Life is crazy

so its been a little while since I've been on here. Last time I was on here I wrote about my little down syndrome client that took off...well since then I decided I need to do something to loose some weight and get into shape. So I started the six week body make over with a few of my friends. Its been pretty great with weekly weigh ins and measurements. All together I have been on it for 3 weeks now and I have lost 12.5 inches everywhere and only 5.3 lbs which is fine...I think that if I was to really strap down and get my work out on then it would be more but I have a way hard time coming home from work, where I've already spent all day lifting and stacking heavy boxes, and I'm tired, getting myself to work out. I really need to though. So my diet consists of smaller portions 5 times a day (protein and carb and either veggie or fruit). Its been hard keeping up with making my food ahead of time so I am ready for the next day and also the bland chicken and turkey I get to eat...it just gets old. Luckly I am allowed a cheat night were I get to eat whatever dinner I want just in a small portion. So say I wanted to have pizza for dinner one night instead of eating my usual 4 pieces I might eat one or 2 instead. I went on a double date with our friends Janee and Rick (they are so great!). We went out to Terra Mia. Its itallian and I got a pesto pasta, which was delicious by the way, and I broke my no soda rule and got a diet coke. It was so good! Then we both went home and got on xbox live and played halo reach with each other. Fun Times with good friends!!
Also I went to a meeting I had with the bishop about two weeks ago today and he gave me the sad news that I am getting a new calling...which also means I am out of YWs. Well those of you who know me...those girls mean the whole world to me! I love them so much! So I did the right thing and accepted my new calling (which I don't get to say until I am offically released). So I've been heart broken for the last couple weeks, pretty quiet about it, and I get to church today and they forget to release me...I got confused and wasn't sure if I was to go to YW's or to RS so I just went home. Before we left I told the bishopric that they had forgotten to release me.
GENERAL CONFERENCE was amazing!! It touched me about how all the talks talked aobut how we need to have a strong testimony and Faith in our Prophet that they will never lead us in the wrong direction. All the talks were so wonderful! I love conf weekend!

LIFE ROCKS

Life rocks! I'm finally having an okay time at my work...people are for the most part getting along...well maybe not the clients, since I did get attacked today, but it seems to be going at least okay. I got to go for a sprint today...one of my clients decided he was just going to up and leave, not tell anyone and just go on his marry ol' way, a walk run some people might have called it. When another staff and I were being screamed at by another client that this client had left we immediatly got up in panic and went to search for him. Here we are being told by random people in trucks which way my client went. Jogging, in the hot heat of the mid afternoon, (mind you I haven't jogged really ever, except maybe a couple days in my life) sweat dripping from my head, (sick I know) and I see this picture of a handicapped boy shuffling his little feet trying not to step off the yellow lines and being followed by this very nice motorcyclist...no big deal...
I couldn't help but laugh and I was trying to breathe and not faint. I finally get to him and my client decides he's not going to stop, and doesn't care that both him and I are completely gasping for air, he's got his movie in one hand and he is still in I'm going for a walk mode. I grab his arm, to redirect him, he shoves me out of the way and laughs. Well that went good...way to make a complete fool out of yourself Ashley! I start yelling for my co-worker to step up her walk to a run, and hurry up. She finally gets to us and no big deal she grabs hold of his arm and he turns around, that easy! COME ON!! Now he is laughing and totally out of breathe, ya know that little evil laugh kids do when they did something they know they are in trouble about but they don't really care, the one that just makes ya fume? Anyways the three of us briskfully start walking back to our building and we are all the sudden getting honked at. Im thinking "lady! don't mess with me right now! dont' you see I have a handicapped man on my arm and my face is beat red dripping with sweat?" I turn around and I look at the lady in the car and its no one I know and it didn't even seem like she honked, so I keep walking trying to get my client back to the workshop, they honk again and I'm like seriously people?! I turn around and it is my dear friend from work, she rolled down the window and says GET IN! So I laugh it off still trying to breathe, after telling ourclient how naughty he is and being laughed at, she takes us back to work. GOOD TIMES!! haha Life Rocks!
imagine this but...the boy is about 28, chubbier, and waddling a little more then running...

SUN VALLEY!!

