two clubs so far. i was praying for at least ten kids to show up and the lord has totally provided in that way and it is growing. the kids seem to be having a great time and the other leaders are great with them. middle schoolers are a breath of fresh air. they instantly like you and get excited about anything. next year i will be combining with hannah and doing an area wide wyldlife. we are excited about that.
...company...
last week kristin came to visit. it was fun having her here to my "new" house. the weather was also decent so it was nice to be out and about. on friday we went to my friend holli's house and hung out with some super fun pbu girls - holli, jocelyn, katie and aletheia. we ate pizza and watched "walk the line." then saturday we slept in, got jelly pedicures, went to our fave store in flemington, had a picnic at mine brook park, went to dinner at chilis, went to bridgewater and did some shopping (got a cute bag and watch!), and saw "failure to launch." it was a full day! sun. i woke up sick (more on that later) but we managed to make it through church and lunch at one of my face places, cracker barrel (although i couldn't eat). it was a good weekend - it went by quickly!
...summer...
oh my goodness. check out my summer schedule. i can't believe how full it is. i am also extremely excited that it is as full as it is...that means it will be an adventure and go by quickly! is it possible that i am already booked until early sept? crazy how time flies by!
sweden assignment june 11-23
campaigner/capernaum service camp june 25-30
rockbridge (hs) camp july 12-17
rockbridge (ms) camp july 25-29
saranac (assignment) july 30- aug.19
california aug.20-sept.4
work conference at champion sept.5-7
...mexico...
less then three weeks until i head off to mexico! we have 6 students going and 4 adults. i am so excited. i have been having a bazillion dreams about it while sleeping because it is always on my mind. i so want everything to work out well and for these kids to have a great time learning how to serve the poor for the lord. many of them have never been to the west coast. one kid even asked if she will have to learn to speak "mexican." this will be such a huge experience for them - and needless to say i am uber excited about being with my old region as well. currently i am trying to find us free housing for three nights in san diego which has been a bigger challenge then expected. any ideas?
...school...
this weekend is a big one for me. i have sooooooo much to do. i keep telling myself that i just need to get through this month and next then i will be home-free. (the semester ends on may 1.) then i am taking two intensive summer school courses in may and then i will have 3 months off. yay! i love grad school, but i have been feeling a lack of motivation lately with my assignments. maybe it is just "spring fever." this last week was our spring break so it was nice having that much needed break.
...spring...
i think we may be done with snowy weather! while it is still chilly here (high of 41 today) i am so pumped that spring is just around the corner. i can't wait to have our green trees back and all that comes with it!! yay for warm weather!
...work...
last night i took some kids to a hockey game in philly. it was awesome. we were three rows up from the glass. the phantoms won 3-2 in overtime. they played wilkes-barre/scranton. many of my kids were cheering for the pens, and so were holli and jeremy (new friends/leaders). the phantoms had special st.patty's day jerseys. (the holiday is much bigger here on the EC.) anyway, i have been trying to do some fun events for the kids this semester. my goal is to offer something "out of the ordinary" at least once a month. next month we have mexico and i think i will have a girls overnight in may. club has been doing well and i have two new leaders who are terrific. next year i would like to try some type of capernaum ministry. still praying about it.
...sick...
i was crazy sick with the stomach flu from sunday-tuesday. besides the ear infection it was the most sick i have been since i moved here. from what i hear it is going around. my advice to you - run away from it or give it a huge karate chop if you think it wants to attack you.
...camera...
so i think i mentioned to you before that i lost it a while back. actually it might have been stolen but i say i lost it so that way i'm not suspicious of anyone. well, i am really missing it. i used it for work to take pics of kids and now that i have been w/o it it has been awful. funny pics aren't being taken and i don't know what i will do for mexico. it was my own personal camera that i just used for work so not only am i out work-wise but personally as well. the thing is is that my area can't afford to buy one - and i can't either. so i have a dilemma. please pray that i can get my hands on one!! (legally, of course.:))
...tax returns...
got my money back. ptl! decided to do the mature thing and repaid loans with all of it. my goal is to be debt free in a year!! but oh how nice it was to have that money back even if it were for a few mins...
...nyc...
oh how i love living 1 hour from it!!! hannah and i try to go in as much as possible - as time and money allow of course. we went in last week and had such a fun day. we saw "dirty rotten scoundrels" which was hilarious, ate at my fave italian place for dinner and had gray's papaya for lunch, and spent time walking around in the museum of modern art. soooooooo fun!

Highlights of the past few days since my last post...

*Hanging out with Kristin. We went to the Spy Museum, ate good food (Mexican and Italian...got the Mexican food for free - score!), watched movies, went streaking around the white house in our bikinis (while wearing bullet proof vests of course...never can be too careful with the V.P.;)), talked and caught up, slept in, etc. Good times!

*Found out I got an "A" in my winter class. Yay for me! That gave me a boost of confidence, especially since I think I won't be pulling straight A's this semester. But that's OK. I am doing my best and hanging in there! School is still great.

*Found out our house is going to be supplied with an alarm system. PTL! Now we can sleep easier. We have heard some noises and had some weird stuff happen (still!) recently, but we are remaining safe and sound.

*Can I just say that 24 is one of my new favorite shows? (Thanks to my roommate for getting me addicted...that show is like crack.) That was on last night. Jack Bauer is my hott TV husband.
*Knowing that I made it through another month. Whew - what a whirlwind winter/spring this is becoming for me!

OK...so now on to the story you have been asking for...

