Greenhouse Effect

This week Lex came down to SLC to hang with her friend from Texas and then I got her all to myself for the rest of the time! I am so glad to have a friend/ cousin like Lexie...She can deal with my spontaneousness and is always down for an adventure...( Like getting cars stuck in the mud until 3 am...) I took her to THE BEST crepe house of all time ( And thats saying something because I have tried the crepes in Germany!) Walked around sugar house, and decided to see Mockingjay at the last minute. Pretty good movie! I wasn't a fan of the last one but this one was awesome! Lexie and I had to make fun of a few things during it but other than that we were either freaking out from the suspense or crying over Prim's cat.. Seriously we really did cry when they showed her cat hahaha. 

 Actually not going to lie they weren't that good this time..I am pretty sure the guy that made it was on drugs and the bananas in mine tasted a thousand years old.. Lexie got this raspberry chipotle one and it was just ODD..We seriously couldn't decide on it..it was like you couldn't stop eating it because it was good, but then had a spicy aftertaste..Almost too much going on in it. So I guess when I say THE BEST crepes I mean the strawberry cream one...Haha. I always have to get the same thing at places because if I ever take the risk to try something new I don't like it ;D. 

Obviously a crepe is a crepe so we pretty much devoured it...Then felt sick after and decided they weren't even that good hahaha. 

Just trying to fit in hahaha. 

Short but sweet post. Love my Lexie!! 

-Ash 

Perks of being sick..?

When I am sick...I take full advantage of it ..Haha. It is the one time in my life that I actually surrender and give up plans and actually have to stay in. Obviously it's not FUN..But in a way it is relaxing to finally give up and just say, " OKAY I need to get better.." It's also an excuse to be the introvert I truly am and have a reason to just tell people, " No I really can't, cough cough I'm sick." ....Im not lying that I am though! Promise. My way of getting better is sleep( Obviously) and doing all of the things that I don't usually get to do like my hobbies that I never have time for. It is almost a way of recharging for me. When I get sick there are usually two reasons why.. 1. Just the viruses going around 2. I am STRESSED. So when I get sick it lasts forever and is on and off because I will just be so stressed out that I can't heal. I also tend to just take medicine that sugar coats it for a little making me feel better and then go out and party with friends...It stinks when it wares off and I am even MORE sick than before because I was running outside and just acting like a crazy person. This week Syd and I have been way sick but we have still gone to work and done everything like normal. Friday night we went to a party with our friends and it was fun and all until my medicine wore off and I was literally coughing on everyones food at the Pie at 2am. I seriously felt miserable but had all of these plans on Saturday so I just thought that if I went to bed and slept in I would be fine. I woke up the next morning and seriously felt like I was dying haha..Fever, sore throat etc etc.. the list goes on. I have had pneumonia before and I woke up feeling like I had walking pneumonia again.. My muscles ached like I had just done an intense work out and I could hardly breathe..Wheezing like a chain smoker.  I gave in and packed up to go to my parents for the weekend.. I hate going home sick because I don't want people feeling like they have to take care of me and not to mention I am bringing them this contagious sickness..Right before Thanksgiving. Im not going to lie that I also was holding off just going home because I knew my dad would give me crap for being so sick hahaha.. But I am glad they scold me a little bit..It brings me back to reality that I was being stupid staying out that late and should probably take better care of my body. SO this weekend I have been home sleeping in the guest bedroom ( Feelin like royalty) and recharging with all of the things that I love doing when I am sick. My week could be summarized as this:

• Audrey Hepburn movies ( BIG fan)
• Pride and Prejudice 
• Blasting Christmas music
• Baking ( A pie in currently in the oven as I am writing this.. Pray it turns out!) 
• Homework ( Not really a hobby but has to be done...)
• Reading ( Ahhh THE best activity when you are sick.. I love getting lost in a good book! I seriously take full advantage of this because I NEVER have time!)
• Online shopping ( Trying to find a good coat to survive the winter..) 
• Painting ( Currently working on a winter landscape. I will share when it's done!)
• Drinking LOTs of water(....Seriously drowning myself but my dad will never believe I've had enough when I am sick.. he will always say, " DRINK MORE WATER!")
• Silver ( Medicine.. My Dad swears by it... Think of the movie ' My Big Fat Greek Wedding' and the father and his windex.. Yeah thats my Dad and Silver. It heals ALL impurities hahaha) 
• Sleeping sleeping sleeping..
• Annndd Sissel.. The greatest singer of all time

