Together at Disneyland

Since today is my day off, 

I was browsing through my picture files on my computer

[of course the first file I look through is full of Disney pictures]

and I decided to put together a picture from every birthday I've been at Jayson for my birthday

it's crazy to see how much older we look in each picture

I can't wait until I can have a full collage from every year we've gone together

from my seventeenth birthday

to our kids going for their first time

when we have our own "Family Reunion" 

until we're old and riding through Disneyland on electric scooters

[don't think I'm kidding about that last part...]

Photo-Sesh

A mutual friend asked if she could take my portraits
She is a BEAUTIFUL photographer!
I had so much fun!!
:]

Check out her blog here
Thanks so much Mary <3

To set the Roots or let them Grow

Ugh.. I HATE this discussion...

Jayson and I went up to Logan, Utah to visit his Grandparents/family for Thanksgiving. I was actually super excited to head back up there. I really do miss it there.. (remember this post...?)

As we were driving through Salt Lake, I couldn't help but look out the window and try and find where our old/first apartment was. I miss that stupid little thing (okay..it actually was rather large) and its ridiculous half-shelves, black carpet stain in the bedroom, no-light-fixtures-because-it's-"more-modern", the dent in the wall by the stairs from crushing Jayson's wrist between the couch and the wall as we moved our first couches in. I miss looking out my window at the snow falling. I miss running upstairs to jump into a hot bath on cold winter days. I miss sitting at the park reading books on hot summer days. I miss being close to friends.. I miss being close to family.. I miss seeing at least six temples within a half hour drive of each other. But it's just not California..

~ ~ ~

Jayson and I went on a morning walk on Saturday with his family before we packed up to head home. I think I was carrying our youngest nephew, Daniel? Or maybe it was Skylar... Any way, we walked past a beautiful, stone covered house that was two stories, and had a 3 car garage, a huge backyard, and over looked Millville. Jayson semi-jokingly said that that house was probably only $300,000-$400,000 (a complete guess by the way..). To us, a$3-400,000 home is ridiculously cheap. That same $300,000 home here in California would easily be between the higher end of $800,000- $1.2 million (again, another guess). And as picky as Jayson and I can be about the way we want our house to be, we would easily be buying a multi-million dollar California home if we had all the money in the world to spend on a home.. The housing market in California right now is ridiculous.. Although it is in the lower end of things right now, it's going to pick up again fairly soon and the reality of the situation is, we just don't have the money to afford living here.

We have talked about moving back again.. but I'm still hesitant to do so. I love California.. I'm such a California girl. I live for the 80 degree weather, salt in the air and sand in my hair vibe and stereotype that comes with "Blond hair, blue eyed, California Girl" label. And not like this is the deciding factor or anything, but I like being closer to Disneyland, in case I ever can convince Jayson into going more than once a year. I like being close to the first temple I've ever been inside. I love being close to my family again, even if they can be extremely overwhelming to be around..

Don't get me wrong, I do know that we are exactly where the Lord needs us.. which is here, back home. We know that there is a reason we are here, and for now we are meant to stay here in California. But for how long? Who knows.. We're not planning on leaving anytime soon, but once we're done with the tasks at hand, we'll turn to the Lord and ask where we need to go next..

If we were to move back to Utah..

I would want to live somewhere between Salt Lake and Draper. That's my favorite part of Utah. It's beautiful there. I remember one night when Jayson was working at Cafe Rio in South Jordan and wouldn't be off work until around midnight, so I called my friend Sonia and we drove around for a few hours while I waited. I remember driving through Day Break area and thinking "If I were to own a house, it would be here."

My sister-in-law, Brittny, lives on a mountain in Draper. Her house is gorgeous and she has a great neighborhood and it over looks Saratoga Springs and American Fork. The view there is to die for. The only thing that I don't like about it is that its on a mountain. I would be so beyond scared to drive up or down that mountain in the snow... If we move back, we are not moving on top of a mountain..

It would be nice to live in a house that we can actually afford. It would be nice to be able to either custom build our home, or to remodel a home. (I wouldn't want to stay there forever though... eventually I'd want to live in California forever. ) I think I would actually enjoy a basement.. I would love to have a real white Christmas. I would love to be able to wake up every morning, Monday-Saturday, and spend a different morning at Draper/South Jordan/Oquirrh Mt./ Bountiful/Salt Lake/or Mt. Timpanogos Temple(s) on six different days out of the week. I would love to pick my kids up from school and taking them to play in the snow, or taking them to the temple for a picnic on the grounds. I would love to watch my kids wake up on a snow day and play in the snow all day. I would love to be able to actually rake up real piles of colorful leaves and let my kids jump in them. Dead leaves are stupid and plain...