So my computer suddenly died and will not turn back on. This is Friday night a couple of weeks ago. I definitely knew that I needed to get it in and fixed right away because I use it everyday and can't live w/o it due to school and work. So late Saturday afternoon I take it in to this local computer shop in town. I have been there before and they seem to do a good job. Anyway, there is one guy who works there who I knew was a believer just through small talk we had had on previous visits. So of course knowing that a Christian worked there I obviously wanted to keep supporting them. Anyway, so I take my computer in and this same guy is working. He is the only one there. He immediately recognizes me and strikes up this conversation. He then just began to pour out his life story to me. (Without me asking for it.) He talked about how his pastor won't let him become a member of his church because he is divorced, how he feels lost with life, and how he is super lonely. He told me, "Ashley, I am the loneliest person in this office. I put on a mask so no one will think it...but it's true." Well of course at that moment I thought that my computer dying and me going in there was a divine appointment. I began to use my new counseling skills with him and try to help him as best I could. Well, unfortunately he took it the wrong way and out of the blue, like literally cut me off from talking, he asked me out to dinner. I was so stunned that I said, "yes." And at that point I think I was still being naive and thinking he just wanted to talk and that since it was just dinner time that we could talk over dinner. So anyway we go to Chilis and it was during that time that I totally came to realize that he thought it was a date. It was so awkward....only for me though. I tried my best not to lead him on and now I feel so guilty for even trying to help in the first place. He has called me all kinds since then. He is not getting the hint. Ugh, crazy. I really thought I was doing the right thing, but unfortunately it didn't work the way I had planned. Crazy!! I always get myself into weird situations like that!!

So I leave for Colorado Springs the day after tomorrow and won't be back until Sunday night. I am getting a little more excited about it. Pray for me - that I will find some friends.:)

Tonight is our first WL club! Exciting! I will be sure to let you know how it goes.

Hope this day is going great for you.<3

Thanks everyone for caring about my safety. If you didn't read the blog before this, about the footprints, be sure to read it. Since that happened only one suspicious thing has happened and that was very early Sunday morning. (A little after 1 AM to be exact.) I awoke to a very loud noise and I was just frozen in my bed with fear. I told myself that if I heard it one more time I was calling 911 and waking Hannah. I have a basement window right under my room and I thought for sure someone was trying to get in. Whether or not that's true, there was not another noise. We went down to the basement and checked it out (in the daytime!) and it is a possibility that someone was trying to get in. (The window is too old to tell. It has cracks in it - and we just don't know if that happened from being forced open or if it is just due to being old and we just never noticed them before.) But, whether that's true or not, they did not succeed. Since then it has been hard for me to be home alone, especially in the night time. Hannah and I are hoping to get an alarm system for our house. We are tired of living in fear. We should feel safe in our own home - and who knows when this craziness is going to end.

On to other things...

This weekend I am going to visit Kristin in VA. While I am looking forward to being away, I do know that this is not the wisest move on my part. I am swamped with both work and school. But, we have been trying to get together for a while now and this weekend was the first time that worked for both of us since Christmas. So, l am excited about seeing her...and having fun with my friend will, of course, make it all worth while. :)

A big thing on my mind lately is our WyldLife ministry. We have our first club on Tuesday and I do not feel ready. I am super nervous about it. Please be in prayer for that. Other then that things with work are going well. We are planning on going to Mexico over Easter Break to build a house. I am hoping to take 5-10 kids. (We will be going with the CenCal group.) I'll find out my final numbers next week as that is when I have the deadline set.

Speaking of trips, I am going to Colorado Springs for work next week. That is something I am NOT looking forward to. Please, please pray for me in that regard. I really am dreading it for several reasons. Ugh.

PBU is awesome. I was accepted into a special mentor program so that has been great.

Well, I have to get going. I have more to write about - especially a supper awkward dinner I had recently with a complete stranger - and I will write about that later. It's quite a story! I always get myself in weird situations like that!!

Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday! <3

Town OF Clinton Police - Quit Laughing At Me! - PART DEUX

So obviously since we had our little run in with suitcase man we have been keeping watch around our house. And, since it snowed this past weekend we have been looking for footprints around our house or basically anything suspicious. Well, there was nothing weird or abnormal, until Wednesday.

I don't know if I mentioned this before but Hannah has a dog named Rosie. So obviously when we let Rosie out we see our backyard. I had been letting Rosie out on Wednesday and there were no footprints in the snow. There were deerprints, but those of course are very small so they obviously aren't people. Hannah let Rosie out when she got home later that night. No footprints. Then she let her out for one last time - this time it was around 11. All of sudden, there were footprints. Big footprints very close to our house. They went all around our house, you can see where they stopped for a bit, and they appeared somewhere between 9 and 11 PM. So, someone was at our house, very close to our house, in the dark, and we didn't know it.

I was already in bed at this point and Hannah came and woke me up. I got the flashlight and we both nervously opened the door and examined the footprints. They were new all right, and very big. Like boot footprints. We decided we should call the police. My dad confirmed we should and so we were soon on the phone with them. They then sent someone right out.

This time, neither of us were laughing. This was getting just way too weird. First suitcases placed around our yard (and hiding), and now footprints from someone who was "checking us out" in the dark. If it was someone just passing through (a lot of people don't have fences on the EC) why did they walk so close to our house and walk all the way around? And if it were someone reading our meters...why did they come so late? (And the footprints did not lead up to that btw.) So, to make this long story short the police came out and checked around for us. Obviously this person had moved on (again!). There was nothing they could do. They just advised us to call again if we hear or see anything. Obviously someone is hanging around, but it's hard to track them down by suitcases and footprints.

So, the saga continues. This is just becoming too scary and Hannah and I are so over it. Who knows, maybe there is another sequel to this entry in store?? Hope not. But we'll see!!

we got 20 inches of snow this weekend...20 friggin' inches... i hear the valley was in the 70's. poor things. i'm sure the weekend was rough in tank tops and flip flops.

anyway, here is a pic of my roomie hannah. she also has an obsession with sunglasses.;) she is making the "hannah face."

Town OF Clinton Police - Quit Laughing At Me!

