Earth Day, meet Boot Camp

In honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a tutorial-a-day is being offered a refreshers or those wanting to kick off their environmentally friendly efforts. Absolutely zero prior history in tree hugging is necessary, but when it's said and done, I'll bet we find you considering full hippy-status. Me too, for that matter. My husband would tell to me stop with the soapbox already... Sorry.

Here's to falling in love with nature, like we did as kids. I'll elaborate on that note when I post about the (miniature) garden that was started at our house this weekend.


Click the photo to read up/sign up.

- ashley sue

Currently Reading: Cold Tangerines

Brandon bought me this. I began reading it on the honeymoon and have been so refreshed. Rather than drone about its goodness myself, I'll share the review by Radiant Magazine:

Shauna Niequist sets out to celebrate the often overlooked, sparkling details of life in her first novel, Cold Tangerines. Through her collection of inspiring essays and stories, Niequist eloquently describes the seemingly insignificant fringes of our day-to-day lives, like the value of a favorite sweater or the sensation of being a solo traveler. The author demonstrates a keen prowess to tap into some of the deepest human emotions and describes her own with absolute sincerity. Cold Tangerines is not only a celebration of life's intricacies, but also a memoir of Niquist's life as an self-conscious teen, a wife and new mother, and a member of Willow Creek Church and Rob Bell's Mars Hill community. She writes: “I choose to believe that there may be a thousand big moments, embedded in this day, waiting to be discovered like tiny shards of gold. The big moments are the daily, tiny moments of courage and forgiveness and hope that we grab on to and extend to one another.” Cold Tangerines offers a fresh perspective and outlook on life, bringing new hope to readers.

The one thing I have to add to this review: "Let go of the past and go for the future. Go confidently in the direction if your dreams. Live the life you've imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

Lately so much of what I do is dream. I envision the business I want to begin, the house as I continue design work on it, each piece of clothing I want to assemble myself, and constantly have new color palettes dancing around in my mind. Though that is a beautiful place, and hoping is what moves us forward, I have to be careful to enjoy this journey, the now! It's too good to miss. Also, I feel it necessary to share this picture of dear Carlson, as it appears he's about to enjoy said cold tangerine. Ok, corny. But look at this silly college kid and tell me you don't think he'd be an interesting guy to know.


Here's to everyday.... To doing and not just hoping, to no longer waiting for our defining moment because each has its treasure.

Feeling a Bit Ambitious, Eh?

Well, it's been long enough, right? After a significant break from blogging, I've gotten a second wind... or from the looks of this quick brainstorming session, maybe a lot of winds. Ha.

There is much to share, and a few changes will so be evident. I've missed you, friends. Let me know you've stopped by, and what you're looking forward to about what's in store for you (listed below, for you convenience). Back soon. I swear it.

Consider this eye candy for the day. Is that ok?


Upcoming Blog Posts:

1. Wedding Recap
• Getting Ready Pictures (featuring Amy Lynn)
• 12th South and Hillsboro
• Wedding Party at TNU
• Bridesmaid Feature (tie into plans, show personalities through details)
• Stevie and Genevieve feature
• Formal family photos at church
• Reception
• Getaway (include our new disdain for birdseed)
• Screenshot & words written by Sarah Beth/Jenn Showalter
• Link to Amy’s website where I’m featured
• Link to April’s blog where we are featured
• Implant actual video from Josh
• Photo Antiquing feature

2. Playing House
• Before/After of Downstairs
• Before/After of Upstairs
• Plans for progress
• Project Features: Bottles in windows, closet, green pics in dining room, paintings, pillows made, photo albums made
• Gardening projects
• How I actually passed up a $50 yellow upright piano…Sheesh

3. Studio Venture
• Wedding planning, artistic direction, visionary, invitation design, floral design, and the like, maintaining calm and enjoyment
• Interior repurposing, organizing, color- and life-injecting
• A shop to showcase and affordably sell my art
• Considering photography of children
• “Remedy Designs: Creative Solutions for Weddings and Interiors”

4. Playing Dress-Up
• Intentions behind dressing the way I do
• Goals in Fashion, including sewing and design
• Projects
• The outfits generated to tell people I’m good at what I do

5. Life As it Happens
• Cycling updates (photos with Bran, bike specs, daily ride details, the quest to prove that a cruiser bike is a necessity, etc.)
• Farmers’ Market trips
• Lessons learned at work with the 2-year-old twins
• Desire to delve back into music world
• Brandon duplicating his EP = my attempt at album art and marketing
• Updates on Julie (and soon Whitney), my bff’s in Korea for a year
• Lomography rendezvous – you know, those crazy pictures
• What I’m reading
• Occasional personal musings ; )

My Favorite Discovery

Please pay serious attention to My First Dictionary. Bahahahaha.