~ ~ ~

But even as much as I would 'like' to go back to Utah,

I still hope the Lord would rather keep us here in California...

Thanksgiving: Now and Then

Then...

I used to wake up feeling like it was Thanksgiving

Leaves outside would be golden brown..

Duke would be rolling in the leaf piles Erik and I made

Mom would be in the kitchen cooking

She would talk to the Turkey

(And even tricked me into believe that talking to it made it taste better)

Erik and I would play Nintendo 64

Then John and Leslie would come over

The boys would play video games

The girls would play Polly Pockets...

We'd fight over who would get to sit at the "grown up table"

Granny would come over first

She'd hug us all and kiss our cheeks

Saying "hi baby" to each of us..

Her honey baked ham would leave such a delicious smell...

Tara and Kenny would show up next

...bringing some sort of Tara's famous pies

Piper would help my mom and set up the punch bowl

Soon, Farmor and Farfar would be here

Along with Rick

And sometimes Lumina...but not always

Duke would sneak into the house somehow

And say hi to everyone...

But then he,d get in trouble and get kicked out again...

I miss the candles being lit on the table

I miss being the one to dim the lights

I miss the way my family cooked every dish

I miss those stupid pumpkin stickers my mom would put on the windows

I miss that tacky pumpkin tinsel she would wrap around the iron rod gates...

I miss the orange and yellow lights around the dining room window

~ ~ ~

Mom moved out

The holidays were different...

No decoration were put up again..

Thanksgiving was always at Tara's house now

It's fun..but not the same

I miss the way my mom celebrated the holidays

I miss her..

The old her....

I miss playing games with Erik all day

I miss feeling like it was Thanksgiving

I miss the way the light shined through my bedroom window

I miss the smell of turkey and candied yams

I miss coming downstairs to see my mom in the morning...

I miss seeing Erik climbing up the doorway in the kitchen...

I miss... Everything...

~ ~ ~

Now...

(Last year)

I got off of work

It's starting to snow/rain

Kerry is on her way to come pick us up

I race back home to our apartment to pack

Jayson just got home

I straighten up the kitchen and front room before packing

Jayson throws a few last minute things into the suit case

He moves all of our moving boxes away from the hall way so Cody can use the bathroom

Kyle brings Sam up to our apartment for the first time

"Aunt Ashley and Uncle Jayson live closer to Nephew Sam now"

Sam chooses a movie to watch on the drive up

Jayson is excited to see his nephew

I'm making sure Sam remembers to bring his coat with us

Kerry checks out our new apartment

Cody,Kyle,Jayson, and myself are so excited to see Sam

We drive to the airport to meet Curtis

(He was dropping off a rental car)

We drive up to Grandma Shana's and Grandpa Milton's

I realise that Jayson didn't grab the suitcase out of our apartment...

I didn't grab the suitcase out of our apartment...

We're an hour away from grandma's

We stop at Walmart

Sam helped aunt "Ashjery" pick out a Thanksgiving dinner outfit

But every shirt isn't an AuntAshley shirt...

..its a Cool Cody shirt..

We finally drive up to Grandma and Grandpa's

The whole family is there

From Curtis' side anyway

We unfolded 3-4 long tables for dinner

There are a ton of Anderson's.....

It's different from home

But it's good

Everyone gets along

Grandma cooks the best sweet potatoes.

We play games in the basement

Everyone has their own room

Clean up is finished

Black Friday begins

The boys go out

The girls stay home and play cards with grandma

Or supervise babies

Grandma has an entire cubbord of soda

I'm in heaven.

(This year)

Jayson and I have FHE tonight

Pack for Utah

Back to the cold again

Hoping for snow

One more time for that long car ride up to Logan, Utah

It will be different again..,but good

Full of the Spirit

Full of love and Appreciation

Nephews and cousins, young and old

Aunts and uncles,

Sister in laws and their husbands

Brother in laws that drive me nuts...
but I love them

More family that I haven't met yet

Future husbands to my cousins might be there this time?

I'm ready to hear the interrogations begin on that one

First time Black Friday shopping...

...heaven help me....

We won't forget our suitcase

Thanksgiving: Now and Then

It's different

But I still have many things to be thankful for

Amazing Athletes

I'm an Athletics Coach

for

Amazing Athletes

I teach nine different sports

to four+ different preschools

If I'm not at your preschool...tell me

I work with a member of the TO3rd Ward

I love it

I love her

I love helping kids get outside and play

I love teaching them new sports

When was the last time kids played sports for fun?

