Thursday, February 28, 2013

Actin' kinda shady, ain't callin' me baby...

So, today's (I forgot yesterday) link up is Say my Name, and well DUH I got the song in my head! I'll disclose how young I am..middle school when this song came out. middle school people. And I'm walking around saying say my name. haha


The reason behind my blog name...basically it's the first three letters from each of my names.
 Ashley Ann Powers. A friend of mine gave it to me my freshman year of high school and it's just always stuck. I use this name for everything! All usernames, Twitter, oh except IG unfortunately, someone else obviously has the same ashannpow name :( So I have to use ashapow. When I decided to start blogging I didn't know what I wanted to blog about in particular, I just wanted to write. Let's be honest, I'm a very opinionated person about everything. So when I chose my blog name, I just chose my nickname so I could blog about everything!

What's the story behind your blog name? Link up and share!

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

one doctor's appointment

I'm going to continue my focus on skin care for today's post.

Tanning. Let's talk about it.
If you know me personally, you know I'm almost always sporting a tan from the months of Feb-Sept. I've always loved a healthy glow. I've always believed "fat looks better tan."









In my own defense, as I would often try to argue when confronted with my tanning addiction,  I don't always use a tanning bed.  After I achieve my little glow from the tanning bed, I would just use natural good ol sunshine...without a good spf.  I thought this was okay, right?! I already have a tan, why do I need to protect from sunburn?  How stupid could I be? 

I started tanning in a tanning bed when I was just 16 years old.  I got a job at a tanning bed my first year of college that I was able to tan at for free. I spent every free moment at the pool or beach in the summer tanning. Not ever using sunscreen.

My husband has always tried to get me to stop tanning.  I would whine and whine "but I love how I feel after being in a tanning bed, it's such a stress reliever", "I just feel better when I'm tan!"  And although this may be true, those feelings didn't help me when I was sitting on the exam table a year ago when my doctor told me she was referring me to a dermatologist to get a mole looked at that has increased in diameter and changed colors within two months.

Alone. I sat there alone.  With my own feelings of guilt.  It's not like she diagnosed me with cancer or told me I was dying. But right then and there I knew what this could be.  I knew.  I knew all along what tanning beds could do.  Is this really happening to me.  

Two weeks later, I was sitting on the exam table in the dermatologist's office naked as she raided my body up and down looking for more moles or abnormal marks.  She knew, I couldn't hide it. 
 "How long have you been using a tanning bed?" I just sat there, emotionless. It took me awhile to answer that it's been a total of 5 years.  She took the time to teach me the dangers of tanning beds and the damage sun can do to my skin although I already knew.  She told me all these moles and freckles on my body can change in the years to come. I just wanted to disappear.

20 mins later, I walked out of her office with with 2 moles cut off and nasty stitches on my face. Did it hurt? No. Was it over? No.


I went back two weeks later to have the stitches removed and get the results.  Benign. Thank you, dear Lord. Thank you.  It was around this time my dear friend Mary told me about one of her college friends Chelsea, who was just like me. But her story isn't the same.  She didn't get to hear benign after she went to the doctor about a bump on her back that she found years after giving up tanning.  I strongly urge you to read her story about her adventure with melanoma.  It's still an adventure.  It's not just skin cancer.   Your life could change in one doctor's appointment. 

I'm not perfect. I still have my bouts with the UV rays. But over the last year, I've taken my skin care more seriously than I ever have, and my view on indoor tanning has changed so much.  Like my Daddy always told me, every decision has a consequence whether it's good or bad. Make that decision count. 

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

and then there were two...

Okay, let me recap my thoughts on The Bachelor tonight. Grab your wine!
(this is an unexpected post, but I'm just excited!)




I don't know how many more times I can say this, PICK LINDSAY



My heart melted when they were going through the town in Thailand and he said "I feel like I've spent the day with my high school sweet heart."  That's exactly what you're supposed to feel like when you've found the one, stupid. How can this be hard for you?  Well wait, honestly, he picked her first at the rose ceremony. No doubt about his first pick right? I don't want to jinx it, but Lord Jesus, please let those two live happily ever after! I hated the last season of The Bachelor. Remember Ben? Remember Courtney? 

ugghhhh. That girl really ruined it for me.  I won't go into detail because I've had too much wine and I'm not a nice girl. But, I really see true love when I watch Sean and Lindsay together. 
They are p e r f e c t for each other. 

