Happy List

Ten Things Making Me Terribly Happy
(in no particular order)

10-Renting a puppy last weekend-best surprise Nate date.

9-FOOTBALL Season! (and currently being ranked #1 in my FF league)

8-Driving the Alpine Loop and getting to check out the stunning Autumn leaves

7-My ever growing bump

6-A clean and happy home

5-Our wedding photo album that we finally ordered

It's funny how having a baby motivates you to get all your projects done

4-The 2nd Annual Rau Family Fall Festival

Parm fondue, sparkling apple cider, pumpkin, and Remember the Titans

3-Sleep! I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

2-The Women's Session of General Conference tonight. Beautiful, inspiring words for women everywhere.

1-Baby boy's kicks that are not only strong enough for me to feel-but for Nate to feel. We have one strong, healthy boy.

Ten Things Making Me Incredibly Happy

It's that time again, time for a little happy list!

Things around here have been pretty low key, but very happy. Here are just a few of those things making me incredibly happy these days!

10- $5 night at the movie theater

9- Getting to see this girl for the first time in 18 months!

8-Chuck marathons with my best friend.

7- Chocolate covered banana, with coconut! And other Farmers Market gems!

6- "Just because" bouquets of my favorite flower, from my favorite man

5- Dirty Diet Coke floats-with coconut ice cream! Delicious!

4- Walks around the block to commemorate 7 years since this guy went to the MTC.

3- Thanksgiving Point gardens-they were stunning

2- Pretty steals from Target

1- Getting to hang out with these wonderful people, and catching a live performance of MoTab singing "Come Thou Fount"

Ten Things Making Me Incredibly Happy...

(in no particular order)

10- The Provo Food Truck Round Up... I'm embarrassed by how many times we've been there since we found out about it in April. It's pretty much a perfect way to spend a Thursday evening.

9-My new office at work, sometimes a change of scenery is just nice

8-Strawberries and Cream at Pleasant Groves Strawberry days-and the great company we enjoyed them with!

7-Celebrating these two getting married! I couldn't be happier for them!

6-Lagoon day with this guy and his mom! And how few people were there that day-I'm pretty sure we rode the Colossas at least 6 times

5-Later evenings filled with sunshine for bike rides and walks

4-Lost marathons with Nate

3-Bonus wedding pictures

2-That today this favorite missionary of mine has been out 1 year! Only six more months until I get to hug her again!

1- That this guy has been my husband for over three months. Time flies when you're having fun-it's going to be a pretty incredibly happy forever

June

I have been awful at blogging this month. I hope that means I've just been too busy living! However, June has been an absolute dream, I just had to pay tribute to that. So, what better way then a little happy list...

10 Things that Made me Terribly Happy This Month:

1-Having time to read for pleasure.

2-Max Brenner, Serendipity and naps at the pool in Las Vegas:

3-Buying a ticket to the Lumineers concert

4-Helping this lovely couple get engaged

5-My $3 investment in frosting tips

6-One of my favorite friends coming up to Sandy for a visit

7-Lots of family time (including family pictures)

8- Being done with our major cleaning/yard work projects

9-Listening to this girl talk in church (twice!) and seeing her get ready for her mission

10-Spending time with this guy

10 Things Making me Terribly Happy..

10-Good people filling up my home. Seriously nothing makes me happier than to have our apartment full of lovely people all eating, laughing, playing games, watching movies and just hanging out together.

9-Matching, $5.00 rain boots. We're taking coordination to a whole new level now...

8-Allison's ultra-soft blanket that I may have sort of somehow taken over. Ok but seriously this blanket is microfiber on one side, and some form of warm woolly goodness on the other. If anyone finds a blanket like this please let me know. Allison should probably get hers back...

7-Water. I mean seriously, has it always been this good? I can't seem to get enough of it lately. I swear it fixes everything: Hungry? Drink some water. Tired? Drink some water. Feel a cold coming on? Drink some water. All these examples making you thirsty? Drink some water. It's my new answer to everything....right after "ask the missionaries".

6- Unexpected, snail-mail style letters from friends who live far, far away...

5-This girl has been rocking the job interviews lately, and with a cute new interview outfit I'm positive she'll have a job in no time.

