Party prep

Wow two posts in one day?! I'm proud of myself! I'm trying my best to blog more frequently :)

Tonight my sister and I started on decorations for my baby girls 1st birthday party August 4th! So glad I have my sister to help me, don't know what I'd do without her. Visit her amazing blog www.lifeofanotsoordinarywife.com

We started on the vintage fabric letters an haven't quite finished them yet but here's what we've done so far...




Cardboard cut out of her name




Tracing the fabric




The finished product.... Well sort of, still needs to be glued.

Her party is going to be vintage. Lots of fabric and mason jars! I'm so excited. P.S. I apologize for my tiny pictures, I'm updating my blog through my phone at the moment.

Until next time
GodisLove
- Laura-Ashley

Sticks and stones

Whoever said "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" couldn't be more far from the truth!

One thing my parents ALWAYS told us concerning their personal relationship was that they never ever called each other any name. Wether in anger or even while joking. Stupid, dumb, retard, retarded.... Any sort of word like that was NEVER used in my house growing up. They had
too much respect for each other to call one another any rude name.

Now that I'm grown up and married my husband and I have taken this approach in our own relationship. I think MAYBE both of us have slipped up towards the beginning of our marriage but immediately apologized.

You may think to yourself, what's the big deal? Especially if your just playing around. Like if your spouse does something funny/ditsy and you jokingly say haha you're stupid! For my husband and I (which is also what we've learned from my parents) is that it's just a level of respect. You would never want to make your spouse feel less than.

This has also carried over into all my relationships, family, friends. The moment you "jokingly" call someone a name could possibly be the moment your friend or spouse or family member is going through something that you just don't know about and that name could really hurt their feelings.

So next time you're with somebody you love and you catch yourself calling them a name in anger or for fun, ask yourself, is what I just said to my loved one something that's going to make them feel BETTER about themselves or worse? I always want people to feel encouraged and better about themselves once their done hanging out with me. :)

Just a thought.

Until next time
GodisLove
-Laura-Ashley

A week away

This past week my husband an I went away to youth camp with some of the teenagers from our church. We had a ton of fun. However, we left our little girl with my parents for the whole entire week.

Raegan has spent the night at their house before but never ever for a week long.

My mom said when my sister and I were little they used to leave us with our grandparents to go to the same camp my husband and I just got back from.

The night before we left for camp my husband heard me sniffling in bed and asked what was wrong with me. I told him I was going to miss Raegan. I didn't think I was going to be "that" parent but apparently I am. Just the thought of not waking up to her made me so sad.

The first night or two at camp I missed her but it wasn't so bad. Then when this one girl showed up at camp with her baby, my best friend (who also has two kids she left at home) and I started to tear up while eating lunch. haha.

By Wednesday night I could not sleep. I missed her so bad that I got my phone and just started flipping through all the pictures of her.

In the past whenever we went to camp and it was time to leave on Friday I usually just took my time, said goodbye to everyone... This time I could not leave fast enough. Not because I didn't have a blast but because I missed my kid so much. My husband and I were shoving all the teenagers stuff in the car (ready or not) and was probably really annoying them cause we kept saying "LET'S GO!!!" haha

The whole ride home I kept picturing how our reunion would be. haha. I even told my husband, okay I'm going to go in first and please wait a few minutes before you come in. Because she loves her daddy so much, but i wanted my moment. :)

We pulled up and I jumped out before the car even stopped. My mom met us outside and I ran for her. She seemed a little confused at first. Like, I'm pretty sure you're my mom but I'm not too sure. But after a few minutes she was laughing and showing me her toys and everything was back to normal.

When you're a stay at home mom it's easy to get into the grind of things and the repetitive schedule that can drive you insane. You obviously know how much you love you're kid but you always think, I could sure use a break. But the moment you get one you think, okay I want my kid back now! And I know every parent out there can agree with me on that one.

She ALWAYS naps in her crib but when I got home she refused to nap. So I picked her up and she immediately fell asleep on me :D



I love my sweet girl more than any other thing in this entire world. I would move heaven and earth just to make sure she knew how important and loved she is. She is my gem.

Until next time
GodisLove
Laura-Ashley


- Laura-Ashley

Struggling to lose it

Hello friends.

So its late and that's when I tend to do most of my thinking. :)

Like an idiot I decided to log into my MySpace account for the first time in years to look at the pictures. I had forgotten how much weight I've gained since my MySpace years.

