Friends, Brides, and Dresses

I am currently on the way to wedding dress shopping with my sister!!! Both of my sisters are engaged and are getting married a month apart next summer!! 

I will have more on the engagements later but let's just say with one child moving and two getting married my mother might actually loose her mind! 

Anyway it was my last weekend in Grand Rapids and I spent it with my best friends at a beautiful wedding. This wedding was the most beautiful venue I have ever been too! 

Here is the beautiful bride :) she was looking gorgeous!! 

And some more photos from the wedding :) 

I am going to miss these guys so much! I am not going to lie, I had a slight breakdown when leaving my friends house yesterday at the lake! After spending all weekend with these amazing people and out on the beautiful lake yesterday I realized this was the last weekend I would spend with all these people before I move. 

I know it's not the last time ever, but i can't help but realize that things will be different. I am so blessed to have these people in my life and I wouldn't be able to take this leap of faith with out the love and support from them :) 

The best thing for me to realize is that these friendships are true friendships full of support and love and that they will be able to withstand the distance and support the change in my life! I love these people and I wouldn't able to get through this without them! 

Shout Out to my Blog Buddies

I said I wouldn't be on this thing for awhile so I can spend ample amount of time with friends and family before I leave. Until I found myself studying for my State of Texas Certification Exam…which is super boring…so here I am. 

I love finding new blogs, reading blogs, hearing about other peoples lives. It can be inspiring, I can relate to them, or I find them hilarious. All in all the following people make me super happy :) 

 I love this lady! She was my first ever blog friend and has my go to blog. I love the way she writes, the awesome fashion tips she gives, as well as all the great crafty DIY projects. She also designed my blog and is going to give me a good face lift in the next few months! She is hilarious, awesome, my favorite blog buddy. Make sure to check her out :) 

Erin's blog is another must read for me. Titled Love, Fun, and Football (which are all of my favorite things) I just love hearing about her life, tackling her student loans with a special update from Sallie and Perkins, to hearing about her sweet job working for the Cincinnati Bengals! I advertised my blog with Erin before and I loved how she got to know me as a person and the amazing posts she made to get my blog out there! Check her out at Love, Fun and Football! 

I love reading Erin's blog because not only is she a real life friend (as if blog life is fake) but she has so many great ideas and pictures! I love looking at all the photos Erin posts along with the great stories that go along with them. Her life as a newly wed (1 year into marriage), new home, new puppy make her very relatable to so many people. Check out her blog for some good advice, stories, and photos!

Liz is a must read for me when it comes to fitness, health, and diets. Liz has one of the most amazing and inspirational fitness stories! She motivates me daily with instagram posts to her daily blog posts and link ups. The best thing about Liz is she is very involved with her blog! She will read what you write, respond to your comments, and genuinely want to get to know you :) Check out Liz's blog for some great recipes and inspiration, I promise you won't be upset! 

Amber is such an inspiration! She has just picked up her life and moved across the world! She is an inspiration to me from her strong faith to her ability to express that faith in her blog. She has written many of posts about being single as well as adventure and living life to the fullest! If you want to be inspired check her out, she is AMAZING! 




So these are just a few of my favorite blogs! I have more listed on my Favorites Bar on the right side of my blog :) Who are some of your favorites!? I love finding new blogs! 



Linking up today with the topic my Five Favorites :) 

My Teeth are Falling Out…I Need Advice

Okay, my teeth aren't actually falling out, but I keep having these awful nightmares where my teeth keep falling out of my mouth or I swallow them…gross! 

Every night I fall asleep so peacefully, waiting for what majestic (or odd) dreams I may have and for the last week or two EVERY. SINGLE. DREAM. involves my teeth! 

Two nights ago I dreamt about my classroom. I am up in the middle of class giving a killer lesson when BAM! Teeth. EVERYWHERE! There is blood, gaps in my mouth, those gross little hanging string gum things that you had when you were 8 and would twist your loose teeth around and around to break! Too much detail? 

Last night I dreamt of being on a date with a hottie southern Texas man. The date was going great! Until I took a bite of my chicken at dinner and once again. TEETH! The worst part is I didn't wake up this time and the date continued. One tooth after another falling out of my mouth until I was literally just gums! 

So being the smart young woman I am, I decide to find out what was causing these awful nightmares. According to teethfallingoutdream.org (legit source) and other google options I found that dreams about teeth falling out occur when someone is going through a major life change. 

WHich is me. In two weeks I am picking up my entire life here in MI and moving to the lone star state where I now know a whopping 1 person. Although I may seem put together on the outside, apparently my subconscious is going NUTS! 

I need some advice! For those of you who have made major life changes, or even had nightmares about teeth, what is the best advice you can give me!? 


I am also linking up with Helene in Between and Venus Trapped in Mars, some of my favorite blogs to follow :) Todays #FavTotalSocial No, my post isn't about anything that is my fav, but I am looking for some favorite advice about how to keep my teeth in tact at night :) 

Where Am I?

Hello all! 

Long time no talk :) I miss this blog like a fat kid misses cake! I just want to write a short piece explaining my absence.

