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I am back up and running on my family blog, much easier than running two blogs! HA HA Thank you for being patient and understanding.

The Best Way to Remove Nail Polish From Hair.

Whelp I never thought I would ever need to know this turns out its just another one of those need to know mom to two girl things! To be honest its all my fault, Saturday after a round of painted nails instead of cleaning up I vegged out snacking and watching movies, completely leaving the polish out on the bathroom sink.

Fast forward to this COLD Monday morning, Brooke found said polishes and proceed to paint McKennas nails. If you know anything about a 21 month old wet nails are a bad idea! Purple everywhere, cloths, carpet, skin HAIR!!

Baby M has not had a single hair cut not even a trim yet, so mama was panicked. Turning to Facebook for suggestions and on the verge of tears. this is what worked for us... IT WAS AMAZING easy and clean (I really did not want more of a mess)

First I covered it in baby oil careful to only cover the  spot with the nail polish, then with one of my eyelash brushes I use the throw away kind so it was clean, i slowly brushed out the polish. combined with the oil it came out super smoothly.

 After all the polish was out i worked in a bit of dawn dish soap to break down the oil and gave her a bath making sure to  wash and condition the oiled part!

When it cam time to blow dry her hair you would have never known that she had ever had nail polish in there at all! No need for her first hair cut, YET! 

Monday makeover

So it's that time already and I'm beginning to notice that this is already becoming very blah for me so I thought I would step it up a notch with a challenge for myself each week. A sort of out of the box challenge. So this week I'm challenging myself and anyone else to throw away their elastics!!

I literally wear my hear up 6 out of the 7 days of the week, so this next week I'm going to try and keep my hair down all week....we will see!

My outfit this past week....

Makeover Monday err Friday!

Please excuse my lateness and lack of promised posts! Our home computer keeps crashing on us and each time I get it up and running I am out of energy to do much more than return emails and back up my newest set of pictures, just in case. I hope to get a new computer soon. Until then I promise to try harder to get posts up even if that means pushing back my new 9pm bed time....OHHH so tired these days!

Week 4

 Top; world market, Shoes; Old Navy, Bottoms; Express. And yes they went strait into the sale pile after this! I'm just having a hard time letting go of my clothes, even if they are to big!

My necklace was a gift, and get used to seeing my hair pinned up.... result of a bad hair cut! womp womp!

Family pictures 2013

So I was going to post these on my other blog because they are from 2013 but I love them.

 Quick story back in September or August, I cant really remember now. I had a photographer set up to take family pictures for us and Kevin's family in October. (It can be hard to catch everyone off on the same day)

Well a few days before I found out about some scheduling conflicts, I tried to find another photographer last minute but you know how those things go. Ultimately the grumps in me decided not to have family pictures done at all!! (The first time since 2009)

As soon as I got the first Christmas card in the mail, I changed my mind, they needed to be done THAT weekend!!! Meaning Kevin and I would have to get creative.

I was pleasantly surprised with what we got. I am no Photographer, and you bet next year I will have a back up but I love how relaxed we are In these photos (something that is very hard to do in front of a stranger)

"Mommy" Makeover Mondays!

One of my resolutions this year was to become happier with my appearance And before you start singing your own version of Carly Simon's You're so vain, Hear me out! 90% of the time I LEAVE the house in a pony tail with a tee shirt and my oh so very favorite pair of black sweat pants. Yes, I'm comfortable but I am not as Confident as I should be.

I want to be a confident role model for my daughters, and the only thing holding me back before was A) laziness and B) a lack of knowledge when it comes to styling myself and knowing what to wear. Nether one of those things should or will hold me back!

So if you choose to follow along with Makeover Mondays, please remember that this is a journey for me. I am working towards the goal of positive self image, and if you yourself struggle (or just want to) feel free to join in and link up!!! I would absolutely love to see your outfits too.

 -hopefully the link up will work next week :)

Here we go week 3

 (Pictures and post for weeks 1 and 2 to Follow)

This week I didn't have many pictures, I was running really late for a baby shower and my photographer aka Kevin was not in to taking pictures.

Not sure how to do these but here goes; Everything is from Old Navy! Whew that was hard! I never planned it that way it just did. I was really looking forward to trying out "Boyfriend" jeans, everyone is always raving about them. So far my experience has been a headache.

First I ordered these from old navy in a size 4, I never know with Old Navy bottom what size to get so I go bigger in case. When they arrived the 4 was to big so I exchanged them for a 2 at the store, but even the 2 was big! I know the are supposed to fit baggy/ comfortably but should they be falling down? Someone help! Do I go down a size Or do I need to look into getting a butt job! Curse my flat rear end, lol

Good Bye Mr. Pup Pup, Hello Pretty Kitty

OK so Mr. Pup Pup has been with us since Brooklyn was little, at some point after McKenna turned one Brooke passed down Mr. Pup to Kenna, no worries Brooke still has Foxy, Sprinkles, Clifford, Blue pup.....you see where I'm going right?

 While Brooklyn has an attachment to all her lovies McKenna only likes a handful three to be exact! Bebe (a puppy) Crusty pup and the King of all loves her beloved Mr. Pup Pup! I never get a say in the names, Its mostly all Brooklyn, And I just noticed that they where all dogs HA! Anyway while she plays with the others she will only sleep with and cuddle Pup Pup, So Imagine my surprise two days ago when he went missing FROM OUR HOUSE!

After a little investigation and ONE VERY GUILTY boxer, Mr Pup had met his doom :(  We tried everything for two nights but ultimately my baby fell asleep in daddy's arms crying for her beloved pup.

