swap-a-roo

it's that time again y'all.
april is almost here (wowzah) 
this month has FLOWN by!


i am accepting sponsors for the month of april.
if you're interested, please email me: ashley.warner88@gmail.com




happy friday my loves.

fotos para mi

it's been quite the week my dears.

tuesday - elder vaughn j. featherstone from my church (mormon.org) came to speak to my WARD

it was all about the Mormon temples and the work done within.

AMAZING!

afterwards, the gals and i went to dinner together.

i love these girls.  we always have the best times.

wednesday - had a lunch date with my latina kardashian sisters.

ran for 45 minutes (burned lots of calories)

got my nails did.

got asked on a date by a cutie.

life is good.

holla.

my weekend...

Sunday walk.
baby shower.
running. running. running.
making yummy food.
sleeping.

I love weekends.

i will say right now, i have the coolest boss in the world.

probably ever in the history of bosses.

the other day, it was quite the stressful day getting items ready for a client.

my boss quietly went into his office and shut the door.

i went to the warehouse to ship some products off to some customers.

when i came back made me grin from ear to ear.

i felt like i was at a rock concert.

and not just any rock concert.

a DEF LEPPARD rock concert.

my boss was blaring music.

it was so loud that i turned off my music and just jammed out to his for the rest

of the afternoon.

it was bliss.

zeppelin.

jimi.

the doors.

van halen.

metallica.

zz top.

i was in heaven.

now, i'm on a classic rock kick.

no joke.

i pumped out 3 miles at the gym last night listening to metallica.

goodness gracious, i feel like a rock star.

is your boss as cool as mine?

ps. check out my fave metallica song here

my birthday

today is my birthday (march 20th) and I just wanted to share a few sneak peeks of how awesome my day has been!

my best friends took me out over the weekend for pedicures, dinner, shopping, ice cream, and a sleepover! Then my co-workers showed some awesome love today!

Happy Birthday to me!

inspiration monday.

The Room

By Brian Keith Moore 

"In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room.

There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with

small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list

titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which

stretched from floor to ceiling and right to left as far as the eye could

see, had very different headings.

As I walked up to the wall of files,the first to catch my attention was one

that read, "People I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the

cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names

written on each one. And then, without being told, I knew exactly where I

was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my

entire life. The actions of my every moment, big and small, were written in

a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, mixed

with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and

exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories, others a sense

of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if

anyone was watching.

A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed". The

titles ranged from common, everyday things to the not-so-common-"Books I

Have Read", "Lies I Have Told", "Comfort I Have Given", "Jokes I Have

Laughed At". Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I Have

Yelled At My Brothers and Sisters." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I

Have Done in Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents".

I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more

cards than I expected. Sometimes less than I had hoped.

The sheer volume of the life I had lived overwhelmed me. Could it be

possible that I had time in my 17 years to write each of these thousands or

millions of cards? But each card confirmed the truth. Each card was written

in my own handwriting. Each card was signed with my signature. When I pulled

out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To", I realized the files grew to

contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or

three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so

much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew

that file represented. When I came to the file marked "Lustful Thoughts" 

I felt a chill run through my body. 

I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card.

I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think such a moment had

 been recorded.

A feeling of humiliation and anger ran through my body. One thought

dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see

this room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy, I yanked the file

out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But

as I took the file at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could

not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only

to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly

helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the

wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.

That was when I saw it. The file bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel

With". The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I

pulled on its handle and a small box not more than 3 inches long fell into

my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand. And then the

tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt started in my

stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of

shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves

swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I

must lock it up and hide the key.

Then as I looked up through my tears, I saw Him enter the room. No, please

not Him. Not here. Anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to

open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response.

The few times I looked at His face I saw such sadness that it tore at my

heart. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did he have to

read every one?

Finally, He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me

with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped

my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked

over and put his arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He

didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of

the room, He took out a file, and, one by one began to sign His name over

mine on each card. "No!" I shouted, rushing to Him. All I could find to say

was "No, no", as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these

cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name

of Jesus covered mine. It was written in blood.

