Day one Week One C25K

WEEK 1
Brisk five-minute warm-up walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. Okay so i was going to start this program Monday morning and my alarm didn't go off...then i was going to start it this morning but my alarm went off at 545 and I said screw 5:45 am. So tonight i came home after work and visiting my mom and I said what excuse do i Have not to do it tonight...well the only thing i could think of was if i want to stay fat and unhealthy then tonight isn't the night either...that wasn't a good excuse to i got in my gear and turned on some music and got on the treadmill---and I DID IT! Day one Week one--CHECK!! I made it and the distance was just over 1.12 miles in 20minutes. Fewf! I think I scared all the animals as they all sat around the treadmill and watched with wondering eyes until i started my first 60sec intrerval of jogging then they all ran away up-stairs, down-stairs, into the kitchen to watch from the distance. Day 1 of week 1 was not horrible and if day 1 wasn't bad then I know day 2 and day 3 won't be to bad either.
So tomarrow is areorbic day and I think i will go ahead and break out the Wii fit and my ALIVE game which by the way is an awesome game for aerobic workouts! I also like Wii fit and Julian Michaels but Alive is by far my favorite. So perhabs I will try to wake up at 5:45 on Thursday for Day 2 but I may just end up doing my training at night rather then early in the mornig before work. I guess I will have to see what happens over the next few weeks. No matter when i do it I just need to make sure I do it!

Wheezing my way from couch to 5K

Okay everyone sorry that I have been gone from the blogging world for so long. Alot really has been going on in my life but I am sure you have all heard of it by now, if not from me then from my mom! So last week I was browsing through some websites on how to make treadmill workouts more exciting--didn't really find to much but I did find one particular website that caught my attention and it was this, a program that is suppose to make a 5k achievable in 9 weeks. I looked it over and thought that this would be very attainable and I could do if i really wanted. So it was the end of last week and I decided that Monday September 21rst would be my first day of the "Couch to 5k" running program. I also decided that i would blog about my progress over the next 9 weeks. So Let my journey of self improvement and better health begin! Please feel free to cheer me on I am going to need all the encouragement i can get!

A few things as to why I have decided to do this:
1. Loose some LBs(Okay a lot of pounds)
2. to feel accomplished and something new and challenging
3. To improve my health
4. To be an inspiration to those of us who never thought of running let alone a 5K.
5. Gives me something to do after work and it doesn't involve a TV

Other things i am going to do to help me accomplish this goal:
1. Drink more water alot more water( which i have already been doing)
2. eat more fruits and veggies and less meat and carbs
3. Posting on my blog about my progress so I will have journal of how i am doing and how i felt!
4. Not to get discouraged when the weeks and runs get tougher
5. vowing to Finish Day 3 of Week 9 and being able to stick with it afterwards.

So everyone Check back and remember to Cheer me on every once in a while I will really enjoy the support!

Walk for Autism 2009 Part II

The Little Boy

What is it about the little boy . . .
and all his strange little ways?
What is it about the little boy
and the odd way he plays?

What is it about the little boy;
when will he start to talk?
We wonder about the little boy,
since he was very quick to walk

What is it about the little boy;
why can’t he look you in the eye?
What is it about the little boy,
so quick to scream and cry

What is it about the little boy;
he acts different in every way
What is it about the little boy;
they say it won’t go away

What is it about the little boy?
What is the cause for concern?
What it is about the little boy,
has a diagnosis we’ve learned

Now we know about the little boy
So now where do we turn?
Now we know about the little boy;
there is so much to learn

So, who will help the little boy?
Insurance says no way!
Who will help the little boy
If we cannot pay?

Who will show the little boy..
show him how to play?
Who will show the little boy
What will happen each day?

So what will help the little boy;
his mother's determination and love.
What will help her with the little boy...
grace and strength from up above

Today, in Orem, Utah, the Second Annual Walk for Autism was held. It was pouring rain and cold but there were so many people there to support the cause. How inspiring it was to see how many people were there to show that they care! As for me, I was walking for my nephew Russel "Bubbsie". He had a larg group of supporters just for him. Russ, Bubba's dad, had his friend make us some really awesome team t-shirts. We decided last year when we walked that we would this year make team T-shirts and walk again as one united team. Anyways, they were really cool and we wore them proudly. So thanks Hoarsee, you did a great job! It was amazing to be apart of such a special cause. We can only hope that the efforts that we make can be used for the greater good of all children affected by Autism. We need the governments help to make this a disease in which insurance will assist parents and thier children with the nessary treatments to help them learn and to grow. My nephew is going to the Pingree School for Autism but it is very exspensive. He also needs speech therapy and occupational therapy. Treatments he may not be able to have because the cost is well over 80 thousand dollars a year. This disability affects both female and male children but it is more prominate in males. In Utah one in every three male child births will be diagnosed with autism. Anyways, we hope that as there becomes more information that more and more people will become activly involved in this annual walk. So WALK NOW FOR AUTISM!

