Fairbanks

Last week Jason and I ventured up to Fairbanks, a 6-7 hour drive from Valdez, with plans to visit the Arctic Circle, the North Pole, and to see Mt. McKinley. Sadly, we only saw the North Pole-we were advised against driving up to the Arctic Circle during this time of year because it is SO cold, and the roads are pretty much deserted, so we decided to skip out on that trip and save it for the Spring. We were also talked out of making the drive to see Mt. McKinley, because of the weather conditions and were told it was very unlikely that we would get to see it. Anyways, we were still able to see things we haven't been able to see yet--like tons of Caribou and Moose, AND we went to see NEW MOON :o) Which was great by the way. Needless to say, Fairbanks is WAY too cold for me, and makes me thankful for the "warm" weather we have here in Valdez!

One of the many Caribou we ran into....

We ate here for lunch one day, sorry--nothing

compares to southern BBQ!

We stole Santa's chair!

Me and baby are doing well--this time next week we will be ready to head to Cary to try and force the little booger to show us the goods! I'm ready to start shopping, and want to buy something besides yellow and green!! We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families and friends--we will be getting together with some of the other families from Jason's boat! It will be fun to see the other traditions from families from all over the country--although we all know you can't beat that good ol' Southern cooking ;o)

XOXO from cold (but not as cold as Fairbanks!) and snowy Valdez,

It's A....

STUBBORN LITTLE BABY!!!

Jason and I went for our 20 week check-up last Friday. Everything looked good with both me and baby-my uterus was measuring at 28 weeks though, which is a good indicator of TWINS--which we know there aren't BUT we let the Dr. assume what she wanted since it meant another ultrasound for us :o) She also tried to hear the heartbeat at that appointment, but no luck! I had drank a Dr. Pepper before our appointment just in case we got an ultrasound, so it would be EXTRA active! She was able to hear LOTS of kicking and moving around, so she wasn't worried about the babies health--so we scheduled our ultrasound for today, Tuesday.

So today, we go in ready to find out if we are going to have a boy or girl--but SURPRISE! Baby Mozingo didn't want to cooperate! "It" moved all around, kicked the whole time, but would NOT open them legs! Also, the umbilical cord was between it's legs so its boy or girl parts were hidden the entire time :o( The Dr. DID say that since she couldn't see any boy parts that she would guess that it was a girl--but last time she guessed a boy--so needless to say, Mommy & Daddy are FRUSTRATED!

After we got home and sulked for a while, I found out that there is a place back home that specializes in ultrasounds--2D, 3D and 4D, and you just pay out of pocket for whichever package you want. SO, we are calling tomorrow and are hoping to set up an appointment with them for when I come home in 2 weeks--lets pray for a little wee wee or yes ma'am sighting!!! This place seems really neat--they give you like 20 pictures, a DVD of your ultrasound, let you invite up to 6 guests, and ALSO since Jason won't be able to be there, he can view it live with us through the computer--how cool is that?? So lets hope and pray for some progress or even an appointment with this short of a notice!

Other than baby news, everything else is going good this way. We are taking a trip up to Fairbanks next week for the week, and are really excited about that! We plan to do LOTS while we are there including: seeing Mt. McKinley, the Northern Lights, the North Pole and the Arctic Circle--so we will be doing LOTS of driving, but figured its a once in a lifetime opportunity! I will post pictures from our adventure when we get home! Until then, here are a few of me and the growing stinker inside of me!

This is all that "it" wanted to show us today..

can you say-stubborn like his/her mama??

This is my 19/20 week bump

pardon the bulge in my sweatpants

please-they're Jason's and a little

big I guess---ha! Is it just me, or am

I bigger in my 18 week picture??

XOXO--from finally snowy Valdez--

18 Weeks!

Baby Mozingo is the size of a sweet potato!
"He" weighs 6.7 ounces, and is about 5.6 inches long!
My uterus is now the size of a cantaloupe!

