tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90076958005045239732024-03-12T20:35:42.342-07:00Tales of a MomSharing my tales of mommyhood, marriage, love and life.Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-82760994676227761352012-06-03T10:53:00.001-07:002012-06-03T10:57:42.929-07:00Color Me Happy<div style="text-align: left;">
In last few weeks our house has gotten a complete makeover. My amazing and talented hubby painted the entire downstairs (with the exception of Eli's quarter - that's next on the list) and I couldn't be more happy with the end result. Color changes a room and makes it feel more cozy and personal. Bye, bye builders beige, hello color! My house isn't in photo condition so no house tour now, but I wanted to share our new house colors so you get the idea. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" id="il_fi" src="http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/5c/5cf4dddd-e3c5-4cac-aa32-beba5db52cea_400.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martha Stewart, Bedford Gray</td></tr>
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<strong>Entryway, Hallway, Living Room and Master Bedroom: Martha Stewart, Bedford Gray</strong><br />
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We decided on gray because we wanted a neutral but to steer away from tans and browns. Gray is such a cool, relaxing color and in my opinion, the modern neutral. It goes well with our dark wood furniture and any other neutral color (tan, green, brown) and makes our white baseboards pop. <br />
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I love it. If it were up to Nick, the whole downstairs would be gray but I didn't want to drown the house in gray - that's the whole reason why we painted! With the builders beige and our open concept, all the rooms seemed to run together. Now the rooms stand on their own and are defined, but still cohesive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" id="il_fi" src="http://c.shld.net/rpx/i/s/pi/mp/3793/5950380404p?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cp54.com%2Fkoushal%2FHDEP%2FPaint%2FImages%2F0956c1e2-a908-4af6-881f-d3b11e3485e2_300.jpg&d=6439da8457633e1a2f90a123530e584557df97bf" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martha Stewart, Caraway Seed</td></tr>
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<strong>Dining Room, Bar: Martha Stewart, Caraway Seed</strong><br />
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Our dining room is in the middle of house and didn't really stand out with the exception of our hardwood floors. I knew I wanted a warm color, another neutral and a little darker than the light grey hallways and living room.<br />
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The color is perfect! It goes well with the dark hardwood floors and dark wood cabinets in the bar area. And it totally sets the room apart from the rest of the house -exactly what I wanted! Our next step is to add a new chandelier, I'm going the iron route rather than crystal (see below). I like it because it gives it an old world feel without being to shabby chic or rustic. And it makes the room more formal. You know since it's a "formal" dining room and all, aka the room we never eat in.<br />
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<img height="400" id="il_fi" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tJVvyqhYGYU/T7LmodtYWtI/AAAAAAAA1do/o0IG6cD0_24/s400/Iron+Chandelier+for+Less+HD+.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="298" /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/88/88850f82-9382-419d-b707-05200e75c58a_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" id="il_fi" src="http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/88/88850f82-9382-419d-b707-05200e75c58a_400.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behr, Harmonic Tan</td></tr>
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<strong>Kitchen: Behr, Harmonic Tan</strong><br />
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So I know this may be misleading, "Your kitchen was already tan and then you painted it another shade of tan.." But it's not tan. I know it looks it and is even named it but it's actually green. Green with brown hues.<br />
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I know it's hard to visualize because it was for me too at first. But I wanted to paint the kitchen and I wanted it to be different than the living room and the dining room since they all intersect. Initially I thought yellow but it's such a hard color to find the right shade, and it can go real country, real fast. We didn't want any loud colors like red or orange, and since the house was already going in the direction of earth toned neutrals -green was the winner. I think we chose this particular color because it's not a "true" green. It definitely is green but a very mellow shade. Kinda of like an avocado. Only pictures will really do it justice, so you'll just have to wait until I get around to cleaning :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behr, Indulgent</td></tr>
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<strong>Office, Master Bedroom Accent Wall: Behr, Indulgent</strong><br />
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And finally the wild card: PURPLE! I know when I <a href="http://momtalesall.blogspot.com/2011/08/patterns-colors.html" target="_blank">previously talked paint</a> I was thinking a dark teal and then all of a sudden I got into this purple craze. Probably because purple and gray go so well together, but mention purple to a guy and they think homo. (no offense) So it took some selling on my part to convince Nick. And suddenly one day, he suggested we do a purple accent wall in our bedroom. Don't have to tell me twice! <br />
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<strong>SIDEBAR</strong>: Our bedroom was the first room we painted in the whole house. Mainly because we could keep the baby out and paint during the day. The purple we ended up with was not the purple we started with. Initially, Nick chose this color (shock!) and I chose a lighter, softer purple. He let me choose, knowing he would be right in the end and painted it the lighter purple first. After 3 days, we decided the soft purple was not enough contrast as an accent wall and we needed to go darker. Yes, I'll admit it -<strong><em>he was right</em></strong>. <br />
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Purple: Take II was a winner! It was the right amount of contrast that the room needed and our ivory headboard pops right off the wall. I liked it so much I convinced him to paint our office (the entire office - a lot of purple for one guy) the same color. It's a very deep plum color so again, great contrast to our light grey entryway, and there's a large window in the front so it provides enough light that it doesn't feel like a dark cave. It gives the room a very sophisticated feel, just what an office should feel like. Next step: add built in bookshelves to the office. I found this great<a href="http://justagirlblog.com/billy-bookcases-diy/" target="_blank"> DIY built-in bookshelves</a> on Pinterest using Billy bookcases from IKEA (see below). I think it's going to be uh-mazing but I'm still trying to sell Nick (he's anti-IKEA).<br />
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I like the painted backs, because otherwise it would be too much white but I'm not a fan of the blue. I'm thinking a light tan will go well. But this project will definitely be "to be continued.."<br />
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So that's our big makeover! I really am in love with it -every color and every room. It just opens my mind to so many decor possibilities and makes the house feel so much more <em>ours. </em>However painting was not an easy feat by any means. I can't take much credit because it really was all Nick. We got it done in a period of 3 weeks which is incredible considering we have a toddler. Most of the painting was done during nap time or at night. For the entryway, hallway and office, we got a sitter and stayed up painting til 4 AM. (What a night!) But in the end we saved ourselves $1500 by doing it ourselves and gives us something to truly be proud of! <br />
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Next time: House Tour!<br />
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</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-29730636175718758112012-05-31T10:47:00.000-07:002012-05-31T10:52:01.360-07:00Elijah's Big Top Circus First BirthdayI know I'm long overdue on this post. Elijah is now 14 months as of last week and any thought of my life slowing down some time soon is absurd. First off, having a toddler is way more time consuming then I had imagined. Of course having a child at all is time consuming, but a toddler (and a boy for a toddler) is e-x-h-a-u-s-t-ing. Shorter naps, bigger lunches, more messses, and less free time. But I love it. At the age he is now, he is a sponge - soaking in everything around him. He's fearless, active, observant, smart, funny and down right adorable.<br />
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But onto the point of this post: the CIRCUS! For Elijah's first birthday, the circus came to town at the Joseph's. Being the party planner that I am, I made sure every last detail was perfect down to the last minute. I spent weeks DIYing decor and completely transformed our house into a big circus tent. It was a lot of fun and worth all the hard work. I know Eli won't remember a thing about it but that's why I had my friend Margaret from <a href="http://www.loveleephotography.com/" target="_blank">Love Lee Photography</a> take these awesome photos! Enjoy :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iFoucOJqbOU/T8euA8YAoNI/AAAAAAAAANk/eXovrmbtKAg/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iFoucOJqbOU/T8euA8YAoNI/AAAAAAAAANk/eXovrmbtKAg/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Invitiations made by ME on Paint. Word.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah's Big Top Circus 1st Birthday</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Favors! Animal Crackers for the kiddos, Chocolate Mustaches for the Adults</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo area to "clown" around!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my many DIY projects!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom, I mustache you a question.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Dad hates me for hanging these streamers til 2 AM </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turning one bites!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">adorbs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for coming!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sad attempt at a rainbow smash cake. It smashed very early.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Pininspired DIY</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inside was prettier than the outside.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He likes it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't believe my baby is ONE!<br />
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</tbody></table>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-66318272078638108752012-02-20T12:16:00.000-08:002012-02-20T13:03:30.816-08:00Ashley LatelyHello 2012! I can't believe this is my first post of the year and it's almost the end of February!! Where does the time go!? I apologize for my lack of writing, I have missed it and have so much to share!<br />
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So, here's all about Ashley Lately...<br />
-I turned twenty-THREE. ( I'm getting old, I know) I celebrated with a night out on the town, which is a rare occasion for me now-a-days. It was fun, but the hangover was killer the next day. Sure do not miss those!<br />
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-Eli & I took our first trip of the year (his first trip ever!) to Utah to visit my father and his family. It was Eli's first time flying and he did very well! Slept like a baby the whole flight, but sleeping in the hotel was another story. He's not a big fan of sleeping with mom or sharing his bed with others. (I'm hoping that changes with age, because I can't wait for him to crawl in bed with me) Overall, it was a really great visit. I had not seen my father since my high school graduation and my grandparents since I was 11, so we were well overdue. It was like catching up with old friends and I'm really grateful that they had a chance to meet Eli.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eli and my old man</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Park City, UT</td></tr>
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-Nick was home for<em> almost</em> four months! If you know us, that is huge because he travels 2/3 of the year. The last time he was home that long, we got pregnant! I know what you're thinking and no, no baby #2 this time, but it was great to have him home for so long. Eli has grown a lot in the the last four months so I'm happy he was able to experience that first-hand. While he was home, we were able to get settled into the house and finally agree on paint colors (another HUGE!) and have complied a rather long list of future home projects.<br />
