Meet-N-Greet Blog Style

Michelle over at A Little Bit of This and That is hosting a super fun blog meet & greet! Michelle is super sweet, and if you don’t read her blog, you should check it out along with all of the fabulous girls linking up with her!
 
I started Ashley’s Carnival Ride in January of 2010. I’d been reading blogs for quite awhile, and while I was off work because of snow, I decided to start one!
 
I started it mainly just to have a writing outlet and to have a way to journal my life. I never in a million years imagined it would grow into what it is now. I never imagined making the sweet friends I’ve made! I never thought I’d be texting and tweeting with bloggers. I never imagined I’d be spending weekends with bloggers or taking trips with bloggers. I never imagined I’d call bloggers some of my best friends! Blogging has become such a huge part of my life, and I’m so glad I have it!
 
I blog about a lot of things!
 

My family

My friends


Music I love


My sweet kitty Jack


Things I’m loving
A little more about me…

 
A Few of Ashley’s Carnival Ride’s Top Posts
A Year on My Carnival Ride
My Quest for the Skinnies
What I’m Loving Wednesday-I Met Pioneer Woman!
Top 5 Thursday-Celeb Crushes
What I’m Loving Wednesday-Meeting Bloggers, New Design, & Music
 
Want to know more?
Things You Should Know About Me If We’re Gonna Be BFFs
Super Long Q&A
My Favorite Blog Posts
Tag, You’re It
My Life in Song Titles
Guilty Pleasures
 
Hope you enjoyed getting to know a little more about me!

Target Tuesday & Announcements

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Hey y’all!

It’s time for Target Tuesday with Tara!

Here are a few things I’m loving from Target this week!

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Xhilaration® Juniors One Shoulder Dress – Black

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Journee Juniors’ Sleeveless Empire Dress – Yellow

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Journee Women’s Floral Strapless Dress – Black/White

Link up your Target loves with Tara!

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Tomorrow Neely and I leave for Chicago! I am so excited and can’t wait to meet Meghan in person and have some great girl time! Please keep us in your prayers for safe travels. I’m kinda freaking out about the whole plane ride thing.

Just a reminder, while I’m gone, I have scheduled posts about my super awesome trip to Tennessee a couple of years ago. I didn’t have a blog then, so I get to share all of that fun stuff now.

Yesterday, Jessica went for her ultrasound to find out the gender of the baby.

IT’S A GIRL!

I am so excited and can’t wait for October to get here so I can meet her!

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I’ll try to catch up on everyone when I get back next week. I’ll be around Twitter a bit while I’m gone, so come say hi!

Weekend Update

Hey y’all!

Hope you all had a great weekend! Mine was kind of a whirlwind.

Before I get into my weekend stuff, I have to show you the sweetest picture.
Max
Is that not the cutest little face? My coworker Brittany was on vacation last week, and I took care of her sweet kitty Max. He was ADORABLE!

After work on Friday, Colby and I met for dinner and ran into a sweet family from our church. They invited us over to their table, and we had a wonderful meal with them! They are so precious!

Saturday morning, I got up SUPER EARLY and drove home. I hadn’t been home in about four months, and my sweet babies were so happy to see me!

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I sat down and Oreo just hopped into my lap! He’s usually a little scared when I first get home.

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Hershey couldn’t quite figure me out

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I think Oreo liked the Toms!

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My sweet Sandy-girl

Momma and Daddy were out working on the new house, so I went out to have lunch with them. They ended up having me help out.
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I am most definitely not cut out for construction work.

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Shoveling concrete with my Daddy

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Standing on the front porch

After I left there, I went to get my hair done. No more trashy dark roots for me! :)

I met Momma and Daddy at one of our Mexican restaurants for dinner.
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I had entirely too much Mexican food this weekend. I’m afraid I’ve gained back all of the weight I’ve lost!

After dinner, Momma and I went to run a few errands and ended up driving down to the circus grounds. One of the elephants was visible!


Most people have to go to the zoo to see an elephant. We just have to drive down the road!

I got to spend a little bit of time with my bestie and her babies!
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My sweet K! He insisted on taking a picture with Aunt Ashley!

Sunday morning, I helped Momma in her bible class, then we went for more Mexican food with Mom-mom and Grandaddy.
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It was a fun weekend, but I wish I’d had longer at home. Hopefully I can get back there in the next few weeks.

Now, it’s back to work, trying to finish all of my stuff so my to-do list will be clear before Chicago! Can’t believe we’re leaving in two days!

Fun Friday & Boob Tube Babble

It’s Friday, y’all!

Fun Fridays

Tonight, I’m getting things packed up to go to my parents’ house for the weekend. I haven’t been home since February, and I really need to see my family!

I’m also going to see my wonderful cosmetological genius Carol so she she can highlight my hair. It’s starting to look a little trashy.

Not as bad as this picture, but close.

What are y’all up to this weekend?
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Boob Tube Babble
 
Did y’all watch The Voice this week?
I thought the performances were wonderful this week!
I am definitely a Team Blake fan!

Dia Frampton performed a piano version of Kanye West’s “Heartless”, and it was wonderful!

Patrick Thomas performed “I Hope You Dance”. Y’all know that’s one of my favorites, so he definitely scored major points with me!
Who are you rooting for?

Next Wednesday is the return of Toddlers and Tiaras.

I blogged once before about this trainwreck of a show. It’s terrible, but at the same time you can’t help but watch.
 
