Its incredible to think that March is almost over! I have had such a busy month that I don't know where to even begin. First of all, let's start with the 2nd...my birthday! I had a great time with my friends here who took me out for a night on the town. It hit around midnight though and we crawled our way into our beds are we were physically exhausted. It makes me feel quite old actually! The big present of the year you might ask? The newest addition into my Apple family, an Ipad 2. :) Thank you parents and government for all my tax money!
Moving on to a slightly more depressing event, a celebrated death in my family in Kansas. My last grandparent died, Henry Nisly. I would like to say that it was sad for me to see him go and it was, don't get me wrong, but after years of suffering without his mental capacity, I was happy to finally have him greet my grandma again! I caught a quick flight out of DC and flew home for a week to recooperate with my family. It was a great time and all of my profs were so understanding!
After arriving back on Monday in time to take midterms, I flew right back out on Saturday with Keron for a week in Sarasota, FL for spring break! The last spring break ever...for those of you who have seen Ice Age, I said that outloud like Sid talks about the last melon, just for your information. We proceeded to enjoy the beach, new house, and lots of good seafood. Coming home tan, I had to buckle down and get involved in my school work for about 4 days before I drove back up to DC to pick up Ms. Brittany Welch who flew out to VA to spend her spring break with me! We had such a great time and I love her dearly for spending the time and money to come keep me company for a short time every year!
Other little events that have happened include finishing the extremely long process of registering for the CPA exam! Yes, you read that right, I have now registered for all four parts of the exam, starting taking one part every Thursday on July 15th until August 4th. Then, I start work August 8th! So with that being done and registering for my review course this summer for 6 weeks, its all becoming real. I know that being in grad school should technically make me realize that everything is coming true and happening but it doesn't work that way!
As for upcoming items in my crazy life, I am driving home for two weeks starting May 2nd for the last time in a long time potentially. There will be no more 4 week vacations in December or every other month holiday vacations. That's just depressing, I want to curl up in a ball under my covers and pretend the world is moving on!
As for March Madness basketball, I give up. Not one of my teams in my bracket for the final four are even still in the tournament. There have been so many great games played this year and while I love to win at the bracket challenge, I enjoy seeing an upset much more.
This marks about day 7 that I have been fighting allergies/head cold/sore throat/sinuses. It all started last weekend when my throat started hurting really badly. I woke up Monday and couldn't swallow. Tuesday brought on the sinuses. Wednesday up until currently brought the sneezles, coughing, crying, stuffy voice. I sound just amazinggggg right now. I know this is gross but I told my friends last night that I have been checking the color of my snot and it remains clear. Thus, its all allergies as far as I know, oh goody. To think I went through the first 23 years of my life to only have them all hit me up at once. I have been looking for allergists in this area as this is just rediculous. I have it worst than I've ever see even my mom have it. My professors all look at me with pity and say, oh Ashley, go home, you look miserable. I'm pretty sure its just because I finished a whole box of kleenex in one of my classes. So between my nose looking red and irritated, and my eye watering boughts, I'm living the life, let me tell you! haha. not.
Anyway, I need to blow my nose now, and that leads to my eyes watering, and sniffling...to say the least, I need both hands! :) I love you all who read this and will see all of you soon I imagine!
Ash
25 March 2011
16 February 2011
2nd Semester Craziness
This marks almost a month to the date from when I last wrote a blog post. I have to be the worst blogger in history. To everyone who might actually read this, I'm truely sorry. Things have been full speed ahead for the last couple of days. Last night, I finally reached the end of my absolute crazy days and realized that it was only Tuesday. I'm done with my homework for the rest of the week and had an hour long presentation this morning. One might think, wow, that girl is really doing well keeping ahead of her work load. WRONG. I can't get ahead. As I was telling Joel last night, I'm not behind, I just can't get ahead no matter how much I attempt to.
It wasn't until I got the email this morning from Sondra stating that her and Chad had their new baby (Hello Adam!) that I realized I have been an awful person staying up on my family's lives and keeping you all updated on mine! So here's a few facts:
1. Mom and Dad are loving the new Florida house. Chloe gets sick. Nothing changes there.
2. Josh is too busy with his "cool new school friends" and stuck in freshman year dreamland of college to keep in contact with any of us to let us know that he is alive.
