Sunflower Showdown 2011 - Happy 150th Kansas!

I know, another tribute post, but it's for my home state!  Kansas celebrated it's 150th birthday on Saturday, KU played K-State in the Sunflower showdown, and I was in heaven.

I put on my KU shirt, grabbed my KU blanket and cup.  Dyl refused to wear my shrunken KU shirt, but carried Baby Jay down to join us.  I'm a KU geek, who wished she was with her comrades on that glorious evening.

OOOOOH I wish I were there!!!!

{I took the following pictures from my TV, but pretty sure the rights are through ESPN and KU Athletics.  They get the credit! ;)}

EPSN live at Allen Fieldhouse.. it's a MAGICAL place!  Also, one of the toughest courts to play on - if you're the opposing team.  ROCK CHALK!

I love the Morris twins.  Awesome skills and leadership. 

So, do I even need to tell you who won?  KUUUUUUUUUU!  Dylan was even doing the KU chant by the end of the night.  That's my boy!!

And this music video just makes me yearn for Lawrence again.  I'm playin' this song before every game I watch.  Totally pumper-upper!  It's rap... so not everyone's taste.  Just sayin'...

See.. I'm a KU geek and not apologizing for it.  ;)  What a happy happy way to celebrate the greatness of Kansas!

Total Eclipse Pigeon Tribute

How do I even begin?  There are sooooo many inside jokes to this whole post. 

A) T and I have been best friends since second grade.  That's a long time!  Everyone used to tease us that we were love birds.  One of us (I can't remember which) said it was more like retarded pigeons.  ha!  We were each other's pigeons.  One day, we ended up writing 'Hi Pigeon' on a note/test/something our teacher saw.  He corrected us with crossing out Pigeon and writing Pidgeon.  Totally the wrong spelling.  That made the joke even funnier.

B) T and I would cruise around our one stoplight town and belt out tunes.  Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' came on repeatedly every Saturday night.  {We had a choice of three stations to listen to.  For some reason, soft rock from the 80's was popular to the DJ. Sigh.}  It was like the song chose us.  It became our anthem.  We even 'performed' a karaoke version, with bonus dance moves, during our school play practice (that we didn't want to be at, and passionately disapproved of).

So, now that you know parts of our retarded jokes, I hope you appreciate the flow chart T sent me.

{Source}

The link T sent me, also had an AMAZING interpretation (very literal) of the video itself.  Check it out in all it's glory!

Here's the non-cat-in-the-frame version.

Happy Friday!!!



Super Cola Cup

Well, I used to have this GIANT glass cup that said "ICED TEA" in a lovely orange.  I loved that cup with all my heart.  {I was looking through all my pictures hoping to find my ICED TEA cup and was unsuccessful.}

After three fabulous days with my ICED TEA cup, it decided to jump off the counter and commit suicide.  I was devastated. 

Once I gathered up the remaining pieces of ICED TEA, and said my peace, I was on a mission to find his replacement.  Although, it may never be ICED TEA, I was willing to give another glass a shot.

TA-DAAAAAAH!!

Introducing SUPER COLA!  He's definitely the close relative of ICED TEA, not as cool, but totally related.  I can drink in peace again.  Thank you Goodwill!



Sitters and Dentistry

Yesterday morning, I woke up early and enjoyed coffee in peace.  I had time on my own to become human, and get my game plan together for my free day without Dylan.  I was super excited about all the possibilities of the day.  I could pick up my house without a child following me around playing tag.  I could sit on my rump and have a phone conversation without a child yelling, "MOM!  Mom.  Ma.  Mommy!"  Yeah, that gets really old.  What ever would I do with myself!?

Dylan was dropped off at the sitter and I felt FREEEEEEE!

Waiting in line to get a delicious Diet Coke with vanilla!

I'm so lucky that I get to see awesomeness every time I leave my house.  Look at those mountains baby!

I was belting out music and trying to take pictures of myself, while driving.  I do not recommend this, because I almost hit a cop.  Oops!

Happy Lunch!!

Happy TV time, that's not cartoons!!!

