Warning!!! Do not read if you are scared of blood!!!!

Yesterday I finished one of my New Years Goals...I gave blood for the first time EVER!!!!

I have to admit...I was a little scared, OK  a lot scared! I had been told that ARUP was the best place to have it done. They did a great job and I might even think about doing it again...someday.

This tree is amazing. Every leaf has a name on it, they each have given blood at least 30 times, wow!

Here is the step by step process : This is the cool chair they have you sit in.

This is the cool black squishy thing they have you squeeze to help your veins stick out.

This is the cool "alternative" tape they had to use to secure the needle...I was allergic to the original tape.

And...the blood is flowing. I look a little freaked out here, but really...I was fine :)

She had me touch the line that my blood was flowing through...it was so warm. It was a little creepy.

Look...all done...and I lived :)

She even made my bandage look pretty...cause we all know its truly about looking pretty, haha.

And then I got a parting gift for donating...a free pint of ice cream and a free movie ticket...awesome!

I really did learn a lot about the blood giving process and how valued it is. I wish I was a little braver so that I felt like I could do it more often.  But lets be honest...I was terrified. It's over, and now I can mark something off of my New Years goal list, yippee :)

Summer Adventure Chapter #2...7th adventure.

Scofield...mind you I thought it was SKULLFIELD...until I saw the sign for the turn off. I turned to Shawn and said "why didn't you tell me I was saying it wrong?" His reply "I couldn't tell you were saying it wrong, chalk it up to an Idaho accent."

Our friends have a house up in Scofield and they invited us to come and hang out for a few days.  We played games, went boating and fishing, and ate way too much! It was perfect!

This is us playing the game "The Village" way fun if you have a lot of people.

This is how the kids slept...doesn't look very comfy to me.

Austin had a rough time...he didn't pack any shirts, no pajamas, no socks, no toothbrush...crazy kid. So we tried to tell him he was going to have to brush his teeth with this branch. He thought it was kind of funny :)

Then the poor kids fishing pole broke. We told him it was because he just caught way too many fish.

Hollie and I hanging out at the local gas station...just goofing around. Little known fact: they sale batteries individually...really?

They also have this really old jail in the middle of town, the doors just happen to be open. So we decided we needed to take some pics.

Let the boat riding and fishing begin...

Looking for more running music...

At the end of August I will be running in my first 1/2 marathon. While preparing for this grand task I have been doing a lot of training, and therefore listening to a TON of music :) But now I am trying to compile a playlist just for the race. Here is a list of the songs I have so far...I need about 8 more. So if you have any ideas feel free to tell me :)

(most of them are fast, upbeat songs, with a few slow ones in the middle)

Titanium-David Guetta

We run the night-Havana Brown

The fighter-Gym class heroes

Blow-Kesha

Me against the world-Simple plan

Where have you been-Rihanna

Wild ones-Flo Rida

Because we can-Moulin Rouge soundtrack

Let it rock-Kevin Rudolf

Heart is a stero-Gym class heroes

Firework-Katy Perry

Blue-Eiffel

Lifeboat-J.Wride

Yeah 3x-Chris Brown

Hindi sad Diamonds-Moulin Rouge soundtrack

Never say Never-The Fray

One-Simple plan

Sing to me-Yellowcard

Payphone-Maroon 5

It's time-Imagine Dragons

Pump it-Black eyed peas

Good feelin-Flo Rida

Stronger-Kanye West

The grass is greener here-J.Wride

Demons-Imagine Dragons

You make me feel-Cobra Starship

Til the world ends-Britney Spears

On the Floor-Jennifer Lopez

Somebody told me-The killers

Your Guardian Angel-The Red Jumpsuit Apperatus

Give me everything-Pitbull

Dark Side-Kelly Clarkson

Teenage hearts-Allstar weekend

Delerium-Silence

Everybody talks-Neon Trees

Smooth Criminal-Alien Ant Farm

Runaway baby-Bruno Mars

Headlights-The calssic crime

An adventure for just the two of us....

Shawn has been on a roll this year...he first arranged for me to spend the whole weekend with my favorite ladies, back in May. Now this last weekend he surprised me with a night away. He had my mom come and watch the kids and we rode off...me not knowing where we were headed. I truly thought maybe it was Park City. He has a friend who just got a new job up there, working for Marriott, a couple of months ago and I figured we were going to stay there. But then we started heading west...hmmm...where were we going?

We saw this on the way...

And ended up in Wendover...to gamble? I don't think so!! I'd rather throw my pennies in a wishing well, with hopes of a wish being granted rather then in a machine that spins and does nothing else. 

Shawn got us tickets to see...

One of my favorite groups from back in the day. I was beyond excited!!!

They did a great job performing, voices were strong, and even still had some great dance moves, haha.

The Peppermill concert hall is a fun place...not a bad seat in the house. The only thing that was a little disappointing was: I guess I am spoiled with our local bands. They always come out after the show, sign CDs, take pictures, and talk to you. If you wanted a picture with these guys you had to buy a V.I.P pass that was $30 on top of your ticket that you already bought...um, no thanks.

So here is to my sweet husband...that knows I love music and a good surprise. Yep he spoils me :)

Summer adventures Chapter #2...6th adventure

The Ashby Family Reunion...

This was the only fatality...the beach ball got too close to the Dutch ovens...oops :)

We had a huge Dutch oven dinner at our house to start the reunion off. Every body brought food and we sat around and ate...and talked...and ate...and played some games...and ate some more.

 Then we had family pictures. We had a big group picture taken...but some how I don't have a copy of that, only the individual families...oh well. (p.s. 3 of the 7 Ashby children aren't in these pictures...this is about half of us)

The tradition is to have one normal/nice picture taken...then a funny one. This is Rich, the oldest, with his wife Marj, their kids are all grown up and moved out.

Cindy, the oldest daughter, and her family.

Jenny and her family...they didn't want a silly picture...so they all ran away.

And now OUR family...we were all born to do the "silly" pictures :) We might actually be a little too good at them, haha.

And the two people that created this whole bunch.

The next day we went to Lagoon amusement park. 

The two youngest were actually tall enough to ride the big rides...well the big rides that they weren't too scared to go on anyways :)

A family picture after riding "Rattle Snake Rapids." We look good all soaking wet.

And one last family shot before we headed home. And yes...Austin does have on black church socks, and his cub scout fanny pack...awesome!

Summer Adventures Chapter #2...5th adventure

Camping at Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Gammy and Grandpa Mike have a rather large piece of land. They have taken the back part of it, by the creek, and turned it into a small camping spot. It is so much fun for all of us...we get to see the Grandparents, see the cows, the chickens, and ride the four wheeler. This is a picture from our camping site, looking up at their house. It is beautiful!

This is us...trying to be campers.

This is Austin with his cookie s'more...take a marshmallow and melt it, then put it between two chocolate chip cookies...yum!

The next day we went canoeing up at Causey reservoir.  

You know my kids...they love to pose for the camera.

We ate lunch there and then went back to Gammy's house and got all cleaned up and went to dinner down in Ogden. After dinner we went to a play of "Fiddler on the Roof". It was a small theater, but so much fun. The kids LOVED it, so did the parents, haha. I had never seen it before. I knew some of the songs, but had never actually seen the whole thing. I didn't know it was so sad...it was wonderfully good...a must see!

Then we had to drive home. 

What a fun few days. Love spending time with our family.