Happy Belated Birthday Bailey Joe!

I know I know, I am a terrible Aunt, I did not get Bailey's birthday post up on his birthday.  But I have a very good excuse.  The entire village did not have phone service, so I did not have internet... good reason... right??

So, Happy Birthday to my 4 year old Nephew.  Yes, he may be have 4 legs and be furry, but he is still Amber and Jason's oldest kid.  He is the love of my sister's life, next to Jason.  Well I think Jason comes first.  Even though she had Bailey first.  LOL

Jason realized when he married Amber, Bailey came with the package.  But I think it worked out for the best.  They soon added Sasha to the family and just recently added Pooper and Elvis to the family.

Bailey is a great big brother, and a great cat.  

I am so sorry I dont have actually pictures of Bailey Joe to post... but please visit Amber's blog to see recent pictures of Bailey.

I cant wait to see Bailey and Sasha and meet Pooper and Elvis when I get to Illinois.

Aunt Ashley Hopes you had a great birthday Bailey Joe.  
Lots of love from Ashley Marie

1st ClAsS BaBy!

OH YEAH, I changed my flight home day and time, cancelled my return flight and up graded to 1st class.  How awesome is that?  I am so excited.

 I will now be getting into Chicago around 2:30 on May 30th.  I am so excited.  That is pretty much like a day and half sooner than I was going to get home.  I will be able to make it to Matt and Erin's wedding reception on Saturday evening.  Then I will have all day Sunday to spend with the Groves family.  I am so excited.  

 Moving home was my choice and the reason was to be with my family and friends.  So getting to see and spend time with my family and friends the weekend I get home is just AWESOME!

 I am enjoying my last month here in Alaska.  Kerri and I have been walking and enjoying the nice weather (20+ degrees)!  I will get to spend one more evening in Fairbanks before I leave and finishing out an awesome school year.  I couldn't ask for anything more :)  I am truly HaPpY!

Have a GREAT day...

Lots of Love from Alaska   :)

A TEENAGER!!!

Well, today one of the two loves of my life turns 13 years old.  I never really knew love and caring until I had a niece and nephew. 

My niece Kierstyn becomes a teenager today.  It seems like just yesterday she was entering school, learning to ride her bike and playing with little toys.

But now she is a teenager, she has adult conversations, she emails, takes care of her little cousins and she goes places with friends and without her parents.  It is so great she is growing up to become a wonderful young lady.  But at the same time, it makes me realize how time flies.  

I have missed so much with Kierstyn over the past 8 ½ months I have been in Alaska, but when I am home it is great to spend time with her.  I will never forget the way I felt when I seen her at Christmas, when I had been away for over 4 months.  

I do need to thank her for taking care of my 4wheeler while I have been away…  I know it was a hard job to have an extra 4wheeler around, but she did a great job riding it for me!  :)  She is so lucky to have a wonderful Grandpa who left the 4wheeler with her.  :)  (Not sure if lucky is the right word there or spoiled.. but whatever works.)

 I realize how much she has made me grow up.  I make smarter choices when I have her and Aaron around.  I care about her so much, that I don’t want anything bad to happen to her.  I want to protect her in everyway I can. I know I sound like her parent, but it is just how I feel.  She has great parents, and they are going to have a wonderful teenage daughter. 

It will be so great to be home while Kierstyn is in 8^th grade and throughout high school.  I hope I will not miss any more important events!  I will be there if she makes cheerleader to be at her games, I will be there for graduation from 8^th grade, I will be there for boy drama, and girlfriend fights… I will be there to help her in anyway I can.  I will also be there to see her change, and make up for the past I have missed out on.

This is a photo I took of the first card and picture Kierstyn sent me after I moved away.  I know how much she has missed me while I have been gone, and I have missed her and Aaron more than I can ever express. 
A wonderful photo of the Turner kids.  They are so cute, and so grown up.  They are best friends when they want to be, but they are brother and sister and have fights like they should!  They remind me so much of me and Amber when we were younger.  :)
Kierstyn and the gang last summer at SPA day!  We had a wonderful time, and I am so glad Kierstyn was there to have fun with us.  Can't wait to do it again this JUNE.
Kierstyn getting her first Pedi.  I think she like it, or I hope she did anyway!   That day she was just one of the girls, it was so great.  That really shows how grown up she is.  :)

This is a photo I cherish the most, as with all of the photos from Amber and Jason's wedding.  Kierstyn looked so grown up on September 9, 2006.  She made a great Junior Brides Maid.  I think she had a great time too.  We had GREAT times that day.  She is so beautiful.

Kierstyn is also in her Uncle Ben's wedding this June!  She will look so grown up and beautiful.  I can not wait to see her in her dress.

Kierstyn I hope you have a great Birthday.  I will see you in JUNE, we will do whatever you want to do!  Then in July we will go to Holiday World.

Thank you Kierstyn for being the Angel in my life.  I love you with all my heart!

Love your Aunt Ashley

ME ME ME...

What's new with me?

~ Well first and most important, I will be in Illinois in less than 45 DAYS! I am Super Excited  :)

~ I have been having bad headaches for awhile now. Not really migraines, just bad headaches, I cant wait until they stop. 

~ I am working on my resume and references. - Never have liked working on resumes and I don't like to ask people if they will be a reference for me.

