Happy Halloween!

We had a lot of fun dressing up this year Mindy was Silvermist from the Movie Tinkerbell and Josh was Batman!

We went to our neighbourhood park and did trunk or treat. Both kids had fun with their friends and got a lot of candy!

We are very excited for baby girl to come ! Here I am yesterday November 15, 2009 at

28 weeks!

Where has the time gone!

I have been very busy with a sick little Josh. He still has days where his stomach hurts and has a extreme lack of energy so for any of you that know my kids know that they never stop running, jumping, climbing etc... They did test him for Celiac and the test results came back inconclusive so he will be seeing a Gastroenterologist on 10/27 to have a look at him and most likely they will schedule a small bowel biopsy not fun but necessary.

I have now reached 23 weeks in my pregnancy AKA 6 months! Baby Girl is growing very well! I am hoping these last months will go by fast. So far things have been great not quite as well as being pregnant with Mindy and gratefully nothing like Josh (he was a horrible pregnancy) Other than some common aches pains and headaches I feel well. I am starting to slow down and get tired a lot easier than I did a month ago but that is normal too.

There has been a few times that I have fallen asleep and Mindy and Josh didn't want to wake me so Mindy took care of Josh. She did a great job they read books and had a messy snack but that was OK she was very proud of herself!

Mindy is getting to be a very grown up and will be a big help when I have the baby!

A New School Year!

Well Aug 24th met 2 milestones one big one for Mindy!! She started 1st grade at Diamond Ridge Elementary School. For her this means 2 extra recesses and lunch at school. For me this means 8:40 am to 3:20 pm with one child (well until Feb). The second milestone belongs to me, I hit 16 weeks! It is exciting because I was able to schedule the all important all knowing 18 week Ultrasound! This will take place on Sept 11th. Everyone asks me why would you schedule a test on such a somber day? Well I will tell you- I would like Brian to be there and that was the day and time that worked for his work schedule. We have one of each so we don't really have a preference. We will be happy with a health baby!

13 weeks and counting

We are so excited to enter the 13th week of my pregnancy. I am starting to feel a little better and my belly is looking more plump. I took the kids with me to my last OB visit so they could hear the heart beat! Mindy shouted out "It sounds like a sister"!! I am trying to prepare her for possible disappointment in case it is not, but she is confident that it is a girl. We should be finding out the first part of Sept so stay tuned!!

Bear Lake 2009

This past week was our annual Asthon Family vacation to Bear Lake. Unfortunately Brian was unable to get work off so I took the kids up on Wed July 8th and Brian joined us on Fri July 10th. A great time was had by all!! We hit the beach Thurs, Fri and Sat. We played all day in the sand and the surf. Daddy was there on Sat to take the kids on their first Wave Runner rides!!

All Smiles!!

Josh took a nap!

Mindy needed a nap!

(MOM DON'T TAKE MY PICTURE)!!

Josh loves to wear goggles

Wave Runner rides with Daddy!!

A public glimpse of my Baby Bump!

Baby due February 21, 2010

Sea World

I have finally had the time to sit and post pictures from our trip to San Diego. Here are pictures from Sea World. We had a wonderful time and if I could fly back today I would!!

Mindy and Josh met the pilots before we took off!!

Josh was so excited to be at Sea World he could hardly contain himsef.

Shamu!!

Trees!!!

We planted 4 trees. 1 in our front yard and 3 in our side yard I love it! And wanted everyone to know!!

Sleepless Nights!!

As of late we have been having an increase in the occupancy of our bed at night. Mindy and Josh currently share a room they like to play on the bunk beds they just don't like sleeping on them!

Generally the night goes like this Josh rolls over and hits the wall which triggers a night terror causing him to cry hysterically about odd things. For example "who ate my taco" and "wear are my pants". These crying episodes can last up to an hour sometimes longer. The crying wakes Mindy and well we end up in bed with two kids and a cat!

Brian and I thought of a creative way to keep the kids from hitting the wall at night. He thinks it was his idea but I am pretty sure it was mine.

Monday I went out and purchased two large very soft body pillows which I put on the kids beds against the wall. We are happy to say that it has worked so far. Two full nights of sleep!!!!

