tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41547753724688772892023-11-15T23:36:42.818-08:00Swims At MidnightA mom, a wife, an art teacher, a New Englander, Pinterest Junkie, and homebody.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-34135848547058254282014-02-28T09:00:00.001-08:002014-02-28T09:02:10.093-08:00Work at Home?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am a teacher, therefore there are periods of the year in which I have extra time on my hands. Recently I've had a lot more freed up time as I'm done doing work for my Masters program. Enter huge sigh of relief.<br />
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That free time, while it may not be a lot, it is still time I would like to consider productive. I recently delved into the world of article writing. So far I've written six articles for a fantastic website all based on education.<br />
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www.brighthubeducation.com<br />
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This has given us a bit of extra money to put towards the random things that come up around the house. These articles are based on my full time job, teaching art.<br />
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I've also been looking into other ways to make a bit of extra cash on the side and have found myself addicted to Varagesale. Buying and selling things around the house for the boys has become a little hobby of mine. </div>
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The other day I found 8 pairs of pants, and 8 shirts that fit H for five bucks! What a deal, especially for a little boy who just destroys clothes. </div>
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Keeping myself at home with the boys, while generating extra income is ideal. The blogosphere has many great ideas, yet I find myself worrying about the legitimacy of these opportunities as many of them are scams.<br />
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Someone has to stick around to wrangle these little monsters! Have any of you found legitimate ways to boost your income while at home?</div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-12093657194423057532014-02-26T05:56:00.001-08:002014-02-28T09:46:54.160-08:00Life with two sons.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Harrison has always been true and blue 'boy'. Ever since he was little he loved trains, loved sports, and is obsessed with his Daddy.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harrison man.</td></tr>
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It still startled me when Thomas became such a 'boy' so early on. I remember posting an Instagram video of them when Tom was around 4 or 5 months and he was giggling and laughing with joy when big bro was trying to roll around and tumble with him.</div>
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Fast forward a couple months and Tom is almost one, Harrison is 3.5 and they have become obsessed with one another. My momma heart loves this. However, no matter how often I watch it is still surprised me to see how early boys play rough. I will look over and find the two of them pig piling on one another, and rolling around on the carpet. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at those rolls!</td></tr>
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Tom thinks it's great, Harrison is having a blast, and I'm happy they're happy. Especially because it give me a couple moments of Mommy time. </div>
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As I write my post I'm watching sweet Tom making <i>cringe</i> beautiful music by bashing a toy screwdriver on a coffee can, and the oldest is sitting among a pile of matchbox cars and construction equipment.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom was so small., and H had short hair.</td></tr>
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Growing up I was surrounded by much of the same toys as I had a younger brother. But, there was always a Barbie or doll infused with the play. My matchbox cars had to stop at the grocery store on the way back from their police chase. I have storage containers full of my old stuff, dress up clothes and cabbage patch galore. Perhaps it's time to purge.</div>
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In the mean time, another post cut short as I must stop Harrison from chucking a ball at his little brother. Ohhh Brother.<br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-29892223983168821472014-02-24T12:11:00.001-08:002014-02-24T12:11:33.732-08:00February Vacation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The boys and I have started our February vacation. Up early, 5:30 to just have a quiet moment for me. <br />
I've mentally checked a couple of things off my checklist. Laundry, paint touch up's in the hallway, paint touch ups on a desk, and vacuuming. <br />
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I am thankful Tom is becoming a bit more independent so I can get these things done, yet it is bittersweet as I long to be trapped under that infant again. Don't get me wrong, I most definitely take advantage of the occasional dual nap. We almost had a successful one today, but the dog barked waking Thomas. I guess it was better off as I was watching some trash television anyways. Catching up with the first Teen Mom's Farrah.... Eeeeep. <br />
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A couple snaps from today...<br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-5129240620445450472014-02-21T11:16:00.000-08:002014-02-21T11:33:10.041-08:00Back again? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back on the Bloggy train. My how things have changed. My sweet family welcomed another joyous boy into our clan. My last cryptic post was regarding the news we found out we were pregnant. </span></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-609c384f-55dc-7b92-8a82-5bfdd5816a2c" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thomas and Harrison have become the joys of our lives. It is amazing seeing two brothers play, and love on one another.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grad School is over, HURRAH! I officially hold my masters of arts in teaching. I am grateful it is over now as I would never have the time to do it now with two active boys. It was hard enough to finish with a three year old and two week for my last six week course.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harrison has grown, his vocabulary has expanded, and motherhood has become harder. How simple it was with one child, and how complex it has become with two. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Balance, and Patience have become my center focus as I seem to have little of both. </span></div>
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Sweet Thomas is almost walking at 11 months old, and he truly brings such sweetness to our lives.</div>
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Harrison has entered the 'terrible threes' but man is he cute as ever! </div>
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To a renewed focus! </div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-82444998806058305332012-07-19T07:04:00.000-07:002012-07-19T07:04:00.574-07:00Another Summer.<p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:4945aae9-d20b-461b-8f7b-47fff0b47065" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Summer" rel="tag">Summer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Harrison" rel="tag">Harrison</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Art+Teacher" rel="tag">Art Teacher</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Job" rel="tag">Job</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Vacation" rel="tag">Vacation</a></div>I love my job, even though I’ve hated the recent budgetary issues and pink slippage. I love it for many reasons…</p> <blockquote> <p>Summers off with my baby.</p> <p>Vacations with my baby.</p> <p>Holidays with my baby.</p> <p><img src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/c0.0.403.403/p403x403/528950_768324644537_1730763218_n.jpg"></p></blockquote> <p>I guess the trend is the time off, I admit it, I love it. I also love that day in, and day out I’m doing what I love. Creating art with others. </p> <p>This year is a bit different for me as it is July 18th and I still don’t know what school I’m going to be teaching at this coming school year. My city is in budgetary turmoil, and has been for the past six months. I thought I was going to come out of it unscathed, with job in hand (not much of a crazy thought as I have five years in the system). But, I was very wrong. This May I received a pink slip, a reduction in force notice, that I wasn’t going to have a job in the fall. How scary when we have a child, a mortgage, and bills to pay. I never thought I was going to be one of <em>those people</em> that was unemployed (how judgmental on my part).</p> <p>I did the whole thing, applying everywhere, interviewed at one school only to lose the position to a friend from college, and applied for unemployment. Losing my job was incredibly disappointing as my husband and I literally just came off the Birth control boat and were ready to give Harrison a sibling.</p> <p>Fate works in odd and amazing ways, and last week the mailman hand delivered a certified letter to me reinstating my job. I literally jumped and yelled out in joy. </p> <p>What sweet sweet relief to have my job back.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0SGCW6oPuNZqqOX8q1WJGdZY-88Glq6mUpvhh2SFSd_D5u72YGJkVZ1TBsT-JfPpzWkIDm80mIKW05Be-aoTPYgTlEecRqC-bDJVqoW62enyQ5LFYPPpLrlguhcW-EPQM0GN0XhAbWRE/s1600-h/IMG_2898%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2898" border="0" alt="IMG_2898" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rcn6z0L03QeD6H0dCsHBP7uhthcOzJiRHedbVD1FEZTgQyCtgAWAGwO_vpU8iv-TeuZgJtkJTn4nXXFQHX7kaCsEa2_rQ5CuaCXvdc9RREdHROBWBnFtZQrbz6vAC68a0HgEmue5Vq0//?imgmax=800" width="139" height="191"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDvwBam1Br94hkL37MAka9G3VK054HEq-0Zz064OqFUUtossLbtot9cs4PkuGgHT85VhntOR2d49w3yrcgrowyT0UGvsQFtxMshaJdfQ8pva_VHvuQNbi4zvEyjB5ylgXL5_WeESGTyk/s1600-h/IMG_2989%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2989" border="0" alt="IMG_2989" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAzhFLBd7sWyuAch23FpIZfxiGuMuM1kXW_B0AaHP7wIZgR9CKocB5yZJ3OoC2tdygUmH8K_QImkfSzALciSr_w2dG-FYMFVgp6Mblq0iFFETbh92JxZjSCNy-en08VuBV659nya7I-Q//?imgmax=800" width="184" height="190"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2f8VqcCl2gfNIBX70W1r6Akxto3le4rZ2kssB96ijfgxaR1oU48CZMpnSBODiJbFbe2PvcXtONFss7i7OmimuR0JetGrolnGFxlCGHhaPLg8nNo9npQr9yWPsTrJOdboH93TOP1zJG4/s1600-h/IMG_2982%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_2982" border="0" alt="IMG_2982" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkQcireSXEJeQcJ0P_k3a8iIxTzx-5U9tl2K57Wx5uTCxxxkyyS29q3NpqTh6A5wI523b3t4r6Xv5rJHe865-9qlu79S3UosiDGP2dGu9rApOaoVOb8wGemRVPg_I4hWFmxGWgo8GSgI//?imgmax=800" width="139" height="191"></a></p> <p>Now I can go back to having my</p> <blockquote> <p>Summers with my baby</p> <p>Vacations with my baby</p> <p>Holidays with my baby</p></blockquote> <p>All while having a job I love.</p> <p> </p> <p>-Ashley</p> Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-51833551424031240822012-07-18T06:38:00.001-07:002012-07-18T06:38:22.295-07:00So What Wednesday<p>This week I’m linking up with Shannon at <a href="http://www.lifeafteridew.com" target="_blank">Life After I Dew</a> for another So What Wednesday…</p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww29/katieballa/Life%20After%20I%20dew/SoWhatButton.jpg"></p> <p>I’m saying So What to…</p> <blockquote> <p>If I’m actually pretty bummed that I’m missing out on the Real World and Teen Mom shows. Getting sick of these Directv disputes.</p> <p>If I’ve secretly loved that my son has a bit of a fever, an excuse to stay indoors and not feel guilty.</p> <p>I’ve completely given up on running this summer, this New England heat wave is killing me.</p> <p>That I’m incredibly relieved to finally have done the ‘phone call’ to my sitter, letting her know we’re going with someone else this fall.</p> <p>If I am terrible at keeping really fun secrets!</p> <p>I’ve been more lax with spending money this week, finding out you have your job back does that to a lady.</p> <p>I’ve used the saying, “I deserve this” more than once this week. I usually hate that sentence as I feel it’s so entitled, but this week I really have ‘deserved it”</p> <p>Harrison has stayed up late this entire week due to mommy guilt.</p> <p>I have absolutely no bedtime routine, naptime routine, or daytime routine. Hey, it’s working for us. (kind of)</p></blockquote> <p> </p> <p>That’s what’s going on with us this Wednesday, what do you have going on?</p> <p> </p> <p>-Ashley</p> Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-33847403228412606042012-01-18T13:26:00.001-08:002012-01-18T13:28:43.105-08:00So What Wednesday.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I’m linking up once again with Shannon from <a href="http://www.lifeafteridew.com/" target="_blank">Life at I Dew</a> for another <br />
