Anonymous David Yurman.

Something tells me that a particular comment on my previous post,

from a Mr. Anonymous, comes from somebody who just might live

in the same household has me.

Hmm. I wonder who it could be?

[CoughCough]

Er, Hubs!

Mr. Anonymous so kindly pointed out that I should not forget

about the darling Christmas present I was gifted with this year-

and of course, I kindly informed him that I could never forget

a little David Yurman

Or the generosity of my darling Husband.

So Hubs, this post is for you.

You can go ahead and buy any TV you want,

as long as it comes with a little David for moi.

Truce?

Marriage Means...

Handing over your Christmas money so that your husband can pool together your Christmas earnings to buy a brand new, state of the art, super skinny, yet still very manly 40" LCD TV.

Our Little Christmas History, in Photos!

2 o o 5

2 o o 6

2 o o 7

2 o o 8

stay tuned for

2 o o 9!

the best is yet to come...

Has Anyone Seen My Sheepie?

Before...

After...

No, it's not the iPhone quality of the last two pictures that makes Sullivan look a little bit "off." It's his new haircut. I think he's really mad at me. And I think he looks absolutely ridiculous. He looks like a doodle. Not that there's anything wrong with a doodle, but, c'mon! He's a sheepdog! I don't even recognize my own dog!

As I am sure you can see, Sullivan went for a bath and haircut yesterday. He was looking a little more homeless than usual and Hubs and I tried to stretch out the time between grooming visits from the usual three weeks to a little bit closer to five weeks.

What a mistake. Hubs and I brush Sheepie all the time. Every other day, at least! But his shag was getting a bit unruly. He had a few, I say a FEW, mats on his chest and some on his front paws, but nothing to write home about. Worst case scenario, I figured the groomer would just cut out a few golf ball sized hunks of hair from those areas and call it a day.

She had other ideas in mind. She shaved my Sheepie! Poor Sullivan. I really do think he's pissed. He didn't want to snuggle at all last night and kept hiding his head underneath the blankets on the couch. He's totally ashamed of his new 'do! Can you blame him?

I know I promised you CUTE pictures of Sheepie during my blog hiatus- and I promise to follow through- it's just that he's looking a bit goofier as of late!

Re-Post: Longwood Gardens? More Like Borewood Gardens.

[Have I ever felt more loved? Thank you all for your sweet comments. I promised you that I wouldn't leave you hanging! And of course, I will be posting random Sheepie pictures so that you all may have your weekly Sheepie-fix! Here's a re-post, well... re-posted exactly one year to the day that it was originally written! Crazy, eh?}


For those of you who are unawares of the immense tourist attraction that is Longwood Gardens, please momentarily divert your attention here.


You know how there are just some things in your life that you feel the need to see before eventually leaving this great Earth? Obviously, Longwood Gardens isn't up there with Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Statue of Liberty or the Great Wall of China, but due to the publicity this place has gotten, I thought it was important to see it before we move further away from it. Not to mention the lack of Christmas spirit I've been feeling lately, what without decorations up or a CHRISTMAS TREE (thanks to the Big Move), I thought it might kick start in me a little Christmas cheer.


Having "been there and done that" I wouldn't recommend this experience to anybody, unless that is, you are a huge fan of frigid temperatures, long lines and ignorant tourists. And by ignorant tourists, I mean the kind of people who travel in large groups and insist on stopping in the middle of a walkway to a) take a picture (that isn't going to come out anyway because it's so damn dark outside) b) wipe the nose/tie the shoe of the snotty, whining little three-year-old who isn't in his/her stroller like he/she should be and without mittens, an extra blanket or even a hat, clearly isn't dressed for the sub-freezing temperatures or c) "ooh" and "ahh" at one of the 597 decorated Evergreens that looks just like the last three that you stopped and stood in front of.


Let's just say that the fun started miles before we even entered the Gardens. Yes, I said miles. A two-and-a-half mile backup that Hubs and I sat in for over an hour, rolling along at a pace close to that of a snail. At first, we at attempted to make it an enjoyable experience by singing Christmas carols, but that enjoyment soon ended as I watched countless cars utilizing the once empty left lane only to speed ahead to the front of the line and cut in as if the ginormous line of cars in waiting was a figment of their imagination.


And the Gardens themselves? We probably could've driven through the multi-million dollar residences of Gladwyne and checked out the front lawns of a few houses and saved ourselves the frostbite and frustration. There wasn't even a Santa. How could you have a light display and NOT have a Santa? I paid $32.00 to see this sh*t, Longwood Gardens, and I didn't even see a Santa!


Let's recap for a moment, shall we?
- 7 minutes to purchase two adult Garden tickets online.
- 45 minutes to reach the two and a half mile back up
- 70 minutes of rolling along making faces and yelling obscenities at the idiots/cheaters in the left lane
- 25 minutes to walk around the Gardens and see all that it had to offer.


By the time Hubs and I made it back to the car, it was still warm and toasty inside.


