Sunday Afternon Shooting Range Visit

A few months ago, Chris bought a Groupon to the Sound of Freedom, Indoor Gun Range in Ozark, MO. We actually let the Groupon expire but checked with them and they were willing to honor it for another month. So we made a trip out there this past Sunday, along with Chris' parents, Nancy and Wayne. I've only shot a gun once in my lifetime and it was outside in the middle of the woods, so this was a very different experience, not one I was really prepared for. Chris and Wayne already had guns so Nancy and I had to rent them, they asked us several questions and I had no idea what he was talking about! They then told us since Chris wanted to shoot his 45 we would have to go in the larger gun area. We all put on our glasses and headphones and walked through the doors. I think we might have been in there for a minute total and heard some of the loudest shots I had ever heard and realized it was not for me so I quickly walked out. They changed us to the smaller gun side and it was much easier to handle. I shot several rounds first and then Chris had his turn. For my first time shooting in an indoor range, I thought I did pretty good!

Engagement Photo Session

Two weeks ago we went downtown and spent the evening with the awesome, Megan, owner of Meg White Photography. It was prefect weather and we had a great time! I posted some of my favorites below. If anyone is looking for a photographer that will take her time and will really get to know you, please contact her. Thank you for the amazing photos, Megan!!

Click here to see her blog post about us!: Ashley & Chris, Engaged

St Louis Rock N Roll Half Marathon

My sister, Tara and I ran in the Chicago Marathon last October and we so pumped after we completed it we made a decision we wanted to complete at least 1 Marathon a year. Well as we all know life gets the best of us sometimes so we ended up changing our Marathon to a Half Marathon and then decided to sign up for a few more this year! Growing up I hated running mainly because it was a punishment or a requirement for volleyball training. It wasn't until we started training last year that I realized how much my hate for it turned into an obsession! All my fellow runners out there I am sure can relate. Once your body gets used to this daily routine, it does not like it when you miss out. I continued to run last year after our marathon and Bass Pro Half Marathon and then fell out of my routine in January. I was able to get re-motivated just before the JLS Pitter Pat 5k/10k in March. I then knew I wanted to start my training routine back up. This Summer I traveled a lot for work which made it hard to fit in a short run each day. I still wanted to stick with my commitments that I had made to the races in October, November, and December. So this last weekend my family traveled up to STL for a weekend getaway (City Museum, and The Cheesecake Factory) and to watch Tara and I run the Rock N Roll Half Marathon. We had a blast! I was a little nervous about the run, because of my lack of training but actually ended up not doing so bad! It was a beautiful day to take a run around a beautiful city and thank God for all of the blessings in my life!!


 

The Running Expo 

Aidan wrote Tara and I a "Good Luck" message

 

City Museum

 

 The boys climbing in the tunnels

Grace waiting to go up the Ten Story slide

 

 The 10 story slide, it is a "must do" at the City Museum
 

Slides Everywhere 

Chris and I sitting on a School Bus that is hanging over the side of the roof

 

Aidan and Roman 

Yup, that is the boys at the top

 

Family Fun!

 

Beautiful morning for a run

 

The race started at 7AM, so it was still dark, and way too early for me

 

Waiting at the Starting Line

 

Standing with my 20,000 running friends

 

Tiffany sent me this picture while I was running, I thought it was pretty funny! They all jumped at the same time.

 

 Our cheering crew

My love, (Yes his shirt still says Girlfriend on the back, we will need to change that for the next race!)

 

Part of my wonderful family, thanks for coming to cheer us along!

Pumpkin Saturday

Fall is always a busy time with so many fun things to fit in! A few Saturdays ago went to the Pumpkin Daze Festival in Republic. They had several craft and food booths set up as well as a bunch of very LARGE pumpkins and gourds it was packed with people and so much fun to look around. We then rushed over to Parkview High School to watch my nephew, Caleb and the Hillcrest Band in the Valhalla Marching Festival. It brought back a lot of fun memories from when I was in the Marching Band back in High School! That evening we invited Caleb and Tyler over to carve pumpkins. Chris and Aidan are carving pros, I am getting better, and Caleb and Tyler had never carved, so it was quite an entertaining night! Check out the pictures below!

Instead of visiting a pumpkin patch we opted for quick stop for Krazy Karens!

He gets better and better each year!

The carving clan

I made the mistake of choosing a stencil that was pretty difficult but I managed to complete it without any help!

Finished!

Mine, Chris', and Aidan's (Caleb and Tyler's took longer than usual so they did not make the picture)