Ashley is back

From the beach to Tacoma to California to the beach and back to Tacoma. Ashley is back. We've had a great week with Ashley. The kids have spent some quality time with their auntie and I'm enjoying having her back too. Ashley lived with us for a year. It was a bit challenging because of the size of our house and the fact that I suffer from the "big sister syndrome". I guess that was a more difficult on Ashley than on me. However I what I realize since she is back (not living with us this time) is how much we missed her. She has a special bond with Alyssa and Owen. They adore her. I think Ashley is very proud of her niece and nephews and is a great aunt. I also realized it's nice to have family around. Not just for the sake of babysitting (which is nice), but also to have that connection to family. Ashley is 12 year younger than me and we really don't have much in common. But what I do know is that I love her dearly and only want the best for her. I love that she's back and hope that our relationship can grow. I love that my kids will grow up around their aunt.

Tagged

Tagged
I am going to play a game that my cousin started. Enjoy & pass it on :)
The Rules-
Post these rules @ the beginning of your blog.
Answer the questions about yourself.
At the end of the post, tag 5 people and post their name, then go to their blog and leave them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

What was I doing 10 years ago?1998
Chad and I had been living in Tacoma for a few months. We'd moved from Kentucky (where we lived together for a short 3 months after we were married). Chad was in the Army, I was still trying to adjust to being an army wife. We were meeting people like Anna and Chuck Ahrens and spending a ton of time with my cousin and her husband Aaron. It was this year that we really became quite close to Andrea and Aaron. I realized that Andrea and I were much like sisters, we liked the same things. She was teaching and I was working in Child Care. Aaron and Chad hit it off and became instant friends.
We played lots of cards, went to lots of movies, ate out whenever we wanted. Bought things for us, like clothes, toys and home furnishings.
I started a new job, Chad was promoted in the Army. We camped and traveled to the beach a lot.
We started going to a church in Parkland, which we were both baptized at. We made connections with people who we still go to church with. We were still keeping in touch with high school friends and were able to visit those who had moved away (Toby and Jason).
We had lots of time to play!

Five Snacks I enjoy:
Diet Coke (I'm addicted)
Chai Tea (only from Starbucks)
Coconut cookies
Salad with 3 bean salad, cheddar cheese and sunflower seeds (I've been totally craving it)
Popcorn

5 Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Pay off my debt, my sister's debt
Give, Give and Give some more, to whoever I felt like giving to at that moment
Go on a long vacation with my husband
Come home and take a long vacation with our kids
Get lasik eye surgery


Five jobs that I have had (I listed all of them because I thought it would be fun):
Dishwasher- Tidewinds(age 11)
Maid-Edgewater (age 12)
Worked for an Optometrist
Waitress - Joan's Cafe (summers in Jr. High and High School)
Worked at a gift shop...the Gray Whale (my most favorite job ever)
Old Navy (only lasted 2 weeks, got sick of folding shirts)
Head Start Teacher-Longview WA
Child Care Center Licensor
Child Care Specialist GSA
Mom...that's hard work

Five of my habits (good or bad):
reading blogs
biting my finger nails
starting something and not finishing it
wearing my shoes in the house

5place I have lived:
Ocean Park, Long Beach, Seaview WA
Longview WA
Vancouver WA
Fort Knox, KY
Tacoma WA

What are your FAVORITE Jammies?I need new Jammies desperately, I'm not even gonna tell you what mine are.

5 Favorite Hobbies or Wanna-Be Hobbies
scrapbooking & taking pictures of my kids
reading blogs
Zumba
Hanging out with girl friends (this is a wanna-be hobbie)
Visiting the McCartys
Needlepoint
Knitting

Who Am I Tagging?Friendswith blogs that I consistently read.
1. Rob and Amy 2. Melissa Moss 3. Sara Sandefer 4. Toby (when she gets a blog) 5. Carrie Whitehouse 6. Laura Smidt