This morning I couldn't take it any longer, I took McKenna to Build a bear figuring if anyone would have a replacement it would be them.

I wanted to let her pick whichever animal she wanted, but of course she picked the same cat sissy had just got Monday at a birthday party. I spent ten minutes trying to talk her out of it before I remembered why I was there to begin with.

Yes, I think she will work.

 Listening to sounds, and picking out a very special heart for pretty kitty.

 Time for a bath!

 Big cuddles! and yes pretty kitty did make it out with some BIG GIRL panties :) Hopefully she will help Kenna remember to go potty.

Later that night McKenna spiked a fever and Pretty Kitty got a chance to jump in to action! Also Kenna bug went to sleep no problems.

H54F

So While I wait for files to upload I will finish my H54F. So seriously all week i was looking forward to this but then life got in the way, as you can see by my procrastination on finishing my blog! The page will be done soon I HOPE!

Anyway I can not post a picture (yet) of number uno but I'm so happy to have a final draft of a baby shower invite sent off to the printers ready to be picked up in the morning....seriously folks its like 50+ invites and I had to change it over 8 times, But its pretty perfect!

Number 2,
Saturday the 4th I finally got to meet Lauren in person! Not only that, but she made me this adorable WREATH!!!! She does an amazing job, and I have already scouted out some of her others to buy later on :)

#3

Wednesday: I headed back to work, I know you can't see these sweet faces but trust me they are enough to make the top 5.

 #4
Thanks to pinterest, and my rather large nail polish obsession no Barbie will ever go naked in this house again!

 NUMBER 5!!!!!
I most certainly saved the best for last (and possibly a separate post too) We have FINALLY replaced pup pup!!!! Long post on the life and how we lost pup pup to follow soon!

Operation Organization

One of my many new years resolutions was to become MUCH more organized!. You can read about my resolutions HERE.

I knew that in order to become organized I would have to have a plan, as my many attempts before have failed, so off to pinterest it was. After pinning a seemingly crazy amount of pins and reading most of them, I have come up with a plan of attack. One I feel will benefit me the most.

• Phase one;
• First off divide and conquer: I know for this to work for me each room needs to be completely clean. So for this phase I plan deep cleaning each individual room and clearing out any and all unnecessary items. My goal time for phase one is one-two months, as some rooms will be more difficult.
• Phase two;
• This may seem as a little repetitive to the first phase but in this phase I plan on clearing out and organizing each desk, cabinet, and self in every room. Again because of the size of the room (ie. garage) and the fact that while doing this all I will also continue with my everyday life, as well as trying to fulfill other resolutions. I expect this to take three months (about one room a week)
• Phase three
•  After reading several blogs I think that several of the 30 days to an organized house would be very helpful to me, so after I have done all I can to organize my house I will be completing a few of these challenges. (hey you can never know too much right?!?!)
• Phase four
• The phase I'm most looking forward to! Maintenance :) I am very hopeful that after all my organization is complete we (yes I'm forcing the entire family to help) can keep up a clean and organized house.

Also along the way I will be posting fun diy projects and any helpful tips I find for keeping an organized household.

2014 Resolutions and a DIY

I love reading other peoples resolutions, but normally each year I myself cannot think of much more than stop drinking soda and try working out!

Well since I'm doing the color run with Lauren in April, I KNOW I will have to work out, and I don't drink soda anymore anyway, This year I had to think outside the box. My new years resolutions this year are possibly my favorite ever.

1. Dress up more, become happier with my appearance....no more public displays of sweatpants, I swear!
2. Enjoy my family time more! No television at dinner (actually cook dinner!!!)
3. Get organized!
4. Save better, we could all use extra money in our pockets.
5. Become more photogenic! :)

in Lew of my new resolutions, Here is a super simple Diy for a filing cabinet.

seriously I have no idea why this took me so long to do! it was literally a 123 project!

First I bought and built a simple hanging file folder set a t target (Later we plan on replacing this with something built in)

Then I cleaned out my old chest, seriously i have had this thing since middle school and it was living its days out in the attic, after a good wipe down and some new nails I Placed the hanging file rack inside! voila!!!  

Later on we are going to add built in roads to that it can hold more but for an $8 dollar project I am really happy, and my papers have a place to call home!

Better Late Than never

I have been looking forward to new years day since late October, When I decided that my older blog had fallen to the wayside. In loo of trying to bring it back from the dead, I knew I wanted to "re-brand" my blog. The last few months of 2013 where spent by me deciding what I wanted to do.

While I knew I wanted the base of my blog to focus on my family, what I didn't know was how to go about bringing more of my own personality to the blog. My last blog had become so much about our family that I was having a real hard time even wanting to post anything more than just a few pictures.

My goal with this blog is to remain true to myself and personality while also continuing to document the lives of my children and family.

So in true -Ashley- fashion this blog is up three days late, my blog design is unfinished, but I would rather go play with toys and two little girls (who are currently throwing balls at me for attention!) than sit in my office.

Resolutions 2014 post to follow soonish.

New years day 2014

Every year since I can remember on new years day my family gets together to eat cabbage and black eyed peas. If you have never heard of this cabbage represents Money and black eyed peas good health. Kevin hates both, so he sticks to brisket and corn bread and I hate black eyed peas, so every year I consume two times my weight in cabbage....Still waiting for the pay off. Anyway this year was no exception we all got together and enjoyed family time.

Even with some missing family and even through all our arguments I absolutely love every person in (or who should be in) this picture. -Yes even Robert, will soon become my cousin-in-law (if that's such a thing)

PS. This is the last time I let any of you out of pictures on the excuse of no make up!!!