Thank you, Longwood Gardens, for an experience I won't too soon forget (or rather, forget soon enough!)

MerryChristmasHappyNewYear, Don't Worry, I'll Be Back!

As we all know, the Christmas season brings with it a teensy bit of chaos. As much as I love and believe it or not, thrive on a little bit chaos in my life, I recently realized that I need to take a step back and truly enjoy the days leading up to one of my most favorite holidays of the entire year. I did say a little bit of chaos in my life, so nobody get any ideas!

During the next few weeks, I'm looking forward to carefully wrapping each and every one of the presents that I thoughtfully spent the last year hand picking for each of my family and friends. I actually keep a running list throughout the year and as soon as somebody mentions something they've seen and loved or coveted, it immediately goes on that list for birthdays and holidays. And not only do I carefully hand pick the presents, but the wrapping paper as well! Of course, everybody's wrapping paper is different.. and needless to say, it requires matching accoutrements in the form of ribbons, tissue, tags and bows!

I can't wait to spend the small bit of free time that I find myself with, each night after work, baking lots and lots of yummy Christmas cookies. Don't worry, I'll be sure to keep the baking soda far away from the confectioner's sugar!

I'm looking forward to preparing myself each week to take part in my Church's Sunday morning Advent Mass. The cathedral where we attend Mass each week is just breathtakingly beautiful in the wintertime and I love seeing it decorated with endless yards of garland and mounds of pointsettias! Not to mentin, I just love hearing the organ piping Christmas music throughout the marble halls!

Blogging has become such an important part of my life this past year (Can you believe I will have been blogging for ONE WHOLE YEAR December 13th?) and I have a few scheduled holiday re-posts that you will see in the coming days. I'll also be hosting a post-holiday happy-blogiversary-to-me giveaway in 2010!

Please don't forget about me, I promise to keep reading all of your blogs that I possibly couldn't get through my day without reading! I promise I will be back after the New Year!

Wishing each and every one of you a blessed holiday season and the happiest of New Year's!

Love,

Ashley Paige

My Hubs, the Baker?

via

Hubs is an exceptional cook. Not only is he creative in the kitchen, but he loves to cook. So much, in fact, that he does it all. The dinners, the breakfasts, the thrown-together-lunches. I could stand in front of the fridge and stare zombie-like into a vast array of random food items, and Hubs glances over, grabs a few things and immediately puts together the best lunch we've had in ages. He's amazing.

I love to bake. I have an insatiable sweet tooth and it clearly spills over into my love of baking sweet things. Cakes, pies, cookies and especially cupcakes. I like to pretend I'm Martha Stewart or my other favorite flour goddess, Paula Deen and buy expensive recipe books and cake molds and cupcake carriers.

I do not cook. Hubs does not bake. We were made for each other.

That is, until Hubs had this insatiable craving for his mother's homemade Chocolate Snowflake cookies. Granted, these cookies are to die for. They are gooey and sweet and when they are enjoyed straight out of the oven, the warmth just melts your insides. They. Are. Amazing.

And a bit labor intensive. See, you have to make the dough ahead of time and let it sit before you begin to mold your cookie balls.

And so began Hubs' cookie-baking journey. He followed the recipe to a "T." All the while, I laid my little lazy self on the couch and practically drowned myself in drool as I watched Carrie Underwood's Holiday Special. Seriously? Those legs? I would give my right arm to have her legs. Okay, and maybe her hair too. But, I digress.

There's Hubs slaving away in the kitchen. Mixing bowls a' clanging. Flour and sugar all over Sheepie's nose.

And finally? The first cookie. Hubs runs it into the family room, still a bit steaming, so proud of his handiwork. "Here! Try it! You get to have the first one!"

I bite into it. It smells so delicious and chocolate-y. It's so warm and gooey. But it's a little... burning?

Me: Hubs, why does this cookie taste a little burning?

Hubs: [taking a bite] Weird. I don't know! I swear I followed the recipe!

Me: It's a little bitter-like.

Hubs: Um, honey. That container you had.. in the cabinet? That's confectioner's sugar right?

Me: [attempting to stifle the laughter] Aw, honey. That's baking soda!

Hubs: Oh, great. Because I just rolled half a dozen cookies in baking soda. Baking is for WOMEN!


Please note, however, after removing the baking soda culprit from the cabinet, the following two dozen cookies that Hubs made? Were perfection.

Now You Can Have a Wishes Ornament, Too!

So many of you inquired as to where you could find a "Wishes" ornament for yourself, for your friends, for family, etc. Well, wonder no more! It truly does make the perfect gift and it's so stinking adorable, too! Head on over to Red Envelope right this second and scoop one up!

Happy Shopping!

Wishes Do Come True...

Hubs and I are spending this snowy Saturday putting up our Christmas tree
and spreading the Christmas spirit throughout the house!


I thought I'd take a break from freezing my little tooshie off,
while outside helping Hubs string up the Christmas lights
and share with you one of my Christmas favorites.


