Boatman Blog

2012 ... so far.

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:24:00 +0000

2012 is in full swing and my little blog is way behind. what can i say, i was so wrapped up in participating in the new year that i didn't make time to blog about anything. oh well. i hope each of you have had a beautiful start to the new year!!

as for the boatmans, we are doing our best to take it one day at a time and soak it ALL in. as 2011 came to a close, we took a step back and reflected on the events of the year. it was truly a roller coaster year for us. the highs were wonderfully high and the lows were tragically low. i can say without hesitation that we were blessed beyond measure in so many areas of our life. as painful as the periods of loss and disappointment were, they served us well. we kept our hearts open, our minds clear and let each one helped us to grow as individuals and as a couple. they forced us take stock of the things we thought were important and reevaluate many of our priorities. i am grateful for the good times, but i am profoundly thankful for the difficult times. our hope is to take the lessons that 2011 taught into this new year and beyond.

2012 has been busy already, but we are looking forward to the adventures that lie ahead!!

{we rang in the new year and celebrated scott's birthday in las vegas}

{our pups still rule the roost over here and piper has settled in nicely}

{our littlest peep charlie is getting so big & we just love her to bits!}

{we are always busy sewing, sanding, stripping, building or painting something}

{more alterations to our humble home - carpet, paint, organization}

{picking out paint colors is a regular occurrence. i've putting my knitting/crocheting skills to work on a baby blanket for some dear friends -- HUGE Florida fans.}

{lots of regular work & fitting in time for some gym work}

{this winter/spring/winter back & forth is pure madness, but sometimes we get to build a great fire to snuggle up next to ... so i'm not complaining too much}

{i gave our blog a little facelift for the new year}

Insta-Friday {7} {8} {9}

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:30:00 +0000

yeah. i'm a bit backed up on the posts here. i LOVE the insta-friday posts though. so {lucky you} this friday you get THREE weeks worth of instagram pics to enjoy. believe it or not ... i had to narrow down the available photos for this post. it's official, i might need an instagram addict support group. just sayin'. happy friday all!!

{i met one group of super funny ladies to watch the midnight showing of twilight: breaking dawn. kristina made these priceless wolf and vampire cupcakes for the occasion. i met another group of fabulous ladies to attend the Indie Craft Experience & delicious brunch. i love my girls!!}

{i finished sing you home by jodi picoult. a beautiful, well written story with a great ending. i've been checking out recipes in the juice book. i've only had the nerve to try a few. i am a juicing joke. i started and FINISHED the hunger games triology. the movie comes out in march 2012 ... who's going with me? of course, my trusty reading/cuddling buddy reese. he's the best.}

{work, work, work = lots of Trendy Toolbox orders done & we finished our garage!!}

{post thanksgiving. reese is such a quitter. i would say i have been running lately, but that would be an egregious exaggeration of what i do. for the record i think i could safely call it walking briskly.}

{UGA vs. GA Tech game. i love this campus.}

{quite possibly the two most hilarious gifts. the marketing/packaging is too much.}

{we picked out my first live christmas tree at farmer john's. and because we could & they are delicious, we bought some of his boiled peanuts too. the dogs giving final ornament approval.}

Insta-Friday {6}

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:43:00 +0000

{i enjoyed a fun girls night & then brunch with my hubby at Chicken and the Egg in Marietta.}

{lots of banking this week. work and personal. getting close to reaching my 2011 financial goal!!}

{i found this amazing city scape cake in a magazine. gorge right?! i want this rug in XXXL.}

{we have the BIGGEST acorns in our yard. our dogs think they are treats. it's pretty ridiculous.}

{colorful trees and 70 degrees. i'm so thankful for the amazing fall we've had so far.}

{i felt like poo most of this week. i hate colds and this one is hanging on strong. i'm over it. even homemade soup in the complimentary bowl didn't help. sad day.}

100 Instagrams.

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 02:44:00 +0000

obsessed much? i love instagram. i can't help it. i mean what's NOT to love? i hit 100 photos on my instagram feed and i got irrationally excited about that fact. here are the tiny thumbnails of my first 100 instagrams. my username is mrsboatman. look me up & enjoy your own insta-gramming.

