and that's how ash sees it.

i love holidays.

i love the decor, the meals, the activities, the traditions, the presents, the whole shebang.

but if there's one thing i love it is the CANDY.

i take after my mother in the fact that i have a sickening obsession with candy.

i love ALL kinds of candy.

just the mere word makes my mouth water.

mmmm... candy.

anyway, i feel like holidays are the prime time to purchase candy. but hands down, without a doubt, easily and indisputably, my favorite holiday candy selection falls at easter time.

my heart jumped for joy the first time i saw easter stuff in vons! i've waited 11 months for april to fall again for this very reason. easter candy is superior to all others.

so without further adieu, here is my guide to easter treats as an expert candy connoisseur- the good, the bad, and the dangerously addictive.

1. the classic chocolate bunny.

look at it.

how can you not enjoy taking a bite out of something so cute and creative? i've gotten my own personal one of these beauties every year since i could chew. whether it's hollow, not hollow, or eaten with a spoonful of peanut butter, I LOVE.

2. oh gosh. as if the reeses trees at christmas and the pumpkins at halloween weren't good enough- AN EGG! i am obsessed with these. the big ones, the small ones, doesn't matter. all i know is that reeses were brilliant to begin with, and now this giant egg-shaped form only enhances the eating experience.

this treat is an all-time favorite. i've been consuming one a day throughout all of april thanks to a secret stash in my office. sometimes two a day. or three.

3. peeps. whose sick ass came up with the idea to create this "treat"? and i'm not talking "sick" as in cool or awesome. i'm talking "sick" as in i'd rather puke. i hate peeps. i can tolerate eating one, but after that i feel sick to my stomach.
gag. the goo, the little grimy coating on top... yucky.

4. sweetart and starbust jelly beans.

LOVE. i usually get them mixed together in a plastic egg, so i figure i can combine my reviews. i love the starburst because the red, green, and pink beans are amazing. they are all strongly flavored and almost juicy. the sweetart ones are a more pastel color, and the outer layer brings a slight crunch that the starburst can't offer. both are delish.

5. the gummy bunny.

i wouldn't particularly call these my favorite candy, although they are tasty. however, once i put one in my mouth i cannot stop. they are so addictive! my sweet fiancee bought me a bag of these and they were gone by the end of the night. the purple and orange ones are a little on the iffy side, but the pinks are to die for.

they fulfill my craving for sweet and sour.

6. cadburry mini eggs.

all i can say is mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

i love the crunch of the outer shell, and the smooth milk chocolate on the inside. i love the small bite-sized shape, perfect for popping a few in the mouth at a time.
shout-out to my homegirl brenda jacobson who made some chocolate cookies with crushed mini eggs in it. definitely a fave.

7. but when the mini eggs just wont do it for you, the geniuses in the hershey company fashioned an egg that meets all needs. the milk chocolate shell has grooves in it and the creme filling is thick and rich.
however, don't eat too many of these ones. i know from experience that 1 or 2 is good for a while.

8. i saved the best for last.

sweetart chicks and bunnies.

absolutely perfect for any glovebox, nightstand, or purse.

i LOOOVE these. i'd have to say that these are my favorite favorite. i eat them for a month straight and then they're gone for a whole year. it's heartbreaking, really.

but don't worry, i purchased my third bag today.

here's the thing. i love sweetarts as it is. but take three of the top four best flavors, and mold them into chicks and bunnies... and you have a work of candy art. i love looking at a little pink chick and then popping it in my mouth. i like them to crunch, and i like them to suck on. and i like when i leave them in my car and the blazing hot sun makes them soft.

well world, there you have it.

i like my chocolate and i like my sweetarts.

easter candy is the greatest so take advantage of the next week while you can!

... and that's how ashley sees it.

dear haters.

Dear haters, judgers, and doubters,

Hello! I know we talk every day, but I just wanted to write you this quick letter to tell all of you (and believe me, there are plenty!) how I feel. I’d like to start off with a big thanks! I think it’s great that you care so much about me and my love life. I appreciate your concerns and advice. As most of you know, I am engaged. I could tell from the disgusted look you gave me when you saw my ring that you disapproved. It wasn’t hard to tell exactly what was going through your mind when you asked, “wait… how old are you?” or “aren’t you a little young?” Oh! I’m sorry… did I miss some sort of rule? Because as far as I’m concerned, the state of Nevada said I was eligible for marriage at age 16! Seeing as how I turned 20 last year, we can cross that problem off the list. But wait- you know someone who got married young and it turned out horrible? Yeah, I know couples like that too. However, I also know of couples that got married in their later years and ended up in a mess. And on the flip side, I know couples that were married right out of high school and are still going strong! So perhaps the outcome depends on variables other than age.

Listen, I know divorce rates are high. But does that mean that nobody in the country should get married because other marriages aren’t working out? Have a little faith. What ever happened to finding your true love and growing old together? Sitting on the porch swing watching your grandchildren? I’ve waited 19 years to feel this way about a guy, and I’ve finally got it! There is nobody in the world that I’d rather spend every day of my life with. He’s all I think about and it breaks my heart saying goodbye to him every night. I’m in love! Scotty is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, so it just doesn’t register in my brain why you would want me to postpone marrying him. Waiting until November already seems like torture! Will it make a difference if I marry him in 6 months or in 2 years? If anything, we’d be ahead of the game if we got married sooner.

Wait… you just reminded me that I haven’t lived my life to the fullest. While a lot of my single girl friends may be out studying abroad, going on cruises, or other fun single activities, I’d trade all of those for Scotty. You’re saying I should go to a foreign country and have random adventures, and then it’s okay for me to get married? I say you should go to that foreign country and stay there.

Oh yeah, you tell me this one a lot too: marriage is hard. Well, duh. I can’t imagine being cut off from your parents, living with a member of the opposite sex for the first time, sharing a bathroom, joining a bank account, and being dirt poor is a picnic. I'm not taking this decision lightly, and I don't know why you think I would. I've thought long and hard about what getting married means. I want you to know that I'm not just a silly little girl getting married because I'm caught up in the excitement. I know there will be hard times when we can barely pay our apartment rent, when we want to punch each other in the face, when we have a filthy house and no food, and when I want to run back to my mom crying. Here’s the thing: if I could change one thing about Scotty… I wouldn’t. Back when I was 14, I started a list that has been added to for the past 6 years of what I want in a husband. Boyfriend after boyfriend, nobody matched up to the list until last year when I met my handsome husband-to-be. So if I’m going to be suffering through hard times, there is no one (NO ONE) I’d rather be with than my sweet fiancée who makes me laugh and brings me happiness. I would rather have a husband to help me through all these grown up problems than be on my own.

So whether you think I’m too young, too immature, too naïve, or too financially unstable, it doesn’t matter. We’re getting married. You can put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Yours truly,

The future Ashley Marx

afton girl

it seems like just yesterday i got the text message saying that my new cousin afton was born. i drove straight from the hospital after school to see her!

she has been adorable from day 1.

even when she was going through her mean stage and hated my guts... i still loved her. and now she is 2!! i can't believe how big she is.

jenn threw a cute party with the theme "afton's not blue about turning 2!"

so EVERYTHING was blue

so fun.
scotty was so cute with the little boys... they all liked playing with him (nice shot of james shoving something between scotty's legs hahaha)

fortunately, afton got over her hating phase with me and we are besties.

she is so smart. i need to start writing down jenn's mothering techniques so my kids can be like her. and i cannot get over how cute JACK is!!!! basically i need to stay away from the westra's house. because it's just making me baby crazy.
happy birthday afton girl... i love you!