Ok, so crazy stuff around here lately!! But to tell the story correctly I must go back about six weeks ago when I moved into the house. As I was moving in, I noticed a blue suitcase outside of my window. I thought it was weird but just figured that we had neighbors that decorated with a "unusual" sense of style. So I didn't give it another thought. OK, so now flash forward until a couple of days ago. Hannah and I are hanging out around the house and hear a knock at the door. It is our neighbor. He asked, "Is that your suitcase in between our houses?" We both kinda looked at each other and replied that it wasn't. Both of us were confused. And at this point I am not remembering the blue suitcase I saw weeks ago. So, anyway we asked about details about this suitcase and he said his son had found it. It then dawned on me that I had seen one and I said, "Is it blue?" "No," he said. "It's black." (And at this point we realize there are TWO suitcases in the backyard.) So at this point all three of us thought something a little strange was going on. So our neighbor said his son was a detective and that his son said that that sounded really suspicious and that we should have the police check it out. So we let a couple of days go by thinking that the neighbor called the police. So today I was in the backyard and noticed the suitcases were gone. (They were there yesterday though.) Weird. But - I found something else. A garbage bag full of clothes hidden under a tree/bush thing. So Hannah and I decided we needed to call the cops. We both called, and they laughed at us. Like we were some morons who were making this up. Then they finally showed up, like 6 hours after we called, and sent like a 10-year-old. OK, not that young - but he was young. (And cute, which of course was nice...;)) So he did validate us and that was nice. Long story short - although it is likely this person has been hanging out in our basement (although windows looked secure), or the shed (which is the most likely because it did look like it had been "messed with"), or in between our houses, or in a car, this person has probably moved on (due to the suitcases missing) and we are probably OK. But isn't that SO RANDOM??? Kinda strange too. (But we do live off of a major highway and w/in walking distance of two prisons - but this Clinton. Beautiful, small, rural CLINTON.) However, we have always heard bumps up against our house late at night. But we always assumed they were deer. So - Hannah and I have come to the conclusion that maybe we have a third roommate we always didn't know about??? FREAKY, huh!!! And now a bazillion kids are IM'ing me about it. Wow, word flies fast here. Awww...they care about my safety and say I need mase. LOL...I did have some, back in the good ol' days at FSU when I actually needed to have it just in case.;)

I have been really blessed by my PBU friends. After nine hours of class on Saturday we all went to Holli's house for a fiesta. We had a pinata, good food, some mixed drinks, pin the tail on the donkey, watched three amigos, and danced the macarena (sp?). (Yeah, you know we are going to be awesome counselors!!) It was awesome. I love school - but I am also loving time with my new friends. Not all are pictured here, but from L to R is Katie, Holli, me, and Jocelyn. I am learning so much and now I am actually considering getting licensed. It is only 12 more credits and it might be a good thing to do. But then there are always advantaged to not getting licensed too. So, that is one thing I am praying about right now. Regardless, I have to get back to this paper. 6 pages down - three to go. Yippee!!

Oh my goodness...I could identify with more then ten. Does that mean I'm turning "Jersey?";)

You know you're from New Jersey when you recognize or can relate to at least 10 of these:

You've been seriously injured at Action Park.
You know that the only people who call it "Joisey" are from New York (usually The Bronx) or Texas.
You don't think of citrus when people mention "The Oranges."
You know that it's called "Great Adventure," not "Six Flags."
You've ordered a hard roll with butter for breakfast.
You've known the way to Seaside Heights since you were seven.
You've eaten at a diner, when you were stoned or drunk, at 3 am.
Whenever you park, there's a Camaro within three spots of you.
You remember that the "Two Guys" were from Harrison.
You know that the state isn't one big oil refinery.
At least three people in your family still love Bruce Springsteen, and you know what town Jon Bon Jovi is from.
You know what a "jug handle" is.
You know that a WaWa is a convenience store.
You know that the state isn't all farmland.
You know that there are no "beaches" in new Jersey - there's "The Shore," and you know that the road to the shore is "The Parkway" not "The Garden State Highway."
You know that "Piney" isn't referring to a tree.
Even your school cafeteria made good Italian subs, and, you call it a "sub" not a "submarine sandwich" or worse yet, a "hoagy" or a "hero."
You remember the song from the Palisades Park commercials.
You know how to properly negotiate a Circle.
You knew that the last question had to do with driving.
You know that "Acme" is an actual store, not just a Warner Bros creation.
You know that this is the only "New..." state that doesn't require "New" to identify it (like, try ...Mexico, ...York, ...Hampshire (doesn't work, does it?).
You know how to translate this conversation: "Jeet yet?" "No, Jew?"
You only go to New York City for day trips, and you only call it "The City."
You know that a "White Castle" is the name of BOTH a fast food chain AND a fast food sandwich.
You consider a corned beef sandwich with lettuce and mayo a sacrilege.
In the 80's you wore your hair REALLY high.
You don't think "What exit" (do you live near?) is very funny.
You know that the real first "strip shopping center" in the country is Route 22.
You know that people from 609 area code are "a little different."
You know that no respectable New Jerseyan goes to Princeton - that's for out-of-staters.
The Jets-Giants game has started fights at your school or local bar.
You live within 20 minutes of at least three different malls.
You can see the Manhattan skyline from some part of your town.
You refer to all highways and interstates by their numbers.
Every year, you had at least one kid in your class named Tony.
You know where every "clip" shown in the Sopranos opening credits is.
You've gotten on the wrong highway trying to get out of Willowbrook Mall.
You've eaten a Boardwalk cheesesteak with vinegar fries.
You have a favorite Atlantic City casino.
You start planning for Memorial Day weekend in February.
And finally... You've never pumped your own gas.

boys are dumb....the end.

OH MY GOODNESS...can you imagine? 