Insta-Friday {5}

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:23:00 +0000

{my favorite spinach tortollini @ provino's with my hubby. brunch at midway with my cousins}

{taking part in the 2011 making strides against breast cancer walk with my granny}

{the pups who run our life. they are pretty stinking cute}

2011 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:10:00 +0000

On Saturday, we got up crazy early and made our way to downtown Atlanta and Centennial Olympic Park for the 2011 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. Our family tries to do at least one cancer walk each year with my sweet granny, who at a spry 85 years old, is a two-time breast cancer survivor. She continues to amaze me with her strength and fortitude. I wish i had a fraction of the mental toughness she has to just continue powering through life with her head held high and a great big smile on her face.

I walk for my granny and for all those who have fought the senseless battle of breast cancer. I salute every single survivor ... you are tougher than I will ever be. A special thanks to everyone who participated in this event and others like it. It makes my granny truly joyful to see you supporting others and loving strangers in a common goal. Thank you for giving joy to a beautiful woman who has spent her life giving so much to others. Keep fighting the good fight.

{a massive crowd of participants at the park ... really early ... really chilly ... really perfect!!}

{we had to get a picture with the olympic ring fountain in the background}

{even with 2 bum knees, my granny walked the entire course ... WAY TO GO!!}

{my beautiful cousins - i feel like we all look like sisters here, weird??}

{did i mention it was pretty darn chilly?}

{the radio flyer wagon got a WORKOUT. so did everyone who took turns pulling it.}

Insta-Friday {4}

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:54:00 +0000

{where's waldo scarecrow in downtown acworth. so cute. charlie trying to stay awake during granny's birthday lunch with us at the dogwood terrace. delicious. you should eat there.}

{no reason for a pic of me. my new bag arrived early!!}

{sleepy, sleppy dogs}

{pin cushion is out, which means more sewing. i decided i needed a treat. YUM!}

{another fire pit + delicious smores + LOTS of snuggles with this little chica. ridiculous.}

bag lady love

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:37:00 +0000

i'm a bag lady. those who know me best realize this about me. i'm not the sleepin' under a bridge, pullin' a shopping cart around town kind of bag lady. i just REALLY love bags. i have a super soft spot in my bag-lovin' heart for any bag that can boast both style and substance. that's why, when i saw this killer deal for a matt + nat bag on myhabit ... i simply couldn't resist. isn't she cute?!

what's that you say? you've never heard of matt + nat bags? oh girl, you missing out. you can read a quick history of the company here. short version, their bags are cruelty-free, vegan and they utilize materials like recycled bottles (approx. 21 recycled bottles make each bag lining) & cork labels (which is incredibly sustainable & environmentally friendly to harvest) in the production of their bags and wallets. my most favorite description of what you can expect from matt + nat:
"Over Fifteen years later, our team is continuously working towards this goal, developing beautiful (we hope) products for people who appreciate a smart, unpretentious, socially conscious brand characterized by minimalist design and utility."

sadly, these bags would normally be out of my price range, which means i lust after them from afar. this deal was amazing, almost 70% off. really?! check out all the amazing styles HERE.

{nerd alert} have you heard of Wunderkit??

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:56:00 +0000

i am so excited about this new product launch from 6wunderkinder. i am one of the staggering 1.3 million users of wunderlist and i adore it. the app is so simple and efficient. did i mention it was FREE?! if you don't have it you should download it asap. it is free for every device, use it as a web app, or download it directly to your desktop. so many options for streamlining your task management. the design elements are incredibly detailed and gorgeous. it makes looking at this app as pleasant as actually using it. it truly appeals to all levels of my nerd-iness!! i can't help myself. beautiful design and effective organization ... it's my dream COMBO of goodness.

as if i wasn't already smitten, along comes the wunderkit ... it is going to have even more great stuff if you can believe that. tasks, sub-tasks, notes, workspaces, collaboration, dashboards, the list goes on and on. this thing looks like it is going to be a godsend for entrepreneurs and for those of us who always seem to be juggling a million "to-do" items for multiple audiences. it is so tough to keep obligations separate and on track at the same time. if you are as excited as i am, go to wunderkit.com and sign-up for the beta version waiting list. you can also check out updates and news on the 6wunderkinder blog.