My life lately

I. Love. It.

Elissa, Julie and I have been keeping up with this instead of elliptical time, and it's truly kicking our butts... but we're already seeing serious results. I'm stoked. Weight loss isn't a huge concern of mine, but being healthy and taking care of my body is, and this has been so helpful.

I won't drone on and on about it, but if you're looking for something, I'd seriously consider this as an option. It is quick, basic and thorough. Do some research. ; ) Click on the picture for a shopping list.

Correction: That Ring is Wrong

Oops, oops, oops... I completely lied to you. Rather, my mind has changed. Dear Brandon, I'm sorry, but I may be undeniably female after all. Hahaha.

Our wedding bands came in the mail this past week, as expected, and it was truly thrilling. Artisan Impact makes incredible jewelry. They were great to work with, too! The sad part - silver just doesn't look good on me. I should have known this already as it was the reason for choosing yellow gold for the engagement ring (pictured on the left side bar). Ultimately, the ring I had chosen has been sent back, and I opted for a tiny and simple gold band from Shane Company:


They were just awesome throughout our initial ring purchasing, but I'll save that story for another time.

These photos are evidence of my initial ecstasy about receiving wedding bands. Geez. Even though I wasn't sure I liked it yet. I guess this means I've officially become overwhelmed with the unnecessary ability to become excited about anything. Brandon and my roommate, Whitney, have been swearing this was the case for a while, but I've been in denial.

I was just so happy. Look at all my little treasures!


Unsure but still feelin' it a little...


Brandon's band. I'm practially drooling. Leave it to Ashley to be impeccably tasteful, right?


Yeah. I like it. Why didn't mine work?


All three rings together. I thought it'd be one happy family.


It's ok though! I really like this option even better. Simplicity really is key sometimes. And a lifetime warranty can't be beat... Also, this is 14k gold versus the sterling silver of the other ring, and was only 20 more dollars. YEAH.


Engagement Ring PLUS Band. Fierce.


Ok, I need to stop blogging and start packing up my apartment now. Brandon will be in Nashville on Tuesday to lead worship for an event here at Trevecca. He's flying in but driving a minivan back to Oklahoma City with everything that can't fit into my car.

This is really happening. Take that, world!!

Online RSVP

Hmmm... Why isn't anyone doing this?! Haha. We sent out 120 invitations in the last month, and have gotten about 10 email responses. I'm baffled. I thought going online would be the easiest thing in the world! Saving paper and postage was a plus, too. Please someone tell me what keeps people from replying? Of course, I didn't expect everybody to do it all at once, but this is a bit bizarre!



See that little card on the bottom left? It gives our website, which does have a slightly complicated and particular url. Maybe that's got something to do with it.

www.brandonwhitesidemusic.com/Brandon_&_Ashleys_Wedding

Eh? Anyone else have similar experiences? I know that Jessica used this same approach. I'm curious how it's turned out for her...

I want freedom.

"I must learn to love the fool in me--the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries. It alone protects me against that utterly self-controlled, masterful tyrant whom I also harbor and who would rob me of human aliveness, humility, and dignity but for my fool." -- Theodore I. Rubin, MD

found on Cup of Jo

Stick it to the Man!

Boo... I just got off the phone with Brandon. Poor guy. This is frustrating.

He has taken a position in Oklahoma City as a College Minister. This job could not be more perfect for him as I know few other people in the world that are as skilled and devoted to relating with and caring for people. It's the thing about him that blew me away when we first started dating, what was that, 3 1/2 years ago. Geez.

In addition, he is also the best lead worshiper I have ever experienced. His passions and convictions are summed up in this. He is talented, but even more importantly, he is genuine. Brandon truly has a gift. I know, I'm partial, but you'll have to take my word for it.

