*ICE*

Today I woke up to a sheet of ice covering my driveway, sidewalk, and the snow that's in my yard. My poor Jax has to walk on it when he goes outside to potty! We are getting hit with ice then snow! YIPPIE! Not! I was just thanking God about how wonderful this winter has been b/c I haven't had any ice (last winter was horrible) & now I am getting ice! UGH!!! Thankfully Witt closed today so I have been home staying safe & warm (minus the time I spend outside chipping away at the ice!)

My sidewalk covered w/ a chunk of ice

My driveway covered in ice! To bad I don't have ice skates...lol!

My driveway after about an hour of shoveling my driveway...thank goodness for ice melt! You can see my neighbor's driveway is still covered w/ ice!

Finder Binder

Ok, so today was my 1st day student teaching! Which by the way was totally AWESOME! I absolutely LOVE 2nd grade. This is my first time having experience with this grade level. Having only 1 day under my belt I can tell that this is one of the grade levels that I would enjoy teaching. So on my way home I'm waiting in the turn lane to turn left and a semi is making a wide turn towards me. He is taking his time, which is fine w/ me, but holding up traffic on the opposite side of him. So when my red light turns to a green arrow I can't go b/c I've got a lady sitting in the middle of the intersection waiting for the semi to get outta her way so she can turn then I can go. You following or did I lose ya? Well after the semi made his turn the lovely MAN behind me hits his gas pedal while I'm still on my brake! UGHHHHHHH!!! Are you serious?! I guess he didn't see the lady in the middle of the intersection?! So we pull into a parking lot and of course I call my dad. Why? Honestly b/c I've never been in an accident (behind the wheel or as a passenger). Well actually there was 1 time back in the day when my X & I were visiting home and we got hit at a gas station. Long story short we didn't call the cops and when he tried to file the lady's insurance to fix our damage guess what?! It was no good! LOL Lesson learned=call cops...PERIOD! So I decided after calling my dad to go ahead and call the cops. Just in case, ya know!? I hang up w/ them and step out of my car to tell the male driver that a police officer is on his way. So what does he do? Yup, you're right! He LEAVES!!!! Are you serious?!! (that's what I was saying in my head!) Didn't have time to get his license plate # just make & model. It didn't really matter anyways b/c I was fine & so was my car. She's got a scratch but nothing good ole' Scotty too Hotty can't fix! (You like that one sweetie? :p ) But now I gotta wait for the police officer to show up. 20 minutes later he shows up & I tell him what happend. I didn't file anything since there was no serious damage. Just filled out some paper so he can put it in the system about the man leaving in case he tries anything else!

So that's my excitement for the day! Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday. Saturday I am taking the PLT Praxis. I passed the Praxis II in November...woot woot! 1 down 2 more to go! Wish me Luck :) Have a fabulous weekend!

*Hugs*
Ash

Backflash to 2005...Visiting South Korea

As soon as you walked off base, alleys of shops surround you in every direction. You name it, you can find it in S. Korea and it's dirt cheap!!! I miss shopping there. The Koreans knew when the military got paid so around the pay dates they wouldn't budge on their prices but other times you could always talk them down...I hated doing that!

Bridge of No Return...this is where prisoners were exchanged between North & South Korea.

Another monument

A Monument

Me with 2 RoK soldiers

Propaganda Tower & Village (on N. Korea soil)

N. Korean building. You can see a N. Korean soldier on the front porch. He's standing to the right of the American soldier's hat.

They changed to the smaller flags with the case covering them b/c a North Korean (think it was a soldier) shined his boots with the U.S. flag

38th Parallel (S. Korea on the right, N. Korea on the left)

A RoK soldier standing in front of a door that leads to North Korea.

A U.S. soldier & RoK (Republic of Korea) soldier. This table is where all the Presidents sit when they meet at the DMZ.

If I remember correctly, the S. Koreans wanted to have this train go from S. Korea to N. Korea . Who knows if this will ever happen though!

DMZ

At the DMZ, just got done hiking tunnel 3. Let me tell you that was a hike! Down in the tunnel I saw the walls covered in bullet holes from the war.

Papa Johns in Seoul. Never ate there so not sure if it was any good!

Bus station near Osan AB

"MaMa", the owner of The Apple. A very sweet Korean lady!

At Hard Rock Cafe in Seoul

My friend, Jume & me at The Apple

Said to be the best view of Seoul but unfortunately it was a cloudy day :(

At Lotte World, an amusement park in Seoul.

Namsan Seoul Tower

Eating bulgogi at a Korean restaurant near the main gate at Osan AB

Hope you enjoyed exploring South Korea! If you ever get a chance to go there, go! It's a beautiful country & the people are friendly. It's so cute when you see young Koreans excited to see an American because they practice there English with you. Seoul is like lil' America. They have American restaurants and amusement parks. Some places to check out while at Osan AB; Happy Teriyaki ( a delicious restaurant), I can't remember what it's called but it's an ice cream shop on the main alley on the left side, 2nd floor. Yummy ice cream desserts where they put fruit, ice cream, & frosted flakes in a dish. Sounds a lil' unique but let me tell you...it's WONDERFUL! A must try when stationed/visiting Osan AB! And of course, shop, shop, shop till you drop! If I think of anything else, I'll update this blog!

