Dear 2009,

You were not my favorite year. You brought heart ache & a quarter life crisis. You brought the break up of the guy I thought I'd marry... 2 cavities, a broken camera, a mole biopsy... you ripped the skin off during eyebrow waxing & blew up my boat 2 days after buying it. You had more bills insurance wouldn't cover & 2 job interviews without offers. You had one of my best friends not speaking to me for a month & an email intervention from my BFF. & you got me r o o f i e d. Through it all I've become stronger & I am over you. Leave peacefully & take your drama with you. 2010 will be good! Thanks in advance. -Ashley

Hello Heaven.

My bff said as the boys brought us our drinks at my friend's wedding reception.

We were bridesmaids & it had been a long day.

December Challenge Masters.

I don't really have room in my one bedroom apartment for a big Christmas tree, nor do I have the storage for it for the other 11 months of the year. So I dug out my little two foot tree my aunt made me 20 years ago.

My mom said, "Can you believe you're old enough to have something that is 20 years old?!" No, I can't actually. Thanks mom.

It's still in good condition. All the ornaments & decorations will still intact. Well, they were intact from when I packed it up for the last time however many years ago. The lights even still work! I was crazy surprised when I plugged it in & they came on.

I got some pink disco ball ornaments from Hobby Lobby & some silver beads from WalMart to bring it into this decade. & it's so pretty! K makes fun of it because it's so small & he says it isn't a real tree. But it's pretty & it's mine. & it's 20 years old!

C h r i s t m a s cactus!