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Paint + projects have been put on hold because sadly Nick left yesterday morning for Canada. It's hard to be together with someone, every day, all day for months and then you wake up one morning and they're gone. But we've been doing it for the last four years so we're like a well-oiled machine. However, now that were a family -it's so much harder for him to leave and when he's gone. More for him, than me. I've never been away from Eli for more than a day and sometimes he can be gone for 4 to 6 weeks. We miss him a lot already but I'm grateful for the man he is and how he provides for our family. (I'll never stop mentioning that so expect to see it again from time to time.)<br />
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-Eli just recently turned ELEVEN months. That's right, ELEVEN. As in one month away from a YEAR old. I'm repeating in all caps, because I really can not believe that it has nearly been a year since he was born. It feels as though he's always been apart of my life and now I can never imagine a life without him in it. For awhile, I was looking forward to him turning one and planning his party (more on that later), but now I'm pretty emotional about it. Of course, he is still a baby in many ways but he's also grown into a little boy overnight. Ever since the reality of it hit me, all I can do it go through pictures of him as a wittle baby and I'm blown away by the miracle of life and how fast time flies. And how much someone so small can have such a huge impact on one's life. He has changed me forever and for the better. <br />
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Eli is nearly walking. He's taken a few steps here and there but hasn't taken off running yet. But I'm sure in true Eli fashion, he will in no time. He's constantly moving and exploring. He just recently discovered he can open cabinets (his favorite being the Tupperware), the existence of toilet paper and loves to pull out all the wipes out of the container. His favorite show is Olivia and Jack's Big Music Show. Pretty much anything that has to do with music. He loves to play with Nick's guitars. He eats bananas and avocados daily and with a passion. He likes to wrestle and play peek-a-boo. He always has a smile on his face and has started to laugh at himself randomly. He shares his binky with Daddy and his food with Mom. He loves playing with his cousins and his bf Kayden. He's talking up a storm and the only consistent word he says is "bu". We're still working on "Mama" & "Dada" (even though I'm pretty sure he's said "Mama" before). He has 3 teeth -two on bottom, one on top -and chews on anything he can get his hands on. His hair gets longer by the day and is starting to curl up by his ears. He's incredibly smart but can be stubborn & hard-headed (..wonder where he gets that from?..) He's just an amazing kid in every way and I feel so blessed to be his mother. And even though I'm sad to see him grow into a little boy, I'm so very excited of who he is becoming.</div>
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-Eli's birthday is less than a month away, which means his party is less than a month away!! I knew before he was six months old, I wanted a circus themed party (<a href="http://momtalesall.blogspot.com/2011/07/elephants-tigers-and-lions-oh-my.html" target="_blank">exhibit A</a>) and have been living on Pinterest (<a href="http://pinterest.com/ashjoseph/eli-s-circus-bash/" target="_blank">exhibit B</a>) gathering ideas and inspiration for the all-time, greatest ever, first birthday circus extravaganza. In the beginning, I wanted to do it all -clown, balloon artist, face painting, caricature artist -but after going to a few first birthday parties and reading other mommy blogs, I've discovered that it's best to keep it simple. What I've come up with is pretty simple, for me at least. I'm still doing circus themed but turned the volume way down. I'm not paying for any entertainers, except for a bouncy house and that's for the sake of my newly furnished & built house (okay, and for my sanity). The only thing left to do is pace myself with the preparations and not stress out. Easy, right? I'll be sure to update more often as things come together but I don't want to give too much away and spoil all the fun. I've already bought the invitations and am working on sending those out this week. Once they go out, I'll show you what I came up with ;)<br />
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And that's my life lately. A lot of pajama days, Pinterest obsessing and party planning. I'm hoping to update my blog more often since my evenings will be pretty free once Eli goes to bed (or so I think) but we shall see! In the meantime..Happy Presidents Day & Blog Anniversary!! (It's been a whole year since I've started blogging! Go ME!)<br />
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</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-70396109144350465462011-12-31T16:01:00.000-08:002011-12-31T16:01:51.731-08:002011 A Year in ReviewThe end of another year is upon us and what a year it has been!! It still doesn't feel right that this year is coming to an end and another one will begin with tomorrow. This has been <u>my</u> year to the core. I've had many more ups than downs, and can't seem to find a year out of my twenty-two years that compares to it. So, let's review.<br />
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January: I turned twenty-two as I was six months pregnant with what would be the joy of my life. I anxiously awaited Elijah's arrival and what was in store for me as a mother. I also started my last semester as a college student. It was very bittersweet.<br />
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February: The hardest month of the year for me as I was as huge as a hippo and had lost the ability to do simple things such as tie my shoes, and shaving went out the window (Sorry TMI alert). Also Nick was gone the whole month and we spent our first Valentines day as a married couple, apart. <br />
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March: My whole world changed as we welcomed our beautiful baby boy, Elijah Ryan Joseph into our hearts, three weeks early. Everything in that moment changed as he became the center of our world, the joy of hearts and the love of our lives. And every moment since has truly been a blessing.<br />
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April: Is kind of a blur because we didn't get much sleep and our life was devoted to the care of little Eli. The month consisted of many precious moments shared as parents and as a family.</div>
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May: Another bittersweet moment as I ended my college career and graduated. I had feared that I wouldn't be able to graduate and have a baby all in the same year, let alone months apart from each other, but I managed to do it with the help of my professors, family and friends.</div>
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June: I was basking in my accomplishments and enjoying being a new mom. I sadly stopped breastfeeding Eli after three months, not by choice but because his hunger overcame my lack of production. I'm thankful that I got to breastfeed at all and was happy that I was able to extend that special bond between him and I, even after giving birth.</div>
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July: Eli began eating cereal. He wasn't a big fan at first but eventually got it down to a fine science. Eli also had his first beach trip! I think he shares my love for the beach, because he loved the water! </div>
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July also marked the end to apart of my own childhood: the last Harry Potter film. This was a huge deal to me being the HP freak that I am. It was another bittersweet moment, (I had a lot of those this year) because the series was a staple in my childhood but thinking back on it, it's ending was timed appropriately as I became an adult in numerous ways this year.</div>
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August: A big month for us. Eli turned 5 months and had began to crawl. In the beginning it was more of a spider crawl but he was determined to master crawling, and with the help of Dad crawling around the house out of example, he did (and very well!). He has turned out to be very advanced for his age (like his momma ;)) but I think it's more due to the boy inside that wants to go, go and not slow down. As a result I've been a very busy mom, but a very happy one.</div>
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We also began the search for our new house. As our family grew, so did all of our belongings and it was time to expand in space. Within a week of searching, we had found what is now our new home and operation "Building Our Dream Home" began.</div>
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September: Eli's appetite grew and he began to try more solids. There wasn't anything he tried and didn't like (just like Mom & Dad.) Except for peas but they've grown on him. His favorite was sweet potatoes and still is. </div>
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October: We celebrated Eli's first Halloween! He was the most adorable lion you've ever seen.</div>
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We also watched the process of our house being built from the ground, up. It was such an experience and one I'm glad to add to this year's list. And one I'm proud to scratch off my bucket list. </div>
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November: We hosted our first Thanksgiving while in the process of preparing for our big move. It was hectic but very humbling. I'm glad we were able to provide a place for our families to come together and give thanks. </div>
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Nick and I also celebrated one year of marriage. This was a feat for us given everything this year has brought us. But we shone through it all and we are stronger for it. One year down, forever to go!</div>
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December: We moved into our new home just in time to celebrate our first Christmas together as a family. And it was a memorable Christmas too! All three of us got sick with the cold, but we were determined not to let that get in the way of our Christmas spirit! It was our first Christmas in our new home, first Christmas as a family and Eli's first Christmas. A lot of firsts and all of them will never be forgotten.</div>
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And that's this year in a nutshell. I became a mother, a college graduate and a homeowner in one year. Like I said, 2011 has been my year -hands down. I'm actually sad to see it end but I'm more excited for what this new year holds for me and my family. So, bring it on 2012. You have your work cut out for you!!</div>
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Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Years! See you all next year!!</div>
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<br /></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-26049684580451083432011-12-21T11:09:00.000-08:002011-12-21T11:10:03.663-08:00Reason for the SeasonChristmas is just days away and the Joseph family still has a long list of to-do's. Most of our gift shopping is complete, just a few people we need to check off. Plus we our hosting our first party in the new house, yay! (Nick finally caved in -what can I say, he spoils me!). We hosted a tacky sweater party last year and it was a lot of fun so we decided to do another one this year but more casual. It's a Christmas/housewarming party and I'm pretty excited to put my holiday Pinterest board to work. Don't worry there will be a party recap post full of ridiculous photos and what not. <br />
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Anywho, among our list of to-do's is Eli's first Santa visit. It's a little last minute and I'm pretty sure I'm out of mind to be going near a mall so close to Christmas but it's one of those things a new Mom has got to do. But this visit has made me think about the<em> real</em> reason for the season and what I want to teach my son.<br />
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Sure, we've all heard the rants about how commercialized Christmas is these days and Santa is the front man. But then I think back to my childhood and how excited I was to go to Santa's wonderland, putting together my list for Santa and looking forward to Christmas morning to see what Santa brought. That's just it though, Santa = gifts. Yes, giving gifts is apart of the season but its not the<em><u> real</u></em> reason. In these last few months with the craziness of the move, I've fallen short in my walk with Christ. I know the move is just an excuse but I won't get into that now. Bottom line is I don't want my shortcomings get in the way of what's best for Eli. <br />
