Spider-Man Masks and Sidewalk Chalk (our weekly recap)

Spider-Man Masks and Sidewalk Chalk (our weekly recap)

Posted by March 07, 2014
Happy Friday! I am so glad the weekend is so close. I'm pretty sure I didn't make it to bed before 1am a single night this week so I'm definitely looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. We don't have an incredibly busy weekend planned, but it will be a fun one. Amelia starts ice skating lessons tomorrow and then we have plans to visit my grandma at some point this weekend (probably Sunday). Here is a quick recap of our week. We didn't do a ton, but it was a good week

 1. Amelia stayed a night with my mom this past weekend. I'm always so excited when she comes home, even if she has only been gone a day. I'm definitely not one of those Mamas that needs a lot of me time, I prefer us time.

 2. Mark had some family in town from Canada. We always love when Tyrone and Alice visit. They are so fun and I love chatting it up with them.

3. We did a little Target shopping this week. These photos crack me up!

 4. The weather was nice enough one day this week to play outside for a bit. We've had a lot of rain and wind lately so it was a great change.

 5. These kids are so great! I love my job.

6. I love that Amelia and Rudy take naps together.

REMEMBER to link up with me tomorrow for the 3rd month of "Where I Come From". If you haven't heard of my monthly link-up, check it out HERE. Basically it's a link up where we can all share photos and stories of the places we come from. It's a good way to get out and explore... and also like taking a virtual vacation with our fellow bloggers. Hope to see you linking up (it will be open for the duration of the month).
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Ashley Elizabeth
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Doing the right thing is sometimes really hard

Doing the right thing is sometimes really hard

Posted by March 06, 2014
I'm going to get quite personal here on the blog today, but my family has been going through a lot of changes and I'm in need of letting it all out. Have you ever had to cut someone out of your life? Someone who should be a major part of your life, but instead finds every way possible to hurt you and the ones you love? My family and I are dealing with this right now... and by family I mean my mom, my sister Erica and I. When I think back on my years growing up the people who I could always turn to were my grandparents (my mom's parents), my mom and my sisters. Now I'm not saying my dad didn't play a big role in my life, because he did, but when I was 15 he showed me that parents aren't perfect and sometimes they aren't good people. That was the first time he walked out on us. My parents reconciled but continued to have problems throughout the years. Last April my dad left my mom, via email, and they are currently going through a divorce. My dad has cheated on my mom for about 20 years and continues to have a string of women in multiple states. Yep, nice guy right there.

My mom is an incredible woman. She held it together for years and made sure us girls had the best childhood possible. While my dad did pay the bills and was around a decent amount of time, it was my mom who attended every one of our sporting events, really got to know all of our friends, was there for us no matter what and provided us with the important things that money couldn't buy. She kept a lot of things from us growing up, hoping that he would change. She wanted to help him have a continually good relationship with his kids and when she said her vows she really meant for better or worse. My dad has a different view on life. He needs material things and a woman boosting his ego to make him happy, not his family. When my parents split in April I wasn't thrilled with my dad, but we knew what he was and I figured he'd continue on being minimally involved in our lives. He hadn't been around much that year prior since he was living and working in a different state, so it was as if nothing would change for us girls. That was before he turned into an unstable crazy man.

I have one mother and one father, this is true, but I am not the type of person who sits quietly by while my family is being treated like crap. I'm not the type of person who allows someone to emotionally abuse the ones I love and get away with it. So just because I only have one father doesn't mean I am willing to look past the horrible things that have been going on. My dad, since leaving my mom, has spent his days sending cruel and incredibly hurtful texts, emails and voicemails to my mom, sister Erica and I. We have all stopped communicating with him, yet he continues to seek every opportunity possible to be nasty. Verbally abusing my sister and I, and both physically and verbally abusing my mom has led me to cut ties. I have no tolerance for someone treating the ones I love like this. Even if he hadn't done a single cruel thing to me, he has hurt my mom and sister so horribly that I will not have a relationship with him. I mean come on, the guy threw my mom across the kitchen and to the ground a couple of months ago. My Grandpa showed me how a man is supposed to treat his family... and my dad does the opposite. Nobody wants to lose a parent, but his actions have made my decision to remove him from my life easier. My mom and sisters have always had my best interest at heart and have always been there for me. So, while it is sad to lose a parent this way, I know I am a better person for sticking up for what is right instead of looking the other way.

My Mama with her girls

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Ashley Elizabeth
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McCormick & Schmick's (date night review)

McCormick & Schmick's (date night review)

Posted by March 05, 2014
Last week Mark and I went into downtown Portland and enjoyed a wonderful dinner. Neither of us had been to McCormick & Schmick's Harborside at the Marina so it was a fun treat. First off the location is excellent. You're right downtown on the water and there is a nice pathway to walk along before or after your meal. They also have a bar at this location and I've heard rave reviews about their happy hour. We decided to eat in the restaurant and were seated right away at a table with a gorgeous view. The staff was incredibly friendly and definitely made the dining experience more enjoyable. We browsed the menu for a while; it's filled with so many options that it was hard to choose. If you love seafood then this restaurant is an excellent choice for you.

Mark ordered Salmon Rigatoni: asparagus, mushroom, artichoke with a pesto cream sauce. Mark said it was really good. 