<a href="http://www.lifeafteridew.com/2012/01/so-what-wednesday_18.html" target="_blank">So What Wednesday.</a><br />
<img src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww29/katieballa/Life%20After%20I%20dew/SoWhatButton.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /><br />
So what if…<br />
<br />
-I put the toddler to bed early tonight. Kiddo was out of his mind he was so overtired. Sprinting through the kitchen, then crying hanging on my leg. <br />
-I just heard H woke up and did a silent prayer to myself that he falls back asleep.<br />
-I only clean my car out if I know someone other than my husband will be riding in it, (and only then does ‘cleaning’ entail brushing the goldfish cracker crumbs off the seats.<br />
-I always leave the bath toys at the bottom of the tub for my poor husband to clean up, almost every time.<br />
-Everything in my house has some sort of leveler under it. Gotta love a 100 year old house with crooked floors.<br />
-If that also means that if you position yourself correctly you almost always end up winning that game of pickup hockey in the kitchen.<br />
-I can’t say no to projects at work, and am becoming slowly frazzled by the deadlines looming over my head.<br />
- I skim, then pass over the last WAHM VS. SAHM VS.Working mom post. Parts of me have been so conflicted lately that reading another will send me over the edge. As a guilty party myself, I need to gather my thoughts before I post again about it.<br />
- I let my voicemails sit for weeks at a time. <br />
- Don’t immediately (if even) respond to texts within the same day.<br />
- I am loving my husband now having his first ‘smartphone’. BBMing has never been so fun!<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading, and link up with us for So What Wednesday.<br />
<br />
<h1><em><span style="color: #c0504d; font-family: 'Blackadder ITC';">Ashley</span></em></h1></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-24398738885672218912012-01-17T04:56:00.001-08:002012-01-17T04:56:32.704-08:00The snow finally came.<p>It was about time.</p> <p>I’ve been anxiously awaiting a snow day/delay, anything to stay snuggled up in bed with Harrison. </p> <p>H and I are currently enjoying our second delay of the school year. I’m half watching the ridiculous Kardashians, while Harrison terrorizes his cats and dog. </p> <p>Last week the snow came and our district was one of the only ones that didn’t cancel, so I packed the feisty toddler up in his gear, trekked my way across town to drop him at care. Then I proceeded to almost get myself in an accident when my car slid into an intersection.</p> <p>Became irrationally upset with the superintendent of schools for not cancelling the day, and continued to blame my almost car wreck all on him.</p> <p>But all was worth it when we came home and let H-man experience snow for the second time this year.</p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSNg-RN0dz55r6Abnr9h_EKt4-YkAyjUx0fgQfen36tEZU5vqcwnKP3tRhFxsB97vDQLqDtvQMGTWH7G3cM285M5yy_lKzsWMUgU5b3nuvDMXE9cy3V17Qu0rvIWHhyphenhyphenQluMZg3QfPnpM/s1600-h/PICT0009-54.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0009-5" border="0" alt="PICT0009-5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabz8LqxpwHz7IA0TfHqXqTsch3R-Tyh1i5lFB9K73uBjiVsEAfAHpeYa0gn0ZhcWaFj7Vf7xU1A6tM94yVAli9YCP30cjr2Qr4S_24p-qIx-vHLigVal8a553hR16Xp2_2JAOm9MEfqY//?imgmax=800" width="202" height="159"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcHhpL_-PxjZG0RiJmMbQZEPora9pFS9MyDjDyWsbk1hAGHzwXd3wzh__YDDF3ORv4k6vVmH6UnRgEd2h5w2fcchbDer-9W3ztqrAOYCVDqxvdR0EymvYI1nC_KXS2QChe_3LO_BEmvJQ/s1600-h/PICT0048-44.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0048-4" border="0" alt="PICT0048-4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_di8Lubo33z_vlesUXacjPXnXnu-DgLhlaogFte3Gfmy92T387dBewgGrmieYsMUIuGWWuiRLDlNtZhJyBIyNMZ0opYACAyIqshzjWfOdveTBty60X22u6W4kt1LNUbTr64mP-demkEA//?imgmax=800" width="150" height="205"></a></p> <p>Lets just say that toddlers + snow = lots of frustrations on their part. He couldn’t take two steps without falling, and having a hard time getting up. So we resorted to this…</p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58t8kbKsNBEJts2FD59ET_fWvCnAuAqrRZLo_OWiOQvdJPIRZ7pGi_8wNxXw-5jOi_EmOPY2uj7Tg-UapgMmYbrSqY2mwaDVfDqRftLF0j265Khn-PKlKGS-gynfrro6JTAq3gMfD9Aw/s1600-h/PICT0029-5%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0029-5" border="0" alt="PICT0029-5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcV70J1CLcLXyVnSY0M_Bjhd-SSQyC2E_P7CNQSleY7ct-gGMSAf5yH4tkA-0OYbKlyQwxD5UfwlnM4kX4y6n0SVjCDlSmqfBxhgCiGk2ydFzgfZ6vYInVpbW2MBx4_WHZM_N7lJO2LKI//?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfPIlMX_2-r2dlvkKkQF4WGPiMwEe6JMoM1jhCWP_l95Xzqtod4OO37b_C684sGx-qcrbBuU-Rzl2k9szqRT2M4ovAFnsmADiD2At98dhlnc8N_daiUbHUSxX7ukmr6fsgVuJKOwZ3wU/s1600-h/PICT0030-5%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0030-5" border="0" alt="PICT0030-5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FjwSQYg67iU9RqQowT0a5EAjjr7mZFhNr3TFXnBWTwveKC1plfmxHjIrk8axrmwcj1IFlgzqd80EryELwElqMsb3JuG0qWeFDinLz_J76KAol0FxIpGFXgpMRZ42QbPAsBD8d5FEkmA//?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuW5r6hahnGjrq7nZCu8SkVtAqijG-DFWjBrLDkILGyhAIHxmOw3Ro_QbOvn7ParTWv5zEjXDmjKBhgfz1xoYFC54bq6HJRJOW8hyphenhyphenzXg35gSMNeiypdYJxaBvZL0Swn7quLpCA8yCfWY/s1600-h/PICT0043-4%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0043-4" border="0" alt="PICT0043-4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoEZPplfOVLWivtz_GfdX9JCuhOlIev5fWtr6xPLi384pjhDUVCIHjfmatXcx7HkT-iO63IHqvOS5w9rpT4dwu6AOO0BRDJeHup9eYFarbDdC2IlwAlTFFARXkyOt5s0b6B0Vfjttpn6g//?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxiO7POIMDGg1dpFH2NWwYDimKardqF7VmA_iek9TpmN1oCAeKeqJuVRzSBPTr5Rzi1OIEMuWa0_zAvl4IM2LnVfUvZgMknW9eBcotGed5GzdxdfMVSJFG_sWn2BBT0jik4rWVm1M1Us/s1600-h/PICT0044-4%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0044-4" border="0" alt="PICT0044-4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSfPLKmzkx7v1tKKBj0hdhq1Pzwv-uhQ-MDwF-DvxcL611vih3mynrK3Yw2oHRvKj96qJP-qYOX9avHLaeb3bfBxT6Ud73vzBWMBJEdOLJ-eyLn5GldE8spiAplONYsG4_rHTBK35-sI//?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Sweet Harrison wanted to rip those mittens right off. Loved having a ‘snowball’ fight with momma and dadda.</p> <p>It was a short lived excursion outside but worth it for all the sweet pictures. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRv1XFdW194ZkY3xAWAb6Icv_s6TNpJlYwH-UvOtUR5HAvvSQ9h5X3DoY6YPZqcxzxh1b50kI0FuDDl1VXBqumxyRMPeGTBhJVAd0ygYN7LXoKI7jq1iCenRm-4bz9h-3pC-dP5H2y2k0/s1600-h/PICT0045-4%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0045-4" border="0" alt="PICT0045-4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLj1F2hYte8tXyvfSfN-7uYVTS1qb_Tunhy56ptdjC7Zxpx7mD3kLZ-By5OMpUbIHI-4TUKSVgpsAMx0LwVvwBwOk0moDsfjgFA-jhifJjhEPQaylIG2Hhj32D499jXxzMBIkIUPXUSBo//?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244"></a></p> Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-5040469578134515752012-01-16T08:48:00.001-08:002012-01-16T08:58:08.049-08:00Messy Mom Monday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I’m linking up today with <a href="http://katieballa.blogspot.com/2012/01/messy-mom-mondays.html" target="_blank">Katie</a> from <a href="http://katieballa.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Loves of Life</a>, <a href="http://www.brittsbeat.com/2012/01/messy-mama-mondays.html" target="_blank">Brittany</a> from <a href="http://www.brittsbeat.com/" target="_blank">Living in the Moment</a> , and <a href="http://www.dudeandsweets.com/2012/01/messy-mom-mondaya-linkup.html" target="_blank">Jess</a> from <a href="http://www.dudeandsweets.com/" target="_blank">Dudes and Sweets.</a> for Messy Mom Monday. <br />
<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCjWPs-9rqlhxgOoHGBR7DsTvHp34ZBBM2gS7D9q0Gf34RF1_4eWwywRmpyB4CvLMzMLSeHMUYp5ivkACn_6xJylLQzSwU_Mw9_kVIMVzqMbWFBSIWfh-xfXMuucabAcb1a6CuqzSm6w4/s1600/sNZkJB.jpg" /><br />
I’m very fortunate to have today off, and in turn I’ve let my toddler destroy my house. <br />
I feel like I’m in a constant battle with my entire home with cleanliness. <br />
Toddlers don’t help. All I do is clean up after him. <br />
Between the laundry, a picture that I won’t even post on the internet. (Our laundry room is located in our old dark basement, that is currently being used as my studio too.)<br />
The dishes, Sippy cup overload with all their bits and pieces. The twelve plates I use throughout the day to try and attempt to feed my temperamental eater.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzCNNV3Swr34FDKmCmkuq9MaZUk1JggkCRMCkbqdvzaS-hzNFzwmY3thZcNDvaFVIAmsavBKhLlnvJTtECeEO5v1BmFVpTWPPN7YqWoUvHt2UnUxlQ_lMT_7sYVVStt9-lJkMBF9m2Zc/s1600-h/PICT0001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PICT0001" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwXnkWwHmnLGk2k94h1Llh4vMP7vvwddkZX_dx5G9ptrQOrsYvbV0R3Sb7G57mPT0DsYXxYN59ot68HYfPTZMavuCHR6viVCfEtUdXlXnVbD7zF8sd2Gv613CeHW3LgnpvpKwINXaDdQ//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PICT0001" width="184" /></a><br />
The cabinets, that I just freshly painted today, because they were covered with chocolate milk splatter, grubby fingerprints…<br />
The bathtub has been over taken with squishy letters, rubber ducky's, and the random objects (this week it’s paintbrushes) that Harrison insists he bring in the bath.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAaIFYU8lwhukQvucjRcVBRO2vb87NTG-9pfJVprlUP-ED0Tr8yMvepERWCEI7nAaepASyiPS6BVAM16-cbYlm3ySa3tBGlK3-hUHWyurHxWDxOYKL-O6DW62ZlDnOcF_w8uRkK-mkrY/s1600-h/2011-11-27_18-13-41%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2011-11-27_18-13-41" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWA0V4gXCGMgV-mt_KU6jlRagIPWvoHOvDBLm7m_j0fMnO8UPhbUXCIjHgZ0FhPyVaxfPwwT6JLKgqhpIprYheU9ETZ79sJmEupC42LWYDXaE3UJ714cLk6AhRq-bMh9ZxeP3JwgoZjZA//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2011-11-27_18-13-41" width="244" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8izNfIkTiXIUz5VkqGUeJ2o5hHFJU_l29ooC-QFdE-rOs72PMNZFXczeqmKrlmil29mXggwbzqneGWzLaXH9ttqElJkXigYFdPbEcVJ7Cfr-BwFV-6S51jkewJ2RhdrY7xkk4wAIjYM/s1600-h/2011-11-27_18-12-43%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2011-11-27_18-12-43" border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64r7HrZd4_bfGu-Rkym1Xka-oHWPz_hKNfPVMesmX3PViHQ1oiSRx48Gej7LzWIPUavMcBhpLqfavdyS3-6cRxGF3wcKYlb_pHXAcL98NCFWqGqM-OY-mwdWnKTLZBA6VRFiCViJNF_s//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2011-11-27_18-12-43" width="244" /></a><br />
My car. Oh my poor, poor car. Cheerios, goldfish, pretzels, and a couple of lost sippies that I am sure are trash worthy.<br />
But my biggest problem is the toys. <br />
<div align="center">THE TOYS…</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1t17XmffcChMlANcG0G4sWP3pTnXEchG-C8vfGtg4eOz-i6hhzDTT8gMj6VHdG9zkoDm4u1bGx-D4eZnU6b_kV8KukWd5JxNVBtQ0i0SUUTqzJol7myezx9wQrzqZTHgNMSL30z9buI/s1600-h/PICT0005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PICT0005" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYRuWow6CDMFWJm3NeVEPMudCk3HTrOP0bvNQssxb7cym4Hi2Fut0upXLU_kx-3Fkmd6BmZ8rjTcjcwrv3UPd6kAIOwFwvV1W1Mx9wQtPvrdhBbJsdbUiBH2Kh_CFg2ft7Has1wLy1dA//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PICT0005" width="184" /></a></div><div align="center">The obscene amounts of toys one toddler accumulates is Insane.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8VOwOfPFbU3xj1QKjSQgHXBpjWxp9zW9c-D4v80idTxdEdhj0ZAj5p77Ai46PuyHRFkzh-jUhAqpUgNjhBwEWy7M8oDVeEuSYUWIhocVAXzOU8vuiHMRpWiaAiyOflEMH_TNN9yn2ak/s1600-h/PICT0010%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PICT0010" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwuXn6KyNg-A0l0_BsI7LTUGm_x80brI31nG2E0z2QPP5Zrb812f452ITgnQnJxVauHxq_SJFvcG4Hr5M52J3rEXd2bWrwx2V2w8a4otGga0Q5zdQ6BHIKLukwyjDmaaCWmE5H8SziBY//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PICT0010" width="184" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjS7b7-yNzzGJzmGWSsUlftSA8u13sSyJUrYnjsyPZrnB14QYad1bWPELQ_ns6ekIsGHKDqFx_NuCO7tb7ncyIaMaOYh-O4obBen6zukmtwBPsy3GObD-z_NaRvJxnRcnj_4LsmwM-mXU/s1600-h/PICT0003%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PICT0003" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2WTCwIIgF73ssXrU1HkPW47wSMZUZsQmczJwqiydu9oAyYKwhDvAWuqOQw0zZTzCTUZjymR8n6Gt1N_t7in3YjvHFQE3ECQ8SOpCj-MwU-z6AzzapH8JTEn6E6Q7c6PgComzOBoWO8j8//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PICT0003" width="184" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDOcbJiZRIgVKdDtwJFQToTmyRLMzvMQaJTtfjXUD2tjBpxfHddMkdNS32cmsSB6InnmHGxbxIVbGmm-dfHvcc9HAHF0AWlToOta06SZKSWNQX-6hjBL2o8C_-dtqX7IMMy5P2u21_5A/s1600-h/PICT0004%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PICT0004" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54vo72r3lErovXogJ7DTOiGXZsrSZ57ezse5XaSzaKlPidCuqJ_Ql4KoI4fTdxJO1df4lMUCygSfwZC87cGsxxVOHxg60BKXIYGsscl2rhY_UoJ7ptGJ2BoYqwZMUym__g6PYqqveHlg//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PICT0004" width="184" /></a></div><div align="center">Oh and the pictures that have only been sitting on the couch since Christmas ready to be hung. Husband and I can’t make any decisions, so there the artwork lies.