THE FORSYTH'S

Afternoon with Cousin Hawk

2011-03-03T05:05:00.001-08:00

One of the coolest things about marrying a guy with lots of siblings is all the cousins that are so close in age. Azaylee thinks that big cousin Hawk is the coolest and wants to do everything he does. They are about a year apart in age. This week Regina, Hawk and baby J came to visit. Regina has been home on maternity leave and it has been nice to finally visit with her and have playdates. Hawk and Azaylee had fun cooking in her kitchen and rolling around outside in the leaves (and mud).

Isn't he adorable?

31 weeks

2011-03-03T04:58:00.000-08:00

I realized yesterday that Asher is getting pretty big and the jacket I put on after dinner is no longer full length. Even Aaron told me I looked ridiculous and so kindly took a picture to document my ridiculous look :) What's a girl to wear?

Today

2011-03-02T09:34:00.000-08:00

Applesauce spice cake is cooling on the rack for tomorrow's breakfast
Buttermilk bread will be coming out of the bread machine shortly
Azaylee has been watercolor painting and there are little black fingerprints on the wall that she didn't mean to put there.
Laundry is folded in neat (well neat for me) little stacks waiting to be put away.

Days like these make me realize what a blessing it is to stay at home!

Happy Birthday Emily!

2011-02-28T17:44:00.000-08:00

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there. ~Amy Li

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~Marion C. Garretty

Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister. ~Alice Walker

Big sisters are the crab grass in the lawn of life. ~Charles M. Schulz

If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child. ~Linda Sunshine

You can kid the world. But not your sister. ~Charlotte Gray

Sisters never quite forgive each other for what happened when they were five. ~Pam Brown

In thee my soul shall own combined the sister and the friend. ~Catherine Killigrew

A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves - a special kind of double. ~Toni Morrison

Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some means of enjoyment in their power, which no subsequent connections can supply... ~Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it? ~Jenny DeVries

Sisters is probably the most competitive relationship within the family, but once the sisters are grown, it becomes the strongest relationship. ~Margaret Mead

Bless you, my darling, and remember you are always in the heart - oh tucked so close there is no chance of escape - of your sister. ~Katherine Mansfield

A sister smiles when one tells one's stories - for she knows where the decoration has been added. ~Chris Montaigne

More than Santa Claus, your sister knows when you've been bad and good. ~Linda Sunshine

My sister taught me everything I really need to know, and she was only in sixth grade at the time. ~Linda Sunshine

How do people make it through life without a sister? ~Sara Corpening

I love you. I can't imagine life without you. I hope you have a wonderful birthday. I can't wait to see you in a few weeks!

Smoothies and Sunshine

2011-02-28T17:32:00.000-08:00

We are loving this 75 degree weather at the end of February! Today we played outside for a long time. We had strawberry smoothies and soaked up the sun. It is so nice to finally get outside without bundling up!

Ready for Church!

2011-02-28T17:04:00.000-08:00

Our sweet girl is getting so big. We are really enjoying this stage. She will be 18 months old in just a few days. It seems like all the sudden she is a little girl, no longer a baby. We are continually amazed by the things that she knows, says and does. She is such a blessing!

Let me tell you a story...

2010-10-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, Aaron was looking for a way to make some extra money.
He searched for random contests online.
He found a contest where you had to create something out of Gorilla Glue.
I said it was fake and gave him a hard time, naturally.
He made this floating bookcase:
I was a little frustrated that he bought the Gorilla Glue because it was something we wouldn't normally buy and it was almost 7 dollars!
Aaron got a check in the mail today
It was written in the amount of $500! Aaron got runner-up in the contest.
I will not be so skeptical in the future when Aaron has one of these crazy ideas.

Moral of the story- God provides for us in some very creative ways.

Azaylee's New Toy

2010-10-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

We went to the Davis Lake Yardsale this weekend and found our little lady a new toy (just what she needs ;). It was a good deal and she is thoroughly enjoying it! I love that she 1 now. This age is so fun. She has been walking 10-15 steps all around the house, just hasn't quite "taken off" yet. Here are some pics of her with our yard sale find.