Ive got to say...Sick days when you get to stay in Pj's all day, make pie, and watch Audrey Hepburn movies is a pretty dang good day.. Well I am actually going to end this post because my pie is done..And it looks heavenly. Here are a few tricks I found on good ole Pinterest on ways that have helped me feel better! Hope y'all are feeling better than me! Fam I will see you at Thanksgiving and not get your children sick I PROMISE. I will be better by then or else.. LOVE YOU!

Ash 

Lemon, Ginger, and Honey Flu Remedy 

Honey: antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral

Ginger: antiviral, anti-inflammatory, aids digestion,  effective against human respiratory syncytial virus

Lemon: antiseptic, aids digestion, great source of calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids


So you can see how combining these elements will create a tasty treat that will relieve your aches, pains, indigestion, and even help you breathe a little better.


Ingredients: 

• Fresh lemon
• Fresh ginger
• Raw honey*

Directions:

• Slice lemon into quarters and pack into jar
• Grate ginger, and add to lemon (the amount is up to you - the more the better, I say!)
• While stirring, fill jar with honey

To Use:

• Add 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to hot water and stir 

Flu-Buster Clementine Creamsicle Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen
• 1/2 small avocado, flesh scooped out, and frozen
• 2-3 Clementines, peeled and broken into segments
• 2 tbsp coconut milk (the cream from top of can)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (watery part) OR 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp milk (I used almond milk)
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1 Medjool date, pitted and roughly chopped (optional)
• 1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Directions: Peel and freeze the avocado, Clementines, and banana before making this smoothie. Once frozen, place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. You may add more liquid if it is too thick. Makes 2 cups.

Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir

A recap of some of the benefits of apple cider vinegar are:

• It is a natural remedy for heartburn.
• Can help clear up skin conditions and acne 
• Promotes digestion and will keep you regular
• Helps control weight
• Can help regulate blood sugar 
• Helps reduce sinus infections and sore throats
• It is rich in enzymes and potassium
• Helps promote youthful healthy bodies

Sweetened Raw Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir:

• 1 1/2 cup of cold filtered water
• 2 tbs of apple or grape juice
• 2 tbs of raw apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of stevia (powdered) if using liquid you only need a few drops.

* I only suggest using raw, organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar.

Place all the ingredients together in a glass and stir until it is all mixed together. You can add a little ice if you like, and drink!

Fever Reducing Bath 

• 1/4 cup Epsom Salt
• +5 drops lavender essential oil 
• +Warm bath water 

( I LOVE this so much! I have a regular epsom salt bath just to relax muscles during the week. It really works.) 

Oh and enjoy these quotes...Made me laugh

Andy just because it's Sunday..Hahaha

How To Make Your Small Space COZY!

I have had a few requests to put photos up of my room and give a little advice on how to decorate a small space! At first hearing this I feel totally inadequate to give advice...Im no professional! BUT I do love interior design and friends will see little bits of my room on a snapchat or whatever and have asked to share tips! So here I go! 

First off, living in a small apartment and being a clothes lover like myself..You NEED a stinkin clothing rack..Don't try to stuff your closet or just throw all of your extra clothes in your hamper! Clothing racks are hip if I say so myself..hah. What I have liked most about it is the fact that I can plan an outfit for the next day and hang it on there and have it ready to go! I think it gives a room a little character..Some people would say that it takes up space but in my case it was a perfect way to fill an empty corner and make sure that I stayed organized. 

 Second, I am OBSESSED with baskets.. So so cute! Not really any advice on why you should or shouldn't get a basket..haha..But it is a great way to store blankets! TJMAXX has the best baskets FYI.

 Step into my office.. I LOVE having a little space to do homework! A desk and a comfy chair is a necessity in college..I know you have the library, school, or couch, but there is nothing better than shutting your door, turning on some music and just having your little quiet space to do homework...And not to mention once you are tired you just walk 2 steps and fall on your bed.. I love a cozy home feel to focus and do my homework. I found this desk at Target for $14! And wanna know how much the cute blue chair was?... $10 DOLLARS...You can still make a room cute even on a college budget! You just have to look for the deals!