I love pointing our fingers to Disneyland

I love throwing our footballs all the way to Disneyland

I love the Pirate game

I love when Smee makes us walk the plank

I love singing "Yo ho, Yo ho, A Pirates Life for Me"

I love macaroni hats

I love hot spots

I love starbursts

I love yoga

I love being Coach Ashley

Salt Lake City, Utah

It's been a year
November 4th, 2011
We moved to Salt Lake City, Utah

Not gonna lie...
I miss Salt Lake
(but not nearly as much as I missed California...) 
I miss how thin the air is
I miss how clean the air is
You know how new places have a new or certain smell?
I miss that smell
I miss how it felt to walk up stairs into our own apartment
I miss the snow mountains
I miss learning how to navigate a new city
I miss being close to Jayson's sisters and their sons
I miss seeing at least 6 temples in one drive

I miss Jon and Lexie
I miss Kristi and Michael
I miss Buffalo Wild Wings

I miss that intense girls night

where Emily sat at the snack table and ate over half the snacks

I miss Nina
I miss Ashley
I miss Taelor
I miss Emily
I miss Alix
(and your parentals)
I miss Desiree and Paris

I miss Sonia

and our gigantic Leatherby's Ice Cream that looked so inappropriate


I miss Child Time
I miss my kangaroo class
who are now kindergardeners
I miss my guppy class
who are now panda bears
I miss Melanie
I miss Becky
I miss Barbra
I miss Kris
I miss Kathy
I miss Judy
I miss Kristen
I miss Mallory
I miss Lacy
I miss Hannah

I miss my kids...
Ashtyn, Billy, Chrysostome, Lorelai, Violet
Nate, Keegan, Gwen, Jessie

I miss Ella and Preson,
Sam and Katelyn, Addy and Emmy, Gussy and Anika,
Gavin and Marlee

I miss Temple Square
I miss Sonic
I miss Nitro Freeze
I miss Pie Hole
I miss Deseret Book
I miss Provo
I miss Tocanos
I miss City Creek Mall

Ya, I miss it all
But I'll be back  :)

2012 Election

I voted for the first time this year
I voted for Mitt Romney
love me or hate me..that's who I voted for

This was my first time
and they ran out of stickers...
So I told my home teacher about it
and he gave me his
:)

Thanks Brother Holt!

I don't agree with the way the election went. Not at all. But it doesn't matter. I know with out a doubt that the Lord knows what He's doing. And for some strange reason, Obama is supposed to be our President for another four years. Good luck to him. I hope he guides our country down a better pathway.

Your views may be different than mine, but I will always trust Heavenly Father and His plan, regardless of what my feelings or instincts tell me <3 

I'm proud to be an American

The Sunday Approved Movie List

I can't remember if it was this past Monday or the Monday before, but for FHE we watched a CES Devotional. Bishop Gérald Caussé’ is a bishop from (if I remember correctly...) a YSA ward in Sandy.  who gave a talk called "We are the Architects of Our Own Happiness." Now I will admit, I didn't pay very much attention to the entire talk because I was absolutely exhausted from work that day, but the moment he made a reference to Disney's The Lion King, I tuned in! And even recited the entire scene that he was referring to, word for word. (I should probably go back and listen to his talk again and really pay closer attention....)

Let me back track a bit. When I first started going to church, Jayson was trying to explain to me some things that I should choose to do on a Sunday to keep the sabbath day holy. We often had 'discussions' about how hard that is to find enough stuff to keep me busy because I couldn't watch TV, or play video games, so I tried to just watch movies that had good morals and lessons to teach. I chose to watch Disney movies on Sundays along with reading my scriptures because that was all that I could really do... Since being married, we have had many discussions on if Disney movies really are appropriate for a Sunday.

Well then during that devotional, Bishop Causse made a reference to this scene from The Lion King:

I don't have the exact words from his talk because it isn't available on LDS.org yet...

I had never thought about this scene in the way that Bishop Causse explained it. Like I said, I don't remember what he said word for word, but what I personally gathered from watching that clip was this. Often times we feel like Simba when we make a mistake or choose to walk down a path that may not be in line with what our Father in Heaven has planned for us. Once we make that decision and realize that we should have chosen to do something different, it's often easier to decide "it's too hard/scary to go back and fix it" so we try to fix things on our own and move forward. The fact of the matter is, we can't just expect to fix things by moving forward. You have to back track a bit.

I love that Bishop Causse used this scene in particular because Mufasa decends from the heavens and tells his son, "Simba, you have forgotten me.." Simba denies this and asks "How could I?" Mufasa responds, "You have forgotten who you are and so forgotten me.. Look inside yourself, Simba. You must take your place in the Circle of Life."

I love those quotes. So much. When we make decisions, sometimes we forget to confront our Heavenly Father and ask Him if what we are choosing to do is right for us. We may still think about Him, we still Love him and know He is there. We know that He loves us. But I also know that for myself, I often feel like Simba and wonder 'how could I have forgotten Him?' Well, because I didn't make him apart of my decisions. That's how. We can keep ourselves in line with the Spirit and the path that He has chosen for us if we always, no matter what, consult our Heavenly Father in every decision that we make. 

