we should do that more often

it's been far too long since Devin and I went to the temple, but we changed that tonight! despite our busy schedules, piling to-do lists, and Devin's feeling sick for a full 2 weeks now... we went!


we had taken some family names from grandma upstairs to do sealings for and headed promptly to the provo temple. which, to no surprise, is way too crowded on a thursday night. but you wanna know what's so great about that? it doesn't change a thing. i love seeing the temple busy. it means members are anxiously doing the work of the Lord. and that could never be a bad thing.


we did all of the sealings we brought, and the entire time, aside from being worried if devin was feeling okay, i was so glad we came. it's been such a battle to get to the temple lately, and i am proud of us for going no matter what. we definitely benefited. 


not to mention, after we finished, our sealer, Brother Peter Mourik told us an amazing story from his point of view. maybe you remember the story from conference? President Monson was presiding at a temple dedication (i believe) and felt impressed to announce Brother Mourik as the speaker, when Brother Mourik wasn't there... he was a few miles away, at a different church event. He felt prompted to get to the temple as soon as he could, and once he did, he walked in the doors, and saw President Monson on the screen, announcing HIM as the speaker. this is such a great example of listening to the spirit, and following by obedience. amazing! realizing our sealer was the same Brother Mourik made our night! especially realizing now, that earlier in the sealings, he had spoken a lot about how it wasn't a coincidence that any of us were there tonight, sealing the people we were.


i don't think i've ever left the temple feeling as uplifted as i do tonight. 

changes

so many changes lately, it seems. 

once again, i've changed my blog. similar to something i had awhile ago. i like it, but i'm constantly looking for new ways to make it better. literally. so don't be surprised if i change it yet again! 

we are getting some seriously awesome fall weather lately. i was worried last week when it just up and snowed on us. afraid we were skipping fall all together, which would've been a shame, but the weather didn't let me down. and today has been a sunny, slightly-chilly thursday. and i love it. hopefully when i get the munchkins up from a nap, i'll be able to talk them into taking a walk around the neighborhood.

devin and i seem to be making constant changes to our house. always getting new things, moving things around, re-decorating, re-organizing. i'm pretty sure in the 5 months we've lived here, we've re-organized the kitchen about 7 times. we are always changing around what things go in which cupboards, because there's not nearly enough storage in the kitchen, even for just the 2 of us! it's working out though.

when i was younger, i used to fear change. especially in high school. change was never good then. i think that it's probably because i was in a stage in high school (and college) where every decision would have a pretty serious effect on me. like toward the end of my freshman year, my family had sold our house and were planning to move to heber. i had been attending cheer try-outs at wasatch high, and after maybe 3 nights, called it quits. i didn't like those girls. i didn't want to be at that school. lucky for me, my dad changed his mind at the last minute and apologized to the buyer and said we were keeping the house. fwew! that would've been a scary change. 

another major change? moving to st. george for a year. that was huge! just the other day, i was talking with my mom. my younger sister just had "college days" at school, and had firmly decided on attending dixie for 1 semester, just for the heck of it. when i heard this, i thought no way was my little sister moving to the other end of the state. she's way too young! and then i remembered... i did the exact same thing. and practically for the same reasons. sure, i was going into a program pretty seriously, but living in st. george seemed like a dream. and being on my own was exciting. but kayla? no way! too young. cant. right? wrong. she's actually older than i was at that time! so i asked my mom "how in the world did you let me do that? why did you let me move so far away?! and just trust me?!" i still don't know how she did that! it's crazy to see family and friends grow up and watch them go through things i had been through, and think "well, they're too young for that" when they really aren't.

anyway, moving down to dixie was a huge change. in the beginning, i was so happy about this change. it was a huge reality check for me, to really be completely relying on myself. i had to budget my own income, stay updated on my car's maintenance, buy my own groceries, get a job that supported me, and i was responsible for making myself attend all my classes, and get good grades. i'm impressed that i stayed so on top of it, and i feel like it made a big change in my maturity level. we all know that plan went south, but it was still a very needed learning experience for me, in a lot of ways. 

now? i accept change. and i'm starting to think that maybe it's because every time something changes, i know i'm not alone. i don't have to face my changes by myself anymore. devin and i are a team, and we do it all together. if it changes for him, it changes for me too, and visa-versa. it's so much easier to handle change, to welcome and accept it, when you have someone so great doing it with you!

so change is good. change is awesome! i feel more ready than ever to face change, head on. i feel like i've gained a new perspective. i can turn any kind of change into something positive, that will benefit me. something i can learn from, something i can gain, something i can achieve, or something i can improve on. i have a feeling like there will be some changes. dont know where or when, but i'm ready!