Here Kitty, Kitty.

In October they told me that my sweet kitty Tiger only had about a month to live. Well it has been 6 months and I am just not sure the diagnosis was accurate. His favorite pass time trying to get the snake through the glass!

The snake was shedding at the time, so it was a lot more fun!!

Crazy Cat!!!

(We did get another snake. We have not named him yet it is down to two names Skeeter or Mr. Nibs)

P.S. San Diego Pictures coming soon!

The Ashton's are back!!

We are back from a very fun and relaxing trip to San Diego with the kids. I will post pictures soon. We had a great time. We visited Sea World, San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park, what an amazing experience, I didn't want to leave. There is so much that I wanted to see.

We thank our new friends the Strows family for lunch on Saturday and inviting us to Easter Services on Sunday. We would also like to thank the Horizon Christian Fellowship for the kindess shown to us. We will definitely return to visit San Diego again!

Mindy age 4
This picture will most likely be shown at Easter for the rest of this poor childs life. It's funny because she look like she is laying an egg.

In Loving Memory

Jaws passed away yesterday afternoon. We will miss him. Jaws 2 should be making an appearance in the next couple of weeks.

Stupid questions anyone?

I have been through a lot in the past 3 years. Maybe it is because I might be in somewhat of a bad mood today. Here are a few stupid questions I have been asked in the last week.

Are you afraid all of your scars make you look ugly?
Why do you think I'm ugly?

Do you mind if I ask you what happened?
Yes. Yes I do!

And my personal favorite!!!

Has your right breast always been smaller than your left.
What kinda Dumb *** questions is that?

Swimsuit Season

As some you know I have not been my self for several months. After many Doctor and Er visits and an ambulance ride later finding out that I had Mono was somewhat of a relief. And since recovering from the Mono I was able to have the knee surgery that I needed. However because I was recovering during the holidays, so many of my friends and family comforted me with delectable food items that even on a day when you have the most will power you can't resist. I ate and ate and thought to myself the other day that I can take the weight off by swimsuit season until remembered that we are going to San Diego in 4 weeks and decided I will just buy a mu-mu.

I was cleaning the "Lair" (Brian's office) and I found a letter that I wrote to myself as an assignment in an English class my senior year of high school. I was supposed to write about where I wanted to be in 10 years.

My life is nothing like had imagined it would be.

Like every teenage girl I was totally in "love" with my high school sweetheart and was positive we would end up together forever, well most of us know how that went. (love meaning? do you really know what love is, when you are still in high school?)

I wanted to be a Midwife, that didn't happen either.

Although I didn't marry my high school sweetheart and I didn't go to college and become a Midwife like I had planned.

My life is much more than I had ever imagined. I married the love of my life in the Salt Lake Temple, became an ABO certified optician and had two beautiful children. I am very lucky to be able to be a stay at home mom.

Even though I was married at barely 19. Sadly I and been in enough relationships to know that Brian was the one for me. It was truly love a first sight. It was the first relationship I had been in that I knew he cared about me and treated me the way a human being is supposed to be treated.

I had very bad taste in men before I met my husband, actually 2 of the guys I dated before Brian are in prison. I had REALLY bad taste in men. Although, I did date one police officer and a my high school sweetheart is currently a police officer so that evens things out. Right?

People have asked me on occasion how I could have possibly done everything I did before I was married my response is "You can get a lot done in a day if try hard enough". Ha Ha Ha

Happy Birthday Josh!!

We celebrated Joshua's 3rd birthday on Feb 2nd. He agreed with the ground hog, he saw his shadow, we will have 6 more weeks of winter.

He now almost has the entire Thomas the Tank Engine Trackmaster collection and can make my large family room into the Island of Sodor. Really! Trains everywhere!

Currently his most prized possession is his Handy Manny tool set which he carries around the house and pretends to fix everything.

People keep asking me about how potty training was going and it is kinda on hold for right now. he was doing very well and using the toilet several times a day until we were at a Wal-Mart and he told me that he needed to go to the potty so I put him on the toilet and he stopped mid stream when that toilet flushed and was so scared he melted to the ground. Now he is afraid to go anywhere near a toilet. So for right now he does his business in his diaper behind the family room couch.