This is something you don't see very often in CA... I look excited but inside I am really bitter.;) 

Isn't this too funny? What an idiot. This is at an EZ Pass booth which we have a lot of around here. (Thanks to my boss for sending me this pic.) 

happy wednesday...it's raining here but it got rid of all the snow. yay!! i think i have decided that snow is evil...;)

so why is snow evil you ask?? i think it is because i had one of the worst nights of my life on saturday. i was at my friend holli's house in pa and left there kinda late...but not that late. anyway, we didn't know it had been snowing until i walked outside. but, stupid me, i thought i could totally handle it. well, to make a really long story short - i couldn't handle it. the roads were awful, i was sliding everywhere, i was passing people who had wiped out, i couldn't see where i was going, and i totally thought i as going to get in an accident. i was super nervous and by the time i got home i was a wreck. i couldn't get my car up the driveway (too slippery) and kept sliding back down. so, i finally gave up and parked on the street. i woke up to a ticket. effing new jersey. anyway, i was praying the whole way home and god did totally provide. i have learned my lesson and will not drive when it is that bad again. i do have a tendency to think i can do more then i can. (theme of my life.)

my class at pbu was good. it was long but i enjoyed it. there were only five of us in the class...it was crazy. it was a family life/education enrichment program. i really hope that i will be able to use it in ministry now and with my own family in the future. the spring semester starts on monday. good stuff.

work is going well. i am keeping busy and love the kids. i lost my camera though which is why i haven't been posting any pics of them lately...:(

tomorrow i am going to lewisburg. it's matt's 30th bday. so, if you know him, be sure to wish him a happy bday. normally i probably wouldn't drive 2 hours for a bday party but he is a special friend and it is a big birthday. wow, i can't even believe that i am getting closer to 30. i know it is 3 years away, but i am in denial.

don't really have many plans for this weekend. i would love to catch a hockey game somewhere and maybe see a movie. (go see "end of the spear.") anyone interested?? i also might help josh with his kitchen. (which i am excited about...the martha stewart in me.) but - this is my last "free" weekend for a bit so i want to make the most of it. so yeah, call me.

oooh i just saw that one of my fave shows is on tonight. oh now i am excited. hahaha. i'm a sucker for (some) reality tv.

i'll end this entry talking about my dear friend amy. amy's mom died suddenly and i would love it if you can keep her and her family in your prayers. it is so crazy. first mel's dad and now amy's mom. (so please remember amy and mel.) i cannot even imagine having to deal with that. it makes you want to tell everyone how you feel about them because you really don't know what is going to happen from one second to the next. so, know that i love each of you and are thankful to know you. each of you are so special and i have been blessed to have you as a part of my life.

i returned home from ca very late on monday night. i was there for a good length of time and was able to do a lot while i was home. here is a recap:

family
of course while i was in the valley i got to spend a bunch of time with my family. i saw some of my extended family (grandparents and aunt) on christmas and that was nice. i also just got to have hang out times with my parents and brooke and ryan too. their baby seems to be doing fine and that seemed to be all anyone could talk about. the due date is aug.19.

friends
how i love my friends!! i got to see many people including most of my adx sisters (they are hott stuff), and kingsburg peeps like amy, janell, michael, tiffanie, grace, laurie, the thomsens, and a bunch of old yl kids around town. it was awesome. we had meals together, went shopping together, just plain hung out, and did lots of laughing and catching up. new years eve was fun too with them.

fun times
i went on my first motorcycle ride with my dad on his new harley. i'm still alive. it was fun. i also got to do the harley wave...;) i also went to pismo for the day with my dad and that was sooo nice. the weather was in the low 70's. i did not want to go back to cold weather after experiencing that. my dad also took me to a hockey game. i am becoming addicted to them. it was super fun. my mom and i did some shopping which i am always up for and she and i went for our three miles almost everyday. good stuff. oh, and i managed to see a couple of movies.

food
i think i ate enough mexican food that i will be content here on the EC where there is zero for a while...:) it was also nice to have my mom's cooking and all of those fun holiday foods.

flooding
wow, the rain was something else. when my mom and i were out and about doing our three miles we really were able to see it firsthand. it was incredible. i have never seen anything like it in the valley. thankfully our house didn't flood...but others did. streets, sidewalks and yards were completely swallowed up.

fog
what is the valley w/o fog? there was lots of it. you don't know fog until you have been to the sjv.

football
bulldogs lost...that was craptastic. but, usc lost too - and that was awesome!

fres-no? fres-yes!!
fresno is growing sooo much!! it is such a fun place now!! really, it is!!

now it is back to "normal" life. i have school for three days in a row starting tomorrow (a winter class i am taking) that will be from 8 am to 6:30 pm. yikes. hello caffeine. and yl starts up again next week...yay for awesome kids! i got invited back to sweden this june so that is something i am prayerfully considering. i would love that but money is really the only thing holding me back. i was able to hang out with some fun people last night (hi hannah and josh!) so i am feeling blessed that the lord is continuing to provide me with good times here. i am excited for this next chapter in my life (2006) and can't wait to see what the lord has in store for me. ok...on to that book i need to read by tomorrow...

oh! and how can i forget that janell got engaged when i was home and i was asked to be her maid of honor. oct. 7 is the big day for her!! and if the "three times a bridesmaid never a bride" saying is true i am in big trouble because i am WAY over that. oh dear.;)

Questions about me!
1. Who are you?
2. Are we friends?
3. When and how did we meet?
4. Give me a nickname and explain why you picked it.
5. Describe me in one word.
6. What was your first impression?
7. Do you still think that way about me now?
8. What reminds you of me?
9. If you could give me anything what would it be?
10. How well do you know me?
11. When's the last time you saw me?
12. Ever wanted to tell me something but couldn't?
13. Are you going to put this on your blog and see what I say about you?

Oh my goodness my month has been insane. "I feel like I am on crazy pills..." hahaha.:) But really, I have been going non-stop. Today seems like the first day where I can really just breathe and do nothing. It's kind of a weird feeling. It's certainly nice though!

I am home in CA and I am loving the warm weather. Well, I guess I should say it is warm to me. Coming home to a high of 68 degrees is heaven. Anyway, I got back very late last Wednesday - really it was early Thursday morning. I was supposed to arrive much earlier, but missed my flight out due to a big accident (Matt and I got to sit in traffic) and had to fly stand-by all the way home. Thank the Lord that I was able to get a seat on those flights. I wasn't too sad that I missed my original flight out here because that meant I was able to spend more time with my good friend Matt who took me to the airport. We hung out in Philly until he had to head back to Lewisburg. It was fun. I was glad to be out and about, especially since I had the rest of the day to just sit and be bored.

The day before that (Monday) was fun and busy as well. I had dinner with a new(er) friend of mine (Josh) at his house and then found out that I am going to be an aunt. Yay! August 19 is the due date. I totally can't wait. While I would love to live closer to my friends and family (and new niece or nephew), God is still telling me that the EC is my home, and is going to remain my home. I am happy there and this year has been so great overall. I can't believe that it is almost 2006...wow...

