The Best Job Ever

What other job will you work everyday with children and make differences in a couple dozen children's lives a year? What other job will you make such a close bond with other teammates and staff members? What other job do you get to feel appreciated by parents and family members of those you teach? Only a teacher can appreciate these great things every single day.

I have had the best 4 years as a teacher at 3 wonderful schools. I have met the most amazing people along my journey. I have made a very special place for all the 99 kids that I have taught in 2nd and 4th grade. My teaching began as a whirlwind. I graduated college and got married a month later. A month after that I started teaching for my very first year! That year was great but it was blurred because I was trying to stay above water. I was getting used to married life and teacher life all at the same time. I then moved to Arizona and began teaching 2nd grade at Brinton Elementary. I was able to stay there for the longest stretch of my years of teaching so far. A big two years! WOW! I learned so much from those teachers I worked with. I also made some great friends that I will keep for the rest of my life. I think I grew the most during those two years and I developed into a true teacher during my stay there. Last year against my wishes I was moved to Hale Elementary. I was moved due to lower enrollment at Brinton and somebody had to go. Unfortunately I had the least experience and I was pushed out. I luckily had kept in touch with an amazing woman name Sue who wanted me to come work with her two years prior but the path didnt lead me there for some reason. But last year it did lead me to Hale to work with Sue and her amazing staff. I made lifelong friends with the people I worked with. I connected with my kids more than I had before. I fell in love with the close knit community and the parents that served in my classroom. I fell absolutely in love with the hidden diamond in the desert that Sue Marshall the principal calls it. Nobody really knows where Hale is but those that do, know that it is the greatest school on Earth! So even though I went there not wanting to, I now know that there was a reason because it was the best year of teaching I've had.

I have had the two most emotional days as I said goodbye to my 24 amazing students, gave farwells to my amazing teammates and principal whom I love dearly, and closed the door to a classroom that I called home for the last year! I will miss Hale so much and those that have touched my life. I am excited for my journey to Colorado and know that no matter where I am teaching, it doesn't matter because I have the best job ever because no matter the school or place, I get to meet wonderful teachers and do the thing I love most... teach precious angels!

Girlfriends are priceless

Ever wonder what it would be like without the best girlfriends in the world? I tend not to think of that because without my friends I would be lost and without everything. My friends and family are my everything. When I moved to Arizona I moved into a small ward with the greatest group of girls who were so inviting and welcoming from day one. I remember meeting Casslyn, Nicole, Celeste, Amber, Brooke, Scarlett, Lindsay, Shannon, and many others. These girls were the most talented girls I had ever met. They did everything and many had kids in addition to everything they did perfectly. I found my spot with the Fairway Groves crew and then one Sunday a new girl moved into the ward. I was immediately connected to Colleen and since that day I met her we were best of friends. Colleen is one of the most amazing women I have ever met! She does everything and does everything well! When she wants something she goes and gets it. I think I grew close to Colleen because our husbands got along so well! Many times while with the Heals we would get laughing because me and Colleen's husband Dallas were just alike and would poke fun of everyone and then Colleen and my hubby Jon were more quieter and naive! We have had good times with the Heals and we will forever call them friends and hope to see them often while in Arizona or when they move to Washington.

After living in Mesa, we bought our house a few years ago in Gilbert. We moved into another great ward where everyone again was very welcoming. I didn't find my place in this ward as easy but it happened eventually. I met another great group of women including; Chelsi, Sarah, Sherrie, Jessica, Lindsay, Amy, Tatum, Becky, Andrea, and many others. These girls were so much fun! We hung out often and did some great Meadowview girls night outs! Then while serving with our spouses in primary a few of us girls got close. I met another incredible friend Brittani and from then on I knew I had met one of my best friends that I will have forever. I haven't had a friend who I am more like than that girl. We laugh and have so many things in common from our diet coke addiction, costa vida cravings, to our skipping church problems :) Britt is such a great girl and an amazing mom. I have watched her while spending these first few months with her beautiful twins and she is an incredible mother. I know we will keep in touch with Brittani and Brandon. Hopefully we can move back to Arizona so we can be close neighbors again!

There are friends that you have had since grade school. Serena, Emily, Amorette, Julienne, Chloe, Erin, and Amy will always be my closest friends. I love and honor these girls and I love that we have been through it all together. We went from little barbie doll lovers, to geeky movie makers, then end as team ugly members! I love you girls too and I will forever call you my best friends forever!

My sisters are also my closest friends. These two girls know everything about me and know every secret I have. Tiffany and Erika are so great and I look up to both of them so much. I feel honored to call them my sisters. We have always gotten along and the older we get the closer we become. No matter if I live close or far away from them I know I can count on them to listen and to help me when I'm in need.

