You get a line, I'll get a pole.

We've had that Igloo cooler seriously as long as I can think back.

Over Memorial Day weekend, Daddy grabbed his two most beautifully stunning favorite dates--Mama and me--loaded the truck, and headed down to the "farm" as we call it. Cows and chickens don't live there or anything, just pretty Alabama huntin' and fishin' land that passes through the Stallings family.

I LOVE the farm.

And Daddy and Mama, I know y'all will read this probably today.

And you've been askin' for the pictures.

So here they are.

p.s. I. Love. You.

Part of the pond, where our Christmas tree and half the neighbors' trees are recycled every year for the fishies. Don't ask.

Have you heard that song "She Thinks We're Just Fishing?" The (lil' sappy in a good way) country song? Dad and I love that song because he says it reminds him of taking Kristen and me down to our land during the days of Keds and floppy hairbows.

I mean, the little girl in the song talks about ballet and kittens. Hello, kindergardener-Ashlyn.

I digress. Anyway, we needed this:

And then these started flinging themselves into the boat! Crazy fish.

Hewwo, wittle bwim.

It's ok. You can laugh at DRS III's hat. We all do.

And that bass really was big. He's like, 7 pounds, you just can't see because he's turned sideways... Promise.

'Twas a fun trip. I love those lands. And this time at home sure is sweet. Thank you, Jesus!

Blog post title: "Boondocks" by Little Big Town.

And if you want to be free, be free.

Photo courtesy of most beautiful darling.

This would just SO have been my little sister and me. K's on the left, of course. I'm pretty glad we're related. Luh you, cupcake.

p.s. Mama, you're allowed to comment on this post.

Blog title: If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out - Cat Stevens

All you need is love (and spray adhesive).

Photo courtesy of Dwelling Gracefully

Last week, I asked mother dear why half the acryllic paint downstairs had dried up. "Ashlyn, I don't have the little craft elves at home any more." Ah, the plight of an empty nester: no little children to create masterpieces and get white paint on the kitchen table the morning of the Sunday School party mama was to host at night. Not that I did that last Thursday or anything. (What? My paint collection was nice and liquidy.)

Thus it is established that we Stallings girls get crafty on the reg.

So when sister Kristen showed me the above image from some chick's blog, I lunged at the chance to help her. She finally moves off the Kappa Dee dorm floor and into an Auburn apartment which translates to, like to any 20ish-year-old female, A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO DECORATE! Whoo-hoo! K-dawg and her hip hootie-hoo roommates are gonna be so cute with this hangin' up.

Whatcha need:
+ scrapbook paper

+ card stock (the same size as your scrapbook paper)

+ spray adhesive

+ la pencil

+ la ruler

+ les scissors

+ twine

Ah, the tongue-sticking-out-of-the-mouth-because-I'm-concentrating face. Adorable fam trait.

I mean, you can probably do the math and figure it out, but I'll spell it out just in case you're having a rough day. Kristen spray adhesived the pretty-yet-flimsy scrapbook paper to card stock so it was nice and bulky. We did this in the kitchen AT NIGHT so the slumbering father bear wouldn't get mad. It's just too darn cold to craft outside. Then, I sketched out the letters on paper--we did it just like Nashville blogger homegirl's picture, but I bet any cool font style looks good. K cut them out until her hand just about lost mobility, then punched holes at the tops to basically sew the twine through.

Result? Not so bad!

Great message. Great truth.

I'm sure we'll have to Sticky Tack them to the wall a bit in case the girls having raging parties and it gets really windy. Because there's usually wind at parties...

Blog title: If I have to tell you who sings that line, I question if your parents loved you.

This is TMI, but I warned you.

Photo courtesy of Bippity Boppity Boo.

Every chapter visit I go on during my national tour of Alpha Delts, I get a set of traditional questions near the final days. Always. They rarely change:

 How are we different from Alabama and the South?

Soo.. (insert sneaky little smile) Do you have a boyfriend?

or better yet,

So, like, are you married? Or just engaged?

(No lie. At least 4 chapters. Really, girls? REALLY?? This would be a sapphire. Not a diamond. Sheesh.)

Don't leave us! Can't you move here and be an advisor?

and my personal fave excluding the marriage one: 

When do we get to be on your blog?

Yesss. It seems they all Google me before I arrive to make sure I'm not creeptastic.

And then, when we've all sung Kumbaya "I Love the Pin" and they're ultra-comfortable with me, they then bring up how they read it every day. Sweet.

So: this is for all my Alpha Dee's out there who asked to be mentioned on the blog. Enjoy your fame, my mother and father read this on the reg so you'll be a big hit at the Stallings manor.

1. Penn State: Amazing chapter, amazing university, amazing football tradition. I fell hook-line-sinker for the nittany lions. We did a little recruitment action, got a fantastic class of Alphas, and Ashlyn gained enough weight to potentially be noticeable. (Note: Everyone should go on an eating vacation to State College, PA. It shall be an epic experience for you.)