Busted!!!!

Playing quietly doesn't always mean you are being good!

Yes! It was a Sharpie.

No! It didn't come off.

Look How They've Grown!

Josh 12/07

Mindy 12/07

Josh 2nd Birthday 02/07

Josh and Mindy 03/2007

Mindy's 5th Birthday 04/07

Josh 05/07

Mindy 6/07

Josh and Mindy at Lagoon 7/07

Josh and Mindy at Bear Lake 08/07

Mindy 1st day of school 9/07

Josh and Mindy at Frightmare's at Lagoon 10/07

Josh and Mindy 11/07

Mindy 12/07

It is so amazing to watch your children grow!

Mindy did the most growing this year in weight and height!

And my Josh is starting to look like a big boy and has lost his

chubby baby face.

It will be exciting to see what 2009 brings!

Be Prepared!!

We have heard time and time again "Be Prepared". Make sure you have an emergency plan! For example if you were ever evacuated from your home. Well, Brian and I have never really talked about what would happen or made a plan so we did not have an evacuation plan this past Friday night when we were evacuated.

Brian had told me that he was working late, and I told Mindy that she could play at her friends house until 6:00 pm. I gave Josh a bath put clean diaper on him and he quickly ran down the stairs (in his diaper) and I gathered up some dirty clothes including the ones I was wearing I knew that I wasn't going anywhere so I slipped on a night gown. Turned the lights off and went downstairs and put the jeans in the wash. When I came upstairs I noticed it was almost 7:00 pm and Mindy was not home so I put on my big knee length parka and my snow boots and start walking towards where Mindy was playing when I was met by a police officer that asked politely if I could get my children and leave my house as quietly and as quickly as possible. Because of where my house was to the incident he advised me to not go upstairs for anything just get my kids and go.

I told him that my daughter was at a friends house and he said that they were in the process of evacuating the house that she was at and would hold Mindy just beyond the check point.

I ran in the house wrapped Josh in a blanket, grabbed his coat, his meds that were luckily on the kitchen table!! and my wallet. That was it, no contacts, no glasses, NO PANTS!

I picked Mindy up from the check point and started off to I decided my parents house when, I identified an odor coming from the back seat. Josh had done his business while I went to get his sister. So we stopped at Wal-Mart to get me some pants, Josh diapers, wipes and clothes because he was naked.

I must have looked the part of a domestic abuse victim. Because a Wal-Mart manager and a security employee approached me and asked if I needed help I explained the situation to them and after more of my half dressed neighbors came to get clothing and other supplies. My story checked out.

The stand off lasted 3 hours from start to finish and we were home by 9:30 pm. The only thing we were told was that. The Police went to serve an arrest warrant and the guy resisted arrest and was held up in his house with a gun. They were able to calm him down and he did go without a problem. No guns were fired but we did see a lot of guns (big guns). They were able to handle the situation quietly and without many people knowing what was happening. all of the vehicles were unmarked and they were all detectives in street clothes.

If you were to come upon the scene the cars blocking the road told cars coming into the area it was a gas leak and that they needed to leave the area.

Believe it or not this happens may times a day in every type of neighborhood lower, middle, upper etc... You don't see it on the news unless it is a famous person, lasts longer than 5 hours or SWAT is called in.

The moral of this story is always wear pants!!

No seriously learn from my mistake have an evacuation plan!

BE PREPARED!!!!!

A Little Behind!

I am a little behind, but for good reason. I have been very busy! We would like to start finishing our basement and that means that we have to throw out all the stuff we don't want anymore. It is amazing the things that you can collect in 10 years time. Still does not even dust the top of what we found when my parents moved.

Christmas was great the kids had fun. I will post pictures another day.

We shared New Year's Eve early evening with Brian's parent's and brother Steve and his wife Krissy. Josh had a fun time playing with baby Nate. We rang in the New Year with old friends. Thanks Greg for letting us use your house! We have the next one!

May Everyone Have a Happy New Year!!