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B E E P.

Ashley is on vacation for one glorious week in her favorite place EVER, 

Traverse City, Michigan. They love it so much, they even got married there.

Until next week lovelies!  

-ashley

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Air Force Academy Tour!

Food and airplanes and riding on statues..oh my!

I know what you are thinking...

"that doesn't make any sense Ashley."

and it wouldn't 

unless you are me.

...and get to eat yummy food, take a tour of the air force academy with a friend who attends and watch my husband break city laws and climb onto beloved statues of some famous cowboys.

We were really lucky because regular folks can't get into the Academy,

Emily was nice enough to take us inside and give us the back stage pass.

I really should just show you the pictures.... here goes!

this was hilarious to me for some reason...

howe!

where we ate, I highly recommend this if you are downtown C. Springs!

It was a brewery so we had to try some beer.  Husband had most of it because
I was already eating my weight in calories when I had.....

Miss Emily!  A friend from Michigan who is currently going into her junior
year at the Air Force Academy.  She told us some tales about what goes down
there and all I have to say is she is TOUGH STUFF for being able to do it all!

oh wait, this isn't mine...this is husbands. new york strip omelet with potato bacon salad. 

as I was saying, my weight in calories because I had a bison burger with sweet potato fries and raaaaaanch! 

and here goes husband, breaking the law.

I have to tell you that it was 95 degrees out and this was around 2:30...
he totally burnt his leg on the statue..  haha.  I mean...poor guy!

these are real. so cool, yes?

air force chapel

and this is the inside.  so gorgeous.

oh hey! 

This is an F-?  something or other :)  

do I look tough enough to pilot one of these bad boys?
No. Didn't think so.

funny story Emily told us... pranking is apparently a huge thing around the base/school.   One group of guys stole the word "steal" and they got kicked out.  OOPS. :)

     We had such a fun day, thanks again Emily!!!!

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A Blate! (Blogger + Date!)

So last week, a week ago exactly actually, I had my first ever blate.

(blogger + date).

I met up with the adorable, lovely, fashionable Jane from Jane In The Pink & Green 

You should probably go visit her blog, and follow her, and be her friend,because this girl is seriously cool.  She travels the country with her husband who is an engineer.

They just moved to Boulder, CO from Greenville, SC! 

And she also has a sweet fur baby that talks just like Bella!

[So next week when I am on vacation and not even THINKING about my blog and you are all like "oh man. I really wish seeing the Colorado scenery and hearing about your adventures" you can just go to Jane's blog and BOOM!-->Colorado Adventures just like mine!]

Anyways, I have to say that Jane is the sweetest girl.

I was feeling sick because of my medicine (which is beginning to be the story of my life. I actually coughed up blood yesterday which is ANOTHER side effect of lupus.  But that is another story), and she was so nice.  She told me that she didn't even notice that I was feeling like garbage and a little out of it.

And I KNOW she must have noticed.  But she is just to sweet to say it.

Which made me feel really good and like I wasn't a loser.

So I kind of love her now.

AND her family lives in Michigan so I will get to see her again someday (!!!)

okay, pictures!

the lovely Jane

Jane's sandwich.  The picture of mine turned out really blurry.  Oh well. They were both fattening and just ALRIGHT.
But neither of us knew of any great places in Denver so it was a shot in the dark!

pretty sure this is how I would look if I smoked pot.
I have the stoner eyes going on.
#PhotoFail

Jane and I!  yay!

This is where we ate... it seemed like a good choice but ended up being in a sketch
part of town and, like I said, the food was just "eh".
But the company was FABULOUS :)

I can't wait to meet more bloggers because I LOVE the blogging community and 

all the amazing women who make it so special!  

p.s. BAM.

I still have a long way to go, (but it is kind of hard, I ran three miles yesterday and coughed up blood.  stupid lupus!)  I am still proud of the 10 pounds I have lost so far in Colorado!

and below is a picture 10 months ago, so you can see what a BIG difference a tiny 10 pounds make.

No more stomach that is shaped like the letter S!  haha

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Good Morning Colorado! I mean, Internet!

Sorry I haven't been posting as usual and answering e-mails and comments.

