3's Tag

3 Joys
My insane, crazy, wild, and weird family.
Sweet delicious Diet Pepsi.
Seeing bad dancers blossom into talented little gems.

3 Fears
Throwing a party and not having enough food.
Having to go to the bathroom while running out in the middle of nowhere.
Being parked under an over pass during traffic hour.

3 Goals
I would love to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
Organize all of the extra junk hanging around my house.
Cut back on sweets (It will kill me).

3 obsessions
Running.
So You Think You Can Dance.
"Yummy Stuff" Chex mix.

3 Random Facts
I color coordinate my closet (cuckoos nest).
I was a gymnast.
I soaped the fountain in college with my roommates.


I tag, Tiffany, Sister, Tessa, Wendy, Amber.

Nikki who?

This morph is hilarious. First of all I have no idea who this person is, and secondly the poor girl looks like she was stung by a bee when it morphs into my face. Thanks Carrie for having this on your blog, it was the source of great laughter.

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities

Sweet Park of Liberty

As part of the "Maren is in town" celebration, a few friends and I dragged our spouses and children to liberty Park for a picnic. With kids and food in tow we headed out for an evening filled with laughter and wet children. The rivers of refuse are super fun and also super contaminated. All potential childhood disease aside (from contaminated waters), if the kids are happy aren't we all? I was. The kids ran around like wild banshees, the adults ate, laughed, and of course I made us do a shape. What would an outing be without a great shape picture? It is so funny to look back at these friends of mine and recall how long I have known them. Beth, Shanna, Maren, Erica, Bonnie, and Krista have been friends since elementary. Ben and I were in the same pre-school class. Beth and I spent hours prank calling Justin in Jr. High (I used to think he looked just like Kevin Costner). Matt, Dave, and Jake have become my friends as my friends chose to marry great men. Ultimately, I have been so blessed to have good friends old and new, good laughs, and good times. I have to confess, the highlight of my evening was watching some random stranger in a white outfit begin to perform some sort of Tai Chi, the kids were captivated and tried to impersonate. I have included the clip of our shape, and the performance of the man in white (this technically deserves and entire blogging of its own, for the sake of time I'm just throwing it in with the others).

Park Pictures

What's In a Name

Eight years ago I added Talbot to my name. My official name is now Ashley Dawn Pearson Talbot (I wanted to add the 3rd just for kicks, but didn't), credit card companies hate me. I just couldn't drop the Pearson. I felt like when I got married I simply added a Talbot to who I already was. John is certainly a superb addition, I sincerely believe that there is only one Jack for this Jill. After 8 years of marriage, 4 years of dating, I can still stand to look at the man when I get up in the morning. I won't gross you out with all of the mushy gushy crap, but I will say I have never enjoyed a challenge more than I have enjoyed being married. For the occasion we went to dinner at Biaggi's, we saw "Get Smart", and then ate an entire box of chocolate chip cookies from "Ben's Cookies." He sent me flowers and I bought him a card. Exciting! I did have to photograph the creepiest looking faces on some poster being advertised at the gateway. You'll see them. Pretty scary! We laughed pretty hard after I bailed John out from listening to some lady try to get him to attend a lecture for a free vacation. He was super relieved when I told the middle aged woman we weren't interested, translation: I would rather wallow in a sea of animal vomit than listen to your schpill. The poor man is way too nice. That's why I love him!

Every Heart Beats True

I am patriotic. I cannot control the tears that roll down my cheeks as I watch a parade (the marching bands get me every time). I love fireworks, American history, parades, our Flag, and the sacrifice that so many people have made to bring us our freedom. That being said, we partied like it was 1999 on the 4th. We celebrated our independence like we weren't going to have it any more. We started off with the usual BBQ at my parent's on the 3rd followed by the Eaglewood fireworks, and ended on the 4th with the Centerville parade, Wall-E, and our own private firework show at home (in the front yard, with explosives). I am not sure if it gets any better than that. My sister laughed when I told her we had a nice relaxing holiday (my idea of relaxing is so twisted), but seriously, by Ashley standards it was super chill. I am so incredibly blessed to live in the USA and am always reminded of that when the 4th rolls around. There is just nothing like traveling out of the country to remind you just how blessed we are. The video clips are of the kiddo's dancing and me whooping Do Do in a handstand contest.

Eaglewood Fireworks

From Womb to Tomb

Maren's in town, let the party begin!

