Oh the Yin-Yang

WARNING:  Explicitly cheesy content of my love for my husband and his buns in this post, as well as the typical, incorrect use of grammar.

It has been foevvaaaaaa.  To save you a lengthy post (which this might actually end up being anyway), life for the past couple of weeks has been CRAY.  For no reason in particular, other than ever since getting back from Tennessee to visit my parents (more on that at the bottom of the post!), I have been utterly epic failing at getting back into the routine of daily life.  But man oh man was it worth it.  

For quite some time, I'd really been missing my parents.  I guess that's an always thing, but for the past couple of months it's been "bad real bad, Michael Jackson."  I wish we lived closer.  And that's that.  So Reese and I flew to Nashville (Reese's first flight! a.k.a. the flight from hell...only because wrangling Reese was exhausting, but at least she was all smiles!) and had such a great time hanging with her Grandma Lynn and Grandpa D!  More deets of the trip in the Weekly Yin-Yangs at the bottom of this post. 

If I had to sum up the past couple of weeks in one word it would be...progressive?  Thought-provoking?  Incredibly...ponderful?  Haha, idk, none of those are really hitting the nail on the head, but I guess I've just been continuing to learn about myself as a mother, wife, and friend.  Just tidbits.  Things that I feel that I'm good at.  Things that I really, really suck at.  Pardon my french.  

I've realized that I absolutely, 100% married the man of my dreams, best friend, and tell-it-like-it-is stud that gets my blood pumpin'.  

Todd and I went on a hot date to the Sundance Halloween chairlift this weekend, and words can't describe how much I needed that hot date.  Note to self though:  Bring a blanket!  Holy hellfire, it was chilly at some points in the ride!  But we got to snuggle, laugh at all the corny, scary Halloween scenes below, and talk about every stage of our relationship and life together from beginning to now.  We talked about a lot of fun memories that neither of us had thought about in a while, and it made me want to jump his bones buns (see WARNING at top of post).

Communication y'all.  Make it happen in your marriage. (Since I have such experience under my belt to be offering advice....HA ) It's one of those things I can really, really stink at sometimes, but whenever I take the time to talk things out (typically encouraged by Buns), it's usually always worth it.

>>Yins:  Unpacking // Not being able to take my parents with me back to Utah // Not being able to take Buns with me to Nashville // Wiggly, no-nap church on Sundays forcing us to take her out to the grass to get some fresh air // "judgementalness" // neverending dishes // neverending laundry // getting back into the routine of work and home life // trying to contain Reese on the plane (she did GREAT actually...it was me who didn't do so hot) //

>>Yangs:  Celebrating my brother Todd's 23rd birthday bowling with my fambam // Visiting my parents in Nashville!! // movies with momma // BYU football with dad // chats for daaays with momma // pizza date with dad // Martinelli's with momma // just spending time with them in general was much needed // Reese spending time with her Grandma Lynn and Grandpa D // Jakers pumpkin patch with Barrett cousins // happy baby girl // Sesame Street // pumpkin cake // Jakers take two with friends followed by the best cazookie I've ever had in my life // game nights with friends // our church primary program that always brings me to tears (sweet merciful, I'll be a mess when our kids are actually IN it) // shopping with momma // Sundance Halloween chairlift with Buns // tender mercies delivered in the form of laundry // newlywed sister and bro-in-law // in-laws // pumpkin decorating //  people that love Reese almost as much as I do // baby rolls // Reese's curly lips // "days that allow bras off, hair up, sweats on" // Roni baths with Grandma Lynn // workout music // coming home to find Todd's leg stuck in the window trying to get in because he was locked out (priceless! )...had to snap a shot before I released him // workout music // Claire Wilson // seeing Buns after getting off the plane // hugging the crap out of Buns after getting off the plane // kissing Buns after getting off the plane // holding hands with Buns after getting off the plane //

Have a great week y'all!
❤, Ashton Tilton

Our "Yins" and "Yangs"

Hey y'all. //Peace sign emoji// I feel like I've been pretty M.I.A. lately on the blog with work being crazy and now visiting my parents in Nashville but am having such a blast over here, even though I'm missing Buns like mad.  In efforts to record more of our life, the ups and the downs, the good and the bad, I'm going to start doing a weekly recap of the sweet and sours of our week (inspired by this awesome lady):  our "yin and yangs".  I was trying to think of a cutesie way to say our ups and downs haha and came across the infamous middle school favorite: the Yin-Yang.  Even though I wouldn't be able to tell you why I was so obsessed with the yin-yang in middle school, I can totally tell you why I'm digging its vibe now.