I have had a few bad days with my meds and on top of that I am trying to 

read and write a 10 page paper on Grapes of Wrath before leaving at the end of this weekend for 

Traverse City vacation! I really do NOT want to be writing papers up there, but I will

most likely procrastinate and have to write it up there anyways.

Because I am a glutton for homework punishment. 

Ugh.

I mean, how am I going to write a paper when my husband is busting out sweet moves like these?

Be on the lookout for that blogger date and air force academy tour post I told you about.

It is coming, I promise.

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Waldo Canyon Hike

Saturday we got up and headed for Woodland Park, CO to hike Waldo Canyon.  It is a 7 mile hike, gaining 2,000 feet in elevation over the course of the "loop".   Saturday was incredibly hot (we are talking mid 90's) and both husband and I got a little bit of a sunburn.  Baby Bella did pretty good, she is like a BIG dog...  except she did have to be carried a few times, and she was a great excuse to take breaks every now and then.  I am glad we got this particular hike in, because it is on the top 100 hikes in America list! 

2 miles in, not even to the LOOP yet, and miss Bella is pooped.

reaching the loop, after 2 miles of hiking

a little "off-road" hiking... found a cool tunnel, and was terrified a rattlesnake was going to
jump out and bite me at any second.   (someone had been bit on this trail jus 2 days before!)

husband and Bella's butt in the tunnel

getting tired and cramped myself here....7 miles is far!

the view of pike's peak halfway through was incredible!

Bella HAD to be carried around mile 5...she kept collapsing into the dirt and looking at us like we were killing her...

snaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkeeeeee!
okay, it isn't poisonous but still.

loved this sign at the end of our hike...
and yes, I did smokey the bear's voice...
"Only YOU can prevent forest fires!"

And of course then we went and got a chik-fil-a sweet tea, I took a nap when I got home (that is unheard of!) and then we met some old friends for sushi downtown Colorado Springs at Fujiyama.  If you are in the area, I highly recommend it.  It was delicious sushi!  Of course, I forgot to take pictures of our friends and our food.  FAIL, Ashley.  Tomorrow I am going to tell you all about my first ever blogger date!  And then Wednesday I am going to show you our tour of the Air Force Academy by a friend from Michigan who is in school there!  So neat, and such a fun weekend!  Oh yeah, we saw Harry Potter and it was amazinggggggggggggg.     I am going to leave now, because this post is starting to sound like my disconnected e-mails I send...where I ramble... and use lots of dot dot dots..  and then apologize.  (sorry!)  But don't actually stop writing...  sorry.

Happy Monday!

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Listening To...{Karmin Covers}

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Friday's Letters {A Countdown}

Dear Fellow bloggers, in a little more than one week I will be taking in views like the one above and be basking in all the glory Lake Leelanau and Traverse City have to offer.  I will not have guest bloggers during this time, but that is okay with you guys, right?  Dear Pulmonologist, You basically have me no real answers except to say that my lungs may be hardening.  Thanks for the crappy "I don't know what is wrong with you so here is an inhaler." doctoring.  I guess I have to find a better doctor now! ugh.   Dear Bella, I love that you can do my two mile runs with me.  You are so like a BIG dog! (--Except that when we are done running you collapse in the wettest, coolest patch of grass you can find and then I have to carry you up the stairs...and then you sleep the rest of the day.)  Dear Husband, Last week I told you that you could have a new Apple computer and since then you have been obsessed with researching computers and finding the best deal possible.  Maybe now isn't the time to mention that we really don't have room in the budget for that. Oh well, you live once, right?  Dear 'Arry Po'er (that is harry potter for you muggles out there....), I can't wait to watch you tonight.  I am for sure drawing a lightning bolt on my forehead like I have done for EVERY movie so far!  Expecto pa-trAWESOME! Dear American Lit 2, Because of you I have to read and write a 10 page paper on the Grapes of Wrath.  If any of my blogger friends have ever read that, any helpful tips on paper ideas would be awesome. I have to write on how the book portrayed depression era America. (GAG.)  And Dear HoneyBuns, (who always gets two letters),  you were so CUTE a few nights ago when you were dreaming out loud in your sleep and cried "Don't take them!  Noooooo!"  I was loling at you at three in the morning.

***

Is anyone else seeing harry potter this weekend?!

And also an update: I saw the rheumatologist again and it turns out my lupus is systemic.