 Ok this was probably the most expensive part of the room..The bedding.. I am a big believer on cozy beds though.. There is nothing better than having a long hard day of work and school and being able to just fall on your bed and sink into your pillows and blankets. Im not kidding when this was the game changer for my comfort level first moving in haha... I was terrified to move into the city and away from my cozy room! So I did spend a little extra to make home away from home. I love coming home to my apartment and sinking into these pillows! You don't have to spend a lot on this either though...I am just a big pillow lover.. These pillows were from Pier One Imports..I got them all on sale! I decided to stick to a neutral color theme ( Tan/White) so that I could change it up here and there! I love how I could switch out the pink pillow and put an orange pillow for fall or for this upcoming Christmas season I will be looking for red or green pillows. Neutral is timeless and classy.. I have always had a crazy room that was either BLOOD RED, purple with butterfly wallpaper ( HAHA) Green, etc..It's quite horrifying to think about..

 Alas...A cozy chair.. I am also a big believer in cozy chairs..I got this for $40 at good ole Target! You may think it looks cheap but holy cow it is the comfiest chair in the world! I could read sitting in criss cross apple sauce on this chair for HOURS. The legs were pretty ugly so I added some books to cover them.

 Excuse the ugly blinds... Not sure what to do about them still.. I hate curtains and need something ro keep the creepers from looking in haha..

 Added a cute fall pillow!

 Close up to see the colors a little better!

 PHOTO WALL! Be sure not to puncture huge holes in your wall or your landlord might come to get you...So thats my only advice but if you can pull it off like I did I just used tiny tiny needles! You think Im probs pro at photo walls and picking the perfect size of frames...No I got a pack of them at Ross for $10 HAHA.. Would you be able to tell though?!

 Candles...Don't burn your room down..But I am obsessed with burning candles in my room! It makes it smell AMAZING obviously..And just makes it feel warm and cozy.

 Fur fur fur fur fur fur fur.................................................... If you have gone to Norway..You will be obsessed with fur too..All of their homes are decked out with it! So I had to get some too.

 I found cute little trinkets like this globe at TJMAXX for like $5..Again T is da BOMB.. You can find everything you will ever need there.

I love the effect that lamp light has on a room..It has a warmer light than your typical ceiling light..I love natural lighting so I will always have a window open and a lamp to make it a little brighter! Its healthier.. haha.

I know we are poor college kids...And I am not saying go spend a fortune on your room because reality is we move about 50 times in college so sometimes it is a pain to have too much.. But Feel comfortable in your space! Even if it just one cute blanket or bedding or a lamp to have better lighting! I have gone to some peoples little apartments at BYU and there are two types.. One is super messy, can't see the floor, probably a few new species of creatures living under the filth to still be discovered by the scientists.. And then there is a room where they keep the floor clean and have some cute bedding or a desk with a lamp to study... At least a little feel of a cozy home, not just some dump. It makes a HUGE difference to stay clean and organized..You want a space that you come home to and feel comfortable in..Not disgusted by.. I know thats probably hard with roommates sometimes ( My sisters have told me some horror stories) And I know my time will come too when I don't live in the city haha. I have felt so comfortable living here because of my cozy space and staying organized keeps you sane sometimes..Because even after the craziest day you can come home and go to bed in your fur blankets and pillows and feel that your one success for that day was the fact that your room is clean and you made your bed... At least thats a success for me haha. Don't break the bank..But you really can make any space a home!!

Popcorn Rug: Target
Pillows: Pier One
Bedding: Target
Fur Blanket: Pier One
Lamps: ( ALL) Target .. P.S That white lamp was only $10..
Globe: TJMAXX
Frames: Ross
Clothing Rack: Ross
Plush White Chair: Target
Night Stand: TJMAXX
RHINO: TJMAXX
Fur Rug: TJMAXX
Baskets: TJMAXX
Blue Chair: Target
Bird Cage: Ross...$5 freaking dollars..
A Sign: Ross

Ash

Thoughts

It's been one of those crazy bipolar weeks...