Hodges Dairy Farm

2010-10-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

Today we brought Azaylee pumpkin picking for the first time. All of the Forsyth family minus Drew and Ason were able to go. It was lots of fun. Here are some pictures from our outing. :)

May Secret :)

2010-09-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

Zucchini #1!

2010-06-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

We had our first zucchini "pop up" today! We kill every plant, flower etc that comes our way, so we have been so excited about our little squash and zucchini plants. They come up so quickly. It's fun to peek out there everyday and see how they look. Hope it tastes yummy.

I don't really like my hair right now....it is too short and the color is brassy...I could go on and on and on. So I have been pinning it up almost everyday (like pic above) to make it more bearable in the growing out process. I never really wear my hair up, even when it's long and I have gotten so many compliments on my hair like this. Pretty funny since I think it looks horrible. I am glad I have about a million bobby pins from beauty school to be able to put it up like this til' it grows back out. ;)

1st blueberry muffin and 1st word- 2 major events :)

2010-06-09T05:42:00.000-07:00

Last night was the 1st softball game of the year. Crossway won 17-12(quite shocking!). All day I was telling Azaylee "we are going to Dada's game tonight", "Dada's going to play softball tonight" At the game I said "Look, it's Dada", "Dada's going up to bat" etc. So later in the evening she started saying "Dada" and pointing to Aaron. This morning to see if it was just a fluke I pulled up pics of Aaron on the computer and she started saying "Dada, Dada" and pointing, smiling. Very cute! I think Aaron loves it :).

This morning for breakfast Azaylee had her first Blueberry muffin. She gobbled it down. I took some pics with the computer.

Popsicle!

2010-06-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

After seeing Azaylee's friend, Damari with his popsicle the other day, I just had to make some for Zay! Good idea Brooke :). I took the pics on photobooth so they are not the greatest but I thought some of you would enjoy seeing the squirt. She loved the popsicles, but even more she loved the popsicle holders. ;) What a funny girl.

halfway there?? ;)

2010-05-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

I have been blowing up this pool by mouth for 2 1/2 hours....At this rate, I will finish at bedtime tonight, possibly.

Zay Update

2010-05-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some recent pics that others have taken of our girl. As you can tell, she is very happy baby. She is always smiling and laughing. She is a social butterfly and loves to "talk" She is crawling everywhere, getting into everything, and exploring everything she can. She is going through a stage where she cries every time I leave the room or walk out of her sight. She loves to eat yogurt and cheese and the only food she hasn't liked is carrots. She is pulling up and trying to cruise around the coffee table and couches. Azaylee loves music and veggietales clips on youtube :). Zay is 8 months old now. She is so much fun!

To be a good blogger I need this....

2010-05-28T16:54:00.001-07:00

I have no camera whatsoever in my life right now. It is very sad. It has brought me to tears a few times, considering I take zero pics of my child who is growing like a weed. SO, you get no blog posts because without pics, blogs are pretty boring. Enough self pity, maybe I should return that beautiful necklace and get this camera ;).

My Beautiful Anniversary gift!

2010-05-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

Aaron bought me this for our 4 year anniversary! Very shocking, considering there was no coupon or catch involved :). We went and picked this up and went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. I can't believe it's been 4 years. Guess time flies when your havin' fun. Love you Babe!

DC

2010-03-14T18:50:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, we headed to VA with Aaron's parents, Audrey, Kyle, and Leighra. We stayed in a cabin in Spotsylvania. Azaylee went swimming for the first time and pretty much hated it :(. Hopefully as she gets more used to it, it will become fun. I just thought that since she loves baths, pool would definitely be fun. We also went to visit the Campbells. It was so nice to catch up with them. We spent two fun days in DC. On the way home we went to visit Aaron's Aunt and Uncle in Lynchburg. We had a great time! Here are some pics-

WEIGHT LOSS UPDATE.

