{1sts...}

Today... I'm hanging out with my sweet A-man! Who just happened to have learned how to ride his big-boy-bike last night- yeah!!!!!!! Did y'all hear me cheering in Indiana? His buttons were busting & so were mine & Prissy's. Joey drove up just in time to see him in action! I love seeing them do "1sts"! It is a joy that just can't be expressed...

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I {finally} joined Pinterest! Drop by and see me & let me know how to follow you as well PLEASE!!! I saw this on my search for the perfect cake- {details to come}... It's she fabulous? YES- she is!!!!!!

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.... and I'm looking for one of these beauties! So if you see one- let me know.

{happy birthday Cooner!}

Today is my precious, fun-loving, & beautiful mother {affectionately known as "Cooner"} 's birthday. And while we celebrated when she was here earlier this month, the kiddos wanted to do something special for her on her "real day" too....

1st- the A-man wanted to bake a cake {and eat it for her:) }....

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Then we tried writing her name in sparklers....

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Next Prissy spelled out her name in beads- cause we have about 999,999 of them {thanks to Cooner}!!

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Then in leaves....

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Then in candy....

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Then in golf balls- another A-man idea....

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Finally we know how much she LOVES the beach- so we used sand!!!

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But... then my phone went dead, the App was NO more, & the fun was over!!! I think y'all see where she stands with us- we ADORE the woman!!! Hope you have a splendoriphic day sweet Cooner!!!!!!

{no apologizes no excuses..}

In this season of my life.... I do NOT apologize for my parenting. I am just trying to do "the next right thing" by them & that may offend at times & that's OKAY. I spend less $ & time on myself- I'm sure you'd agree if you knew me before the the kiddos. I love with reckless abandonment & want them to love the same way! I choose my words carefully, because I will be hearing them again someday soon.. this I'm learning daily- YIKES. I cook only 1 meal for dinner & insist they try EVERYTHING {gasp}. I do not try to be buddies with them because they already have buddies... I listen more & ask more questions. If they try not to tell me about their days- I find a way to get the details out & I'm not above tickling. I encourage them ANY chance that I get- some would say that makes weak people- I say.... in the words of my Grandpa Hayes "no apologies no excuses- I'm just Ashly!" And.... I build a LOT of Legos, make up completely goofy songs about just about anything to hear them laugh, & when I get them out of the bath- I rock them like babes in their towels as long as they want!!! And it's my pleasure!

...and the people said "AMEN!"

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...and I've also learned that clearance chocolate tastes just as good as full price! I picked up these cute little tools & make-up chocolates @ Tj Maxx {no surprise} for 70 cents/8 pack after V-day. They were adored by ALL!!!

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and.. Star Wars ships can be made out of anything from pine cones to school supplies!!!

{cozy comforts...}

We are coping {ever so slowly} to life here without our precious house guest- Cooner! She swooped in & tempted us with life's pleasures that we became accustomed to. Did y'all know that homemade bread can be made DAILY? Or that desserts should be made {from scratch} DAILY? Or that Spa days can happen outside of the Pinehurst Spa DAILY? We now know that they can.... and we want MORE!!!!!

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Our house was so cozy with her here...

We got use to the wonderful smell of bread raising by the fire!!

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And she helped me with SO many things that I cannot begin to tell you. She does little things like: clean my earrings that I never take out & baseboards & windows & deep tissue massages to my neck- she has always known right where I need it. I guess that's what makes her mine!! And did I mention she can sew? She can- and OH how she did!!!!!!!!!

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We gave the guest room/office bed a little makeover. I wanted to incorporate some grey into it- so she did. She made this patchwork duvet cover that makes me want to spend the night here too!!!

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... and a bed skirt to boot. Are we the only 2 women that believe that you MUST have one? Please tell me the bed skirt is NOT dead?

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I love it so much more that anything we saw in the stores, in the magazine, or on-line!!!