The Yin-Yang is rooted in Chinese philosophy and represents the belief that opposite or contrasting forces are actually complementary.  That they are interconnected.  Wikipedia says, (yes, I'm using Wikipedia as a source, sue me) "Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary (rather than opposing) forces that interact to form a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the assembled parts."

Let me tell you what I hear when I read that.  Because that bizz spoke to me.  I broke that down to mean that the good and bad things we experience in life work together to create a "whole" or a much larger purpose than we might realize.  The "parts" of our life, good and bad, are all a culmination of experiences that add to our "whole" growth and purpose.  The good and bad are pieces of the puzzle.  We would not know the great things in our life, if we didn't experience the hard, trying times.  We would not know light if we didn't know darkness too.  That sort of philosophical thing...ya feel me??

"Yin is the black side with the white dot in it, and yang is the white side with the black dot in it.  The relationship between yin and yang is often described in terms of sunlight playing over a mountain and valley.  Yin (literally the 'shady place' or 'north slope') is the dark area occluded by the mountain's bulk, while yang (literally the 'sunny place' or 'south slope') is the brightly lit portion.  As the sun moves across the sky, yin and yang gradually trade places with each other, revealing what was obscured and obscuring what was revealed." {via}

So here I am, inspired to share the "Yins" and "Yangs" of our weeks in an effort to recognize that the tough stuff is ultimately just as beautiful and vital to our happiness as the great stuff.  Because the tough stuff stretches and molds us into the people we are becoming, and I couldn't be more grateful for that.

Typically I'll do just week by week, but this Yin-Yang will recap September up until today.  Hope y'all have had a great week and that your Sunday is the bomb!

>>Yins:  move-ins for our apartment complex // days when Roni is teething // procrastinated preparing for church activity // communication with Buns // the dishes that never end // overwhelmed with work, home, and church responsibilities // being away from Buns for 6 days // surrendering my hubby to homework every night // days when Roni is a fussypants // budgeting // forking out the dough to fix "Drake" (my Honda civic) for the millionth time this year // sleeping through my alarm clock and being late for work // Roni's blowouts (u no wut id iz) // getting my feelings hurt like I was in 6th grade or something foolish like that // playing phone tag with Buns // flying on an airplane past Roni's bedtime (ha....ha.....HA) // not bringing warm enough clothes for camping // Roni getting stuck in that same dang chair E'ERYDAY // spit-up aka throw-up // phone tag with Buns //

>>Yangs: (keep your eyes peeled for some fun links to follow!)  fall colors // all pumpkin e'erythang (adapted from Drake's "all black e'erythang") // snuggling Buns on Friday nights // watching Friday Night Lights with my man // Roni's a spectacular sleeper (we're undoubtedly doomed for the next one) // Saving Mr. Banks // working out with Honka-Tonk-Ba-Donka-Donk // hot chocolate for dayzz // kisses from Buns // redoing my front room ON budget // communication with Buns // having two successful jobs that allow me to be a stay-at-home mom // visiting my hometown Nashville // meeting Lennon Stella from the show Nashville // spending time with the rentals // Roni laughs hysterically now when I do tickle fingers // seeing Buns grow as a father and husband // #iambraveandbeautiful movement // top 40 music // family // pops coming to visit for the BYU football game // chalkboard paint and Halloween decor // Sunday walks with my little fambam // Rio's 3rd birthday // gettin' crafty up in hur // #ldsconf // coffee ice cream // cousins // s'mores while camping // indoor swimming pools // emojicons // autumn jelly bellies //