The Original Ashley

So at the end of 2012, I posted a list of 30 things to do before I turned 30. As I have just turned 31, I think its time to do a Tally. Lets see how I did! 1) Try the finer things in life  - Check! 2) Go on a Road Trip through the states - Does going to Ohio count?  3) Learn to dance  -Learned to dance for my wedding! 4) Go to comicon - Sadly, no 5) Get very very drunk (Check! Thanks to my brothers!) 6) Move out  - Yes!! 7) Try Snowboarding - Nope 8) Buy a car - Kind of? I have a car I'm going to pay it off... 9) Be in a Flash Mob  - Pillow fight!! 10) Flip over a table in a fit of anger - Nope! 11) Work on Green Thum b - Yes! I grew a whole garden this summer and it lived to see the fall! 12) pay for someones meal behind me in a drive through - Yep! 13) See a Ballet - Nutcracker 14) Be on TV - Yup! Thank you FanExpo! 15) Start selling Jewelry online - Yes! 16) Play 3 Sports (Baseball, soccer, curling?) (1/3 done) 17) Get Married - Yesh! 18) Do a Photography project (36

Every summer, I always try to plan one trip to the cottage with my friends. It doesn't always work out with everyone, but it is looked forward to by all of us every year. This summer, we lucked out and pretty much everyone was able to make it. Now that the cottage is pretty much done and ready for visitors, it was especially exciting because I couldn't wait to see everyone's reactions when they saw the interior. I made sure to make a video of it for mom! After most of us arrived on Friday night, and we were all settled into our rooms, Josh and Michelle started a fire and we all immediatly went into cottage mode. Booze and marshmellows were passed around and we all discovered Josh is a bit of a pyro and we needed to keep the poker stick away from him. The next morning after a delightful breakfast we settled in for a nice game of golf (card style) and then took the boat out up the river. For many of my friends this was their first trip on a boat on the bu

Two months ago, I lost my job. This sucked. It was sudden and completely out of nowhere and it tore my life as I knew it apart. Most of my long term plans were no longer viable or would have to be put off by several years at best. We would have to cancel our trip to Argentina, thankfully we hadn't bought the tickets yet. Short term plans were hit too. With the loss of my income and no idea when it would return, we had to save . That meant not going to friends events like birthday parties and get togethers because they all cost money.  Thats not to say that I couldn't do anything at all, or that my family and friends abandoned me to solitude. I was treated to a many a movie nights (gratefully so as the Avengers 2 had just come out) and people found cheaper or free things we could all do together. My friends and especially my family rose up to support me and I will be forever grateful!  I needed a job though. The stress of not having a job had me breaking out in hives an