And then the time came for me to go see the dentist.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'M TERRIFIED OF DENTISTS!  I imagined the whole visit going something like this:

I always thought this was how the dentists would treat me, clowns and all.  Terrifying.

So, I get to the office and I'm in the waiting room.  The room starts filling in the with after-lunch crowd.  My hands start to shake, my breathing gets wonky, and I feel at any minute, I'm going to lose control of all bodily fluids.

I'm called back to the treatment room and I feel a nervous pee coming on.  You know how little dogs get nervous and pee themselves?  That was me and I felt about the same size.  I'm thinking to myself, 'I'm going to have a trillion cavities, need a root canal... I probably still have chunks of my wisdom teeth in my gums and they're infected and I'm going to have to have surgery.  OMGosh, this will be so expensive.  What am I going to do?  I should have come in a long time ago.'

They poke and prod, take X-rays, the whole business.  After an hour of that, I finally get to see the dentist, Dr. N.  He looks like a jolly, trustworthy man, but he wears glasses.  Glasses can be totally deceiving. 

Dr. N. starts looking through my teeth and spitting out numbers and letters.  I have no idea what he's saying, but cripes, I think I'm going to vomit.

Dr. N.:  So, you've only been to the dentist how many times in your life?

Me:  Basically, just to get my wisdom teeth out and the follow-ups.  Didn't you see the note I made on the chart?  I'm terrified of you guys.

Dr. N.: (laughs) At least you're honest.  But, I have to say, I'm totally amazed with your mouth.

Me: What? Oh, please tell me it's not too bad.

Dr. N.:  Your teeth are perfect.  No cavities!  I'm just speechless.  All you need is a good cleaning and you're done.

I just wanted to jump and shout to the world!!!  I was on cloud nine, ten and eleven.

I know my jaw was on the floor.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough.  I thought he was just kidding, and didn't want to hear the truth.

So, the assistant walks me to the front to close out my session.  I see this GIANT box of goodies.  No joke, I wanted a prize.  In my head I was thinking, 'How am I going to ask for a prize?  This receptionist doesn't look like she's happy.  But, I really, really want the heart-shaped glasses.. ooooh a foam clown nose... NO Pee Wee! ahhh... Do I say it's for Dylan?  No, because I deserve the prize and I would have to get him something stupid.. damn..(and the other side of my brain kicked in) Ashley, this is so stupid.  Be a grown-up about it.  Do you really need a prize? No.  Get over it.'

My golden opportunity presented itself.  The receptionist had to walk to the back to close out my file.  I immediately grabbed the lime green, heart-shaped glasses and shoved them into my purse.  Oh sweet baby Jesus, I hope no one saw me.  I'm sure there's video footage of me stealing from the goodie box.  I know someone is laughing at me right now.

But I have no shame!

I deserved that damn prize for no cavities and I want the world to know.  FYI: These glasses only look good on a full-frontal shot.  The arms of the glasses barely reach my ear, and the nose piece was totally bowed inward.  I still have plans to wear them.

A Glorious Day

Today at Casa de Crenshaw, Dylan will be shipped off to his sitter!!  There will be FIVE whole glorious hours of ME time!!

You may have read about one of my other sitter interviews here.  Recently, I had called six different providers, with no success, totaling my sitter count to TEN.  Ten different providers down the drain = one very frustrated mama. 

I was at the end of my rope when I decided to intrude on my friend's sitter.  Let me just say folks, use your friends!  {THANKS SL!!}  It's totally worth it.  I feel like I hit the jackpot with the amazing Miss S {the polar opposite of the previous Ms. S I posted about, and NOT the same person}!!

Yesterday, I decided to force myself to make doctor appointments for check-ups and oddities.  I have a total of four I need to take care of.  Aye!  All in the name of health, but ultimately I want to live as long as possible to impose my views of the world on the readers.  ;)  Lucky you!!

Well, initially while Dylan was away, I was going to nap and read, listen to loud music such as this {or this, for sure this, I like to dance, OK} and dance the day away.  NOPE!  Don't dream too wildly, Ashley.  The dentist had an opening for this afternoon.

