Tis the Season...

... to be Jolly!

Christmas time is here in San Diego and especially so in my apartment! Wishing you and yours some happy holiday cheer!

Tis the Season... to also countdown!

10 days until the semester ends,

11 days until I drive home for Christmas with Sarah Schmidt,

11 days until Sarah meets Macer,

18 days until I am reunited with some amazing women and my love Katie Scoville,

18 days until some Sacramento fun with great friends,

And

20 days until Christmas!

It's a Fall Day

I woke up this morning to rain! And what a beautiful sight it is as it is still raining right now!

The rain makes today a fall day, my cinnamon enhanced coffee makes today a fall day, my new fall leaves desktop background (cheesy I know... just couldn't help myself) makes today a fall day, and a trip to Julian makes today a fall day.

I am a happy girl!

Many have heard me whine about how I can't stand that San Diego does not really experience fall. Native San Diegans think that San Diego has "fall" but really, they haven't a clue as to the greatness of what fall really holds. And today, I have to say "good job San Diego for pulling fall off, you actually did it!".

I will be home sweet home for the Thanksgiving holiday come Monday night and I not only anxiously await such a sweet reunion because of all the amazing things "home" is, but because "home" means some SERIOUS fall. Can't wait!

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy this holiday in community and let us all be thankful!

A Day in the Life

It seems to me this title is appropriate for this day because today I feel as if I am living a day in the life I have wanted to live for a day for quite some time.

It all actually started last night. I went to bed watching a movie, a movie that I only made it 1o minutes into because I was THAT tired. So sad! But nonetheless, it was such a great feeling being able to take the time to "watch" a movie as I fell asleep.

I woke up today at 8am and went to Yoga with two absolute loves. I got to experience a wonderful hour of relaxation, stretching, and bliss. I left feeling quite relaxed and rejuvenated, and totally thrilled by the fact that I have nothing that I HAVE to do today. Nothing!

I came home from Yoga, made coffee, made my bed, poured an amazing cup of coffee, grabbed a blanket, hopped on into my papasan chair, and READ The New York Times, my paper of choice.

I read an insightful article about unemployment and how jobs are increasing, but just not enough. I have been thinking a great deal about politics lately in relation to education, unemployment, and the recent state elections, and in fact have found myself in a series of wonderful conversations with my roommate about the insanity of the current government, things both good and bad. Our conversations lead to dreaming about how we could make "Unemployment" so much more productive, change "Social Security", redistribute money within the realm of "Education", and elect different state officials as to bring some much needed change to the table. Now if WE could just make these things happen.... such crazy political notions are quite fun to dream about.

After reading my electronic paper (kind of sad...definitely lacks in providing the aesthetic pleasure of a real newspaper), I took a pause and mentally jumped for joy because I actually had the time in this moment to BLOG! Oh my oh my!

And so I write about a morning that has been a little slice of Heaven. I don't want it to end! I had just told one of my best friends about how my ideal day would consist of sitting down at the end of a busy day with a glass of wine and my laptop and writing a fulfilling blog. This morning has been exactly that, only with a cup of coffee and at the beginning of the day, but nonetheless, fulfilling.

Happy Saturday! May we all enjoy the fullness of God's Grace and Peace in our hearts and in the life happening all around us on this wonderful day.

And by the way, I am hoping for my "ideal evening" sometime very soon because I have some ideas, thoughts, and life updates I want to share!

These days...

I watch kids

do homework

sleep

do homework

watch kids

go to class (little variety here)

do homework

watch more kids

get sick

go to class

sleep

watch kids

lose my voice

watch kids

Get the gist?

and what I don't do is

blog.

Forgive me.

I am home for a weekend of fun (Danielle and James' Wedding! Congrats!) and relaxing. And boy am I in such a need for both!

To sum things up: "life is life"-- a wise quote said by Ms. Anna Taggart. A woman wiser beyond her years :)

UP next, when I blog again (hopefully before another month goes by...ah!) I will share some pictures and a good story all to liven things up a bit!

Adiosssss

"I want to go to Italy! Let's Go! What am I doing here?"

The string of phrases I now recite on a daily basis. Italy can be interchanged with Spain and just Europe in general.

I just finished reading the 2 post cards my best friend Rachelle sent to me, the first after having visited Rome and the second after having visited Florence. And my heart now aches to travel even more than it did before.

I have the bug. The travel bug. Big time. I want to be in Europe and I want to be there real bad. And even more specifically... I want to be in Italy.

