January: the best of my days

It's insanely simple, but I didn't keep up with this discipline in 2012

and I missed it dearly

So Ashley's Best of my Days is back for 2013.

How does it work?

Just take a minute each morning 

to reflect and thank God for the best part of the previous day.

It's a great way to foster a thankful heart

 and to keep your eyes open to little pennies along the way.

1. Spending quality time with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law while the boys slept in

2. Getting back to Bible Study after the holiday break

3. Coming home to a clean house and getting to talk wedding plans with Lyssie

4. Working from home

5. Day 1 of operation nutrients

6. 24. All. Day. Long.

7. A sweet birthday lunch with my co-worker

8. A meeting-free afternoon at work to be productive

9. Nordies' tomato soup

10. A PRD issue resolved quickly and smoothly at work

11. Talking travel with Jay over lunch

12. Trying a new restaurant with good friends

13. Celebrating my father-in-law

14. Meeting Stacy for coffee and life-giving conversation

15. Daddy-daughter lunch date

16. Not wanting to get up from my morning study time

17. Finally booking the hotels for our UK trip

18. Staying up past my bedtime and meeting new friends

19. Restaurant week date with my best friend

20. Being able to help in the nursery at church

21. Snuggling with Jeremiah

22. An encouraging pep-talk

23. Getting a surprise morning call from Jay on my way to work

24. Chatting softball

25. Watching softball games. All. Day. Long.

26. Family time

27. Seeing the Vegas strip at night

28. Getting to sleep all day

29. Date Night with my cute husband

30. Yummy snacks at Bible Study

31. Jeremiah stopping by my work mid-day for a kiss in between clients

This morning

This morning.

My Friday morning

My husband, awake

My journal full

My heart challenged

My phone ringing with a thoughtful phone call

My windshield wet with morning drizzles

My hands wrapped around a hot cup of tea

My head slightly swaying to the Pandora station I've titled "for a happy heart"

Today, I choose joy.

All of 'my' for Your glory.

Date 31: Which Wich

Quiznos was recently replaced with Which Wich

in one of the shopping centers near our house.

Since we're kind of sandwich fanatics,

we thought this was the perfect place to try out

one Sunday after church.

They've got a pretty sweet setup.

You grab a brown paper bag,

bubble in all the goodies you want

(or select a pre-set sandwich from the menu)

and then off your little baggie goes down the assembly line.

A couple of the toppings cost extra

(the standard avo, extra cheese, etc.)

but you end up with a sandwich just the way you like it

without having to follow the sandwich maker down the counter

saying 'yes, mam,' or 'no, none of that' like you do at Subway.   

Insider Secret: 

They hang your bag so you can watch it progress down the counter.

If you draw something fun on the back,

you'll know exactly where yours is in the mix. :)

Date 30: Aqua Cycles and Kayaks

This summer, I snagged a Groupon

to rent these Aqua Cycles and Kayaks (not pictured) 

down at the Carlsbad Lagoon.

We had such a fun time paddling around with our friends,

enjoying the sunshine, talking about life,

and getting a workout 

all at the same time. 

Gosh, I'm so thankful for this place we call home.

Morning Change

A few pennies I'm so thankful for this morning:

Another day

Supportive co-workers

'have a gr8 rocking day at work'

Caffeinated tea in a bright yellow mug

Car heaters

5 precious minutes with Jeremiah this morning 

Lotion and chapstick

New recipes

The insanely amazing throw blankets mom got us for Christmas

Open eyes and an open heart

Speakerphone

The fact that the weekend comes faithfully every week

The anticipation of dinner with a sweet friend tonight

Rain

God's provision when the SDG&E bill is twice what it normally is

Hearing my Papa say "I'll pray for her"

Did I mention caffeinated tea? 

and... that my tooth pain is relatively gone this morning.

Have you seen the folks who stretch their earlobes to put plugs in?

Sweet Dr. Q took the liberty of doing that to my gums yesterday. 

Which reminds me of another thing I'm thankful for:

Novocaine injections.  :)
- even if they are only given half-way through the process -  

Little Letters

Dear Kale Chips, hubby thought you were hash when I packed you in his lunch this morning. My face hurt from laughing when I got his text on my way to work. Thank you for bringing a smile to the start of my day.

Dear Daddy, thank you for intentionally carving out time for lunch dates together. I tear up when I type that because I am your child.

Dear Think Safety Calendar, I look forward to seeing you in my work mail box at the start of each year. What better advice than 'run inside your House if you see A snake in your yard' or 'strangers online are just as bad as the ones in the sun-shine.' Or there's my all-time favorite... 'pull over if you are fighting.'

Dear Alarm Clock, I wish there was a feature that woke me up anyway regardless of whether I turned off my alarm in my groggy state or not. Oversleeping makes the rest of the day a little rough.

Dear James, how did you know that the fourteenth verse of your fifth chapter is exactly what I needed to hear this morning? Oh, your brother told you? Yeah, well He's smart.