School ended a couple of weeks ago and I got my grades. Two A's and a B. I was really hoping for straight A's so I was kinda bummed. But, those grades are much better then what I got while I was an undergrad so overall I am pleased with myself. I am taking a winter class that starts on the 12th. I have to read a book and write a paper before it starts. Better get on that!

All of my moving is done. I am now officially a resident of Clinton. PTL the nightmare of moving is over. It was so miserable. I do not want to do that again for a long time. But, it's done and now I live in a great house with a roommate who I really like. (Hi Hannah!:)) So, it's a good thing. I am in Flemington all the time anyway so I am really not having to give up much of anything. Now you al have to come and see my new house!

I hope you all had a good Christmas yesterday! Mine was awesome. I got two hoodies (yes, I admit I am addicted) and lots of other fun stuff. Now I just need to think about how I am going to get it from the WC to the EC...lol

Today I am going to unpack (finally!) and hopefully do something active outside. I am hoping to see a lot of my friends while I am here and catch up with a lot of people. So, call me!!

OK, my parents just made lunch (tri-tip...how I love BBQ on the WC) and I am off to eat with them. Hope this little update was able to catch you up to all that has been happening with me. Bye for now.:)

Blessings!

You know your from Kingsburg (or the SJV) when....
You have to explain to friends from out of town what animal "Tri-tip" comes from........
You think salsa goes on everything .....
Drivers think a red light is just a suggestion.
Your out-of-town friends start to visit after October, but clearout before the end of April.
The best restaurants in town start with "El" or "Los."
You know a swamp cooler is not a happy hour drink.
People break out coats when the temperature drops below 70.
The pool can be warmer than you are.
You realize that Valley Fever isn't a disco dance.
You still don't know your way around downtown.
Anywhere "and 99" is too far away.
You think you're better than people from Selma, or Fresno, or ....
Someone mentions the Fair and your thoughts immediately turn toCinnamon Rolls.
You drive just as fast on a sunny day in June as a foggy day inDecember.
You have to explain to someone about "G Street."
The whole town shuts down at 6:30.
You complain about how boring Fresno is.
You hadn't been to Manchester Center in 10 years until the movietheater opened.
You never knew how you managed before River Park.
Someone from out-of-town talks about how foggy it is and you tell them, "Just wait."
You know not to take Shaw at 8, 12, or 5.
You swear there was an orchard there last week, where now there are houses.

ok, can we just be nice?

seriously people. as jane used to say, "what is the one rule at yl?" and everyone would yell"be nice!" because, really, that encompasses just about everything.

today i am frustrated. not with young life. just with some aspects of my life altogether. while i had a great morning having breakfast with some awesome high school friends, i am so sad about a couple of things that happened this week to me and while i am trying to forget about it... it's hard.

in essence three people have just made me want to cry and one actually succeeded. in their defense, they all didn't know that i was just on a roll this week. ugh. i don't want to make it sound like i am a whiner, cause i'm not. but when three people i really care about either don't give me the time of day (this person only seems to be my friend when it suits him) or say some things about something i am extremely sensitive about then that will set me over the edge. and don't play the northeast card with me. that's no excuse.

i need to protect their identities so i can't go into further explanation but i just wanted to vent a little hehehehe. i know we all have bad days or weeks. just combine it with being sick, moving, and tons of snow and i am ready for a vacation...or a drink.;)

YLWJ group. 

Me, Christina, Shannon 

So winter weekend was really fun. I will post pics later today. The kids we had were awesome. Even though our numbers drastically dropped and I was totally bummed about that - it was still a totally FUN time. There was snow all weekend up there so that made for extra good times.

Today I am home sick. But, I really need to just try to ignore it and get some stuff done. I move my heavy stuff tomorrow which means I won't be around to do work tomorrow. I have club tomorrow night so I need to prepare today. Plus, I need to get ready for my big stuff to be moved tomorrow. AAAAHHH! All of this while I am sick and just want to rest. I think I got sick from this weekend. I dunno. Doesn't really matter. I hate doctors so I am going to try to stick it out. But, school+moving+work+getting ready for the holidays+the million holiday parties I am invited to+sick = a very stressed Ashley. HELP!

School yesterday was "soooooo good!" I got the highest grade in my class (out of 50 people) on a counseling skills test! I am not bragging here - this is just good for me. I am kinda semi-smart but not the top of my class smart by any means. So, anyway, it made my day. Now I need people to "practice" on...ha ha ha Any takers?;)

There is snow here in Flemington. I guess the cold weather is here to stay. It's not so bad.

Hmmm...OK, I better get going. I need to get to work even though I feel like "yonke." OK - who knows what that means??? Any Spanish speakers?

Maybe I will work on my Christmas cards tonight. Ugh, NO! I need to pack. Alright, hasta.

The Kingsburg coffee pot and our dala horse. You can find these dala horses all over town. If you haven't guessed it already, Kingsburg is a town founded by Swedes and we uphold many Swedish traditions, customs, and architecture. It's a really cute little town in the heart of CA. If any of you ever want to go home with me, let me know. You are always welcome. (And I know many of you are from there or have been there already.;)) 

The "welcome" sign to Kingsburg.  

Hey everyone…hope your Thanksgiving was great.

My last week just flew by. I went to CA on Tuesday and came home last night. It was a whirlwind and I’m sorry I hardly got to see any of you. I just had so little time and really needed to spend time with my family. But, I will be home for quite a while in Dec. so I will definitely be catching up with all of you then!! Can’t wait!

But, my time home was good. It was warm and that was so weird for me compared to cold NJ. (It snowed here on Thanksgiving…I was glad to miss it!!) I loved seeing all the flowers blooming, fruit growing and all the time I got to spend outside. Cen Cal is so great. It’s always nice to be home.

Now I am busy, busy, busy. This weekend I have winter camp and then I have the big move. In the midst of that I have so much office work to do and tons of kids I want to hang out with before we break for Christmas. Yikes! It’s good to be busy and I am trying not to stress.