So a few months ago...like lets try April....yes! APRIL!  I got to spend a long weekend in Sun Valley with my parents! It was SO fun!!! WE have a family time share there and just spent the weekend relaxing and exploring, we did pretty much whatever we wanted whenever we wanted. My favorite part was spending time in the pool outside, at night. One night we (dad,and I) sat in the hot tub while my mom did laps, after a fun game of catch in the pool, watched the stars. My dad was naming everything and it was so magical, the only thing that would have made it 100% was if James was there to share it with us. I was going through my pictures and found a bunch from Sun Valley....here are some..This is our hotel/ time share, Les Saisons (something like that). Its so great!!Lance and I at the Sun Valley mall...hahaMe hanging out with the deer!
my cute mom and dad at the Sun Valley Mall

There's Cedric, my dad's mini clubman, we love him! That's This is Sun Valley ski resort ( I think....I could be wrong) I love it though! Its so big inside and the view of the slope is RIGHT THERE! There is a very expensive store to the right that you can't see but you can get 5,000 dollar jackets there...eeekk!Dad, Me, and Mom on the bridge in the previous photo looking at the fishies.Here's my dad and his baby Cedric. Definitely a new addition to the family, or at least it seems like it... lets take it for a spin...Yeah...that says 130.....scary, but what was even scarier was when Lance got behind the wheel and went 140 AND passed a car WITH a car coming....we almost died!! I almost peed my pants I couldn't look!some pretty cool graffiti under the highwayA beautiful bridge we found along the highway leaving Sun Valley.

Where'd you come from? GO AWAY!!

A couple nights ago I had a terrible and scary experience, I wrote it in my journal and wanted to share:
"tonight there was an evil spirit in my house. I layed in bed and I opened my eyes, suddenly my heart was in my throat and I suddenly was drenched in hot sweat. Pookey (the dog) started to bark at the air, she didn't go to the window like she always does when she hears something. I didn't want to wake Lance, but as I layed there in the dark this nasty feeling just got worse. I said a prayer to myself, asking Heavenly Father to please protect me and my family from this evil that has come over me. I layed there for a couple more minutes and was so scared I would not move and suddenly began to cry. I decided it would be okay to wake Lance. So I awoke him and told him I do not feel safe. He immediately got up and checked all the rooms in the house as well as the doors to outside. I layed still in our bed crying and shaking. Pookey, who would normally jump off the bed and go with lance to follow him, stayed with me as lance was gone. He came back and turned on the light. He told me there was nothing. Having the light on made me feel more safe, but I still felt a presence. I continued laying there knowing I needed to pray with Lance. I asked him to say a prayer. He blessed us to be protected and watched over, and that whatever I was feeling would go away. I then felt a little better, but I needed more comfort, so I pulled out my scriptures and just sort of let them fall open. It opened to Philippians chapter 1. I read the second verse and automatically I felt a blanket cover my whole body like a hug, and then feelings were gone. The verse says "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." That amazed me that Heavenly Father knew exactly what I needed and is here to comfort me. He shows it in ways like this, but not every time so bluntly. It goes on and talks about being righteous and verse 28 says something about people who reject the gospel bring upon them destruction, but people who receive the gospel gain salvation. I believe that evil spirits are around. I don't know what happened in order for it to venture to my home, but it was definitely NOT welcome. I went visiting teaching a few days ago and this came up and I mentioned something about spirits. And we discussed how grateful we are to have the gospel and the ability to tell the evil spirits to go away with Jesus Christ's name. I haven't needed to do that tonight and lets pray it just went completely away on its own. I know Heavenly Father is watching over me and I am protected by a good spirit, maybe we'll leave the lights on a little while longer"
You all probably think I am crazy...that's okay. I know there was something not good visiting me that night and I am so grateful it is gone!

lazy Sunday

I think that everyone should be able to take a guilt free lazy Sunday. Well I woke up this morning and my ear was pounding and stabbing me. So I figured today was going to be my lazy Sunday to try and get rid of this anoying ear infection I've had for a while. So I've spend the day being just that...lazy. I ate some cereal at about 11 o'clock. sat around watching movies and the big soccer game. At about 11:50 I get a text from my good friend Lisa asking me why I wasn't at church today. I explained to her and asked her why she was texting me from church. She had her reasons why she was leaving church early. I think today is just one of those days (at least for me) that you just need to stop thinking about the stress of work and just relax. I know Saturday should be that day, but I rarely get a Saturday to do that... we are always working on the house or, out driving around looking for a complex to buy, or just busy. So yay for lazy Sundays! I promise I won't get used to this. Plus I couldn't! I love my Young Women and I think I would miss them too much. I know church is where we go on Sunday so we can take the Sacrament and learn more of the gospel to gain a greater testimony. And jsut because I REALLY enjoy these lazy Sundays doesn't mean I don't know the gospel is true because it is! I just needed a break from everything today!