3. Britney is coming to visit me in March, I cannot wait until her visit as I miss my friends from Kansas dearly. Don't worry, that doesn't mean I miss them enough to move home :) Sorry!
4. I'm almost 3/4 done with grad school. How this year has flown. I've made wonderful friends that will stay with me for years and a lot of them are moving to DC with me!
5. I have decided that I'm going to live alone in DC. After careful and thoughtful consideration, I've come to the realization that this is for the best. I love people but after a day of hard work, its nice to have peace and quiet as well.
6. Keron and I bought our plane tickets to go to Florida for spring break! We are so excited to see the new house and have a great time!
7. I filed my taxes as my own dependent for the first time this year as well as doing them myself. Just call me Ms. Accountant :)
8. The Hevener's are all getting ready to depart on their cruise that I'm not going on.
As you can see, things are flying through my head a million miles per minute and I am going a little crazy!!!
Gotta go, have to do more homework and grade these exams!
Love,
Ash
It wasn't until I got the email this morning from Sondra stating that her and Chad had their new baby (Hello Adam!) that I realized I have been an awful person staying up on my family's lives and keeping you all updated on mine! So here's a few facts:
1. Mom and Dad are loving the new Florida house. Chloe gets sick. Nothing changes there.
2. Josh is too busy with his "cool new school friends" and stuck in freshman year dreamland of college to keep in contact with any of us to let us know that he is alive.
3. Britney is coming to visit me in March, I cannot wait until her visit as I miss my friends from Kansas dearly. Don't worry, that doesn't mean I miss them enough to move home :) Sorry!
4. I'm almost 3/4 done with grad school. How this year has flown. I've made wonderful friends that will stay with me for years and a lot of them are moving to DC with me!
5. I have decided that I'm going to live alone in DC. After careful and thoughtful consideration, I've come to the realization that this is for the best. I love people but after a day of hard work, its nice to have peace and quiet as well.
6. Keron and I bought our plane tickets to go to Florida for spring break! We are so excited to see the new house and have a great time!
7. I filed my taxes as my own dependent for the first time this year as well as doing them myself. Just call me Ms. Accountant :)
8. The Hevener's are all getting ready to depart on their cruise that I'm not going on.
As you can see, things are flying through my head a million miles per minute and I am going a little crazy!!!
Gotta go, have to do more homework and grade these exams!
Love,
Ash
21 January 2011
Musings
Its Friday and thus, begins the weekend. Excitment cannot begin to describe my mood. Two weeks has gone by in this semester and I already feel like I have been here forever. Yes, forever is a long time but that's how I feel about it.
I'm at work listening to music from the 90's and it makes me sad to think that this is already considered "classic" music for a lot of people. This was my childhood, gone.
I'm trying to figure out how I can sneak home for the MCC Sale in April. If I have to go one more year with no vernika, I might cry. Therefore, I have started scouting out plane tickets :) If you know of anyone who owns a personal jet that would like to come scoop me up and take me there, I would be forever grateful.
I made old time sugar drop cookies this past weekend and it was a success. The downside to the recipe is that even after cutting it in half, I still had about 3 times the amount of cookies I actually wanted, thus, I brought them to work. Now the professors really love me :)
I have decided not to walk at graduation which is sad considering that I am getting hooded for my Masters. But this way it allows me to spend several more days with my family (probably you in Kansas). And after discussing this with my mother, she informed me that her and my father were not planning on coming to the graduation anyway. So here I would be alone, walking across this podium to get a freaking MASTER'S degree and have no one to share with it. Yes, I hope you all make them feel like awful parents for not recognizing this important diploma. I think they are just getting used to the idea that Josh and I accomplish things, therefore nothing is special anymore. The best of luck to you, Josh, by the time you graduate, they won't even be sitting in your undergraduate audience. After making everyone feel guilty after reading this paragraph (which was the point), I am really okay with my decision.
I'm still viewing options on where to live in DC and looking for roommates on roommate websites. It is a bit shady but I can't afford to be picky at the beginning as rent is rediculously high! I have found a few top options, but we'll see if my budget can afford them.