Walk Now for Autism!

Hey Everyone I just wanted to post a quick and short littlw blurb on something that i feel very passionate about because it effects so many but for me it effects someone whom I truly love and care about, My little nephew Russel Eastman. He is my husband's little sister's son. He is a maginificant little boy but he has autism. We are walking for Autism tomarrow at Utah Valley State University I am not asking you to make a donation, but if you can please do. All i really want is a big shout out to our Team the Bubbsie team! I will post pictures from the event tomarrow night! Love to all! Ash!

To find out more please go to: www.walknowforautism.org
If you do want to make a small donation please visit my donation portal at this link: http://www.walknowforautism.org/utah/weluvbubbsie

Meet PRINCESS Bella Noel the JRT

Bella, Bella, Bella...what can I say about Bella. She was my Christmas present from myself and my husband. I never thought that I being married to Joey would have more than one DOG and a time but I begged, pleaded and batted my eyes until he finally agreed I could take the cute little ball of love home with me. December 11th, the day befored we would make our first big trek move back to Northern Utah from St. George. We had to run to Wal-mart for a few last minute packing items...Joey wishes to this day we would have gone to the other Wal-mart on the other side of town. I was on the phone with my mom and driving when Joey intrupts and says look there are puppies for sale. I didn't think anything of it until mom asks..."what kind of puppies?" I then looked up and over and saw the sign Jack Russels for sale. "EEEK oh mommy they are Jack Russel Terriors!" I had to go look. I immediately went to Bella and picked her up and gave her lots of love. Joey stayed in the car but that didn't stop me from brining her to him. She was a shy little puppy and kind of scared but I loved her and loved her puppy breath upon my cheeks. From that moment on it was pure love...i could not go or move away from St. George without that little ball of furry love.

We sometimes now call our little Bella "BB" that stands for BAD BELLA. She usually is a pretty good puppy but we are still working on the pooping in the house thing. She can't seem to figure out that you poop outside rather than in the house. She does pretty good otherwise. Bella, loves Ayce, Izee, and Harlee but I think her favorite is defiently Harlee. They love to wrestle and chase each other. Belly doesn't like it when Ayce has something that she wants even though she may have the exact same thing (ie. BONE) and she barks and yells at him until he evenutally gives in to her. Harlee however doesn't take BElla bossing her around...oh no, Harlee bosses right back. I never thought a dog and cat could love each other so much. Poor Izee is our fluffy ball of cat and Bella must think she is a fox or something cuz for the longest time Bella would only chase Izee. I guess that must have gotten boring cuz she rarley bugs Iz anymore.

Bella is also "BB" for Bossy Bella. She tells everyone exactly how it is going to be and that is you are gonna do it my way or no way at all. She will bark at me if she wants to get a treat, go outside and romp, doesn't want to go in her kennel, if i squirt her with the spray bottle or just as i am getting out of the shower or even while i am in the shower. She is capable of jumping on the bed however she would rather be put on the bed and so she will bark. I have learned to ignore the bossy little terd for the most part but she is just so dang cute that i find it quiet hard sometimes. She bosses the other "Kids" around too. She pushes the cats off my lap so she can lay down or barks at Ayce knowing that he will eventully let her have whatever it is that he has. She even demands an occasional belly rub from Joey. Whoever or whatever it is...the attention is to be hers.

Bella is growing up all to fast for me. I wish she could have stayed the sweet little sleepy ball of fur forever but now she has grown into her paws, ears and the wire fur keeps growing. She is still cute but she is cute with attitude!

Oh her name Bella Noel means Beautiful Christmas however I think BAD BELLA fits her much better! :) We love you Hells Bells!