4- I have rotated a few new pictures into my room, and I'm loving how happy they make me.

3-This girl will be home in Sandy this weekend to celebrate her 19th birthday! I can't wait to see her.

2-Making plans for President's day weekend in St. George, where not only my family will be, but where my friends will all be as well. It's a dream come true for me.

1-Tuesday I booked a flight to Washington D.C. I'll be there for a week in February, and I could not be more excited to see the places, meet the people and get a feel for the lovely city that really seems to have a hold on me these days.

(And to spend time in some airports. I LOVE traveling, airports, people watching, turning off my phone and reading magazines so basically long flights with exciting layovers are a serious guilty pleasure for me)

.................

PS If you have restaurant recommendations for DC send them my way. Also I just found out they have Einstein's bagels there so I can cross that off my "Reasons that I Could Not Ever move to D.C." list. 

Before I head home to really celebrate, I wanted to make a final thankful list, for some of the most important blessings in my life. So once again, in no particular order, here are..

10 Things I'm Terribly Thankful For:

10-USA...Seeing more of the world has only made me more grateful to call this divinely created country home. Despite expensive gas, the lack of jobs and disappointing health care this place will always be the best to me

9-The various opportunities I have... School, a job, an internship, a club to run, a calling, service opportunities, etc. 
 
8-All the wonderful people in my life...I am overwhelmed by the quality of the people that I have in my life. My friends are the very best kind, my ward members are lovely, my co workers are inspiring, my professors are wise, my neighbors are like family and my family members are angels

7-BYU.... I really have come to love this school for all it has given to me-an education, a job, the opportunity to study in London, the opportunity to serve and the opportunity to grow. In the last 4.5 years I've grown up so much and here in this quirky town of Provo was the perfect place for me to do it

6-Abbie... For making me laugh, for being creative, for being hardworking, for challenging me in the bossy category, for wearing sweaters with cats on them, and mostly for being the bravest girls I know.

5-Megan....For loving the underdog, for being a peacemaker, for keeping coco clean, for sharing my diet coke love, for being exactly who she is and mostly for being one of the most tender-hearted girls I know.

4-Dad...For honoring his priesthood, for taking such good care of his girls, for not minding when we joke about his grey hair, for talking politics with me, for always fixing my computer/car/house etc., and mostly for always believing in me and my dreams.

3-Mom...For planking, for introducing me to the joys of chocolate, for being a lover of adventures, for creating double feature movie days, for being a friend to everyone, for her faith,, and mostly for always being there for me.

2-Prayer...For making me strong.

1-The gospel of Jesus Christ...It effects every aspect of my life, and it is my source for joy and happiness. It makes me optimistic, hopeful, happy, and strong. It is the biggest blessing in my life.

10 More

10 Things I'm Terribly Thankful For:

10- My room. It may be a disaster sometimes but it's my disaster-and I love that
9- That I have enough food, and means to obtain it
8-This girl. She is one of my very dearest friends
7-That even though we live far away I'm still friends with this girl.
6- Nail Polish
5- Rainy afternoons
4-This girl. Diet Coke, Slab, Grey's, forts, and life are just better when she is around.
3- The Child family. I'm so thankful to call them mine, and to have them in my life.
2-That I have people in my life who indulge me in some of my crazy adventures. here, here, here and here-to name a few
1- The opportunities I've had to see the world.

From a young age my parents took us on great vacations where we got to see what life is like outside of Utah. As we visited the likes of Washington D.C., New York City, Seattle, Orlando, Las Vegas, and of course Disneyland I came to appreciate all kinds of places and people. Since that time I've had the opportunity to travel on my own-London, Paris, Rome, Florence, Dublin-and I've fallen in love with this world we live in, and the beauty that is all around, found in people all over. I am so thankful for the opportunities I've had to learn so much about the world, and the variety of people in it.

And the List Goes on...

10 Things I'm Terribly Thankful For

10-Twinkly lights. Really is there anything more beautiful?

9-This girl. And our spontaneous Diet Coke catch up sessions. (Jord-it's my turn next time)

8-Snapchat.

7-Electricity.

6-Hot water. I swear the only time I'm not completely freezing is when I'm in the shower.

5-Understanding, kind professors.

