I'm A Big Kid.... Now?

Perhaps my 11th Commandment is, "When life is too crazy for comfort, fore go blogging," as clearly for the past seven months, I've followed this mantra without relent. Quick recap of life since the Kentucky State Fair = logged ootles of hours in MSU's Pullen Farm Greenhouse, stayed up all night with Bellview Baptist Youth Group, swam in the sea of Blue Jackets in Indy, survived a ridiculously cold and adventurous November four wheeler ride, jettsetted north for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, rocked out at the Judd's Christmas Concert, got stranded in Atlanta's freak ICE STORM!, line danced at The Wildhorse... That's a close enough summation. Alas, I'm back, with a vengeance! With less than two months to go as an Undergrad, exactly two months until I'm a bridesmaid for one of my best friends (with repeat of the same later in the year - similar concept, different bride) and barely two and a half months until I become a Yankee transplant, ideals of adulthood are fast approaching. Ready or not, here it comes! Find a job, buy a car, own a home, pay ALL my own bills, cook ALL my own meals... Peace. Of. Cake. Granted, this said as I laze at the college casa between classes, watching ESPN (GO KENTUCKY!) with the guys, debating on what to microwave next... Jests aside, with emphatic fervor I'm beyond excited about any and all that my life holds in store. I hear so many of my friends and classmates express anxiety over the "toils" of life to come, and I'll admit that with some of the leaps and bounds I take toward independence, there is a small voice inside me that sometimes wants to cry, "Mom!", but overall, I can't wait to "do it myself." A wise friend once helped me realize that while high school was a blast and college has been fun, God wouldn't have allowed us these incredibly long lifespans if the best years were meant to come in the first quarter. With that mindset, I've seen every year truly surpass the one before it, and if 2010 was any indication, the next 3/4 of 2011 is going to be my favorite adventure yet!

And it all comes down to this...

A few weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that my bloggin' was slackin'. To that I say, MY life is flying by faster than I can type (which is pretty darn fast when I get on a roll!) and I dare YOU to TRY AND KEEP UP!


Summer 2010 has been a whirlwind of greatness! Last night I calculated that over my 3+ months in Louisville, I've put somewhere in the 15,000 mile range on the "little, black Monte Carlo," and I'm proud to say I don't regret a mile!


Working with KSF YAP has been a spectacular experience and is an opportunity that I'm beyond thankful to have had! This program has so much potential and I'm confident that the YOUth of Kentuckiana will continue to grow this awesome entity. (Obviously there are still four days left of the 2010 Kentucky State Fair) and YAP's biggest event - Battle of the Bands - is yet to come! If you have time, definitely stop by the tent, ask about FREE T-shirts and buttons, the Ultimate Photo Booth and the ALL NEW KSF Fan Bandz (our custom silly bands!) I'm currently sporting my green rabbit! YAP truly does offer something for everyone, and I'd love to see as many people as possible take advantage! Shameless plugging... who, me?


In addition to 37.5 hours per week hanging out at the KEC, I've managed to fill my "free-time" -what's that?- with more than my fair share of adventure and memory making with the best family and friends anyone could ever ask for! From celebrating my grandparents' 50th Anniversary (I hope I get to see that milestone in my own life!), to fearlessly (or at least with a lot less fear than I had six months ago) rapalling in Red River Gorge, to savoring memories of a very special "gone-home" Saint of God who's impact on my life, and many others, will never be forgotten, to sleeping in just about ANY desperate setting imaginable (including, on occasion, my car), to reconnecting with a million old friends (and even family - you should meet my Aunt Thumb!) and making dozens of wonderful new ones... it's definitely been a ride worth taking. A good friend recently noted that every year somehow manages to be better than the last. She's right. I remember thinking that my high school summers of traveling softball teams and memorized TV schedules would always be my favorite, and then a summer spent traveling the state/eastern continent with 10 of my favorite people topped the charts followed by months of life changing work at KY FFA camp, and yet somehow I'm continually blessed to live a life of never-ceasing awesomeness!

