Administrative Professionals Day

Yes I am quite aware that I am talking about Administrative Professionals Day quite late. Well, that is because in our office we celebreated it late....oh but was it worth the wait!

Ladies and Gents...please take notes. The way our office celebrated Administrative Professionals Day was with lunch and a paid afternoon off!!!!

Some people may frown on that, but if you want a group of very happy and feeling loved people, treat them to the Cheesecake Factory and then let them play all afternoon.

Here are a few pics. Below is Jen and I, this was her last day with us. Little did we know, a week later Baby Miles Dean would make his debut into the world! How exciting!

This is Cara and I with our Cheesecake....yum!

Here is the entire group!! Yeah those are some really happy and feeling loved people you are seeing in the pic below!

Cara and I got such a kick out of Jen's napkin on her cute pregnant belly! She was so adorable!

Here is a close-up of the amaziness!

Thank you for treating us, you have no idea how blessed we felt! You have no idea how appreciated we felt!

Becky and Mo's Wedding

This past weekend Greg and I went to my friends Becky and Mo's wedding in the hill country. the wedding was held at the camp Becky and I used to work at. In the summer of 2005, the Lord brought Becky and I together as friends. It was a time where both of us were very broken. Since then we have kept in touch. I still remember when she called me to tell me she had someone she wanted me to meet (Mo- that's you!). I was amazed how perfect Mo was for Becky! it was a pleasure and an honor to attend their wedding! It was a beautiful evening!

Here comes the bride! She is wearing her mother's wedding dress that she had remade! It was gorgeous on her!

Praying together after they had said their vows and exchanged rings.

And the first kiss as husband and wife!

Mr. and Mrs. Lawson!

The flowers were quite amazing! Here is Becky's bouquet.

Beautiful bride!
I love this pic!

Becky- I am so grateful to the Lord for giving us to eachother as friends! I am blessed by you!

Bling bling sisters re-unite! But now that Becky has real bling we had to kick her out.

Centerpiece #1

Centerpiece #2

The cake. The detail is amazing!

Greg and I heading out, we had to drive back on Sat night to be at church for Senior Recognition Sunday!

Leaving camp. It was so awesome to reflect this weekend about where the Lord has brought me since the last time I stepped foot on these grounds.

Father- I thank you so much for bringing these two together! I praise you for my friendship with Becky. I praise you for where you have brought both of us! Thank you for being more than faithful to us!

Maria's Recital

Last Thursday I had the great joy of attending Maria's dance recital. It was my third year of getting to go and I once again had a wonderful time! Here are some of my favorite pics!

Mom helping her get ready!

Stretching with the big girls!

How cute are they?

Love her!

Look at her beautiful flowers!

Look at her go! She did such a great job!

Terra and Ben came too!

Ramblings of an Almost Crazy Woman

I really have so many things to talk about right now. So many things on my mind.So many things I want to blog.

Like...

My bling bling sisters Sarah and Becky. Our motto is "Who needs boys when you have bling?" Becky is leaving the sisterhood this weekend to become a wife. Yeah we know its amazing, but we still have to kick her out. Love you Becky!

And then I want to talk to you about camp. When I refer to camp I am referring to one of two things Precept Boot Camp or Camp Bal. Sp. (abbreviated of course) Today it is the second choice. Becky is getting married there this weekend, so it has been on my mind alot. I want to tell you about camp because it holds great significance in my life. Not one of those great kinds of significance, one of those painful kinds. And to be real honest I am kinda nervous about going back. But at the same time I want everyone who is there to see where I am now. I want them to see me with joy, peace, and love in my heart and life. I want to erase the previous image of me that they have.

I am so tired. Work has been busy and I am wiped out.

Tires...I was given the chance to buy 4 new ones this week....I am so grateful I have a job where I can afford new tires. Can we please take a moment and give huge gratitude and thanks to God for that! For real! Thank you Lord.

Being comfortable in my own skin. It's hard to be in a different place than all of my close friends. To see what I want, but know I can't have it quite yet, and have peace in where God has me now.

Maria's recital. Went to it tonight and cannot wait to show you pictures, but I am too tired to edit them!

Okay, this crazy woman is going to try to get some sleep so maybe tomorrow she will be less crazy!

Ruth's Famous Pot Pie

Ruth's Famous Pot Pie

Okay, I can't not share this recipe with you! This recipe (well the original, I have slightly altered it to meet my crazy lifestyle) is from my sweet friend Ruth who is an amazing cook! I made it last night for Greg (it's one of his favs). I keep it on deck when in need of a fail proof recipe. So here we go. I have to add this disclaimer: Ruth I cheat on the veggies and use frozen instead of fresh

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 small bags of frozen mixed veggies
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 cups chopped chicken*
• 2 boxes Pillsbury Pie Crust from the dairy case (I have spent years fighting with pie crust...no more!)

Directions:

Saute onion and celery in butter.

Add veggies and continue to saute until onions are cooked through and veggies are cooked but not soggy.

Add flour to sauteed veggies.

Stir and cook for one minute. Here's a closeup of what it will look like.

Combine broth and half and half and stir into mixture. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Okay, this is the hard part....waiting to it to get good and thick. Trust me it like good cream gravy, you want it thick. Please be patient!

Add salt, pepper, and chicken. Stir it all up. It will look like this.

Find your most favorite pie pan (mine is this really boring Pyrex....but that's what my dad and I have always baked in so it holds memories); you actually need two. This recipe makes two pies, one for now and one to freeze for later. You'll thank me one night when you don't have to cook but get to enjoy this yumminess!

Line you pie pans with one pie crust each. Put half of the yummy insides into each.

Cover with left over pie crust. Slit.

Bake one, freeze the other.

By now, those you love are near the kitchen. The baking of this pie will drawn them there I promise! Serve this, with what? Well I like it by itself, but you can serve it with a salad or fresh fruit. Set the table, sit down, look at those special people across from you, talk, share about your day, and enjoy eachother.

*Cooked Chicken. I learned this from a caterer. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with McCormick's Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes with the shiny smooth side up. It will look like this!

Dear friends: I hope you enjoy this recipe. I hope to share much more with you in the future! Cooking to me is a way I love on people. I hope you get to love on others with this!!

Cover the edges with foil so the edges don't burn. Take foil off the last 10 minutes. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

Baby Dean

Jennifer one of the sweetest girls in my office is having a baby. Baby Dean is due in May. Last Saturday our office ladies gave Jennifer a shower. Below are some pictures.

Before you get that far let me share with you what God showed me last Saturday. As I was doing what I love to do (be the person behind the camera) the Lord really spoke to me! He let me step back and watch the ladies I work with everyday and this is what He whispered in my ear "Ashlee, do you see where I have brought you? Do you see the blessings I have given you?". I was completely overwhelmed, especially as I watched and listened to these precious ladies pray over Jen. God has been so good to me!

Jen, don't forget to call me for Baby Dean's first pictures!

This is Stephanie and Baby Jack

This is Jen with her mom and her hubby's mom!

Chugging punch in baby bottles...

Feeding baby food to Emily blindfolded! It was too funny!

Jen with the wonderful hostesses!

Praying over Jen and Baby Dean.