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggG06XbTMdWNVdLrRvpO6Crawa1uJzbU0HHsnD9yw_kdjqmW7apfdHkRDmI0VU6cQ0ODRy3xqqd6KMMBrM_0Swh46OJmzKF43uUtV6tl30Sh9lpXQ2PZuQus-RB_4q5zzEdRcwT5jseXA/s1600-h/PICT0006%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PICT0006" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUiG3U2Ko7dMg4nuk_4MdyHIzBK1pqclvQcyMIoiv_6adgVZyDKs9r5I1q8z9jeyPyMmaf_jQ4yez74guxtm9tv8C3Knj3f0gTQ_X-wcdDH36JR4n3YoK8PVKPChaMWbwme7F4_aYu9dA//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PICT0006" width="184" /></a></div><div align="center">Our solution to this problem was to put his toys on our three season porch. This has turned into a poor decision because it is –2 outside and it’s called 3 season for a reason. So, poor H wants to go out there to get his toys but mean mommy says no. So we compromise, and allow H to bring his toys in. We started with just a couple at a time, which rapidly morphed into this disaster of a living space.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIX0L8cKZnXXBFbY_SNWDnUmpwNlLhlwaMtzeHHIhvZiDuJZVTUfKBWfJyEdr3RExgHj0rHlJwsXp6l43zfFvWfuZzBguaYzSCZsZlTJT2eaFoGMe5eDiy8x9WUZggknr_GD2vKdn6yg/s1600-h/PICT0011%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="PICT0011" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNpzbjPbkKSZ9m_IH5Kc5O-6d09mR4yq5SfRB-J8YFadLUEP2C0hyphenhyphenjSS2puDB4L9akl_aIyUzxGW5rDjR2V4lZgz1ZNm2VNW5D6W3R0w0N_Yrx1UO7a9kVPRmklCtsw4w_Ur8YZOwF3k//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="PICT0011" width="184" /></a></div><div align="center">The toys seem to steadily crawl outside of the living room, into the kitchen, and all the way around to the stairs. Notice all my opened freshly painted cabinets, it was a very productive 2 hour nap day.</div><div align="center">I vaguely remember the days where it was only me and the husband to look after, but it seems so long ago. </div><div align="center">So very very long ago.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNNlUi4PIK8OaAgHptY2NPIDr06_yLdIyH0UlfDIC7CzcXPIZD-7LNX-TpCnDIWFmgqWQCUwLomrrBFtHvvGuIWJE4UfjBIVUnlQ2255ziq8b115uE8DfPtNzUeKUzneHhGOy5KNnryw/s1600-h/2011-11-16%25252018.07.50%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="2011-11-16 18.07.50" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Kmj1ZrBCMj89DZL72jbs7wwX4NrChM6_ZWmVa2zqIEJ6M6BikFIcJivBXu81e7P0QD7nmqImoIvf2UwNRqccG2TrNdi0amrVAbbKs5dZITQm3NcUUAVbzqOalrzDJ3LZq65LJLkfaPY//?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="2011-11-16 18.07.50" width="184" /></a></div><br />
</div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-82675086617270698932012-01-14T07:53:00.000-08:002012-01-14T07:56:35.409-08:00Mommy only weekend.<p>The husband is going to be gone tonight for my little brothers bachelor party. </p> <p>A little bit of me is excited. I’m looking forward to a little bit of mommy and Harrison alone time. OK, Ok, more like momma alone time. </p> <p> After that sweet sweet bedtime hour, the house is going to be mine. </p> <p> All mine.</p> <p> </p> <p>Maybe I’ll enjoy a bit of this, <img src="http://aux3.iconpedia.net/uploads/677166248.png" width="28" height="28"></p> <p> With some uninterrupted perusing of this <img src="http://icons.iconarchive.com/icons/fasticon/web-2/256/Twitter-icon.png" width="30" height="30"></p> <p>With this in hand <a title="Image from here" href="http://pcmlifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/wine-glass.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://pcmlifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/wine-glass.jpg" width="162" height="154"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Maybe I’ll actually stick to my goals and do some more posts and preschedule them?</p> <p>More than likely I’ll end up reading blog upon blog, and become obsessed with yet another blogging Momma out there.</p> <p>To be able to read that other mommas out there are going through the same exact thing that I am with my toddler is incredibly refreshing. Talking to my coworkers about their children that were born within days of my son always ends with me leaving the conversation worried about my child's development. Because their children are, of course, perfect and spouting off hundreds of words at 19 months. </p> <p>That’s where real life blogging mommies come in. </p> <p>They reassure me that those moms aren’t like all mommies out there. </p> <p>I love that I can share via twitter that my 19 month old has a decent vocabulary but that his favorite words to use are “Oh, Shit”. And heck, I get a laugh out of it not judgment.</p> <p>The blogging world has made me feel better about myself as a mother when I’ve worried that I was screwing my child up by <a href="http://www.chillmamachill.com/for-jill-at-baby-rabies/" target="_blank">making him CIO</a>. Thank you BabeChilla for this great post.</p> <p> </p> <p>So tonight I look forward to reaffirming my mommy choices, wine in hand, body on couch.., with this sweet boy tucked tight in bed..</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhKlmJ0J5nlN1rTNomgLbFgj9_Sb2t7EKgCLxKwBb1rabLbuirncg9VZx2ZZ09MGSZNNEfnhNd4ppLcIkTsBsw6HafsWoneKqnpLKGsdf1ExL3naQMAygtDk_Dbvju-X_5o9iXR6hB2I/s1600-h/IMG00837-20111215-1536%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG00837-20111215-1536" border="0" alt="IMG00837-20111215-1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHkw_c-6C2QhuVoO5gsgz0CgTQgaymQt8uoSAbLkdGLcLTCVaYMwKVxTxzdtqjvVGuF4wKOi7VdoPwdKzK5WsJa8hiqXleU6oqUwxgWu1dz2AG7o9xGvFBv5Fczayj_rTGmxdCFXzHaM//?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a></p> Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-85266059603055075602012-01-04T16:58:00.000-08:002012-01-04T17:01:24.447-08:00So What Wednesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I'm here linking up to Shannon from <a href="http://www.lifeafteridew.com/" target="_blank">Life After I Dew</a> with another So What Wednesday.<br />
<br />
(PS Shannon I love your SWW's, don't get rid of them!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-JEAbediemjknDWWEjTdoOfgMpLnZ_R3LP7sl5amy4DhTp587o0gmQVyY1ia8yWM4jvABFSRTihZKenOS9uS3nLzw2uJ6t94cUr8fqGkK765_SWBUnXC2HtxX5aRJjJP7j4D8WUeNFU/s1600/So+what+wednesday+button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-JEAbediemjknDWWEjTdoOfgMpLnZ_R3LP7sl5amy4DhTp587o0gmQVyY1ia8yWM4jvABFSRTihZKenOS9uS3nLzw2uJ6t94cUr8fqGkK765_SWBUnXC2HtxX5aRJjJP7j4D8WUeNFU/s1600/So+what+wednesday+button.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
So here goes...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So What.....<br />
<br />
-If I felt like not being the adult and acting like a child today at school when I found a student had deliberately put a tack on my chair. (Really? My feelings were more hurt than anything, I didn't sit on it.)<br />
<br />
-If I really look forward to the lazy nights on the couch with my husband, after H has gone down to bed. Sweet, sweet, silence.<br />
<br />
-If I only scrub my shower when those little pink dots start to show up.<br />
<br />
-If those pink dots have started growing up my shower curtain. <i>Can't believe I'm admitting that, Gross!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
- If I took some pleasure from the compliments my students gave to me. Nothing like a kindergartner telling me I'm pretty.<br />
<br />
- That I take full advantage of being an art teacher, and wear clothing with paint already<i> on it</i> to school.<br />
<br />
- If I have ancient sippy cups lodged far under my car seat. It's so cold I can't smell them, so I leave them there instead of digging them out. <i>Again, Gross! </i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
- I'd rather sit here typing than do the four baskets of laundry that have been accumulating all week.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So there it is. My disgusting So What's of the week. </div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-85267804212146763892012-01-03T17:58:00.000-08:002012-01-03T18:20:51.155-08:00To be a working mom.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I was a bitch.<br />
<br />
<br />
Yes, I said it. I was a "b-word" to my day care provider.<br />
<i>(I curse IRL, it just feels so harsh to do it in blogging form)</i><br />
<br />
I'm having a hard time balancing mom commitments, work commitments, and those of my daycare provider. That's what happens when you choose to use In-home care.<br />
<br />
My provider is a relative of a relative on my husbands side, so she's 'family'. I love her, I really do. She cares for my child well, her family loves him, and I do not doubt that she makes sure all his needs are met. <br />
<br />
I'm just having a hard time dealing with her inability to be consistent. This is her job, I expect her to be able to do it.<br />
<br />
See, this is where I start to get grumpy. I'm just tired of early pick ups, last minute cancellations, and last minute drop off's because of her kids games.<br />
<br />
I got a text last night at 8:30 pm. <br />
Yes, a text, she doesn't call for some reason. I wish she would.<br />
<br />
The text let me know that she wouldn't be able to care for H the next day.<br />
I only looked at my phone at 10:00.<br />
<br />
So at 10:00 pm, I'm left with no care for the next day. As a teacher, it is a big No-No to not come to school the day after a vacation. <br />
<br />
This comes on top of my sitter telling me (on the same day as our 8:30 text) that she wouldn't be able to watch H until 10 am this Friday. <br />
<br />
In the end it all worked out thanks to my fabulous MIL. But it still left me with a sour taste in my mouth.<br />
<i> (and a guilt inducing reply text from me that mentioned my"'scrambling for care for this morning and Friday"... I regret that. It was done in anger and frustration. Hence me being a 'b-word')</i><br />
<br />
To stay in a place where I know my child is loved, and cared for but is not always the most reliable?<br />
Or go to a center where I know they will always be open, have longer hours, but my child will be with a rotating set of care givers.<br />
<br />
So I sit here with a list of pros and cons, with a decision I thought I'd never question. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLe3YAc35TEeK_Tk5P4rvBZWqagaqbkgNrUzsHahu3oP3joCCZ0dGX-Z6timfaOaMFDtQ5VRB_y9IS9catFHyw3Kecnv_y6q5uVf6weG2_Lj_024s72odFXaylYGZdAn2GO6NT7qZaqo/s1600/PICT0032-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLe3YAc35TEeK_Tk5P4rvBZWqagaqbkgNrUzsHahu3oP3joCCZ0dGX-Z6timfaOaMFDtQ5VRB_y9IS9catFHyw3Kecnv_y6q5uVf6weG2_Lj_024s72odFXaylYGZdAn2GO6NT7qZaqo/s400/PICT0032-5.JPG" width="355" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Working and being a mom breaks me.</div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-75079364475026793042012-01-02T09:33:00.000-08:002012-01-02T09:33:43.264-08:00Well, it's been a while.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I'm one of those bloggers that is writing about the fact that I haven't written for a while. <br />
<br />
Typical.<br />
<br />
It was hard rolling back into the transition of work and mommyhood. I'm cashing in on nap time to catch up on the blogging world. I was going back and forth in my mind whether or not I wanted to continue this venture in blogging, and to tell you the truth, I loved it this summer. <br />
<br />
Creating and writing, posting, and networking.<br />
<br />
Time management, spending time with my wild man Harrison, husband, and being in my very first Craft Fair, took all my time this fall. As time went on the space got further and further from when I last posted so heres to a fresh year, and a fresh new start on my blog.<br />
<br />
<br />
RECAP of September, October, November, and December...<br />
<br />
- Had yet another birthday.... 26 years old. <br />
- Started another school year, as the Crazy art teacher.<br />
- Harrison transitioned wonderfully into being back at day care.<br />
- Went to the fair with H, and he loved chasing all the animals around petting them. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKcdMdzYtW_QArvIhYCQtohOtV8GJ10-vktT5tdsM93x_-Y_6gcshHN9A1gX0NFGg4OAZwHK7Kby1CO_ougnYAvmRHGiMJ2x0ZeSZjOPsqxbIk3F2iF8NV3d46pt6KAisqTB1Z_38fcM/s1600/PICT0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKcdMdzYtW_QArvIhYCQtohOtV8GJ10-vktT5tdsM93x_-Y_6gcshHN9A1gX0NFGg4OAZwHK7Kby1CO_ougnYAvmRHGiMJ2x0ZeSZjOPsqxbIk3F2iF8NV3d46pt6KAisqTB1Z_38fcM/s200/PICT0027.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>- Also tried giving kisses to random little girls in the petting zoo. <br />