Insta-Friday {3}

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:31:00 +0000

another busy, but exciting week. our family changed this week. we added a new little lady named piper to the boatman crew. we've been a little obsessed with our dogs this week just trying to get them used to each other. our schedule pretty much revolved around making them happy. such as life. well, our life anyway. happy friday everyone & i hope you get a chance to do something extra fun this weekend!!

{making piper feel at home. hooking her up with some new doggie bling. not really. just an id tag.}

{letting reese know we haven't lost any love for the eldest child. that earned him some quality couch snuggles, which is rare. he didn't hate it. we didn't either.}

{synchronized bone chewing. it's a thing. you didn't know?}

{reese is still waiting for her to leave. it's been almost a full week. will he figure it out?}

{two of my favorite eateries. the square bagel & firehouse subs. that last one is a secret, so why don't we all just keep that in the dl ok. thanks.}

{working on more trendy toolbox orders. are you sensing a life theme people? i know i am.}

{that is my baby niece. chillin'. i stole this pic from her mommy. i need to cuddle her ASAP.}

{we are hoping the become great buds. they're getting there.}

meet piper.

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:00:00 +0000

hello. this is piper. she is the newest member of our little family. we rescued her last week from the cobb county humane society. she was found wondering around with a buddy, but no one ever showed up to claim her. piper is black lab, she is almost 1, she has the softest coat {perfect for lots of petting by me} & she already thinks our boy reese is the best big brother ever. we are so happy to be able to give her a safe new home. please consider adopting/rescuing your next pet. these little bundles of unconditional love need good homes. it was heartbreaking to see just how many dogs were available at this one shelter. i wanted to take them all home with me. piper has quickly acclimated to our crazy schedule/life and melted our hearts in the process. we just love her to bits.

Insta-Friday {2}

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:44:00 +0000

i am so glad it is FINALLY friday. this has been a very long week. a bumpy week. an exhausting week. i am ready for the weekend.

have a wonderful weekend everyone :) ...

{my fingers are so tired from sewing trendy toolbox orders. reese "supervising" my skills.}

{patio lunch & reading at Fellini's Pizza before heading down to the A3C Hip Hop Festival.}

{the fall colors are really starting to come out now. huey luey's = best veggie quesadillas ever!}

{my zaxby's zalad was apparently a celebration. entertainment weekly reunion issue}

{breast cancer awareness ad. tasty brunch at wa-ho with my granny - who is a 2 time survivor!!}

Gumby {another adorable Google doodle}

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:59:00 +0000

{turn up your volume to hear the "Gumby" theme song while you watch!}

... because i heart nostalgia ...

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:05:00 +0000

i have a special place in my heart for entertainment of days gone by. entertainment weekly did a cast reunion: then & now feature in the latest issue. these make my heart happy. some of the shots they got were just too perfect. there were definitely many more shows & casts that i would have liked to see. maybe they will do another issue!?! until then, enjoy these little gems. you can also check out all the photos at www.ew.com

{SIXTEEN CANDLES}

{MARRIED WITH CHILDREN}

{WILL & GRACE}

{GROWING PAINS}

{NORTHERN EXPOSURE}

{THE GILMORE GIRLS}

{HOME IMPROVEMENT}

{THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW}

{ROMY & MICHELE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION}

{THE PRINCESS BRIDE}

Insta-Friday {1}

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:17:00 +0000

i am fairly new to the land of instagram ... and i am totally hooked. i have only had an iphone for a few months, but i LOVE it. i've been an avid apple fan for years, but i've also been rockin' a verizon droid for awhile now. after the unfortunate demise of my droid incredible and the fact that iphone is now available at verizon i opted to make the switch. there are still some droid things i miss, but overall it has been an exciting transition. here's to my first insta-friday post!!

{new facebook profile in timeline & my mom's sock-stealing lab sleeping over at our place}

{i made those blocks for my sweet niece charlotte ann who graced us with her presence early.}

{two delicious dinners with my hubby. best bbq around & a business dinner in buckhead}

{swanky new freestyle coca-cola machine and a little lunchtime inspiration}

{reppin' the ATL. a little varsity "what'll ya have?" and coca-cola headquarters}

{pimp ride parked outside my work. working hard at my second job - Trendy Toolbox.}

{two views of downtown atlanta from bobby dodd stadium during a GA Tech football game.}

{first cool fall night to enjoy the fire pit with our buddies. also, beer pong was happening.}

{just cool enough to use my foot warmer under my desk. reese enjoying our open windows.}

Goodbye.