KATE and LAUREN took me to my very first Penn State game, which is the first football game I've worn a t-shirt too since, well, probably ever.

This is Paterno-ville.

I loved every moment! Then we get close to a TD, and Kate's little red-head whirls around to the strapping male students around us. "Hey boys! She's from Alabama and this is her first Penn State game. You know what to do!" The next thing I know, some guy named Wagner carries it across the line and I'm hoisted up in the air. As in, à la crowd-surf style. And tossed, 22 times straight up into the air while the section counts with me. It was bizarre. And fun. Ah, tradition.

Then they fed me again, this time with PSU Creamery toxins. You see, Ben & Jerry went to Penn State, where they scored C's in ice cream class (it's legit here). C's? From those guys!? Puh-LEESE introduce me to Mr. A+... This ice cream is so amazingly horrid for you that it's illegal to sell outside of Penn State. So naturally, I loved it.

A me-sandwich, with wonderful sisters Maria and Jessica.

These would be the ring-leaders of the "can we be on your blog" campaign. We took this photo for the sole purpose of what you're seeing now. NICHOLE, GAIL, AMANDA, LAUREN, me, TARA, BETH, and MARIA.

2. Then I jet-airlined back to the Southerlands--Birmingham! Where maybe I teared up when Courtney rolled around the corner to pick me up from the airport. To which looked through her windshield at me and said in her cell phone, "That's real cute, Ash. But you're going to need to lock it up and come towards my car with your luggage if we're going to leave this airport pick-up line." Such a sweetheart.

The whole fam damily, a.k.a. the 3 people I love more than anything in the world.

Then my cousin Carrie got hitched to the fabulous Georgia-boy Zach. Any couple who chooses Dave Matthews Band's "You & Me" for their first dance is immediately awarded baller couple status.



3. Bucknell University: Then it was back to Bucknell to get the ladies of Theta Iota hoppin' on the Initiation train with help of fellow LC Megan. Fall in New England is too gorgeous not to photograph so we took it upon ourselves to be models in this wonderland.

Celebs are people too, right Meg?

Lewisburg, PA

I just want to play outside and wear workout clothes forever. Too much to ask?

4. ATL. Then it was back to the office for fall training sesh. As our heads were full of knowledge and we needed some breaks, we ventured to Five Paces, Virginia Highlands, Athens, Annie's apartment, and Piedmont Park for an Eagles concert.

My lifelines/LC sisters: Emily, MK, me, Lori

Day trip to Athens with Em.

Seeing this song live? I've only been waiting since age 7. I vividly remember trying to learn the lyrics by putting my head to the Explorer speaker on the way home from the Wynlakes Country Club pool. It worked, I know every word.

And after a quick fro yo sesh with Kenzie, it was back to jet airliners and universities...

5. University of Nebraska: Trip #2 the rolling home-home-on-the-range of Nebraska, I reunited with fantastic Alpha Epsilon chapter to hit the chapter operations grind. We took fun breaks, if you consider Paranormal Activity 2 "fun." I endured the horror flick (more like, endured staring at the inside of my Braves hat that I pulled further down on my forehead every 15 minutes. It took two giant swigs of Nyquil to put me out that night. I promise I had symptoms... Stupid ghosts.) and adored being back with these sweet girls--I've fallen for ya, AE.

Question: Can you go wrong at a restaurant named "Spaghetti Works?"

Answer: No, it's impossible.

Brewski's: HEIDI, KELLI, me, SARI, SYDNEY, and birthday girl SYRA

Nights out with them are the best--plus, during my I'll-cheer-for-Tennessee-but-only-because-they're-playing-Alabama moment, I received the best compliment of my life: "You're just like Mrs. Tuohy from 'The Blind Side!' Bless your sweet heart, AUDREY. I knew I liked you babe :) Same goes for ALYSSA, LEAH, RACHEL, and SABRINA.

6. Now I've just landed in Seattle at the University of Washington. Gimme some time to spread my little wings and I'll let you know what it's like. So far? Pure love.

But no matter how exhausted I get, how difficult it is to Skype with the besties, talk to my parents, and be miles away from any semblance of home,  I am realizing I can't wish this year away.

I will not deny myself this adventure.

YOLO: You Only Live Once.

As Long as I Get Patterson

Photo courtesy of Sweets by Zoe

You know it's true when you and your darling sister have uttered something like the following:

K: Okay, well you can have Elliott as long as I get Patterson.

A: Fine, but who gets Stallings?

K: I guess whoever has babies first. That means you have to actually get a boyfriend, Ashlyn.

Ah, family keeps us grounded. Here's to being Southern and using family names as first names. Read this article published on Like the Dew by Noel Holston. And then call your sister and stake your claim. If you haven't already done so, of course.