Mufasa continues to say, "Remember who you are. You are my son....."

Remember who you are

You are a Son/Daughter of a Heavenly King

You have a divine role in this life that has been chosen by a loving Father in Heaven

whom you can talk to 

who will always be there for you

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT

because you are so blessed with that knowledge and comfort...

I know I am

and I think we can now come to the conclusion that for the Anderson Family, 

The Lion King has made it to the approved list ;)

Disney Puzzle Obsession

I have never been too fond of puzzles. I used to hate them, actually. I found them rather hard and boring and never enjoyed doing them. I used to think they were a huge waste of time. But one day at work (back when I was working at Child Time Inc.) one of my students asked me to do a 50 piece cup cake puzzle with her. I really didn't want to work on a stupid puzzle, but I had promised her that I would do what ever she wanted, so I ended up having to do the puzzle. Now you would think that a little cup cake puzzle would be easy, but this one was hard! So here I am sitting with Violet, when another little girl, Ella, runs up and asks if she can help with the puzzle. Violet tells her she can help us and I kid you not, Ella had completed the whole darn thing in under two minutes!!!! 

My other co teacher then decided to break out a one thousand piece puzzle that the whole class could work on through out the week. I told my self that there was so way in the world I would be working on that puzzle! But over the course of that week, I ended up helping out in the other class rooms. When I came back to class on Monday morning, all 20+ kids had helped to complete that puzzle a little bit each day over seven days!!! 

At that point, I was determined to go home and work on a puzzle. If 4-5 year old kids can finish a 1,000 piece puzzle in a week, then I should be able to also! Lucky for me, I already had a box full of puzzles that I had sent to Jayson while he was on his mission because he was sick (and obviously they were Disney puzzles). So I went home that night and broke out the puzzle box. 

Jayson and I decided to work on our Little Mermaid and Pinocchio puzzles

Shortly after completing those two puzzles, we moved back home to California. 

Two weeks after moving home, 

Jayson and I went to Disneyland and bought me a 1,000 piece puzzle-map of Disneyland

Let me tell you, this puzzle was a pain in my butt!!!!! After we came home from Disneyland, we started on this puzzle right away. We originally started working on it down stairs in the dining room, but then we had some friends come over for dinner so we moved the puzzle onto the Ottoman in the living room. Then, my mother-in-law, Kerry, started babysitting a little girl in our ward who I found 'playing' with the puzzle and ripping the completed pieces apart, so I moved the puzzle up stairs and into our bedroom. About a week or so later, Kerry told us that Jayson and I were going to be moving over into Cody's (my brother-in-law) old room because we had another foreign exchange student coming to live with us, so we had to move the puzzle yet again. 

Finally, after a little over two months, the puzzle is complete! Unfortunately we lost two of the pieces after having moved the darn thing so many times.... I'm hoping that some how we will find the lost pieces....

After completing the three puzzles, Jayson and I realized how cool looking they are! Especially the ones from the movies because they look just like their front DVD/VHS case covers. We decided that after every puzzle we complete, we are going to glue the pieces together so that we can frame them once they are done and start collecting Disney puzzles and putting them together as a family. Once we move into our own home (whenever that is... ) we will start to display our finished puzzles :) 

So here is my next puzzle-project

 Panorama Puzzles 

The one on the left has clips from the movies, and the one on the right has all (well, almost all) of the characters on map, where they are standing on the areas that their movie is from (like Simba from Lion king is standing on Africa, etc.).

But...

...can't you tell? 

Thousand Oaks California Stake and Indexing

Stake Conference was this weekend 

:)

Our stake is #1 in Ventura County and #8 in North America for indexing! 

and it is very, very possible that our stake will make it to 1 million names by the end of the year!

ONE MILLION NAMES!!

that's insane!!

:D

That fills my heart with so much joy and excitement

I love my home stake

I truly am so blessed to be back home

<3

We have so many dedicated members in this stake

People who consistently make it to the Temple every week

I look up to those people so much...

It's so hard to get lost in worldly activities

and to feel like 'we don't have time'

But I know that the Lord is blessing all of those members

who make the Temple their number one priority

and plan their schedule around visiting the temple, 

not plan their temple visit around their schedule

and now there are so many other members beyond the veil

that have the blessing of this gospel

because of those faithful, obedient, and worthy members

:')

I also am grateful

for who ever this person is...

who in May of 2012

did temple work for my 7th Great Grandfather.......

IN MAY OF 2012!!!!

as in..... 5 MONTHS AGO!!!!!!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?!?!?!

If you haven't done family history work...

GO. DO. IT. NOW. 