I need to get back to work I suppose as a busy busy busy weekend is beginning in approximately 3 hours for me. What am I doing? That is a surprise, and you'll have to wait until my next post to read about it. I know, I know, you're sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to know about my activities, but really, they're not that exciting.
I'm at work listening to music from the 90's and it makes me sad to think that this is already considered "classic" music for a lot of people. This was my childhood, gone.
I'm trying to figure out how I can sneak home for the MCC Sale in April. If I have to go one more year with no vernika, I might cry. Therefore, I have started scouting out plane tickets :) If you know of anyone who owns a personal jet that would like to come scoop me up and take me there, I would be forever grateful.
I made old time sugar drop cookies this past weekend and it was a success. The downside to the recipe is that even after cutting it in half, I still had about 3 times the amount of cookies I actually wanted, thus, I brought them to work. Now the professors really love me :)
I have decided not to walk at graduation which is sad considering that I am getting hooded for my Masters. But this way it allows me to spend several more days with my family (probably you in Kansas). And after discussing this with my mother, she informed me that her and my father were not planning on coming to the graduation anyway. So here I would be alone, walking across this podium to get a freaking MASTER'S degree and have no one to share with it. Yes, I hope you all make them feel like awful parents for not recognizing this important diploma. I think they are just getting used to the idea that Josh and I accomplish things, therefore nothing is special anymore. The best of luck to you, Josh, by the time you graduate, they won't even be sitting in your undergraduate audience. After making everyone feel guilty after reading this paragraph (which was the point), I am really okay with my decision.
I'm still viewing options on where to live in DC and looking for roommates on roommate websites. It is a bit shady but I can't afford to be picky at the beginning as rent is rediculously high! I have found a few top options, but we'll see if my budget can afford them.
I need to get back to work I suppose as a busy busy busy weekend is beginning in approximately 3 hours for me. What am I doing? That is a surprise, and you'll have to wait until my next post to read about it. I know, I know, you're sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to know about my activities, but really, they're not that exciting.
13 January 2011
New perspectives...same place
The new year has begun which means several things:
New life changes! Including graduating grad school (hopefully!), moving to Alexandria, turning 23 (don't you all feel so old?)
Meeting new friends? Probably going to happen, I'm just the talkative type. Thanks family for that one.
And if those few things aren't enough, everyday life keeps occurring. Sometimes I wish that I could press a button on a remote and have my life go in slow motion. Its a love hate relationship currently. I love my current life and can't wait to graduate and move on with my life yet the thought of leaving my comfort zone in Harrisonburg and my close friends is on the hating side. Yet, I remain positive on everything happened this year and look forward to what God has planned for me in the upcoming months.
I got to spend the last several weeks in Kansas catching up on my family and friends there. It was a blessing to see Cassi and Dave's girl before she gets too big to remember me. Seeing old classmates and hearing their perspective on life now that we are 5 years out of high school was an enlightening experience as well. Seeing my besties, Brit, Darren, and Josh is always an exciting time as we seem to still think we are 15 years old and do stupid things.
I woke up on the day of my flight back to VA with a swollen throat and my voice sounded odd. Not liking my odds on beating sickness, which I never seem able to do, I crammed my system with sinus and cold meds. Yup, just as I thought, did NOT work. Once again, I sent myself into the doctor's office after not being able to sleep after 5 AM one morning due to pain in my ear. And once again, a double ear infection, swollen lymph nodes, and closed nostrils have plagued me for this entire week. Ohhh Goody.
I only have 3 classes this semester and am a bit at odds with what to do with all of my free time. Part of myself is glad that I have all this extra time to sleep and read, yet time seems to drag by much more slowly now due to this. Last night Keron and I watched a movie and drank two whole cartons of orange juice (it was a race to see who could finish first as we were attempting to pump as many vitamins and good things into my system as fast as possible so i would be healthy for the weekend). As we watched the movie, I painted my nails a sparkly color. The farther we get into the graduate program, the more recessed other parts of our lives seem to become. Between becoming jittery and knocking over cups full of liquids constantly, using sparkly bright colors for everything, and going to bed at 8 AM, we decided at lunch today that we are around 7 years old.