My dream (which I hope to unfold into a reality within the next 2 years) goes like this...

Move to Florence, Italy and live in a rustic, old, teeny-tiny flat that over looks an authentic cobblestone Italian street. I want to hear the sounds of bustling busy people speaking Italian. I want to eat the best pasta that I have ever put into

my mouth and drink the most amazing wine that I have ever sipped. I want to walk the streets of Italy and go all over. I want to meet really neat people, buy beautiful artwork, learn Italian just for fun, and as my roommate Kate says "live the bohemian life".

Tomorrow I will be one day closer to this dream because tomorrow I start Grad school. That means one school day down and one day closer to a traveling life that I can't wait to begin. I mean business. Europe I am coming for you very soon!

Ciao!

Next blog to come will be all about Rachelle's trip to San Diego! Promise. One of the most fun weeks of my life, and one to surely be documented. Stay tuned...

This one's for you!

A new blog is coming soon! It will include Rachelle's amazing visit here in San Diego, snip-its of my new life, and hopefully pictures of a somewhat compl

eted apartment (fingers crossed!)

So to Rachelle and Jill my new avid followers... a new post will be happening soon. Let me pick of the pieces of my scattered life, put them back together,

and a new post will then await!

In the mean time, here's something for you two to snack on...

Loveeeee

Caught up in the busyness...

of life.

I have lots of pictures to share of adventures with my love Ms. Rachelle Catherine, the happenings of my new apartment in San Diego, some crazy sights I have seen since being back down in Southern California, and lots to say about the downright busyness that has gone on since I made my move. They will be up soon!

Today I was able to pause for a good couple of hours while at church back at Flood. Oh how this morning did my soul and heart some good as I begin this next year of life in San Diego, pursuing my life long dream of becoming a teacher, all the while wanting to so badly take advantage of this current time in my life to live, experience, and be (in other words travel through Europe). I am in prayer about where and how I will get to serve here in San Diego for this next year and for how my faith is going to be strengthened and grounded as I step into the shoes of what is now real life.

People (as in wonderful visitors whom I love) have been in and out of my new apartment. Boxes and crap has been and still is (somewhat) strung out everywhere. My bank account has been draining. I have been going going going. Nonetheless, these last few days have been fun, spontaneous, challenging, tiring, exciting, new, and empowering.

Tomorrow marks my one-last-week-before-school-starts and I will be drowning my sorrows with a delicious and amazing Acai Bowl from OB. That's right, drowning the sorrows and I say "sorrows" only because I am just not wanting to start this last leg of my journey..... summer, let's start over again!

"Saint Diego..."

Title inspired by the film Anchorman. That movie, as a matter of fact, has been on the brain lately just as it usually is when I arrive back in what has become my established second home, San Diego!

The first 5 days back in San Diego look a little something this...

And more to come to come soon!

Today is a day to BE.

I woke up this morning and took a nice deep breath. Let 5 dogs out to pee, fed'em, and climbed right back into bed. 10:30 am, I took another nice long deep breath. Ahhhh. Today is a day off and my soul already feels juvenated from just simply sleeping in! Such a beautiful thing.

And now it is time for some life updates! What the heck have I been up to?! Let me share.

I am dogsitting/housesitting! Yep, again! This time for 5 little dogs that probably combined don't equal Max. But there are 5 this time and I noticed this morning that I now have circles under my eyes. 5 dogs is hard work and I now worship the ground that Mary LaRose walks on because I don't know HOW she manages these pups and finds time to relax. However let me share that these 5 dogs: Lily, Gus, Colby, Mufasa, and Scar are the cutest little love bugs and I do enjoy their presence............ minus the waking up early and barking in harmony at any little pin drop of a noise.

My dad has been in the hospital! Not as fun as an update for sure. But the good news is that he is finally home. He was graced with a 3 night/4 day stay at the fabulous Sutter General Hospital in downtown, Sacramento. It all started last Wednesday night with a weird pain in the lower left side of this groin. By Thursday morning the pain was quite strange and real bad, so he and my mom went to the Dr. Our Dr. was not in and so off to the emergency room they went. After some long hours in emergency and lots of tests, my dad was diagnosed with Diverticulitis. This is an intestinal infection that happens when certain foods cause inflammation in pockets known as diverticula in the intestine/colon. So... thanks to antibiotics, lots of visits from all those who love him, and pain meds, he has finally made his way home! So so glad! What now? Well, he has to change his diet forever. He will forever have to eat a high fiber diet and never ever again eat strawberries (anything will small seeds really), peanut butter, and popcorn among many other "must be avoided foods". Mr. Whipple is in for a journey of learning to love some foods he never thought he would have to love. Shall be interesting! Nonetheless, despite the pain and discomfort, my dad kept his hilarious spirit the whole time.... and when I asked him "Dad, how are you doing?" he responded, "I'm OK monnnn (Jamaican for "man"), while placing his fist upon his head as we were asked to do in Haiti, on our cruise, during a jet ski excursion, to indicated to the guide that we were A-Ok. Only my dad, only my dad!