Bummer because that is the worst one (or the one that has the potential to become the worst),

however, she is HOPEFUL that with my medicine we can keep it mild, like it currently is.

That is my hope too.  :)

Happy Flippin' Weekend! 

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Storms and Storms and Storms

For the past week it has been raining every afternoon into the night.  The mornings are glorious, sunny with a breeze.  Great for running and laying by the pool (which I did yesterday for the second time all summer and got a pretty bad sunburn right in between and underneath my boobs.  NO where else.  weird.)  Anyways, we got a few pictures of the storm, and caught some lightning in the shots too!  Yesterday the storm that came through brought 50 mile winds and hail.  Bella and I were home when it passed so I jumped up and took a video!  I am off to the rhuematologist today and to have my first ever blogger date!  So excited for that!

And a video of the crazy hail, wind and run rolling through.

I have to admit, I am such a dork at the end of the video.  

I say "ohh, its stormin'!"  and make a cheesy face.

Sometimes I really do NOT know what is wrong with me!

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Design*Love*Share {Spotlight}

Today I want to introduce you my newest lovely sponsor, Maria from Design*Love*Share.

Her etsy shop is just darling, especially because everything she does, she does to serve the Lord. 

It kind of just makes you love her that.much.more.

Right?

Meet Maria, in her OWN words...

I am a 25 year old graphic designer from Georgia who currently lives in North Carolina. My husband, Layne, and I have been together since we were 14. We were high school sweet hearts. We have three beautiful children; Abigail 4, Ellynor 2, and Kaleb 1. My freelance design work and my etsy shop allows me to stay home with them.

About Her Shop:

I have always been strongly connected to life as an artist. I see something interesting and I have to draw it. My start into design was a stem from my interest in art. In high school I took every art class I could get into, and I got bored. Design was so exciting to me. To be able to manipulate images and create anything that came to mind was addicting. After 6 years of marriage, 4 years of college, and 3 children, I started my own etsy shop, design*love*share.

I wanted to offer biblically minded cards and stationary. I could never really find any my style, so I decided to make some. This evolved into journals and paintings. I don’t know how much further it will go. I wish to honor God in all I do. In Colossians 3:17 it says “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” My shop is just one way I can honor Jesus through design!

I love her cards and this cute piece of original artwork!

***

She is so cute, yes?

Check out her lovely shop!

How Can You Become A Sponsor?

Easy, just e-mail me at ashley@adventuresofnewlyweds.com

I am offering a monthly spot on my little side bar over there for FIVE dollhairs. 

(That is dollars, if you were wondering.)

And it is a steal.  I am just doing this for the month of August. 

So you better get in while the gettin' is good. 

You can advertise YOUR lovely blog, your website, etsy shop or anything you want.

We can work together through spotlights, giveaways, etc. to generate traffic & sales for you!

Here is a screen shot of my stats as of today.

Just contact me! BAM!

ashley@adventuresofnewlyweds.com

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A Hodge Podge.

 I've got nothing for you today.

Well, nothing C O O L.

Instead of preparing my next post last night, I watched the Bachelorette.

Can you even believe Emily?  I felt really bad for her.

That Brad is such a douche.  And the current  bachelorette?

She is so annoying but I STILL watch it...

It's like a car wreck.

After that I pinned things on pinterest until I got tired.

So that brings us here.

Awkwardddddddd.

Okay, let's see....I know there are SOME things I haven't showed you.

A-HA!

Exhibit A: Baby Bella in her cone of shame!

Exhibit B: Bella trying on her life jacket for the lake.

1. the ears pin back because Bella is not happy!
Just look at that face..

2. Bella acts like she can't stand in the life jacket,
so she leans against the chair....

3. Trying to get Bella to pose, she just wanted to look down,
with her ears back and give a sad look. What a drama queen...

AND FINALLY,

4. She won't even look at the camera.  Instead she looks at husband like
"dad. save me. mom has loaded me in a trap. " Only when Bella says it, it sounds
more like: "dad, saves me. mom has woaded me in a twap!"

Because you know, she is still working on saying words properly.
She is only 7 months old you know.
(I am not weird, at ALL.)

 And finally, I leave you with a lovely video of my brother and I.
The 2:12 mark is really the best.
My brother is a little crazy.
Love it.

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