Dear CBTL, thanks for being such a cozy place to cuddle up with tasty tea and dig deep with my girl friends. 

Dear Busy Season, I think you're a little confused. You're supposed to just be a season - not a way of life. Remember that? 

Dear Monday, thank you for being easy on me. Please tell Tuesday how it's done.

Dear Jack Bauer, I miss you. Like for real.

Dear Fresh Balsam Candle, I don't care if Christmas is over. I'll burn you til the cows come home.

Dear Frost on the Lawn, I may or may not have woke up the past few days thinking it had snowed. Is that what you wanted? Because you've accomplished your goal. Now get the show on the road.

Dear London, I'm relying on you to fill my NYC fix, okay? I hope you can get the job done.

Dear Jeremiah, I feel honored that you'd trust me with your dreams and innermost thoughts. I feel privileged to walk through life as your teammate. And I feel jump-on-the-bed excited about the special moments we get to share. I freaking love you. 

Weekend Pennies

 Uncovering old memories while cleaning out my closet

Drinking a chocolate milkshake for dinner and not feeling guilty about it

Watching my favorite TV show, ever

Cuddling on the couch. In our sweats.

Staying up past my bedtime

A morning without my alarm clock

Reading in bed

Beating the January rush at the gym

Relaxing

Wearing heels

Trying a new restaurant

A latte on a cold night

Holding hands

Honest, comfortable friendship

Justice

Feeling known

My all-time favorite sermon series

Church community

Making good choices

Unexpected guests

Celebrating my father in law

The excitement and anticipation of our upcoming trip

Gratitude and consideration

Laughing so hard it hurts

Availability on the flights I wanted 

These are all little glimpses of Goodness this weekend.

Thank You for these gifts.

Today

Outside my window . . . .oh wait, my office doesn't have a window. ;-) 

Outside my door? I see a wall. Exciting, hu?

I am thinking . . . about my father-in-law who's having a birthday tomorrow.

From the kitchen . . . I enjoyed a tasty smoothie this morning. 

My blender is getting a workout these days.

I am wearing . . .green jeans that are a little too baggy to tuck into the black boots I'm wearing, 

a white lace top, a black sweater and a white and yellow striped scarf to keep me warm in my cold office.

I am creating . . . a list of things I'd like to tackle after work today and tomorrow, 

and a PPT presentation.

I am going . . . slightly crazy, I think. 

I am reading . . . email after email after email.

I am hoping . . .the little prayer pep talk I just had kicks in soon.

I am hearing . . .a couple of colleagues talking in the hallways. 

I think it's time for some Pandora.

Around the house . . .everything looks clean and pretty and makes my heart smile, 

but inside the closets... my organization projects await.

One of my favorite things . . . is being married to that cute boy I'm in love with. 

Did you know 5 years ago yesterday is when he asked me to be his Mrs?

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . . Bible Study tonight, errands tomorrow,

 lunch with a dear friend on Friday 

and meeting sweet baby Joey to kick off the weekend.

A picture to share . . . how about my desktop image? 

Isn't that man a doll?! *swoon*

Date 29: Lucha Libre + Sea World Shopper's Pass

This summer,

Jeremiah and I hit up the

well... rather spirited taco shop in Mission Hills.

Nacho Libre.

The line is always long, long, long.

But if you ask me, it's worth it.

At least once.

And hey, the cashier even gave us free drinks for our patience in line.

We tried quite a few of their tacos,

but I'm pretty sure the Tap Me Out was my fave.

(Don't miss the salsa bar.)

After dinner,

we used the Sea World Shopper's Pass

to pop in for the Shamu show.

When we were dating,

we had season passes to Sea World

so it was kinda fun to walk down memory lane a bit.

And after the show,

we booked it out of the parking lot

and over to Fiesta Island

- which in my humble opinion -

is the best place to watch the Sea World fireworks.

Toes in the sand, bums in our lawn chairs

and eyes-to-the-sky for a lovely light show.

The perfect way to end our summer night.

----

In case you've never heard of the Shopper's Pass:

you can basically get a pass at Guest Relations

that lets you pop into the park for an hour.

As long as you're back within an hour 

(and have a receipt to show you bought something)

you get your deposit back and get in for free.

If you show up later in the evening,

the parking attendants will likely let you in for free as well.

It's a cheap date and so much fun.

Date 28: Food Truck Meet-up

I don't know about you,

but in our neck of the woods

Food Trucks are all the rage.

And I love it.

On Thursdays, a few great trucks meet-up in Scripps Ranch.

So of course, Jeremiah and I had to go try out a few new ones.

The famous Devilicious. Yummo.

Like asparagus grilled cheese, yummo.

I know, right?

And the dessert truck?

You can build your own ice cream sandwiches 

with your choice of cookies and ice cream.

I'm a sucker for snickerdoodles. Gah. 