School (PBU) is awesome! I can’t believe the semester is almost over. It went by so quickly. I wish you all could go through this program. You would love it. I just got done reading a book (one of many) for school entitled Objects of His Affection by Scotty Smith. I HIGHLY recommend it!!

The pic above is of my parents and Mille. I took this the morning of Thanksgiving. OK, I am going to try to get myself to bed. I need to get back on EC time!

Hey – anyone want to go to a hockey game with me?

I'm in CA and having a great time. Just wanted to let all of you know I made it safely since some of you were concerned considering the weather. Crazy that it is snowing in Jersey and it is warm and flowers are blooming in CA!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I stayed up until 2:30 this morning to watch State play USC. Although I was sad to not be there in person (my whole family was) I was there in spirit by watching it on TV. (I was, however, there in 1992, the last time State was at USC.) It was quite a game! Even though we didn't win, the Bulldogs played their hearts out. It was one of the best games I have ever seen!!
It made national headlines - here is one such article...

What a game!
Bulldogs come oh so close to knocking off the No. 1 Trojans in a 50-42 stunner.
By David White / The Fresno Bee
Fresno State played USC tough despite the turnovers. How will this game impact the BCS, the AP? Where do you think the Bulldogs should be ranked?
LOS ANGELES — Could you see it?
The toppling of the unbeatable USC football empire in the throes of the mighty Los Angeles Coliseum.
An anticipated burst into the national top 10 for just the second time in school history.
An invitation to a Bowl Championship Series game, such as the Fiesta Bowl that, though a wild long shot, was still a tempting one at that.
It was all so teasingly close for 16th-ranked Fresno State, only for the Bulldogs to watch the two-time defending national champion Trojans dash away with a 50-42 victory before 90,007 fans Saturday night.
Just like that, the Bulldogs went from would-be world-shockers to USC's 33rd straight victim.
Fresno State is left to resume its quest for its first outright Western Athletic Conference title under coach Pat Hill. Beat Nevada and Louisiana Tech the next two weeks, and an invitation to the $1.35 million Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31 in Memphis, Tenn., is likely to follow.
"Yes, we're going to invite them," said Liberty Bowl executive director Steve Ehrhart, adding that details must be worked out with the WAC office before anything is made official.
"That's why I'm here. They're our team."
That news will be of little consolation to a Bulldogs team that had all the makings of an upset in the first half and as late as the fourth quarter.
Fresno State led the Trojans 21-13 at halftime, and pulled to within six points late in the third quarter. The Bulldogs got to 41-34 with 9:59 left in the game and later took a 42-41 lead.
The Bulldogs weren't able to close the deal, but hardly hurt themselves

Here's my answers to Jen's questions...
1. How tall are you? 5' 41/2"
2. Do you own a gun? No. But I know several people who do.
3. Rehab? Yes -lots of counseling from my fellow students in my current grad classes.
4. Have you ever killed an animal? Yes-although unintentionally!
5. Are you Irish? Absolutely! Anyone who knows anything about me knows I am.
6. What do you think of hot-dogs? They're OK. I agree with Jen though, corn dogs are yummy -especially Fresno Fair ones.
7. What's your favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night
8. What is (are) your favorite sound(s)? certain people's voices, classical piano, the ocean, my dad laughing
9. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? I don't handle food or drink all that well in the morning so preferably nothing.
10. Do you do push-ups? Um, do push-up ice creams count?
11. Have you ever done illegal drugs? No.
12. Have you been shot? No, but dreamed that I have before.
13. Have you ever been hospitalized? Not overnight, no. PTL!
14. Do you take painkillers? I try not to. Ever since I worked for a DC I really have come to believe in natural medicine approaches, but believe me I do give in from time to time!
15. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex? I wouldn't want to do anything to lure them. That's mainpulative and I have been on a soapbox about that lately!
16. Do you own a knife? Yes but they are all in my kitchen.
17. Do you have ADD/ADHD? No.
18. Do you love the pain a tattoo brings? I'll find out in the near future.
19. Name Four Drinks You Regularly Drink: Water, wild cherry pepsi, apple juice, caramel apple ciders from Starbucks
20. What's in your CD Player? Chris Tomlin
21. What's under your bed? a whole bunch of crap
22. Current Hair? brown as always, nothing to get excited about, although it does have highlights
23. What are you wearing? slippers, jeans, brown turtleneck sweater, white puffer vest, and LONG JOHNS!!
24. Current Worry? getting this paper done
25. Current Love? at the moment it is my heater which is now working. I LOVE being warm.
26. Current Hates? papers
27. Favorite Place To Be? I have many favorites...anywhere with friends or family.
28. Least Favorite Place To Be? traffic jam when I am running late
29. If You Could Play any Instrument? Well, I play the piano and clarinet - but I would love to be able to play the piano on a professional level or play guitar at any level!
30. Favorite Color(s)? Red.
31. Person(s) From Your Past You Wish You Could see again? I never met my grandfather.
32. Where Would You Like To Go To College (University)? I love the school I am currently attending and all the schools I attended in my past (except FCC ha!).
33. Where Do you want to live? Anyone who knows me knows that. But only the Lord knows where I will end up.
34. Favorite food? Italian
36. Number of pillows you sleep with?-- 1
37. What do you wear when you go to sleep? PJs of course!
38. What were you doing at 12AM last night? At a hockey game in Philly...and I got to go down on the ice afterward -AWESOME.
39. What do you think you'll be doing in 10 years? Hopefully being a wife and mom.
40. Are you paranoid? Can be, yes.
41. First piercing and/or tattoo? My ears when I was in the 3rd grade.
42. Last person you yelled at? In person I don't know??? I think I had a bad dream recently where I yelled at someone, but I don't want to post it and then make that person feel bad.
44. Last thing you ate? Food at Ruby Tuesdays in P'burg with Hannah.
45. If you could be a pirate, would you? Of course. I would want Carrie to be a pirate with me.
46. Do you have an iPod? Not yet...too cheap.
47. When, why, and where did you last vomit? I honestly don't remember but I've come very close on several occasions lately.
48. What's in your pockets right now? Nothing, maybe a hair band?
49. What color are your walls? white
50. last thing that made you laugh? The Fresno State/USC game.
51. Any pets? I claim Mille even though she is in CA. I would like to get a dog someday.
52. Do you have any piercings? Yes. Two in my right ear. Three in my left. One in my nose.
53. If you were a crayon what color would you be? Burnt Sienna
54. Have you ever won any awards? Yes.
55. How many TV's do you have in your house? Two.
56. Have you ever sprained/broken/fractured a bone? Yes- WAY too many times.
58. Who do you tell your dreams to? Lots of people. I'm blessed with good listeners in my life.
59. If you could pick one living person to meet who would it be? The president. I like him.
60. What do you think of the person who sent this to you? Jen is a true and caring friend who has a gentle spirit. I love and miss her.