I lost my debit card

Im sick with the common coldie 

Im super excited about something in the works...( Just wait)

Actually got to laundry

School is going great

School is HARD..balancing 16 credits, multiple clubs, future, job, life..

I legit have a stalker that I had to tell the teacher on because he wouldn't leave me alone ( In college..)

Im wearing super cool Fox fuzzy socks right now

I ate a donut every day but Tuesday and Thursday...I bought a donut for my nanny kid Friday and he didn't finish so I had to eat it.....

I found out that I have a Vertebra in my back that keeps going out of place

In-N-Out fries all over my car+christmas air freshener makes your car smell like thrown up dog food( Not my fault) 

Anddddd I winged my fhe lesson and it went great!

The other day I was walking into my medical law class with a bad attitude thinking about the things I needed to get done and thinking about typical life probs like money, future plans, why am I here in the cold and not at byu hawaii...the usual.. I entered the classroom just so ready to get my last class over with and thought that it would be just another one of those boring days..Medical Law is way cool don't get me wrong but just wasn't in the mood to talk about lawsuits and sad stories. So as I sat down we began the role call and then always have a spiritual thought to start. The spiritual thought was about overcoming trials and being grateful no matter the circumstances. After the spiritual thought video people kept raising their hands and telling their stories. My teacher bagged the entire lesson and we literally made the class into a discussion about life trials..People were bouncing off one another commenting and giving advice and going into depth on their life struggles..I heard about divorce, people being the only lds member in their family, how it was having two moms, leaving their countries, addictions, family in the hospital, loss of loved ones.. And I just sat there and listened..I thought, " HOLY SMOKES..What can I say to these people? Do I have these experiences?" In a way it surprised me that I couldn't think of a struggle like theirs..But that surprise just turned into just pure gratitude that I did not know how it felt to be in those situations. I felt terrible even..I just sat there and though, " I am literally the only one who hasn't raised their hand with a crazy life story or trial..How AM I so lucky.. I don't feel like I deserve to be this lucky when these people struggle so much." I walked out of class talking to my friend and just said, " I literally feel like crying..How am I so lucky." God truly does work in mysterious ways! I sure was needing a little reminder to stop thinking of my own struggles and realize that someone always has it worse and that we should remember to be grateful. So that helped inspire me on what to talk about for my families fhe lesson today. I don't know how I got roped into sharing a lesson..Literally my dad just said, " You got the lesson good luck." I was completely blank all week but then decided to talk about gratitude..Pretty appropriate for this season anyways. I began by telling my experience of listening to all of these people, read something my dear cousin Evie sent to me about being grateful, and then asked for people to participate in sharing what they are grateful for or a story. I love open discussions because I feel like people learn more in that setting from bouncing off one anothers stories and thoughts. They shared such sweet stories. My grandparents got emotional talking about our family tree and how unique we were that we have not had a single person leave the church or any crazies in the family..They also told us grandkids to not screw that up hahaha... But I fully agreed with them and again thought, " Seriously how was I so lucky to be born in the gospel and to this family?" I am grateful for the first people in our family tree to open the doors to the missionaries...It truly does go a long way as you can see! I saw this quote once that said, " It is not happy people that are grateful, it is grateful people who are happy." That is 100% TRUE! As I have thought about the things I am grateful for instead of focusing on the negative I am so much happier. I was also thinking about something my dad told me tonight. He said," What if you woke up the next morning with only the things that you had prayed and thanked God for yesterday.." I thought about what I would pray for...Air, water, clothes, sun, the list goes on...and on..and on...Shows you that things that are usually just forgotten are actually a HUGE blessing and things that we should be thankful for every day. 

I am so thankful for my family, the gospel, education, friends that spill fries in my car, fuzzy socks, washing machines so that I don't have to do laundry by hand, still trying to figure out about the back vertebra..Grateful for doctors to find that stuff? Anddd grateful for DONUTS OF COURSE...Haha but seriously..