*hugs*
Ash

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

My 2010 Christmas tree! I didn't notice that she was titled at the top when I bought her but that's ok it gives her character, right?! :p

My Bible Study Girls & Their Hubbies

Christmas 2007

Okinawa, Japan

I can't believe it's that time of year again! These past few Christmas' have been a rollercoaster for me. From going through a divorce to my Grandpa's death last year right before the Holidays. This Christmas I have been able to enjoy time spent with family & baking Christmas cookies! I am so excited b/c this Christmas I will be spending it with my future hubby and step-daughter. Growing up I LOVED Christmas. I remember as a child having to sit at the top of the stairs with my brother Ryan waiting for the approval to come down to see what Santa brought us b/c of course we were on the "nice list." We'd race down the stairs and gasp in excitement as we saw all the toys under the tree! Then I'd go to my dad's and do Christmas with him and the rest of my OH family. Santa was always good to me!!! I could always count on snow being on the ground & freezing my lil' toosh! When I turned 18, I left my mother's house and married my high school sweetheart. He was in the military so we traveled around the world doing Christmas wherever he was stationed. Sometimes we were able to make it home to TX and other times we celebrated the special day with our military family (friends). I enjoyed having everyone over! I got to cook with my best friends (of course we'd kick the guys outta the kitchen) and spend the day fellowshiping with everyone. I'll never forget Christmas 2007. It was a rough time of year for me but thanks to God and my close friends in Okinawa I was able to celebrate Christmas. My Bible study girls & I decided that each of us will host something at each of our houses (there's a term for this but my mind drew a blank right now). I was hosting the desserts. I love to bake!!! That day I woke up in the same house as my husband yet we were getting a divorce so it was awkward for me. Somehow through all the drama that morning brought I was able to get dressed and put a smile on my face to spend the day with my dear girls and their hubbies! Honestly, I was dreading it! I almost called one of the girls to say I am staying home. Who wants to celebrate Christmas when your marriage is falling apart and you will be surrounded by your girlfriends and their hubbies? But I didn't & I am so thankful that I went! That day I didn't think twice about the crap I was going through but soaked in all the fun I was having with my friends. They probably don't know it but they helped me in so many ways and I am very thankful for each of them. They hold a special place in my heart!

I didn't post this so that people could gossip about my life. I shared this because for some reason it has been heavy on my heart so maybe there is someone out there that needed to read about someone else's life and see that they aren't alone. Everyone goes through difficult times! Lean on God and he will pull you through!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29: 11

*My Babies*

I have two "babies" aka animals. I adopted Jax in the summer of 2000 when I lived in Panama City, FL and Angel was adopted in the spring of 2001. They have traveld the world with me from FL, to TX, to Okinawa (Japan), and OH.

Happy Halloween! Of course as soon as the picture was taken he flipped his hat around and started chewing on it as if it was a toy!

Angel snoopin' in the kitchen. She's always checkin' things out!

The 3 of us...Jax, Angel, & I :) They were snuggling together on the chase so of course I had to get in there & snap a pic!


Angel checkin' things out in the pantry.

Angel on her way to the Vet.

Jax on the front porch...Angel in (the left) window looking out!

Jax curled up in bed...he was sleeping under the covers. I took them off of him to take a pic :p

In Memory of Hank (Henry) W. Roberts

My Grandpa & Grandma (March 2005) They were married over 50 years!!!

Grandpa & Martha's "Engagement" Pic

My Grandpa & I at Snyder Park (he got me into golfing :) )

Grandpa's 80th Birthday at the Shriner's Club

My 26th Birthday





My Grandpa in his USMC uniform



Last November 20th my Grandpa passed away. He was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 3 parts of his body: liver, lungs, and bones. I remember crying in the shower a few days before he passed away because I knew his death was coming near. He was the best Grandpa a little girl could have! He always called to check up on me to see how my classes were going, we'd get together and do dinner, or go golfing. That was a hoot...me on the golf course, that is! Tears were just falling as I stood in the shower because soon I would face the fact that I wouldn't get those phone calls anymore. No Grandpa on the other end of the line saying, "Hello Ash! How's classes going? When can you come over and do dinner?" I can still hear his voice and I will treasure that forever. It's amazing how God works. When I got out of the shower that day I was crying, my phone rang. It was my Grandpa calling me for the last time. He was wondering when I was coming over. Four days later my Grandpa passed away. I believe God gave me that one last phone call because he knew how much I treasured his calls and how bad I needed to have one last phone call. I thank God for that as I will always carry that last call in my heart. I miss him terribly but I am holding on to the good memories: me working at the Dairy Queen he used to own when I was a child. He'd pay me in ice cream and Mr. Misty's :p What 5 year old girl wouldn't like that!?! Plus I got to work the drive thru which was so much fun. I even had my own lil' stool. I will treasure the memory of staying up late and watching "Johnny Carson" with him when everyone else would go to bed, or the delicious ice cream cakes he'd make for me, and all the hugs, kisses, and love he'd given me! As I walk across the stage this May graduating from Wittenberg, I will pause for a moment and think of my Grandpa who graduated from Witt in '54. I love n miss you Grandpa!

*hugs*
Ash

Trip to Michigan

I spent a few days up North in Charlevoix, Petoskey, and Harbor Springs, MI. My mom and step-dad bought a place in Charlevoix that is across from Lake Charlevoix. Every morning I woke up to a beautiful view of the lake. Of course I brought Jax with me so we went on daily walks several times a day. He almost took a swim when I was trying to get his picture on the pier. spent time with my MI family that I hadn't seen in years. Overall, I had a wonderful time and enjoyed reminiscing my childhood with my MI family. Will definitely be heading up there this summer before I move down South.