I always heard (or since I have actually started seeking out pregnancy advice, and reading pregnancy books) that you would start showing overnight. I didn't think I would literally wake up with a baby bump, but it sure does seem that way! I have been taking pictures for myself every week just to see for myself how much I am growing, and this past week has shown some major change! Jason is finally realizing that there IS a baby in there, and is constantly pointing out my growing belly! Maybe in a few weeks people will actually be able to distinguish my bump from what could be mistaken as a beer belly! :o)

Pregnant!!!

We wanted to wait until our first appointment to announce, just to make sure we WERE in fact pregnant, and I wasn't being a hypochondriac-since I've been known to be one in the past :o)

I have now been to TWO appointments, and after about 8 pregnancy tests, hearing the heartbeat, and FINALLY seeing the little thing, I can safely say that I am pregnant :o) The due date is March 22, 2010--I am 17 weeks and 3 days pregnant today!

When we got the ultrasound, the Dr. also gave us a prediction of the sex of the baby, but that is all that it is. She was very hesitant to tell me, but I begged and she finally gave in ONLY after saying that it was a 51%/49% guess--but I think she just said that because she wasn't 100% POSITIVE. To be sure, after doing this for as long as she has been doing it, she can tell the sex of a baby better than that at 16.5 weeks..anyways, her prediction is fine with me, and all I need for the moment! So for now, instead of calling it a "it", it is now a "he"! Hey, I started out as a "he", and in fact I stayed that way until I graced the world with my presence, and I turned out just fine :o)

XOXO from sunny (and from what I hear warmer than NC) Valdez,

It's Been A While...

Well we are finally BOTH back in Alaska, after a HECTIC and BUSY 6 months! Sorry it's been a hot minute, the few weeks before the wedding were more hectic and flew by faster than I could have imagined, and even the few weeks AFTER the wedding were busy busy!!! The wedding turned out BEAUTIFUL, we could not have asked for a more memorable, special day. Everything was perfect, and if it wasn't we sure didn't notice! After the wedding we drove down to Port Canaveral, Florida for a 7 day Western Caribbean cruise, one word--FABULOUS! After the honeymoon it was back home for all of the fun stuff--packing, name changing-- getting me entered into the system as Mrs. Ashley Melvin Mozingo :o) My family threw us a 'going away/just married' cookout, which turned out great as well!! Finally, after getting everything done and spending some much needed time with our families, we headed back to Valdez on September 2nd. We arrived in Anchorage that afternoon around 3, did a little shopping, and spent the night in Anchorage. The next day we headed back to Valdez, after a little more shopping of course, and we are finally settled in...FINALLY!! Have I said that enough?

Hopefully now, I will have more time to update the blog! I will try to add some pictures of our honeymoon soon, but for now here are a few of our beautiful day--Enjoy!

Thank you everyone who helped us celebrate our special day, and also thank you to everyone for your love, support and help with this wedding!!

1 More Month!!! :o)

Only one more month until our big day!!! Time has FLOWN by, as everyone warned me it would. GOOD, because I'm ready to be with my Prince Charming, but BAD because I have SO much to do, SO little time! Before August 15th I have to:

-Get Bridal Portraits Made (Friday!!!)

-Go to Myrtle Beach for my Hair Practice

-Finish centerpieces, candy buffet stuff, bubbles, fans, etc.

-Lose 50 pounds

-Get stuff ready for our cookout

-Pack for Alaska

-Pack for Honeymoon

-Clean out my apartment in Greenville

--God only knows what else I am forgetting :o)

Just wanted to post a quick update with a few pictures of what we have accomplished the past few weeks! Needless to say, I have spent the past week tying about 100 bows, which take me about 10 minutes per bow--I'm not a crafty person!

We bought fans for people to use during the ceremony since it will be at 10 a.m. on the beach and hot, hot, HOT! I have decorated those and our bubbles to the best of my ability, and needless to say, I am very proud of them :o) Here are a few pictures!

Just wanted to post a quick update, have to talk to Jason now--I can't talk to him and update our blog at the same time--I get confused! Ha! Keep me in your thoughts and pray that I don't have a nervous breakdown soon, and that I make it through the next month without killing someone! Thank you!!

