HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Well I hope y'all have had a lovely rest of the week! I wonder if you're still writing 2012 on everything like I am! I always have the worst time trying to remember to do that when we go into a new year, but hey that's what happens with change. For me this week has been really relaxed which has been so nice after having been so busy these past few months; I am finally able to take the time out for the important things.

Tomorrow Daniel will be coming to pick me up and I'll go back down to Provo for another week before zinging of to Seattle for a week and then eventually Phoenix. This will be one of the last weeks of "rest" I will have for quite some time. But I am really looking forward to this wonderful opportunity. I get to be with family friends, I get to buy a car (finding one has been BLEH), and I get to be someplace WARM!!!! Saying good-byes with some will be really difficult but I know that I am supposed to go to Arizona; I can't wait to see what the future has in store for me!

Lots of love to y'all wherever you may be!

Ashlyn

P.S. I am thinking I might need a vacation after the end of all this (I'll be working for HAP from mid-January until the end of September). Comment below or on Facebook with some suggestions of your favorite vacations spots! XOXO

"Through a Rapist's Eyes"

I found this on Pinterest and definitely thought I should reblog this! But first, I have a little personal story as to why this is so important to me:

 My freshman year at BYU (Mom I don't know if I have told you this story actually). I was closing at Wendy's, my boss asked me if I could run down to Smith's and grab him a couple of Rockstar's to keep him awake for the rest of the evening (he had to do inventory). He let me borrow his car and I ran into Smiths. I parked in one of the front rows that happened to have a car on the passenger side with a gentleman in it; I didn't think anything of it and ran inside. 

As I was in the check out line, one of the managers and a bag boy from Smith's approached me and asked if I had come by myself to Smith's. Puzzled that they were asking, I shook my head and told them no, I had come by myself. They looked at each other and said "That's what we thought, we are going to escort you out to your car to ensure you get out of here safely." Apparently after I had walked in, the gentleman in the car next to me had come inside and inquired as to whether I had met someone inside the store or if I was alone; he said he was my older brother and was keeping an eye on me while my parents were out of town. This raised major flags with the workers at Smiths. I am so grateful that they were there and that they took it seriously; when we walked out the gentleman in question was waiting outside the exit doors. As soon as I walked out with the workers from Smiths the guy immediately went inside of Smith's. I have no doubt in my mind that if I had not been escorted outside something bad would have indeed happened. 

Every young woman (or young man for that matter) needs to know how to handle themselves when they are placed in situations where their lives could ultimately be in danger. Please read this and share with other people so that they can be aware of what to do when these situations arise!

"Through a Rapist's Eyes" (Please take the time to read this; it may save a life.) It seems that a lot of attackers use similar tactics to get away with violence. Not many people know how to take care of themselves when faced with such a situation. FYI - Through a rapist’s eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER (written by the original blogger):

1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk:

can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.

 2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.
FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ….I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go “hmm I must remember that” After reading forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) .b. If you! u are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry.

As one Chapter ends, Another one Begins!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful end of the year. The past month or so had definitely been full of fun and exciting memories. I figure now is as good of time as any to do a wrap up and give a "shortened" version of what all has happened this past year (some of which has already been mentioned and some of which you will now learn of now).

In February one of my best friends was married to the love of her life in the Salt Lake City Temple. I was one of the lucky girls that was able to be her bridesmaids as well as a few of my other friends. I was sad that I was unable to be in there for the ceremony, however we were all out there waiting for Sidney and Dan to come out. We took lots of pictures and had a wonderful evening with many family members and friends.

Then I whizzed off to Arizona to spend some time with Momma Jo, Kaitlyn, and Ciera (not to mention the little munchkins and GG). We had so much fun spending time in the sun, swimming, seeing the progress on the Gilbert temple, going to the zoo, and watching Kaitlyn win state at a Cheer competition. Lots of fun memories, but my favorite thing that I did while in Arizona was attend the Mesa, Arizona temple. I have been to a few temples to do baptisms for the dead, but never have  I felt a connection with any place as I did when I was in this temple. There were murals inside that were GORGEOUS! I can't wait to be able to go back again!

Then from Arizona, I flew to Florida and met my family for some fun adventures in Disney World. I was there for a week and crammed in many magical moments! I watched Seth have to keep a sugar packet held against a wall for five minutes as a punishment from a waiter at one of our restaurants, sang and dance in the rain to Disney music, received a magnificent sun burn (ouch), and had an all around blast with my family (thanks again Daddy and Mom, that was the best Christmas present EVER! Although I do love my new sewing machine...)