I ordered Stuffed Shrimp: lump crab stuffed shrimp, red pepper white cheddar mash and asparagus. It was amazing! I love any and all things crab and I think shrimp is so delicious so a combination of the two was awesome. The mash was made up of pureed red pepper and white cheddar mixed into their mashed potatoes. Their seasonal vegetable of asparagus was cooked perfectly. 

We each decided to have dessert. I'm a sucker for desserts but we don't often get something when we are out. Usually we are too full, but with their food being as good as it was I was excited to see how their dessert tasted. I was not disappointed. 

Mark had Upside Down Candied Walnut Apple Pie: baked twice with a candied walnut crust, warm caramel sauce and served with cinnamon ice cream. I had a bite and it was wonderful! 

Being the chocolate lover that I am I decided on the Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake: rich velvety smooth chocolate truffle cake served with fresh berries. Our server mentioned that it tasted like you were eating a chocolate truffle, and she was right. It was beyond yummy. 

Overall I loved this place. It was perfect for our date night. If you are in the area you should check it out. They also have a few other restaurants around Portland and Beaverton. Great food! 
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Ashley Elizabeth
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40 Days

Posted by March 04, 2014
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and with that begins Lent. Being Catholic, Lent is something I always participate in. This year I've decided to give up something and do something, and I'm having Amelia observe Lent as well.

This year I will be giving up dessert-like sweets. Cookies, candy, cake, pie, ice cream etc. These are my weakness and therefore they must go! I always like to give something up that will take a lot of will power. What is the point of giving up something you could easily live without. Now I know I could live without sweets, but it is definitely my guilty pleasure. I'm already missing my Starbuck's frappuccino! I'm cracking myself up writing this because I am rush baking at this very moment. There is a new recipe I want to try out and take for our Easter celebration. After today I won't be able to taste test this recipe and would be horrified if I ended up feeding my family some disgusting mess of a cookie. I will probably have to force my sister Erica to come over and taste my creations for the next few weeks until it is just right. 

This year, along with giving something up, I will be doing random acts of kindness. I think this one will be especially important to share with Amelia. Mark and I are very proud of the kind, compassionate, incredibly well mannered and respectful young girl we are raising and including her in things like this only allows her to learn that kindness, even in the smallest gesture, can put a smile on someone's face and make their day. I am already compiling a list of things we will be doing and I can't wait to start. 

Also, if you are unfamiliar with this time of year we do not eat meat on Fridays. I'm excited for this because I am in desperate need of branching away from the usual chicken we eat and it will be fun trying new recipes. 

Do you observe Lent? If so, what are you doing during this time?

What are your favorite meatless dishes?
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Ashley Elizabeth
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Ten Favorite Things About Oregon

Ten Favorite Things About Oregon

Posted by March 03, 2014
I always love linking up with Brianna at Endlessly Beloved. Each month she picks a topic and asks fellow bloggers to link up with their ten favorites. Here is my post for March. 

Ten Favorite Things About The Place I Call Home

I'm a born and raised Oregonian. I love living here and am excited to raise our family here. I am one of those people who always thinks/dreams about what it would be like to live in a completely different part of the country, but Oregon is so awesome that I'm sure I couldn't stay away long if we ever left. Here are ten reasons why I love Oregon.

1. Location. I can head West and be at the coast in less than 2 hours. I can go East and be in the mountains in about an hour. We've got mountains, rivers, the ocean, woods, deserts, the valley, cities and more. 

2. Weather. A lot of people complain about the weather here in Oregon. It's too wet for some. I personally love the weather here in Oregon. I'm not a fan of extremely hot temperatures so our summers are great. Fall is beautiful here in Oregon and is my favorite season. I wish we had more snow in the winter, but I also really love the rain so I can't complain too much. 

3. Things To Do. There is always something to do here in Oregon, both indoors and outdoors.

4. Scenery. Oregon has some of the most beautiful places on Earth. Seriously, you don't have to go far to be surrounded by breathtaking nature. Waterfalls, rivers, lakes, woods... the list can go on and on. 

5. Farmer's Markets. There is no shortage of farmer's markets here in Oregon. In our little city alone we have a summer and winter market, and our summer market is two days a week. There is always live music, locally grown produce, incredible nurseries supplying gorgeous flowers, yummy food to eat and fun activities for kids. 

6. Quaint Neighborhoods. There are so many little neighborhoods that are great to explore and they all have wonderful restaurants, shops, parks and things to do. 

7. The Columbia Gorge. My favorite area of Oregon is the Columbia Gorge. If you ever have a chance to visit this beautiful state, make the Gorge a priority. 

8. Excellent Restaurants. We have everything. There are so many delicious places to eat at in Oregon. Portland is definitely a foodie city and it's always fun exploring new restaurants. 

9. Music. Oregon always has an amazing amount of festivals and places you can go to listen to live music. Here in Oregon City we have Concerts in the Park each week during the summer. You really don't have to go far to hear some great music. 

10. A Great Place to Raise a Family. Oregon really is a wonderful place to raise a family. There is great diversity and amazing opportunities for kids and families. I'm glad we will be raising our family here. 


While we are on the topic of the place we come from... don't forget to head out and snap some photos to share for my monthly link up "Where I Come From". Next link up is March 8th. Let's go on a virtual vacation with our fellow bloggers. 

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Ashley Elizabeth
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