XOXO from Hot and almost miserable N.C.--

Jason's Trip Home

Jason finally came home on June 27th, and we had a busy busy week! I picked him up from the airport Saturday morning and we spent the day with his family. Sunday we got up bright and early and headed to Goldsboro. On the way, we picked up my wedding band,
which I LOVE by the way, and had some pictures made in a studio--my aunt bought us a package from a fundraiser that my cousin was doing and we get a FREE 11x14 picture. After that we had our shower, which was a big success--we got lots and lots of stuff! We finally headed down to Myrtle Beach Sunday night and stayed until Tuesday night. We applied for our marriage license and picked it up, and just shopped and layed out on the beach so Jason could work on his tan--Alaska makes you PALE!! :)



We left Myrtle Beach Tuesday evening and headed to my family's beach house in Swansboro, where we stayed until Friday. We spent the day on the beach and at the pool with his family and my sister and the kiddos :) And Jason got fried, AGAIN. Needless to say, I couldn't touch him all week without him complaining :o(

Friday morning we headed to Goldsboro because we were getting our engagement pictures taken that afternoon. We met our photographer downtown at 5:30 and shot until 8! We had lots of fun taking the pictures, and LOVE LOVE LOVE how good they turned out! Could not have asked for better pictures, or for a better photographer, who is also doing my bridal portraits and our wedding :) Definitely recommend him to anyone. His website is: www.michaelradford.net. He is very affordable, fun to work with and is willing to do anything to get you the shots that you want :)

Saturday, we went to New Bern for the day to cook out with his family. We had yummy pig and southern cooking--which Jason couldn't get enough of while he was home! We spent the day by the pool and just relaxed which was a nice change from the rest of the week!! We headed back to Goldsboro that night and spent our last few hours together, and got up early this morning to head to the airport :o( Although it's never easy when he leaves me, it was much better this time because we knew that he will be back in a little over a month and this is the last time we will be doing this long distance crap (hopefully!!!). He is officially back in Ketchikan as of about an hour ago--safe, sound and exhausted :o)

Okay, enough blabbing. Why do I always talk so much on this thing?!?! Wedding planning is going good, everything is pretty much finished except for small details--whew! My dress should be in this week sometime, so YAY for that--Bridal portraits on the 18th is what it's looking like--I'll keep updating, and may have to cut Jason off from the blog until after the wedding so I can give a sneak peak of my portraits. We will see!

XOXO from hot and once again lonely N.C.--

It's getting closer.....

Just a little update on what has been going on in
my life lately....

My mom and I got everything out tonight to see exactly what we had for the wedding and I decided to take some pictures so Jason could take a peek :o)

The first few are some of our invitations, napkins and centerpieces. Oh, and our cake cutters too. I don't know if you can tell, but those are seashells at the top of the napkins and invitations! I ordered them both online, and am very pleased with how they turned out!

This next group of pictures are pictures of our candy for our Candy Buffet. I'm really excited to see that its all finally coming together. We have had a TIME trying to find candy in the colors that we wanted to use. I know I could use any colors I want, but I wanted to stick to our colors.....didn't realize how tough it was going to be! Come to find out, you give my Granny a job, and she goes all out! Thank God for Granny! I was a little worried because all of the "Pool" colored candy was a little different, they weren't all the exact same, but when we put them all out together they looked really good! We still have a few more things to get but most of it is finished for the candy buffet!

So far we have:

Blue & Pink Hershey Kisses

Blue & Pink M & M's

Blue & Pink Tootsie Rolls

Blue & Pink Hershey Kissables

Pink York Peppermint Patties

Blue & Pink Suckers

Granny bought TWENTY bags of the assorted Tootsie Rolls, and we got together tonight and picked all of the blue & pink ones out...we will do the same with the Kissables when it is closer to the wedding, we don't want them to go bad. Also, I found the cute suckers today and love them!


Here are the suckers. We have to find a way to 'hide' the sticks--I don't like the way it looks! Maybe put some tissue paper in the vase around them or something?

Here are the Tootsie Rolls AFTER we separated them...and a little vase we may use on the table to put some flowers in or something. Also, I think we may tie some ribbon around the vases. The colors aren't separated in the pictures, but for the wedding they will be separated--NOT mixed!