this family is too close to not take care of each other

sunday, for dinner, devin and i made cinnamon roll cake and guacamole and headed to my parents. my dad is out of town for work, but it was so much fun to spend the evening with my mom, younger sister and younger brother. i love my mom. she is truly amazing. she is the most influential woman in my life. she has taught me to work hard, to earn what i have, and to not take things for granted. she is the covergirl for patience and compassion. she makes the best enchiladas ever, and she is one of my very best friends. i am so glad that i live 5 minutes away. i can see her, and my family whenever i want, and the look on her face when we walk in the door is priceless. she loves so much spending time with devin and i. she loves having us over, and i am so grateful for everything she does for me, and for us. she is the best mother a girl could ask for.

and my siblings? couldn't ask for better. i was a little reluctant about getting married 2 weeks apart from my older sister, but it has been one of the biggest blessings. how many girls get to plan their weddings side by side with their sister? go wedding dress shopping, throwing different dressers over our changing rooms to take turn trying each other's choices on? we got to do it all together, and now we can continue to go through our lives in a similar stage, sharing our marriage joys and woes. it's been a huge help to confide and laugh with someone who knows exactly what i'm going through like nobody else ever will. the older we get, the closer we become, even though she lives far away. i would've never been caught dead saying this when i was little, but i am so lucky to have kelli as my older sister!

and kayla and kyle? they are a comedy show. every time i go to my parents, they are constantly making everyone laugh. kyle has become a football/baseball/basketball star, and is sailing through his first year in high school like a total champ! i love watching his games, and seeing his motivation and determination to be the best he can be at whatever he's doing. and it pays off! he is so young, and playing with the big guys. he's earned it.

kayla? she will never fail to make me laugh. just this week, she was home alone and saw a trespasser in the backyard looking really shady. she noticed him start coming up the back steps of our house and opened the door and said "DO YOU NEED SOMETHING?!" she's probably 110 pounds, and home alone! she kills me! hahaha she is getting ready to graduate and start college and she has become so ambitious, and her drive is getting more and more focused. she is going to do great things, i just know it.

i don't even want to get started on my dad! he has been and always will be my hero. nobody comes close to my dad. i have never looked up to anyone in the world with as much respect and admiration as i do my father. he has done and seen it all, and he is a better man for it. he has taught me virtually everything i know, and i will always be so grateful! i've been known to be a daddy's girl, and it's a label i will always proudly claim.

feeling pretty grateful for my awesome family, can you tell? let's keep it going...

one of the best things about marriage has been gaining a new family. the ashby family has been more than i ever could have asked for! mom and dad ashby are some of the most humble, charitable people i have ever met. they are the most hospitable people, and work so hard for what they have. i have so much respect for the way the live their lives, and the way the raised devin (and his siblings) to live his. he is the amazing man he is today because of his parents. and it shows! they are always thinking of others, and recent events are more than proven that. they are a true example of family. they know it comes first, and they will never let anything change that. it is so clearly the most important thing to them: the way it should be. it is so impressive. they are so close. just recently, Devin said to his mom, "this family is too close to not take care of each other" and that is exactly how it should be! 

i also just want to say how grateful i am for a brother and sister in law like the wagstaffs. jason and amanda are incredible. they, too, work so hard, and despite the trials they face, they keep a positive attitude, and are always striving to be better. i am amazed at the things amanda can accomplish. she is the beautiful mother of 3 adorable children, that i love so much! they are smart and funny and well-behaved kids. it's amazing! she runs an extremely successful business, completely by herself (see PRETTIES tab). she is so creative and crafty, and always has amazing ideas for everything. she's a little mrs-fix-it! which i wish i could be! and she is one of the best cooks i know! i love the wagstaffs so much! they are an amazing family, and i love that they're MY family!

i love my family. both johnsons and ashbys. they are the best thing about my life, and i am overjoyed to have them around forever! we've learned a valuable lesson this last week, and have had a very humbling experience. what i hope to always remember is that in the end, all you have is family, and it's all that matters. i love you guys!!!

valuable lessons i've learned this week:

in the end, all you have is family. and it's all that matters.

don't pay attention to the people who talk behind your back,  you know you're at least 2 steps ahead of them, and your life is more interesting than theirs.

five things

if she wants to take a picture, she'll walk over to my purse and say "cheese, cheese"... I get the point. it's pretty hilarious though.

the quiet jar in action. totally doing it's job. 