If you had been hoping to read awesome posts from me over the summer, you didn't get it because I was battling my teeth and fear of dentists.  {I don't know A) why I'm such a baby about it and B) why my teeth kept me from blogging all summer.  Seriously, Ashley!}  Specifically, I was battling my abnormally large wisdom teeth.  My teeth were so large, my optometrist thought I had glaucoma.  $3,000 {not all paid by me, thank GOD for insurance} later, we learned it was my teeth.  Also, I have a TERRIBLE fear of dentists.  I tend to avoid the dental field until the problem turns disastrous and I'm on pain meds.  Not good.  I'm taking one giant leap in the step towards superior dental hygiene. 

Usually, I have panic attacks and start crying when heading to the dentist.  Actually, I'm normally crying when I call to make an appointment.  How pathetic.  Now, I'm hoping to turn this little phobia around.  Step 1:  My physician put me on anxiety medication for a wide range of issues.  Total success, I feel {mostly} human now.  Step 2:  I'm going to train myself like a dog {aka. Pavlov's Theory/classical conditioning} using Goodwill shopping and treats.  Hopefully, the experiment doesn't go awry and I start salivating every stinkin' time I hear something relating to dentists or Goodwill.  Wish me luck!  Believe me, I will tell you ALLLLL about it tomorrow!

Free Valentine's Day Printable and DIY

If you know me, you know that when I think things are going to be easy and I have it all under control, something goes seriously wrong. I spent the weekend trying to undo the pixelation of my Valentine's DIY and was somewhat successful. SO, here it goes!

Gather up your supplies. Here's what I gathered up and then edited as I went along.

You will need: White 8.5'x11' card stock {You can also you anytime of card stock or heavy duty paper that has textures in it.  Just remember, if you use paper that has been colored, that will affect the outcome of the colors I've used on the template.}, scissors, Valentine's template provided, sewing machine, pencil, glue, stapler, coordinating scrap paper, and red or black {or whatever color} pen/marker to fill out your coupons.

First print out the template onto your card stock.  {Click the image to get the full sized page, right click and print.}

If you just print the two pages, you'll end up with five coupons.  If you need more coupons, print multiples of the second image.  Each of the second page contains three coupons.

Then, cut out your images.  You can definitely keep the edges square, but I rounded mine.

Next, pull out your sewing machine and remove all the thread.  Don't forget to remove your bobbin!  The sewing machine is just used to make perforations.  I have found this is the easiest way to do it.  If you don't have a sewing machine, {ummmm... you're SOL, kidding} you can skip this step and just tear out the coupons as needed.

Sew along the thick black line.

You should end up with something like this.  Then, stack up your coupons and staple within the white rectangle.  If you have decided not to perforate the pages, I would make sure to use three staples for extra strength.

Grab your scrap paper and pencil.  On the reverse side of your paper, trace the width of the coupon book.  I scooted my book further in so I would have enough paper to wrap around the staples.

Cut out your wrap-around rectangle and line it up.  I folded up the edge, that would end up overlapping the perforations, and trimmed away.

Grab your glue stick and glue your scrap paper around the edge to disguise the staples and add a finishing touch.  You can also use ribbon, washi tape, or any other items for a decorative edge.

Once your finished edges are dry, start filling in your coupons.  I'm totally not showing you what I put inside, other than the free man time.  I know some are a little more reserved, and some of you are extra feisty.  That's the beauty of this project.

The pages have some space where you can doodle, add love notes, or just leave plain.  Also, it's not too overboard in design, so it's more economical to print of plenty and share with all your loved ones! 

Enjoy!  Please feel free to share this on your blog!  Make sure to give credit where it is due, 'Cause I'd find you!' (Wedding Crashers)

Trying to Redeem Myself

I had planned on having an AWESOME Valentine's Day Download with DIY created by me to share this morning.  Well, I started loading it all, and now the whole image is pixelated and I can't get it undone.  So, that's my weekend project.  I will have it for sure for you all next week.