I recently read a book called the "Thirteenth Tale." I loved the book. The story is about twins and twinness. It talks about the emptiness a twin feels when it's other half is gone, rather like a piece of them is physically missing. This is how I felt when I got married. Maren has been my other piece since the 2nd grade. My partner in crime was there through elementary, Junior High, High school, and was my roommate for 3yrs. in college (until I got married). We had wedding announcements sent to us addressed to "Ashley and Maren." We sent off missionaries, shared classes, supported each other through the most difficult situations. I will never forget the look on her face when she came to see me after I had Adessa, she was terrified. She has always been my moral compass, sarcastic equal, and creative seamstress extraordinaire. We can simply see something, look at each other, and "know." The silent "know", when you don't have to say anything at all, because to speak would be pointless. We can laugh at moving water, sand, and carnies. She knows my soul inside and out. When John can't figure me out I tell him, "call Maren, she'll help you." Maren lives in Texas now to a great man who is going to be a lawyer here pretty soon. Despite the fact that I can still feel the pang of my missing piece every now and then, distance, time, and circumstance, cannot change the true bond of friendship which we share. I pray each day that my Adessa will be lucky enough to have a Maren in her life. Thanks Mrn.

Without Incident

I was prepared for the worst. Weeping, wailing, sulking in the tent, falling in the campfire, getting stung by a random flying serpent, homesickness, cliques, practical jokes, runaways, and the typical TMI of teenagers. I am pleased to announce that girls camp this year was "Without Incident." I know some of you just gasped and audibly for that matter. How could this be? A GIRLS camp without drama? I too am staggering a little over that one, but must say, being the camp director, it was great for me! I have to admit that it wasn't only without incident, but it was also a lot of fun. The girls were amazing, interested, and inclusive of each other. The leaders were helpful, spiritual, and oh so much fun. We laughed, we cried, we ate (I made the worlds largest tin foil dinner), we crafted, we pelted each other with marshmallows, we sang horribly out of tune and loud enough to offend the ears of other campers, we had devotionals, S'mores, and we even learned a little something new about each other (Sarah is shy). All in all, it was a roaring success. I am so grateful that I was able to work with all of the leaders who were FABULOUS, and was also able to get to know the AMAZING young women in our ward. Whew, it is over. I am now happy to be resting my vertebrae on my own soft bed instead of the Ghetto mattress that John told me would be more than enough comfort for my body. Wrong!, and I have the bruises to prove it. Next year I will get one of those E-ginormous foam pads, no matter how annoying John says they are.

Brokeback Soda

On Wednesday at our "park day" play group, Melissa was talking about water, metabolism, and excrement. I must confess, I learned a ton about all of the above. I never knew that the higher the metabolism, the more often you, well, let's just say visit the "little girls room." Explains a lot!Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. (aka the hottest time of day) I did a 4 miler while pushing Addie in the jogger. I was purple when finished and dehydrated for hours to come. Bubbly spit, purple face, copiuos amounts of sweat, don't exactly make for a comfortable evening. I was thinking to myself, what? why?I trained for a stinking marathon drinking 96oz. of Diet Pepsi a day, and never experienced dehydration. I have been through soda rehab a gazillion times. Friends and family have tried to sober me up for years. Diet Pepsi, my sweet delicious, fabulous, Diet Pepsi! The first thing I do in the morning is crack open a can and the last thing I do before bed is toss an empty one in the trash. As so beautifully said in Brokeback Mountain, "I just can't quit you." I know the context is different, but seriously, I just can't quit this love affair I have for Diet Pepsi. For the sake of my health and surviving this horribly hot summer, I have decided on a compromise. I will continue to down soda after soda, but I also have to drink a gallon of water a day. I know you are thinking, "what and carry a toilet around with you?", maybe I will have to. All I can say is if the water speeds the metabolism and the soda slows it, I will be doing myself the same injustice I have always done it and stay the same size and the same health I am right now. I would bag the Pepsi if I could, but I can't, so I won't. Cheers! (glug, glug, glug)

Purple Whiskers

Burning hot summer, Freezing cold icecream, Fabulous purple whiskers. What more can you ask for?

Aarrggh, Matey!

Every great party has to have a theme, and every Father's Day we have a great party. Let's see we have had oodles of themes supported by politically incorrect games. Needless to say, we laugh a lot and really hard. This year we had a pirate theme, the games included: Walk the plank (you get spun around 4x and have to walk as close to the X down the middle of the street), throw a sword at the pirate (real live juggling swords thrown and made to stick in the ground closest to the pirate), launch the cannons (aka water balloons) at you husband as he stands there (600pts. for his right arm, 500pts. for his left leg, and 100pts. for his eye) this was all based by the actual compensation given to pirates if they had certain body parts blown off, swab the deck (they had to dunk a mop in water and scrub chalk off the sidewalk while being timed). Old Sheldon, aka baby brother took most of the prizes. We had Jambalaya, Carribean chicken salad, fruit skewers, and tropical drinks. Adessa, Talmage, and Eric went on a treasure hunt where they found a treasure box filled with pirate spoils. I must admit the best part was nailing my husband twice with water balloons, a leg and an arm (the eye was too small of a target, as I only got 5 water ballons). I still lost to my sister-in-law who pegged my brother even harder, the girl can aim. Dad, I love you! Thanks for being a true scalliwag.