2010-03-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

I have alot to blog about, but we will start with this topic since this is where I left off. I have lost 12 lbs total now. It has involved hard work and some major changes in my life. I am no longer counting points because I was just gaining and losing the same 6 lbs over and over! Now I have cut out additives, preservatives and most things with food coloring. I have felt so much better! I haven't had any soda or junk food. This means lots of trips to Trader Joe's and cooking lots of foods from scratch. When you actually start looking at the labels it is amazing what is in the everyday foods you eat. I haven't had nearly as many headaches and I have had alot of energy. I have been walking on the Greenway, jogging in our neighborhood, and doing the Shred. It is nice to have some variation in work outs and the weather has been beautiful to get outside in! SO 12 lbs down, 38 to go!!

Goal Update

2010-01-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

So I am on week 2 of my goal of losing weight and eating healthy. I have lost 6 lbs (which is a pretty good start). 44 to go! I haven't weighed in this week, but I will try to tomorrow. I haven't worked out much this week bc both Zay and I have had a cold. Also, my grandma baked me a strawberry cake with strawberry icing (MY FAVE) and I do confess to having a couple pieces....BUT now I am back on track. :) I have learned a couple things about myself this week. I eat sometimes when I am upset or avoiding something overwhelming. (like 5 loads of laundry) I never realized I did this, so I am going to pay more attention. I seem to be quite the sweet tea addict. I have missed it and thought longingly of sweet tea at least a few times a day. BTW, tea with splenda is just not the same so don't even suggest it! ;) I also expect to have something sweet every night after dinner. I don't know when this happened but I am trying to change my mindset. I don't NEED sweets. I did make some whole wheat chocolate chip cookies the other night. They were 110 calories each, which is much better than your avg cookie plus they were delicious. My husband has been very helpful; not complaining about the lack of sweet tea or soda and downed 4 choc chip cookies right away( he said that was how many it took to begin forgetting they were wheat). He even memorized every word to the "30 day shred" and says what Jillian is gonna say before it comes out of her mouth, which is oh so helpful. (not!) Thanks for all of ya'll's help and advice!

3o day shred and yummy pitas

2010-01-17T16:40:00.000-08:00

I am on day four of the 30 day shred. It is getting easier each day. I am still sore and feel challenged by the workout. I am eating healthier and haven't felt like I've missed out on much. Yesterday, we had pita burgers. I made the whole wheat pita pockets in my bread machine and they were delicious! I have become quite the bread machine fanatic. I really don't know how I survived so long without one ;). Anyway, they must've looked pretty good because Aaron actually ate one. (And only 1 point according to weight watchers!) Here's a pic below.

4 months old- No pics yet

2010-01-15T06:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Azaylee had her 4 month appointment. She was 13lbs 15 oz( 75th) 24 1/4 inches(75th) and her head was 16 1/2(50th). Seems she has slimmed down alot from her 90th percentile weights! The new pediatrician said she was doing great and that she was a good size for her age. She did great with her shots. She didn't cry at all until the 2nd one and that lasted only a minute. I really liked the new pediatrician's office and felt comfortable there. I hope this is a better experience! Azaylee kept smiling at the doctor everytime he talked to her. At the other office she cried most of the time. I don't know what the difference was but she was happy to be there.

4 month facts:
* Azaylee no longer takes the soothie! After all that attachment she decided to be done with it and now just sucks on two fingers.
* She rolls both ways and if I leave the room for only a moment she is laying on the cold hard tile off of her rug and blanket, but she doesnt seem to care.
* She is loving rice cereal and seems really excited when I get it out for her to eat each day.
* Azaylee likes to play in the exersaucer. Sometimes when I take her out when she isn't ready to get out she will start crying.
* She is still miss independent, and doesnt like sleeping on us. If we lay her in her crib she normally falls asleep within a few whimpers.
* She is not a very talkative baby. She prefers to just listen and watch everyone else talk.
* She has a few fave toys that she really enjoys and gets excited about. (one is that bumblebee frog you got her, russ and em! Thanks)
* She still loves baths and sometimes squeals when I turn the water on for her bath.
* She loves to swing outside and ride in the stroller for walks. If only it were warmer outside!
* She always wakes up smiling!
* She has slept 12 hours straight everyday this week!