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Like much of the world today, I am so saddened by the loss of Steve Jobs. It is literally mind blowing to think of the impact that this incredible visionary had on our society. Things that we take completely for granted may have never been part of the day-to-day vernacular if one man would have decided that following his dreams was to complicated, that his passion wasn't enough to base a career on or that his brilliance wouldn't live up to the expectations of others. Imagine for just a moment if Mr. Jobs had sold himself short. If he would have allowed doubt to incapacitate him from moving forward. If he would have given power to the naysayers. If he would have let conventional wisdom chart the course of his life. If he would have let words like complicated & difficult define his revolutionary inventions.

In only 56 short years on this planet, he made it possible to literally touch the virtual world, he changed how we define music & video entertainment, he made digital interaction truly personal, he made an infinite amount of information just a single touch away, he lived life fully expecting the impossible to become possible and he was simply ... genius. I find him deeply inspirational on many levels. It leaves me wondering what more he could have accomplished if his life was not cut short. He will surely be missed, but not forgotten. I sit here contemplating his life and I ca't help but wonder, what must it have felt like in his final moments in this world to know, without so much as a whisper of doubt, that he had touched millions of lives and forever altered the course of society as a whole? Powerful. I cannot wrap my mind around that concept. Cheers to a live well lived.

video platform video management video solutions video player

ABC NEWS REMEMBERS STEVE JOBS

STEVE JOBS: HOW TO LIVE BEFORE YOU DIE {STANFORD UNIVERSITY, 2005}

hello there baby.

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:38:00 +0000

my adorable little niece, charlotte ann, graced us with her presence on wednesday, september 28 at 3:38pm. she is absolute perfection. even though she decided to make her appearance about 17 days early, she was a very healthy 7 lbs, 20.4 lbs. and is already rockin' a head full of super cute curly black hair. my brother & his wife are the picture of calm, especially for first time parents. she literally didn't even break a sweat. i mean, childbirth is a piece of cake right?!

i feel so incredibly fortunate to have been able to snuggle her just a few hours after she was born. she's so tiny and she makes the funniest little faces. i am looking forward to a lifetime of memories & milestones with her. congratulations on your precious new addition!! she is going to be one cool little lady with parents like you.

did i mention that charlie is my Granny's 10th GREAT-GRANDCHILD! that is simply unbelievable to me. what else can i say? babies are just an absolute miracle. especially when they are perfect. i am a very proud sister & aunt. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLOTTE!!

Blog Silence

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:58:00 +0000

it sure has been quiet over here on the boatman blog lately, huh?
well, our lives have been anything but quiet. just about every day has been filled with the humming of the sewing machine, the roaring of saws, the whirring of sanders and the whooshing of paint brushes. our little adventure into entrepreneurship has been a busy one. we jumped in, wielding our tools and talents to join forces with some dear friends of ours creating a small business called TRENDY TOOLBOX. it has sort of taken on a life of its own. we are so grateful for the extra money and the blessing of being partners with such amazing and creative people. sorry for the blog silence over here, but even if i was being a good blogger, most of my posts would be focused on my splinters, stained fingernails and sore back. our company is awesome. check us out. if you want something and you don't see anything like it on our site, call us anyway. we would be glad to hear your ideas. have a great day.

Check out what we have been up to over at www.trendytoolbox.com

DIY Baby Gifts for my Niece

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 01:35:00 +0000

i am thrilled that i am going to be an aunt again. my little brother and his wife are having their baby girl in october and today family and friends gathered to celebrate her upcoming arrival. as expected, there was much food, much laughter and much love. this sweet baby girl isn't going to know what hit her. there will always be a line a mile long to see her and hold her and rock her and squeeze her. for the record, i am staking my claim at the front of that line. i got dibs people ... are you hearing me?!