- Went apple picking with daddy and mommy. H was a blast, was able to pick his own apples and the whole experience got me excited for what we are able to do as a family now that he's getting a bit older.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xIVShxMdbkXma7syABY93TCTqUL9IV-w7Xl4YJwayjslDxBSrwGDrGoAJaRz6DTYFxzDub9qK5XZXYHAWO6YIO-PCsh6nmCR6I8aKd-YQe9FAdxouBgEc9kYHRWmv2gGYYbmIy5G9Ik/s1600/PICT0046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xIVShxMdbkXma7syABY93TCTqUL9IV-w7Xl4YJwayjslDxBSrwGDrGoAJaRz6DTYFxzDub9qK5XZXYHAWO6YIO-PCsh6nmCR6I8aKd-YQe9FAdxouBgEc9kYHRWmv2gGYYbmIy5G9Ik/s200/PICT0046.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvzDUX1gfhuHroLp7q2rF2XUieFnl7TdU9R3Cs_Z4mkLMvLe3HDud-kUtuY-grcrq8ySyArQxdzz5ANlE-VzAKJxrbxZhjhrvi23-lRaa95z38FYb1ayt7Ma-7Ss8RShGwHx2UPegrbc/s1600/PICT0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvzDUX1gfhuHroLp7q2rF2XUieFnl7TdU9R3Cs_Z4mkLMvLe3HDud-kUtuY-grcrq8ySyArQxdzz5ANlE-VzAKJxrbxZhjhrvi23-lRaa95z38FYb1ayt7Ma-7Ss8RShGwHx2UPegrbc/s200/PICT0047.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7y1O05it8Myub2NiGS-jkW12Asd3RrzQd7fmACaEDu2XmfmyJUVKFbC_wsMi8daR3x7960KsZM2LL3uLkn6bzsXAhdonH8fzFodiADQVerLXMuqxu8KZNOp86K7ZVZLT0Qpc3vhyphenhyphenDcg/s1600/PICT0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7y1O05it8Myub2NiGS-jkW12Asd3RrzQd7fmACaEDu2XmfmyJUVKFbC_wsMi8daR3x7960KsZM2LL3uLkn6bzsXAhdonH8fzFodiADQVerLXMuqxu8KZNOp86K7ZVZLT0Qpc3vhyphenhyphenDcg/s400/PICT0064.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjME3gpq-SDmXYSK0lb0CdTnPPd_WjUAzv4nLJIH2MyWmDWyfD1t4uD6ztyjdXaPBsta10U-KFtXUE4w8jBm_XX1IRXHja521fDtP3q8uUYi1iofQeg8ePcyuFRVjX6cLKU4RmvkyablvA/s1600/PICT0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjME3gpq-SDmXYSK0lb0CdTnPPd_WjUAzv4nLJIH2MyWmDWyfD1t4uD6ztyjdXaPBsta10U-KFtXUE4w8jBm_XX1IRXHja521fDtP3q8uUYi1iofQeg8ePcyuFRVjX6cLKU4RmvkyablvA/s200/PICT0034.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPO_U9cLnR-c3pecJniTM7Xp0IP1aVgCpYY9ziWqE_RXc1D9QAe3IDXux77r23X_qXeHn0nFkuS45OpTxEOJGi4dDTe98OTVE53wTMai1lYxrVKqXpYd-43jaGBRHYBKXZ7v4hcjrpVA/s1600/PICT0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPO_U9cLnR-c3pecJniTM7Xp0IP1aVgCpYY9ziWqE_RXc1D9QAe3IDXux77r23X_qXeHn0nFkuS45OpTxEOJGi4dDTe98OTVE53wTMai1lYxrVKqXpYd-43jaGBRHYBKXZ7v4hcjrpVA/s200/PICT0065.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> <br />
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October<br />
<br />
-Trick or treating with my little Monkey.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-_99hDufoGVV98O9-jyeQA9kuaT2xVB3e4FuHGK7XvUsNX0maEdx_DF3SchTk-ZPgUBCwTOmZg5P21DBDHbWak4jaGJROWsltbSSMhXeRfeG8DdTLwJJUHjfr5PoDzN75MtHmGMUf0c/s1600/PICT0008-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-_99hDufoGVV98O9-jyeQA9kuaT2xVB3e4FuHGK7XvUsNX0maEdx_DF3SchTk-ZPgUBCwTOmZg5P21DBDHbWak4jaGJROWsltbSSMhXeRfeG8DdTLwJJUHjfr5PoDzN75MtHmGMUf0c/s200/PICT0008-1.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>- Had a crazy snowstorm where we took H-man out in his snowsuit to enjoy the fresh flakes<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNyXRN5GjkAUcV7TbZdJAbfRttx6saSoJvE5sV3SBvJ0ux17R_623Xkf93FdVCoPDES-R__drqV9V2pkEXasjOB16gb6njrHaBIqNVS-q2eoHlF-b-TfuOLGnKKtpgr-O5OMAcYGZeG4/s1600/PICT0035-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNyXRN5GjkAUcV7TbZdJAbfRttx6saSoJvE5sV3SBvJ0ux17R_623Xkf93FdVCoPDES-R__drqV9V2pkEXasjOB16gb6njrHaBIqNVS-q2eoHlF-b-TfuOLGnKKtpgr-O5OMAcYGZeG4/s200/PICT0035-1.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Note that since then it has not snowed again.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="text-align: left;">- Started panicking about the fact that I hadn't done enough for my first craft fair and set up shop in my basement creating away!</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br />
</span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br />
</span></div> November<br />
- Participated in my first Alternative Craft Fair. Deemed, Not your Grandma's Craft Fair.<br />
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Had a blast and met lots of new friends, and artisans. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEies73h-61MTDlQRytl1wb_ENksOcBBAWBa4Rno_WPeut0gqwCvcpLhvP8pGwgAS2a34mkWoidmQoiegQrpll0Bumq-1mF8UrcUCHrzhtPX2RoYieydOfw69ZRvgVbpWJrvqGUAjN7y6HI/s1600/PICT0015-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEies73h-61MTDlQRytl1wb_ENksOcBBAWBa4Rno_WPeut0gqwCvcpLhvP8pGwgAS2a34mkWoidmQoiegQrpll0Bumq-1mF8UrcUCHrzhtPX2RoYieydOfw69ZRvgVbpWJrvqGUAjN7y6HI/s200/PICT0015-2.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchChDcueJT6ws9soWrZ81Xr6HMDWbMFYQINzKc2YYNd8aL_wc_93ScDp7eWZrLgNNwLjRu33POU6DdlHwL-Px-gS_iM6I4j_OuN3B9yBuuBSyHdp_LYbQ0tGYWWL44xz87YCZHJlmsqo/s1600/PICT0016-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchChDcueJT6ws9soWrZ81Xr6HMDWbMFYQINzKc2YYNd8aL_wc_93ScDp7eWZrLgNNwLjRu33POU6DdlHwL-Px-gS_iM6I4j_OuN3B9yBuuBSyHdp_LYbQ0tGYWWL44xz87YCZHJlmsqo/s200/PICT0016-2.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdefjxv2SFHaouSLKMKDAFNScbuDIM3KWC9LfjCfErj5xTSwh6z6zkKLLD8aRGELrwy_wLkra0BTNqXcsj4uZlDKyoZjg0-_pUL7Qx58aBBIjHYZbXoO1vkGFnITcBvoqidaJ2pkgS0Fo/s1600/PICT0017-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdefjxv2SFHaouSLKMKDAFNScbuDIM3KWC9LfjCfErj5xTSwh6z6zkKLLD8aRGELrwy_wLkra0BTNqXcsj4uZlDKyoZjg0-_pUL7Qx58aBBIjHYZbXoO1vkGFnITcBvoqidaJ2pkgS0Fo/s320/PICT0017-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAru6sOJmckkau0F8LIHnlTDKHLQsXpyfGTgm7SzS2O_qMg7AjrlIx22hfMto_vvWORadzNY6LAnYBC2er6_JOzBa8WvB0OOCK8sbl8YKy2yJ2RA7mCdT3HcP5hExQ8VahsMIr6EWqdY/s1600/PICT0019-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAru6sOJmckkau0F8LIHnlTDKHLQsXpyfGTgm7SzS2O_qMg7AjrlIx22hfMto_vvWORadzNY6LAnYBC2er6_JOzBa8WvB0OOCK8sbl8YKy2yJ2RA7mCdT3HcP5hExQ8VahsMIr6EWqdY/s200/PICT0019-2.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrRDPGBm0fZ4FI9mxjWt42Ntnu0rP6tgWME9Od7qMjn4XdTLqdmeW7RzUZ7TcFVqLypcoPRCt7mieykWB8Tc2ubsEIF9f6rjAqzEJQq2aqNOOJ1uw2X0Xhh2CetRZX0iTlpD9s8hDqpI/s1600/PICT0018-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrRDPGBm0fZ4FI9mxjWt42Ntnu0rP6tgWME9Od7qMjn4XdTLqdmeW7RzUZ7TcFVqLypcoPRCt7mieykWB8Tc2ubsEIF9f6rjAqzEJQq2aqNOOJ1uw2X0Xhh2CetRZX0iTlpD9s8hDqpI/s200/PICT0018-2.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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</div><br />
December<br />
- As a result of the Craft Fair made a couple more Etsy sales. <br />
-Involved lots of planning and shopping for gifts. Created and dabbled in some homemade gifts including skittles vodka and homemade crayons.<br />
-Sent out our Christmas card with this picture that I have fallen in love with, and since have overused all over my home.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq8xDbpa66iB_DEH0vapNhcJbNtKmzSeQyMRXlrrcwvgMuCrL4yjGDWFLLyu5dZGQZfe2adTExcb2XoZVHm02zWotGqNF1JZixqo7m69vqwPHEmegbfN4sVB7eYw-bhisOmTxeHhV9v4/s1600/For+walmart+canvas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq8xDbpa66iB_DEH0vapNhcJbNtKmzSeQyMRXlrrcwvgMuCrL4yjGDWFLLyu5dZGQZfe2adTExcb2XoZVHm02zWotGqNF1JZixqo7m69vqwPHEmegbfN4sVB7eYw-bhisOmTxeHhV9v4/s320/For+walmart+canvas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
- Celebrated my husbands Christmas Birthday turned 26. Yes, I nabbed myself a younger man.<br />
- Had a round of sickness on our Christmas break. Started with H-man, moved on to me, back to H-man, then on to the husband. (and the cat and dog, gross).<br />
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So here's to a new year, with a fresh rejuvenation and commitment to writing this blog.<br />
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</div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-69056821882585809152011-08-31T04:50:00.000-07:002011-08-31T05:00:59.892-07:00So What Wednesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;">I'm connecting up with Shannon again from <a href="http://www.lifeafteridew.com/">Life After I Dew</a> for another </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So What Wednesday</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/j449/shannonrdew/SWWbutton.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">SO WHAT IF...<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I encouraged my husband to go to a friends last night, there is no way I would be able to watch Bachelor Pad with him around. (Totally wasn't worth it)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I'm letting my toddler eat a pop tart. It's our last summer morning together.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I'm a bit sad that I'm going to have to start sharing the TV with my Husbo, I love having total domination of it during vacation.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I'm still trying to get my child 'into' TV. Momma wants some down time.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I 'braved the storm' for some Pumpkinhead Ale, it was SO worth it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I plan on treating myself to some Pumpkin Spice Coffee on my first day of school, nothing says fall like some hot Dunkins Coffee.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-A little bit of me is looking back to going to work.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I am the one that consistently leaves the vehicles on little to no gas. Whoops.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-The reason I'm truly excited for my birthday is to have a guilt free date night.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-I let my kid attack all my animals,<i> within reason,</i> it gives them character.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-Words with Friends is my new favorite obsession.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">-My new weekend project is to devise a way to not let my toddler repeatedly turn off the DVR.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">That's my So What Wednesday, Link up and join us!</div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-24965612412254312002011-08-29T05:12:00.000-07:002011-08-29T05:12:13.224-07:00Make Yourself Monday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Good Morning Monday.... My last Monday off with my H bug for the summer, boo.<br />
<br />
I've decided to take part in Make Yourself Monday with Jamie from <a href="http://www.forloveofcupcakes.blogspot.com/">For Love Of Cupcakes</a>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/smilieoof/MakeYourselfMonday.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>As an art teacher I'm always looking for unique and different ways to dress and adorn myself.<br />
<br />
I've recently decided to take part in an Alternative Craft Fair to show my artwork and my goods off. In hopes to sell something.<br />
<br />
I've been really into these canvas bags as of late....<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Purse on a String" src="http://shop.hobbylobby.com/assets/item/thumbnail/147371.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>They are perfect to throw my keys into, my credit card, my blackberry, and a snack for my rambunctious toddler. This is the perfect alternative to a full size purse, which has become bulky to me as of late while doing quick errands. I need my hands empty to stop my hurricane toddler from destroying the store.<br />
<br />
I also discovered this clutch at my new found love, Hobby Lobby.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Clutch Purse" src="http://shop.hobbylobby.com/assets/item/thumbnail/800821.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's simple, it's natural, and it has leopard print inside. That was a surprise to me when opening it, I didn't read the description to well obviously.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So I've been taking these items and making them my own. I've been using my first one day in day out, and am in LOVE. I throw the small purse inside my big purse on days where I feel like using one of my many large bags. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Small purse with original hand drawn art" height="317" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_170x135.262936918.jpg" width="400" /> </div><div style="text-align: center;">This is one of the smaller purses that I happen to use day to day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Small purse with original hand drawn art" height="254" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_170x135.262905191.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is the larger size one, about 6in x 9in.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Small purse with original hand drawn art" height="317" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_170x135.262015082.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A close up of one of my 'small' purses.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Small purse with original hand drawn art" height="317" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_170x135.261985295.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Yet another small purse.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Now I kind of fell in love with this one and am debating whether I should add some color in small spots. I love that when you close the clutch all you can see are a couple of curls if you want to mellow the look down.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="Artsy Clutch with Womans Face" height="317" src="http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_170x135.262205356.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Artsy Clutch with Womans Face" height="150" src="http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_570xN.262205388.jpg" width="200" /> <img alt="Artsy Clutch with Womans Face" height="150" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_570xN.262205386.jpg" width="200" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Artsy Clutch with Womans Face" height="240" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_570xN.262205394.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As an art teacher I do create work of my own as well. So naturally I put some in my Etsy shop.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Painting of a Lonely Lady" height="320" src="http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_570xN.262015780.jpg" width="240" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As well as a drawing in ink.