Embrace the camera

 I'm new over at the anderson crew

but I have to say I LOVE this blog.

Its so sweet and I fell in love with 

Embrace the camera.

It's a link up to get you in front of the camera

and have pictures with your kids.

She puts it best herself...

"I want them to have an abundance of pictures with us together.

  I want them to remember me, and our day to day interactions. 

The fun times we had. 

The real times we had.

Our memories.

I wanted to make sure I was a part of those memories."

Lovely right.

So I'm embracing the camera.

Here is some of me and my little beauty

on her

   One month birthday.

Currently

Achieving
 My goal to go walking every day this week with the kiddos!! Exercise plus Ty gets to go outside!!!Its a win win!
Building
Building up some courage to start charging for add space on my blog. Would anyone actually pay for that???!! haha I want to be one of those cool bloggers who does sponsor posts and giveaways..looks fun. and a great way to make close bloggy friends.but scared nobody would buy it...  
Collecting
A rather large grocery list. and seriously I feel like I JUST WENT SHOPPING!!!  

Dealing with
My large muffin top. Still in the awkward in between stage of to thin for my maternity clothes and to fat for my regular clothes.
Enjoying 
Ty is now putting himself down for his nap. I go in and tuck him in and kiss his little cheek...turn off the light and he falls asleep...we found that the trick is to leave the door open...This may not be a huge deal to some mamas...but in the past I had to sit in the room with him for a good hour while he starred at the ceiling trying to fall asleep...O man I am getting SO much laundry done now!!! 

seven questions

1. Describe your perfect day.
Sleeping in. Snuggling with Jays all morning. Playing with the kids all day. and eating lots of yummy ice cream. 
2.What was something that you were afraid of as a child?
Definitely small spaces. I don't know where it stems from??? I never had some traumatic experience. Nothing you would ever picture yourself laying down on a couch talking to a strange man in glasses holding a notebook asking you how you feel about it. BUT I am. weird. I was and still am a very claustrophobic person.
3. What's something you're afraid of today?
aw, woops. Guess I just answered that question. hmmm, another something I am scared of... I am scared to drive. Is that so weird. Again never had a traumatic experience. Never been in a wreck, but while driving I always am imagining every possible awful scenario. 
4. Would you rather be obsessed with yourself or someone else?
Ah, someone else for sure. Myself is not super cool. I am defiantly obsessed with my husband. He is so sexy and sweet. Can't get enough of that hunk.
5. What is a favorite restaurant that you could visit over and over and never get sick of?
There is a place in Mesquite. Close to where I grew up. Called Sushi Masa. I worked right across the street from it...lets just say they got a lot of my business. AH sushi....yummm
6. What is one food you used to hate but now enjoy?
Well, lets talk some more about sushi. Does anyone start off liking it?? I don't think so. But once you try it...then its addicting!
7. Fill in the blank: Star light, star bright. First star I see tonight. Wish I may, Wish I might..Have the wish I wish tonight. 

 

Pizza Pie Meatloaf

*What ya got cookin?

- I REALLY want to start sharing my love for cooking. 

Here is my first attempt. 

enjoy.

 Jayson and I freakin love Pizza Pie Meatloaf.

Not just love. Yea we freakin love it.

Jayson could eat the whole pan himself. It's a reoccurring dish at our place.

 -No I didn't invent it. 

haha I'm not the type to dream up my own dishes. 

However I always make a few modifications after I have made it a time or two. 

-Does mine look as good as the picture? Probably not. but it taste AMAZING!!!

The recipe calls for 2lbs beef

Jayson and I could NEVER eat that much 

especially since Ty eats like a bird, it's basically only the two of us who make a dent in it.

So I either use 1lb or a half lb. and modify the recipe to match.

I will share the original 2lb recipe with my modifications. 

Here it is if you can't read it well in the picture. 

2lbs ground beef

11/2 C shredded Mozzarella cheese 

1/2C dry unseasoned bread crumbs

1C stewed tomatoes 

1/4C Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4C Worcestershire sauce

1 Whole green bell pepper

11/3C French fried onions

-Pre heat oven to 350. Combine beef, 1/2C Moz cheese, bread crumbs, 1/2C Stewed tomatoes, Parmesan  cheese and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Mix with fork tell well blended. 