You never know who you will find who doesn't have this gospel that needs it..

I am so grateful for who ever completed that work

I am so blessed for my beautiful home stake

Happy 25th Anniversary Thousand Oaks Stake

:)

Bridesmaid of a 'MANN'

Today

I became a Bridesmaid

:D

My cute friend Marcia got engaged!!

To her handsome marine, Jason Mann

(funny how we both found Ja[y]son's)
:)

It's about time you two!
<3

What do I do?

     Being a nanny for four beautiful girls has been the greatest blessing for me. I've grown and learned so much about 'parenting' even though I'm not their parent. But I have also come to realize how much of an impact 'worldly things' and media has on them, particularly Haily (7) and Samantha (9). For example, I took Haily and Samantha with me to the grocery store a few days ago while the twins were at preschool. After picking up snacks to take to the pool, we walked over to the check out stand. As I'm sure you're aware, the stores display magazines that don't always have the best information on the front pages for young eyes to see. One magazine had a picture of a girl in a bikini and the headline was about getting a 'sexy body for your man,' and the other magazine had the word "CHEATING" on the front page. Now as an adult, I can choose to look away and not think anything of it and allow the messages to completely erase from my mind. Then I heard Samantha reading the front cover and I just had this sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach... so I turned all the magazines around so all that was visible was the back cover (which thankfully had an ad for perfume).

     Haily I think came to the realization that if I had turned it over, that meant that I didn't like what was on there so she didn't question my actions. Samantha, how ever, was upset that I had turned it over because she was trying to read the front page. I asked her why it was so important to her that she needed to read it and her response was that she felt like she needed to read the tips on how to get a 'sexy' body. I was absolutely shocked and part of me hurt inside that this nine year old girl felt like she needed to have what society deems as a 'sexy body.' I told her she had no reason to read that because she was absolutely beautiful and I began to tell her what about her makes her beautiful because looks aren't everything. Thankfully, she dropped the subject after that. I didn't know what was the right thing to say to her about the magazine ads, nor did I know what was appropriate to say to her.

     There have been a few times where Samantha has made a few sexual comments after that trip to the store. I won't go into details as to what she has said, but I have been so shocked by her answers that all I can think of telling her is that what she said is not appropriate and then she of course asks me 'why,' and again, I don't know what to tell her, other than "we will discuss it later when your sister isn't here." So here is where I need your help. What do you think I could have done differently about the situation? Do you think that this is something I needed to talk to her mom about and let her be the one to handle the situation? What do you think I should have said to her? What do you think is the right thing to say? Am I crossing a line by discussing this with her since she is not my child?

     I honestly don't even know if I am asking the right questions, but the point that I am trying to explain is that I just don't know what to do when these situations come up and I don't know if discussing this matter is my place to do so or not, but I also feel like brushing it under the rug and not discussing it with her is the wrong thing to do.

HELP!

Yogurtland

Have you ever been to Yogurtland?

It's amazing

You need to go

For serious. 

I tried to convince Jayson to go with me while we were in Utah, 

but the I got addicted to Nitro Freeze...

so that was our place

And then we moved home

and I remembered that there was one in OXNARD!

But that's thirty minutes away...

AND THEN 

I found out there is one on Westlake & TO Blvd!!!

THAT'S 5 MINUTES AWAY!! 

So we went twice last week

And last night at around midnight, 

Jayson told me he wanted more....

..and I think it is now safe to say...

that I have officially gotten him a d d i c t e d.

We may need to go again today when he gets home....

FLAVOR TO TRYStrawberry Lemonaide mixed with French Vanilla
to. die. for.

TOHS Dance

Many of you know that I danced my Junior and Senior year. I had never danced before in my life and was excited for the opportunity to be in the class in high school. Since graduation, I hadn't had the opportunity to dance again. When I started school at Moorpark College, I couldn't take morning dance classes because I needed to sign up for other classes of more 'importance' first and those classes weren't available in the afternoon, and I was also working in the late afternoon/evening. I also wanted to make sure that all of my classes would be before 12:00 noon so I could have three hours of Institute classes before going to work. 

After a few semesters, Jayson and I got married and moved to Utah so now dance was really out of the question! I was supper bummed about that... But a few weeks ago, a friend texted me and asked if I was going to the alumni class that night. "AKLDSJFHDKSJ WHAAAAT?!!!!" I told her I had no clue what she was talking about and it turns out that one of my dance teachers was now teaching an alumni class on Thursday nights! I was so stoked!!! I have gone to two classes already and was so excited to see three of my closest girl friends from my Junior and Senior year:

The first year that I met these girls was my Junior year when we were in Period 2, which was a mixture of beginning and intermediate students. That was the year that our class danced to "Nicest Kids in Town" from the 2007 Hairspray film. I also tried out for small hip hop (which basically was a group chosen from our class) and danced to "Circus" by Brittney Spears. 