I also mentioned in my last post that we had hired two violinists for the ceremony. I'm extremely excited about this, and to make it even better they have offered to learn not one but TWO songs. I already have one picked out, but still haven't decided on the other...we will see!

Well, off to do some homework for my stupid online class, which by the way I will be finished with on Tuesday, WHOO HOO!!!

Feel free to give input, or ideas--this girl isn't too creative :o)

By the way--today is mine & Jason's 'other' 1 year anniversary--one year since he asked me to be his girlfriend..actually he didn't ask me-he told me that "I think it's about time we changed our Facebook relationship status, whatcha think?" Little did he know what he was getting himself into! Ha! Love you Boo Boo!

XOXO from hot and stormy N.C.--

Bridesmaid's Dresses...

Well my sister's dress, since she is the only one I am having :)

The main color of the dress is the same as the one in this picture, but the bottom trim and the ribbon around the waist is going to be a lighter blue color--'Robin's Egg'. Hope it looks good when it comes in!!!

My back ain't right

Alright, here goes. Ashley's been tryin to get me to post something on here so I'm gona give it a shot. I'm not even sure if I'm in the right place right now but we'll see what happens, just bear with me.

I thought I would share with yall my little back problem. I'm sure most of you don't know anything about it but about 3-4 years ago i guess it was, I woke up one morning with a horrible pain shooting down my left leg. It just about had me in tears it was so bad and I couldn't even put my shoes on. Well I went to the doc and they took some x-rays and didn't really find anything. They said my hip was a little out of alignment(the pain almost had me in tears! that's a little more than an alignment issue). Well they gave me the cure-all drug (800 Motrin) and then set me up with a chiropractor and he proceeded to crank on my back for about a year. Well after no real relief from that, I went back and asked that they do something different. I asked for Pain Medicine which is where they inject steroids in you and make everything better. Well I went to a local Pain clinic and they wanted more x-rays. Amazingly enough they didn't find anything wrong. Go figure. So I went back to the original doc and he decided to send me to the physical therapist. They did another set of x-rays and after finding nothing(could've told em that was gona happen), they proceeded to stretch my back out with one of those traction things. That was pretty weird but it felt kinda good. Well about a month or so into that and no permanent relief, I received my orders to Bahrain. I knew that if they saw I was still goin to the doc for back problems that they might cancel my orders so I quit goin all together.

So I went through pre-deployment training and they shipped me out. With the pain still there and getting worse every week, I tried to suck it up as much as I could. I got to Bahrain and within about a month, it was just too much to bear. So I went to the doc over there and he advised I get an MRI. By the way, this was something I had asked for numerous times to all the previous doctors, but what do I know right? So they sent me to the hospital out in Bahrain and they gave me a MRI of my hip and back.

Just want to rewind for a minute. Before I mentioned I had pain shooting down my leg. This pain is called sciatica. The most common causes of this pain comes from disc injuries like herniated discs, bulging discs and so on. X-rays aren't gona tell you a damn thing about your discs. To this day it blows my mind as to why 4 different "DOCTORS" didn't think that MAYBE I should have an MRI since 500 different sets of x-rays didn't turn up anything and this guy is still in A LOT of pain. Anyways, so I finally get my MRI and amazingly enough it comes back showing a "herniated (ruptured) disc of my lumbar spine (L4-L5). The first thing I asked the doc after finding this out was "Can I get some better drugs now?" They gave me Vicodin and some muscle relaxers. Oh yea and they referred me to Pain Medicine....I LOVE PAIN MEDICINE!!! They gave me what's called Cortizone which is a steroid and they injected it into my back into the epidural space. I've had 3 of these over the past 2 years and they are a God sent. I was afraid I would have to have surgery but it doesn't look like that's gona happen anytime soon. As long as these injections keep working like this, I'm gona keep gettin em. Thank God for modern medicine. Well I won't bore you anymore with my back, I just wanted to try this blog thing out and i knew I'd have a lot to say about that subject, and Ashley was telling me I needed to write something up here so hope you liked it.