4-Lovely smelling candles.

3-That I call Sandy, UT my home. It is the best place, and I was so lucky to grow up there.

2-This girl. She is my favorite fort building buddy, she cooks for me way too often, never judges me for my excess treat consumption, and really is just the greatest roommate and friend a girl could as for.

1-Living Prophets who receive revelation for me. I'm still in awe of how they can say exactly what I need to hear.

And here is what I've been up to lately (because blogs are just better with pictures)

Spending time with these lovely people, and the best couch ever

Went to a funeral, and was reminded just how much I love my sisters

Lace Sunday.

Recent Discoveries

*This blog.

*This speech.

Not only does he have great hair, good experience in job creation, a winning smile, charm and the true gospel... but we can now add "wit" to the list.

And lets face it-witty words more than anything else are the way to my heart. Enjoy.

*This packing list-so helpful. It makes me want to pack up my stuff and head on an adventure.

*My newly inherited iPhone has a much prettier screen then my previous white one. However it came with a nice thick manly case to match its previous user. Upon using it today though I made a shocking discovery. If you hold it up to your face in just the right way you can still smell the Polo cologne that it's previous owner uses every. single. day.

And suddenly I'm not too keen to buy a prettier case. I'm nothing if not nostalgic.

*These prints would look fabulous in my room. Or anywhere for that matter.

*This song. One of my favorites on her new album.

Love List

This post about bagels. Because I am, in fact, quite the bagel snob.
The best part of this article:

 "Love was finding someone to eat a bagel with."
So true-And speaking of bagels-if you have an Einstein's near your proximity it is imperative for your soul to go there now and get a pumpkin bagel with pumpkin schemer. Don't question just do it.

This coat. Really though I've become obsessed with finding an olive coat ever since I ripped this out of the fall jcrew catalogue and hung it on my wall. It's my fall inspiration:

 At less than half the price though this one is much more likely a reality.

This made me laugh. And we Mormons need to laugh at ourselves a little more.

This is the best purchase I've made in quite awhile. Splurge for the iTunes deluxe version-the extra tracks are more than worth it.

Can we interrupt this post to just say that hey-this has been a good couple months for music! The Imagine Dragons album, the Killers, The Avett Brothers and now Mumford. Good stuff.

These cookies are one my favorites and they are a hit around here. I plan on making plenty this beautiful fall.

This weekend is my very favorite weekend of the entire year. It's Fall General Conference. There is nothing I love more than the crisp fall air, cuddling in my home with good food, family, and the voice of the men I most admire giving me real counsel from a loving Heavenly Father. To prepare I've been reading  a few recent favorites: here, here and here.

10 Things Making Me Terribly Happy

1-The parade of homes with my mom and sisters
2-232 is back, and ready to do what they want this Fall.
   Which may or may not include hanging out with me until 2:00am.
3-Afternoon naps
4-The green dress-easily my best purchase of the summer.
5-The Olympics. Really it's ridiculous how happy these make me.
6-Humans of New York. These photos are stunning. (this one is my favorite)
7-Bob Costas. I get this patriotic feeling from hearing his voice.
8-Purchasing my All-Sports pass-football will be here before we know it!
9-That this girl is back!
   And in true Ash fashion she arrived with a Diet Coke for me.
10-Tonight this is happening with my favorite people.


I'm one happy, happy, happy girl.

10 Things Making Me Terribly Happy

10 Things Making Me Terribly Happy:
Because despite my lack of sleep lately life really is wonderful
1- Call Me Maybe. (especially this)
2-Staying up until two in the morning. It is almost always worth it.
3-Sisters who drive to Provo to hang out and eat snow cones. Those two girls are pretty great. And so are snow cones.
4-Reading for pleasure. One of the highlights of each summer.
5-Going running. (words I never thought would make me happy...)
6-Eating s'mores
7-That my new roommate is pretty great and loves diet coke too.
8-Getting your hair washed, cut and blown out by someone else.
9-Spending Mothers Day with my Muder. It was lovely-just like her
10- Lately lots of wonderful things have been happening to the people I care about. Big, life changing, wonderful things. So often in life bad things happen to good people, it has been refreshing to see such good things happen to the people who deserve it most. It makes me terribly happy.