Goal- Plan

2010-01-15T06:28:00.000-08:00

Thank you for all the comments and emails! I appreciate all the advice/sympathy ;). My current plan is to do the "30 Day Shred". I started yesterday and boy am I sore! Day 2 of level one was much easier! It is only 20 minutes, so I can do that easily during naptime. I read lots of reviews and it seemed like a good way to start. I am also counting Weight Watchers points without actually going to meetings. I think this will help me get back on track with portion control and make me aware of everything I eat each day. So far, since my last post I have done pretty well. I will keep ya posted on any results that seem to come about from this plan.

Goal

2010-01-12T18:04:00.001-08:00

I would like to lose weight.... like 50 lbs....I know, I know that's a lot and is pretty unrealistic. But I have to. I can't continue to gain weight or stay at my current weight. None of my clothes fit. Here's the problem, I love to workout. I went to the gym several times a week before Azaylee was born for dance and yoga classes. Why is that a problem you might ask? Because even if I work out 7 days a week, I never seem to lose weight. I have lost weight once in my life. It was when I was doing weight watchers and running on a treadmill hardcore. I can't afford Weight Watchers...AND I have no idea when to go the gym now that Azaylee's around. When she first came home from the hospital I was going to the gym after her 4AM feeding, but that was SO exhausting. I am also a fairly healthy eater. Sweet tea is probably my main problem. I am considering using my Christmas money to purchase Wii fit, Wii Biggest Loser game, the 30 day shred, pay for some weeks of Weight Watchers or anything else that would work. Why should you care? Because maybe something has worked for you. Maybe you know the secrets? Or maybe if I post this on my blog I will magically lose weight? :) I don't know. It's worth a try. Any suggestions?

My dear husband said to eat lots of sour patch kids. Oh and don't forget the Coke and nutty bars. So N-O-T Fair!

What a day.........so far......

2010-01-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

I was really looking forward to Azaylee's 4 month appointment at the pediatrician this morning. We haven't been since the 2 month mark and I am really ready to know her weight, height and all that good stuff. Somehow I managed to get the first appointment of the day at 8:30. I got there at 8:20 and the door wasn't unlocked yet, so I waited with Azaylee for about 25 minutes until the door finally opened at 8:45. This wasn't a huge deal, plus they did apologize for running behind. After that I went up to the desk to sign in and they said I had to wait and they would call me up when they were ready. I watched a couple of people go up and pay their co-pays and one lady who's daughter appt was at 8:35 came and went. I was getting a little frustrated and Azaylee was also. (I had given her Tylenol right before we left home since she was getting shots.) Finally, I went up to the desk again around 9:15 and was told I couldn't be seen because I had an outstanding balance. I knew that our insurance was trying to charge us for two visits in September while Azaylee was still being covered by me, but assumed if I paid my copay and we got down to the bottom of this after talking with the pediatrician after my visit today that things would be fine. Besides, we don't actually owe the amount they are trying to charge us for. The guy at the front desk called Blue Cross and Blue Shield per my request and decided that if I paid the copay they would let me be seen as long as I fixed the balance within the week. At this point Azaylee was crying and I was having trouble even hearing over her. So I paid the copay and got ready to go back. After 5 more minutes the guy at the front desk called me back up and said they had changed their minds and Azaylee couldn't be seen. SO.....after 1 and 1/2 hours of sitting in that place, we couldn't be seen? And when you called to confirm my appointment why didn't you tell me? I am normally pretty even tempered, but at this point I was mad. Mad that my child had Tylenol for no reason. Mad about getting Zay out in the cold and making her sit in a flu-ridden waiting room for nothing, and mad that after all this they had already taken my copay and said they couldn't refund it then, but had to apply it to the account instead. I finally walked out, with no apology, an upset baby, and with tears welling up in my eyes. I cried all the way home. I just kept praying to have a good attitude and that this would be a lesson in patience and self control. Aaron called this afternoon and took care of everything, is going back to get our money back, and straightened things out with BCBS. Praise God for a wonderful husband!