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I guess what I'm getting at is whether to raise him believing in Santa or celebrating the birth of Christ, or both? I want to share with him the same childhood memories I have of Christmas but I also want him to know Christmas is more than just receiving/giving gifts but celebrating the birth of Christ who came to save us all. I know he's too young now to grasp all of this but you have to start somewhere. I'd like to believe that you can celebrate both but at a reasonable balance.<br />
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We will see where the years take me but for today, I'm choosing to celebrate both. I'm going to take my son to get a cheesy picture with Santa but I am also going to start the tradition of reading to him each Christmas the real story of Christmas. <br />
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What Christmas traditions do you celebrate? How do you celebrate Christmas with your children? I'd love to get some feedback.</div>
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And before I go I have to share our adorable Christmas photo because I really love it, a lot. </div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!</em></span></div>
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I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday and can't wait to share all about ours after the holidays!</div>
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<br /></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-37645166631208974242011-12-17T08:20:00.000-08:002011-12-17T08:24:26.570-08:00Eternally BlessedIt's a beautiful Saturday morning and I happen to be the only one awake, which is very rare so I'm taking advantage to update! This past week has been such a blur with the move. Lots of packing, unpacking, moving things around and trying to make our new house into a home. It didn't take long though because I absolutely love it and it feels as if it was made for me -oh wait, it was! But all kidding aside, it's more than I could have ever hoped, dreamed, or wished for. The first morning I woke up and thought I was in a hotel, it felt so nice and new. Everything about it feels perfect and truly unique to us because we chose this layout and as of now, there is no house like it in our neighborhood. It's a pretty cool feeling.<br />
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But aside from living on cloud 9 and feeling like the luckiest girl ever, I feel eternally blessed. I look around our new house and think to myself, how unreal it is that I live here and how could I ever ask for more? I have everything I could ever want in the world -a loving husband, a healthy baby and a beautiful home! I have to admit with the new house I became very selfish and materialistic at times because all I could think about was decorating and what I had to have to make the house 100% perfect. Now that we're all moved in and everything that I've been daydreaming about for the last 4 months is real -I can't imagine wanting more. I am so, so, so blessed. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't know very many 23-year-olds who have it all -the house, the husband and the baby. But I do. And I take that for granted more often than I'd like to admit. <br />
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So here I am, throwing myself under the bus and hoping that I can turn over a new leaf as I start this new chapter in my life. I have to get my materialistic needs in check and start paying more attention to the things that really matter. The blessings I have are still needs to others. I need to want less and give more. And this is the perfect season for me to start my new resolution. This Christmas is about giving to my loved ones, because my heart is already full of thanks and love for my family, friends and my new home.<br />
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And none of this would have been possible without my amazing husband. You are my biggest dream come true. I know I don't always give you the thanks you deserve as often as I should, but if and when you decide to read this, I want you to know how grateful I am for you and all that you've given me. I wouldn't be a wife without you, a mother without you -I wouldn't be me without you. You've made all my dreams a reality and I am eternally grateful for that. I love you baby and thank you, thank you, thank you.<br />
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That concludes my rant/confession of the week. I'll be posting house pics soon!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AaZcgXfZpn0/TuzCLqJBIAI/AAAAAAAAAI8/pYH-w9V9eCM/s1600/signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" oda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AaZcgXfZpn0/TuzCLqJBIAI/AAAAAAAAAI8/pYH-w9V9eCM/s1600/signature.png" /></a></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-75569552772369018962011-12-02T18:46:00.001-08:002011-12-02T19:23:01.381-08:00Case of the Moving BluesToday we <em>would have</em> closed on our new house, keywords <em>would have -</em>as in did not happen. You can imagine our disappointment after spending the whole week thinking we were closing today and moving this weekend, only to find out yesterday that it wasn't going to happen. As I've been told this is normal. Apparently banks enjoy getting your hopes up only to crush them at the last second. (FYI: BofA is a POS) I apologize for the undertone but we haven't been happy campers at the Joseph house today. Instead we've been mopping about wishing we were in the new house already. But can you blame us?? We've waited 3 months for the house to be completed and now that it's ready we can't move in because we're waiting on the bank! ??&%^%* <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our<em> almost</em> new home. Isn't it so pretty!! The hot guy in front came with it ;)</td></tr>
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Ahem. So, here's the moving update. As of now we don't have a date scheduled for closing. It should be no later than the end of next week but they can't give us an exact date. The only plus out of all of this is now we have time to finish packing because we haven't gotten much done. The downside is Nick has a work course scheduled the following week, which means we may have to speed move-in over the weekend. I was looking forward to moving in at our own pace instead of being rushed to get in and out. I know not much about moving is really enjoyable, other than the new place, but I really wanted to enjoy this move because it's a huge staple in our lives and family. We're making the biggest purchase of our lives. Into a home that we hope to spend forever in. HUGE! All the stress of making such a huge purchase, packing and moving, and now more waiting, has caused a lot of tension in the house. I just want to close and be done with it so we can be happy & stress free again!! (Until the next huge life-altering event aka Eli's first birthday party)</div>
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But as my Dad reminded me today, good things come to those who wait. We've been patient this far, what is one more week? Right? We shall see...stay tuned for the next, hopefully happier, moving update.<br />
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<br /></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-19099361027642404172011-11-29T08:23:00.001-08:002011-11-29T13:48:41.672-08:00Catching up + 30 days of Thanks contd.I can not even fathom that November is practically over. That this year is almost to its end!! This month has been crazy busy between starting my new job, packing for the big move and the holidays. So I have a lot of catching up to do so bare with me.<br />
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First of all, we move THIS WEEKEND!! It's completely unreal how fast the house was completed and 15 days ahead of schedule! CRAZY!! But this move has been completely different than the rest. Despite the not-so-fun packing and manual labor of moving, I'm excited in a whole new way. Of course moving into a new place is exciting, but moving into my <u>own</u> house, my <u>own <em>dream</em></u> house is over-the-top exciting!! And to top it off, we managed to save enough money to furnish the whole house!! EEK! I.can.not.wait!! I'll more than likely post pictures after Christmas because I can't imagine how I will have time before then.<br />
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Second, Thanksgiving came and went in a flash (like most things in my life). It was a highly eventful Thanksgiving to say the least (what isn't with a family of 20+) but a success nonetheless. Me & Nick ended up hosting last minute due to my mother-in-law's sudden knee surgery. She had surgery on a torn meniscus the day before Thanksgiving but the surgery went well and she is on the road to recovery now. So picture two rookie Thanksgiving cooks and a mobile, teething baby, and that's what my Thanksgiving looked like. The beginning at least. But in the end I'm glad that we had the means and the room to have my rather large family over. The food was delicious, the drinks were flowing and the company was wonderful. <br />
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With Thanksgiving in mind, brings us to the 30 days of Thanks that I began in my last post and did not do such a great job of keeping up with. Never fear though because I finish what I start and I have A LOT to be thankful for this year. <br />
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Day 8- I'm thankful for my new job, babysitting a sweet 3-month-old boy, Kayden. I'm thankful to get to know the little nugget, for the growing friendship between him & my son and the extra cash that allows me to pay for my school loans each month.<br />
Day 9- I'm thankful for my other job as a wedding consultant. I'm thankful that I have an outlet that allows me to put my creativity and event planning skills to good use for others happiness. Each wedding I've had the opprotunity of planning has been an adventure and a learning experience that I've only grown from.<br />
Day 10- I'm thankful for my boss, mentor, friend and pretty much big sister - Natalie Dawley. Thank you for living the life you do and setting such a positive example for me to follow. It's been a blessing to follow in your footsteps and I'm forever grateful for the opprotunitues and encouragement you've given me along the way. I love you dearly for that!<br />
Day 11- I'm thankful that I have a job. It may not seem like much financially but it's more than many Americans out there have, still struggling to find work in our economy. I'm thankful that I have more than one opprotunity to contribute and provide for my family. <br />
Day 12- I'm thankful for my life group family. I know I haven't known many of you for long but I've enjoyed getting to know each of you over the last few months. I'm thankful for your support and fellowship in my journey with Christ. I look forward to each week that I get to spend with you guys.<br />
Day 13- I'm thankful for the Waters Church. I've learned so much about Christ, faith and love from the community and the pastor than I ever have in my years of attending church. Thank you for being real and imperfect just like I am, and welcoming me into your community. <br />
Day 14- I'm thankful for my health. I don't always treat my body as well as I should but I am alive and healthy.<br />
Day 15- I'm thankful for our new house. I'm thankful for the financial ability to build our dream house to raise our children and make lifelong memories in.<br />
Day 16- I'm thankful for my current house. I'm thankful that we were able to expand to a bigger home as our family was expanding. It has been a nice little home for us and we've shared precious memories in it. I will miss the gorgeous patio a lot.<br />
Day 17- I'm thankful for my degree and that I was able to earn it despite the obstacles I went through. I'm thankful for the professors that cooperated with me during my pregnancy and made it possible for me to complete my education. I'm thankful for the security my degree provides me, that when the time comes I can use it to get a salary job if need be.<br />
Day 18- I'm thankful for my education and the well rounded person I've become because of it. I've always loved school and look forward to the day when I can teach, and impact others the way many of my teachers and professors have impacted me. <br />
Day 19- I'm thankful for my Dad, Brad. I'm thankful that he has loved me as his own even though he didn't have to. Thank you for the effort and discpline you spent on me because I am a better person for it. I know there were times we didn't always get along but I am grateful that you were the man that raised me, and proud to call you my Dad. I love you.<br />