When a woman gets pregnant its such a beautiful thing. The big beautiful belly, the "glow".... All cute things that come with pregnancy. Minus the part when you have your baby the cute belly bump just turns into a sagging belly bump. And for a lot of woman, a belly bump that WON'T GO AWAY.

I've struggled a lot with my weight during this pregnancy but also even after my pregnancy. My main priority is my daughter so to find time for myself is pretty difficult.

To give birth is a powerful and life altering experience. And us woman are beautiful no matter how our body's turn out afterwards. That's just something I have to keep reminding myself daily as I work towards losing the weight. I know so many woman go through the many body changes of carrying a child. Husbands, don't forget to tell your wife how beautiful she is as much as possible. After all, she did carry your child for nine months.

So woman, stay encouraged. If you don't look like you did when you were 18, well that's okay because you're not 18 anymore. beauty really does come from the inside and if you are confident that you're beautiful other people will think you are too!

Plus: she's way too cute and so worth it




Until next time
GodisLove
Laura-Ashley

Hot date!

Tonight I went on a date with my smokin hot hubby. :) it's important to find time for just the two of you. More marriages would last if you would just make time to spend alone together and wake up every morning and CHOOSE to love your spouse. Give him an ol' kissaroo in public or how bout this, when was the last time you HELD YOUR SPOUSES HAND? seems silly but if you've been married any length of time you would know "hand holding" is scarce lol

Remember why you fell in love with your spouse and then do everything in your power to keep that spark alive!

My husband and I saw the Avengers tonight. I must say it was pretty good! I enjoyed it. And captain america and Thor were looking as good as ever ;)

Best part of the movie? When hulk was just tossin that guy around after his big speech about him being a "God" and the hulk can't touch him, my husband was literally in tears laughing so hard.


Nessecary movie snacks:
Soda



Popcorn



Candy



Our favorite spot to sit is sorta towards the front where the railing is so no one sits in front of us and we can put out feet up :)




Me and my boo <3




Until next time
GodisLove
- Laura-Ashley

Shots shots and more shots

Today was my sweet girls 9 month check up at the doctors. I figured we would be having to get shots but I was sad when the doc said she also had to get her blood drawn. :( the saddest part is she has no idea it's coming.

Waiting for the doctor to come in



So happy! :D

28 inches long and 17 pounds



Rolling around on the doctors chair...




Here is her playing in the water, it's a lot of work trying to keep a 9 month old occupied while waiting for the doctor.


This is Raegan after she got her leg shots. We're now waiting in line at the lab for bloodwork. You can see her face is a little red from a short amount of tears during the first shots. But she's a champ and was smile and waving at people not long after...



Waiting in the lab for Rae to get her next shots




They totally trick the kids with fun paintings of animals on the wall.... She was talking and waving to them





At this point I'm REALLY sad :( she's such a champ and had no idea what was going on.

After she had her blood drawn she was done. Tears, snot, the whole nine yards. The lady who took her blood held her afterwards and Raegan was not having it.

Her poor face all red from crying








And all of her battle wounds








On the way home she was trying her hardest to be happy but every once in a while she would make a sad noise.

She did so good though! It's heartbreaking when they have no idea whats happening. But now she is snoozing away after we rough afternoon





Until next time
GodisLove
-Laura-Ashley

Blow up!

Hey friends!

I sincerely apologize for the lack of posts lately... Having a 9 month old who can now "roam" wherever he wants to is a full time job AND THEN some ;)

My mother in law bought Raegan this kiddie pool yesterday...



*side note: the lady on the box with the baby is CLEARLY the babysitter... No woman looks THAT good after giving birth. And if you do? Well then, you go girl!

Anyways, I was trying to sit and have a moment to myself this morning and my sweet daughter was ALL over the place and into EVERYTHING. The pool was sitting in the box on the couch so I had a thought: if I blow it up and put her in it, it can double as a distracting toy AND a cage?!

GAME ON!

So here's how it went down in pictures.

20lb. pre-blow up leg work out...




My plan is ALREADY working, trying to play on it and I haven't even come close to finishing blowing it up...





Uhhhh can I help you?!





SUCCESS!!!!

















Uh oh, she's trying to escape!!!




Nothing cartoons and apple juice can't fix...





This plan was genius. Not only did I get a minute to relax but I managed to clean the WHOLE house while she played in it!

Now I want to go to Walmart and get come plastic balls to put in it to make a ball pit!

:) fun times.

Thanks for stopping bye
GodisLove
-Laura-Ashley