Next to report: Taylor came to visit! Woohoo!!! She came at the most perfect time to provide for a great, fun-filled weekend. And boy is that what we had. We went to Dad's Sandwiches downtown and had amazing sandwiches and a great chat, visited my dad in the hospital and got locked in a parking garage (scariest moment of my life... but yes, we did get out....eventually!). BBQ'd with lots of friends, went to church so she could meet, see, and experience the Sun Grove I LOVE LOVE LOVE. And then we topped the weekend off with a day at the fair with Cory and some Kate Plus 8 that night.... anddd a new iphone video chat date with Anns. It was so great to see her face! So so so wish that she could have spent the weekend with us!

[Pictures courtesy of Cory's Camera!]

And lastly, yesterday! Yesterday Danielle Young and I made the journey to visit our very missed and loved friend Kallie Markle. Such a great day. Such a great visit. We got to see her one last time before she pops out little Mr. Mini Markle. The day consisted of talking, buying a carseat, talking, eating Chipotle, talking, going to a dr.'s appointment, talking, and seeing all the fun baby stuff Kal and Josh have accumulated. We would like to call it a day of milestones! I am so happy and excited for them and absolutely can't wait to meet the little monster.

[I wish I was inserting a picture here. I had a bad picture taking day and did not document... ahh!]

And now for Today! I have finished registering for classes for this upcoming fall. Grad school is here and approaching whether I like it or not. Oh dear. And I have this very day to BE. And I am going to go do just that. Happy Wednesday.... go BE.

Meet Max

Need I say more?

"Ashley! You need to post!"

My Mac is on its way out the door. The poor little thing has hung in there for some 4+ years, and just recently I have started to make some funeral arrangements. So sad :(. One of the major issues is with iPhoto. I no longer have any room for anymore pictures and I don't even have that many pictures. I believe that this is my Mac's way of letting me know it's on its last leg. Ahh!

So... lack of posts. Here's why. One, I am forgetting to post. I said it! Two, I want to include some of my favorite pictures from my past two getaways and I can't because of Mr. Mac. But because I want to hold onto YOU my followers... I am going to post anyway and you will all have to forgive me for my lack of interesting photos. Deal?

Ali and Marisa, this is for you! Love you girls!

Summer Getaway #3: Mooresville, North Carolina & The Western Caribbean

Thursday, July 8th: Sacramento to Mooresville, North Carolina
Friday, July 9th: Cohlmia Estate
Saturday, July 10th: Cohlmia Estate

In Mooresville, North Carolina we got to spend time with our dear friends the Cohlmias: Jane, Brad, Alex, and Carrie. Jane Cohlmia as a matter of fact is the "Jane" I love and adore and always wanted to be named after! And the story comes full circle... haha! While visiting we got stay in their beautiful home located a hop-skip away from Lake Norman. All day, each day, was spent at the lake, on the boat, basking in the hot hot East Coast sun. So good. Needless to say, it was bittersweet having to leave them behind for a cruise. Oh how how we wish we did not live so far from them here in California.



Sunday, July 11th: Fly to Orlando to board the "Freedom of the Seas" in Port Canaveral, Florida
Monday, July 12th: At Sea
Tuesday, July 13th: Labadee, Haiti
Wednesday, July 14th: Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Thursday, July 15th: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Friday, July 16th: Cozumel, Mexico
Saturday, July 17th: At Sea
Sunday, July 18th: Back to Florida and the journey to HOME!

And the best part of the whole trip...

Kissing a stingray in the beautiful and gorgeous Grand Cayman= seven years of good luck! This very moment is by far one of the highlight moments of my life. Absolutely amazing!

This family vacation was awesome! We had such a great time. Such good family time with lots of laughs and hilarious stories to tell.