anyhow, i digress. my sister-in-law is one of the most amazingly creative people i have ever known. this of course lends itself to her having a fun, quirky, unique style. she has this way about her of turning the most mundane object into the PERFECT thing. something totally and uniquely hers. i am astounded by this talent always. and a little jealous if i'm being frank. it also makes gift giving, shall we say "challenging":)

i decided to embrace some of my own diy talents and try my hand at some special gifts for the shower. i wanted to give her something meaningful and something i hoped she would love. {fingers crossed}. i made a set of adorable, vintage style wooden blocks and a super snuggly baby blanket.

the blocks have been a project i have been looking forward to making. in a creative burst i thought of the idea and have been waiting to gift them to someone! a little nerve-racking in the beginning, but it all panned out. her stamped name on all the patterned paper just makes my heart smile. tons of patterns and colors to keep her interested. i hope.

i can thank my dear granny and mom for teaching me how to crochet a few years ago. i loved the little scalloped corners! they turned out looking like little petals on the ends of the blanket. the heather gray yarn was so soft and beautiful. however, i couldn't resist just a touch of peach with the flowers. peach, not pink. the blanket is under the blocks in the above pics. i think i have a better photo but i couldn't find it. i'll look again. ** UPDATE ... i found them **

baby grubbs is sure to be loved beyond measure. her parents were literally showered with both love and gifts today. you know there are sometimes when i see my family and i think "geez. am i really related to this pack of loons?" then there are other times, like today, when i look around at a room full of wonderfully different individuals and think "geez. how did i get so lucky to have an incredible family like this?" family is big part of my life and today i felt truly blessed to be a part of one that continues to grow and evolve in ways that none of us could have imagined. i am so very lucky.

The San Francisco Treat.

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:56:00 +0000

No, not rice-a-roni. The San Francisco treat for us was our work/play vacation there this past week. The timing was absolutely impeccable. Saying that we were overdue for a little adventure and relaxation is the understatement of the day. It was such a fun trip and I have tons of great recommendations for anyone headed west to Cali.

I say this was a work/play vacation because we had our annual Subway Convention in downtown San Francisco for a few days and then we snuck off together for a few days. The convention was great. We got to see lots of subway peeps from all over the country. It is always fun to catch up and see how things have been going for everyone since last year. We sampled lots of delicious food from the vendors, gathered up tons of cute (mostly useless) tchotches from the trade show floor and checked out all the goodies coming up for the next year in the Subway world.

Vacation, in my universe, is largely defined by the eating lots of great food, preferably local fare that I can't get back at home. Avoiding chains when possible. I enjoy trying out local haunts and taking advice from cabbies/hotel staff/etc. on the best places to grab a bite. Some of my san fran favorites:

The Grove Cafe: to die for sandwiches, fresh squeezed juices, biggest breakfast burrito I have ever laid eyes on! and a cool, eclectic atmosphere. This one easily made it to the top of my list.
John's Grill: delicious steak and seafood. fun fact, it was the setting for the maltese falcon.
Annabelle's Bar and Bistro: they do an herb rubbed, rotisserie chicken with a quick flash-fry (yum!). the juiciest and most flavorful fried chicken I have ever eaten.

PS: the shopping off market street in union square is absolutely insane. If you have money to burn, you would love this area. Too much for me and my empty pockets ... but worth remembering if I hit the lottery.

Then, we headed off for our Boatman vacay. Where did we go you ask? An all around decadent tour of Napa Valley and Sonoma. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Truly unforgettable. This might be one of my most favorite trips we have taken together. It was such a unique experience. I am not really a wine person, but I may have been converted after this trip. Visiting all the different wineries and partaking in the tours really gave me an appreciation for the skill and precision it takes to make all those different varieties of wine. It is incredible the level of devotion that these wine makers have to the perfection of their craft. In just a few days we were able to visit several different wineries and we loved something different about each one of them. Napa and Sonoma combined boast over 400 wineries, we did our best people!

I could go on and on about each stop, but my favorite was Kunde. The view was majestic, the wine was delicious and we had a moment of serendipity - we ended up at a tasting 1,400 feet on the mountain side with Jeff Kunde, current CEO and great, great grandson of the founder, who just happened to be there entertaining a client. Just a great experience.