In my Senior year, the four of us made in into Period 3, which was an intermediate class. That was the year that we danced to a song that was composed for a fight scene in Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At Worlds End. Which by the way, if you search 'May Concert TOHS,' it's the third video ;) I also chose to be in the small lyrical group. I don't even know what the song was that we danced to, but we called our piece "Gladiator." 

This is our 'Pirates' dance, you should watch it ;) 

 I have now gone to two alumni classes, and we just found out that were are in the winter concert at the high school :) I am so excited because winter concert is usually only for periods 4 and 5 and Team members, so I never had the chance to perform in that concert. I also love the maturity of the dancers in this class. I feel like back in high school, people were super clicky and quietly judgmental about the way certain people danced and their levels of performance. I know I was one of them, but in this class it seems like every one just gets a long and no one cares if you can still do a double or triple pirouette, or how flexible you are any more, etc. Everyone just focuses on them selves, but is still there to help you when you don't understand whats going on. It's nice to go back after two and a half years and dance in that room where I literally shed blood, sweat, and tears in class and late night practices. 2009 was the year that started my passion for dance and I am sad that I haven't had the chance to embrace it up until two weeks ago. But I am happy and excited for this opportunity and cannot wait to see the end result of our dance!

~ ~ ~

I'm not in this dance, but this was one of my favorite pieces that year.

 Mostly because its from Disney's Tarzan ;) 

 2009-2010 Thousand Oaks High School Dance Team
Video Rights User: seannthompson

Wakey, Wakey, Eggs & Bakey!

I cannot cook to save my life. I can make cereal, ice cream, sandwiches, mac and cheese, the easy stuff, etc. Well, I think the more appropriate way to explain my cooking skills, is that I don't know what flavors go well with each other, or what side dishes compliment the main dish. I am terrible at seasoning things as well (salt and pepper has always been good enough for me!). Luckily for me, I married a man who knows how to cook extremely well, and lucky for him that I do an exceptionally good job at clean up if I do say so myself. So together we make a great team! But if I'm on my own...... oh dear..... I would say that the number one problem that I have when cooking is that I am not patient, at all. I'm terrible... 

Now that I nanny for 21 month old twin girls, I have to be patient with everything, especially cooking because I don't want to get the girls sick because I didn't cook their meals completely. I was browsing on Pinterest the other day and came across a super easy recipe! I'm beginning to learn strategies to cooking and cleaning while having not just one but two toddlers running around. It's quite rough seeing as how I don't have kids of my own yet so I just jumped into having two toddlers that are coming up into the stages of "terrible two's". I needed to learn some recipes that were fast and easy since I am not the only person who gets impatient while meals are cooking.. 

Bacon Wrapped Egg Muffins

Ingredients:

• Eggs (4 for a six hole muffin tin)
• Bacon

Optional Ingredients:

• Salt 
• Pepper
• Cheese
• Avocado

Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Prep time: 5-7 minutes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400degrees (F)
2. Place 1 strip of bacon along the inside edged of the muffin tin
   -I also put some bacon on the bottom of the tin, but its not necessary to do so
3. Crack 4 eggs into separate bowl and beat well
   -I added salt and pepper to taste
4. Pour egg mixture into muffin tins about until about 3/4 full

Additional Directions: 

1. Take a pinch of cheese and add on top of egg mixture
2. Once the BwE are out of the oven, you can add slices of avocado on top.
   
   *I made the mistake of using avocado oil to grease the muffin tins, completely forgetting that bacon creates its own grease when cooking. The oil didn't distract from the taste of the egg or the bacon so I guess it really doesn't matter, but I find that bacon grease doesn't make the food stick to the inside of the pan either
   
   ~  ~  ~

In case you haven't notices, I am not one to really measure.. I just 'eyeball' it. I learned that method from watching family members cook and watching Paula Dean on Food Network (not that she doesn't measure, but I have caught her a few times using the 'eyeball' method).

I love this recipe! Prep time is fast, clean up is easy, and you need a minimum of two ingredients! With toddlers running around, this is a mom-saver-recipe in my opinion! And it's super yummy :) I also like that I was able to prep, cook, and clean the dishes I used for this meal all before the twins woke up this morning. What more could a mom ask for?! Not only that, but the smell of these babies baking in the oven is delightful! I definitely woke up some super happy girls this morning ;) They love bacon! Actually, they love every ingredient I used. Eggs, bacon, cheese, salt, pepper, avocado, the whole nine yards! I'd say I earned some serious brownie points this morning ;) 

Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples- May 2009 G. C.