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Original "Sad Face" Art Piece on Canvas" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_570xN.260874074.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Now I do all the typical fabric flower headbands, flower bobby pins, and pins like many of us bloggers out there as well.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGVjcoG6N7T5j3QfZ_GWlZatCIR5Fpx2ZUDdsWke4nGOlgRuNxLDur70PWuAjFa0uRByxFSqS7UMmDfUfxhkfDg-JMt44yAmmbYQWY2sc6WoWGcq4vqOKxjYb8Aq82Jm9y3csiNvCV4U/s1600/PICT0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGVjcoG6N7T5j3QfZ_GWlZatCIR5Fpx2ZUDdsWke4nGOlgRuNxLDur70PWuAjFa0uRByxFSqS7UMmDfUfxhkfDg-JMt44yAmmbYQWY2sc6WoWGcq4vqOKxjYb8Aq82Jm9y3csiNvCV4U/s200/PICT0021.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN_0mYFuF8YNI4iriUlu9di92JxlZFumEd9ID6XZ-p4Q6uHxDjXgn_sd4pxRE7Ds41YR24A3UrExoX-vUqf9mgbFZFcQx1Fr_ksqoD3Uashwx8zSry7pqRqO2UNPsIvc3HzaNmEVfePw/s1600/PICT0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN_0mYFuF8YNI4iriUlu9di92JxlZFumEd9ID6XZ-p4Q6uHxDjXgn_sd4pxRE7Ds41YR24A3UrExoX-vUqf9mgbFZFcQx1Fr_ksqoD3Uashwx8zSry7pqRqO2UNPsIvc3HzaNmEVfePw/s200/PICT0103.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRl4hpRd2sd2C-HkIRQ8aRq18QX4UUxXnT3neGqyS-PfUvsXcXmCMQjoTRrwMwA4ba0ZMczI4k9ifb3pXrsKcsn4YMtTLDZYirbSnH61Z9pBMzDomCrsB9UwyotJuKmKK1AJAJP5Mrkk/s1600/PICT0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRl4hpRd2sd2C-HkIRQ8aRq18QX4UUxXnT3neGqyS-PfUvsXcXmCMQjoTRrwMwA4ba0ZMczI4k9ifb3pXrsKcsn4YMtTLDZYirbSnH61Z9pBMzDomCrsB9UwyotJuKmKK1AJAJP5Mrkk/s320/PICT0023.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93QiTfMfqZp-9M20aDTcpIVd36jpsHWz1ay-cYPxst17nHZy7YBFHsfzQUS9Slo4vgVdyh046iYGTDuqQlAHMajJrK0NCySEZ3V5flf-E31Nlht5kYxtyH3UWFRmUzmtabZWkm5SK1m8/s1600/PICT0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93QiTfMfqZp-9M20aDTcpIVd36jpsHWz1ay-cYPxst17nHZy7YBFHsfzQUS9Slo4vgVdyh046iYGTDuqQlAHMajJrK0NCySEZ3V5flf-E31Nlht5kYxtyH3UWFRmUzmtabZWkm5SK1m8/s200/PICT0029.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrkBBJuwlVWtnwD77jjae1f773uBqKM2z7ifJZVNBPtZLVoHN1DcdbV8zvWMOa1kIsRUQhAuTAzwr-UKAP5up8Cmtq0HmpK_rklXu2DWSqDeUCoNGHincOl-6PSAhcWzyQMTehmmmtEQ/s1600/PICT0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrkBBJuwlVWtnwD77jjae1f773uBqKM2z7ifJZVNBPtZLVoHN1DcdbV8zvWMOa1kIsRUQhAuTAzwr-UKAP5up8Cmtq0HmpK_rklXu2DWSqDeUCoNGHincOl-6PSAhcWzyQMTehmmmtEQ/s200/PICT0027.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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I also dabble in doing inappropriate onesies for babies. I loved putting my son in these... my husband hated it. Which made it that much more fun.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigx4e4DUjDJJB510RH4x4vEkvLXhDwj3mxSmP6du-hiunJ5wgdnBJfzHsbuPd6mYVRAMKupRpqk65W2Mnxel223xvQi9BO_HLkiTTqyVslYLRpMweguhqBi7TgbjrDBgjWHOpce6gAX04/s1600/PICT0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigx4e4DUjDJJB510RH4x4vEkvLXhDwj3mxSmP6du-hiunJ5wgdnBJfzHsbuPd6mYVRAMKupRpqk65W2Mnxel223xvQi9BO_HLkiTTqyVslYLRpMweguhqBi7TgbjrDBgjWHOpce6gAX04/s320/PICT0034.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbavxaPkMigLQIPKnSBCKC8PmvjHW1zam5RZbWr6eyVgR6DlsY6hEIbhCBtxNP4vujad8lyD3YLWcDEpW-8q91zTMd5NoY9QCynwRGFalOCKOLpy7tEVS8_7J3Yqvh2f51CxUoXHCAIQo/s1600/PICT0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbavxaPkMigLQIPKnSBCKC8PmvjHW1zam5RZbWr6eyVgR6DlsY6hEIbhCBtxNP4vujad8lyD3YLWcDEpW-8q91zTMd5NoY9QCynwRGFalOCKOLpy7tEVS8_7J3Yqvh2f51CxUoXHCAIQo/s320/PICT0036.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So I do a little here, do a little there, and you can find most of it over at my website on Etsy... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SwimsAtMidnight">Swims At Midnight</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Or you can contact me through my Facebook page at</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Swims-At-Midnight/131100003625925">Swims At Midnight, on Facebook</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm going to be participating in a couple of giveaways very soon including one of my own fabric flower headbands, and <a href="http://newadventure.myshaklee.com/us/en/products.php?sku=00015">BasicH2</a> an organic cleaner from <a href="http://www.maiathebee.com/">Andrea</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>Ashley</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-71960651911163250772011-08-27T07:47:00.000-07:002011-08-27T07:47:01.539-07:00Saturday. Morning. Scene.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I'm a bit sad about my Saturday Morning Scene today. Katie from <a href="http://katieballa.blogspot.com/">Loves of Life</a> is not doing a linky party this weekend, however I decided to post my scene anyways, due to my need to vent.<br />
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Yesterday, my hand-me-down dishwasher finally died. <br />
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I mourned it a bit more than I expected. I hate doing dishes by hand. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_SQln0kclYgvcRot-IFLhyphenhyphenhu5wnAUFG7S5lrmhMbj_OoQieyHI9szom4_jsYYM3UyE3809kQbJDkO5NVrFOfLU-C79r3QK7q4I7e8wGDju0-205_0Ls41kM5ohgda6kwZGUnxTegbu4/s1600/Dishes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_SQln0kclYgvcRot-IFLhyphenhyphenhu5wnAUFG7S5lrmhMbj_OoQieyHI9szom4_jsYYM3UyE3809kQbJDkO5NVrFOfLU-C79r3QK7q4I7e8wGDju0-205_0Ls41kM5ohgda6kwZGUnxTegbu4/s320/Dishes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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This dishwasher failure has made me grumpy, verrrrryyy grumpy........with the Husbo off doing all these side jobs it's going to be down to me to do all the wash. Yuck. <i>(Lets be honest I can't remember the last time He did the dishes anyways)</i><br />
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</i><br />
In the meantime I'm scouring Craigslist and Lowes to find a dishwasher that will make do, and won't break the bank.<br />
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In the process of sorting through Craigslist ads I ended up having a conversation with a<i>... ummmm........ </i> <strike>unique</strike> pleasant individual. <br />
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In our 5 minute conversation this woman must have yawned, I kid you not, 15 times. Now, I apologized for waking her (at 9 am), yet she responded that she's been up since 7. <br />
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It was just one of those conversations/moments where I questioned what I was getting myself into, and if I was in fact going to be a dreaded No-Show because I didn't want to go to this persons home.<br />
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I'm risking it, a free dishwasher is worth it.<br />
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</div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-72459686945800502832011-08-25T09:45:00.000-07:002011-08-25T09:47:03.159-07:00It's that time again.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliUtPn4AfOep5Xgl9zWKj5ZYjD1VbLz4PpfWF9uaXtOB7UlmqV_h2zBebOEWqccBEoTUX7CpcpqzXCNVcQqzRmkLXKq9RsgG-OtJ4T6j2PT1o0uVqyU4pkWMuxgwQBjqnH60qJVsik9U/s1600/picplz+2011-08-25+08.49.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhliUtPn4AfOep5Xgl9zWKj5ZYjD1VbLz4PpfWF9uaXtOB7UlmqV_h2zBebOEWqccBEoTUX7CpcpqzXCNVcQqzRmkLXKq9RsgG-OtJ4T6j2PT1o0uVqyU4pkWMuxgwQBjqnH60qJVsik9U/s400/picplz+2011-08-25+08.49.34.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Yup. It's that time. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time to continue renovations. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">UGhhhhhhh.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We had put a major pause on fixing up our house with major projects after the baby was born. We just figured that after two years of major construction, ALL THE TIME, that we'd give ourselves and the baby a break for a little bit. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We just barely finished the babies room and did a temporary fix on our spare room upstairs before Harrison was born. Now I'm getting the itch to get upstairs, DONE. Like 100 % totally and complementary done. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We did a temporary fix with carpet that was being removed from my in laws. In retrospect, who does that? Who takes used carpet......... oh us. We do. The disgusting ones over here. To give us some credit it was in good shape, in fact, it was refreshing to have one space of our house carpeted.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm44aFUY-N7ZT2WQBKkychem-cp-ZSW9VDbI4oRyMwB3JTx0D0qlUjuTAId18HDbTMp3BUP15SlQQSr31NTUyM7wm4u_ikASjUmzcY18M06nnh_WkkYYpIfyVVm_F7lsPVmIVOxKJe90Q/s1600/2011-08-25+08.49.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm44aFUY-N7ZT2WQBKkychem-cp-ZSW9VDbI4oRyMwB3JTx0D0qlUjuTAId18HDbTMp3BUP15SlQQSr31NTUyM7wm4u_ikASjUmzcY18M06nnh_WkkYYpIfyVVm_F7lsPVmIVOxKJe90Q/s320/2011-08-25+08.49.49.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Please note the disgusting state of the floors. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Can't believe I'm showing everyone the state of our house. To our credit this is our messy room. It has tons of scrap fabric pieces due to the fact that it was my old 'studio/craft space', and that I'm too lazy to vacuum </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So this spare room is a joke of a spare room. It has become the animals bedroom, which I find gross. I'm sick of layers of cat hair on the bed where I'm supposed to invite guests to stay, it's embarrassing quite frankly.</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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotAuMJxm3RAsLqAZ6WPnRnN-8s_QFiYhXBhGT0H6iD2WVFRKw6eqLv3XLwNUuuj28EYCDc5zo1H0FojH28hjg4Jm8BpOVi_HLgmcCyduVyZ_xAL__uActi2AOG4vzWAGxGTeoW2j3JIE/s1600/2011-08-25+08.50.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotAuMJxm3RAsLqAZ6WPnRnN-8s_QFiYhXBhGT0H6iD2WVFRKw6eqLv3XLwNUuuj28EYCDc5zo1H0FojH28hjg4Jm8BpOVi_HLgmcCyduVyZ_xAL__uActi2AOG4vzWAGxGTeoW2j3JIE/s320/2011-08-25+08.50.10.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Mega Sized Cat Bed. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHC-IBj5mYn1DlX0j6y9HeV9U0Gl7wVscBB1Vl-ZxULln0VAme_RdPuwn87KewnIghw_sAMsDWevQOBaqWNhInLixfFbrjUqgNtU2L74e47L_gBx-405L6pymTahU8xXr_J_VI8fCTsM/s1600/2011-08-25+08.49.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHC-IBj5mYn1DlX0j6y9HeV9U0Gl7wVscBB1Vl-ZxULln0VAme_RdPuwn87KewnIghw_sAMsDWevQOBaqWNhInLixfFbrjUqgNtU2L74e47L_gBx-405L6pymTahU8xXr_J_VI8fCTsM/s320/2011-08-25+08.49.58.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Carpet + No Baseboard = Superb Craftsmanship</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">When we first moved it it was a massive closet for me. It was incredible, but it wasn't heated that first winter. Talk about freezing your ass off after a shower in the dead of a New England weather, brrrrr. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiP1T91mv5XOOO4huoqVmxQllYP8t4cIDCLZnq094UnwLKEiq8_mMGJ5SXO9GyxMjI-83TldnkNHdRd4D8UsyVFk5DXOZ0h1jbaCUBw78yxMXFslC6m3YmhIQ9Mj-EXZW5OGHDqL2wR0/s1600/2011-08-25+08.50.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiP1T91mv5XOOO4huoqVmxQllYP8t4cIDCLZnq094UnwLKEiq8_mMGJ5SXO9GyxMjI-83TldnkNHdRd4D8UsyVFk5DXOZ0h1jbaCUBw78yxMXFslC6m3YmhIQ9Mj-EXZW5OGHDqL2wR0/s320/2011-08-25+08.50.04.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brand spankin new windows, and HEAT.<br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Hallelujah HEAT! We used to have those old guillotine windows which were a nightmare, and clearly had no baseboard heat before.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It took a lot of work, and a lot of money to get the other three rooms to a point of where we're happy with them and now is time for the finishing touches on this room.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglikzARdGpHvD9GpD5Ulelz64pD55HUbVdEeh9cxc4so6j-ztZdhz5Ow1NlsOdw4IsYWxBeMzR7ODOHLpBum8RdLi-poEV09vl-xZgLvIWPfFE2uvTa2HlRd0vaw9t350tGOQVFM-QIlY/s1600/2011-08-25+08.50.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglikzARdGpHvD9GpD5Ulelz64pD55HUbVdEeh9cxc4so6j-ztZdhz5Ow1NlsOdw4IsYWxBeMzR7ODOHLpBum8RdLi-poEV09vl-xZgLvIWPfFE2uvTa2HlRd0vaw9t350tGOQVFM-QIlY/s320/2011-08-25+08.50.17.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqN0t4kbLhRjKnB8MuxVQ1M9UlPaCHPcfLdlT7SCGE227TwBy54JdXTGbaJDYdd0TQTQl-veBnQXDPhYe2R4TU36YuJmFgUUMcNf97CH9MpWgnyyKB4LUFtlWJz6YPiIrcBFh3JsKQbs/s1600/2011-08-25+08.51.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqN0t4kbLhRjKnB8MuxVQ1M9UlPaCHPcfLdlT7SCGE227TwBy54JdXTGbaJDYdd0TQTQl-veBnQXDPhYe2R4TU36YuJmFgUUMcNf97CH9MpWgnyyKB4LUFtlWJz6YPiIrcBFh3JsKQbs/s320/2011-08-25+08.51.06.jpg" width="240" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have a lovely shared closet between the nursery and the spare room. I swear, people who built houses a hundred years ago did not believe in closets. We had to build our only modern closet into our Master Bedroom. I also use the term 'Master' lightly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsU76ncgA_0v9f2v9R06UwNX6XUXQ1sKmq42qE_H5VX3fgHq0HL6vi1mwZdJA2mLwialoilVKKAUa_EZwZRiSclH26ces1dI9iTRhDZrwuzsH5Wlar7KLyHC_XMRkwRSfreirtwgwObjA/s1600/2011-08-25+08.50.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsU76ncgA_0v9f2v9R06UwNX6XUXQ1sKmq42qE_H5VX3fgHq0HL6vi1mwZdJA2mLwialoilVKKAUa_EZwZRiSclH26ces1dI9iTRhDZrwuzsH5Wlar7KLyHC_XMRkwRSfreirtwgwObjA/s320/2011-08-25+08.50.35.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Lastly, the space between the two rooms. Baby, and Spare. This shows the old flooring that was underneath. The new flooring that will be going into the spare room, and the stunning green carpet that will be going curbside. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> Very. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Very. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Soon.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Now all I need to do is get hubby motivated this weekend to actually begin and we'll be one step closer to being done. Thank the renovation gods.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-56916986018093699992011-08-24T13:11:00.000-07:002011-08-24T13:11:29.076-07:00So What Wednesday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