Looking forward, my timeline consists of several important dates:
March 2: MY 23RD BIRTHDAY
March 7-12: SPRING BREAK IN FLORIDA!!
May 8: GRADUATION AGAIN.
July 4 Weekend: DONE WITH REVIEW COURSE
Month of July: SITTING FOR CPA AND MOVING.
August 8: START MY NEW JOB!
Anyway, when I look at everything I have to accomplish in the next several months, I get nervous. But don't worry mom, I can't chew my nails due to the sparkly new paint coating they have.
Til next time,
Ash
New life changes! Including graduating grad school (hopefully!), moving to Alexandria, turning 23 (don't you all feel so old?)
Meeting new friends? Probably going to happen, I'm just the talkative type. Thanks family for that one.
And if those few things aren't enough, everyday life keeps occurring. Sometimes I wish that I could press a button on a remote and have my life go in slow motion. Its a love hate relationship currently. I love my current life and can't wait to graduate and move on with my life yet the thought of leaving my comfort zone in Harrisonburg and my close friends is on the hating side. Yet, I remain positive on everything happened this year and look forward to what God has planned for me in the upcoming months.
I got to spend the last several weeks in Kansas catching up on my family and friends there. It was a blessing to see Cassi and Dave's girl before she gets too big to remember me. Seeing old classmates and hearing their perspective on life now that we are 5 years out of high school was an enlightening experience as well. Seeing my besties, Brit, Darren, and Josh is always an exciting time as we seem to still think we are 15 years old and do stupid things.
I woke up on the day of my flight back to VA with a swollen throat and my voice sounded odd. Not liking my odds on beating sickness, which I never seem able to do, I crammed my system with sinus and cold meds. Yup, just as I thought, did NOT work. Once again, I sent myself into the doctor's office after not being able to sleep after 5 AM one morning due to pain in my ear. And once again, a double ear infection, swollen lymph nodes, and closed nostrils have plagued me for this entire week. Ohhh Goody.
I only have 3 classes this semester and am a bit at odds with what to do with all of my free time. Part of myself is glad that I have all this extra time to sleep and read, yet time seems to drag by much more slowly now due to this. Last night Keron and I watched a movie and drank two whole cartons of orange juice (it was a race to see who could finish first as we were attempting to pump as many vitamins and good things into my system as fast as possible so i would be healthy for the weekend). As we watched the movie, I painted my nails a sparkly color. The farther we get into the graduate program, the more recessed other parts of our lives seem to become. Between becoming jittery and knocking over cups full of liquids constantly, using sparkly bright colors for everything, and going to bed at 8 AM, we decided at lunch today that we are around 7 years old.
Looking forward, my timeline consists of several important dates:
March 2: MY 23RD BIRTHDAY
March 7-12: SPRING BREAK IN FLORIDA!!
May 8: GRADUATION AGAIN.
July 4 Weekend: DONE WITH REVIEW COURSE
Month of July: SITTING FOR CPA AND MOVING.
August 8: START MY NEW JOB!
Anyway, when I look at everything I have to accomplish in the next several months, I get nervous. But don't worry mom, I can't chew my nails due to the sparkly new paint coating they have.
Til next time,
Ash
06 January 2011
09 December 2010
December
The month of December has come upon us which leads into several scary but exciting things. The most important thing is that finals have arrived and I am almost to the end of my first semester as a graduate student...now to only pass those exams. I took my first one yesterday and while I'm pretty sure I failed it, I think I will still be okay on my final grade in the class. After all, all I'm shooting for is "B"s, just can't get any of those pesky little minuses next to that B or I lose my graduate assistantship.
I have my HUGE tax final tomorrow night, therefore I've been studying that stuff as fast as I can consume the information into my head. I haven't cooked, slept, or had social time in over a week. All I do is go to school, learn more in my classes, go to work and enter all the professors grades into Blackboard as they have procrastinated giving my this work until the last week of class, I don't cook because it takes way too much of my time so I usually end up at a restaurant with some friends with our textbooks spread out all around us. Last night that place happened to be IHOP, on Wednesday night, the local IHOP gives all college students 50% off of their meal, thus we went and took up a couple of tables. After listening to ourselves talk for a couple of hours though, we started making fun of us and how rediculously smart we have to sound for anyone overhearing our conversations. We call it our nerd talk. My friend Keron was the first one of all of us to break down which happened last night. Devon's pretty sure its going to happen the minute she walks out of that exam Friday night. I can't afford to break down and lose those precious 20 minutes of studying therefore I keep plugging along.