On a more positive note, after Azaylee got up from her Tylenol induced nap we tried some rice cereal! She has been grabbing food off my plate lately, trying to stick my fork in her mouth and opening her mouth in a chewing movement while watching us eat, so I figured it wouldn't hurt even though she just turned 4 months yesterday. She loved it. She kept using her fingers to shove more and more into her mouth. It was so funny to watch. She licked the spoon then her fingers and then opened her mouth for more. I was really thinking, "has someone secretly been giving her food? She acts like she's a pro at this." Here are some pics. They are a little blurry, because they are from my video camera.

National "de-lurking" Week

2010-01-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Supposedly it is national de-lurking week, which sounds just plain weird to me. BUT, I want to know if you lurk around here and read my blog. So leave me a comment if you do. I don't really see a point in continuing if I'm the only one that looks at it. (Besides, I know I don't post that often post-Zaylee =)

2010-01-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

My sister made this video of Azaylee :)

"McBailey's" gettin' big!

2010-01-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

Azaylee's First Christmas in Pictures ( LOTS OF PICS!)

2009-12-26T21:07:00.000-08:00

Azaylee met my sister, Emily and her fiance, Russ for the first time! She fell in love with them right away and enjoyed all the attention. We were all sad to see them go back to Indiana. She also visited with her grandma and grandpa(my parents) while we stayed at their house. It was lots of fun. Azaylee got to see her two great-grandmothers and her great-great grandmother. She got LOTS of presents and enjoyed looking at the lights on the Christmas tree. We also had Christmas with Aaron's famly but I have no pics to show for it. Our digital camera is still broken so the only pics I take are from when I borrow my moms camera. We really enjoyed our first Christmas as a family of three!

Our 3 Month Old!

2009-12-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

Our 3 month old is a very fun girl. She loves to play in the exersaucer and bat at toys. She is constantly grabbing things. A few nights ago she grabbed some mac'n cheese right off my plate. :) Azaylee enjoys rolling from her tummy to back and almost from back to tummy. Her arms kinda get in the way when rolling from back to tummy. She enjoys watching everything thats going on around her and copies facial expressions. She has also become great at sleeping. As soon as she starts fussing and we put her down she falls asleep within a couple minutes with very little fussing. She is going for 7 hour stretches most nights. ( I'm sure she could last a bit longer, but I usually feed her when she wakes up around 4 or 5AM so we can get some extra sleep in the morning ;). She also still loves baths so much! She cries when she has to get out. We are looking forward to her 1st Christmas!

Independent Baby

2009-11-30T06:45:00.000-08:00

Azaylee's favorite activities seem to be ones she can do on her own. She loves to lay on a blanket on the floor and play with toys. Normally I start her out on her stomach and about a minute later she is grunting and rolling over to her back. Then she tries SO hard to roll back over to her tummy and gets pretty mad that she can't make it back over. You can tell by the red face in this first pic that she was frustrated. (Look at those chunky legs :)

These pics were taken a few weeks ago of Azaylee in the bumbo seat. She loves it and does a great job holding her head up. She is getting so big! (Sorry the pics are kinda dark.)

Photo Shoot With Mimi and Poppy

2009-11-27T16:25:00.000-08:00

Ducky-do

2009-11-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

Azaylee loves her ducky on her carseat. She stared at it like this in the car last night for at least 15 minutes. I love how serious she looks :)

2009-11-13T13:04:00.000-08:00

I have had one clingy girl today. Here she is w/ her soothie fighting off a much needed nap. She is so sweet!