-Ash

Two Hands

This Veterans day Good In The Hood once again gathered to make tie blankets for the homeless.
I arrived to the house where we have been meeting and was greeted by a bunch of friends sitting on the floor cutting and tying blankets, laughing, and eating donuts( YES) I just looked for a second and realized how WARM the house and scene felt.( It was also like negative degree weather outside so that could have helped the feeling) But it just made me SO happy seeing the crowd that I was so lucky to be involved with and just thought about how grateful I was for all of their examples. Also, obviously it has felt like the holidays have been approaching..The cold weather..Christmas music on the radio..pretty much CHRISTMAS everywhere..But it hadn't really hit me yet like other people.. but it did tonight when I walked in that door and saw others giving their time to help others feel a little warmer for the holiday season. That is really what these next two holidays are really about. Being grateful and giving to others. That is what makes it special..There is no greater gift than the act of serving others or being served...The greatest gifts are not found in ribbons under the Christmas tree.

We finished up the blankets and split up into groups to go into the cold city to pass out blankets and donuts to the homeless. We went along searching for people who looked like they needed some warmth. There was this one guy in particular that just made my entire night! He was passing the street and Ty rolled down the window and asked if he would like a blanket. The guy hurried over saying, " Heck yeah! THANK YOU!" You could just tell how thankful he was and could see that he had a good soul...He wrapped himself in the blanket and then turned andddddd almost got hit by a taxi..So that was not cool..But he just joked with us and was guiding traffic with his hands for a minute and then crossed back over. He said goodbye and we parted ways. I am just glad he did not get hit by a taxi... That would have been major service points am I right?? Putting someone in the hospital..

Our last stop about broke my heart. We saw a group laying close together on the grass trying to stay warm and hurried over with the blankets.. Their hands were so cold that we spread out the blankets across their bodies for them. It crushed me as I saw one of the ladies getting all cozy with a big smile as though she just became the luckiest girl in the world. This other lady ran up to my friend and just said, " I will do anything to get a blanket." She was a darling woman. It was such a humbling experience seeing these people so extremely excited to get a little blanket...Whereas we got home and worried about if we have a CUTE enough blanket for our bed. We got back in the car and Nicole just said, " How lucky are we that we get to go HOME..to a warm house...to a warm bed.."

" As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping other"- Audrey Hepburn

I didn't really make an effort to take photos to put on here..But here are a few from my snapchats haha.. So fun! 

You don't want know how many I had... Again with that whole spontaneous bad eating habits right now... Probably because I saw this one quote that said if a girl weighs more they are less likely to be kidnapped..So I wanna live a little longer.. eat the donuts.

Cute Nicole ( now MRS. HOGUE!) I absolutely love this girl. I met Ty( Her Husband)  last summer when I first moved here and he has been such a great bro to me and always included me for any activities..Truly how I got friends here because he's cool...yeah not kidding haha. He later married this AMAZING, WAY COOL gal and you can say, POWER COUPLE. A match truly made in heaven. Seriously the sweetest people I know!! Nicole has been there for me so much lately and I can honestly say she is now a close girlfriend of mine that I could go to for anything or tell anything too and she is there to give advice! She is one of those girls that has that light and elegance about her that makes anyone want to be her best friend<3 She truly is an example to me and I am SO glad we are friends! We will be double dating it up once I am married.. Won't be for a while but we already planned it. --P.S I had the privilege of capturing their beautiful wedding day so check the blog soon for a link to their wedding video!

I hope you all can find ways to serve this holiday season..No matter how big or small the act is, the feeling that one gets is never forgotten and can make such a big impact! You might not know how big of impact a small act of service did for someone..And the greatest feeling is when you will NEVER know but do it anyways and instead just KNOW that you served someone and that it doesn't come from praise but from the feeling you get. Use the other hand to help others..Thats why you have two!

-Ash

Footprints

One night a man had a dream.

He dreamed he was walking 

along the beach with the Lord.

Across the sky flashed scenes 

from his life. For each scene,

he noticed two sets of footprints

in the sand; one belonging to him,

and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed

before him, he looked back at the

footprints in the sand. He noticed that

many times along the path of his life

there was only one set of footprints. He

also noticed that it happened at the very

lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he

questioned the Lord about it. " Lord,

you said that once I decided to follow

you, you'd walk with me all the way.

But I have noticed that during the most

troublesome times in my life, there is

only one set of footprints. I don't 

understand why, when I needed you

most, you would leave me."