In other news:

Normally, I rock out to the Kings of Leon {in LOVE with them right now-Jared Followill, please call me. ;)} Pandora station, but I wanted something different.  While I was trying to finish up some projects this morning, so I could post, my selection in music has convinced Pandora that I am an angry lesbian.  I skipped through tons and tons of Alanis, Indigo Girls, and others of the women empowerment groups of the like.  When I had reached my limits of skips, I changed the station.  Pandora decided to continue on and give me dance club tunes.  I assume it thought I was on some drugs and wanted to be at a rave.  Music is a BIG deal to me when I work, and this DID NOT help my concentration.  I struggled for about 1.5 hours and decided to be true to Kings of Leon.  I should've known better.

Anyways, I pray the stars align and allow this Leo to get some work done.   {Note: FML, I checked my horoscopes and it talked about setting restrictions and re-thinking my goals.  Hmmm.. not what I wanted to hear.}

Cheers! {{ashley}} 

Thrift Store Thursdays

Last week, I had A.D.D. and cleaned my kitchen instead of sharing some awesome finds from Goodwill.  So, today is just a picture post.  These are pictures from some of the finds I found, and projects that are underway.

My favorite corner of my wanna-be studio.

Awesome finds!

Spray painting pile.

Fabric and finds.

My to-do projects.. hope to get to them sometime this year! ;)

I want to do something like this with the globe.  Isn't it awesome!?

I'm not so neat about keeping things picked up while 'working'.

And you may wonder where the pickle was during this whole project time.  Well, our new comforter for the love nest came in.  Dyl was super excited about this part of the order.

Yep, he basically lived in the box for 2 hours.  I kept handing him M&Ms to keep him satisfied.  Hopefully, he doesn't grow up to think it's OK to live in a box.  "Whoa! Dream big!" -Juno

Check back tomorrow for a free Valentine's Day download and tutorial!



Take Time

Last night was a giant WA-BAAAAAAM! for me. 

It started off watching How I Met Your Mother (watch the episode here).  The crew was attending a funeral for Marshall's father and basically the whole idea was about last words.  I was VERY sappy and emotional and wanted to call every single person I could get a hold of and tell them how special he/she was to me.  Dylan had fallen asleep on my chest, like he used to do when he was a baby.  I immediately thought of the following picture.

On the left, that's Dylan sleeping on my chest/stomach/legs.. ok whole body (you can see the tiny bit of orange, that's my leg).  Now, compare that to what he was the day we brought him home.  How fast they grow!  He's not a tiny baby anymore, and he definitely doesn't have the new baby smell.  He smells like poop a little boy.

I don't want to be the mom who lingers on the idea of what your child used to be.  I want to enjoy him now.  I want to play in the dirt.  I want to catch bugs.  I want to build forts.  I want to be present with him.

So, today, I want to build a fort like Liz Kartchner did with her girls.  (This is a great post she wrote, as well.  Totally hits home!) 

{{Source}}

I want to join in on crashing cars and building cities. 

I want to make these cookies with Dyl, and eat THEM ALL!

{{Source}} 

Note: When I make these cookies, I buy the cinnamon chips (like chocolate chips, but cinnamon) and throw those in.  AMAAAAZING!

Today, I'm going to spend time with Dylan.  I'm going to recharge my soul.  I'm taking the time for today.

Not-So-Serious Business

Aren't you just excited to see Monday morning?  Yeah, neither am I.  But, I'll catch you up with what I did over the weekend.

You may notice, I have a new blog name 'i like your {{moxie}} kid'.  I'm sticking with it this time.  'Adventures in Ashleyville' seemed a little narcissistic.  Don't get me wrong, I LOOOOOVE talking about myself.  I'm a Leo (still, thank goodness!!).  With the new web name comes a new button.  You can spread the ILY{{moxie}}K love with everyone.