I have no other thoughts on tonight's episode except that I don't see a connection between him and Catherine and I'm sad to see Ashlee go. 

 I really felt how how hurt and broken she was when she told her story about how she got married at 17.  She honestly was my second pick, other than Selma or Kacie.  Or Ashley P.  Ashley P. was my girl. Is it cause she's an Ashley and we look out for each other? I don't know...but I, being the only girl in America, loved her. 


Sean said she was "fifty shades of drunk." But I say, "fifty shades of everything I want to be."

kidding. well, kind of. 


I'm so excited for next week when the women tell all! Grab some wine and join me!


Friday, February 22, 2013

Friday's Letters



Dear Grey's Anatomy, don't you dare try to cancel your show on me. I can feel where this is headed and don't you dare! I have watched you since I was in high school. high school. Please get me through 2 more years of college and we can discuss something. Okay? I need you, you help me study. 


Since high school, okay?

Dear Mother Nature, why you gotta be so drunk? It's almost the end of February. I'm perfectly okay with you acting all spring like. I finally went and got a pedicure. Let my piggies be in some flip flops for a while before you decide to throw some frost at me in Savannah. Dear Self, quit letting yourself go. Your busy, I get it. But act like a girl and not a slob. Dear Sean, you better pick Lindsey. You are super d u m b if you don't. 


Dear House, clean yourself. Dear Weekend, go by slow. I need to study for 3 tests. 3 tests. Dear Jarvis, you are my bible for J1 of nursing school. I don't know what I would do without you. Dear Time, be good to me. I just want to be the best nurse I can be. Dear Stassi and Jax, could you just like stop being so cute?  We all know you're going to get back together. I love how bitchy you are, Stassi. I without a doubt know we'd be best friends. And I can not promise I wouldn't steal your boyfriend like Laura Leigh. 


Dear Followers, sorry I'm not sorry my Friday's Letters are all about Nursing School and T.V. shows. It's kind of my life these days. 

Have a good weekend lovies! What are you doing? 

xoxo

Thursday, February 21, 2013

It's OK Thursday #2

I love Thursdays. Time to wind down and link up with Brunch with Amber for It's OK Thursday


It's OK...

  • that I didn't wear any eye makeup not once this week to class or lab
  • that I had popcorn for dinner 2 nights this week
  • that I put on my PJ's as soon as I walked in the door at 4
  • that I'm writing this rather than studying for the 3 tests that I have on Monday
  • that I'm going to school to be a nurse and I still don't know if I can give someone a shot without passing out, although I did just fine on the dummies
  • that I want to inject my husband with whatever to test out my fear 
  • that my tweets have been nothing but about entering in giveaways
  • that I get so angry when reading about lung cancers
  • that I want to run so bad, but still haven't got my ass outside
  • that I want to have a panic attack when I look at my planner 
  • that I wish I had a snuggie
  • that I'm ending this with a glass of wine. holla.

xoxo

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

If you don't take the time, time will take you.

Skin care. Let's talk about it.

How many of you fall asleep with your makeup on, wash it off the next morning, then reapply?
Guilty.

Your skin has about maybe 10 mins to breathe, granted most makeup probably rubs off on your pillow at night. And I know, some makeups say they're safe to sleep in but I still don't think I'm convinced quite yet.  When you are resting at night, your skin is at work.  During the day, debris and dirt is collecting on your face over your makeup. If you don't wash this off at night, your pores become clogged when your normal skin flora is trying to do it's job. Sebum is being secreted into these pores and they are becoming backed up, usually giving a bumpy appearance. Let me remind you, I am guilty of this

Trust me, this is a mild case of what my Tzone usually endures 

Now, don't get me wrong, I have always battled acne regardless if I wore makeup or not. Stress is the devil and it sure shows on my skin. Just washing my face doesn't go make it lookin' like Cindy Crawford's or anything. But when I take the time to actually wash my makeup off at night and cleanse it from dirt and oil...'ya know actually do my skin care regimen, my face appears better and more importantly my face feels better.  