The Lord replied, " My precious, 

precious child, I love you and I would

never leave you. During your times of 

trial and suffering, when you saw only 

one set of footprints, it was then that I

carried you." 

Hello Sunny Day

I am sitting here trying to think of what I should write and I keep thinking that I have to write about something interesting on this blog...but my mind is blank.. I want to help inspire people, be a good missionary, and lift others up through my blog. I asked my fam about what I should write and they all just replied.. JUST WRITE. Well, I am currently doing that..No plan! So bare with me. It probably won't inspire you very much. but that is OK..Hah. 

Saturday went a little like this: 

On Saturdays my favorite place to be is Trolly Square..I ADORE it! I just love shopping at the Whole Foods, picking out flowers, and just walking around looking in Pottery Barn and the other cute stores around there. Plus, they always have the best samples at Whole Foods..Saturday it was mashed potatoes.. I got a little taste of Thanksgiving.. Happy girl. 

 Fun fact.. I use to think toads and pumpkins like this would give you warts... I was pretty concerned about that as a kid. Also.. still pretending it is October.. I don't want it to end! Just look at these colors.But these are Thanksgiving colors too right? Lets just pray it only snows in December.. Thats the only time snow is okay..

Well ok don't mind if I do. 

 I almost bought these eggs because of the packaging...It's so cute haha! Too bad it was like 9 bucks.. I'll just stick with the " non pasture raised/ raised with ' disrespect' " ones..Oops.

THE most disgusting gum I have ever tasted in my entire life. Ok I am guilty.. I DID buy this because of the packaging......Please do not eat this unless you are like allergic to other gum.. So so gross. I gagged. But on the bight side though..how cute.

Step into my office....If you could see it clearly, that bottle on the far left is an energy shot...Not really into that stuff but it just saved my life one night when I forgot about a medical law and ethics paper I had to write before midnight..And I was already running on 3 hours of sleep. So healthy am I right? Don't be judging...Working on it.

 Highlight of my week! I was sitting eating breakfast with my friend Franky in the cafe before our religion class and IT STARTED SNOWING! My friend Franky was SO excited and I just sat there like...shoot...NOOOOO hold on Franky I need to look up flights back to Arizona. But then he started saying how he has never seen snow except for in the movies and I freaked out saying, " LETS GO OUTSIDE THEN!" He is from Congo so..ya know.. abominable snowman doesn't live there. It seriously made my day seeing him so excited! I liked it too I admit..a little.

See these beautiful raspberries? They were my " Inspiration / thinking " food to write on my blog..But really I just sat.. looking at this empty writing space...eating away.. Not even touching the computer once. Now they are all gone and I might just put a brb sign on the blog to go back to Whole Foods to grab some more.

 If you know me...I am also OBSESSED with chocolate milk.. I understand how bad it is...But I don't drink milk so thats my excuse to get my calcium ya know? Plus..its PROMISED LAND chocolate milk.. uh why wouldn't you buy it. I have a problem.

Saturday night Syd and I went with a group to the COOLEST Hot Pots I have ever been to! If you live in Utah or are ever visiting..Put this on your to do list! Honestly at the moment I can't remember the name..So i'll get back to ya on that..I think it was at three forks or something like that. Just remember to bring warm clothes for the walk back! It is about a 45 minute hike to the pots so just wait for the walk back in a wet swim suit.. I wasn't really prepared and was walking back in -1 degree weather in a swimsuit and combat boots with a wet jacket on because I put it on the ground.. I was sure that my legs would have to be amputated due to frost bite. Syd's hair was wet when she got out and it literally turned into icicles and was sticking out all over the place! Just frozen dread locks.. hahaha SO FUNNY. I about died laughing. It was all worth it though..With my Az blood I wasn't sure how great of an idea it was that we were about to do a 45 minute hike into the freezing mountains to get soaking wet and walk back 45 minutes..But when I got there I was just blown away at how beautiful it was! 1. It was nice to be in hot tub..2. The stars were AMAZING.. You just sit there with the steam all over where you can hardly see whose next to you and then you look up and see God's paint pallet of trillions upon trillions of stars.  So worth it. 