Toward the end of the cruise we did "high's and low's" as a family. My high of the trip was Grand Cayman and this moment captured in the photo above. After our stingray excursion we went to the 7 Mile Beach (which was actually 7 miles of beautiful beach) and ate lunch at a little beach hut. Not expecting the food to really be much, much to our surprise it turned out to be so good, and the "Caybrew", the island's number one beer, was another delicious little treat there in paradise. I could have stayed in Grand Cayman for some days. It was exactly what I was hoping for on this vacation.

Low of the trip: Jamaica. So sad because we all had such high expectations for Jamaica and it just wasn't a good stop at all. Very touristy, very poor, very sad... just not good. Jamaican's haggle you on the streets big time, follow you, and hound you to get in their taxis so that they can show you the "real Jamaica". Sounds like a great idea, and if you hate tourism like myself... it sounds like an even better plan, but oh boy was it a sketch situation. Just walking down the street one felt very taken advantage of and very uncomfortable. I don't know how else to explain it and I so wish I had better things to say. I do want to go back someday, and I want to do my research ahead of time. I know Jamaica has a lot to offer and is a really neat place... and my hope is that I can one day experience that "real Jamaica".

And as the Jamaican staff on board our cruise ship (some of the most awesome people in the world by the way) would say, this trip was "so, nice. Nice, nice."

Summer Getaway #2: Portland, OR

That's right! I went to visit Katie and Wes. And here's the kicker... I got to be with Katie on her birthday! This trip folks was a win-win.

We ate, talked, laughed, talked, cooked, walked, shopped, laughed, shopped, hiked..... you get the picture. It was sheer bliss. I arrived on Wednesday, June 30th and left on the evening of July 4th. This was my longest chunk of time visiting and it still was not long enough!

Highlights of my time:

-Going to Palios

-Cooking a magnificent dinner

-Shopping, rain and shine!

-Saturday market, driving over the bridge accidentally when trying to find parking, Kenny and Zukes, and our kind of/ sort of trip to the rose garden...... and temporarily parking in a handicap parking lot to view the roses/eat our picnic from afar!

-Slappy cakes

-Great conversation and catching up for 5 days solid. Mmm mmm good.

-Hiking Multnomah Falls and witnessing some very strange and mysterious things. Ie: man burying something and a young child's sweatshirt laying in a nearby bush. We filed a police report.

-Tasting and liking agave syrup. Yumm.

-Eating Lebanese food. So good.

-Drinking wine and eating cheese at the Avignon Bar.

-The Laura Mercier make-up counter.

Katie and Wes, thank you for having me! My time visiting you was amazing and everything I needed. Love you guys!

Check out this rad blog for some really great pictures of my time spent with Katie.

Summer Getaway #1: McGregor Bay, Canada

(I wrote this blog a month ago and forgot to post it.... so here it is!)

Well, I am back to reality! Back to Pacific Time, cellular telephone reception, TV, wireless internet (actually having to check my email...), and the only thing that I really missed, my pup! That being said, Canada was incredible. Knocked my socks off and totally spoiled me. We had beautiful weather every other day. The weather worked like clock works. One day it would be gorgeous, sunny, and 24 degrees Celsius (ohhh Cananda), and then the next day it would be rainy, windy, stormy, and cold. So we planned accordingly and totally let the weather plan the day. On the nice days we laid out, swam, paddle boarded, kayaked, went on boating adventures, and indulged with gin and tonics. On the icky days we did a lot of reading, playing cards, sleeping, sitting, eating, and more eating! Both kinds of days included wine drinking as I was introduced to two new red's in my world, the Shiraz and Malbec. Oh yum yum yum!

And now for the results of my photo challenge! Here are some of my favs that were taken by my very own self on my very own camera! It is moments like this make me so glad that I took my own pictures because now I have something of my very own to share.

Our Super Minivan That Saved Our Lives

The Beautiful Taggart Cottage
Sunset
"The Beer Store"

We stood out like a sore thumb. "California Girls we're unforgettable!" haha!

Little Blue
Wonderful Friends... miss you girls!
The start of our journey to the BEST fish and chips ever!
The island!
Boat rides and crazy hair!

And there you have it my friends... Canada. Such a great time. Soooo many memories! Now up next on my travel itinerary is Portland, Oregon!

Bon Voyage!

Blog followers, eh?

Disclaimer: I haven't posted in a long time and I am fearing that I am becoming a forgetful and neglectful blogger. Don't judge me yet! I'm new at this..... ok?!

