Tumbleflump Dancing-Baubles

Hello Friends!

I hope everyone has been staying safe and warm!

These past few days have been such a blessing and I want to fill you in on some of the special moments this holiday season has brought me.

On Tuesday, December 22nd my mom and I set out for some last minute shopping for the girls of the Berea Children's Home. We purchased DVD's, pajama pants, hairbrushes, headbands, chapstick, body spray, scarves, gloves, some candy and a partridge in a pear tree (kidding about the partridge of course!). We brought it all back home and added it to our collection of tote bags, fleece blankets, manicure sets and Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer and began assembling the gifts. They turned out really cute and I was excited to give them to their deserving owners the next day!

(I am a fashion disaster in this photo, please do not hold that against me.)

So, on Wednesday my mom and I hopped into the car and made the hour and fifteen minute trip up to Berea to drop off our eight little gifts. I met with the girls and explained to them that I was Miss Greater Cleveland, a little detail that gave way to millions of questions. We spoke for awhile and then I distributed the packages. They were all so grateful and excited and I promised that I would visit soon and we would have lunch and next time I would bring my crown!

Christmas Eve was spent with my family watching the traditional, The Christmas Story, along with some other holiday movies. A few hours later it seemed, we were exchanging our presents and then heading to the place we have been going for about 12 years, The Brown Derby Roadhouse. Since I was nine years old my parents, brother, and occasionally aunt and uncle have been making our way to the banquet room of this local restaurant. There we serve the less fortunate a hot Christmas meal that includes turkey, mashed potatoes, dessert, and a plethora of side dishes. The opportunity to enrich others lives on such an important day has really shaped my life and helped me realize the importance of community service and, more importantly, it has taught me generosity and love. The family that owns the restaurant donates all the food that is used to serve the hundreds of people that come through the door. The volunteers donate their time that they could be spending with family and friends. The individuals that are perhaps down on their luck, without a family, or in need of meal bless everyone that is helping with gratitude and appreciation. The day is a beautiful mixture of thanks and benevolence, there are people who are genuinely thankful for what they are receiving and people who are happy to be able to give. My family and I finished up our day and came home to leftovers and more movies, a perfect Christmas day.

Since then I have been enjoying time with my family and bracing myself for my next semester at school. I have also been teaching snowboard lessons at my local ski resort and practicing driving in the snow (I have SO not mastered this skill yet so if any of you have any tips please fill me in!).

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday and I will be sure to update soon!

P.S. The title of this blog is the name a Christmas elf name generator created for me. You can now call me Tumbleflump.

Grown Up Christmas List

Hi Friends!

I am trying to keep my promise of staying on top of my blog and in celebration of finals being over I figured tonight would be a great night to update!

After my last update, which happened to be on Thanksgiving Break, I went back to school to finish up the semester. However, right in the middle of that was my birthday! YAY! My friends and my family were so sweet and I was sent flowers, my door was decorated and one of my best friends took me to get a pedicure (first one ever! and I can definitely say it won't be my last!). I had a great time and everyone made it one of my best birthdays ever!

I finished up my last week of classes that week and prepared for..dun dun dun. FINALS. I was so upset that I could not make it to the Miss Mansfield Pageant on Saturday but literally my brain was about to explode just thinking about all the work I had to do. So I sent my mom. (She was a very willing candidate!). The next morning I got a call with all the news from the show. She mentioned everything from how the stage was BEAUTIFUL to how I was now the proud, new owner of a Christmas tree designed by Miss Sasha Eby! She told me everything...everything. It was great to hear about the competition though and I was very excited to hear that Amber and Heather won! Congratulations! and I cannot wait to spend another week at Miss Ohio with you two!!!

So, after the chat with my Mom it was back to studying for a crazy week.

Although there was not a lot of time to get many other things done besides sleeping, eating and studying one of my good friends, Colleen, and I went shopping for some friends that were in need of some Christmas cheer. The little buddy I was shopping for was Jessica and she was two and a half years old and Colleen was looking for goodies for Isabella who was six. We had the best time picking out clothes and looking for the perfect toys to make the holiday season a little bit brighter for these two little girls. Colleen also had a great time picking out miniature sized clothes for me and selecting outfits she envisioned me wearing as a child. Overall, we walked away with some great things (these girls are about to be stylin' at school!!) and a great feeling!

In addition, I have been collecting things for some of the residents of the Berea Children's Home. I cannot wait to deliver the bags of treats to the kids! (If anyone knows where some cute pajama pants are, let me know!)

Today, I had to tear down my Christmas tree (which I set up only two weeks ago) and pack all of my belongings that I could maybe, possibly, sorta-kinda, potentially need over the course of a month and head back home to Mansfield. I am really looking forward to the break (even though I will be working..if teaching little kids to snowboard is considered work!?) and the holiday season!

I hope everyone has been enjoying these past few weeks. I want to leave you with one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs! If anyone saw me on road between Berea and Mansfield you most likely saw me belting this song (luckily no one else was in the car. YIKES!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxtluFgCRW8&feature=related

Keep warm!
Ashley