I heart RL

So if I had to choose just ONE designer to wear for the rest of my life, it would hands down be Ralph Lauren. That man is genius and definitely my fashion/decor icon. I haven't met many RL pieces that I didn't just love.

It would take me all day to post some of my favorite RL fashions so I am going to hop over to his amazing decor. I got this inspiration from La Dolce Vita which you can check out here.

RL just exudes American Glamour and his Fall latest collection One Fifth is just beyond! Here are a few of my favorites and if the Mr. would let me, I would buy it all up!

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: paloma81.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Hope you enjoy RL as much as I do! 

KC Marathon Recap

Just want to do a quick post about the KC Marathon where I completed a half marathon. I talked about why I ran here. 

This year's race was different in that I was pretty much ready trained for it. Meaning, I could have done a better job but I was WAY more trained than I was for last years run.

I was determined that I was going to run with my dad and uncle. I knew they would be faster than I was, but I knew I could do it. It wasn't going to be fun or easy, but I could do it. So I spent about 5 minutes before the run started frantically looking for them everywhere. I was in the shoot trying to squeeze in between people to find two bald twins. Not an easy task. So I ran on the outside of the shoot trying to jump up and down looking for them. Still no luck. I was with my friend Shannon and she was humoring me by trying to help me find them. The race was about to start and they were no where to be found. sigh. We then decided to start with the 1:55 pacers, because I KNEW that the wombs mates weren't in front of us. So we ran this pace for about 7 miles, which is a way faster pace than we should have started at, but anyways... at mile 7, we were running out of steam, we slowed down...way down. I kept thinking that my dad and uncle were going to pass us and we never saw them! I even saw a friend at a transition area and she hadn't seen my dad go by so I knew I was still in front of him!! Ughh. Anyways, all I really wanted to do was cross the finish line with them. Long story short, never found them on the course!! Was bummed but all in all, it was a good run and the first 7 miles flew by because I was pre-occupied! The last 6 were BRUTAL. And I am so proud of my friend Shannon because she signed up to run the night before!

Here are a few pics from the race:

Setting out my outfit the night before 

Dad and I before the race

The Mr. and I 

A group shot - of only half the group 

A not very good shot of all the Run for the Silent runners

Dad and I post race - I finally found him! 

My girl Jen who I loved training with

Go check her out here

My friend Shannon who ran with me! 

The hubby's relay team

We love the silliness 

All in all, it was a good race. Would have liked to be a little bit faster but I am content. Every time I run a half, I tell myself that I am never running again. But who knows. But I would much rather run in other beautiful cities. I feel that this course is a little boring - and hillier than I would like :)

Here is a list of half marathons that I would LOVE to complete one day:

• New York City 
• Chicago
• DisneyWorld
• Las Vegas
• LA
• Hawaii 
• San Diego 
• Ok any city in Cali would be fine with me

Yummy in my Tummy

So as you all know, I am a Pinterest addict and I have been trying to make/try some of the things I have found on there.


So, having never used my crock pot for anything other than cheese dip, I thought I would dust it off and use it. Here was my inspiration:

Source: pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

So I went to the source of the pic, which was Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour (way cute name) and sure enough, there was the recipe! 

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese {Don’t use fat free. It WON’T melt!}

In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or whatever else you think would be good.




I must say, it was super easy to make and not to toot my own horn, but it was DELICIOUS!! Seriously...the hubby agreed!! The best part - leftovers! Please try it and let me know what you think. 

Running For the Silent

I am running this morning in the KC Marathon. I am doing the half (or "just the half") as some people like to say. It is the second year I have run in this race. About 100 people from our church are running "For the Silent" which is an organization that helps put an end to sex trafficking. 


Via their website:
For The Silent is a non-profit organization contending – through advocacy, prayer, and fundraising initiatives – for children silenced by sexual exploitation and trafficking.

We are runners, singers, and artists, prayers, advocates, crafters. We are people who truly believe that HOPE comes when we react to the heart of God and act on behalf of the suffering.

We are more concerned with seeing the world changed than being the world changers.

I am asking you to donate $1 per mile that I am running, for a total of $13. I know money is tight for some people and I know a lot of people ask for money for various things but this is an organization that I am very passionate about and the founders are great friends of ours. Please consider donating and you can find more info about them here.  If you would like to donate, you can do so here.  Where it says to "select a runner" just select "The Rock of KC" and it will get to them!

I really appreciate it!

Here are some pics of last year - we will be wearing our "For the Silent" shirts again this year!

With our friends Dan and Kristen 

KC and I with Daddy O

I talked him into running his first half - so proud of him! 

Oh Mom and her hats.... 

The fam 

Happy Saturday! 

OBSESSED!!