It's my first Wednesday linking up with <a href="http://www.lifeafteridew.com/">Shannon</a> at Life After I "Dew".....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ss3-O4m0ZhTUIwWy3gWYgQUeDAxcVSxze5Yk3XvcWuqWI283nLR0Mxt-G74uGNLeBPO0wGuu3jGwkC0CpiKce0OqzGmaOyXmiwtAqeoRIMfDleArMKVT2NFLJLIVAwOJBF1sj046MUE/s1600/SWWbutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ss3-O4m0ZhTUIwWy3gWYgQUeDAxcVSxze5Yk3XvcWuqWI283nLR0Mxt-G74uGNLeBPO0wGuu3jGwkC0CpiKce0OqzGmaOyXmiwtAqeoRIMfDleArMKVT2NFLJLIVAwOJBF1sj046MUE/s1600/SWWbutton.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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So what if I walk around my backyard with a nursing bra on. It counts as a sports bra because it's a racer back.<br />
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So what if I've started making lunches for my husband, the last week of summer vacation, to only relieve myself of guilt for not doing it the entire time.<br />
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So what if I mailed my side of the family's thank you cards out first, if I'm the only one writing them I get to pick priority.<br />
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So what if I leave my sons high chair pad-less for a week, at least I'm finally making an attempt to get the month old spaghetti stains out.<br />
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So what if I just wipe a bottle off that fell on the ground. Enough said <i><strike>certain family members...</strike></i><br />
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</strike></i><br />
So what if I'm excited to go back to work. This Momma could NEVER be a SAHM.<br />
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So what if I decide that YES, we are in fact going to use my homemade laundry detergent contrary to what husband wants because I'm pulling the wife card.<br />
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Speaking of wife card...<br />
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So what if in the past I've always helped with the dog. I'm DEFINITELY pulling it out when she has liquid diarrhea all over the house.<br />
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So what if I totally bombed at trying to make my own sushi, just having an excuse to eat massive amounts of cream cheese made me happy.<br />
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Lastly...<br />
<br />
<br />
So what if I force my child to stay in his crib until he sleeps <i>or stays quiet</i> at 'nap' time. I absolutely refuse to let him get down to one nap a day. </div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-46759210141948645542011-08-22T08:50:00.000-07:002011-08-22T08:59:08.208-07:00My Goodwill Love Affair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I hit it good at the thrift store yesterday.<br />
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I love thrift shopping, it's something I've been doing since childhood. <br />
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This week I splurged a bit, <i>meaning I spent more than 30 dollars there</i>, which is a rarity for me.<br />
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It's my birthday in September, so 'splurging' at the thrift store has become kind of a birthday right of passage for me. I have to show off some of my goodies. Now keep in mind I had a toddler with me on a very short fuse, so it was a short lived shopping trip. He was literally shouting in the changing room because he figured out how to create an echo. Very entertaining for him, mind numbing for me.<br />
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<br />
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So right as I enter I always hit the shoe section first as those are easiest to go through, and honestly I get anxious that someone else it going to snatch up my great find.<br />
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I found three pairs of keepers this trip.<br />
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One for the baby, and two for myself. <i>Momma loves her shoes...</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJ7nWvRgV1ukDckBxpiyGAHk7_p9SlqW1KiMbfjKiG5wnqCbyVHKzUxGRp8jYWn_40eG6B2MHShpDvAnOjKPwbcMVvWNrkkCFprs5hNbcBmcbRUn7COo3uuedXlrqJzjhFglJ5bn99G0/s1600/2011-08-22+10.58.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJ7nWvRgV1ukDckBxpiyGAHk7_p9SlqW1KiMbfjKiG5wnqCbyVHKzUxGRp8jYWn_40eG6B2MHShpDvAnOjKPwbcMVvWNrkkCFprs5hNbcBmcbRUn7COo3uuedXlrqJzjhFglJ5bn99G0/s320/2011-08-22+10.58.22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> A great little pair of Stride Rites! Yayyyy... Perfect for Harrison to grow into, and at only 2.99, affordable!<br />
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Also, meandered over to baby clothing, I don't go there a lot because H has tons and tons of hand-me-downs and doesn't need one more article of clothing, but I often find great jackets there. <br />
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Point in case, Baby gap jean jacket. How cute for fall. 1.99 Heck yes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurE3H6JTeJMdl7_SrlncR9CAAdauQA_axOI-HbgOJ-0Sbr2zuO_ALU9cTWXBIlI0OjwkCYoVQ3LZFH9sifOsIQj47q1v3CWC0TFBUtMqSxC8Hro9CpjpoKAhPvFV6cGlPm939LHF2A70/s1600/picplz+2011-08-22+11.10.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurE3H6JTeJMdl7_SrlncR9CAAdauQA_axOI-HbgOJ-0Sbr2zuO_ALU9cTWXBIlI0OjwkCYoVQ3LZFH9sifOsIQj47q1v3CWC0TFBUtMqSxC8Hro9CpjpoKAhPvFV6cGlPm939LHF2A70/s320/picplz+2011-08-22+11.10.24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now for me. I snatched up two pairs of flats. One black, one shiny sliver. Perfect for teaching, I can't wear any heels anymore in my classroom. Not only am I getting old, but I'm sick of getting paint on them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i> (Lets be honest, my feet ache at the end of a day I'm. Getting. Old.)</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At about 4.99 each, I sucked it up and got these. These are to replace my other pair of trusty black flats, don't know about you guys but mine get nasty, due to not wearing socks. <i> Yuck.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrDPvTbtvOfESR0KebJTbAkeyhlEiCGKyuC1BlFr1WaJ9K8DL36sGCzSBTCAjoK2miZIPc9nVM6NA2NWE-FHzBwDVUOGGLAVEWzM9r2CY6WkD5L91C6xAdcALsTd4GOViMqYzwNFQ3Xo/s1600/picplz+2011-08-22+10.59.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrDPvTbtvOfESR0KebJTbAkeyhlEiCGKyuC1BlFr1WaJ9K8DL36sGCzSBTCAjoK2miZIPc9nVM6NA2NWE-FHzBwDVUOGGLAVEWzM9r2CY6WkD5L91C6xAdcALsTd4GOViMqYzwNFQ3Xo/s200/picplz+2011-08-22+10.59.31.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I then wandered on over to the clothing area, and scored myself a pair of skinny blue jeans (not pictured because they were worn asap), black skinny jeans, black dress pants, and beige dress pants. All for 2.50 each. Boo ya. I love myself the half off color days, I only look for the half off color tags when I go through the aisle. Also, a green and red spotted button up shirt. It's a bit funky, husband just cringes when looking at it.<br />
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</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lastly, my FULL price item. A whopping 9.99 for a dress. Something I ordinarily do NOT do. But, like I said it is my birthday coming up, plus I have a fall wedding to go to the day after my birthday, and figured the color was perfect. Brand new with tags, another big Boo Yah!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ601lXJrRR_l5RyZDibOBSASs_oagrVR1ehF3Dbhim7hDyTzn951gIvcU7vkVroQC3Gl0DmDtIkGl7YrMU5xeAgD4Rw-6HxH3ixcAeMwgDURTcXsRTpiiLrAfvi6_QGfaMoR0enzFtK8/s1600/picplz+2011-08-22+11.34.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ601lXJrRR_l5RyZDibOBSASs_oagrVR1ehF3Dbhim7hDyTzn951gIvcU7vkVroQC3Gl0DmDtIkGl7YrMU5xeAgD4Rw-6HxH3ixcAeMwgDURTcXsRTpiiLrAfvi6_QGfaMoR0enzFtK8/s320/picplz+2011-08-22+11.34.49.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHqgTAlfnsEVaT_YcNeiXL-bWAyFLR20oTAKJRtxfHWi743M8qADFhppsI0lmLze7Yl-XhPPIGGGLC_0xwBsZdXOCN5ecPuRgdvk6nJua9RsxNAHzNkhEmvqWrS3Z0oJpRIuvxyWpUfI/s1600/picplz+2011-08-22+11.37.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuHqgTAlfnsEVaT_YcNeiXL-bWAyFLR20oTAKJRtxfHWi743M8qADFhppsI0lmLze7Yl-XhPPIGGGLC_0xwBsZdXOCN5ecPuRgdvk6nJua9RsxNAHzNkhEmvqWrS3Z0oJpRIuvxyWpUfI/s320/picplz+2011-08-22+11.37.38.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also Has some pretty lace neck detail. Don't mind my unbrushed hippy hair.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-McW23RG1iBduTmL1o6JV-sHU-HJaksBuJNjVzN1jFOIIkkLXWbKKTPq-D2ZIyD0FNkPE7YF374TtsjaMkLwdfKq2CEcTV2nv_FGGXduiKcIhqMOMSmjydF6KXrb0KyjhkLRu7Pq6J9E/s1600/picplz+2011-08-22+11.38.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-McW23RG1iBduTmL1o6JV-sHU-HJaksBuJNjVzN1jFOIIkkLXWbKKTPq-D2ZIyD0FNkPE7YF374TtsjaMkLwdfKq2CEcTV2nv_FGGXduiKcIhqMOMSmjydF6KXrb0KyjhkLRu7Pq6J9E/s320/picplz+2011-08-22+11.38.40.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Brand new with tags, best kind of thrift store find.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fK4aUpqar_VN3uyox_N7MHTaRaPKOg5IakOJ-G-ntYDZOSQq3tOkdEvTCUxNbgAp44Y1SUv1IPafa7K_zZxQ-upOBaJcjkGgC6nm3lQOXfNM81Kfb1QKHK0wdyyI6rZ_dMclmneF1xg/s1600/picplz+2011-08-22+11.01.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fK4aUpqar_VN3uyox_N7MHTaRaPKOg5IakOJ-G-ntYDZOSQq3tOkdEvTCUxNbgAp44Y1SUv1IPafa7K_zZxQ-upOBaJcjkGgC6nm3lQOXfNM81Kfb1QKHK0wdyyI6rZ_dMclmneF1xg/s200/picplz+2011-08-22+11.01.11.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />
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So in doing this post, I was clearly bragging about my finds, how I was so excited I found so many awesome steals and wanted to show it off. Well Karma got me.<br />
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You know those amazing shoes I was talking about for my son. In the process of taking pictures of them I noticed something a little funny.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeM0-bndRSztQ7xnr4mEkHBSkJKanmWAzrBEq8-GkLthbtkyIu-M_eVfoWN8zfrIvc5yCbC5PnKmB350cbj-5IqMFDD76n6-mnzkCssfc_RyHJAifyW6xTXIih5vo7LskJhJbYizpA1Zw/s1600/picplz+2011-08-22+11.11.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeM0-bndRSztQ7xnr4mEkHBSkJKanmWAzrBEq8-GkLthbtkyIu-M_eVfoWN8zfrIvc5yCbC5PnKmB350cbj-5IqMFDD76n6-mnzkCssfc_RyHJAifyW6xTXIih5vo7LskJhJbYizpA1Zw/s320/picplz+2011-08-22+11.11.29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Not only are they TWO different sizes, but they are BOTH right foot shoes. Sighhhhh.....<br />
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At least they were only three bucks.<br />
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</div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-63152623134034719752011-08-20T05:11:00.001-07:002011-08-20T06:03:03.108-07:00Mickey Mouse Club, How I love thee...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This is very new to us. <br />
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TV watching.<br />
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Now this is not new to mommy, heck mommy could spend all day watching reruns of project runway and any other reality TV show that dominates my DVR at any given time.<br />
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No, no.... this is TV watching for my son.<br />
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He actually sat still on my lap (not even a bottle) to sit and watch the entire Mickey Mouse Club...... <i><b>introduction.</b></i> <br />
Yet I'm not discouraged. This is a baby step for us. One in which Mommy is, <i>dare I say</i>, very excited about. <br />
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My kid doesn't sit still, ..... E.V.E.R.<br />
This is one bad habit I am happy about starting.<br />
In fact, I don't feel one ounce of Mom Guilt about it... (How Bad is that).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXaLCZqhkc9USM-bEtT1_0H3ong3Cptm5ulgZ2OBYPD2-2tLP6I7taxu6_28hb5TFARaaFzug6jGA7_gRYBlQ__1FfQYAe-gphRu1Xl09_BLtyxWFsBmhr1GdzSyOhvuUQxl2pfwFSwA/s1600/H+mickey+mouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXaLCZqhkc9USM-bEtT1_0H3ong3Cptm5ulgZ2OBYPD2-2tLP6I7taxu6_28hb5TFARaaFzug6jGA7_gRYBlQ__1FfQYAe-gphRu1Xl09_BLtyxWFsBmhr1GdzSyOhvuUQxl2pfwFSwA/s320/H+mickey+mouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I can't even imagine the joy I will feel the day he sits still for an ENTIRE episode.<br />