Enjoy Meeting Princess Bella!

quick Update

It's been over 2 months since my last posting. I'm feeling a little guilty about that since the world of Ashley Thomas is in a bit of chaos these days and there is much call for encouragement. I've had "blog posting" on my to-do list for the past several weeks, and I've got a loooong running list of ideas of things that MUST be said, but I'm human and I can only do what I can do in a given day. What I have been busy with? A mixture of the following:

1. Christmas was i know quiet sometime ago now but none the less it was a very busy time of year and relly has not slowed down.
2. Moving--UGH, i don't ever want to have to move again! Joey and I moved to St. George last June and the first week of January we were back. This happened for a number of reasons but mainly just because we made some BAD financial decisions.
3. Trying to secure a job for myself. (Joey is at Layton Marketplace Wal-mart pharmacy)I hated leaving St. George and Dixie Regional but we felt like we needed to be close to our family in this time of financial crisis. Well, i am not sure it has really helped us by moving back up here but that leads me to the next several things on my list.
4. Deciding to go back to school. AFter several job interviews and not securing a job as of yet, i have decided I am going back to school. I am going to be starting school again on March 30th 2009 to get my RN. With both my RRT and my RN will be able to make way good money and it will hopefully open up a lot of doors for me.
5. Planning my best friend's bridal shower. It was fun to do it for her but I quiet honestly do not ever want to be in charge of another one of those again! I am glad that I had my mom to help...she probably ended up doing alot more then she ever thought that she would have to. Anyways...that kept us busy with making invites and shower favors and trying to come up with a couple of fun games. I also made her a shower book. I think it turned out WAY cute. We had fun evem though not to many people showed up. My mom's chicken salad was a hit! (Everyone went back for seconds).
6. Just in General just spending time with my friends and family. I am glad we moved back up here just to be closer to our family and friends. Oh and we managed to get family pictures done right before Nathan and Pamela left. Here is the link if any of you want to see them. http://petermcdearmon.smugmug.com/gallery/7414906_ZdJtf/1/477823608_tLPgp Even though We are closer to friends and family I miss my RT buddies and my one CNA buddy at Dixie.
7. I am trying to keep my head on straight and hold it high. Not getting a job has really gotten me down in the dumps and i am having a bit of a hard time staying "sane" but i am just trying to take one day at a time. I guess that is all you can do. I am going to be going back to work on BMT (Bone Marrow transplant) two days a week at the U of U hospital. I am really actually very excited about that. I know that GOD works in mysterious ways i am just praying for a miracle!

Well, thats it for now. I will try to be better about getting you updates. I will post pictures and write about more specific things tomarrow or another day.

Hugs and Smiles!

Busy...busy...busy with busy boys, sweet little girls, and grandma!

This past week I was up North for a few interviews and had some time to spare to visit with my friends and Family. It never seems to be enough time however to get to see everyone and to spend as much time with them as I would like. I got to color with my Niece Oaqulee for a little while on Sunday when we arrived in West Valley. She and I are good coloring pals.

On Monday I got to spend a good portion of my afternoon with one of my Best friends Billie and her boys (that includes her husband). We met at Build-A-Bear at the Gateway and I got some Christmas shopping done. Ethan made a Koala bear, dressed him up like a police man and named him Woo-woo bear. To cute. Ethan being the great big brother he is picked out a puppy dog for Benny to have. Both boys were so cute with their new found friends,Woo-woo and Barkley.







On Tuesday, My mom and I met one of my other best friends,Lisa with her girls and her husband at the Newgate mall for lunch. We had a good time visiting over lunch and I loved playing with Natasha. We played with this thing at the mall where you put pennies, nickles, dimes or quarters in and they go round and round until they eventually fall into the box below it. I am not sure how much change we put into that thing but we had so much fun. Little Nathasha has the sweetest little voice and every time the penny would drop in she would say "See Ya!" So cute, and i couldn't help but to smile. My mom was handing her the pennies and she would be looking for another penny before the last one had disappeared. When mom ran out of pennies, Natasha looked at her and said "See ya!" We also went to see Santa. Natasha, was scared to death of him and didn't want anything to do with him. It is amazing how quickly kids change in a year. Baby Patricia, is growing and changing so quickly. She is beautiful just like her big sister and her mommy. Tricia didn't seem to mind Santa in fact she slept right through her visit with him.






The last full day I was up there I spent with my mom and my Grandma Spencer doing crafts. I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with my Grandma and mom. I am not sure if the craft or taking the pictures afterwards was more fun. I don't think Grandma knew that you could set up a camera a timer to take pictures. My grandma laughing had train effect cause then both mom and myself her laughing too. We had a lot of fun. I love you Grandma and Mom!


I am so glad that I have time to visit with my friends and family and wish that the time spent didn't go by so quickly. I love you all very much! Oh and to Lisa and Billie, Thanks for sharing your sweet little ones with me. If I didn't have the three best friends that I have I don't know what I would do. I love being Adopted Auntie Ashie