Day 20- I'm thankful for my sister, Rachel. You are unlike any other and I'm so proud of that. You have an unconditional heart and the most unique outlook on the world that I admire. Thank you for friendship and being there for me when I needed you the most. I love you and you will always be my baby sister.<br />
Day 21- I'm thankful for the world's greatest grandparents, Mama & Papa. Thank you for loving me like your own grandchild and welcoming me into your loving hearts. I've enjoyed getting to know both of you and enjoy every moment we spend together. I have learned a lot about family, love and marriage from you both and am thankful for the day that you officially became my grandparents.<br />
Day 22- I'm thankful for my mother-in-law, Paula. Thank you for bringing the most amazing man I know into this world and for raising him the way you did. You have the biggest loving, caring and giving heart than any woman I know. I admire your perserverance in life and your amazing cooking skills. I'm thankful for your love, friendship and everything you have taught me. You have given me big shoes to fill as your son's wife!!<br />
Day 23- I'm thankful for a happy home, one filled with laughter, joy and love. <br />
Day 24- I'm thankful for the means to host Thanksgiving at our home. I'm thankful to have all of my family together in one place to give thanks.<br />
Day 25- I'm thankful for cold weather. It doesn't happen often in Houston but when it does it is much appreciated.<br />
Day 26- I'm thankful for my iPhone. It's amazing how much I can do with such a small device. It has been a lifesaver on many occasions.<br />
Day 27- I'm thankful for one year of marriage with my loving husband. I thank every day that he chose me to spend forever with and I cherish every moment together! Happy Anniversary babe!<br />
Day 28- I'm thankful for babysitters. They are essential to maintaining a happy marriage and my sanity. Thank you to those of you who have sat for us especially Mimi & Lula.<br />
Day 29- Today I'm thankful for the upcoming holiday season. To be able to have my family over for Christmas morning and give to those I love most. <br />
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And if this post wasn't long enough, I have to take a moment to be a proud mama and brag about my little angel. He got his first tooth on Thanksgiving and has been a trooper through the whole teething experience. I'm sure there are some killer teeth to come but so far he really hasn't been that bad. I seriously have the best kid ever!!<br />
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</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-74524189650142204032011-11-07T12:17:00.000-08:002011-11-07T12:20:48.307-08:00Halloween + 30 days of ThanksAnother month has come and gone. It's crazy that this year is almost over but the best part of the year is still to come: the holidays. I love this time of year because it's all about what I love most, family. I'm already counting down to Thanksgiving and have my holiday Pinterest board full of yummy recipes to try. And don't get me started on Christmas. Christmas is definitely my favorite holiday and I'm looking forward to it even more than usual because we'll be in the new house. I've bought all new Christmas decorations and already let Nick know the first thing that's going up is the tree. I could go on, and on but I need to rewind to the most recent holiday, Eli's first Halloween. He was a cuddly lion and a cute one at that. The lion suit didn't last very long, which I expected, so before we went trick or treating he changed into a friendly skeleton.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being bashful with Daddy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute as can be.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mama Lion & Baby Lion.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey there Bones.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Joseph Gang</td></tr>
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I've never been a big fan of Halloween. I can't recall one Halloween that I actually enjoyed myself but having a kid has changed that. I had more fun this year dressing up with Eli than I ever have before and I know as he gets older, it will only be more enjoyable. <br />
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This month, I'm joining on the thankful bandwagon and decided to do the 30 days of Thanks. I rather do it on here than Facebook because I'd like to look back on it next year and see if my thanks have changed. So bare with me on this rather lengthy post because I have 7 days to catch up on.<br />
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Day 1: I'm thankful for my son. He is the constant light in my life and my biggest blessing. He is better than anything I could have ever wished for in a child. He is healthy, happy, smart, funny, charming, and beautiful. I never knew that I could love someone as much as I love him and couldn't imagine a world without him in it. Every day is a new adventure with him and I'm looking forward to the many adventures we will have together!<br />
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Day 2: I'm thankful for my husband. I don't even know where to begin when it comes to how thankful I am for Nick. He is truly my best friend and loves me even at my worst. He is the most loving, caring, loyal, funny, handsome and ambitious man I know and I am so proud to be his wife. I am thankful for his dedication to our family to ensure a life of comfort, peace and happiness. <br />
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Day 3: I'm thankful for God and his unconditional love. My spiritual relationship has thrived since I've had Eli because I know now how God loves me. It hasn't been an easy journey but I'm thankful that God never gave up on me even when I have.<br />
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Day 4: I'm thankful for my family, new & old. I've always been very close with my mother & sister but when I got married, I gained a whole new family that loved me as their own. I'm thankful for their love and support through our roller coaster of a year. I wouldn't have survived a wedding and a new baby without all of them. <br />
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Day 5: I'm thankful for my mom. She is my best friend and always has been. Now that I am a mother myself, I have a new found love and respect for her and how she raised me. My mother worked hard to provide for us against all odds, and taught me to always have an open mind and love everyone I meet. I admire her loving and carefree heart & spirit and hope that I am just as much of a positive influence on Eli as she has been on me.<br />
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Day 6: I am thankful for my best friends who love me for me and keep me sane. I would not be who I am today without your love and support. Thank you for all the late night phone calls and the crazy adventures...I'm sure there will be many more to come!<br />
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And today, Day 7: I'm thankful for the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom. I always knew that I wanted to spend those early years at home with my children but never thought I would end up the opportunity that I have today. I get to spend every day with my son, teaching him, loving him, watching him grow and never missing a single moment. I'm thankful that my husband's job allows me to stay home and make my dream come true!<br />
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More days of thanks to come!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-qx7ErAfRo/Trg9ghB-jLI/AAAAAAAAAIg/1Eq5s4Ihwlo/s1600/signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-qx7ErAfRo/Trg9ghB-jLI/AAAAAAAAAIg/1Eq5s4Ihwlo/s1600/signature.png" /></a></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-56312447620215880352011-10-23T12:20:00.000-07:002011-10-23T12:33:07.529-07:00"Mod-itional" Kitchen InspirationYou know you've grown up when all you want to do is watch HGTV and shop for home goods. My mind has been swarming with ideas for the new house and I've driven Nick mad with all my decor talk. So I decided to unleash it here instead for the sake of my sanity and my marriage.<br />
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I've also become a big fan of garage sales (another sign of me getting old) and was thrilled to come across my new kitchen table at one this weekend! I've been searching for a farmhouse table for the kitchen but they are hard to come by and can be very expensive if bought new. Our current table is so nice that we rarely use it so a resale find is perfect for us because it's already worn in and will withstand children (or so I hope).<br />
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Tada! Our new table:<br />
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<img height="188" id="il_fi" src="http://www.monticellolive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/table-and-chairs.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="250" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">{Same colors but oval instead of a rectangle.} </span></div>
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As soon as I saw it, it was fate. I haven't quite sold Nick on it but I'm hoping it will grow on him. My plan is to sand it down and reseal the natural wood table top. I really want a natural finish so I'm going to skip staining it. Then I'm going to change the hunter green to black. I thought about white but I don't want it to be too country and I don't think Nick will go for anything too colorful so black it is.</div>
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These are some of my inspirations:</div>
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<img alt="chandelier + farmhouse table" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/278540381_7a3YEZTT_b.jpg" style="height: 177px;" /></div>
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I love the mixture of new & old, modern & traditional (or as HGTV would say "Mod-itional") and bringing in the farmhouse table does just that. Our new kitchen has dark espresso cabinets making it feel modern but the tan granite counterops and the addition of the farmhouse table will put the traditional in "mod-itional". (I really like that word, can you tell?) The table came with four chairs that I plan on painting black as well. If I had the choice (and the money), I would love these metal cafe chairs but they are ridiculously priced, $1,000 for ONE chair!! I know I have expensive taste but that's just wasting money. What I really love about them is the industrial style and how they contrast with the farmhouse table.</div>
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But since I plan on using the chairs that came with the table, I decided I would bring in the industrial feel with these alumnium bar stools from Target that are a similar style but at a much more affordable price.</div>
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I also wanted to add a bench for additional seating and to add to the casual dining feel. Target wins again with this farmhouse dining bench that goes perfect with the table. I'd like to add a fun fabric + cushion to the bench and paint the legs black to match the rest.</div>
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That about sums it up, for the kitchen at least. I really like the direction I'm going in but we'll see how it all turns out once these ideas are turned into a reality. Or remain a fantasy...that all depends on what Nick thinks of my "mod-itional" ideas. </div>
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</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-44403189751776408382011-10-18T08:10:00.000-07:002011-10-23T12:33:20.582-07:00A Mother's Struggles + 7 months<div style="text-align: center;">
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7 months ago this little man came into this world and changed my life completely.</div>
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He gave me the greatest purpose of all, being his mother.</div>
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Motherhood is just like any other journey, it has its ups & downs, its peaks and valleys. </div>
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In the last few weeks there have been more valleys than peaks. With Nick gone and the two of us sick, it's gotten the worst of me. </div>
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I've felt frustrated, anxious and defeated often.</div>
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And as awful as it sounds, I've felt resentment towards my husband for not being around, even though he's gone working to provide for our family. These feelings have only made the distance harder on both of us and caused a lot of unnecessary arguments.</div>
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I'm not proud of it but that's the truth.</div>
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I've let these emotions eat at me and then I'm left feeling guilty and selfish.</div>
