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

Living Intentionally

I'm back!  It's been a while since I've posted, but things have been crazy for our little family!  The best kind of crazy.  For most of July, Todd's whole family was in town, and we spent most of our spare time up at Grandma Hawl and Grandpa Bill's house.  I can't even recall (nor do I have the desire to because it's totally overwhelming to recap everything haha) all the fun days and nights we all had together while everyone was in town, but it was wonderful.  I truly love my in-laws.  I've said before and I'll say it a million times over, but I really lucked out with such a great crew.  The pictures above are from one of the last nights before people were leaving town, and I went around and snapped some shots.  

I specifically remember one of my favorite things that night was watching Todd play baseball with his nephews.  It gave me major flashbacks to growing up.  My dad would always play sports with us in the backyard.  My favorite was football.  He would draw plays on the football itself or just on our chests, and I always listened so carefully, ready to nail the play.  I looked up my dad so much in those moments.  I remember smiling from ear to ear with such excitement when it was my turn to go out for a pass.  I remember throwing the baseball with my dad too.  I always loved that even though I was a girl, he would still do "boyish" things with me.  I was all about proving that I could do things just as well as the boys could if not better.  Ha!  But all of those memories came flooding back when I saw Todd playing with his nephews.  I know Todd will be such an amazing dad to our kids, and I can't wait for the days of football, baseball, and basketball in the backyard, teaching them all the ropes.  Geez la weez, just talking about it is getting me all choked up.

I've been thinking a lot lately about creating memories for my children.  About creating a home that is safe and warm and full of love.  Todd and I went to California this past week for a little getaway before school started (lots more on that in posts to come!), and my sister-in-law said at one point in a conversation, that it's important to find out what your values are, what's really important to you and really focus on that.  It was one of those moments for me where I found myself "amening" and nodding my head profusely.  This concept of getting back to the basics.  The basics of who you are, what you believe in, and the values that you hold near and dear to your heart.  Eliminating waste in your life.  Eliminating things that are of no worth.  Making your days meaningful.  Living intentionally.   But be careful...making your days meaningful doesn't mean jam-packing them with activities and to-do lists galore.  Making your days meaningful means finding what makes you happy and fulfilled.  It means loving and truly enjoying the people around you that you love.  It means creating a safe place for your kids.  And when I say "safe" place, I mean a place where they are always loved.  Where they can "take risks" so to speak and learn from their own mistakes with your loving guidance.  Where they can be themselves.  Because unfortunately they live in a world that tells them they are not good enough.  And that's just not true.  Making your day meaningful means to cultivate an environment that your kids can be themselves.  A place where their confidence is built and nurtured.  But even if your not a mom.  If your single, divorced, a co-worker, a friend, or whatever you may be...this nurturing environment can be within yourself!  Create an environment within yourself that is accepting and allows the people around you to feel safe and loved when they're in your presence.  Be the person that cultivates "safe" relationships.  Relationships where confidence is encouraged and nurtured through love and truly caring for the other person's well-being.

Having said all this though, I hope you don't think I'm discounting the days that bottom-line really just stink.  The days where you're so down in the dumps that the thought of even trying to lift someone else's spirits is seemingly impossible.  The days where your outward thinking is non-existent, and it's really all you can do to get yourself through the day.  I get those days.  I understand those days oh so well.  And if it's one of those days, I pray you can find some hope in that you're not the only one feeling the way you're feeling.  And that tomorrow does come.  Geez it sounds so cheesy writing that out, but how true is it!?  Tomorrow does come, and there will always be the chance for a clean slate and a new start.  

This post kind of took itself in a direction I didn't plan on it going, but that's really what this blog is for me sometimes...helps me navigate my own thoughts! 

Thanks for all the support and love!  Y'all da best.  Have a great weekend!

XO, Ashton Tilton