Today( Sunday now) as I am finishing up this post I wanted to share something spiritual for this beautiful fall Sunday. I know we all have that thought that comes into our head at least once or twice or a billion times in our life that says, " What do I do now? Why am I or why are They going through these stinking trials?" Or " WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO." This Stake Conference I noticed the theme of all of the talks was about how we need to just remember that these trials are but a small moment compared to eternity. I also loved a quote given during one of the talks, and also said in Womens' Conference that said when we return to our Heavenly Father and are weeping at his feet, we will ask, " Is that really all that was asked of me?" That is not the exact way it was said..Sorry if I butchered it. But that helped ME gain a better perspective on things...My trials are nothing big compared to what some people have been through.. usually just regular college girl probe that can be frustrating..( What major should I do? Where should I go from here? ) But however big the trial is, If we put our trust in Him, in His commandments, and in His promises, we can get through anything and conquer all things. We also have to remember to have eyes to see and a heart to understand the blessings that surround us..sometimes we forget how blessed we have been up to the point of a hard trial that shakes our world a little. Have faith in His promises to you and that faith will result in a peace that will enter your heart, a faith that will grow even into sure knowledge that all things happen for a reason and that he still loves us unconditionally. When you go through deep waters, he WILL be there with his hand stretched forth to catch you, No. Matter. What. I love this quote that was given during General Conference in October of 2014, " Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees."I am grateful for trials that help me grow. He never gives us a trial that he knows we cannot handle. He knows us better than we know ourselves and knows our own strength. The end. 

Here are some quotes that I found this week that I absolutely love and wanted to share! I hope you like them too :).

-Ash

My " TO DO" List

---Nest boutique fall apparel ---( Side note, be sure to go check out the Nest Boutique to find all of the cute pieces to this outfit and MORE!)

Each day I have been starting off with a to do list, which is so not like me but has helped me in so many ways to start good habits! Each night I have been writing down the " TO DO" list for the next day. It usually has a theme of the same things and a few tweaks to appointments or homework that needs to be done. I am not a crazy to do girl and actually hate lists..But I have noticed that when I write it down and have it on my night stand to put a check mark on in the morning, I actually do it and a few things have turned into habits already where I do not have to check the list. That is my main goal for this entire exercise. I wanted to share what is on my regular to do list and how these tiny things have been impacting my life in small ways!

1. Wake up -- Thats a good thing to have on there haha.. What I really mean when I put that is wake up EARLY. You get so much more out of your day when you rise early! Start fresh.

2. Read Book Of Mormon -- This book. It has literally been changing my life and really changes your mood for the entire day! I am way happier on days that I took the time to read before I leave the house. 

3. Make Bed/ Morning Prayer -- Making your bed first thing in the morning makes you feel like you accomplished something already. It helps to start your day off right! Also I have made it more of a habit to pray in the morning. I can't fall asleep without saying my prayers at night but in the morning it has always been a struggle.. Just as reading the BOM has made a great start to the day..saying morning prayers has too! 

4. Exercise -- Just by doing the tiniest little workout in the morning helps get your blood flowing and brain going! Some mornings when I am running late I will even just do sit ups, crunches, wall sits, and plank for a little..My real workout is at night or on days that I don't get up early to head to work. You always have a little time to do some exercise though! Even a short amount of time makes a big difference if you do it every morning. Successful, happy and productive people make it a priority to get moving every day! 

5. Get Ready -- REALLY get ready..You feel good when ya look good;)  But really...Don't you agree? If you look like crap..you are going to feel like crap..But if you fake it you will get through hah. I remember in high school whenever I was sick I would always look the best..I would get so done up wearing a cute dress, makeup, hair curled etc..People would ask, " Whats the occasion?" I would just answer, " I'm sick today." Turns out this wasn't always the best idea because  I actually had a few people during the year who would ask if I was feeling good when I looked cute one day and I would get mad saying ,  " Can't I just look cute?!" Haha I guess I really only tried when I was sick hah!..Other than that I was all about the sweats and T life. 

6. Put the phone down -- My new goal is to not check my phone or be on it unless I am completely done with tasks or have down time. I am so sick of not being present with friends or just waisting so much time on my phone. You can live without checking instagram every minute...You don't HAVE to see others posts. I could rant about this for hours...But maybe that will be in a different post... Don't get me wrong I am on Insta a lot and love it...But I should be using it on down time.