Other things:  Under the web header are some links.  If you're exploring around my blog and just want to return to the main page, click the Home button.  If you want to read about me and how I got here, how to get in contact with me, click the Start Here (About Me) link.  Under the Happy Things tab, I have listed websites, items, movies -anything I've found to be happy on this tab.  I will frequently update this page.  The web is full of wondrous things!  Also, there is a link with information about "Free Sponsorship Info", where all the details are listed about how to be a free sponsor on my blog during the month of February.  Even if you don't have a blog, but have an online business, contact me if you would like to be a sponsor!  This is an awesome way to get your blog/business out in the blogging community!

Saturday morning, my uncle decided to complain about the A&W video I posted on Friday.  He said it was stuck in his head for his 10 mile morning run.  A) I don't feel sorry for you.  You listened to it. =)  B) I have no sympathy at 6:30 AM.  Since I had a ton of free time before Dylan woke up, I told him I was going to loop that song just to push him over the edge.  Ha.  I didn't do it, but I after some coffee, the nicer me came out and I got to watch the sun come up.

I was confused as to why my couch was pink, when it is normally beige.  Sunrise was my answer.  Can you tell I don't get along with mornings?

View from my studio-it was lovely. 

Then, the sun didn't really come out and I was determined to spray paint the fabulous finds I got at Goodwill.

The weather decided it wasn't spray painting season.  It looks disastrous right now, but wait until you see it all done!

Later, I was pooped and Dylan was passed out on the couch.  I went down to the basement to watch The Other Guys.  Two minutes into the movie, my fake sleeper came down the stairs.  He found the plastic gun attachment for the Wii and decided he was "pwease man", too!

Great form Dyl! You'll make the squad in no time!

I'm on a mission to make the husband and I's bed a soft little landing spot.  I saw these lovely pillowcases online, and went out to buy supplies I needed to make my own hacked version.

{{Source}}

Well, that was months ago.  The supplies were sitting in my piles, so I thought I would do something different.  I needed to make something sassy.  So, I made this.

On the reverse side, is a D and an A, so when we aren't 'feelin' frisky' or family happens to be staying with us, we can turn them over.  You'll have to stay tuned.  Our new comforter is coming in soon.  Then, I can complete the love nest.  

What did you guys do this weekend??

I Have A.D.D.

It's self diagnosed, of course.

Yesterday, I was spray painting the thrift store goodness I was planning on sharing with you all here.  Well, I was waiting for paint to dry, literally watching the paint drying...  I told myself I could clean up the kitchen and get back to work. 

I was cleaning the outside of the cabinets, then it hit me I saw something sticky on the inside.  That turned into taking everything out of the cabinets and off the shelves to clean the inside, as well.  That lead to crumbs getting on the counter, the floor, other drawers.  So, I cleaned out EVERY surface of my kitchen. 

Night fall came and I looked outside and totally forgot about my thrift store goodness. 

Yep, I have A.D.D....

So for today I will leave you with a video that makes me laugh every single time I see it.  This video contains adult language and some graphic content, parents please be advised.  (HAHAH I watch too much TV).





If you want to waste hours of your time, check out http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/.
 or this video (for my mommy!), and my brothers used to sing me this one to wake me up in the mornings (blame them if it gets stuck in your head all day.  A SNAAAAAKE!)

One more.. I want to party with this guy.  Maybe, we could webdance together. 



Have a happy weekend!!!

Sparkling Wine Wednesdaaaaay!

OK, OK, it's only Sparkling Grape Juice.  As a kid at church we overheard somewhere that the Catholics got wine and we just had grape juice.  So, my brothers and I pretended it was wine so we could be 'Catholic Cool'. 

One day, not too long after we started calling grape juice wine, my mother took my brothers and I to the grocery store.  One of us happened to tell an adult that our mom let us drink wine.  She mumbled something along the lines of "IT'S NOT WIIIIIIINE! Stop calling juice that."

We disagreed and set in our ways.  She said she would let us have the "special grape juice" and could only call it wine at home when we were PRETENDING.  And it stuck.  I always forget there is alcoholic, sparkling wine.  Which I did not consume on this night.  Plus, Sparkling Wine Wednesday makes a better title than Sparkling Grape Juice Wednesday.