2009-11-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

Azaylee starts with her feet at the bottom of the crib and wiggles her way all the way up to the top during nap time, then she almost always sleeps with her bottom up in the air :)

2 Months!

2009-11-11T09:18:00.000-08:00

Azaylee had her two month appt today! She is 12 lbs 2 oz.(75th percentile) and 24 inches tall (95 percentile). She is growing very well and is a good nurser. We are IN LOVE with this baby girl and still can't believe we have been blessed with such a gift.
The last 8 weeks have defnitely been rough and wonderful all at the same time. We are beginning to really adjust to life with a baby. Thanks for all the advice that all of you passed along to us.
Some facts about our girl-
*Azaylee is a screamer, going from nothing to a full out scream in a matter of seconds, sometimes over nothing at all.
* She smiles pretty often and will laugh at her daddy when he starts talking to her almost all the time.
*She is also a spitter. She spits up so much you begin to wonder if she's got anything left in her stomach, which by looking at the weight, you can tell she does. ;)
* She likes a routine and does not sleep very well anywhere other than at home.
*She can roll from tummy to back.
*She loves music. John Mayer can calm her down any day. (That was the main station on Pandora I listened to while I was pregnant and she seems to recognize it!)
*She snorts when she cries :)
* Azaylee has just started "cooing" and "gooing" over the last few weeks.
* She loves lights on toys, on ceilings; pretty much anywhere she sees a light she becomes glued.
* Azaylee loves her soothie pacifier and will accept no other kind.
* She also is very interested in looking at books when we read to her.
*I asked Aaron to tell me any other facts about Azaylee that he thought were important and his was "She looks cute all the time" :) I think he's wrapped around her finger already.

I will try to get some 2 month pictures up soon.

8 weeks later.....

2009-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

I don't think my bladder control is 100%. Funky Fit dance class at the gym. jumpin jacks. enough said.

6 Week Old Continued :)

2009-10-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

6 Week Old

2009-10-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

Advice and Ideas

2009-10-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

I would love to hear some of your ideas of how to get all the housework done. Tell me when you do all your housework and other things on your to do list( like socializing, exercising, showering, etc.). Ever since Azaylee's birth, I realized how much I relied on my strict schedule. Now if I don't get whats done on the list for that day, I give up for the rest of the week! Not good, this ends up in a chaotic house, a smelly baby, and with me in tears over how I will ever catch up. SO, I need some ideas of how/when you get "everything" done!

Silly baby that thinks that every time she sees a camera she must stick out her tongue :P

2009-10-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

Azaylee-McBailey

2009-10-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

While I was pregnant, we always referred to baby girl as "Azaylee-McBailey"...not sure why, it just happened, and now we find that we call her McBailey more than her actual name. Poor kid, she is probably super confused. She has all sorts of nicknames from different people, McBailey, Zay-Zay, Zaylee, Zay-zoo, Zay-baby.
Anyways, This little girl is keeping me busy :). A pretty good excuse for the lack of blog posts. We are doing great, just learning how to adjust as a family of three. Azaylee was four weeks old yesterday and is growing fast. We went to the doctor on Wednesday and she was 10lbs 7 oz. She is 20 3/4 inches long. She has been in the 75th percentile with all her stats since birth. She is eating wonderfully and learning how to sleep at night. Things have gotten easier since we have changed from eating every hour (not exaggerating!), to eating every three hours. The last two nights she has even slept some 3 1/2 hours stretches. ahhh....it is nice to get some sleep.
I am really enjoying being a stay at home mom :), although I really haven't got out to do much, and can't even seem to stay up to date on housework. I know with time, we will get some sort of routine. The last few weeks have been quite a challenge. I have been shocked at how different having your own child is from doing childcare. I guess for one, I have never really been that involved with babies under 6 weeks old, AND I never felt like my heart was going to break when I heard them cry. It is completely different when you have to sustain their lives and question if they have everything they need with each whimper. I am used to scheduling out babies days, including when their mother's come to pick them up. I am finally realizing Azaylee is mine, and nobody is coming at six-thirty to take her home. It is very exciting, and challenging. Azaylee seemed to have her days and nights mixed up until the last few days. I read the book, Babywise and got some great ideas that have been extremely helpful.
I had my postpartum visit this week, and things seem to be healing up quite slowly. This was pretty disappointing to hear, but I am trying to take it a little easier. I am feeling much better though with each day and I am REALLY ready to head back to the gym for my "Funky Fit" dance class :). Although, I think it will still be a little while.
Aaron has been doing wonderful as "Azaylee's daddy". He has had about a week off total since she was born, scattered here and there. It is so hard to send him back to work! He is so helpful and really loves spending time with our precious girl. She will stop crying almost immediately after he starts talking to her or picks her up. It is adorable. Well, I know this has been alot to read, but I did want to update. There are some pics below, but if you are on Facebook, you have probably already seen them.