I'm also old enough that the concept of pulling allnighters to study for these finals or even finish all of these huge projects due for each of my classes is a foreign thing. To those people such as my brother that will pull the classic allnighter as a college student, good luck.
On an upside, its Christmas season! Music is playing all around me and I love it. I have presents under my 9' Christmas tree. My parents thought they would be funny and sent a present home with me from Thanksgiving. You don't know the temptation it has been sitting upstairs. The positive thing is that I'll get to open it next week as I am leaving until January to come home. Kansas home that is. To those of you who are reading this from Kansas, I miss you all and am very excited to come and eat at the Kitchen every Friday morning. I will warn my cousins that I sent some of your children Christmas cards and I might have mentioned Santa. Therefore if we don't believe in Santa or you simply have children that are too smart and know that Santa is really mom and dad, well, sorry to make you have that conversation with your child!
I know you already all know this but my parents did bring me the Toyota Matrix which has replaced the Alero. I shall do a memory post for the Alero at some point for those of my friends reading this who have their own memories! I decided on Trixie as the new name of the car :)
As a side line, back to that Christmas music thing that I was talking about, if you are looking for an amazing Christmas music CD to get you and your family through this holiday season, get the Glee: Christmas CD. I have had it on repeat and I love it. Even if you don't watch the show, their voices are amazing and blend perfectly together.
Well I am going to go as I keep shooting side glances towards my closed tax book sitting next to me and keep feeling guilty.
I miss you all and wish you all happy holiday shopping!!
Ashley
I have my HUGE tax final tomorrow night, therefore I've been studying that stuff as fast as I can consume the information into my head. I haven't cooked, slept, or had social time in over a week. All I do is go to school, learn more in my classes, go to work and enter all the professors grades into Blackboard as they have procrastinated giving my this work until the last week of class, I don't cook because it takes way too much of my time so I usually end up at a restaurant with some friends with our textbooks spread out all around us. Last night that place happened to be IHOP, on Wednesday night, the local IHOP gives all college students 50% off of their meal, thus we went and took up a couple of tables. After listening to ourselves talk for a couple of hours though, we started making fun of us and how rediculously smart we have to sound for anyone overhearing our conversations. We call it our nerd talk. My friend Keron was the first one of all of us to break down which happened last night. Devon's pretty sure its going to happen the minute she walks out of that exam Friday night. I can't afford to break down and lose those precious 20 minutes of studying therefore I keep plugging along.
I'm also old enough that the concept of pulling allnighters to study for these finals or even finish all of these huge projects due for each of my classes is a foreign thing. To those people such as my brother that will pull the classic allnighter as a college student, good luck.
On an upside, its Christmas season! Music is playing all around me and I love it. I have presents under my 9' Christmas tree. My parents thought they would be funny and sent a present home with me from Thanksgiving. You don't know the temptation it has been sitting upstairs. The positive thing is that I'll get to open it next week as I am leaving until January to come home. Kansas home that is. To those of you who are reading this from Kansas, I miss you all and am very excited to come and eat at the Kitchen every Friday morning. I will warn my cousins that I sent some of your children Christmas cards and I might have mentioned Santa. Therefore if we don't believe in Santa or you simply have children that are too smart and know that Santa is really mom and dad, well, sorry to make you have that conversation with your child!
I know you already all know this but my parents did bring me the Toyota Matrix which has replaced the Alero. I shall do a memory post for the Alero at some point for those of my friends reading this who have their own memories! I decided on Trixie as the new name of the car :)
As a side line, back to that Christmas music thing that I was talking about, if you are looking for an amazing Christmas music CD to get you and your family through this holiday season, get the Glee: Christmas CD. I have had it on repeat and I love it. Even if you don't watch the show, their voices are amazing and blend perfectly together.
Well I am going to go as I keep shooting side glances towards my closed tax book sitting next to me and keep feeling guilty.
I miss you all and wish you all happy holiday shopping!!
Ashley
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