We played chemist with C-man! I taught him about primary and secondary colors and he practiced mixing them! it was so much fun!

our apple crates! we were trying to work out a time with the lady that we could pick them up but she wasn't available when we were and visa-versa. before heading up to Big Springs to take some family pictures, we decided to do some exploring in consignment shops just for fun. We went to My Finer Consigner in Lindon off state street, and found lots of awesome furniture that we have no room for... then we went to Mona Lisa Consignment in AF and fell in love. Aside from all the weird clothes and shoes, they had some awesome stuff! It was sort of like the antique mall, but not necessarily antiques. Anyway, we spotted these long crates hiding behind some chairs and inquired. The owner said that a cute old man makes these and sells them through her shop. So they aren't antique or authentic apple crates, but they are way sturdier and will last us a whole lot longer. We might paint them, but for now, they're functioning as a kitchen cart type thing in the dining room, filling up some more awkward space. love them.

i'm so glad devin doesn't mock me when i elaborate on the importance of taking a picture on a special day, or at a special event. this was on Oct. 8. our one-year-anniversary since the wedding he spotted me at. i thought it was something worth celebrating, so after the consignment shops, and the family photos up south fork, we went to olive garden (thanks to my awesome nanny family!). sooo yummy! i love that place. i should probably go more often. after eating, we came home and did some cleaning, found our christmas stockings online (eee!!!) and then some friends came over to watch the BYU game. it was an awesome day! i can't believe it's almost been a year since we met. it's gone by so fast, and every day has been absolutely amazing. and i totally mean that. every single day for an entire year.

(also? there were several more pictures. like 3 others. but all of them, devin was making a ridiculous face and we were laughing so they were blurry. oh, that devin ashby)

if not for love, I would be drowning

1 year ago today, I walked obliviously into the beautiful backyard reception of one of my newest friends, Tracey [now] Clegg.

My main excuses for going were [obviously] to celebrate with Tracey and her husband, Kameron, but also, for the catering. Kneaders. My favorite. Another thing? I love any excuse to wear my only fancy dress. A splurge from high school at White House Black Market.

My friends had spent the last couple of weeks talking up the cute family friend/ photographer. I was aware he'd be there, of course, but wasn't consciously thinking about it, since I had taken a date. (because you just can't show up to a wedding, slightly overdressed, by yourself. it would be ridiculous!)

Kylee pointed him out, at which point I immediately agreed with her, in my head, that 'yes. yes he IS cute.' but the likelihood of anything happening with him just didn't seem worth the swooning. It could never lead anywhere, right?

At some point later, we pulled out our cameras to snap at least 2 dozen pictures, naturally. Suddenly, the cute photographer was in front of us, asking, "mind if i get one of those with my camera?" um. of course not?!

I think I have an irrational fear that when people show up after I've been thinking about them, they must KNOW I was thinking about them. Again, they were all thoughts I pushed aside, because let's face it, Katie. It's just not going to happen. So when he suddenly appeared at our table, I was a little beside myself, but kept it together.

As it got too cold to sit out much longer, I left abruptly, date in tow, and didn't think much about the photographer after that.

I think I make a much bigger deal of things than necessary sometimes.

About a week later, we were facebook friends. I wish I remembered who friended who. He would probably say it was him. If it was me, I probably did it because Kylee did. And if she had any reason to friend him, I did too. But I don't remember.

Shortly after, I had a conversation with Kylee, who said she was chatting with him online. He was asking about me. She made sure he knew I was very, very single, and even gave him my number. Which he didn't keep (which I love).

And not long after that, we were chatting online ourselves. I'm sure it started with some comment about his photography. That he did great. Because I had nothing else to talk to him about... well, nothing that wouldn't classify me as a certified creeper, at least. I had already stalked his page up and down. Outdoorsy, likes radiohead AND pearl jam, no girls in any recent pictures... it was looking up! But I wasn't about to tell him that...

It didn't take more than an hour, I bet for him to get my number. He texted me right away and said "it's dash. just thought you'd like to have my digits too" (yes. that's exactly what he said. digits. haha).

We spent a good week texting non-stop. And I mean, constantly. It was like a week-long never-ending conversation. We stopped to sleep, and slowed down during classes, but that was about it. So, it didn't take us very long to discover that we were also taking the same math course at UVU. Which quickly led to our similar, and lacking math skills. Which opened up the opportunity to finally get together.

Our first date? Homework. In the UVU library. We were meeting right after he got out of his math class. So I spent [literally] 4 hours getting ready. Most of that time was spent being antsy, and looking in the mirror worriedly and obsessively.