Later

Look what I got..... :)

So today makes one year since Jason & I met. I can't believe it has already been a whole year! Even though it seems like I have known him forever, it sure doesn't seem like we have already been doing this for a year!



I had to work today at the rug store, we were busy busy busy of course, since it's Saturday. The day got off to a good start though, I sold a lot of rugs first thing this morning, which meant taking lots of big, heavy rugs down and rolling them up, and loading them up into people's cars. I was down on the floor on my hands and knees fighting with a rug, and in walks ANOTHER customer, except it wasn't a customer, it was a man holding a big vase of pretty flowers just for ME!! My sweet boy had made arrangements to have them delivered for me at work :) Such a romantic, how did I get so lucky??



So anyways, the flowers were sent to me because it has been 1 year today since the night that we met :) There was even a card that said "This has been the best year of my life! I can't wait for many more! Love, Boo-Boo ( I can't believe he told the florist to put that on the card, I know they thought he was crazy, haha). Who would have thought that night that 1 year from then, we would be planning our wedding??? Not either one of us, that's for sure! I still remember that night, I told him that I was never getting married, all men were dogs, and that one could come along and give me a baby and then move on along! He felt the same way, haha. One week later, we were talking about marriage...crazy huh?

We have come a long way over the past year, and I am happy to say that this whole long-distance relationship thing has actually made us a MUCH stronger couple, and also has helped us to be so much more open and honest with each other about our feelings, problems and anything else that is going on with our lives. Honestly, if he hadn't been moving to Alaska less than a month after we met, this relationship may not have gone anywhere. I told him from the beginning that if he liked me, then he need not play the usual "games" that guys play when they are trying to get a girl to fall for them, ie: playing hard to get, being a jerk ,etc. because I wasn't going to play those games, and we didn't have time for games since he was moving! SO, he ditched his "Pimp Daddy" ways, and completely stole my heart :) I couldn't be more happy with the way this relationship has developed into a love that I for one have never felt before, and I hope that it continues to get better and better every day, as we continue to grow as a couple and as individuals as well. I couldn't feel more blessed to have such a sweet, honest and

genuinely nice man in my life, and he is mine all MINE!! :) Okay, enough with the mushy gushy stuff. Haha! Now on to WHAT this past year has brought us to--a Wedding!!!

Things are finally all falling into place, slowly but surely. Save the dates have been sent out, hotel reservations have been made, we have the place, time, guests, cake, flowers, dress *ordered* not in my hands yet, decorations, etc. I can feel the bricks, one by one, being SLOWLY lifted off of my shoulders....a little over 2 months to go!

I had the day off on Thursday, which I spent booking things such as chairs and decorations for the ceremony on the beach. I also ordered our invitations, which are very cute by the way :) And what I am MOST excited about is our music. I was told by the people who are putting our wedding together that we probably wouldn't be able to have any music during the ceremony, its really hard to hear over the waves and wind on the beach. I was not very happy about it, but we finally fixed that problem and hired two violinists instead! She is also learning a song from the Twilight movie that I LOVE, to play sometime during the ceremony, just haven't decided when exactly. So I am VERY excited about that :)

Our plans as of right now are still the same. Jason will be coming home in just a few weeks, 3 weeks from today to be exact--YAY!!!! He will be home for a week, and we will be having our engagement pictures made, a shower, an engagement party, applying for our wedding license (and an

excuse to go to Myrtle Beach for a few days), and probably LOTS and LOTS of visiting :)

He will leave on July 5, and will be back on August 11. We will probably head down to Myrtle Beach when he gets here, and spend the few days before the wedding there. We are planning to have a little rehearsal dinner, more of an excuse to just get the families together to eat and mingle, the night before the wedding. Then, at ten o'clock in the morning on Saturday, August 15, we will be getting married! :) We will head down to Florida, go on a week long cruise, visit my jaw doctor who is also in Florida, and then head back to NC for one more week. The Saturday before we leave, we are planning to have a cookout/party for all of the friends and family that couldn't attend our wedding (our wedding will be small), and also spending time with friends and family as much as possible, because more than likely we won't be seeing them until after we leave Valdez. Me and Jason have decided to Boycott N.C for the next year, or at least until our families come and visit us first!!! So anyone from N.C. who wants to see us, you will have to visit the great state of Alaska!