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My saving grace has been fellow mommy friends & bloggers and knowing that I'm not the only one.</div>
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Every mother struggles, new & old, because being a mother or parent is not easy.</div>
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It's supposed to be hard. Your life no longer revolves around yourself, instead around your child.</div>
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You have to become selfless, patient and full of unconditional love.</div>
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Your choices & actions mold him into the person he will become.</div>
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It's a huge responsibility but also a blessing as well.</div>
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And the last thing I want is for my son to learn resentment, anger and selfishness from me.</div>
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All these emotions have caused me to stray away from my spiritual relationship as well.</div>
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I've felt under attack and haven't attended church in weeks.</div>
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Again, not proud but it's the truth.</div>
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I know God doesn't want me to feel these things because he has given me the blessing of becoming a mother and an angel of a son.</div>
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I believe this because in the last week I've heard several stories that have really put things in perspective.</div>
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There are women out there who have lost children, struggled to have children and those with children fighting to live.</div>
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I should be grateful because not only was I able to have a child, but a healthy, happy and beautiful baby boy.</div>
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When I look at him, all those feelings disappear and I am in awe of what a blessing he truly is.</div>
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I know I can't overcome these negative emotions without acknowledging them and turning them over to God.</div>
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So I am openly admitting my convictions, for the sake of my own conscious but also in the hope that it might reach someone else who has been feeling the same. </div>
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I know there will be days when it will be hard and I will feel defeated but there will be more days that I will be grateful and happy for this journey of motherhood & everything that comes with it -the good & the bad.</div>
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Because in the end, the good always trumps the bad.<br />
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</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-69400599868064486082011-10-03T12:45:00.000-07:002011-10-23T12:40:46.645-07:00Life as of latelyIt's been a whirlwind of a month. It feels like September came and went. I'm not complaining though because that means we're only closer to moving into the new house and it's finally my favorite time of the year...fall! I love everything about fall. Boots, scarves, layers and pumpkin spice lattes. <br />
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So far the weather has been absolutely beautiful so I have a feeling this fall is going to be heavenly. I'm not in much a writing mood so I'll just post a few pics of life as of lately.</div>
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The house is coming along beautifully. It's really starting to look like an actual house. Within a week it went from slab, frame to roof. I'm glad I got to see all of the stages because it's going to make for a killer scrapbook. As of now, the expected completion date has moved up to beginning of December so we will for sure be spending Christmas in our new home!</div>
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And this little man turned 6 months. He's officially crawling, grabbing, spitting, and I'm pretty sure I've heard him say "momma" at least once. I can't believe it's hardly been half a year! Time really does fly. I love the stage he's in right now though. His personality shines through everyday. I'm so lucky to spend every minute of every day with him so I never miss a beat. </div>
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I don't think I could ever love something as much as him.</div>
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Lots of love in my life lately. love, love, love.</div>
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And before I go... Eli's Halloween Costume:</div>
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<img alt="Lil' Lion Baby Costume by Incharacter - 6003" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/public/e-_JAr2QfCP37PHQ8OQI47emBNJkLXEXa3YtF9YQLZBrZI08c9zuSXPA59SrFYjOgelZ_T3aTOR9X2yOu-h5VCAaz2ROBfbijw7ZxK4w1_dCb8s2Tsyp4TdyRWxf0rHDOiC13qGw98eCNOqbEAQou63xAp8WQq_JuUpuHdc0n_0OwCFFKMrBQqsFEaxYygGkKeRPWJfd0u1bfIfifvtb3KIGvvrPsX8hQvfA7j14SjOLy_5iIPlrYz6-Z3PFackqizj6-Y4HbkRyUyQLMQUJxYzfpbZKvFi8Vah_JEjIGrenNRpLP-_FswA1T1wSwgPPMfoF" title="Lil' Lion Baby Costume by Incharacter - 6003" /></div>
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Can you imagine my little babe in this adorable costume? Pretty much the cuddliest lion you've ever seen.</div>
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I can't wait for professional pictures this month!</div>
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<br /></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-74429279075170354512011-09-14T08:55:00.000-07:002011-09-14T08:56:45.996-07:00A Sick Baby & My Worst NightmareThe past few days have been rough. Eli has been vomiting and barely eating, which is really unlike him because he is my child and loves to eat. The week before he was diagnosed with reflux, similar to an adult's heartburn, he gets a burning sensation before spitting up. A friend of mine thought he had it at 2 months but I dismissed it thinking it was normal for babies to spit up but then he started crying more often before spitting up and I knew she was probably right. (Sorry Kristin.) We went to the doctor, confirmed it was reflux and went home with new medicine. 3 days later, Eli starts vomiting like crazy and lost his appetite completely. As a new mom or parent period, this is your worst nightmare. Your child is in pain, you don't know what's wrong and there's nothing you can do to help. So after church Sunday, Eli threw up yet again and I lost it. My heart was aching with worry, not knowing what was wrong or what I could do to fix it. To the ER I went looking for answers. After 3 hours, they said he probably had a reaction to his reflux medication and to keep him hydrated until we went to the pediatrician. Then came crisis #2. When we picked our pediatrician, I was in the delivery room and the nurses needed a name. Nick ran next door and found the pediatrician next to my OB (turns out it was the same one he had as a child). After he was born we just stuck with it because we didn't really know another pediatrician to go to. After the reflux incident and my doctor<u> blaming me (!)</u> for not mentioning his symptoms earlier, I knew it was time for a change. I called my friend Kristin, because she had a similar situation and she recommended her pediatrician, Blue Fish Pediatrics. So we broke up with our original pediatrician and tried out Blue Fish. I'm so happy we did because I love our new pediatrician. In our first visit, I learned so much more and felt more confident then I ever did at with our previous pediatrician. She explained reflux to us, told us it was unheard of to have a reaction to Prevacid (his medication), and that he would outgrow it within a few months. Turns out Eli's symptoms was really a stomach bug and explained that when babies are sick instead of pushing the virus out like we would, their stomachs spaz and come up. She put my nightmare to rest and said he would be back to normal in a few days. Praise the lord! As soon as we got home, Eli's appetite had returned and he hasn't thrown up since. I'm sure my uneasiness only made his symptoms worse, so I'm glad I got some peace of mind. The whole experience was a blessing in disguise because we wanted a pediatrician closer to our new home and it's only two exits away! Still, having a sick baby is no fun and I'm happy to have my baby back to normal. But at least we got a fantastic pediatrician out of it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{My babies}<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">All is well.</span></td></tr>
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Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-11420488177712843192011-08-24T21:11:00.000-07:002011-08-24T21:11:46.651-07:00Patterns & ColorsIt's thunderstorm central in Katy, TX tonight so I decided to pour myself a glass of wine and redo my blog design. Pretty happy with how it turned out. I've been slightly obsessed with the background pattern, and the color gray (since I'm redoing our bedroom in gray + yellow) so both reflect the current me. Since Nick has been gone I've spent a lot of time watching HGTV, SVU marathons (guilty pleasure) and living on Pinterest. 2 out of the 3 have given me lots of ideas for room/home decor, and I can't wait to put those ideas into action. The two things I'm drawn the most to is:<br />
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<div align="center"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Stripes & Gray</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" id="il_fi" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tIXZzlWDDLo/S9HvWCqEe5I/AAAAAAAAB64/rOnCfRhYLVI/s640/bold_gray_stripe_via_design_to_inspire.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="280" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm thinking about doing a striped bathroom upstairs (the only place Nick will let get away with it) and a striped accent wall in Eli's room. I'm doing gray in the Master bedroom and possibly the guest. The guest room is debatable because I want to do a whole house color scheme, but Nick and I can't agree on colors. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I like:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RZsAkOkX25o/Tea1DzX3FDI/AAAAAAAAJZ0/RPs8tNswPxQ/s1600/ColorAntiquity.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RZsAkOkX25o/Tea1DzX3FDI/AAAAAAAAJZ0/RPs8tNswPxQ/s320/ColorAntiquity.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" id="il_fi" src="http://kristendukephotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/FeltedHues.png" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="279" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The only problem is both these palettes feature variations of blue and Nick can't quite get past the color. The story behind that is because our bedroom is sea foam green but looks more blue -and we hate it. So I'm still trying to sell him on the dark teal blue color. Particularly this one: </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="220" id="il_fi" src="http://oneyearincali.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/painting-room-from-bathroom.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The room is painted in Martha Stewart's Plumage.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I realllllly want this color in the study or dining room. But for now, it will just exist on my idea boards until we get closer to moving in or Nick approving the color. Hopefully the latter comes first. Still working on my idea boards, they change daily so when I get around to making up my mind I'll post. Now off I go to daydream more about patterns, colors and my new house.</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-19844796613333455082011-08-17T08:02:00.000-07:002011-08-17T08:03:14.037-07:00Building Our Home: What Goes Into a Home<div style="text-align: left;">The most overwhelming part about building a home is choosing what goes into a home. Kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets -what color for the cabinets, what kind of wood? wood flooring - real or laminate? Counter tops - granite or silestone? Faucets - chrome or brushed nickel? Things I've never even thought of before have been dominating my thoughts for the past week. Since we signed the purchase agreement on the house, we've been going over a pricing sheet for every possible upgrade we could make on our home. The whole process was a bit overwhelming because there is so much to choose from and you have free reign to do whatever you want. As long as you can afford it. And with our taste, we are always drawn to the most expensive stuff but we had to be realistic and compromise. After several lists, google images & some serious 'sleeping on it'...we made our final decisions, all of which I'm very proud of! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mmCgQ9ecJRY/TkvJ5XtaAmI/AAAAAAAAAEk/PVVEzGi2UFo/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" naa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mmCgQ9ecJRY/TkvJ5XtaAmI/AAAAAAAAAEk/PVVEzGi2UFo/s320/photo+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Interior.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AA969lJHeFA/TkvJ3pmx_UI/AAAAAAAAAEg/InEA4Ff4WIY/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" naa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AA969lJHeFA/TkvJ3pmx_UI/AAAAAAAAAEg/InEA4Ff4WIY/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Exterior.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall, I'm really proud of what we chose. I have complete confidence that all of our decisions will produce the most beautiful house I could ever dream of. Everything is very cohesive & gives you that warm, welcome home feeling. Plus we were able to get pretty much everything we wanted and stay within our budget!! (Yay! *pat on the back*) Don't get me wrong the experience was definitely fun, challenging at times, but fun. I mean who wouldn't want to decorate their house from the inside out? But I have to admit what I'm looking forward to the most is the decorating!! Now the hardest part...waiting!!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">But before I go, </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy <span style="font-size: large;">5 months</span> to my little man.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.instagram.com/media/2011/08/17/5d2c6d0b5cbd47a084cd44b379720e24_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: undefined;"><img border="0" class="photo" height="320" jquery1520056549613220272965="1" src="http://images.instagram.com/media/2011/08/17/5d2c6d0b5cbd47a084cd44b379720e24_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">love him to pieces.</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-54228557948022152982011-08-10T08:48:00.000-07:002011-08-10T08:48:16.897-07:00Building Our Home: A Dream Come TrueExciting news.....We're building our dream home!! It all happened so fast, so I'll start from the beginning before sharing all the details.<br />
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A week ago we began the hunt for our future home. We just extended the lease on the patio home we're living in, giving us 6 months to find the perfect house. We knew we were looking for a 1 to 1.5 story, 3/4 bedrooms + study, large kitchen, open floor plan, in a community neighborhood. First stop was Fairfield. We looked at 6-7 houses on the first day & by the end only 2 really stood out. The last house we saw was a model home & that was when the option of building came up. Originally I hadn't really thought about it but after the first mention, building a house started sounding like a better fit for us. Especially since we had the time frame. But nevertheless, we continued the house hunt. Day 2, we explored spring cypress/tomball and fell in love with a model home. As soon as I walked in the house, I had a good feeling. Open floor plan, 3 bedroom, study and a game room (I really wanted a game room but wasn't going to allow it to be a deal breaker). Upgraded kitchen + awesome incentives. Everything was perfect, except the neighborhood wasn't really what we wanted and there was only 1 lot available to build for that floor plan. Even though we really liked the house, we didn't want to rush ourselves into such a huge decision. So we slept on it and continued to look. That evening our realtor called us and said she had found our dream home. It was the same builder as the model home we loved, but in a better neighborhood and better incentives. However, she wanted to keep the neighborhood a surprise. I couldn't wait so I googled and found out the neighborhood was Blackhorse Ranch South. I'd never been in the neighborhood but I knew it was nice because it was a community neighborhood with a golf course. By this point we were sold, the house we wanted & in the ideal neighborhood. However, the builder had another floor plan that we might be interested in. When we went to view this floor plan, the house was in the middle of construction. All there was to see was the actual frame of the house & dry wall. Even so, I knew that this was our dream house. It was perfect. The search was over for me, but Nick felt everything was happening so fast & we needed more time to think about it. There wasn't much to think about because we both knew it was everything we wanted and more. Plus they had great incentives, upgraded kitchen with stainless steel appliances included. As if that wasn't enough, they threw in a sprinkler system if we signed that weekend. And that was all it took. Next day we went to sign the purchase agreement for our new home!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsMhxNqY1lc/TkKdRP-gVZI/AAAAAAAAAEc/TjooViISmp0/s1600/soldlot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" naa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsMhxNqY1lc/TkKdRP-gVZI/AAAAAAAAAEc/TjooViISmp0/s320/soldlot.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our SOLD lot for our future home :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And now for the details...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is the floor plan for the 1st story.<img height="600" id="il_fi" src="http://www.beazer.com/GraphicAssets/Floorplan/Original/2786_45835.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="488" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first story alone is around 2500 sq. ft. Plus we decided to add the optional bonus plan which includes a loft, full bath and 4th bedroom. So the total sq. ft. will be around 3100 when it's all said and done. It's definitely more house than we need right now but it gives us plenty of room to grow into as our family grows. And I have SO many ideas. I'm already driving Nick crazy with all my idea boards for all the different rooms. The expected completion date is December 15 so we should be moved in just in time for Christmas! Probably the most expensive Christmas gift I'll ever get! I just can't believe what a fairytale it has been. To find a home so quickly and it be everything I've dreamt of and more -is just unreal! I can't say I know many other 22-year-olds who get to build their dream home. I really am extremely grateful for this huge blessing God has given us. I know for sure it wouldn't have been possible without the big man upstairs. We prayed for him to lead us in the direction he wanted us to go and we ended up in Blackhorse! Amen to that!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img height="152" id="il_fi" src="http://www.beazer.com/GraphicAssets/Elevation/PlanDetails/89181_151570.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="270" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The end result. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Look for pictures of the building process + my idea boards for the many rooms!</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-74905500468906042482011-07-17T16:06:00.000-07:002011-07-17T16:07:05.241-07:00The end of my childhood & the beginning of another<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As many of you know, I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan & this weekend was the release of the final film in the HP series. I'm a true, die hard fan meaning I read the books before the craze of the movies. I read the first book in 5th grade and the final book after I graduated high school. As I grew up, Harry grew up and became a huge staple in my childhood. Even though the book series ended 4 years ago, this final film marked the end of my childhood. It was a bittersweet feeling sitting in the theatre, awaiting for the movie to start knowing this would be the last time I would attend a midnight premiere or be able to see the characters I've come to love on the big screen. It's so much more than a book or a movie though. As weird as it may seem, the characters have become my friends over the years. We've grown up together, I've experienced their highs & lows, and related to them. After the movie, I was so sad. I felt like apart of my childhood had just died and it was true. Although I am sad that I won't be able to look forward to another book or movie involving Harry, I'm looking forward to sharing such a huge part of my childhood with Elijah. I'm planning on rereading the series by reading them to him. Not anytime soon, but once we begin reading bedtime stories Harry will be the first pick. When I was a toddler, my mother's friend read me the Hobbit every night. I think that was the book that sparked my imagination and my love for fantasy novels. I want to give him the same experience and allow him to find his own love for reading. So as I say goodbye to my childhood, I embrace my sons. I hope he will love the books as much as I have. If not, as least I can share that special part of my childhood with him and no matter what "the stories we love best, live in us forever." -J.K. Rowling.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LWtH-QOzmB4/TiNkFb_vkfI/AAAAAAAAAEU/9w-QeOd4vUk/s1600/hpcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" m$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LWtH-QOzmB4/TiNkFb_vkfI/AAAAAAAAAEU/9w-QeOd4vUk/s400/hpcollage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(From Left to Right: Me & my fellow Potterhead/bestie, Lany. We've gone to the last 4 films together. Me 5 months pregnant with Elijah. And the most recent, me before the final midnight premiere.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Speaking of the little one...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He is <u>4 months</u> old today!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FSVSwyYWbeM/TiNnYe3DB9I/AAAAAAAAAEY/9V4HdyI9VI0/s1600/4mo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FSVSwyYWbeM/TiNnYe3DB9I/AAAAAAAAAEY/9V4HdyI9VI0/s320/4mo.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(yes, that is an HP onesie :P)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He's growing SO fast!! It seems like just yesterday he was a little, fragile bundle of love. Now he's vocal, kicking, chewing, drooling, sitting, rolling & sucking his precious little thumb. He's still my bundle of love but not so little anymore. He even holds his own bottle!! Before I know it, he'll be all grown up and won't need his momma anymore :( Sike, he'll always be my little momma's boy. And he's looking more & more like his Daddy every day. I tell people that he has his momma's eyes & his Daddy's looks. I just love everything about him. </span> </div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-4007054742270483302011-07-11T13:51:00.000-07:002011-07-11T13:51:45.426-07:00Getting Fit<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You may have noticed on Facebook that I am attempting to get back in shape. I started a boot camp class 2 weeks ago, and have only made 2 classes out of the 2 weeks. Last week was more of a struggle because Nick was going out of town & Eli wasn't feeling well. But now I feel worse about my body than before. I read in all the books during my pregnancy the changes your body goes through adjusting to carrying a baby before, during & after. Yet, for some reason I thought I would be one of the lucky ones & the weight would just shed off after birth and during nursing. WRONG. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I gained 50 lbs during my pregnancy. I'm not proud of it and my biggest regret was not exercising while pregnant. Everyone warned me, "Be careful what you eat.", "Make sure your walking." But I told myself, this is the one time I can get away with eating what I want and people won't judge me. Little did I know that I would be paying for it ten fold afterwards. I have lost 20 lbs since Eli was born but have yet to lose anymore. I've been watching what I've been eating but I haven't been hardcore about it. Signing up for the bootcamp classes was supposed to motivate me but somehow it intimidated me. It made me realize how out of shape I really am and the long road ahead of me. I've come to terms that I won't ever have the body I once had. Some women bounce back from pregnancy like it was nothing, others look better than before baby. Not in my case, but that's okay because the end result was way worth it. I can accept that my body won't be the same, but I won't compromise that I always have to be this way. I may not be able to erase stretch marks, but I can lose the unnecessary weight & that's what I plan to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I'm not writing to feel sorry for myself but more so I can look back on this during my journey to getting back in shape as I reminder of how far I've come. My goal is to lose 50 lbs, do 30 mins of cardio a day and attend at least 3 bootcamp classes a week. I purchased 2 months of classes in advance so I have 7 weeks of classes left to go. I will be updating my progress along the way. My motivation is feeling better about myself and setting an good example for Eli. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NyYFrC8OL80/ThtiILc1DSI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/K8LE_D9Iuy0/s1600/fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NyYFrC8OL80/ThtiILc1DSI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/K8LE_D9Iuy0/s320/fit.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Today is Day 1 of Getting Fit. Off to Bootcamp class I go!</span></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-91885722072534896842011-07-10T13:29:00.000-07:002011-07-10T13:29:52.958-07:00Elephants, tigers, and lions, oh my!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So the circus is coming to town and I know it's forever away but its got me thinking about Eli's first birthday party. As soon as I began my elephant fetish for his nursery, I knew that I wanted his first birthday to be circus themed. I mean, who doesn't love the circus? It's so fun, colorful and there are so many creative decor possibilities! Not to mention the awesome goodies...cotton candy, popcorn & peanuts! I may have to go while the circus is in town. (for </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">research of course! ;))</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="247" id="il_fi" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uV1dyUkdqgQ/TWHH4QiTbZI/AAAAAAAACCo/ivp-ppLym8Y/s400/circus-birthday-party-mustache-sticks-popcorn-cake.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="400" /></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img class="rg_i" data-src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQJDrJo9mAUBv5MbfMR4bAAY0zEUYb5BqsnZnUWjE6vo6NgSwD5" data-sz="f" height="169" name="wZqV-Z5euvVxyM:" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQJDrJo9mAUBv5MbfMR4bAAY0zEUYb5BqsnZnUWjE6vo6NgSwD5" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px -14px;" width="254" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" id="il_fi" src="http://carriesellman.com/retro_vintage_circus_party.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="335" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="212" id="il_fi" src="http://www.thesweetestoccasion.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/fabric-circus-tent-decor-circus-themed-birthday-party.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="circus-birthday-party-2" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6111" height="320" src="http://www.mysweetandsaucy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/206.jpg" title="circus-birthday-party-2" width="214" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Call me crazy but I just can't wait!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(I'm a party planner...can you blame me!)</span></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-76667423426511821542011-07-04T10:16:00.000-07:002011-07-04T10:16:20.196-07:00Sweet Summertime<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Summertime just isn't official until you put on your swimsuit for the first time. So this weekend we officially started summer by taking our first beach trip. Growing up, I have the fondest memories of the beach. My mother loved the beach and passed that love onto me and my sister. I hope that Eli will grow to love it too. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VxZ5ojW9mb0/ThH0F-zf3eI/AAAAAAAAAEI/hL8b1evyQHg/s1600/IMG_1591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VxZ5ojW9mb0/ThH0F-zf3eI/AAAAAAAAAEI/hL8b1evyQHg/s320/IMG_1591.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f9lRYCHzH18/ThH0DEUlWSI/AAAAAAAAAEE/7oNSwx7pmgk/s1600/IMG_1588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f9lRYCHzH18/ThH0DEUlWSI/AAAAAAAAAEE/7oNSwx7pmgk/s320/IMG_1588.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our little Panama Jack</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uyMYRSX6uPE/ThHz-9gTo5I/AAAAAAAAAEA/q-1692PWCO8/s1600/IMG_1580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uyMYRSX6uPE/ThHz-9gTo5I/AAAAAAAAAEA/q-1692PWCO8/s320/IMG_1580.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mimi & Munchkin</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kybo-CdJXIQ/ThH0JG_CW4I/AAAAAAAAAEM/hlwgsZ4edTg/s1600/IMG_1597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kybo-CdJXIQ/ThH0JG_CW4I/AAAAAAAAAEM/hlwgsZ4edTg/s320/IMG_1597.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fast asleep to the sound of real waves.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div align="center"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th!</span></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-87294207745934519642011-06-24T13:09:00.000-07:002011-06-24T13:09:30.994-07:00Happy 3 Months & First Father's Day<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dDO2FXeS4TM/TgTqNlkXC3I/AAAAAAAAAD8/HYNHBgCnKoM/s1600/elicollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dDO2FXeS4TM/TgTqNlkXC3I/AAAAAAAAAD8/HYNHBgCnKoM/s320/elicollage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>Happy 3 Months (&oneweek) to My Munchkin Man.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Courier New;">He's perfect.</span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: small;">Doctors words.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: small;">@ 3 months:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: small;">13 lbs 2 oz.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: small;">23 3/4 inches long</span></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I can't believe my beautiful, little boy is already 3 months. I don't know where time has gone but I wouldn't mind if it could just slow down. It's funny I always imagine what Eli will be like when he's older...will he love to read like I did as a child, will he learn to play guitar like his daddy, what sports will he want to play...I catch myself imagining and have to stop myself because this moment here and now will be gone tomorrow. And every day he'll grow closer to that little boy I imagined. I love the little things about him right now. How he mimicks the sounds we make. His smirkish smile. How he gobbles away at his little minature hands (newest development). How he constantly kicks like he's got somewhere to go. How badly he wants to laugh. These are the things that I love today and I'll miss tomorrow. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">Speaking of firsts, Nick celebrated his first Father's day this past weekend. It was a very uneventful Father's day spent with family but it was a success nonetheless.</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" aria-busy="false" aria-describedby="fbPhotoTheaterCaption" class="spotlight" height="239" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/250485_10150222236952376_728697375_7170558_7104088_n.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Nick is such an amazing father to Elijah. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">He has the biggest heart & most of it is filled with love for our son. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">I'm so grateful to have both of them in my life.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">They fill me with such love & joy.</span></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-30723536511405680422011-06-15T22:12:00.000-07:002011-06-15T22:12:46.769-07:00A Blessing in the Rough<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Today has been one of the more difficult days as a mother. Eli seems to be experiencing some growing pains so he does a lot of eating and sleeping, and in between he wants to be constantly held. Which limits my ability to do anything. At the end of the day, I was impatient, irritated and not so much fun to be around. But after a hot bath, I've had time to reflect on today and my attitude lately.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">A fellow blogger and new mommy, Elisa Farrow, had a post this week about how being a mom is hard but many things could be harder. I am fortunate to have a healthy baby boy who is really and truly the best baby I could have ever asked for. Aside from today, he's always happy, rarely cries and the cutest thing to look at. He brightens every day and is the joy of my life. There are so many other mothers out there who have not been as fortunate as me, and unfortunately I get caught up in the moment and forget to see how blessed I really am. I've been guilty of allowing one bad moment ruin my whole day and I really hope to turn that around. It not only effects me as a mother but as a wife as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">I know I've talked about how new my marriage is, but regardless of how long we've been married...Parenting is a true test of love for a marriage. The pastor from my church, The Waters, has been doing a sermon series on marriage and I haven't really had a chance to really soak in all that it has to offer but one thing that really stuck out to me is that we are husband and wife before we are parents. If we can't learn to communicate and love each other, then when the time comes for baby bird to fly the coop - we're screwed. And that is the last thing I want for my marriage. I've really been struggling to maintain a positive attitude lately and its been detrimental for my relationship. I've been down on myself because of how my body has changed post-baby and probably have had too much idle time, and honestly have become lazy when it comes to communicating.But the first step is admitting it, so here I am. I've witnessed the effects of bad communication and laziness can have on a marriage, and vowed to myself that I would never make the same mistakes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">So this is me airing my most intimate thoughts and faults to hold myself accountable to being more appreciative of my baby boy, to be less harsh on myself and try harder to be a better wife to my husband. Hopefully putting this into words and out in public will help me to be accountable. Because when it comes down to it, there is nothing bad about my life. I have a beautiful home, a loving family, loyal friends, a good education and a prospering job. What more could I girl ask for?</span>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-30602975777394630862011-05-19T14:43:00.000-07:002011-05-19T14:43:20.595-07:002 Months & Graduation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5X78IGxhfkE/TdWHo8e02NI/AAAAAAAAADI/PBSdRXjb3oM/s1600/smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5X78IGxhfkE/TdWHo8e02NI/AAAAAAAAADI/PBSdRXjb3oM/s320/smile.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Elijah, Eli, Munchkin, Piglet</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>@ </strong></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">2 months</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">11 lbs 1 oz.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">23 1/4 inches</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">So time has literally flown by since Eli was born.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">I can't believe he is already 2 months old. It seems just yesterday we were in the hospital seeing him for the first time.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Now he's smiling, cooing and kicking away.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Every day he steals my heart away.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">He is perfection.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">And it looks like he's going to have my eyes :)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Lock up your daughters, my son is going to be a lady killer.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">In other news, during my absence...I GRADUATED COLLEGE!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Lvt9JsWhwY/TdWHrfkS6tI/AAAAAAAAADM/tWix4ELOZHg/s1600/grad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Lvt9JsWhwY/TdWHrfkS6tI/AAAAAAAAADM/tWix4ELOZHg/s320/grad.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Just this last Saturday, I crossed the stage ending my 17 year old relationship with school.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">It still hasn't really set in that I won't be going back to school this fall.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">I've spent more than half my life in pursuit of this goal and now it's over.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">I can't lie, I was dreading walking. I think apart of me wasn't ready to close that chapter because the future is so unknown.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">As of now my only job is to be the best mother I can be to Eli. Which is a hard enough job in itself.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">I'm going to enjoy my summer...reading books that <u>I want</u> to read, working towards losing my baby weight and whatever else comes my way.</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">I'm nervous about keeping myself busy only because I'm the type of person that goes a million miles a minute. But I have faith that it will all work out. I mean I've come this far right?</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Grad school has crossed my mind but after the hell of a semster I just had, I really need a break from school for awhile.</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Since I missed Eli's 1 month post, here's a few of my favorite photos from his newborn photoshoot around his 1 month. Enjoy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZC_sMv4meKE/TdWMHFwR2iI/AAAAAAAAADQ/GY_a6I2aYt4/s1600/Eli+078+ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZC_sMv4meKE/TdWMHFwR2iI/AAAAAAAAADQ/GY_a6I2aYt4/s320/Eli+078+ed.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Cute as a button.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_CmKvAujre0/TdWMUvLFfUI/AAAAAAAAADU/cIH8YqMLlTQ/s1600/Eli+218+ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_CmKvAujre0/TdWMUvLFfUI/AAAAAAAAADU/cIH8YqMLlTQ/s320/Eli+218+ed.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The Josephs.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--inHv0n4gyQ/TdWMfnjFsGI/AAAAAAAAADY/7wToP48el6k/s1600/Eli+223+bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--inHv0n4gyQ/TdWMfnjFsGI/AAAAAAAAADY/7wToP48el6k/s320/Eli+223+bw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Daddy and Eli. This melts my heart.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I4Ex92SOrM0/TdWMw9HPT6I/AAAAAAAAADc/oOswx-oUb-c/s1600/Eli+249+ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I4Ex92SOrM0/TdWMw9HPT6I/AAAAAAAAADc/oOswx-oUb-c/s320/Eli+249+ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I.love.him.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Keep posted for my summer adventures. Soon to come :)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div></div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-25128927491361875112011-04-24T07:03:00.000-07:002011-04-24T07:03:07.609-07:00M.I.AI'm back! I know it's been awhile since my last post but I have been a "mother-in-action" hence my title :)<br />