In June I had surgery on the upper half of my body (aka my lady friends) to shrink those bad boys down a bit for health reasons. This left me out of commission for awhile! Now, I have 3 weeks till I make the big move to Texas and I am spending as much time as I can with my family and friends! 

So don't go anywhere! I will be back when I am all settled into my new place with a new design and many more great and exciting posts! Miss you all and I can't wait to have a schedule in my life again! 

-Erica Ashley

You will NEVER Catch Me...

I have officially stolen this post idea from Robin at LivingColorfully


You will never catch me...

Eating Alfredo...I hate that stuff more than anything

 

 

 

With a pet cat

 

 

At an Ohio State sporting event/school function/anything related

 

 

Hooking a worm to a fishing pole...eww

 

 

With out chap stick, specifically Carmex

 

 

Mowing the lawn. Laugh all you what but I am pretty into gender roles and that's a mans job. I barely know how to run a car, a lawn mower would be the end of me!

 

 

Teaching elementary school. I love my high school students, I don't know how you elementary people do it!

With out mascara on. I love looking au natural summer, but I have to keep the eyelashes looking good at all times.


At a rock concert, I am think I would get to scared by all the leather. A rap concert on the other hand is a different story.


With short hair. I just cut it and its the shortest I will go. I really do look like a boy if I cut it any shorter.


Without some recordings of Real Housewives, The Kardashians, and or Total Divas. I lovvee reality TV!







 



Letter to my Students

You would think the end of the year would get easier, but for some reason it doesn't. That is not necessary a bad things, it just means I have some pretty awesome students! While many teachers are excited for summer (me included) I am very sad the end of the school year is here :(


Dear Students,

What a year!! There have been many ups and downs this year, but it truly amazes me how people your age cope and deal with tragedy. I hope that you have learned a lot from me from History, English, and life skills; but I want you to know how much I have learned from you.

I have learned what the fox says. Yes, over and over and over again. Whether it was blasting from you Iphone's in class or you were jumping up and down at homecoming I can say with out a doubt that I do know what a fox says.

I have also learned that relationships at your age are my favorite. I love hearing about the different couples in school. However, my favorite thing to do is watch couples walk down the hall way. Ladies, if you have a boyfriend you know he is ALWAYS trailing behind you.

I have realized I need to be careful about what I say. Hormones are RAGING at your age! Even if I say something in context of English class, your minds are always in the gutter. Sadly, I am immature and I laugh along with you...

I have learned that you guys are the absolute best! From the good-bye letters that were written to me to all the hugs I have been receiving the past few days. I really am going to miss this place! I am so sad to leave :(

I hope you all know the impact you have made on my life. I truly have enjoyed every last minute spent with you. Thank you for a fabulous year! I can't wait to see the incredible things you all do with your future :)

Much love,
Miss Erica Ashley

Path of the Single Girl- Letter to the Church Ladies

I had way to much fun this weekend and I completely forgot to write a post for today!!

I have grown up in a Christian family with Christian friends and it is so awesome to see the wonderful things happening around me. For instance, one of my good friends is getting married this weekend and I CAN NOT WAIT!

However, I basically am setting myself up for multiple questions, looks, stares, and disappointment in the fact that I am attending this wedding alone with no date. Reason being, I am not dating anyone right now and my friends wedding is smaller, so I didn't want to have her pay for a meal for a guy who knows no one there except for me.

I am walking into this wedding with a big target on my head. Why you might ask? Because there is something about church ladies (god bless them) that think if you are not married by age 22 you have some sort of disease. They want to set you up with anyone that they can. They ask you thousands of questions and look like you as if you have some terminal illness.

I am mentally preparing myself right now for the comments that will be made and the stares I will receive when I tell these ladies once again, no I am NOT dating anyone.

So I have decided since it is polite to keep my mouth shut, I will write a little letter to them right here:

Dear Ladies,

So great to see you all again, and no, I still have no diamond on my left hand. In fact, I once again am not dating anyone. Yes, I am fine with that because there are so many other great things going on in my life! I am moving to Texas, I have a stable job and income, I can travel where ever I want whenever I want.

No, I do not want you to set me up with your nephew, thanks for asking though. In fact, I think I will just wait on God's timing for my future husband. You are always telling me God has a plan right? Well I choose to wait on him. I am not going to settle for just anyone, I have waited to long to do that now. So thanks for the offer, but I think I will wait and let things play out in Gods time, not yours.

No need to look at me like I have a terminal illness. I don't have a disease nor is my "single virus" contagious. I just am a 24 year old girl living the life that God has given me and thanking him daily for my wonderful blessings.

So as much as I appreciate your concern, I think you should know that I am 100% completely happy with my life. God has given me so much to be thankful for and someday, I am sure I will add a guy onto that list but as for now I get the opportunity to serve God as a single woman. I get to live out my life dreams and goals with out considering the opinions of something else, and I get to the ability to provide for my self as an independent woman. All of those things are rewarding.

Don't feel sad for me. You should be proud of the things I have accomplished by myself and thank god for what he has already given me instead of wishing for me :)

-Erica Ashley