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I know our future guests will too! THANK YOU sweet Cooner!!!

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And I found this old map while we were treasure hunting. It had been pretty neglected with water damage to the matte & in a yucky gold gilded frame. But, it was on canvas & I had never seen one this big on canvas for less than $50. It was $10- So I rescued her!

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Cooner cleaned her, I painted the matte & frame, then Joey distressed her. She resided in the hallway for now, until Catherine comes & advises me..... I love the colors.... & she might be my favorite 10 bucks that I've ever spent!!

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But... as much as we hate to admit it.... We have NO pride & are counting down the days until she comes again... And makes icing & lets A-man lick the mixer whisk or takes naps with the A-man or plays Legos with the A-man or .... does anything else that the Prince asks of her!!!

{happy V-day Joey..}

Today I'm helping out with both of the kiddo's class parties- busy BUSY! But I had to show you the little Valentine I made for my sweet husband. A Snellen eye chart of course that says-

"I love you Joey grow old with me ~A~".

Those were the last words in my wedding vows that I wrote for him. So today I'm reminding him of that & how I love him more than any wife ought to be allowed!!!!!!

Happy

Valentine's

Day!

XXOX

{Prissy's Valentine...}

Well trying to out-do our previous years Valentine is proving to be harder & harder. This year we decided to make something edible! After all, every party needs an animal???

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We decided on these little critters from Martha's website. We picked up some kisses, yarn, pink felt, pompoms, & google eyes {actually just the kisses- sadly had everything else..}. First we glued on the little noses.

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Next the tails- carefully unwrap the foil, tuck inside, & wrap in back around the yarn.

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Then cut out some felt hearts for ears & add them between the 2 kisses.

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Add the eyes... She liked the bigger ones!

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TA DA!!!!!!!

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Did I mention that I {heart} 8 yr olds as much as 4 yr olds???

I do!!!

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I couldn't think of anything corny clever to write on them.... I thought about "Rodent you be mine?" or "You're so mice Valentine"? Then Prissy swooped in & said, "Momma how about Cheese be mine?" "PERFECT- my love" I said! And that's just what we did!!!

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We put them into some fun little pink frilly favor boxes {cause presentation is 90%- right?}.

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And added some conversation rings that we made here. The boys got some Star Wars chocolate coins & the girls got... well lip gloss of course! Prissy wouldn't have it any other way & besides I found them after Christmas on clearance for 20 cents each!!!!!!

{A-man's Valentine...}

Hot off the printer.... they are done! This year we went with Star Wars themed valentines {NO surprise I'm sure}. I first semi-homemade this one with photo shop & copy/paste. I knew we wanted to use glow sticks=light sabers. They turned out cute- A-man LOVES them! I cut a little hole & slipped a glow stick right into Yoda's hand. And corny is just cute- so of course "YODA one for me!" seemed brilliant beyond brilliant....

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Then I found this little template {I forget where it's from}. It's simple & cute as can be! I minimized it to fit a few onto one page of card stock.

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Then added some glow sticks from Michaels {$1.00 for 15}. I cut a little slit & taped the glow stick into place on the back.

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I think they are even cuter {and used WAY less printer ink}!!! And.. he got to write his own name- which is pretty precious to me. Have I mentioned lately that I {heart} 4 yr olds? I do!!!

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I found some star wars coins to go along with them. My A-man is beside himself for his class party.....

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All-in-All I'd say he's peeking- Star Wars Valentines, Star Wars chocolate, Star Wars in the theater this weekend in 3D, new Star Wars Legos this week, & Cooner is here!

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All is right in the republic!!!!!!

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P.S. I met up with my sweet BUNCO girls last night! Lauran hosted at her new beautiful house & made us food that was out of this world- recipes to come I PROMISE! I haven't laughed that loud that long in I can't tell you how long!!!!! THANK YOU Lauran, Susan, Char, Mel, Tracy, Michelle, Kim, Konni- I can't wait to do it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!