He finally called after class, and I tried to explain that I was next to the starbucks in the library. All he heard was "fabrics". It was such an awkward conversation! He finally found me and we sat down and got right to work. I remember trying to make small talk to break the silence, because it was obvious to me long before we started homework that I wouldn't be accomplishing any of it. It probably didn't help that the conversation was going great...

We gave up on homework not long after we started when some of his friends invited him to Sammy's. I had never heard of it, and definitely wasn't about to object. We had grilled cheese sandwiches in fry sauce with an oreo pie shake, and played angry birds until the place closed. Hours of endless conversation continuing throughout.

After that night, Devin said he knew we wouldn't just be a short-term fling. I went home with a similar feeling. Knowing he would be around for awhile, just not sure how long. The more time we spent together, the more I hoped it would be a really long time.

I went home that night with my head in the clouds, and the rest, really is history.

Aside from my overnight trip with friends to St. George that same weekend of our homework date (which at this point, I was reluctant to go), we have seen each other every single day since.

That is day after day of driving in the rain, homework dates in the library (that usually ended up with us laying on the floor, or heading to starbucks for a carmel apple spice), countless pancake and bacon dinners on the presto grill i helped him pick out one night at Kohl's. going to church together each sunday, followed by my favorite sunday naps. dinner with his parents. babysitting his nieces and nephew. rock climbing, and eventually, wedding planning. announcement addressing, wedding dress shopping, furniture hunting, apartment decorating. And now? tv shows, cooking and grocery shopping, endless photo editing...

I can't believe it sometimes. Our entire relationship has been my idea of a perfect relationship from day 1. he has changed my life in the best, and most beneficial ways possible. He has made me a better version of myself, he has changed my perspective, and my overall mood. He has ultimately completed my life. I don't understand why I got so lucky. Why it worked out the way it did. It baffles me. But I am thankful every day for his place in my life. For everything he does to insure my happiness and wellbeing. He is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. He's the best thing about me and does more than is ever expected of him. Not just for me, but for everyone. He is constantly helping our grandparents upstairs, and has so much compassion and love for the people around him. He is an amazing friend, not to mention brother/son, and I can't believe he's my best friend. I love it. I love him! I am so glad I get an eternity with someone as witty and loving as Devin. He keeps me on my toes, and even when his days don't have enough hours for everything he has to get done, he makes it a point to spend time with me - just the two of us. I have never felt so adored and appreciated as Devin makes me feel. Whatever it is about him, I don't know, but it works.

And one year ago today, I had absolutely no idea.

It's strange to look back at these pictures of that day. To see him in the background in half of them, and think "there he was. my husband was right in front of me and i had no idea". I love the way we worked out. I love the story we have that we can tell our kids some day. I love that this is my life now, one year later.

It's an anniversary in a way.

 
I love you Devin

this is why you should follow my BLOG

so i posted as my facebook status last night that devin and i had homemade white chicken chili again. it's the best cold-day dinner. and it looks like you spent a lot of time on it, and seems really complex, when it's actually pretty simple! and since i had a handful of people ask for the recipe on that status update, I thought i'd just post it here! this would also be the perfect opportunity for you to follow my blog! why, you may ask?


plenty of photos.
of food
things/products i love
my handsome husband 
the munchkins i spend all my days with


also? 5 things series? we all love that, right? right.


recipes?! more to come? definitely.


funny and embarrassing stories? there's plenty.


so you should at least consider it :)


anyway, here's the recipe!


White Chicken Chili:


ingredients: (i definitely recommend using as many fresh ingredients as possible!)


1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb boneless chicken, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans great norther beans
1 4oz can green chilis
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
32 oz chicken broth


directions:
In large pot, heat olive oil. 
Add chopped onion, cook 2 minutes.
While onions cook, drain and rinse beans, set aside.
Sprinkle chopped chicken with salt and pepper, add to pot.
Add garlic.
Cook until no pink on chicken.
Add green chilis (all juices too), beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt and pepper.
Stir well, then add chicken broth.
Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from heat and add juice of 1 lime and cilantro.
Add salt and pepper to taste.


Makes about 8 cups (but we seem to eat it all in about 2 nights!)


Condiments/Toppings:
sour cream
cilantro
shredded cheese
avocado
tortilla chips


I guarantee your husband will commend you! mine always does. Devin and I love to just put a spoonful of sour cream in our soup. It makes it a bit creamier. We also love making some cornbread or biscuits to go with it! 


i promise you'll love it and make it all winter long!


[don't forge to follow my blog! i'll supply plenty more recipes :) ]