Great eats on this leg of our tour:

Norman Rose Tavern: grass fed local beef hamburger, local cheese, local bread. good lord this burger. They also serve fresh, dill pickles. I honestly never knew a pickle could be THAT delicious.
Gilwood's Cafe: eggs california = the most delicious breakfast of my life. Basic eggs benedict plus tomatoes and avocado. It's topped with the most incredible hollandaise sauce ... EVER.
Healdsburg Bar and Grill: another burger. I know, I couldn't help myself. A perfect patio with tons of seating to enjoy the Utopia-like weather. The parmesan and garlic fries ... heavenly.

I MUST give a huge shout out to our hotel. The Avia in Napa Valley was perfection. It was situated right in the heart of the Napa Valley Square and within walking distance to dozens of shops and delicious restaurants. Everything was ideal and romantic. The room was incredibly cozy and featured a huge soaking tub ... i do love a good bath. Most of all I could rave for days about the incredible staff. If you ever need a place to stay in Napa ... Avia is it.

We couldn't pass up visiting Fisherman's Wharf - it's one of those must-see tourist areas. It has all the typical tourist stops and shops. It does boasts beautiful views across the bay, of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge. You can also visit with the sea lions at the end of Pier 39, who are super cute I might add. Ghiradelli Square is a shining star here. The restoration and repurposing of this building is spot on. It now features shops, restaurants and 3 Ghiradelli ice cream and chocolate shops. Plus, they give you free chocolate when you visit the shops. It's worth the walk. We did a tour of Alcatraz Island and it was well worth it. Such an interesting piece of history. The audio tour was narrated by former guards and former prisoners which added a nice, authentic element to the entire experience.

TO SEE MANY MORE PICTURES -- CLICK HERE!!

Overall, just a spectacular vacation. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to create so many beautiful memories with my sweet husband. This will be a vacation we remember forever. Safe and happy travels everyone!

Universal Wishlist ... how simple!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:55:00 +0000

I love online shopping. I know many people who loather the experience, but in my book it's just GREAT! I just discovered that Amazon offers something called a Universal Wishlist. Amazing. I'm sure this isn't breaking news, but it was to me. It is like they read my mind. They have always offered the ability to do multiple wishlist within the Amazon site, but with the Universal Wishlist ... you can shop anywhere online and then with a simple click of a button, add items to your list. Again I say, amazing. Anywhere people!! That is just madness. We're talking all those sweet little finds on ETSY, Zappos, ebags, Anthro - ANY ONLINE SHOP - and it links right up. It provides the item name, shop, cost, and quantity automatically and even leaves you a box to put special notes in. Just stop, I can't take any more.

Certainly a perfect solution for those times when someone asks you what you would like for your birthday/graduation/bar mitzvha/christmas/whatever and you draw a total blank. You can make your list public and give out the link (um, hello super easy and convenient). You can also choose to keep it private and just use it as a reminder for yourself. Then, if you have a little bit of fun-money, you can come back to your list and buy that thing you were drooling over a few months ago. I am really excited about this. I feel this tool adding simplicity to my life already. For that I say ... thank you Amazon.com.

Happy shopping or should I say "wishlist-ing" peeps!

Yard Sale DONE!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:31:00 +0000

I can't believe it actually happened. After months, no-YEARS of procrastination about actually having a yard sale it is finally over. Remember this sad post back in February where I was so happy to have made "head-way" on the yard sale prep? Fast forward five months and we have successfully completed two full days of pure unadulterated purging bliss!!! It was so worth it. We made great money, we helped a lot of people who really needed it, we donated to some charities that we wouldn't have otherwise known about and we took the rest to Goodwill where each item will hopefully find a good home. It was as perfect as a yard sale could be.

It will go down in the Boatman history books as BIGGEST YARD SALE ever. That's because we will never be having one that massive again. Madness I tell you. I couldn't have done it without my mom, my hubby and a sweet friend Katie that rushed in to lend a hand on Friday morning. Thank You!!

I feel an unbelievable sense of relief having that literal load off my back. I can't wait to continue the progress and do some more household purging/organizing/cleansing. Life feels better when you simplify & organize. Goal: Stay that way!!