One of our most favorite Christmas ornaments,

given to us by one of my dearest most bestest friends ever, Erin.

Each year, Hubs and I write our wishes down on tiny slips of paper

and enclose them in our wish ornament. We open them, the following Christmas

and see whether or not our wishes came true!

Engagement Hype... Our Proposal Story

With all of the recent "Will You Marry Me" that's been going on around these parts lately, thoughts of my own engagement story have been flooding my memory! It's been over three years since he asked those fateful words and I got to thinking. Maybe it's time I share our story.

So here it is..

How Mike and Ashley Became MichaelandAshleyPaige

Our Love Story begins in 2003, on the campus of Villanova University. I was an innocent sophomore nursing major and my future husband a big, bad junior in one of the University's coolest fraternities.

Let's just say that the fraternity to which my future husband belonged was infamous for their parties held at the "Tiki Hut" (the name given to the apartment where Mike lived his Junior year, complete with a Tiki Bar, grass skirts and 24/7Jimmy Buffet playing on the stereo) and being the social butterfly that I was, my girlfriends and I loved going to the boys' apartment to pregame before a regular night out on the town.

I hate to say that we met over a game of beer pong- but such was the beginning of a whirlwind romance. I immediately fell in love with his sparkling blue eyes and curly blonde hair tucked beneath a backwards O's. And so began our college romance.

We were so enamored with each other, we didn't mind the freezing cold walks to and from each other's dorm room at night. Of course, my darling future husband did most of the walking! He let me stick post-it notes to various muscles and bones of his body when my anatomy class required that I become familiar with each and every one of them. He asked me to be his girlfriend on January 23rd, 2003 because he "couldn't wait all the way until Valentine's Day." He made me laugh. A lot. All the time. Just like my Dad.

We dated throughout our remaining years at Villanova. Falling even deeper and more madly in love. When it came time to break out into the Real World, he chose a job nearby so that he would be around as I finished up my last year at Villanova.

He's been a part of every single important college memory I can recall.

And every single important memory since then.

Fast forward to July 1st, 2006. A little over one year after I graduated college.

Avid fans of fine wine and dining, Mike and I were always going out to nice dinners- so a Saturday night dinner date at La Scala in Baltimore was anything but out of the ordinary. I was so excited to be down in the Inner Harbor- Afterall, I hadn't been down since my first trip there over two years ago. I couldn't wait to see my favorite lighthouse, the Seven Knolls lighthouse that stands at the end of Pier 7.

As it turned out, dinner was delicious (a certain recommendation for anyone who loves Italian!) Think: Incredibly romantic. Dimly lit with no more than 15 tables. Great wine, melt-in-your-mouth lobster and of course, good company. Before we knew it, it was 7:15 and Mike and I were due to meet our friends at one of the local bars. Knowing how much I wanted to see the lighthouse, Mike promised we could quickly stop on by it on our short walk across the pier.

As we neared the lighthouse I noticed a little sign along a gated chain that read, "Lighthouse closed for Renovations. Will Re-Open Soon!" As I began to pout, Mike suggested that we walk to the edge of the water to take pictures. Clueless, I followed.

As I bent over to take my camera out of my bag I fail to notice Mike getting down on one knee..and...pulling out... a ring box.. "Look up towards the lighthouse..."

And as I did, I saw a huge sign reading,

"WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

Shaking and with tears of absolute happiness, I pulled him up from his knees and said, "YES!" to the most amazing man I had ever met.. my future husband. And if you didn't think it could get any better.. As soon as I screamed YES! I heard cheering and clapping.. Not only were the passing ships privy to our special moment, but so were 20 of our closest family and friends! Having them there made the whole event all the more special..

What's an engagement without a celebration? Probably one of the most memorable nights of my life concluded with food and drinks at a local Pub with everyone who was there to witness the special occasion. The following night, I was surprised, again, with a hotel room in DC and the best lawnseats seats for the Capitol's 4th of July Fireworks show.

A-mazing.

July 1st, 2006

It's been three years since he proposed and I love him more than I did the first night I met him, more than that night he proposed, more than that crisp October Saturday when I said, "I Do!" and even more today than I thought I could ever love him!

One Kitty Out of the Bag...

Congratulations Pam and B!

Over the weekend,

my sweet, adorable brother-in-law proposed to one of my besties! I know what you're thinking... Brother-in-law and a Bestie? You're right! It definitely doesn't get much better than that! I have my wonderful brother-in-law to thank for bringing this fabulous lady and fellow North Jersey Girl into my life and now I cannot wait for her to be my sister-in-law!

I knew the proposal was in the works for approximately 72 hours (and thankfully no longer than that) because I practically had to fuse my lips together so that I wouldn't spill the beans!

They are so in love and I couldn't be happier for them!

Luckily, not only was the proposal captured on video, but the bride-to-be's sister also managed to capture the entire event on film as it unfolded!

Head on over to Amanda's Photog Blog

to read a little bit of the lovebirds history

and check out photos of the bride and groom - to be!

Let the planning commence!