Date 27: Cinepolis

Picture this:

You've got your feet kicked up in a recliner, 

wrapped up in a blanket if you'd like.

Cocktail of choice in hand.

You're chowin' on somethin' yummy.

Maybe a burger. Maybe sushi. Maybe fondue.

And your watching a new movie on a humongous screen.

You will never want to go to a 'normal' theater again.

The Mister and I saw the new Batman at the Cinepolis in Del Mar.

And apart from staring at the Exit for half the movie

praying almost continuously for the families in Aurora,

Jeremiah and I really loved the experience.

In fact, I think we'll go again this weekend. :)

Advice:

Don't forget to get your tickets ahead of time.

The chairs are numbered like theater seats.

The best seats go fast.

Date 26: Peterson's Donut Corner

We were driving home from a day in Santa Monica.

It was just about midnight.

And what was opened?

You guessed it.

Peterson's 24-hour Donut Corner!!

Always fresh. Always cheap. Always delicious.

and Always open.

(bring cash)

Date 25: Nicky Rotten's

This summer,

Jeremiah and I wandered down to Coronado

for a Sunday afternoon on the bay.

We played frisbee at one of our favorite parks, watched the gorgeous sunset,

and walked across the street for Burgers at Nicky Rotten's.

Since we had just gotten back from Italy,

the bruscetta caught my eye.

They have SO many yummy things,

but roma tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, provolone,

parmesan, and mixed greens with pesto aioli...

ah, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

It's seriously DE-licous.

PS: How do we get to live in such a gorgeous city?

Really?!

Thank you, Lord.

Date 24: Moonlight Theater

This summer, Jeremiah and I double dated with Lyssie and her now-fiance.

We packed up a picnic and enjoyed Legally Blonde under the stars.

Have you been to Moonlight?

I think this may need to be a summer tradition.

2013: Goals

The second half of 2012 was very much an equipping year for me.

It was a tearing down and a building up.

It was a preparation for what I believe will be an incredible 2013.

I've been talking with the Lord about some of these goals for months.

And others He more recently placed upon my heart.

Needless to say, I'm really excited about them.

Lord willing, these are some of our/my goals for 2013:

{Personal Goals}

*Continue to spend my mornings with the Lord
* Donate blood this Easter - There. I wrote it. Hold me accountable. Please

{Marital Goals}

* Spend Sundays Sabbathing - This year Jeremiah and I will not be making any commitments on Sundays. We will be reserving Sundays for the Lord, for rest, for reflection, for each other and for our families.
* Monthly Dates - Each month, we'd like to plan 3 dates: Something Old, Something New and an Act of Service, too. The "Something Old" will be something we've done before and have been wanting to do again. The "Something New" will follow the same format as our 50 First Dates. And the "Act of Service" will be some way of giving back to the community and loving on others. I'm really excited not only about the ways that we will continue to set aside intentional time to invest in our marriage, but also for intentionality of giving of our time and resources.

{Financial Goals}

* Give more generously - I'm really challenged that we would spend as month of our monthly budget on other people as we do on ourselves. To have actually factored this into our budgets in a couple ways in addition to tithing, I'm really excited about what God is doing here.
* Pay off our final Student Loan - I think there'll probably be a celebratory dinner once this bad boy is gonzo.
* Save. Save. Save - For a new car, for more home projects, for a rainy day

{Travel Goals}

* Watch the sunset over the Grand Canyon
* Take my picture in front of the MacLeod Castle
* Eat Dim Sum, Sushi and Thai in their native countries
* See the leaves change in the Pacific Northwest

Do you make any New Year's Resolutions? What are your goals for 2013?

Little Letters

Dear 2012, God used you to bless my socks off. And to teach me some pretty neat lessons.

Dear Girls Everywhere, have you heard about We Heart Glamour?

Dear Friends-from-far-away, Thanks for coming home for the holidays.  It makes my heart happy to see your faces, hold your hands, and spend time in the flesh and blood. You're missed. And thought of often.

Dear Calvary, you housed more of my family than ever this Christmas Eve. I'm still a little giddy about it.

Dear Mr. Schwaber, your Scrum and the Enterprise book is to my work life what the book of James is to my spiritual life. It's not a fun mirror to hold up, but I'm thankful for the discipline.

Dear UK Trip, I've been having so much fun planning for you. I may or may not have started the 16-week countdown. Can't wait.

Dear Sissy-in-law, I absolutely loved spending time with you this New Year's. Stop living so far away.

Dear Office, I won't lie. I didn't miss you these past couple weeks. Not at all.

Dear Jeremiah, our 9th Christmas? really? I'm so thankful to do life with you.

Dear 50 First Dates, I miss you already.

Dear Little Sis, you're freaking engaged. :) Congratulations, pretty lady.

Dear Weatherman, see any warm days in that forecast of yours? This San Diego girl can only do 30 degree temperatures for so long.