So many crazy things have been going on in our lives since we moved home.. It's been rather overwhelming seeing as how we thought we were supposed to be moving into our own apartment this weekend and instead, we're living with Jayson's parents. Don't get me wrong, I am so glad and thankful to be living here with them, because it has honestly been a blast to spend time with his parents and his brothers (well, now one brother because Cody just went up to Utah for school). But at the same time, its been giving me a chance to really sit down and think about decorating our future home....whenever we move.

I was browsing on LDS.org tonight at past conference talks, and I came across one from May 2009 by Elder Gary E. Stevenson:

Recently, in a stake conference, all present were invited by the visiting authority, Elder Glen Jenson, an Area Seventy, to take a virtual tour of their homes using their spiritual eyes. I would like to invite each of you to do this also. Wherever your home may be and whatever its configuration, the application of eternal gospel principles within its walls is universal. Let’s begin. Imagine that you are opening your front door and walking inside your home. What do you see, and how do you feel? Is it a place of love, peace, and refuge from the world, as is the temple? Is it clean and orderly? As you walk through the rooms of your home, do you see uplifting images which include appropriate pictures of the temple and the Savior? Is your bedroom or sleeping area a place for personal prayer? Is your gathering area or kitchen a place where food is prepared and enjoyed together, allowing uplifting conversation and family time? Are scriptures found in a room where the family can study, pray, and learn together? Can you find your personal gospel study space? Does the music you hear or the entertainment you see, online or otherwise, offend the Spirit? Is the conversation uplifting and without contention? That concludes our tour. Perhaps you, as I, found a few spots that need some “home improvement”—hopefully not an “extreme home makeover.”

The Lord truly does know what exactly you need and when you need it. Having all of these things that Elder Stevenson has mentioned has been so hard for me to have at my dad's house before I got married. It made it that much harder for me to feel the spirit because I was living in a home that wasn't worthy of having the spirit, so I had to try harder than I ever thought possible to bring that spirit into my own bedroom. I am so grateful now that I can turn my home into a house that is consistently worthy of the spirit. I know it is so important, especially for when Jayson and I have our own family <3

October 2012 General Conference

http://www.lds.org/?lang=eng
You can watch the broadcast live by clicking the above link 

It's almost here, it's almost here!

:D

I love General Conference!! It makes me so happy when LDS.org has links to the broadcast to share, because that means that IT'S ALMOST HERE!!!!!! 

I've come to realize that the only think I dislike about the fact that we moved back to California, is that now we live 8-10 hours away from the Conference center instead of 5 minutes away.. Last April we didn't have the chance to go because we had already requested time off work for a work conference in Las Vegas that was the week after General Conference, and neither of our managers would allow us the time off to to. Kind of a huge bummer, so we said we would go in October. Well, plans changed and we moved home, so now it's a little bit more difficult to get time off of work. I could easily get the time off work because I don't work on the weekends, but Jayson does... His parents are going up with his brother, Kyle, and they invited us to come along, but the big deciding factor will be what exactly happens with Jayson's work schedule. It's kind of a long story...

Anyway, If you have never watched General Conference, I highly suggest that you do! It is the most uplifting and spiritual weekend of the year (with the exception of Christmas of course..)! I know with out a doubt that the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and the other church leaders are inspired by our Lord and Savior to speak about things that we need to hear. I have a testimony of our Prophet, that he was called upon by the Lord so serve him as a witness of him. I have a testimony of this Gospel, that this is the true church here on earth. I know that I am a daughter of God, who loves me unconditionally and knows me personally. He knows my wants and desires that I have for myself, my husband, and our family. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he saw God the Father and His beloved Son in the Sacred grove.... I know that the Book of Mormon is in fact another testament of Christ and is so true. I'm grateful for the knowledge I have gained over these past four years and I know that I have been blessed by watching General Conference every year. I know that without doing so I would not have been able to receive those blessings that Heavenly Father had laid out for me.

Encourage others to watch with you <3

In time of need...

READ THE SCRIPTURES

and you'll read exactly what you need to hear

Alma 7: 15-16

15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism.

16 And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me.

Truth is: I am CANNOT do everything by myself...

I've had a really rough weekend ever since Thursday night when I had my dream about the temple. It's made me go back and really evaluate my progression as a Latter-Day Saint over the past four years, and I can't say that I've progressed nearly as much as I should have. It saddens me... because I know that I am better than the example that I have been, and I know that I can do so much better. I have to start preparing for the future...