I only wish I drank wine during the day.  I don't have an excuse to, even though the kids in jr. high would always tease me because my initials were A.A.  I got teased a LOT, and it wasn't just the initial thing.... I lost track of where this was going.  Good thing I don't drink during the day.  Wow... Let's start again...

WINE WEDNESDAAAAAAAAAAAY! 

OMGrapes............

All the photos I took for this post are gone.

I swear to you it was only sparkling grape juice..  Seee?

PS. I didn't edit this photo otherwise my zit and day-old makeup would look so much better... and the wine would be REAL... agh at me.

In case you didn't know, REAL wine doesn't foam your goblet. Obviously, it just foams over my brain.  Oh well.. down my throat it goes anyways.

Note to self: You get a bottle of wine to drink on Thursday while watching Grey's and Private Practice.  =0)  All better.

OHHH and check out the background behind me?  See the thrift store goodness I found?  You'll have to check back to see what's going to happen with it all!! Super excited!

Trendy Tuesday no. 001

I canNOT get "Sex on Fire" by the Kings of Leon out of my head.  SO, I went to http://www.polyvore.com/ and made my own little outfit out of the song.  Enjoy!  Oh, listen to the song while you look at the outfit, if you wish!  The outfit was inspired by the cover of KOL's CD "Only By The Night".  LOVE THEM!

CD: Kings of Leon "Only By the Night"

Cardigan: Alice + Olivia Shawn cotton and cashmere-blend shrug-cardigan $370

Bag:  Michael Kors Skorpios leather tote $995

Jeans: BKE Stella Boot Stretch Jean $80

Heels: Kelsi Dagger Tiffany- Grey Suede $100

Tank: White top with a bow from H&M $4.99

Bracelets: 10-pack Bracelets from H&M $5.99

Snow DAAAAAY!

We were expected to get up to SIX inches of snow in one swoop last night.  That's poopy news for me because I HATE being cold and wet.  I hate shoveling our driveway.  I hate the mud.  Hate!  (I had to type it once more for good measure.) 

SEEE!?  I look like a drowned, frazzled, confused cat!  That is me after shoveling the snow.  Wanna see what we got?  Check it out.

My poor Jeep... wait!!! Poor me... I have to dig this lady outta the snow and run errands!  *slaps forehead*

I went inside and donned my prettiest snow shoveling clothes.

HAHA!  Yeah, those are rain boots, flannel jammies, and the husband's coat (I'm a winner!).  Within three minutes, I learned why there are rain boots, and why there are snow boots.  Rain boots get STIFF and have no insulation.  Therefore, the rain boots are no help in combating the snow.  I also learned that rain boots have HORRIBLE traction.  I literally broke my butt on the driveway.  Look at this sick incline I have to work with daily.

Yes, I held the camera level (according to the level I actually got out of the toolbox to make sure I did it right.  I'm really really a goober.)

The shoveling was done and I got pretty.  I just wanted to prove that I don't look homeless all the time.  It just seems to be every stinkin' time I take a picture to put on my blog.

I felt pretty snow goddess like with the beanie and fabulous waves.  Thanks for cooperating with me today, my wonderful, luscious hair!!

But, anyways, the 4-wheel drive on my Jeep was awesome.  We plowed through the snow to mail a package to the husband.

As soon as I pulled in the driveway, Dyl yelled "I JUST MAKE SNOW ANGELS NOW!!!!"

Ummm... I didn't know he know what they were.  By George, he did it!

Dylan ran over to the front of the yard and plopped down into the pile of rocks and snow.  He started waving his arms and chunker legs.  For his first attempt, this was pretty awesome!

On our last snow day, I took some pictures of Dylan shoveling (he calls it "szwippering", a combo of sweeping and zipping) "HIS" snow.  It was really warm that day, so no need to call authorities about not bundling him up.  I was in a t-shirt that day.  (Crazy Coloradans in 50 degrees!!)

 

Check out his jammie pants tucked into his rain boots!  Ha!  I guess he gets it from his father! ;)

I happened to find this little heart left in the snow. 

So sweet!!  Hope everyone is staying warm through this crazy weather!!