10 Favorites
Favorite Color: I am on a red kick lately
Favorite Food: Italian or lately I always want cheese sticks.
Favorite Band/Singer: Any of my friends who are talented in that way.
Favorite Hobby: Traveling w/ fun people!!
Favorite Movie: So hard to choose! Maybe You've Got Mail??
Favorite Flower: Holla for Gerber Daisies!!
Favorite Season: Fall for sure!
Favorite Day of the Week: It changes every week.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip
Favorite Time of Day: Late afternoon or night, definitely not morning.

9 Currents
Current Mood: kinda bored, but that will change in like 10 mins.
Current Clothes: jeans, brown shirt, pink puffer vest, and don't die of shock, I am actually wearing make up
Current Underwear Color: I have to check I can't remember...lol...pink
Current Desktop Picture: a pic from The Village
Current Nail Color: none and they look pretty darn bad, it's embarrassing
Current Time: 4:25 P.M.
Current Surroundings: my office
Current Annoyances: knowing I still need to go run errands for club - what a procrastinator
Current Thoughts: nervous about club talk tonight

8 Firsts
First Best Friend: my mom
First Screen Name: my only one. represent! amp4yl
First Pet: English Springer Spaniel named Heidi
First Tattoo: no tattoos yet - but soon
First Crush: 1st grade in Texas...Tim Green
First Music Owned: How embarassing - I loved Lionel Ritchie's Dancing on the Ceiling. It was my first "tape!"
First Car: 1992 Toyota Tercel on my 16th bday

7 Lasts
Last Cigarette: hmmm...sometime in 1998.
Last Drink: wine at Carol's party a couple of weeks ago
Last Time on Drugs: never
Last Kiss: from who, I have to narrow it down ya know!;)
Last Movie Watched: Wedding Date - it was OK
Last CD Played: OK, I am a sucker for Christmas music even if it isn't Thanksgiving yet. Clay Aiken's Christmas CD

6 Have You Evers
Have you ever dated one of your best friends? yes
Have you ever broken the law? Yes, more then I should (i.e. speeding)
Have you ever been arrested? no
Have you ever skinny dipped? no
Have you ever been on television? yes
Have you ever kissed someone you didn't know? no

5 Places You've Been
Canada
Sweden
England
Mexico
Netherlands

4 People You Can Tell Anything To
God
Suzanne
Jane
Kristin
And many more. I am blessed with awesome friends and many people know way too much about me whether they want to or not anyway;)

3 Things
3 things you can hear right now:
music on stereo
My typing
footsteps

3 things you can't live without:
God
love/relationships in every form
laughter

3 things you do when you're bored:
my blog...lol
take a nap
go for a drive

2 Choices
Black or white: white
Hot or cold: cold

1 Thing You Want To Do Before You Die
that's tough...I can't give just one!! Among other things...get out of debt!

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Nov. 14) - Make us a slogan we can't refuse, the state of New Jersey said. We got your slogan right here, the people replied.
A push to come up with a new slogan for the Garden State has become an excuse to crack New Jersey jokes. Among the not-so-serious entries:
"New Jersey: You Got a Problem With That?"
"NJ: How You Doin'?!"
And "Most of Our Elected Officials Have Not Been Indicted."
The search yielded nearly 6,200 possibilities in all, many of them attempts to sum up the land of Bruce Springsteen, "The Sopranos" and smelly interstates in one pithy phrase. The deadline for submissions was Monday.
"We're really pleased with the response and proud that New Jersey residents take so much pride in their state," said Kelley Heck, a spokeswoman for acting Gov. Richard J. Codey.
The program began last month after Codey rejected a consultant's recommendation - "New Jersey: We'll Win You Over" - as too negative. That slogan, developed as part of a $260,000 contract by global image consultants Lippincott Mercer, was shelved a day before it was to be unveiled.
Instead, the state opened the process to the public, establishing a Web site and telephone hot line to receive suggestions, which included the lyrical ("The Ocean, The Motion, The Magic") along with the satirical.
New Jersey, which once used "New Jersey and You: Perfect Together," has not had a new marketing slogan in four years. "Get Away, Without Going Far Away" has been used in the interim, but tourism officials say it does not resonate with out-of-staters.
"We have the opportunity to craft a new message for our tourist literature to reflect the pride we have in our many parks, open spaces, farmlands, quaint villages, boardwalks and beaches and our exciting cities," Codey implored would-be slogan writers on the Web site.
The governor and the state Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism Commission will "pare down the suggestions and go from there," said Karen Wolfe, a commission spokeswoman.
The state's musical legacy - Frank Sinatra called New Jersey home, Springsteen still does - led one person to suggest "From Ol' Blue Eyes to the Boss: Jersey Is Singing Your Song." Another entry: "Born to Fun."
Others found New Jersey's reputation for mobsters, toxic waste sites and lowbrow taste fair game. "Bada Bing! Choose New Jersey" was one suggestion.
The campaign was run by the state, but newspaper columnists, talk radio and "Saturday Night Live" got into the spirit, too.
"New Jersey: It Always Smells Like This," one Philadelphia Inquirer reader suggested. "New Jersey: Come Glow With Us," another said.
Codey and his staff will evaluate the slogan proposals and within two weeks pick five or 10 that will be put to a public vote, perhaps in the same way the suggestions were collected.
The governor, who is filling an unexpired term, expects to announce the new slogan by the time he leaves office in January, Heck said.