Friendship is one thing that I believe everyone needs in this world. Friends make you wake up in the morning. Friends help bring a smile to your face. Friends are those people closest to us that we can tell anything to. Friends are the people we want to be with! I love my friends and I will forever consider each of you my dearest and loving friends!

My Dream Home

Since I am no longer living in my house, I often times miss decorating my own space. Everyone has a dream house and hopes that one day they will get that home in the future!

My dream kitchen would be a place where the family gathers and hangs out together. It must be open to the rest of the house. It will be near a HUGE great room.

I want a bedroom one day that has HUGE windows that look out on a bunch land!

and a place to relax and unwind.

One Day I will have a precious daughter to doll up a cute nursery for. I just love girly girl things. I cant wait!

Look what I found inside my Easter basket!

So the Wednesday before Easter I was fast asleep getting my rest for the busy field trip the next morning when at midnight I heard, "Ash.... Wake up!" I kept saying in my sleep, "What? WHAT? What do you want?" Much to my surprise my husband was standing next to my bed trying to surprise me. I wasn't waking up to easily and then finally I woke up and saw someone standing there. I was still partly asleep because I didn't yell and freak out because some strange man was in my bedroom. I sat there asking, "What is going on?" Finally when I realized it was Jon my response was, "Get over here and let me touch you to make sure I'm not dreaming!" Nope, I wasn't dreaming and my husband was there before my eyes. I then yelled and started jumping up and down! Jon came to surprise me Easter weekend and it was the best weekend ever. Jon visited family and friends Thursday while I was at school. Friday I took the day off and hung out with Jon and we shopped around San Tan Mall, I got a pedicure, and then we met our good friends Brittani and Brandon for some dinner at Chillis and baby time (as Jon calls it) holding their adorable twin girls. Then Saturday we watched conference and had a BBQ at his grandparents. Jon joined the guys in his family for priesthood, while me and my sister-in-law Kara did some shopping and ate yummy Cafe Rio. Then Sunday we laid low, watch conference with Jon's family then came to my parents and celebrated Easter with my parents and sister's family. It was a great Easter and like I said it was the best Easter surprise I could've been given!

A Mile High Spring Break

Last week I spent my Spring Break in Denver visiting my long distance hubby. We had such a blast being lazy TOGETHER. Together is the keyword because since we see each other once a month we don't care what we do, all we care about is being together. It was an amazing week. We didn't do too much but we had a blast laughing TOGETHER! Our week included sleeping in, becoming pros at Tony Hawk Pro Skater, and eating out and shopping tons! I love Jon so much and it has been so hard being apart for these 6 months but I am SOOOO excited to move to Colorado. That place is beautiful and I can't wait to start our next chapter in our life.

Okay so Jon is renting this 400 square feet ghetto apartment and I couldn't resist showing off his bachelor pad. He trully is living it up at "Hella Terra" (its called Bella Terra but that's what Jon calls home). What do you expect for 400 dollars a month? Right?

This is the lovely kitchen. I can basically reach across the entire length of the kitchen.
The security in this place is top notch!

This is the entire apartment. He has room for a full size bed, small desk, tv stand, and loveseat sofa. I am embarrassed with how messy he is without his wife picking up after him. (Excuse the towels laying out to dry all over in the picture)

Again where is that maid that does his cleaning and laundry? Oh yeah she is still in Arizona. :)

Basically there is no room for me in Hella Terra. We better hope and pray we find a better place and a good job for me so we can move out of that hole!




Having some fun in the bachelor pad's bathroom. Again where is that maid fairy to clean his messy place?

Baby Ellsworth

And you are wondering why Jon and I haven't had kids yet? This is the reason!


PS. I bet my post title made lots of you curious thinking I was pregnant with Baby Ellsworth. Not yet!!!

2nd Honeymoon

So this past weekend I was able to go visit the love of my life in Denver. It has been the longest 6 weeks of my life without Jon. We had so much fun together and just cherished every moment we had. He planned the entire weekend from shopping, exploring downtown Denver, to dinner at Rodizio Grill, breakfast, and lunches, seeing my sister and family,riding the lightrail everywhere, to even taking me to a movie (for those of you who know Jon, he hates going to the movie. So it was big of him to take me to Valentine's Day). It was the best weekend and I didnt want it to end. I can't even explain what this long distance phase we are going through has done for our relationship. It is the hardest thing to go through and I would never have anyone go through the same thing. However, it has made our relationship so much stronger and you realize just how important your love in your life really is. You appreciate each other and the things you do together even more than before. I love you sweetheart and there's only 23 more days till I see you again!! I can't wait!