final fall update :)

Keep reading for another segment of "How Ashley Knows She is Old"...

I recently came to the realization that, by the time I graduate in the spring, I will have been out of high school for seven years...been through six years of college, with a year break in between undergrad and graduate school.  Wow.  Just does not seem right.

beautiful fall colors

Also, (and my college friends will appreciate this the most) I went out for dinner with some of my friends a few weeks ago.  We were there for quite awhile -- probably about three hours!  I had three beers during this time.  3.2 strength.  Along with a full dinner while these beers were being consumed.  Wanna know where I ended up sleeping most of the night?! My freaking bathroom floor!  No, I didn't get sick, but I definitely felt like it.  And the cold tile felt so goooood! As April said when I told her...we've come a long way from the days when we each drank an entire bottle of wine to "pregame" before going out to the bars! Then the girls were talking about throwing me a bachelorette party in the spring...oh man, I don't know how much of a "traditional" bachelorette party I will be able to handle.  That will be interesting.

the first big snow in SLC

This semester has just flown by.  Tomorrow is the end of my second to last finals week ever! (Well, at least for a long time, anyway). I can't believe I will only be here for six more months.  So sad. We got together for a class Christmas partaaaay that doubled as a "going away" party for one of the girls.  Her husband is in law school at Arizona State so she is moving down to Phoenix to be with him.  These are the times it actually aches to think about leaving.  Seriously, once again, I could not have asked for a better group.

the group i keep talking about (minus Anna & Jess) :)

Today, I should be studying. Obviously.  But I'm just lacking the motivation. As always.  I've gotten way too excited about Christmas -- it's snowing a bit here but Minnesota just got a freakin' blizzard. Yay!! White Christmas, maybe?!  Better make up for last year's extreme disappointment...I will be flying home on Thursday evening and fly back to Utah on January 6 -- home for over three weeks!  It seems like such a long time, but so much has been planned already.  Dusty and I have a double date set with his parents to see A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie next week.  Definitely something I look forward to most every year.  Best. Story. Ever. Seriously.  Christmas Eve with my mom's family, driving down Christmas morning to spend the day with Dusty's family.  Girls reunion with Chels, April, and Jackie on the 26th!  And Dusty and I may be driving down to Dallas to see his brother and sister-in-law and Maggie over New Years!  All while I attempt to get a jump start on my crazy spring semester.

view from campus a couple days ago

Wedding planning has been going well, although I don't feel like we've done much at all!  Big decisions that have been made:

• Date is set for September 28, 2013 :) Woohoo!!  
• Ceremony will be at the First Church of God in Grand Rapids.  The reception at the Timberlake.  
• We chose our photographer -- that was definitely a tough decision as we have family friends and personal friends who are photographers and didn't want to have to choose one over another.  So, we decided to go with someone completely neutral.  We're having engagement pictures taken at CSB|SJU next Wednesday!  I am very excited.  This snow better stick around!!
• Dress shopping is happening over break. This actually terrifies me.  

I'm certainly starting to feel the pressures of planning, though. Picking out bridesmaid dresses? Trying to decide where to register?  Deciding whether it's necessary to spend $500+ on guest favors that may or may not be remembered or to rather donate that money somewhere it will be sure to be used? Even choosing our colors is surprisingly stressing me out way more than I anticipated! And way more stressful than it should be, I think.   The worst part is realizing I don't have a "job" for everyone I want involved in the wedding day.  I just have to keep reminding myself that trying to please everyone just isn't going to happen and that not every single person is going to agree with decisions we make.   Everyone has their own opinions, but it's not their wedding. Right?  Right.


All I want to do right now is watch Christmas movies. The Santa Clause is on tonight and I cannot wait!! Until then, study away...