OK, this is procrastination at it's finest...lol I would rather do almost anything then write a paper...;) Anyway, this is probably more interesting to me then anyone else...but it is always fun to learn something new about yourself and your ancestors. So now that I know this, this "little wolf" better get some writing done.

Oh...another interesting fact is that Phelan pronounced fay-lynn means that one is catholic. Phelan pronounced fee-lynn means that one is protestant. Yes, I know that I am protestant and still pronounce it fay-lynn but my brother and I are the first Phelans in our line who are. We come from a large catholic line. Anyway, it cracks me up how some people can never seem to pronounce my name correctly here. (Although more people do get it right when first saying it due to the large Irish population on the EC.) Even people who talk to me on a daily basis still say fee-lynn and I don't want to hurt their feelings by continually correcting them. That's OK though. I'm sure some of you can relate with hard to pronounce last names!!

Ó Faoláin is the name of an important Irish sept prominent in the southeast of the country. The name is derived from the gaelic word "faol" meaning a wolf, "faoláin" being a diminutive form (little wolf). The original Faoláin from whom the surname is derived, was nineteenth in descent from Fiacha Suidhe, a younger brother of Conn of the Hundred Battles, who reigned as High King for thirty five years until his death in A.D. 157. This makes the O Faoláin sept of the same origin as Commisky and Ó Bric. It is said that the Irish names Ó Faoileáin and Ó hAoileáin (Hyland) are simple variant forms of the same name that arose as members of the sept spread beyond the original territory.

Many Irish names have been anglicised into a wide variety of forms and this is true of Ó Faoláin. The earliest anglicised forms were Felan and Faelan, with many similar variants. This evolved into Phelan mainly in Waterford, Kilkenny and adjacent areas and Whelan, also in these counties, but spreading into Wexford and Carlow. Whelan is the most prevalent form in modern times. It alone stands seventy-ninth in the list of the hundred commonest names in Ireland; with Phelan added the name takes forty-fourth place, with an estimated population of about twelve thousand persons. In the last year for which such statistics are available 214 births were registered for Whelan and 93 for Phelan. Eighty per cent of the latter belonged to Counties Waterford, Kilkenny and adjacent areas while Whelans extended further into Wexford and Carlow. Many, of course, were born in Dublin, but in considerations of this kind the metropolitan area can be disregarded, being populated by persons from every part of the country from early times.

It is natural that the present day representatives of the sept of Ó Faoláin should be found in the places mentioned, because their chiefs were Princes of the Decies, in west Waterford, before the arrival of the Normans.

Aryan speaks of them thus: "Two gentle chiefs whose names I tell, rule the Desies. I affirm it. O'Bric the exactor of tributes, with him the wise and fair O'Felan. In Moylacha of the fertile slopes, rules O'Felan for the benefit of his tribe. Great is the allotted territory, of which O'Felan holds possession".

By the beginning of the thirteenth century, most of their traditional lands and titles were lost to the Le Poers (Power) and other settler families in the wake of the Norman invasion.
A branch of the sept was settled a little further north in the southwest part of Co. Kilkenny, mainly in the barony of Iverk. One of these, John Phelan, was Bishop of Ossory at the time of the Catholic resurgence under James II.

The gentleman who styled himself "O'Faoláin, Prince of the Decies", a claim not allowed by the Genealogical Office, was born Whelan; the well-known writer Seán Ó Faoláin is the son of Denis Whelan. Another distinguished Whelan was Leo Whelan, R.H.A. (1892-1956), the portrait painter.

Of those using the form Phelan the best known are Edward Joseph Phelan, the Director-General of the International Labour Office, of Co. Waterford, and Frederick Ross Phelan, a distinguished Canadian soldier. In the United States, Phelans have been prominent, notably James Phelan (1824-1892), Laois-born pioneer, and his son James Duval Phelan (1861-1930), senator and mayor of San Francisco.

Heraldry

O'Faelan, O'Faoláin, Felan, Phelan, Whelan, Whalen (A sept in Munster derived from Faelan, chief of North Decies) Arms: Argent four lozenges in bend cojoined Azure between two cotises of the last, on a chief Gules three fleurs-de-lis of the first. Crest: A stag's head Or. No motto is recorded.

Last night was our annual celebration and fundraising banquet. PTL that is went very smoothly (for the most part) and that it is over!! The Lord totally provided and while we still have more fundraising to do (will it ever end??;)) it was a terrific evening. I wish all of you could have been there.

From the left - Terry, Carol and Marie. They are all on my committee and "checked" people in.

The "receiving room" at the country club with more picture boards and info brochures about YL on the coffee table.

Pat, a committee member, made the decorations. We wanted to keep it very simple because instead of buying centerpieces we donated money to hurricane victims. So, she designed these candles that had that message on the transparent paper and when they were lit it was very elegant and appropriate. She is super talented and owns her own graphic design business. She also did the "thank you" chocolates you see scattered around.

This is a close-up of our tables. Pat also did the programs. 

We got all these mums and gords (sp?) for free. PTL! Lynne, a committee member, decorated the stage. Can you tell we had a fall theme? 

Carol, one of the committee members, made these boards and then we put pics up from the year. Totally cute!! 

Janell left yesterday.:( She was here for two weeks. Here are pics from each place we visited. I don't have any Philly pics up yet but will post those soon. This is what you can see if you come visit me in Jersey!! (hint hint)

Janell took this pic. It is the most photographed place in Jersey. It is about 15 mins. from me. In fact, I might be moving there! 

It is a new tradition...if you go w/ me to NYC we HAVE to go to Serendipity's! 

It was freezing in NYC. It even snowed on Saturday!

Beautiful Lancaster County, PA. 

Kiss lightposts in the town of Hershey, PA. It literally smelled like warm brownies outside. It was awesome! 

Hershey World! We are such kids at heart. 

Janell took this pic of my favorite house in Flemington.