As you know, I'm in nursing school and I love just about everything there is about the practice of medicine.  If I wasn't a married woman or aspire to be a mother one day, I would have probably gone to medical school. Anyways, back on topic. I religiously watch the T.V. show The Doctors, and a certain episode comes to mind as I type this blog. I think it's a really good source to refer to because it's real. I took the liberty of finding a little snippet and I hope you watch it because it has a great example! 

I'll never forget the first time I went to my derm about my acne, she said..."If you don't take the time, time will take you." Do what? Okay, Okay, Okay.
It's been a struggle. "I fell asleep on the couch."  "I'm too tired." "I'll do it tomorrow." I make up every excuse on the earth not to do it! But seriously, what does my derm care if I do it or not, she's getting money. I should care though.  I'm the one who has to live with scars, wrinkles, and pictures of big RED pimples after my adolescence.  

I know I'm only in my twenties, but I recently read a book called 30 things every woman should have and should know by the time she's 30 and can you guess what one of those things we should have is?

A skin care regimen

So, what does one consist of? Here's a link to Real Simple that helped me based on my skin type and yes, it is Affordable and Effective

On my good days, 'ya know when I take the time. Here is what I do. I'm giving you the whole mother load!

AM 
  1. Neutrogena Deep Clean Cleanser
  2. Clindamycin topical solution on my Tzone (this is a prescription)
  3. Neutrogena Moisturizer with SPF 15  this is crucial, especially if you use any type of acne medication that can dry your face or can make your skin extra sensitive to the sun (I learned this the hard way)  Even it it is over the counter. And remember to put this on before your makeup so it sits under your foundation and moisturizes all day long
PM
  1. Make up removal with Olay daily facial cloths
  2. Retin-A on Tzone (this is also a prescription)
  3. Garnier 2-in-1 wrinkle reducer this may or may not be needed but it makes me feel better :)
Also, a few times a week I will use exfoliating face wipes for any dead skin and Proactiv Refining Mask. Whatever I do to my face, I do to my neck. 

I am hoping by posting this, I will become more self conscious of being too tired at night :)

I posted on IG last night about some acne troubles and a few responded with using coconut oil and tea tree oil. What do you do for skin care? 



xoxo


Friday, February 15, 2013

Luck of the Irish



Valentine's is over. So, what's next? You guessed it...

ST. PATRICK'S DAY!


I live in Savannah, Ga and around here, St. Patrick's day is kind of a big deal. And I take pride in having some Irish blood! Last year was my first year going out into the mania.  It was so much fun. And this year, my Momma and Daddy are coming back for the fun and we're dragging my husband downtown in green!

Let me just show you how we do it in Savannah.



We spray paint beards

We drink green beer


We tailgate in squares
We soak gummy bears in vodka



   
And our outfits are serious. 



This year, I'm going a little simple chic for my outfit. And I'm going BLONDE (those pictures make me miss my dark hair)



Pants Old Navy
Blouse Old Navy

We're on a budget, so I think it's awesome I got such a steal on both items. I just wish my legs looked that great in those jeans. Depending on the weather, I'm either going to wear gladiator sandals or cowboy boots. I'm not sure if I want to add browns/gold jewelry? Or green? Thoughts?

This year I'm also "celebrating" different. This year I'm in nursing school. This year I have an exam Monday. This year I need my last day of Spring Break for studying, not recovering. 


What do you do for St. Patrick's Day?



xoxo,




Friday's Letters


Linking up for Friday's Letters 

Dear Weekend, I'm so glad you are here. Let's recover from this nursing school week of HELL.


Dear Louisiana, my heart is with you today and always. My heart is always home. My heart is always with my family.  


Dear cheap cather kit, you're ridiculous, yet sterile. I promise to treat you better next check off. I promise to make sure you are in tip toppy shape before I got waltzing in there like a boss. Because the next check off, I will dominate. You have been warned. Dear Library, you and me need to spend more time together, obviously.  Dear Army, thanks for allowing 4 days and for bringing Kayla's husband home for R&R. Dear Liz, you're not allowed to buy full size doritos anymore and allow me to take them home.  They're being eaten. Right. Now. Never. Again.