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This is our <a href="http://katieballa.blogspot.com/">Saturday Morning Scene</a>, what are you up to?<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><i></i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://lovesoflife.com/" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><img alt="Saturday Morning Scene" src="http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww29/katieballa/Blog%20sutff/saturdaymorningscenebutton.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: transparent; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: transparent; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: transparent; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative;" /></a></i></div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-57433063630834647672011-08-12T08:43:00.000-07:002011-08-20T06:08:37.095-07:00Bad Mommy Week<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This has been my worst week as a Mom, Ever.<br />
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I wanted to yell at my kid.<br />
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He's only 14 months.<br />
<br />
<br />
What the Hell is wrong with me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Harrison is my love, my life, but there are times when he becomes the bane of my existence. Ok, I'm being dramatic but he's become a fussy baby as of late, pulling on my shorts, whining, or throwing a tantrum if not picked up. He also does hardcore tantrums as well, where he cries so hard that he turns blue, and passes out. Every time this happens I end up crying myself with my now exhausted toddler on my shoulder whimpering.<br />
<br />
As I type this post my son runs up to me just to give me a kiss. Ahhhh the guilt!<br />
<br />
This week has been out of the ordinary, the husband has been gone a lot, making me a SAHM. <br />
Making me realize I have no desire to be at home all day long all year long. I just couldn't do it if I wanted to stay sane.<br />
<br />
Which also makes me realize I have an amazing job. I'm home just long enough in the summer time, school vacations, snow days, etc... to get glimpses of stay at home mommyhood, with just enough time at work to get me out of the house. <br />
<br />
Going into my fifth year teaching art means that I'm finally starting to get a hang of my job. Well maybe not the hang of things....... I've gotten better at getting things done more efficiently. So that I can leave my job and be 'done' for the day at 2:50 to go pick up my wild man.<br />
<br />
<br />
But....<br />
<br />
Sometimes I find myself deep in the sucky trenches that motherhood can be at times and I have to realize that this too shall pass. That I need to Take a moment, take a breath, and take a step away to relax. <br />
<br />
I was in shock and bewilderment the other day at the park. I was chasing my son around with my mother, double teaming him on the equipment when I started paying attention to all the other mothers at the park with a child about the same age as mine. The majority of them were all quite visibly pregnant. <br />
<br />
All I could think was no F... ing way. NO WAY! <br />
Then, I think about my mother who was getting pregnant right now with my younger brother.<br />
(and also remember the part of the story where she starting crying when she found out she was pregnant).<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong, I want another. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0mbGtNKrWsEZYo1fWesowMQgZJMxmhKhK0IPHMc0UH5UUs-YXHc_ICkoLLttd9Lo-ZYZfat_jD-nzpeyYWvsOXyNm-xPkBlBKImdDlZTt6Y6J-ziP3tCkRciJlYdPhgwEYOgnf50DAk/s1600/Kristin%2527s+Shower+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0mbGtNKrWsEZYo1fWesowMQgZJMxmhKhK0IPHMc0UH5UUs-YXHc_ICkoLLttd9Lo-ZYZfat_jD-nzpeyYWvsOXyNm-xPkBlBKImdDlZTt6Y6J-ziP3tCkRciJlYdPhgwEYOgnf50DAk/s320/Kristin%2527s+Shower+028.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I crave this, the itty bittyness of a small smushy baby. </div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Just not until I drag myself out of this trench.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-53939291454612906632011-08-11T13:57:00.000-07:002011-08-11T14:16:56.447-07:00Balance and the Internet.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I feel as if the two don't go together. Or perhaps motherhood and the internet <br />
<br />
I have become a passing blogger, and 'tweeter?'...<br />
<br />
It comes in Phases, most often when my son allows it, where I can go on the computer for a prolonged period of time to type something up that has some kind of meaning. <br />
<br />
I feel as if twitter must have been created just for moms, who only have a small passing moment to post something. <br />
Where no one really cares if it makes sense.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Which leads to the fact that I've had a lot on my plate lately. </div></div><br />
<br />
A husband who is doing lots of side work ... which equals me being a stay at home mommy...<br />
<br />
A son who has decided he wants to push me to my wits end, each and every day...<br />
<br />
An alternative craft fair I'm taking part of in November...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">My home which we've decided to continue renovating...and so it begins, living in a construction zone. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">AGAIN.</span></div><br />
<i><b>Me thinking it was a good idea to do 'limited internet' through Verizon (via tablet trying to save a buck) versus unlimited, which has made me watch how much time I spend on the internet. Ughhh... BAD decision.</b></i><br />
<br />
Anddd.......My desire to be outside enjoying every moment of this gorgeous weather. <br />
<br />
I think I need to take a moment to define my form of "Enjoying" has become since child.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> <b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Enjoying the outdoors with a one year old </span></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Not allowing my son to pick up or eat gross objects including:</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Dog poop</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Dead crickets</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Dead animal gifts from my cats</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Rocks, sand, grass, enter any various object here that can fit in a mouth.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Chasing said child around yard with magazine in hand, my new form of lounging around in the yard.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Setting up and breaking down his backyard each day with the ridiculous amounts of toys necessary to keep him occupied for maybe 10 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lathering him, and ultimately myself with 10000 spf in waterproof lotion so we're both slippery all day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Which leads back to chasing said child around, the lotion only makes things more 'fun'.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Emptying, washing, and refilling water table/pool, and dealing with all the lovely bugs that accumulate.<br />
<br />
Trying to include some form of a nape so I can sit on my butt for more than two minutes.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Am I missing anything mommies?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now, the hubby has the baby in a fluke moment this week so I'm going to continue to lay on my porch with Sex and the City reruns on tv... A Cold beverage next to me...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> All the while looking forward to a work meeting tonight to just get away and enjoy a Margarita without having to worry if my kid is throwing food at the next table.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-17330583052090482192011-07-22T05:41:00.000-07:002011-07-22T05:54:28.210-07:00Sleep Sleep Sleep, apparently that's all I blog about....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I know sleep comes and goes throughout motherhood. <br />
<br />
But DEAR GOD, when will I get it again!!!!!<br />
<br />
Clearly I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown due to my sons lack of consistent sleep. Is it crazy of me to think that perhaps my 13 month old son might start sleeping through the night?? Is that a totally off the wall thought.<br />
<br />
I feel terrible, I feel horrible, but most of all.....I feel jealous of all those other moms out there who have a great sleeper.<br />
<br />
Just last night, he fell asleep at 6:45 for the night,...... in parts because he didn't have a good afternoon nap, it was a car nap that lasted 20 minutes if that.<br />
<br />
(Which in looking back, my lack of consistency with nap time may be a big big factor in all these sleep issues)<br />
<br />
He then woke at least three times before 10 with stirring.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to Hubby and I being asleep in bed.<br />
<br />
We brought Harrison in bed with us because it was soooo hot out. AC is in our room only so he slept between us.<br />
<br />
He woke another two times from 11 to 3 in the morning. I, being too lazy, decided it was just 'easier' to put a water filled bottle in his mouth. He falls right back asleep with that. <br />
<br />
I'm just prolonging bottles, and making it harder for myself later. I know. But, I want sleep now. <br />
<br />
So.... the Hubby gets up for work and sure enough the baby gets up too. At 5:30 am. <br />
<br />
What. Is. Going. On. <br />
<br />
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh......<br />
<br />
So my baby boy that was on the verge of sleeping through the night only two or so months ago has now regressed to newborn stage.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I <br />
<br />
Need<br />
<br />
Coffee.</div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-48368585922434876332011-07-14T06:26:00.000-07:002011-07-14T06:30:20.568-07:00Beach Day with a Toddler...Harrison and I went out with some friends yesterday to the lake. <br />
<br />
We had a blast! Even with nap times a bit off, and rain showers at the end of the day... my little man still did amazing.<br />
<br />
Now of course, I relied on a couple of things to ensure that this day would go smoothly.<br />
<br />
First off, I packed my essentials. <br />
<br />
-Around 12 bottles/sippy cups to ensure variety, and that when one drops in the sand I have another available immediately.<br />
<br />
- "The Cage" this thing has become a mind saver. If you follow me on Twitter you might have seen a couple of picture posts involving me inside of said 'cage' with my son. It makes him happy, which makes me happy.<br />
Plus, sitting inside of it with him takes some of the mommy guilt away. Part of me feels bad I use it the other part says ... Hallelujah!!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAq9Lej5ciigm_jrn_XJA9jNni6bZi6AAIriALzgp-Oput800uEOnDERjt-qK1qw1IKQ7vpZjD85urq2oU5O0sYqcNo76vWKt2OoYyFaCB3f4Ef4ClLIqVjEfCTFi6ynNF0iJmG7Gl9c/s1600/2011-06-27+15.20.48%255B0%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAq9Lej5ciigm_jrn_XJA9jNni6bZi6AAIriALzgp-Oput800uEOnDERjt-qK1qw1IKQ7vpZjD85urq2oU5O0sYqcNo76vWKt2OoYyFaCB3f4Ef4ClLIqVjEfCTFi6ynNF0iJmG7Gl9c/s200/2011-06-27+15.20.48%255B0%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qAkqWzruJ3F2p_FPeM1xQ56JUGN6qhcLNibeC3iXXVi8g3AYbst06JxXpFIEsQLhQ3t70N-JgGZhvhRuIT0xpFFt1EkZfhNVSLTFnFPDvnleGT7fl74ng6dnixb0xYWLwzH3_oEb-ew/s1600/2011-06-27+15.19.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qAkqWzruJ3F2p_FPeM1xQ56JUGN6qhcLNibeC3iXXVi8g3AYbst06JxXpFIEsQLhQ3t70N-JgGZhvhRuIT0xpFFt1EkZfhNVSLTFnFPDvnleGT7fl74ng6dnixb0xYWLwzH3_oEb-ew/s200/2011-06-27+15.19.44.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGJKUeMUVkv3-CzD5KPV6cREYfkkvnlH-HuuSHp2irlF-LvnqighqUazgCirZM8-CJ_dld35ifDnL4Hnz5lQGsXqZm1i5O6MRsfm4SL10JmexI4EpTeb494GnWh3rQlZO6Xu8w6M4cA4/s1600/2011-06-29+13.19.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGJKUeMUVkv3-CzD5KPV6cREYfkkvnlH-HuuSHp2irlF-LvnqighqUazgCirZM8-CJ_dld35ifDnL4Hnz5lQGsXqZm1i5O6MRsfm4SL10JmexI4EpTeb494GnWh3rQlZO6Xu8w6M4cA4/s200/2011-06-29+13.19.49.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSn_DCuQdibaeM0C6e0JlxvFdVzBRgtQF1lbpa9ZhfCyTNsTH9NDX6WhIfu342o0eOwYniNfg1HsL9LH3FUH1wWSqzKju_58iWYBe1f5VE6mfSLd8ubuOR8pmgz-Om3RNbE-G-Qf8HBqE/s1600/2011-06-28+18.15.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSn_DCuQdibaeM0C6e0JlxvFdVzBRgtQF1lbpa9ZhfCyTNsTH9NDX6WhIfu342o0eOwYniNfg1HsL9LH3FUH1wWSqzKju_58iWYBe1f5VE6mfSLd8ubuOR8pmgz-Om3RNbE-G-Qf8HBqE/s200/2011-06-28+18.15.22.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtwELDWvboqI4BOEHtJ_TafVvQH_QAPh7-B_QMEW12AT6-KnkEpvPapfHYV9DOwkruozglNf2AC_GMlC_qkAmhECAY0OrnOJy5TRf83-F45c5xbkM4PXkLtUUV1_fip_zJhm0bPv3JfU/s1600/IMG00547-20110704-1318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtwELDWvboqI4BOEHtJ_TafVvQH_QAPh7-B_QMEW12AT6-KnkEpvPapfHYV9DOwkruozglNf2AC_GMlC_qkAmhECAY0OrnOJy5TRf83-F45c5xbkM4PXkLtUUV1_fip_zJhm0bPv3JfU/s200/IMG00547-20110704-1318.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