The premiere will feature probably the most talked-about participant ever:

Mackenzie!
She’s such a sweet girl, isn’t she?

Do y’all watch Toddlers and Tiaras?

Link up your tv talk with Neely and Meagan!

What I’m Playing Thursday

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Hey y’all!
I’m linking up for What I’m Playing Thursday again!
“Chicago”-Kate Voegele
Six days until I will be there! :)
“Hope of the Broken World”-Selah
“Old Alabama”-Brad Paisley feat. Alabama
“Live a Little”-Kenny Chesney
What’s on your playlist this week?

My New Blog Design!

Hey y’all! I’m so excited because my new blog design is up! I am absolutely in love with this new design! Jenn is the absolute best blog designer ever. She is such a sweet person, and she was wonderful to work with! I’m also a fan of her personal blog too, and I love that we get to be Twitter friends too!

I have several new changes. I have moved all of y’all’s blog buttons to the Blogs I Heart tab on the top of the page. I also have my own button, so I’d love it if you added it to your blog! :)

Thanks again, Jenn! You’re awesome!

What I’m Loving Wednesday + Oh How Pinteresting

Hey y’all!

I’m linking up with two awesome ladies today!

Up first is What I’m Loving Wednesday.

WILW

I’m loving that I have my computer back!
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I’m loving that Chicago is 1 WEEK from today!

Oh my goodness, I’m just so excited!

I’m loving the fun Tennessee posts I have scheduled for while I’m gone! A little preview…
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I think it’s going to be fun!

I’m loving Pinterest!
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Not gonna lie, I didn’t understand it at first, but now that I’ve had more time to play with it, I’m loving it! A few of my favorite pins are posted below.

I’m loving my upcoming blog design!
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When I saw the first draft, I seriously squealed out loud! I am absolutely in love with the new design! It’s going to be amazing, and Jenn is just incredible!

I’m loving The Voice!
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I’ll post more about this on Friday.

Speaking of The Voice, y’all know I’m a big fan of Elenowen, the country/folk duo on The Voice. They released a new song called “Honey Come Home” yesterday, and I’m loving it!

The song starts around the 1:40 mark.

What are you loving this week? Link up your loves with Jamie!

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I’m also linking up today with Michelle for her link-up Oh How Pinteresting!

Here are a few pins I’m loving this week!

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This is so true

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I really want my hair to do this

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Yummers!

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Great song

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I want these shoes!

I’m still learning, but I’m enjoying it so far! You can follow me here!

Hope y’all are having a wonderful Wednesday!

Weekend Update + Target Tuesday

Hey y’all!

I’m so glad to have my computer back and be able to blog again! I’m hoping to catch up on several things that have happened over the last couple of weeks while I’ve been computer-less.

But first, here is my weekend update and Target Tuesday picks.

Friday night, Colby and I went to Joyce and Wade’s house to have dinner and hang out. We watched A-Team.
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I just love Bradley Cooper!

Saturday morning, Joyce and I went to work on our new classroom at church. We are teaching two year olds on Sunday mornings this quarter. We are teaching them about Moses.
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Our Moses attendance chart board

Saturday evening, I had to babysit.
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We made paper plate jellyfish!

After the kids went to bed, their cute cat came and snuggled with me
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She hides while the kids are awake, and about five minutes after they go to bed, she creeps out and jumps in my lap. So sweet!

Sunday morning was our first morning with our new kids. They were a little crazy, but cute.

Sunday night, an OKC church hosted a fundraising event for our agency. We got to talk to people about our foster care program and hopefully we’ll get some new foster parents!

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I’m linking up with Tara for Target Tuesday!

purple tank
Mossimo® Women’s Shirttail Pocket Tank – Purple

flowered top
Merona® Women’s Scoop Neck Embellished Tee – Rose Water

What are you loving from Target this week?

Now back to your regularly scheduled blogging…

Hey y’all! Look what I’ve got!

computer

My computer is fixed!

I have missed having it so so much! I dropped it off at Office Depot this morning to a weird and creepy guy that sounded like Jeff Bridges. I’ve been so nervous all day that they wouldn’t be able to fix it, but they did!

Yippee!

Fun Friday!

Happy Friday, y’all!
Has anyone else felt like this has been the longest week? Even only working four days, I feel like this week has lasted forever!
Before I get into my Fun Friday post, I wanted to let you all know what’s coming up on my “carnival ride”. As you all know (and are probably sick of hearing about), I’ll be in Chicago in a couple of weeks. While I’m gone, I’m going to have several posts scheduled about my super awesome summer trip to Tennessee! Two summers ago I went to Memphis and Nashville, and I didn’t have a blog then, so I want to write about it now! Plus, there were some crazy stories that I think definitely need to be shared. Look for those beginning somewhere around the 15th or 16th.
Fun Fridays
It’s Fun Friday time!
Tonight, I’m hanging out with my adoptive family from church for a bit.
Saturday morning, I’m going to teacher work day at church. Joyce and I are teaching two year old starting Sunday morning, so we are going (hopefully not too early) to get our new classroom ready.
Saturday evening, I’m babysitting two of my favorite sweet kiddos! 
They are such great kids, and I really enjoy hanging out with them.
Sunday morning is church, and Sunday night, I’m going to an OKC worship event centered around foster care. My agency will be setting up a booth and talking to people about our agency and about foster care. We are hoping to get some new foster parents!
What are y’all doing this weekend? Whatever you do, I hope your weekend is great!