Dear Husband, thank you. Thank you for spending Valentine's Day with me on the couch, eating pizza, downing drinking wine, and watching a scary movie. There is no other way I'd want to spend it.



Dear Jesus, thank you for loving me. Thank you for getting me through this week. Please watch over my family and wrap your loving arms around them right now. Kiss Chloe Lane for me. 

Dear followers, thanks for following. Have a good weekend!


xoxo,



Thursday, February 14, 2013

It's OK Thursday #1

Today I'm linking up with Amber from Brunch with Amber for Its OK Thursday



It's OK...

  • that I'm writing this during lecture
  • that I've ate more chocolate today than nutritious things
  • that I use the excuse for Valentine's day to do the above 
  • that all I want for Vday is to have a little me time and take a bubble bath
  • that I spent my lunch break practicing how to insert a Foley catheter into a dummy 
  • that I wasted hours of many days studying for a Patho exam that I probably, along with the rest of the class, failed
  •  that my parents are in Vegas and I'm incredibely jealous of their almost retired lifestyle
  • that I've stretched myself a little too far and I am going to use retail therapy to relieve the stress 
  • that I'm going to take the night off from studying
  • that I said I would give up reality tv for lent
  • that there's an episode of Vanderpump Rules on the DVR tempting me 



Sunday, February 10, 2013

Liebster Award

Hello little lovies, how has your weekend been? I've been sick with upper respiratory crud, but it hasn't been that bad staying home and relaxing at home with the hubbs. 
Christy over at monkeys and twinkle stars nominated me for the Liebster Award.  I, like most of you, was not sure what this was. So I googled...apparently it's for us bloggers with less than 200 followers to encourage us to keep blogging. okayyyy I accept. AND it's FUN! 






 The rules are simple
  1. I will list 11 things about myself.
  2. I will answer 11 questions that Christy prepared for me
  3. I will nominate 11 others.
Ready, Set, GO!

  1. I'm naturally blonde. I've dyed my hair dark brown for the past 6 years and I'm slowly going back to my natural color.
  2. My husband and I had the same last name before we got married. I didn't have to go through with all that name changing crap. No, we're not related.  
  3. I clean my ears with Q-tips twice a day. I can't stand to feel wax in my ears.
  4. I really love to run, but sometimes I fall out of it when I get too busy.
  5. I'm extremely OCD about a schedule. Not really about time, just checking things off a list.
  6. I have an unhealthy obsession with Nick Carter. Yes, he's still around. Yes, I'm probably the only woman that knows that. 
  7. I love vegetables.  I can't think of one that I have ever squishy faced after eating it. My husband does not love them. Dinner time is hard over here.
  8. I make lists for everything. 
  9. I drink cold water when I eat chocolate. 
  10. I've always had a passion for photography, crafting, and baking. 
  11. I'm an Apple product snob. 


Christy's Questions

1. What is your favorite place to vacation? Without a doubt, Washington D.C./ Virginia area.  U.S. history nerd over here.  And I love me some wine. Non U.S. would be anywhere in the Caribbean. 
2. What is your favorite beauty tip? This is hard for me. I have 3 that I'm pretty passionate about (I feel separate blogs coming on for this). So, I'll just tell you 3 and you can ponder them yourself :)  Tip #1. Do not use a tanning bed Tip #2. You don't have to wash our hair every day (shocker, I said it!) and Tip #3. Develop a skin care regime 

3. Do you prefer nature or are you an indoor person? I love nature at it's extremes. I love going out in  the hot, hot summer and I love the snow. But, I also love staying home and doing stuff around the house or being a couch potato.  

4. What is your favorite TV series? Grey's Anatomy

5. What is your birthstone? Sapphire 
6. Do you crave sweets or salty foods? Sweets. I eat chocolate absolutely every day. 

7. What is your favorite color? You can't tell? PINK 

8. Do you have a lucky number? I have lucky numbers. 1 and 2. in any form 21, 12, 222, 112, etc. 

9. If you could choose to live anywhere in the world, where would it be? I LOVE America, but I wouldn't mind venturing out. Anywhere in the Caribbean or Italy I would live for sure. 