Since my last post so much has changed especially my little man. He is officially 5 weeks and 3 days old, and growing like a weed. We had his one month checkup Friday and he weighed 9 lbs 11 oz. and 21 1/2 inches long. Every day his face gets fuller and looks more, and more like a real little person. I love him dearly, but it has been the toughest month of my life. But I've also discovered more about myself as a person, and revealed a lot about my marriage. <br />
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As many of you know, Nick and I have only been married close to 5 months. So although we are new parents, we are also newlyweds...which is tough. As newlyweds, you expect that puppy love feeling all over again because your relationship has reached a new level. While we have had many of those moments, mix in being a new parent and those moments become fleeting. We have made an effort to set aside time for the two of us to be alone, but most of that time we spend trying to get things done or running errands. I knew beforehand that it would be tough adjusting because our lives have changed drastically but I didn't know it would affect our relationship so. I'm just praying that God continues to bless our marriage with patience and love. I know he wouldn't have brought us this far to let us fall apart.<br />
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More about the other things I have learned...sleep deprivation is real. I know I've spent the last 4 years as a college student and have had plenty of all-nighters but nothing compares to all-nighters with a new baby. When we first brought Elijah home, he was an angel. Slept all the time, we had to wake him up to feed and he never really fussed. Well once the jaundice wore off, a whole new baby emerged. He would cry in the middle of the night and nothing seemed to calm him. We guessed he had colic, which is normal but didn't make it any easier on us. Fortunately though, we've established a better routine and have been able to get some more sleep. Not as much as I'm used to, but enough to make me a functioning human being. Now I don't want it to seem like being a new mother has been all negative because it hasn't whatsoever. The little things make it all worth while like watching him smile in his sleep, or when he searches for my face when he hears my voice, when he falls asleep on my chest after feeding and most of all, those precious little feet. I love him unconditionally and he will always be the best thing that ever happened to me.<br />
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A few other "Eli"isms...<br />
He loves to poop in a fresh diaper. Never fails. Every time we change him, minutes later he finds the urge to poop again.<br />
He is a little piglet. When the boy is hungry, he's hungry. He eats so fast, that he sometimes forgets to breathe which scares Mom half to death.<br />
Before he latches, he opens his mouth real wide and shakes his head all around almost like a bobble-head, it's priceless.<br />
He's a thinker. He does this little pose where he puts his arm under his chin and it looks like he's deep in thought.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-USdRuF3XbaQ/TbQsVKICc9I/AAAAAAAAADE/aGNlO4jXCWk/s1600/puppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-USdRuF3XbaQ/TbQsVKICc9I/AAAAAAAAADE/aGNlO4jXCWk/s320/puppy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">The Thinking Pose.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">We just got his newborn photos done this week so more to come soon!</div><div align="center">Oh, and hope every one has a wonderful and happy Easter!</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9007695800504523973.post-66075237744868614062011-03-25T00:16:00.000-07:002011-03-25T00:16:57.441-07:00The Birth of Elijah<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So I tried very hard to write this on the one week anniversary of my little man's birth but being a new parent is tough, and time flies. Unbelievably though, it has been an entire week since I gave birth to the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. I can't believe how fast time flies and I already wish I could freeze time so he would never grow up. I wanted to share my birth story of how Elijah Ryan entered this world because I will never forget the moment my whole life changed.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1hHGxvDBjNM/TYw6SNJlaiI/AAAAAAAAACs/bQyDGpnX9LU/s1600/IMG_1397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1hHGxvDBjNM/TYw6SNJlaiI/AAAAAAAAACs/bQyDGpnX9LU/s200/IMG_1397.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Elijah Ryan Joseph</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">March 17, 2011 at 4:58 pm</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">7 lbs. 12 oz.</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">19 1/4 inches</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">We arrived at the hospital at 5 AM, nervous and excited that this was the day our little boy would be born. At the time of my arrival, I was already 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced so we were well on our way. Around 8 AM I had dilated to 3 cm and it was time to break my water. Everything they say about this is true, its warm and literally feels like your peeing yourself. By this point, my contractions were getting stronger because of the pitocin and I requested my epidural. Mind you I'm not really good with needles so I was mad nervous but I'd like to think I hid it well. However I was really afraid to get the epidural on my own since they don't allow anyone in the room other than the nurse and the anesthesiologist. However, the epidural wasn't really as bad as I thought it would be. Just slight pressure here and there. The worst part was the anesthesiologist leaving mid-epidural to incubate someone. Afterwards, we played the waiting game. I spent most of the day unable to feel my legs and switching sides every few hours. By 3 PM, I was 9 1/2 cm dilated and the contractions were longer and stronger. Even with the epidural I could feel the contractions. I decided not to increase the epidural because I wanted to be able to feel something in order to push when it came time. Which leads me to the hardest and most important part of this experience, the pushing aka the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Around 4 PM is when we officially started the pushing process which involved me holding my breath, while pushing as the nurse counted to 10 x 3. Eventually this because so exhausting. I could literally feel all my energy being drained from my body and my thirst was insane. All I wanted was water. As the baby was closer to crowning the real problems began. The baby's heartbeat got real high and then real low all too fast. Apparently my cervix was too small for the big guy and he was stuck in the birth canal. This part is real cloudy for me because I was drugged and exhausted, but Nick remembers everything vividly and has shared bits and pieces as we've looked back. Because things were getting real serious, one of my delivery nurses tried a new method and handed me a towel and we basically played tug-a-war to push the baby out. Surprisingly it worked and my arms were sore as heck for days afterwards. After 58 minutes of pushing, the doctors decided I wasn't going to be able to push this baby out on my own and had to use forceps to pull him out. Then panic set in because I didn't hear any wailing baby cry, instead all I could see was my son blue in front of me. Immediately I started asking, "Why isn't he breathing? Is he OK?" The nurses got to business quick cleaning him off and removing the fluid from his lungs. However they weren't able to remove all of it so he had to go to the nursery immediately to be monitored. I was so sad I couldn't hold my baby and spend the first hour of his life staring into his perfect little face. After delivering, I was too tired to even hold him up. It wasn't until 10 PM that I was able to really hold my son for the first time and it was indescribable. I fell in love instantly. He was the very definition of perfect and I couldn't get over the fact that I was apart of creating something so perfect. He was everything I'd ever wanted or imagined and more. I was so proud of me and Nick for what we had gone through and this symbol of our love. Experiencing birth is like no other experience ever, it will change your life and who you are forever. It really is the most magical thing I've ever been apart of. I guess after 9 months of a fairly easy and smooth pregnancy, a delivery of that magnitude balanced everything out. The books definitely didn't cover everything but that's okay because it just made it that much more unique for me.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">And now a week later, here I am. I'm loving every second of being a mother. Even the lack of sleep. It's crazy how your body just naturally adjusts to not sleeping. Elijah is the sweetest baby ever. He's always so calm and content. Sleeps all day and through the night. Doesn't really fuss over anything. All I ever want to do is kiss his perfect little face and hold him close to me. Although I really miss being pregnant (Surprise!), the bond of breastfeeding makes up for it. And everyday I can't get over my little creation of love. How much I love him already and want to give him my all and the best of everything. He has stolen my heart and I will never be the same because of him.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Well I know this is a novel of a post so I will leave you with some pictures of the birth! Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aHorxlIrJRk/TYw_pzldsuI/AAAAAAAAACw/3VbIuJEAGr0/s1600/IMG_1403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aHorxlIrJRk/TYw_pzldsuI/AAAAAAAAACw/3VbIuJEAGr0/s200/IMG_1403.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daddy holding Elijah for the first time.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--gl2JVyCeEo/TYw_xwH4vrI/AAAAAAAAAC0/4tS4_zYPeuo/s1600/IMG_1407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--gl2JVyCeEo/TYw_xwH4vrI/AAAAAAAAAC0/4tS4_zYPeuo/s200/IMG_1407.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First family photo.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rSNmO7QHI-A/TYw_1f67rcI/AAAAAAAAAC4/n7hIys7Ga1Y/s1600/IMG_1417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rSNmO7QHI-A/TYw_1f67rcI/AAAAAAAAAC4/n7hIys7Ga1Y/s200/IMG_1417.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Love at first sight.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j5hpGYiA-lA/TYw_8y35JTI/AAAAAAAAAC8/UxTATeoz-68/s1600/IMG_1388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-j5hpGYiA-lA/TYw_8y35JTI/AAAAAAAAAC8/UxTATeoz-68/s200/IMG_1388.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Perfection.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_w674d6bUc4/TYxAAWe0HAI/AAAAAAAAADA/tLqSeG5YK2M/s1600/IMG_1450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_w674d6bUc4/TYxAAWe0HAI/AAAAAAAAADA/tLqSeG5YK2M/s200/IMG_1450.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The two loves of my life.</div>Hi, I'm Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05734056847758151629noreply@blogger.com2