Ok I am totally obsessed with these little girls. If you haven't seen them yet, you are missing out! There are 4 videos but I promise you won't be disappointed. Take a few minutes to laugh. You will be glad you did! Happy Friday to all!







This one makes me tear up, not going to lie.



It really doesn't get much cuter than them!!!

It never gets easier

So this week has been full of emotional ups and downs. I have so much to say but don't even know where to begin and not even sure I know how to say it. 


I will start with the fact that a woman in our church was killed in an auto accident on Monday morning. I had known her and her family for years and years. She was, in my mind, a perfect example of love and of what God wants us to be. She had 2 of her own children and then took in 3 foster children as her own. I found out at the funeral that at one time she had 7 foster children in her home. Let me just say - SAINT! She always had a smile on her face and always had an encouraging word to share. I am not sure of anyone who likes funerals but I really do not like them. I don't know what to say, I don't know how to act, I just cry. Growing up a pastor's daughter, I have been to many, I mean many, funerals in my day. They never get easier. Whether I am close to the people or not, I just cry. It breaks my heart to see families in such pain.  It also makes me think of losing people who are close to me. I know SR is in a better place but it is still hard and I still don't understand why she had to be taken so suddenly. She had an incredible heart for the broken, a servants heart like no other, a wonderful wife, mother and friend, who loved God with all of her heart. The funeral left me thinking about what others would say about your life. What will be said at your funeral?

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That leads me to my next thought. The passing of Steve Jobs. Obviously I didn't know Mr. Jobs personally but what an impact he had on our world. I am typing this blog post on my iMac and I thank him for all that he has done to make our live easier! I didn't know much about him until he passed and it has been fascinating to find out more about his life. What a genius he was and built this amazing company from scratch! 

My favorite excerpts from his commencement speech at Stanford in 2005. 

“You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

“Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.“

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I will keep this next thought generic. If you are reading this blog you probably know that I have been a "pastor's kid" for almost 25 years. There haven't been too many Sunday's that I have not been in church. This has been a blessing and a... well, not a blessing at times. I have seen a lot more than I probably should have and heard a lot more than I would have liked to. I believe strongly in the local church but I do know that it is made up of people - human people who make mistakes, say and do things that they shouldn't and hurt people. I have had A LOT, I mean A LOT of people come in and out of my life in the last 24 years. Some whom I was close to and some not. I have been disappointed more times than I would have liked and have seen my family be so disappointed as well. If you know us at all, you know how relational we are. We love "doing life" with others. Relationships have value to us and when people hurt us, it sucks. You would think that people walking out of my life, my church, that it would get easier, that I would become numb to it, but I don't. There is nothing about it that is easy. Even if it is for the best and is the right thing, it still stinks.....

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Thank you for letting me be vulnerable with you all. I needed to write this more for myself than anything. Now, I am ready for the weekend. Looking forward to doing absolutely nothing and enjoying every minute of it. Hope you all enjoy yours! And please, hold your loved ones a little tighter tonight! 

Funny of the Day

I think the funniest part of this is how TRUE it is.

T-H-R-E-E

Today is my three year wedding anniversary. T-H-R-E-E whole years!! May not seem like a lot to some of you, but I am just not sure where the time has gone!

I can honestly say that marriage is by far the best thing that ever happened to me and by far the hardest thing I have ever done. I always tell my single friends, who are "dying" to get married that "being married to the right person is incredibly hard so don't try to be in a hurry and marry the wrong one". I only say that because I think some people think marriage is going to be this super fun thing that is always easy. Not true. I am not being a Debbie Downer, because I, more than anyone, LOVE being married. I also found a great man who I am proud to call husband. But I am also not naive to think that problems don't arise. Marriage can be the best thing in the world but just like anything - it takes work, hard work.

Source: dearinspirationblog.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

It breaks my heart that 50% of marriages end in divorce. I get that sometimes it happens and there is no judgement at all but I do think there are people who don't want to put in the work, the effort to make their marriage last. I would be lying if I said that the last three years have been effortless. The last three years have been full of ups and downs and laughter and tears.

Marrying Kenneth was the best decision I could have made and no matter what life throws at us, I am committed to our marriage and am willing to fight through the hard times. I want to set an example to my friends, my family, and to our children on what marriage is supposed to look like. Just like my parents have done for me. And I will say that my parents, who are still married, who fought for their marriage when they wanted to give up, who stood together when times were really really tough, them being married today is one of the best gifts they could have ever given me!

I will end with saying, Happy Anniversary to my best friend, my confidant, my lover, my husband. Thank you for the last 3 years - here is to many many more!

I always make a slideshow for our anniversary of the last year - I am bummed that I don't have as many pictures as I have had in the past - I have got to get better at that! Enjoy: