Promises Promises

I can't begin to tell you how many times I have promised myself I will do something, or continue doing something, then I look back wondering what kept me from keeping these random promises. It all boils down to time. I could sit and dwell on the fact that I made promises that I didn't keep for myself, but I wont, why? It wastes time! 

Some updates. Benjamin is 2 and Mason is 4. O My Goodness! I just can't get over how big these boys are! They amaze me everyday, like on Saturday when Ben unraveled the entire roll of toilet tissue and decided he was going to flush it ALL down our only toilet that never flushes what it needs to most of the time anyway! Needless to say, I plunged for an hour and a half while making dinner. Having to use a cup to get the excess water from NOT splashing while I was plunging, into the bathroom, which then clogged too! Then Sterling and Phil come and Phil gets it on his first try. Of course. Thank goodness Benjamin wasn't trying to flush poop down. Phew!


Mason had a super fun birthday party, as you can see in the following pictures.

Love this picture of Natalie :)

Mason showing off for his friend Ava <3

Benjamin's face is priceless in both of these  

Mason HAD to make a goofy face.

We are going to try out P90X tonight and see if we can "commit" to it. Thanks Casey for letting us borrow it! Hope it doesnt end up in the "what made us not go through with our promise" pile. 


 Tomorrow is Sterling's 25th birthday! To infinity!

Endearing Benjamin Franklin

My dear Friend, June 25, 1745
I know of no Medicine fit to diminish the violent natural Inclinations you mention; and if I did, I think I should not communicate it to you. Marriage is the proper Remedy. It is the most natural State of Man, and therefore the State in which you are most likely to find solid Happiness. Your Reasons against entering into it at present, appear to me not well-founded. The circumstantial Advantages you have in View by postponing it, are not only uncertain, but they are small in comparison with that of the Thing itself, the being married and settled. It is the Man and Woman united that make the compleat human Being. Separate, she wants his Force of Body and Strength of Reason; he, her Softness, Sensibility and acute Discernment. Together they are more likely to succeed in the World. A single Man has not nearly the Value he would have in that State of Union. lie is an incomplete Animal. He resembles the odd Half of a Pair of Scissars. If you get a prudent healthy Wife, your Industry in your Profession, with her good Economy, will be a Fortune sufficient.
-Benjamin Franklin

Some food for thought....

without a trace

I find it completely mind consuming that certain people in my life have just been completely erased from the scene in my life. With social networking and technology these days, you'd think it'd be easier to keep in touch than for someone to just "dissappear".
Let me explain to particular instances.
1. a friend from NC that I was great friends with since junior high just disappeared. This loss of communication isn't new with him, but with all of the factors that were considered, I accepted those as just busy time. He was a marine and recently ended his career there. He was married and now has a baby boy. By nature, I like to check in with friends to be sure they are well and keep up with the times. We typically didn't speak for months, often years, at a time. Since he had been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq on different tours. I would randomly search his name, to make sure the "no news is good news" rang true. I was able to catch up with him just around the time his son was born. Then kept up on facebook for a couple months, then POOF! Gone. I sent him a Hello via phone and nothing. Then it appeared that he deleted his facebook. Okay, facebook isn't for everyone. When talking with our fellow middle school friends he comes up since he was in our circle. Searched him again today, nothing. Search his wife, there she was with a profile pic of all 3 of them. Married to: a code name, 100 percent sure it was him, with none of his friends that he had on his original facebook page. Is that a sign that he isn't wanting to be found. Point taken.
2. Girldfriend from work (previous employer). We were super close and she was there for the birth of Mason. So was a breath of fresh air and always so sweet and true. She disappeared after I found out I was pregnant with Benjamin. POOF! I tried contacting her on myspace (only form of communication since she had changed her number) I didn't want her to think I was phasing her out or anything, wanted to make sure I was putting in my effort. Just gone. Tried sending her a request as to why she wasnt responding to any of my inquiries. You have to keep in mind, I'm not the "stalker" type. We were super close, she even did my make up for my wedding. Since I was already on the search for friend number 1 who vanished, I figured I would search her to. There she was, tempted to message her, I didn't. We didn't have a falling out or anything of the sort, that's why these disappearing acts are so strange to me. Since she hadn't responded before, why would she now? Point taken. 
Anyone have any ideas as to why people vanish like this? Personally I think the more connections you have in life, the more meaningful and fulfilling. Has anyone else had this happen, without a word? Is it strange that I keep checking in on these long lost friends?

Visit with Santa

Mason was so excited to tell Santa exactly what he wanted for Christmas! Benjamin went right along with it and just smiled.

Thankfullness

Adding our family pics... Do I really need to tell you why I should be thankful? :)
See for yourself!!!

I am.

I am.

I am Ashley Lloyd

I am a mother of 2 boys.

I am a wife, sister, daughter, aunt, cousin and friend.

I am a believer.

I am a teacher.

I am open to change.

I am an optimist.

I am a lifetime student.

I am easy going.

I am a movie go-er and book reader.

I am a baker.

I am a crafter.

I am a lover of children.

I am persistent and consistent.

I am a history buff, or like to think so.

I am a sports fan.

I am a listener.

I am a Sinatra-Buble’ kinda girl.

I am a do’er not a sitter.

I am a guide.

I am a now and not later.

I am a mother.

I am a teacher.

I am Ashley Lloyd

Halloween and Inbetween!

Start off with some Halloween Pictures! The boys were Batman and Robin and we went trick or treating with one of our coolest 3 year old friends, Ethan Howard, "I'm Leonardo, THANK YOU!"

Then Mommy and Daddy had some "adult" fun and went as "Walmartians" :)

the boys helping pick out the pumpkins! They were so excited! :)

and now... Ill be doing a lot of this....

I have an obsession with Pumpkin ANYTHING! Tis' the season!!

GRATEFULS....

1. My wonderful husband and loving boys.

2. For my "Intro to ELL" class being OVER! so tough, but its done! Now time to focus on my other classes as they wind down.

3. Amazing family and friends, YOU GUYS ROCK!

Lesson:

This video is amazing, I posted it to Facebook and Twitter, but it is truly inspiring, remember these boys are in high school, yet are more mature than a lot of adults in this world.

Two Cleveland Wrestlers Successful Struggle