- Radio Flyer wagon. This was a baby shower gift that I've now put to lots of use. PERFECT for dragging sheets, chair, cooler, and Heck... yes ... BABY all down to the beach. (Wish I had gotten a picture of that. Harrison piled in with all our beach junk)<br />
<br />
- Snacks, Snacks, and more Snacks... because of course he doesn't want anything I've brought, he wants everything your friends have. Thank goodness for generous mommy friends who understand.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0ljWK0YLVrUW5tq2wKWd8HMp9sGFA3FRv714DyJL5SC8m_6OZFq3ow7UhChM9q6O6kltefQz8GgjDCdAMZoW2aZSRNZ5vSxOjkOsc6tAcGrAaH9htdaewKQRT1NJMd0y5TcwHOXZZk4/s1600/IMG00562-20110706-1418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0ljWK0YLVrUW5tq2wKWd8HMp9sGFA3FRv714DyJL5SC8m_6OZFq3ow7UhChM9q6O6kltefQz8GgjDCdAMZoW2aZSRNZ5vSxOjkOsc6tAcGrAaH9htdaewKQRT1NJMd0y5TcwHOXZZk4/s200/IMG00562-20110706-1418.jpg" width="200" /></a>- Cloth diapers. Now, I went on a little cloth diaper break, and I've gotten back into them since I've been home. They've been amazing, and work 12,982 times better than those stupid swim diapers that they just pee right through anyways. The cloths.... termed affectionately 'clothies' by me.... slide perfect under a swimsuit and hold pee a bit better... and much better if I use the plastic liner.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So if I put all these together correctly, and the hour on the clock hits that magic spot...<br />
<br />
I get a sleeping baby in the shade in his amazing "baby cage" (I need a better name for my trusted friend, a more affectionate term...) and I get a very happy mommy on the beach getting to flip through a beach classic, Cosmo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyD_l85w7Az_2fi83Zw1Tb9Irh97E6LI_yM_mz0FoW-Za7cceHQHCbXvPuftWstvi8xR5-vWzD-KOwztS50rGU5Qtx0cWj5e7MtV3Qe4g_pxdufzquK5MdvAiOl4oYMPhX-voz4X7P-k/s1600/IMG00586-20110713-1349+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyD_l85w7Az_2fi83Zw1Tb9Irh97E6LI_yM_mz0FoW-Za7cceHQHCbXvPuftWstvi8xR5-vWzD-KOwztS50rGU5Qtx0cWj5e7MtV3Qe4g_pxdufzquK5MdvAiOl4oYMPhX-voz4X7P-k/s320/IMG00586-20110713-1349+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Thanks Cosmo for the 50 Sex Tips...<br />
That is now a section I pass through with little to lets be honest, No interest. Sorry Cosmo...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vmauu8rPFApRb3Pd-UQKTawYr5KwIqPl26p2FQhQAyRAIxk_OmdXF4H3w06i2iKSijR1bYM5HYVzGBl6HR4wQBr1tjX4EBSXKTdjiFxJ1ehAkj9l532T7zooqXr_EXV2f0Pabkovi00/s1600/IMG00587-20110713-1351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vmauu8rPFApRb3Pd-UQKTawYr5KwIqPl26p2FQhQAyRAIxk_OmdXF4H3w06i2iKSijR1bYM5HYVzGBl6HR4wQBr1tjX4EBSXKTdjiFxJ1ehAkj9l532T7zooqXr_EXV2f0Pabkovi00/s320/IMG00587-20110713-1351.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Ahhhhhh..... A relaxed..... Mommy. Brings me back to the days where I was able to read a full page only once.<br />
Not three times over.... and still having no idea what I just read because I was interrupted 20 times by a toddler eating sand, rocks, bugs, or yanking at my magazine wanting to eat that.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So relaxing time quickly came to an end when the thunder rolled on in. <br />
Packed the baby up.<br />
<br />
Gave him a container I was bringing back to Wallyworld, one of those cylinders with the powdered sugar flavor packets inside, because I figured the rattling noise would entertain him.<br />
<br />
It did.<br />
<br />
Surprisingly so.<br />
<br />
Almost half way into the car ride I smell this super sweet smell.<br />
<br />
SHIT.<br />
<br />
Pull over to discover this ... .. little cutie.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLlOSrC2bCHglg5V7LVjhXCtJD-fmaP9CUKdPfetc6JtREKwvrR1C4wivqmNotDmwVcGR7GOnBXyCGKj5SukMi7MLpHtq0_IIlAEJ-XcWTQmi6KUiDZyIn5ZsKPsbDvIYqJ6cs5iEBGQ/s1600/IMG00588-20110713-1541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcLlOSrC2bCHglg5V7LVjhXCtJD-fmaP9CUKdPfetc6JtREKwvrR1C4wivqmNotDmwVcGR7GOnBXyCGKj5SukMi7MLpHtq0_IIlAEJ-XcWTQmi6KUiDZyIn5ZsKPsbDvIYqJ6cs5iEBGQ/s200/IMG00588-20110713-1541.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm37bLoIOeoBt3BRY5rq94GdDlss1pU92iguTbHQqfBuc6Q79FzLREYsh3WOdmuNdyj6hA-_zbTglBHYcGHMS3Jx1cgetS8hJoTaWC9KZMN6xvBDQdT9Qc1KRdC_7N5fFbUmoRokYH4ZI/s1600/IMG00589-20110713-1601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm37bLoIOeoBt3BRY5rq94GdDlss1pU92iguTbHQqfBuc6Q79FzLREYsh3WOdmuNdyj6hA-_zbTglBHYcGHMS3Jx1cgetS8hJoTaWC9KZMN6xvBDQdT9Qc1KRdC_7N5fFbUmoRokYH4ZI/s200/IMG00589-20110713-1601.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
He and his carseat was covered with the red powder. He looked like the joker.<br />
<br />
Worst part about it I had promised hubby I would stop into the store to pick up dinner.<br />
<br />
.... Definitely had to bring him in looking like that, baby wipes only went so far.<br />
<br />
Just another day in the life with an active toddler, and a spacey mommy.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4154775372468877289.post-72606325207373500972011-07-11T07:06:00.000-07:002011-07-11T07:08:29.866-07:00Tattoos and Regret<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<br />
I have five tattoos.<br />
<br />
Each are special to me.<br />
All of them mean something to me.<br />
<br />
Sometimes they mean regret.<br />
<br />
My first tattoo I got at 18, brought my mom with me and of course it had the 'typical tribal' markings along with the design. That part of it I regret. The symbol inside, not at all.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovguKz0r2f0SD6NpMzayh0t7KCaRJxFxRbSp4x_J4qvXcp8Ya95RScmaVm9fYhYTKx3CFEboHuODYqTuf7enhTjM1tfm3-syc3ok7SUhl-JnZ5vOqo39QC58un3ALTn1KvYjL_3hK5Ss/s1600/2011-07-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovguKz0r2f0SD6NpMzayh0t7KCaRJxFxRbSp4x_J4qvXcp8Ya95RScmaVm9fYhYTKx3CFEboHuODYqTuf7enhTjM1tfm3-syc3ok7SUhl-JnZ5vOqo39QC58un3ALTn1KvYjL_3hK5Ss/s400/2011-07-12.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br />
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I love the elegance of the two figures, they are clearly in love. I got it because I am a believer in love. <br />
The beauty of two people loving one another, and all that other mushy crap. <br />
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This hurt, it hurt a hell of a lot. I remember the sensation of it going up my spine, my face turning white. What the hell did I know about pain as an 18 year old, minus the old self piercing of the ears.<br />
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Time went on and I figured,<br />
"Hey! I'm a pro at this tattoo stuff! None of my other friends have any yet, I'm going to be bad ass and get another!" <br />
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Enter regret fairy tattoo here.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vF6wGVtm49tS_9SZei1GaNDrL54ORLntbGgM6mxlO9tjopDlMg6EbshWizWU333kS5zOQe-jLurThrG_MJzINWvCokv6qGEUZeVD93r6nmUJzt7w_pqGmZKmxv7f75G891hC_eaL9xA/s1600/2011-07-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vF6wGVtm49tS_9SZei1GaNDrL54ORLntbGgM6mxlO9tjopDlMg6EbshWizWU333kS5zOQe-jLurThrG_MJzINWvCokv6qGEUZeVD93r6nmUJzt7w_pqGmZKmxv7f75G891hC_eaL9xA/s400/2011-07-15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Please ignore left over belly button ring hole. That is now done with, thank you childbirth. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wouldn't be cliche enough if I didn't have the 'fairy' tattoo, and the tramp stamp now, Come on!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(Sighhhhh.... my twenty five year old self grimaces at these)</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyways...</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Time goes on....</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Still love tattoos, and hell they're addicting.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Decide to get my name on my body, what will eventually be my Maiden name. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now this is where I start to put some thought in?</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I get this tattoo, my last name in fancy script.</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">R. O. Y.</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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ3HghfqklrM-p3ZyRuxtpnOh3fb559rC8iwPN2BxEAvAZZm_f2ULVguU7ZyWvRof3QxqmAO2eRAUXmzWuqg9FrFk6GDpoXaVpLAoNOP_8Fbx1Au1vDOvaeywopfOyfdJ5iwvAYI8jlY/s1600/2011-07-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ3HghfqklrM-p3ZyRuxtpnOh3fb559rC8iwPN2BxEAvAZZm_f2ULVguU7ZyWvRof3QxqmAO2eRAUXmzWuqg9FrFk6GDpoXaVpLAoNOP_8Fbx1Au1vDOvaeywopfOyfdJ5iwvAYI8jlY/s400/2011-07-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maiden name, now I'm Married. Perfect.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Now I love this tattoo, my only regret is that is is very very visible. In the teaching profession that can be tough at times. But, times are a changing and tattoos are becoming much more accepted.<br />
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</div><div>To continue... I wanted yet another, a quote that I live by and that is close to my heart.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLYlOFZ8g8fdr8tjGY41eYhIPLV_zQRnbWy5w3q2uOvN4DPt347xBEidVF84SWFJ7MoI5fXrPXT2gc_JScjUmrFdnIjjgWSIoM_0hdKEhQEWuKEyY5-otNUDmptf3Kdt91QGMfKblpRs/s1600/2011-07-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLYlOFZ8g8fdr8tjGY41eYhIPLV_zQRnbWy5w3q2uOvN4DPt347xBEidVF84SWFJ7MoI5fXrPXT2gc_JScjUmrFdnIjjgWSIoM_0hdKEhQEWuKEyY5-otNUDmptf3Kdt91QGMfKblpRs/s400/2011-07-16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div><div>"This above all, to thine own self be true." You know, classic Shakespeare and all that. I'm a classy gal.</div><div><br />
</div><div>A classy gal with a tramp stamp, and a fairy tattoo. Ha.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Anyways, I wanted it delicate and small.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div>One of my favorites, my mother was going to possibly get it tattooed on her after a difficult time. She's a little ink shy, so I got it hand stamped onto a bracelet for her from Etsy. </div><div><br />
</div><div>As a female, as a person in general I've been through a lot. As we all have... </div><div><br />
</div><div>But, I've went through a lot of personal struggles, identity issues, and over all self image crap that unfortunately still follows me. It's a reminder to myself to be who I am, and not change myself for what others want.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Deep, I know.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I had to make up for that fairy some how.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Lastly.</div><div><br />
</div><div>My back o' the neck tattoo. I had a hell of a time trying to photograph this one. I ended up with a blurry, crooked, greasy hair picture. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Attractive. Very Attractive.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqTdye2y-eS0Rn5AaqRPjyzvdS6llXoXibFxMiggF8Ym4C0WcNJ_zae5PKCfjeS5vkQPvjtomdeDgjjSri09hbdM_iAjMRIhGm6RSRItNUNyxt0bMUweUfuLR4ej7M26nZ4nr61R8TFI/s1600/2011-07-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqTdye2y-eS0Rn5AaqRPjyzvdS6llXoXibFxMiggF8Ym4C0WcNJ_zae5PKCfjeS5vkQPvjtomdeDgjjSri09hbdM_iAjMRIhGm6RSRItNUNyxt0bMUweUfuLR4ej7M26nZ4nr61R8TFI/s400/2011-07-14.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div><div>It's super blurry, but the idea of the tattoo is the birthday of my dad, mom, brother, and I.</div><div><br />
</div><div>My immediate family. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Well, I didn't think of the fact that this one is SUPER visible, and my immediate family kind of changes as time goes on. </div><div><br />
</div><div>People ask me if I'm going to put my son's birthday on there. I'm done with that tattoo in my opinion. I try to wear my hair down at work, the kids always ask me if I have phone numbers tattooed on my neck.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Enter big regret sign here.</div><div><br />
</div><div>So all in all, as much as I say I regret my tattoos ... Because sometimes I do..... they all hold some kind of meaning to me, I did them all at a certain time of my life and they've become part of me. Like it or not.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I look at it with humor, and I've learned. I didn't rush into a tattoo for my son, I'm going to plan it. </div><div>His tattoo I think is going to be another script like piece, as clearly I'm very into simple lines and text. Also, it will be on a more discreet part of my body.</div><div><br />
</div><div>You live, you learn.</div><div><br />
</div><div>P.S. This is my first linky party post, and my first time connecting with other bloggers so I'm over the moon with excitement! Thank you ILYMTC!</div><div><br />
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</div></div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17934532533116566343noreply@blogger.com3