The Art of Racing in the Rain

So, my dad gave me this book while I was in Washington last. I thought, great another money book he wants me to read. This book is nothing like that. Its called the Art of Racing in the Rain. IT is absolutely amazing! I started the first chapter and it made me just immediately addicted to reading it.  Just after the first time reading it I felt a special bond with my dog. I didn't look at her as just a dog. I really believe that she follows us around because she whats to be a part of our lives and she watches us to learn things and sometimes I really do think she understands exactly what we are saying and I think that she wishes she could talk and tell us something we are overlooking or something we didn't see. I don't know about the whole turning into a human when they die, but I do hope that I will be able to see my dogs again when I die. I mean really though, not knowing breaks my heart. Its almost what I would think it would be like to not have the gospel in my life. Not knowing what happens after life. I know that people can be together forever, but we don't give birth to dogs....or cats for that matter...so what happens to them when they die? When I get to Heaven someday and my past dogs aren't there waiting for me to lick my face and let me scratch their belly's and just love them, I know I will be pretty ticked. They HAVE to be there! I wish I knew... Does anyone know? Is there doctrine that says we will see them again?

Anyway this book just made me that much closer to Pookey and even Cassie and all the animals I have had in the past that have passed on. It takes your heart on an emotional roller coaster, at times it is so funny you literally laugh so hard, and at other times you just bawl your eyes out. By the end of this story I was covered in tears, but so happy I was able to read it. I suggest anyone read this book. It really makes you look at dogs in a new light.

Wow time to update

We had a very fun Youth Conference at the beginning of this month and I think the youth had a great time. They decided to plan it around Utah county so they could do more things. We had a kick off at a park up the canyon, they played games, acted out some skits, saw a Hakka, played in the river, and ate yummy cobblers. The next day they went to hike the "Y" in the rain, and then went to a ropes coarse. I wasn't able to go do to work but all the girl met at my house and layed out their things to sleep and then we went to the bishop's house to have an indoor BBQ and watch Forever Strong on the projector in their living room. Then on Sat the kids and their parents came to the church for breakfast and a speaker. The speaker was amazing! He talked about fear and how the Lord is always there to comfort and guide us. Then we watched a slide show of pictures and video taken over the coarse of youth conference. I know they all had a blast. I think the leaders had a pretty good time too. :-)

My brother has 5 months left on his mission!! Its insane how fast its gone! He has a new goal now to have a baptism a week, which is crazy but I guess anything can happen when you have the Lord working in your favor. I love him and can't wait to see him in November!

So I just reached my 3 year mark working at North Eastern Services. Basically I help handicapped adults work, to be independent and earn money. They can be a huge handful most of the time! Especially when having bad days...which are pretty much EVERY Monday and Friday...ya Friday...by then its definately time for the weekend to start. Since I've worked there for 3 years now I have gotten to know all of my clients (about 40ish) very well. And yes of course I have my favorites (which are basically the ones who just love love love everyone and they are so stinken cute even when they are mad). So this guy up there... is Floyd aka Floydy bum, floydy cakes, babes...ya know... He is my ultimate favorite!! I've known him ever since I started working. He sort of reminds me of Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He doesn't talk at all but most always has this cute huge smile on his face. Sometimes he is a goof ball and walks very slowly and monster like into a room with his hands up in the air, saying oooooo bubba!! in this really low but cute voice. Since he is 61 now and being a mongaloid or down sindome (same thing) he is pretty old. He is definately a ladies man and LOVES to milk TINY things such as walking...he will try to get away with having one girl on each arm helping him walk. Really he can do it on his own it just takes him a while. My first st. Patricks day working at NES we all made cute leprachan hats. He wore his all day and really looked like a leprachan. I took a picture of him and now my mom has it in her kitchen. He is the sweetest man I work with! I wish everyone coule have the heart of gold that he has. When he sees me he always goes oooooo!!!! With a huge smile and his arms out to give me a hug. When I look at him I see Heavenly Father's countanance so happy and whilling to love everyone. I see Floyd and he is such a great example of how I want to be.

update

So its been crazy lately!!! I got more hours at work...well for the couple months I didn't have a pay decrease it was way worth it! But now...this last week I got a pay decrease :-( so it makes the extra hours nessesary. Now I am working two more hours just to get my origional pay...grrr I guess I gotta do what I gotta do.

A little more then a week ago my best friend's husband passed away. However tragic this is, I know he is with Heavenly Father watching over his beautiful wife and family. And because of temple covenants that were kept they will be together again someday. He will be missed greatly by tons of people! I got the opportunity to go to his funeral and there were so many people there! You could tell that he blessed a lot of people's lives. The chapel was filled with beautiful flowers, all sent to remember what a great guy he was. My prayers are with my best friend and her family.

This week also...my brother gets to get out of the office!!!! WE are so happy this is occurring! We are excited he gets to get back into the field of talking with people and sharing the gospel while helping his testimony grow even more! He only has 9 months left! I can't believe he comes home Nov 20!! Thats crazy to me how time has flown! I love him so much! This is him on his birthday last year with a family in his branch who made him a cake (he's the one with the tag on the right)