10. Do you have siblings? I do. My beautiful Sister who is the exact opposite of me, but we're amazingly close. 
11. Favorite magazine? Women's Health. 

My Questions

  1.  What is your favorite cereal?
  2. How old were you when you had your first kiss?
  3. Why did you start blogging?
  4. What was your dream job when you were younger?
  5. What's something embarrassing you wouldn't want your children to know?
  6. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
  7. What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
  8. Would you rather run naked across a football field or have your entire google history read out loud?
  9. What's your favorite kitchen utensil/appliance to use?
  10. What's your number one pet peeve? 
  11. What's your favorite quote?
My Nominees

Friday, February 8, 2013

MK giveaway

Who loves Michael Kors' watches?


So, here's this awesome giveaway that 18 fabulous bloggers are doing.

Number Six is Kalyn from Love. Laughter. Happily Ever After.
I found her blog from IG after she blogged about her Sandals St. Lucia Honeymoon . My husband and I also honeymooned there so it was so fun to read her post that day. She is also a lover of LSU Tigers, so I instantly love her. 

Head on over to her blog to see how you can enter in this giveaway, too!



Nurses are Angels in disguise

Last night we had our White Coat Ceremony for the December class of 2014. It's seen as an induction ceremony into your professional classes. This ceremony replaces the "white cap" ceremony that everyone is very familiar with in Nursing school.  They no longer use the cap anymore due to the rise in male students. Another interesting fact, they no longer use caps anymore because it was a reservoir for germs! Say what?







I was very excited about our ceremony.  My parents or sister were not able to make it due to the distance between us :( but my husband was up there rooting for me. 

I'm not going to lie, I got a little emotional when we said our pledge.  I've always wanted to be a nurse.  My Aunt was the first influence in my life, she is also a nurse. I've always looked up to her and she bought me my first stethoscope when she found out I got into the program! When my nephew was born, he was in the NICU and I couldn't see him but I knew there were nurses in there caring for him and giving him all the love a newborn needs.  A few months after my nephew was born, my Grammy died from cancer.  We spent the last few weeks with her in the hospital, and again it just swelled my heart. 3 years later, I visited my other Grandmother for a surgery and saw how diligent and caring the nurses were, along with my Aunt.  There's just a feeling you get when you see these things, I knew I was meant to be a nurse.  

I think one of the reasons I got so emotional was because my Grammy wasn't there.  Like all Grandmother's, this lady was my world.  My sister and I were very fortunate to form such a strong relationship with our Grammy considering she lived in Louisiana and we were military, living anywhere.  We got to spend every summer with her and most Christmases.  My mother was an only child, and she only had my sister and me. We were my Grammy's three girls, and any chance she got, she always called the three of us her little angels.  "You'll always be my little angel"

I saw a coffee cup at Hallmark a few years ago (I wish I would have bought it) that said "Nurse are Angels in disguise" and if there was every any chance I doubted what I should do with my life, God (and I believe my Grammy, too) reassured me right then and there! 

I look forward to the next 3.75 semesters of my life and praise God for this opportunity, and thankful for all those who've influenced me along the way.  



“In the full knowledge of the task I am undertaking, I promise to take care of the sick with all the skill and understanding I possess, without regard to race, creed, color, politics, or social status, sparing no effort to conserve life, to alleviate suffering, and promote health..."
  


Friday, February 1, 2013

catch up!

I think I'm going to start using blogger again, 'cause that's just where all the cool kids are at. And I love stalking keeping up.

My life has been caaaah-raaazzy the past month. I started my first month of nursing school and let me just tell you what I've learned so far.


Yup, that about sums it up.

 I'm very fortunate to already start developing some great friendships. Because now, we're on that level where we can fart around each other and let each other know when they're being bitchy. Really, you can say, "Snap out of it, I know you're stressed." and everything will be okay.

The second week we had a little break and I made my hubby some cake pops to get in the spirit of valentines day and 3 hours later, they turned out fabulous!




When I get some free time next time, I'm going to blog about our amazing trip to St. Lucia for Christmas. I'm just waiting to get our underwater pictures back. And by waiting, I mean take them to get them developed. 



p.s. I'm getting fancy with my MacBook Pro. do ya love my sig?


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