And now for the much needed post [FROM CANADA!!!]...
You know that feeling of being looked at by someone in the distance? You feel their eyes penetrating you and so in your wanting to slyly and covertly make sure you look real good, you quickly adjust the clothing, stand up straight, and tossle the hair.... You basically want to make yourself look like Ms. "Sexy can I" in this very moment because all of a sudden you are very aware of the fact that someone is looking at you! Well... in my adjusting of my clothing, straightening my posture, and tossling my hair I am writing this itty bitty post because I am now being followed! Not by one, but TWO followers both of which happen to be two of my most wonderful and dearly beloved best friends! My blog link has been posted on my facebook for sometime as my attempt to release my blog in an im-so-cool-here's-my-blog-im-going-to-keep-it-a-secret kind of way.... I am so weird! But I have been found and the secret, that did not need to be a secret, is no more. Alas!

So hello to you my loves! And since you two got me on here to post I shall give a mini update in your honor, and I thank you. I am in Canada with my 4 fabulous roommates and Mr. and Mrs. Taggart (Anna's Parents), and we are living it up McGregor Bay style... which means we wear our pajamas/bathing suits all day, we read all day (2 1/2 books down and 1 to go!), we have fires, we eat yummy food, we laugh, we play cards...all kinds of cards, we boat around, we paddle board, we kyack, we stay up reallll late, we wake up realllll late, we admire God's amazing creation, we swim, we take pictures (just you wait!), and we find the time to just simply BE. This place is beautiful and these 2 weeks have been and will be, I know, beautiful. We have dial up internet which means that it is not fast and is only able to be in use when we are sure the land line phone won't be needed. No cell reception. No TV of any way, shape, or form. Basically, I am on vacation old school style and I love it!

During this vaca I have put myself on a photo challenge/campaign... whatever you want to call it! This challenge of sorts that I have instilled upon myself is to take at least 5 pictures a day with MY camera. I am notorious for snatching pictures from people I am on my trips with and leaving them with all the work and effort of documenting the trip for me. Something wrong with this picture?! I think yes. So, I am now taking my own pictures and setting a challenge/goal of 5 a day. I am learning that it takes EFFORT to make this happen. I need to carry my camera with me all the time and I need to be intentional. Baby steps yes in deed...this is new to me! Everyone is holding me to my challenge and so far, so good. So let this be a little promo for my next post to come! Pictures and even more of stuff about my two weeks in Canada! Be very very excited. It's nice and juicy.

I'm a Grad Student!

That's right! This morning I finished my graduate application for Point Loma's MAT Graduate Education program with an admissions interview... And I was admitted!! Happy day :) The summer can NOW officially begin!

Jane?

Truth be told, as a little girl I was not in love with my first name “Ashley”. The name “Ashley” just didn’t fit when I played house because it always had that tone of what I thought to be a little girl’s name. In my attempt to be an adult as a toddler, I decided that when I was old enough I would change my name to Jane. My favorite letter at the time was “J” and my mom’s best friend, whom I called “Auntie Jane”, was someone I absolutely adored (and still do!). So why not change my name to Jane? I think I may have even asked my parents in the midst of all this if people were ever allowed to change their names. And possibly from them, or God knows where, I got it in my head that the deed could be done as soon as I turned the unimaginable age of 18.

I carried this hope and dream of having the name “Jane” for some time, and evidently so since here I am writing about it. Good news came to me, prior to turning 18, as my dream was reaffirmed when Phoebe, from the greatest show to ever happen to TV, changed her name to Princess Consuela Banana Hammock. Happy day! Life went on as it does and upon turning 18 years old I had the “Jane” thoughts yet again. However this time, I was humored at the fact that I at one point in time had the very best of intentions of changing my name to “Jane”. And here I was at the magic age having grown into the name “Ashley”, and on a journey to outlive my own preconceived notions about my name. I was liking “Ashley”, and wanting very much to be the “Ashley” who stood out in the crowd of all the bagillion “Ashley’s” around me (Thank you Mom and Dad!).

TODAY I finished college (ahhhhhh), as 21 year old, and yes I am going to say it, woman, still thinking and now writing about my childhood dream of having the name “Jane”. And while the name is irrelevant for the most part, as is this mongo story, this little snip-it of my life is my reason for starting this blog. “Call Me Jane” is my way of being creative and titling my blog something that will (I think…) catch some people off guard, and stand as an example as for what I hope my blog comes to be; a place to share some of the inside scoop and everyday (I can’t promise everyday) happenings in my big exciting life. So here we have it Ladies and Gentleman (sound the music)… I introduce you to my blog “Call Me Jane”.

Note: I still do like the name Jane, and would have been very happy if that is what my birth certificate read on September 9, 1988.