Azaylee's first bath

2009-09-13T13:49:00.001-07:00

Here you go, Emily! Almost like being here? :)

Azaylee's 1st couple days :)

2009-09-13T02:17:00.000-07:00

We LOVE this little girl! Can't believe she is here and ours :) We are SO blessed. I will try to give more of an update later.

Azaylee!

2009-09-10T15:53:00.000-07:00

Azaylee Horizon Forsyth
September 10th, 2009- 1:41pm
8lbs 12oz, 19 3/4"

More progress

2009-09-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

still at 4cm, but I am 100% effaced and she is stationed at 0. 7 days left :). 9/9/09 would be a very good date, but we'll have to wait and see.

10 days left

2009-09-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Azaylee,

The floors are mopped. The bag is packed. The swing has batteries. Speck had a bath. Thank you notes are written. The video camera is ready. We even put a door knob on your bedroom door. All thats missin' is you! Come on out Zay-zoo.

Excitedly awaiting your arrival,
mommy and daddy

38 weeks

2009-09-02T11:52:00.000-07:00

I had my 38 week appt today. Azaylee was doing great. I am 4 cm, 90 percent effaced and she is stationed at -2. 14 days til' my due date. hmmm.....I am ready to meet her. Any bets on when she will come?

There are.....

2009-08-28T05:07:00.000-07:00

19 days left!! I am getting SO excited!

My sister has decided Azaylee looks like me....

2009-08-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

After looking at this ultrasound pic, I was determined this child was all Aaron, minus the round cheeks :), but my sister sent me the pic below from when I was in the hospital and I'm thinking maybe she will look more like me than I thought. I am going to have to see if I can find baby pics of Aaron before she is born so we can compare. 3d ultrasound is SO cool. 4 weeks away from delivery and we can already speculate about who she looks like!

Azaylee's 3D Pictures

2009-08-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

36 weeks

2009-08-19T04:52:00.000-07:00

We got our 4th ultrasound yesterday! A few weeks ago, we had one done to check Azaylee's size bc she was measuring big. She was 4lbs 14 ounces and measuring in at about 35 weeks when I was 32. SO, yesterday we got a another ultrasound to make sure the due date was right and to make sure she was healthy. She seems to be right on track now, measuring in almost to the day. She was 5 lb 12 ounces. We also got a couple 3D ultrasound pictures of her face! I will try to post those as soon as Aaron gets them scanned. I also got "checked" for the first time yesterday and found out I am already 3 centimeters. I have been having quite a few contractions here and there, but I was suprised at the progress that was made. I was hooked up to an external monitor to check contractions to see if I was in true labor, but the contractions were very irregular while I was checked. Since I am just now 36 weeks, the doctor put me on modified bed rest for a week. I think this is pretty crazy considering that nothing more could happen for the next 4 weeks( or I guess I could go into labor tomorrow ;).....but I guess they're playing it safe. So, not much is going to be happenin' here in the Forsyth household, except for maybe packing the hospital bag.

...almost ready!