So the glitch? He just had his taxes done. (Exactly. You say this word and everyone cringes.) Because of a few freelance worship-playing gigs he did that weren't taxed, he owes $700. Let's not compare this to the return he thought he was getting.

I guess this is a lesson learned. His CPA advised him from now that for any gig like that from now on he should set aside 30% of his profits for taxes. Self-employment double taxation. OUCH. Sad day, but, he'd saved the money from those exact gigs, so will have the money to pay it off. That's a blessing in and of itself.

Oh, well. This is the journey, right?




Photo taken by Carl Zoch.

Operation Mrs. Right

warning: this idea has vast potential to give you cause for rolling your eyes. or is it really that bad?

don't ask me what it is about small Christian schools that make them so highly prone to frequent decisions to marry. no joke. all of your friends in no time. it's funny how the statistics used to really frustrate me and now i'm one of them. this also is proof of the inevitable priority shift that elapses in a young lady's four years away. now that i have committed to this grand journey, i'm finding that i have less and less in common with my peers. by no fault of theirs, it's largelydue to the fact that they're not planning my wedding, a joyful endeavor that reigns over my thoughts. because of this awareness, i've been surrounded my a conviction to assemble others in my situation. sounding cheesy yet?

no, it's not a cult.

confession: my intentions are based in a need for community that is selfish. however, i assume i'm not the only one that wishes for something such as this. ideally, this comraderie would identify itself as a bridal community for the development of wholeness in each of us. i feel that since we have chronic wedding-on-the-brain syndrome, the most fitting reparation is to promote furthering our minds, our hearts, etc. specifically, i'd like to see us adress family, finances, futures and faith. this could take the shape of finding a girlfriend to hit the gym with, getting advice about dealing with your new in-laws, having someone to go to when you need prayer, relationship help, sharing wedding talk with people who won't get sick of it, or having plain discussion time, etc. we could even bring in friends who have recently married and get a heads-up in real life from their angle. lastly, i'd really like to see us tackle some service projects. a woman of compassion and confidence can not be replaced!

essentially, we are a support group that wants to see a woman go into marriage as a whole person. further, i would deem the group a success if we convinced one bride-to-be that a wedding is more than custom napkins and M&M's. oh, and did i mention that this could be so much fun?! we're sharing resources and making new friends that share a simlar goal.

as you can see from the title, i think it's more-than-fitting to dub this force Operation Mrs. Right. please allow me to clarify: i have no time for promoting the housewife that lives and breathes only to be the woman her husband needs. that's not the business here. but hey, if we could be functional, efficient, wise babes, then why the heck not?!

at present, i've compiled a list of 25 girls on campus that are eligible. shall i spend my 3-week vacation from work and school creating invites and a more structured plan for what this is to be? if you were in this situation, would you be interested in joining us? or am i crazy?

"dead" week...

my mood as determined by a song: ben kweller- run

i'm not sure why i thought it would be a great idea to begin an undertaking such as this during the same week as finals! whew. questionable decision, ashley. you can thank my theories of comm exam for my ability to look somewhat calm despite the looming test in business finance (pictured above, for your convenience). i expected it to be a real doozy, but walked away pretty stoked. were i to be photographed at this moment, well, i'd be found collapsed on the floor. dang it, business major-dom...but i'm walking away from that class now (hopefully)! the final there had massive weight, but distributed among only a few questions. it's always nerve-racking when the questions are worth so much. bah!

on to a new project, and i'm very heavily relying to responses on this, so please tell me if i'm losing my mind. deal? ok, thanks. it is my next post:::

This has to be the best way to talk about the wedding, right?!

Calling all bridesmaids and fellow-bloggers (as well as my mother and future mother-in-law): I have so much to tell you! First and foremost, B.Dub has no knowledge of this website, and it'd be ideal to keep it that way so that I can post whatever I'd like without potentially ruining a surprise. Scratch that. It's inevitable that the boy is going to find it, so operation:be covert has ended rather quickly.

My plan is to update regularly with tidbits (including pictures) to build everyone's understanding and excitement for what the wedding is to be. For details about how we actually got together (both initially and the proposal), visit our wedding website at www.brandonwhitesidemusic.com/Brandon_&_Ashleys_Wedding/Welcome.html

What a party, huh?!

Anyone know how i can change the background on this? I'm severely new to blogspot... in fact, I don't even know two other people that have one. Bah!