While in DisneyWorld, my parents and I decided that since I was not attending BYU (oh yeah, I am taking some time off from college for right now until I decide what it is that I want to actually get my degree in) that I would come back to Alaska in mid-March instead of the beginning of May so that I could get my knee checked out by Dr. Wade (he is the one that did my shoulder surgery my Senior year). So I spent some time with my friends, got all my stuff packed up and flew back home. When we met with Doctor Wade, he informed me that because I was tall and skinny/gangly my knee was experiencing patellar-maltracking. I could do specific exercises for it however it would should I stop I would experience chronic pain or I could have a lateral release done which would most likely be more effective. So I went ahead and had the knee surgery and did 6 weeks of physical therapy.

While recovering from my knee surgery, my boss from HAP Alaska-Yukon allowed me to come back to work earlier than my contracted date. So I was able to make money, recover, and meet lots of new friends. One of those friends was Daniel...you all have heard about how we met (if not then see one of my posts from July or August). Daniel and I have both been in Provo for the past two and half years but it took us both going to Alaska to meet. We both worked lots to earn money for school, pay of debt, and live off of. It was by far one of the best summers I've had!

I stayed in Alaska until the end of September; Mom, Leah and I drove down to Anchorage for me to catch my flight to go to Salt Lake City...or so we thought. My Grandma is a retired airline employee so I was flying on a standby ticket and now that Salt Lake is Delta's central hub it is virtually impossible to get out of Alaska on a Standby ticket to Salt Lake. So instead I surprised Daniel by flying into Las Vegas. I spent a few days there with Daniel and his family before coming back up to Provo.

Once I got to Provo, I moved in with Nic and Jacey (they were married in July, I was supposed to come to Utah for the wedding but tickets ended up being too expensive), got a job and started Dental Assisting School. The next few months all I did was work, study, and miss my family and Daniel (he was in St. George for almost two months). For Thanksgiving, I went down to St. George again and spent some more time getting to know Daniels family. This was the first Thanksgiving that I really got to help out with the preparations, it was a lot of fun!

In December I was able to go Christmas window painting with Daniel and his siblings. I never knew just how much work went into those paintings! It really is impressive the effort and time that goes into them. This was also the first Christmas that I didn't go home for Christmas, instead I went down to Daniel's family again. We drove down on Christmas eve, wrapped the remaining Christmas presents, and then I cuddled with Daniel. Daniel and I ended up falling asleep on the couch until Daniel's mom came out and said "It's five a.m., I'm going to bed so it's time for you guys to go to bed...in your separate bedrooms...now." Haha it was pretty funny. Since Daniel's family doesn't have any little kids, we ended up sleeping in until noon the next day and then leisurely got up and made breakfast before opening our Christmas presents. Then we drove down to Vegas, ate dinner with, and then went to see the floral exhibit that the Bellagio. After getting out fill of the funfilled Las Vegas strip we drove back to St. George to go back up to Provo. We left Vegas at 11 but did not end up leaving St. George until 3 a.m. Tavane's starter on her car died so we ended up taking David's truck back. What is normally a three to three and a half hour drive ended up being a 6 hour drive because we were driving in a white out for over half the trip. Poor Ben; it was an absolute nightmare!

The next day David's 4-wheel drive broke on his truck the next day (I was supposed to take Tavane to the airport the next morning). So we ended up going up to Sidney's parents house that night. I've been up here spending time with the Craguns ever since; it has been a fun/much needed break. We went and saw the Hobbit yesterday and then had some Costa Vida afterwards. Later on in the evening some friends came over to play games until we celebrated the New Year. Sadly Daniel was going to come up and surprise me last night but something came up so he couldn't make it, but we exchanged texts until midnight (he even sent me kiss over text message at midnight).

It truly has been a year of trials, excitement, and for me lots of love. I hope that this year ends up being just as good if not better. I am beginning yet another chapter of my life, for those of you that don't know, I will be moving to Arizona for a couple of months. Shortly after Thanksgiving I was offered a job with the company that I work for in Alaska, HAP Alaska, over the training programs for our driver guide. While there I will train for my CDL and possibly try to intern at a Dental office inbetween my work schedule (we'll see how much time I do actually have though). I hope you all have a wonderful new year!

Lots of love,
Ashlyn