Place meat mixture into round pizza pan 9x1inch round. Bake 35min or tell no longer pink.

Drain fat.

Top with remaining stewed tomatoes, green pepper, moz cheese and fried onions. Bake 5min or until cheese is melted and onions are golden. 

Tell Me Tuesday. Link up #63

to

Thanks everyone who linked up last week! 

You are sure making it hard for me to pick features. 

I love everything. 

O Fall is here:)

 Tiaras and Bowties

 akawest

Learning to be a mom

Candice Craves

SO CUTE!

A happy song

Cox's Corner

Happy one month my dear

Being a mother is like having a little slice of heaven and holding it in your arms.

Being trusted to raise and nurture it.

Protect and love it.

Cherish every moment with it.

Ember is growing so fast.

I feel like I was just packing to go to the hospital.

and now a month has gone by. 

She is learning so much.

I love watching her eyes and seeing the way she is discovering the world.

She holds her head up strong.

Smiles at her daddy with such love.

 Like she knows she is in the

 safest place in the world.

Cuddles with me all day long.

 lets her brother rock her to sleep in her chair.

and is the sunshine in our life.

 

Motivate Me Monday. Link Up

Do you ever make a goal to hit a certain weight by a certain day, particularly an event?

I catch myself doing this a lot. I say "Ashley you need to lose 5lbs by -this wedding, homecoming, reunion-".

Whatever the case may be.

This is rough.

I know the idea behind it is good. (a goal). Its always nice to set and achieve goals

small or large.

The feeling of accomplishment is indescribable. Like walking around all day with a fatty smile on your face because you know you did what you sat out to do and feeling great about it.

However what happens when we don't reach our goals? 

Are you the type of person who can pick themselves up and say "OK lets try again" and have even greater motivation to prove to yourself you can. The type of person who doesn't let anything get them down?
Or are you the type that sits in self loath for a week before getting the determination to try again. The person who loses all motivation the moment they realize giving it their all just wasn't quite good enough?

Sadly enough I feel like I am in the second category. I had set a goal to lose a certain amount of weight before I go into my 6week check up for my postpartum. Well Ember is four weeks old today -will post her 1month birthday post today as well- and I am nowhere near my goal. I know I still have 2 weeks to try. But realistically I don't think I will reach my goal and achieve it in a healthy manner. 

I promised myself I would not be this girl.

The girl who feels sorry for herself. 

The girl whose husband tells her she is beautiful everyday and doesn't believe it. 

I know Jayson thinks I'm beautiful. He shows me everyday how much he loves and is attracted to me. but when spirits are down and you don't have a lot of self confidence, anything anyone else says about you thats positive sounds more like a lie.  

This week I'm going to be the first girl. 
I have to be the first girl.
I need to be. 

If not for me, then for Jayson.

The girl who doesn't let anything get her down. 

I'm going to continue to try my hardest and it will be good enough. 

I will listen to my sweet hubby every time he tells me how beautiful I am or how great I look in my jeans.

I may not have or will not hit my particular goal. 

but I'm not going to stop trying for it. 

Not going to lose my motivation. 

It will happen. 

I am strong enough to make it. 

 

* Link up any fitness or health related posts.  

Link up 

but be sure to follow along here

and with my co-host Amanda

from For Love of a Cupcake

and grab a MMM button if you like

Somethig about Ty

Something about Ty has been melting my heart lately. (even more so than normal).

 I don't know if its the way he runs into my room every morning and wakes me up. I don't know if its the way he smiles. Or the way he gives me hugs and kisses.

I don't know...

But him and me...well I realized that we spend 24/7 together.

He is always at my side. 

following me around. 

Most toddlers like TV or movies.

My little man wont pay attention for more than five minutes.

Rather he likes to be at my side.

Helping me with whatever my task at the moment is. 

Cleaning. Sewing. Cooking. Lounging. 

even putting on my make-up 

Ty wants to help out and stick by my side. 

He always wants me to play with him.

If he is building blocks, I need to participate. 

If he is making car noises while driving his little toy cars 

around the house, he expects me to join in the fun.

Yeah, him and me.

were pals.

Ty, don't ever forget I love you. Don't ever forget 

I need you. Don't ever forget I will always be your pal 

whenever you need me. 

love mama