Operation Smile

I started Tweeting awhile back...I now have 6 or so followers--GO ME! lol. I am @thedietcokegirl if you would like to follow me. Its kind of like my blogging... not often. If you are on Twitter, let me know and I can start stalking you...I mean follow you. :)

I follow Operation Smile on Twitter. They are a charity organization who travels around the world and provide free surgeries on children with cleft lips and cleft palates for the families who are less fortunate. They always have such sweet pictures and stories of children and their families coming to screenings for Operation Smile. It's heart melting.

The other day I clicked on the pic of the day of a dad snuggling his son during the screening in Managua, Nicaragua. So precious, I love it!



I have such a soft spot in my heart for little kids and babies with clefts. As many of you know, Max was born with a cute little cleft and I couldn't imagine him any other way!

A long time ago...

Did you know that I got married? Sure did...'bout 7 1/2 months ago, February 5, 2010. You wouldn't know it if you know me only from my blog. I have slightly slacked a little since the marital bliss has entered my life. I decided I needed to start blogging again and wanted to share my bridals/groomals. My talented sister Emily and her husband JP took our photos and did a fabulous job! We had to choose from over 1,000 pictures...and I am very indecisive for those of you who know me---It's taken me over an hour to choose which photos to post on this blog! Enjoy them.. I will save our wedding date photos for another post ;)

The bat mobile in the background was a must.

I love this picture.

He's so handsome.

I like my dress. A lot.

Dreamy.

I was freezing. It felt good to be wrapped up in his arms. Even if it wasn't freezing.

I made my own bouquet for my bridals! I was pretty proud. lol

Yes, I do have a middle finger. I just love this picture :)

I love these shoes.

Stay tuned for more from the wedding day!!

ooooh nice.

I know I probably should have changed my blog name after I announced what the name was going to be... I didn't want anyone to steal it, after all, it is pretty great. We are THEE Peterson's. I apologize if I didn't know some of your emails to share my wonderful new name, however, I am sure it will get to you sooner or later after you realize avirchow.blogspot.com is no longer there.

http://theepetersons.blogspot.com

It has a nice ring to it.

Coming Soon...

A new blog name and new posts coming soon..

Can you handle it?

...the happiest time...

Wowee, it's been a long time, which I must apologize for... I do have some good news though!!

You know that handsome guy I was telling you about earlier? Well, I kinda like him and he kinda likes me and we're kinda getting married!! I know, right? I'm excited to!!He asked me to marry him way back on November 8, 2009--- I know I'm a slacker in my blogging... I should have come to you first.
But it was so sweet....

It was Sunday morning, November 8, 2009.
He came and picked me up on his way home from work so we could go to church.. he was really in a hurry, which i thought was unusual, but didn't think anything of it..
We got to his house so he could get changed and get ready for church. I was in his family room talking to his brother that was in the kitchen eating lunch while Jake was downstairs getting ready.. he all of a sudden came up with 3 presents (mind you it was our 3 month anniversary ;) )
He handed me a paper that said "No Scrooge of Gifts Here" and told me how much he loved me and how these last 3 months have been the best 3 months of his life and what the 3 presents represented.. Past, Present and Future.
I opened them in order
The past was a blanket
He had a little paper that said what it represented. It was the blanket like when I was little, my silky when I was a baby that comforted me.
As he is my comfort now.
The present was a pair of diamond earings
The paper said they represented the shining star that I am to him they were more wordy.. but I won't bore you with the gush ;)
and the future was my empty ring box in it with a note that said how much he loved me and wanted to be with me forever through every holiday and Thanksgiving and Christmas. After I get done reading it to look at him and close my eyes. I looked at him, closed my eyes and he told me how much he loved me and how he wanted to spend forever with me. He grabbed my hand and put the ring on my finger and asked me to marry him.

Oh, I love that boy.
The big day is coming up on February 5, 2010!

The Lord works in mysterious ways...

It all started in 2003 when I was working at Wal Mart as a cashier. I always minded my own business and didn't know a lot of peoples names, just faces. I quit Wal Mart in February 2005. I have had a few jobs since then (yes, I said FEW), not being able to find what fit me right. I finally found a job that is, well alright for when I start school (if I ever start school, geesh) in March of this year... Thanks to a nurse my mom works with, who's son works at BlueHost and gave them my resume or I honestly would not have gotten the job.

I started at BlueHost on March 20, 2009. A couple days into training, a guy comes in to ask the training coordinator a question, he looks familiar to me... I realized, I worked with him at Wal Mart. So I asked him, "Did you work at Wal Mart?". We had our little Wal Mart reunion, and I found out his name Jake. I didn't think anymore of it, just that, wow what a small world.

A few times here and there I would see him going to lunch with Jamie Borget (the nurses son who got me the job) and I would say "Hi" to them as I was walking into the building. I got to work one day, getting to my desk seeing that the person before me had not logged off the phone and the only person who can log someone off the phone is a Technical Support Manager or (duh) the person who is logged in. I looked all over our Instant Message internal chat system for a Manager and found out that Jake was a Manager and could help me. We talked about our days at Wal Mart for a bit and then got back to work, and did not think anything of it.

The months go by and it is now about the 2nd week in July. I get to work finding out that the person before me had not logged out of the phone again. Remembering that Jake can log them out, I Instant Message him. After doing this favor for me, our conversation goes something like this:

Jake: Have you ever been to The Bombay House?

Ashlee: Isn't that the Indian restaurant? I prefer to sit on a chair and eat with utinsils. :)

Jake: lol You do you eat with utinsils and sit on chairs. Would you like to go with me sometime?