Okay, enough for now, I think I have taken enough time from anyone who has been reading this!!! Adios Amigos--maybe next time I write I can sign it--"Mrs. Mozingo" :) Hopefully I'll have something else to write about before then though ;)

XOXO--from hot & sunny N.C.

Wedding Planning....

Our wedding location

So sorry for slacking on posting! As of right now, I don't think we have anyone who looks at our blog on a regular basis, besides my few followers who get a notice when I post something new :) I am back in good ol' N.C. for the summer, and although it is very true that there is "no place like home" I sure am missing the spectacular views that I was able to enjoy everyday in Valdez, and I am also missing seeing my sweet soon-to-be husband's face ALMOST everyday!

I have been super busy since I got home. I started working the week that I got home--first job in a year, so I must say that it has taken some time to adjust to--getting up early and having to work my schedule around more important things than sleeping late, laying out and being lazy when I want to be! Earlier this week I was finally able to go to Myrtle Beach, where we will be getting married in August! We are planning our wedding through a cute little wedding chapel in North Myrtle Beach called 'Together Forever Wedding Chapel'. I was starting to freak out a little since I hadn't even seen the place, or talked to the people who are helping me plan our wedding. Now that all of that is taken care of I feel much better!

I went wedding dress shopping at the end of April, and found THE PERFECT dress for our special day :) It was the 3rd one that I tried on, but everyone insisted that I try on at least 10 dresses before making my decision. In the end, I still ended up with the dress that I picked in the beginning, and can not WAIT for it to come in. We put in a rush order for it, but it still will not be in until mid-July :( I am hoping to be 20 pounds smaller by then :) Wish I could post it up here, and I probably could since Jason doesn't ever check our blog, but I would rather be safe than sorry! I will just say that it is beautiful, I am completely happy with it and I know that he will LOVE it!

We are having our wedding on the beach, early morning, mid-August. I would rather have it the night before, but it is a week night and I am worried that our guests will not be able to get off work if we change the date. I am still looking into it, but as of right now it will be in the heat of the day on a crowded beach. Yay for a sweaty bride! It will be a small ceremony, with only close friends and family, and we will have a small reception afterwards with a light lunch and cake of course! Afterwards, we will be heading to Port Canaveral, Florida, to leave for a 7 day cruise to the Western Caribbean! I am a cruise fanatic, but Jason has never been on one, so I am more excited for him to see everything, and understand why this is the absolute BEST vacation in the world....maybe he will insist on going at least once a year after this :)

Just wanted to update anyone who reads our blog on how our wedding plans are progressing! I feel much better after talking to our wedding planners, and expect our day to be perfect :) Jason will be visiting at the end of June, and we will be getting our engagement pictures taken, and will also be having a shower and an engagement party! Less than a month until I see my Honeybun!!


Missing Valdez, and can't wait to return!--except for the cold weather and the snow!
XOXO--from sunny (most of the time) N.C

Baked Spaghetti

Living in Valdez, away from civilization and fast food, has forced me to cook--a lot! Here is a recipe I found for Baked Spaghetti a while back that is very similar to "K&W Cafeteria" baked spaghetti! One of our favorite meals that I make at least once every couple of weeks!

-6 oz. spaghetti
-1 lb. ground beef
-1 c. chopped onions
-3/4 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. pepper
-1/2 tsp chili powder
-3/4 c. cheddar cheese
-1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
-1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
-1 1/4 c. Ketchup
-1 Tbsp. Mustard
-3/4 c. Beef Stock

*Cook spaghetti . Drain, set aside.
*Cook hamburger & onion. Drain.
*Cook rest of ingredients in a saucepan (minus the cheese), bring to a boil--or at least heat up.
*Mix sauce, noodles, hamburger/onion, and cheese.

*Put in a baking dish.
*Top with remaining cheese (to your liking..we like LOTS!!)
*Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes

I really like this recipe because its easy easy easy, and I usually have ALL of the ingredients and don't have to go to the grocery store! And did I mention, it's SUPER yummy?!?!