crazy day

There was a bomb threat in our neighborhood today. We had just finished a photo shoot when my friend Crystal called and asked if we were okay. She told me there was a swat team and 20 police cars across the street from our neighborhood. We tried to go home but the streets were blocked off. We were told there was a bomb threat and it would be hours before we could return home. Kind of scary. You start thinking about your pets and the things you couldn't live without if your house blew up (my 64 journals, my hard drive with photo sessions and specifically a clients' wedding pictures on it...).

We ended up going to see Star Trek and going out to eat at Fondi's (the best pizza ever). We tried to enjoy ourselves even though there was a chance our house could be blown apart while we were eating our pizza.

We were finally able to return home around 7:30 pm. Turns out, the guy only threatened a bomb but didn't really have one in his house. He aimed a riffle at the helicopter team that was circling above and he was shot and killed (did he think this would end well?) The crazy thing is, this was a house behind the house that is across the street from us.

I'm feeling grateful to be safe.

*Read more about it here.

my recipe blog

Just a note to those who follow my recipe blog through an RSS Feed, the address changed slightly. Please update your feed with this address: http://ashleysyummyrecipes.blogspot.com/

happy things

I haven't checked in in a while. I have been so busy, running from one thing to the next. Only a few more weeks until I graduate. I'm feeling it.

A few things that are making me happy lately:

1. Yesterday my friend Dodie and I had a "girls' day" to celebrate her birthday and my graduation. We got manicures and pedicures, grabbed some breakfast, hit the shops in Sumner (where I got three cute shirts and she got a cute decoration for her home), and then went out to lunch. It was such a nice, relaxing day. So fun! (For those who haven't been to Sumner, you can see what one of the stores looks like here to give you an idea of the cute shops there.)

I've always wanted to paint my fingernails bright red, just for fun.

2. I bought some fresh flowers for our kitchen table, which I love. They are so bright and cheery and remind me of the nice weather we have had lately.

3. My friend Julie is also very into photography so we took each other's graduation pictures on campus a couple of weeks ago. It was kind of fun being on the other side of the camera for a change. (I will share some pictures from that shoot soon.)
4. W's parents are in town and we're going whale watching with them tomorrow at Friday Harbor. Should be fun.
5. We had dinner with our neighbors tonight to celebrate their son's graduation and they went all out. We had crab and it was so good!
6. Katie cut and highlighted my hair and she did a really great job. If you need your hair done, she's the person to call. Thanks Katie!
7. Every room in our house is really clean right now. I love having my house so clean.

Okay, I think I should get to bed. Goodnight!

my weekend

This weekend I did a little (rather a lot) of this:

And then a little more the next day:

Now that we have two cameras, W gets a kick out of photographing me "in my zone." Hey, a girl's got to do what she can to get the perfect shot, right? (Even if it means laying in a bush and hoping a bug doesn't crawl in my hair.)

P.S. You can see some of the results from the wedding shoot here. ETA: The last shot is one I took while laying in the bushes pictured above.

my wonderful husband

[One of our engagement pictures, 2004]

Last Wednesday night, I was at a fundraiser until 10:00pm. I was hungry and tired when I got home. My thoughtful husband had picked up Chipotle for me (one of my favorite things to eat ever) and had it waiting when I got home.

Later in the week, I was stressing out because I had promised a friend I would help her with a project but I just did not have time to do it. He stepped up, even though he had no idea how to do what was required, learned it all himself with online tutorials and completed the project.

I'm feeling pretty lucky. I really couldn't make it without him.