Ashlee: I don't know if my boyfriend would like that...

Jake: Well you should have him take you sometime! It's way good!

Well, you get the jist of our conversation.. I felt so bad I couldn't go and I had to say no, as I was in a stupid relationship with a stupid boy.

That next week, my stupid relationship ended with that stupid boy... It didn't take me long to get over that stupid boy because well, he was stupid! A couple days later I added Jake to facebook. He posted a comment on my wall saying that he thought of me the other night while he was at The Bombay House. From there, we started talking back and forth. At work, we were Instant Messaging all day long...my stats were going down LOL I told him I needed to take him up on his offer at The Bombay House. He had a trip planned to Disneyland and said he wanted to take me out when he got back. We had been talking at work for about a week and a half and were starting to really like each other and felt like we could talk to each other about anything. So when he got back, he had made plans for Thursday and Friday night. Everyone around us was like... "You have made plans for two dates already and you haven't even gone out on one?" But we knew we liked each other.

The first date was awesome. I felt like I had already known him and conversation came so easy. And yes, we did go to The Bombay House, which is excellent... he has a personal relationship with the owners he has gone there so many times!! LOL If you ever go there, make sure to get the Chicken Tikka Masala and Garlic Naan. D.lish.

I had to make sure he wanted to go out with me on a second date, so I acted nonchalant and waited until he asked if 6:00 worked for Friday, and said "Oh, so tomorrow too?" and he said, "Well, yeah, didn't you want to?" so I had to come back and say "Yeah! I just didn't know if you had forgotten." LOL

After our dates everything felt so right and he asked me to be "his girl" that Saturday. People think it was really quick, but we felt like we knew each other already so well!

Things have been going so great. Jake means the world to me. He takes me for who I am and loves me for me. He is the best and is so special and I love him with every fiber of my being. He has a wonderful family. I love his sisters and his mom so much! They are so inviting and welcoming when I come to his house. All of my family loves Jake and he fits right in so well. He makes me so extremely happy and I love spending my time with this boy.


I have to say, the Lord works in mysterious ways. It was not meant to be at the time when we worked at Wal Mart, but I was truly bless to receive this job at BlueHost and meet my Jakey boy!

I love you Jake.

Family BBQ

I have mentioned that I love my Maxers?? When opportunities arise, Jared, Amanda and Max and I try to see each other as often as we can. It was our family dinner out in Lehi at Aly and Nick's and it had been awhile since my family had seen Jared, Amanda and Max so we decided it was time to get together! Max Loved his corn and his unique way of eating it! LOL
I couldn't believe how much this kid loved fruit! I would put the raspberries on his fingers, he thought that was pretty cool.

His dad has taught him well, he loves balls and he sure can throw one!! He carried a ball around all night long.

Max and Talan (he got a little soaked from the neighbors hose, hence the no shirt LOL)


Max's Grandma Virchow, she loves him so much!


You're not official if you don't try on Grandma Virchow's glasses on... which Max loved, they just wouldn't stay on, dang it! It was hilarious how he was letting us though, most kids hate it. LOL


He did not like the trampoline at first.. He would hold onto me for dear life and had this look of concern on his face.. I got snuggles in though!! heehee


Batter up! Max's first time batting, he thought it was pretty cool...moreso the bat than "eye on the ball"... I think Jared is on that though LOL


He warmed up to the trampoline and loved it after awhile!! He was all over it and loved being bounced :)


My little Peanut looks like a little Monkey heehee I love that kiddo.

Oh how I love Jared and Amanda so much!! They have given Max the life he deserves and I am so eternally greatful for them!! Thanks for coming down guys and letting me see the little guy!!

Max The Model

Max was chosen to model a tie for ragdollclothing...Amanda found out about the opportunity through a photography blog (Auburn Soul) The photographer was doing a casting call, and Amanda entered Max and he was chosen! Who wouldn't??

What a handsome boy my Peanut is!!

the lack thereof

I know, I have been lacking in the blogging area part of my life. It's funny though, I will go throughout my day and think "oh, that would be good/awesome to blog about"....and never blog about it. Ugh...I'm in front of a computer all day long at work, that is the last thing I want to come home and type...plus there is a wonderful boy in my life as of late.

Something I thought I would share is the different types of, well...animals? insects? we have at our house.I stole this one from Alyssa, she came home one night to this sitting by the garage door opener...YIKES!!

These aren't "unusual" around our house, but it's just fun when you do see them because they're HUGE...and ugly. My mom was watering her flowers one night and he was just hanging out by our swing.

Jake and I were walking up to the front door and I saw this little creature...the bat. *shiver*
He was just hangin out. We took pictures with flashes and watched him for awhile--it didn't even seem to phase him. Yuck, yuck, yuck!!

We get the rattle snakes, black widows, and those nasty huge wolf spiders, but I guess that is what you get for living so close to the mountain. You may remember my story about the snail on my window...now I am use the noises they make and it happens a few times a WEEK. I still truly hate snails...actually, all bugs and insects.

2009 FSA Conference 8/1/09

This years conference (Families Supporting Adoption) was great! Interacting with adoption advocates is always fun, but the best thing is being with Jared, Amanda and Max! Max has grown up so much, it's insane! He is the smiliest, happiest boy and this kid doesn't walk... he RUNS. Making him giggle is the best...he has thee cutest giggle! I love it. I could just eat him up!! It was the best time ever.
I cannot wait to see my Peanut again! I'm sure he will have changed again in that short amount of time. I treasure each moment I get to spend with him and love him so dearly. There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of Max and see his cute smile and bright eyes in pictures or mind. Oh I love that boy.