My biggest downfall in life is that I think I can handle every ounce of burden and pain on my own. I've been pretty good at it my whole life, since I've gone through a lot of rough situations that most people my age haven't had to go through and I'm proud to say that 90% of the time, I've come out of it far better than any statistic has thought possible. But there are a lot of things, where I've just brushed off and thought "I can handle it" and then when I realize that I can't, I can't change what I've done to ease the pains or change the circumstances.. This weekend has really made me realize just how much I need Heavenly Father and how much I need to allow theatonement and the love of my Savior in my life. I know that He loves me unconditionally....but it still makes things hard... What makes it harder is that He is the one person that I don't ever want to disappoint but I know I have, and I know that by not doing this one little thing that's been sitting on my shoulder for quite some time is only disappointing Him more and more as the days go by..

I hate hearing the words "I'm disappointed in you" from anyone. That's worse than someone telling me they're mad at me. I don't know what I'm more afraid of... someone that's related to me whose telling me they're disappointed in me, or feeling like the Lord is disappointed in me... I guess they're both pretty terrible to hear, but... GAH. At this point I'm just rambling... but I have so much emotion right now that I don't know how to explain it all in a way that makes sense....

My son, Peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
-D&C 121:7

Dreaming of the Temple again

I had another dream last night about the Temple that caused me to wake up crying with tears of joy. The last dream I had about the temple, was the night before my first missionary lesson. I had a dream that I was standing in this room that was in a basement of this giant white building. In the room, there was a pathway leading to what looked like a giant bath tub that was placed on top of what I thought were sculptures of cows. Across the way were benches that were facing toward this tub thing, and to the right on the wall, was a picture of Christ being pushed under water in a river. I also remember seeing myself standing in front of this building next to the doors wearing a white gown thing, and seeing Jayson walking up to me. At the time of that dream, I was so confused but felt at peace when I woke up and I just remember laying in bed that morning, staring at the picture of Christ that hung in my room and I felt as though he was smiling back at me.

Well last night, I had a similar dream. I had a dream that the day had finally come for me to take out my Endowments. My dream started in a room that looked like a Sunday school room, and there were so many people from Jayson's home ward, The Thousand Oaks 4th Ward, and my home ward, The Thousand Oaks 2nd Ward, a long with all of our friends who had recently gotten married. In the front of the room, two missionaries were giving talks about the importance of the temple and always being worthy to go through and do the work of the Lord and how important it is that families get sealed in the temple for time and all eternity. I remember being hugged by Jayson's side of the family and all of our friends before finding that I was dressed in that same white gown from my first dream, and walking into this giant room with a sparkling chandelierand a spiral stair case that led up to a balcony that over looked the rest of the room.

I cannot wait to go through the Temple. I just want to hear the date be set. I honestly cannot wait. I decided that I want to go through the Mount Timpanogos temple in Utah. Why? Well, the first time I ever went there, I just remember sitting on the grass with my friends and just having this overwhelming sense of peace and comfort and I just felt like that was the temple that I would take my endowments out at.

I'm so grateful for personal revelation. I am so grateful for my Father in Heaven and my savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to know that He knows me and my needs and knows just how to lift me up in times when I need Him most. I really needed this dream last night, as I have been struggling with a lot of things this summer... My faith had been lacking every now and then, but this was that small reminder that He is here, He knows me and knows my desires and is trying so hard to help me get there.

Waiting for Mail..again!

Alright MG's, you all know what that's like!!

I've been checking the mail like a mad woman lately

It's been over a year since I waited for mail from my sweet hubby. Those days where I knew exactly what time the mail would come, trying to figure out what color envelope to look for, wondering if I was getting a letter or a package that day, or how many letters I would be getting. I think the one time that I can specifically remember about getting mail when I least expected it was when I got a letter sent to me at Desiree's house when I was on vacation in Utah while Jayson was on his mission! (Haha Dez if you're reading this, I still feel totally guilty that you were the one waiting for a letter, and I ended up getting two! )Yep, I kinda miss that stuff..... Call me crazy, but I can promise you that one day out of the blue, you'll remember those days and you'll be waiting for the mail to come, but instead all you'll get is nasty, yucky bills.... BOO!

Anyway, so over the past couple of weeks I have been stalking the mail. Well, not exactly stalking, since we currently live at my in-laws and they would think I'm nuts if they truly saw me stalking the mail like 'back in the old days.' But I've gotten a few packages over the past few weeks and I'm still getting just a bit excited over them. Ahhh, such a sweet feeling to remember again :) Jayson's grandmother sent me a cook book that she's made for all of her grandchildren and their spouse's as a wedding gift, and today I got a canvas that I ordered from The Beehive Organization.

Inspired from Disney's Tangled and this photo via pinterest

Ahhh, I love getting packages ^_^

Call me crazy...but I get so giddy seeing my name on a package!

Maybe it's because it now says Ashley Anderson

instead of Massey....

~ ~ ~

Speaking of packages and letters, does any one know of any missionaries (even your lovely, handsome boyfriends :p) who could use a letter of encouragement?? I miss writing to missionaries!!