Baked Bean.

That's what I decided we should name our Boston Terrier if we were to get a Boston Terrier.

We had a really good time in Boston this weekend. Bryan met with Boston College and Boston University (and Stony Brook but that was while he was in NY) and we think we're pretty much decided on a school! We don't know details yet, though.

We walked around for most of the day Saturday and saw lots of things that the city has to offer. It is so beautiful there! Things are so old and so full of history.Beacon HillKing's Chapel The north market.The harbor.Frank Gehry's building on M.I.T's campus.Corbusier's only building in the U.S. on Harvard's campus. Trinity Church

I think we even figured out where we'd like to live if we go to Boston:

too big?

what about this one?

just kidding! we really liked this area though: And it was even restaurant week while we were there and we didn't even know it! We ate fondue at the Melting Pot! It was so good!

Ronald McDonald, is that you?

Who else thinks this is pure happiness?

On a globe trekker update: Bryan went to New York yesterday to visit a grad school and is taking the train to Boston tonight to visit two more over the weekend. I'm flying up to meet him in Boston this afternoon and to look around the city (and for a possible place to live if we go there) while he goes to the open houses at the two schools there. Hopefully this trip will help determine our decision! It's most likely either New York or Boston! Wish us luck!

Drum Roll Please

Two Words:

Footie.

Pajamas.

Weird, I know. And kind of a let-down to be quite honest.

The Key Fits

Does everyone remember the chifferobe I bought in February? Here's a photo in case you forgot:

Does everyone remember how the top, mirrored door was locked with no sign of a key?

Well, Lindsey brought me all the skeleton keys from her house that she could find.

And this one fit! Not only did it fit, it opened the door!I'm opening the poles...

I would like everyone to guess what was inside. Hint: think random. absolutely random.

I'll have pictures with the true contents later today! Stay Tuned!

Not Fair

It's just not fair, I tell you!

Every day.

Every beautiful, sunny day.

Every beautiful, sunny day from my office window seven stories above the earth's surface.

I can hear the ice cream man as he drives by.
Music twinkling and tinkering on the air. Today, it was a nice rendition of "Do Your Ears Hang Low"... "Do They Wobble To and Fro"... "Can You Tie Them in a Knot"... well, you get where this is going.

And I, being seven stories above him, truly doubt he hears when I yell "Wait, Wait!" like I did as a child running from down the hill behind the back alley when he passed through every summer afternoon.

It is just too far to make it to him before he passes. "I may never have ice cream man ice cream again" I pout as I watch him, daily, pull out of sight. And to that I say, "It's just not fair."

On a day like today

It was such a beautiful day yesterday! Not a cloud in the bright blue sky. A slight breeze. Warm sunshine.

We had a picnic.

Bryan and I took a basket full of goodies and a quilt hand-stitched by my great grandmother out to the overlook where we met up with Lexie and Parker and their basket of goodies.

We feasted on hummus and pasta salad and key lime pie (it was Lexie's birthday so it was birthday pie which made it even better!)

We basked in the warmth of the sun and then read Eudora Welty's short stories aloud. I want every single day to be that good.

Corn Queso?

Sick.

I walked by this display at our local, neighborhood grocery last night. At first, I read Corn Queso on the tag. Then I thought for a second about how gross cheesy corn sounded. So I looked up at the product.

I was right. Corn Queso does sound disgusting. That's why they do not market it in glass jars, like they do with something like...hmmm... Con Queso for instance.

Scam Buster!

Who you gonna call? Scam buster!

I think someone just tried to scam me. Well actually I know someone did.
So I'm sitting at work, minding my own business, and I get a phone call (on the work phone).

Here's what happened:

Phone rings. I answer.

Me: "This is Ashley."

Scammer: "Ashley Spears?"
Me: "No, this is Ashley ___ My Last Name___, do you have the correct number sir?" (I should not have told him my last name, b/c then he had it when before he obviously didn't... tricky tricky)

Scammer: "Oh, Ashley Norland (not my last name), I'm sorry. I was looking at the wrong line here."
Me: "Ok... (a little suspicious already) what can I help you with?"

Scammer: "I'm with the U.S. Publications Collection Agency and I have an invoice here that shows you have defrauded on a contract with a magazine subscription from 2007. Apparently you started the subscription with a Visa card and then stopped paying for the subscription. Now with compounded interest, it shows here that you owe $1500. If you would like to go ahead and pay for this matter, I can give you $1,000 off. All you would need to go ahead and pay is $500."
Me: "And which magazine did you say was this for?"

Scammer: "No collection agency in the U.S. would be able to give you that information. We don't even have that information. We respect the privacy of our customer's customers."

Me: "And what did you say my last name was again?"
Scammer: "Norland."

Me: "Yea, you don't have the right person. That is not my last name."

Scammer: "If you are refusing to pay, you will be receiving a small claims summons in the mail within the next week."

Me: "Well, that's really not my last name, so obviously you have the wrong person. And if a summons is the only way to deal with this, then I look forward to receiving that in the mail. I have no intention of paying you anything."

Then I hung up as he was still talking about ways we could settle this over the phone.

Our receptionist said he only asked for 'Ashley' so she didn't think twice about forwarding him to me. I'm the only Ashley here. I guess he got lucky with the most popular name of my generation.

Stupid Scammer. Don't be taken. And apparently don't tell them your last name.

Save the Date Y'all

So here it is, the awesome Save the Date Parker, Lex and I created last week!

Awww! How cute!

Project Runway, here I come...

Not really.
But I did make something wearable!

Without a pattern!

I heart my dress form. Actually, I really heart my dress form. I knew there was an easier way! Dress Form = Easy.

Arts & Crafts with Ashley

This may be a new blog installment... I'm all about DIY and it seems like there's always something crafty happening around here.
Where to begin, where to begin...

Yesterday I made a hair clip for Lex. I like it a lot and will probably make one for myself too!

Today I helped Lexie and Parker make their save the date postcards! They turned out so cute! I'm no spoiler so I'll wait to post the real pic until they get them sent out next week, but here is a photo of the set-up!

I'm So Excited!

This weekend a dress form was gifted to me and I want to say "Thank You! Thank You!"

I immediately went to work. It's going to be so much easier to make clothes when I don't have to put something on, pin it, take it off, sew it, put it back on, etc etc...

We'll see what happens! I'm so excited!

FYI: I don't know how long it will take Bryan and me to get used to her being in our house, but I know ever time I walked in the room yesterday, I was startled by her. She really looks like a dark, shadowy person from the corner of your eye!