Alas... in true word-obsessed Me fashion, enjoy some of my favorite quotes from Summer 2010:


1. Why are you mean muggin'? You're the one looking like a Golden Retriever!
2. It'll eat.
3. THAT IS A FORD FOCUS! (and numerous other Katt Williams classics!)
4. Something in the basement growled at me!
5. You like pickled eggs?
6. Are you wearing underwear? (just realized that this quote has occurred on multiple occasion)
7. Here Am I... Send Me.
8. Do you wanna be exclusive?
9. Hey buddy... you want some Doritos?
10. Kacie just donated me a mirror...


...there are far too many more to list!



The remainder of 2010 already proves to have me constantly on the go, and I can't imagine living and loving my life in any more fitting fashion. Though I can hardly fathom that my senior year of college has ALREADY begun, I'm chomping at the bit to relish every last taste of Murray State University - of 100s (or hopefully more) new friends, out-of-my-comfort-zone experiences and jam-packed days before embarking on a lifetime of whatever fantastic journey God has in store! Thus far it's been remarkable...


P.S. 5 Things I've Learned from the Kentucky State Fair


1. (2) Krispy Kreme Donut + (1) Hamburger + (X) Bacon Slices = FABULOUS IDEA!
2. Even the quickest jaunt through the hog barn leaves a lingering odor on your clothes...
3. Be nice to Security. They know people.
4. Don't share a remote trailer with an elephant. (And no... that's not a fat joke.)
5. WATCH YOUR STEP!



Peace, Love and Nachos (B/C They are my Favorite Fair Food!)

-Ashlee

Living Life with Regard to Abe, Dolly and Pa...

"You have to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was." -Abraham Lincoln

Abe's always been my favorite president; maybe because I'm a bit of a history nerd and the Civil War Era pretty much consumes my interest. Not that I'm all that obsessed with the North vs. South issues. I just love the time period. Life of those long ago days appears simple, rustic and drenched in hard work, peppered with intense pride in family values and devout belief in 48,000 different causes - take your pick! Best of all, the country was on the brink of abundant development, and if you consider the rush of expansion, technology, population growth, etc. that has followed, the Civil War was ironically a "calm before the storm." Of course, Abe had that tall, lanky appeal to him as well. Sigh...

Sometimes I wonder if we ever really know whether we're living in the "calm" or in the "storm." Obviously, a bad day feels storm-like for a bit, but a few years down the road will what happens today really be a big deal? Who knows? Well, He knows. But YOU know what I mean... right?

If I had to guess, I'd say these days I'm living in the calm. Thank goodness, because anyone that knows me well is very aware of my irrational terror when it comes to storms. My life's weather forecast, for a setting somewhere in fog covered mountains carved out by crystal clear streams and blanketed by a purple star filled sky -hmmm... no wonder I'm also a HUGE Dolly Parton fan- would grant me mostly days of sunshine, a cloud or two here and there, and of course, the occassional rain shower. But as the song goes, "along with the sunshine, there's gotta be a little rain sometimes."

Life's latest gust of wind has dropped me in Louisville, KY for the summer, where I'm happily employed by the Kentucky State Fair Board. Working specifically with the Young Adult Project (YAP) I get to spend my days emmersed in social media -living it up on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace- in effort to help Kentucky's young adults make KSF 2010 their absolute favorite yet! I'm so pumped about the ALL NEW Battle of the Bands, the Ultimate Photo Booth, YOUth Vote Day, Friday Night Dance parties and a million other fantastic projects we've got going that are going to absolutely ROCK YOUR SOCKS! We announce new contests and events constantly on Facebook, so definitely check it out! Best of all, I've already met so many fantastic people (both at work and YAP participants statewide!) I can't wait to hang out with everyone during State Fair (if they'll let me out of my office, that is!)

Alas, I'll be hard pressed to ever follow Abe's advice and eventually outgrow my grandpa (who I legitimately think is the coolest guy in the world, but hey, I might be a tad partial.) But I'm certainly working on it...