~ I am job searching in Charleston/Mattoon/Newton/Olney area for 2009-2010 school year.  If I don't find a full time job I think substituting will be pretty cool.  

~ I gave also thought about babysitting 2nd and 3rd shift, I know parents are always looking for babysitters during odd hours of the day.

~ We only have around 30 days of school left. I can not believe the school year is almost over.

~ Kierstyn will be 13 years old tomorrow.  That is just crazy to me. I can not believe she is that grown up.

~ Speaking of Kierstyn, I miss her and Aaron so much!  I can not believe I have went so long without seeing them.  I have a feeling when I am living in Newton they will be at my house all the time...  Which is perfectly fine with me  :)

~ Well, it is after midnight here, so I better get off here and head to bed.

Can't wait to see everyone when I get home.

Have a great weekend in Illinois and enjoy the nice weather.

lots of love from Ashley Marie  :)

Change in Plans!!!

Hey everyone,

Just wanted you to hear it from me, and not the cool kids on the playground...

I am moving back to ILLINOIS for good.  I will not be returning to Alaska next school year!  I have decided I want to put family and friends first.  I am also making this decision without having a full time job in IL, but I am job searching.  

So watch out, I am coming back to STAY!!!

I have enjoyed my almost year in Alaska... but I feel it is right for me to return home.

Lots of love from Ashley Marie

My life in short...

I thought I would give the run down of my life... Just so everyone in blog world can keep up with me.

- I am so excited to be coming back to Illinois for the summer.  53 DAYS and I will be in Illinois.

- My niece is going to be turing 13 on the 18th of April. I am really having a hard time with the fact I will have a niece who is a teenager...  It is really hitting me.  The fact she emails me and is so grown up also really gets to me.  I love you with all my heart Kierstyn.  :)

- I am so excited to be living in Newton this summer.  I dont know why, but for once everything is going great for me!  Thanks to my family and friends!  I will have a place to live, a job, a car, and be with my family and friends!

- I am missing another wedding in IL this weekend... by the end of the school year that will make at least 4.

- I am also going to miss a couple people having babies...  But that is ok, I will see the babies when I get home!  I will be home with Mandy Sharp has her baby, even if he is nameless!!  LOL

- I miss the animals in my life almost as much as I miss my family and friends.  I can not wait to see my dog King.. ok, ok well he is my mom's dog, but I claim him!  I just hope it works out to bring him up to Alaska next year.  He will LOVE it!

- I am so excited to be coming back to Illinois for the summer.  53 DAYS and I will be in Illinois.

- I am still procrastinating on planning for my summer Personal Achievement class I am teaching.  I really need to get motivated for that.

-  I only have one more major assignment for my ECE college class, then I am done with college classes for awhile.

- I am getting my bills paid and it feels GREAT!

- I am so excited we are getting a fresh fruit, meat and vegetable order from Fred Meyer on the plane Saturday.  We had the order and hoped to get it last Saturday, but the store was to busy to get the order to us.  So it will be here Saturday.  YEY, apples, oranges, carrots, bananas, peppers, chicken, and hamburger... super excited!  

- The weather has been above ZERO for several days in a row now!  It is great.  OK, so the windchill has still been in the negatives, but it is nice to say the weather is above zero.  There has been a lot of sun too.

- Along with seeing my family and friends I am looking forward to camping, 4-wheeler riding, swimming, baseball games, and going shopping in stores instead of on line.

- There is a job opening at the store here in town... Debating on applying.. for the next 50 days... $16 an hour.. that would really add up!  But its just a thought.  Probably wont happen.

- I am so excited to be coming back to Illinois for the summer.  53 DAYS and I will be in Illinois.

- Kitta, Kerri's puppy is getting really big.  She is so smart too.  She already knows how to sit and lay down. 

- My hair is getting longer, and I really like it.

- We still have several feet of snow on the ground. It is amazing!

- The pool is back open, so I will be swimming and life guarding again soon.  Excited!  :)

- I have had a headache for about 3 days now.  Not sure why.  Hope it goes away soon!! 

- I am super addicted to Facebook. I have had it for like 6 years now, but I am just  now really addicted...  

- I am so excited to be coming back to Illinois for the summer.  53 DAYS and I will be in Illinois.

Thats about all I can think of now.  Hope all is going well in IL.  

Lots of Love from Alaska  :)

ITS OFFICIAL!!!

I booked my flight tickets home!  I am so excited.  I will actually be in Chicago the evening of the 31 of MAY!!!

I can not wait!  I will get more info to everyone as soon as I know it.  But look for me to be in your neighborhood around the beginning of JUNE!!!!

SO EXCITED!!

lots of love from Alaska!! :)

Happy Birthday Mom

I wanted to take this chance to wish my mom the best birthday she could ever want.  She does so much for our family and sometimes I know it goes unnoticed... 

So I want to say mom you are the best and I thank you for all you do for me.  I really dont think I would be in Alaska and living my dream if it was not for you!  You give me the support I need and you know when I need an encouraging word here and there.  So thank you for that.  I know it is hard to be apart, but it it totally worth it, and it will make the time I am home even better.

I can not wait to see you in like 62 DAYS!!!

I miss you so much, and love you so much.

Have a great day, wish I was there to celebrate with you.  But we will make up for it in JUNE.

Love you best daughter... haha just had to add that  :)