Holiday Weekend R&R

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:56:00 +0000

I am so looking forward to this upcoming weekend. It will be full of friends, food, fun & sun (hopefully)!! The schedule is packed, but I hope to sneak in a little rest & relaxation amidst all the wonderful festivities. Cheers to you all & I hope you have a very Happy Fourth of July.

Give a hug, high five or a handshake to a military person this weekend. Be grateful for the freedoms that their service to your country have protected for you. Put your politics aside and simply let your gratitude shine through. Make their day!!

... and go light some FIREWORKS!!

Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:28:00 +0000

Lord, Save Us From Your Followers
This documentary is superb. Quite possibly the best I have ever seen, especially regarding religious documentaries. I found it as engaging as it was entertaining. I found myself laughing at ironic beliefs one minute and then feeling a sense of profound conviction in the next. I was hooked by the title first and then by the simple, yet poignantly true catchphrase for the movie ...

Why is the gospel of LOVE dividing America?

Dan Merchant takes this simple question and loads of curiosity on the subject of religion to the streets in a white jumpsuit covered in both Christian & secular bumper stickers. He uses this ridiculous get-up to acquire attention that makes people stop and then he can engage them in conversation. "Just pick out your favorite one," he says. Simple enough? Some popular choices from the suit-o-stickers:

Abortion: "Big People Killing Little People"

Evolution vs Creationism: "God spoke and BANG it happened!"

Hypocrisy: "Get the hell out of my way, I'm late for church."

The goal of this movie is to open the discussion between all sides of faith & culture. More often than not, religious rhetoric is divisive at best and catastrophic at worst. The staggering number of people that have been hurt in the name of religion has always been shocking to me. This documentary shows what I have always believed - that above ALL, we are called to simply LOVE one another.

"There are some basic religious principles that could bind us together, but as a society we choose to let them tear us apart instead." Just imagine if we really tried to have conversations about things we disagreed on. We might find that our reasons behind our beliefs aren't all that different after all. I can say without hesitation that this film left an impression on my soul, not just my mind. No matter what side of the religious fence you find yourself on, I strongly encourage you to watch this film. It is guaranteed to make you think. It might not change your mind, but it could open it.

One of the most powerful parts of the film for me was Merchants take on the Donald Miller & Tony Kriz's "Confession Booth" idea that took place at Reed College. He takes it to the Portland Pride Northwest festivities and the conversations that took place inside the "confessional" are deeply moving. Words (especially in the form of an apology) have real, tangible power. Don't ever forget that.

{If you just want to see that portion of the film, it starts @ approx. 1 hour 12 min}

Some of my favorite quotes from the movie:

"Preach the gospel constantly. use words only when absolutely necessary."

"I honestly don't care what your motivation is for doing good, as long as you do it."

"You don't have to legitimize someones lifestyle or choices in order to love that person."

For me it all boils down to this - "Life & people are complicated. Compassion should be freely given, not earned. Everyone has a 'rest of the story' that you may never know. Love them anyway."

Watch it on Netflix or free on Hulu.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Galatians 5:14

1 John 4:20

American Meth

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Boatman) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:54:00 +0000

In effort to further educate myself on meth addiction, I ran across this documentary -- American Meth, a Justin Hunt documentary. It is truly a devastating addiction. I am shocked at how immensely prevalent it is and how easily undetected the early signs of meth addiction can go. It is frightening to a degree that I cannot explain. The effects are as visceral as they are vast.

If you know someone who is an addict, then you are well aware of how incredibly heartbreaking it is. The person that you know is stripped away and stranger is left in their place. I never believed it would touch my life so directly, but I guess what they say is true, it can happen to anyone. If you think you are immune to an epidemic as powerful as this and that meth can't touch you, your family or friends, THINK AGAIN! Keep the people you love accountable for their actions. If you truly love them and you suspect something ---INTERVENE!!! Don't wait. Don't hope for the best. Don't lure yourself into a false sense of hope about the situation. Do anything you can to make them see that their life is worth living and that they owe it to themselves to heal. If you're afraid to lose them by stepping in, just remind yourself that if you don't ...
you will lose them anyway.

METH RESOURCES:
Montana Meth Project
{responsible for the national "Meth: Not Even Once" Campaign}
Narconon
Addiction Search
Recovery Connection
PBS: The Meth Epidemic