7. Read for 30 min -- I have been making this a PRIORITY every day because I have really missed reading ( I use to be that girl that would make an excuse not to go out just to finish a book..Nerd alert) Now I say I NEVER have time..Yet I have so much time for instagram and that crap? Reading is GOOD for you..It exercises your brain, helps with grammar, and is fun! So it is usually random times but I try to pick up a book for at least 30 minutes or longer either in the morning, down times nannying, or before bed. 

8. Meditate for 30 min -- Lately I have been turning on some cheesy meditation music or some kind of piano music and just stop and completely relax my mind and body. I do this in the morning but no matter the time it is so good for you!. My sister who has been sick with Candida has been meditating and she has shared with us how it has really helped with anxiety and stress. Also, Harvard just did a study about meditation that is pretty cool! Check it out here ....

http://www.feelguide.com/2014/11/19/harvard-unveils-mri-study-proving-meditation-literally-rebuilds-the-brains-gray-matter-in-8-weeks/

9. Night time Gym or Yoga -- This is HUGE. Exercise helps you sleep better and Yoga is a great way to wind down. It can tie into meditation a tiny bit but is more of a way to remove bad toxins..Meditation is more about mindfulness. My goal has been to exercise for an hour/30 minutes every day and end with yoga.

10. One act of service -- For me this can range from just calling or texting someone to visiting or making someone food.. However small or big it is, it just makes you feel good. 

11. Chillax  -- How terrible is it that I actually have to put this on a to do list for myself? I always like to be on the go..That is not always a good thing! You NEED time to relax and just have fun. I have fun haha..But I rarely just decide to sit and watch a movie or take a break. So, I have made it a priority to just stop and actually relax and have time to do whatever I want! This can tie into hanging with my roommates or going out though..I don't literally say, " No guys I can't go out, I have to watch Netflix." Please no. 

12. EAT HEALTHY -- My whole life I have been pretty aware of eating healthy because of my health nut Dad..I use to be the kid in elementary that was embarrassed by my brown sack lunch of celery and fruit when my friends had to " Cool Stuff" like Pizza and fast food..I was embarrassed?? It wasn't till Junior High when I was grateful for my sack lunch as everyones elementary baby fat...was still on them..or....

Haha just kidding..

Recently I took a mini 2 week break and just ate CRAP. I am not lying when I say that it was the first time I had ever not cared what I was eating...I may have just slipped into the whole college life for a week or 2..But I am back on track because I felt DISGUSTING..My body can't handle certain foods because I have never eaten it or would rarely eat it! I had to do a little detox but I am back. I obviously eat sugar and yummy stuff occasionally..But I wanted to share my usual every day food choice:

Breakfast: Eggs, fruit, Water with lemon

Lunch: Peanut Butter and Honey sandwich on gluten free Udis bread, green grapes, salad, sweet potatoes

Dinners: Chicken, any veggies, any fruit, Salad, sweet potatoes

What I stay away from: Gluten, Soda, red meat, bad sugars..

Weakness: Chocolate milk.... hahaha. Which is funny because I hate milk and have to have calcium chews instead.  

(Obviously I eat more than these things...But the gist is I try not to eat Gluten..) 

Some days I mess up on my to do list..Sometimes you have to add on, 1. Doctors Appointment, 2. Date with Billy...then date with Bob.. haha just kidding;)..You get the point though..But thankfully these habits are small and take little time and we have 24 hours in a day...It’s easy to think of all of the good habits we wish we had. As it turns out, setting good habits can be a powerful way to achieve our goals and help keep us focused and organized. Once a good habit is etched in our brain, we’ll be much closer to achieving our goals without even thinking about it. This post was to share the original things that are always put on my to do list...But my list always has about 10 different things on there.. I promise you these habits have truly been helping and impacting my life. I guarantee if you make an effort to even do one of these habits each day you will be happier! To do lists are a pain..And can be so annoying..But make a GOOD to do list to help remind yourself of goals and sooner or later you can throw the list away and your goals will be AWESOME habits forever!