He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the

cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the

next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my

side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood

up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on the door. There were

still cards to be written."

sunshine kinda day

i just love the color yellow.

it cheers me up.

makes me feel oh, so happy.

oh, and i love the quote above. my dad shared that with me.

i love my pops.

it's going to be a GREAT day y'all.

Happy Wednesday.

what is YOUR color of choice that makes you happiest?!

lemon trees and bumble bees

Hi!  My name is

Lauren and I blog over at Lemon Trees and Bumble Bees. I’m super excited to be

posting here today because clearly I absolutely love Ashley’s blog and it means I’m lucky enough to be

talking to all of her lovely readers today too!  I hope you will all come by my blog later on

and say hello :)

I started blogging at the beginning of this year and have

absolutely fallen head over heels for the blogging world.  I talk about a whole whack of things over

there but the subjects you’ll always be able to find me blabbing on about are

my husband D (he’s pretty darn cute), my awesome orange cat Mikko, and our

newlywed life (we got married 6 months ago!).

I’m loving being a wife and I think my husband is pretty cool.  Our wedding was the best day of my life and I

pretty much take any chance I can to talk about it. If you want to see what I

mean, head over here.  I have a whole

wedding A-Z recap thing going on. I’m a tad obsessed. I’m also in nursing

school so that tends to come up time and again. 

One thing you should know about me is that I’m Canadian,

which apparently in the blogging world is a little rare.  Any Canucks out there???  Hit me back you hosers! ;) Being Canadian

(eh!) I do love some typical Canadian things.  D and I definitely watch our fair share of

hockey. Go Habs!  Poutine may be one of

the greatest inventions ever. Fries, cheese AND gravy? Yes please! Beer is

awesome. I say eh. I say pop not soda. I love our four seasons. And I do go to

Tim Horton’s more than what’s necessary. Timbits anyone?  Typical “Canadian” things I don’t do…I’m not a

lumberjack, nor do I know one.  There are

no igloos around. I don’t eat moose meat. I don’t own a snow mobile, although

that could be fun!  And contrary to

popular belief, we do have a summer

and it gets hot and sunny and it’s awesome!  And I don’t know about you lovely ladies (and

gents!) but I am definitely ready for some summer.  The Great White North is pretty awesome if you

ask me and since there aren’t many of us out there, if you have any questions

about Canadians or Canada in general, send away!

Well that’s all I have to say today lovelies. Whew, that was a little long!  If you’ve

stuck with me through to the end, I think we’re definitely meant to be friends.  A huge thanks to Ashley for letting me share

some info about me and my Canadian ways. Hope to see some of you soon! I always

love new friends :)

 Xo Lauren

weekend wars

so i am sorry i complained last friday.

i guess i did just what y'all told me to go and do.

i took some ME time this weekend.

the gal pals and i went on a weekend getaway

 to a pretty little place called PARK CITY

we stayed in a really sweet hotel with a sauna.

we got to sleep in.

there might have been lots of yummy treats.

a visit to old main street.

we even spotted Jeff Foxworthy walking down the street.

(random, i know...only the country folk will know who he is...)

(sorry, that's not meant to be offensive my dears, i'm country)

we ate really yummy food.

we stayed up really late.

we shopped a little TOO much.

we all bought a lot of clothes.

i spent too much money.

we laughed.

sang lots of 'sucio' music.

drank lots of cherry coke (or DC if that's your flava)

it was such a fun weekend.

i had a blast.

thanks a&a for the best weekend ever.

how was your weekend? what were you up to?

oh the places you'll go...

today i just feel...blah.
i feel like life has consumed me and swallowed me whole.
i have no time for the things i love anymore.
i have no time for me.

what i should be saying is "hi, i'm ashley and i'm a pushover"
all i've been doing lately is working.
(hello 7am to 7pm)
all i want to do is sleep.
i don't eat healthy anymore.
i don't have healthy sleep habits (i can't sleep due to stress)

i don't know what is wrong with me.
how can i get out of this rut?

oh wait, i know....
take time for myself and stop being a pushover.
DUH.

hello, ashley. ya dummy.