2009-08-18T06:19:00.000-07:00

LIST

Install Carseat-check
Birthplan-check
Find Pediatrician-check
Take maternity pics-check
Paint all nursery furniture-check
Childbirth Class-check
Thank You notes-almost check ;)
Order video camera-check, arrived Saturday!
Pack hospital bag-
Put curtains up-
Make a list of important ppl to call after Azaylee arrives-

4 WEEKS TO GO!!

Maternity Pics on Lake Norman :)

2009-08-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

Warning- lots of pics! Our friend, Sarah Sutphin took these pics of us and we are so happy with how they turned out. =)

Malikye Scott Weaver =-D

2009-08-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

Audra and Mike's precious Malikye is here!! He was born Wednesday night after a long 12 hour labor for Audra. He is 8lb 12oz. and absolutely gorgeous! Now that his name has been revealed, here is one of the maternity pics I took for them. They are going to be wonderful parents and I can't wait to get to know little Malikye!!

Look at that dark curly head of hair! SO cute.

Audra was my "pregnant buddy" so this definitely makes me eager to meet Azaylee and I know it is right around the corner!

Baby Shower # 1 at UNCC ;)

2009-07-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

Aaron's coworkers and friends at UNCC

I have no idea what Aaron is doing, ;) but here is a pic of the delicious food....... and of course my belly at 32 weeks

We had a wonderful baby shower and Azaylee got some really great things!! We are so blessed!

Progress is being made in the nursery!

2009-07-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of the paint, crib, bedding, closet, and dresser. There is plenty left to do, but I feel like it is really coming together!! All the clothing has been washed and is ready to go. ;) Our girl will be here in about 8 weeks. We are getting so excited!!

Free Babytalk Subscription!

2009-07-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

http://www.parenting.com/Babytalk/babytalk.jsp?genID=7

Click on this link, go about 3/4th of the way down and you will see spaces to put in your info for a free subscription of Babytalk magazine. I found this offer on http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

28 weeks

2009-06-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

I passed my glucose screening test ;). Things are going well. Here is this week's picture. You will have to overlook all the junk on the front porch. I have def not been doing so hot at keeping up with the housework lately! Whatever happened to nesting?? I hope it hits soon. Anyways, we are leaving for Pennsylvania on Thursday for the 4th of July. It is an 11 hour drive. I am praying I will feel good the whole way and hopefully not have to stop every hour as the doctor suggested. Other than that, nothing big going on, just getting bigger by the day. I did see an outline of a mini-foot protruding nearly out of my belly skin last week. It was so awesome! I can't wait to see those beautiful feet in person :). I wish I could've gotten a pic. Azaylee is moving ALOT! I can't ever get it on video though. Hopefully before the end I will get a good video of her crazy cheerleading moves.

13 weeks left!

2009-06-20T04:44:00.000-07:00

Things are going well. I know I have not posted lately....it has been busy around here. This past week or so I have noticed I am becoming more tired and I have also had some pretty bad sciatic nerve pain. It kinda seems like I am reverting back to the first trimester! :( There are only certain foods that sound good again and I am getting sick every time I drink milk. I know this will all be well worth it in the end and Azaylee will be here very soon. I have just started going to the chiropractor for my nerve pain and that seems to help a lot.

I went to the OB yesterday and everything seemed to look fine. Azaylee's heartbeat was at 142 and she measured in about a week ahead. I had my gestational diabetes test but I don't know the results yet. I didn't get a choice in the flavor I had, after being instructed by experienced pregnant ppl to get the lemon-lime. ;) I had orange and it wasn't that bad, just wouldn't have been my pick! Hopefully next week I will know if I passed or not.

We officially have the carseat and stroller ready to roll. Also, I got my bedding as a gift and I am SO ready to get it all set up. The nursery is ready to paint. We will hopefully get that started in the next couple weeks before the crib comes. We did redo the dresser, a bookshelf and we are working on the changing table. It is all coming together!

Here are some pics of me at 27 weeks and Audra at 32 weeks :)

Azaylee is one blessed girly!

2009-05-22T15:36:00.001-07:00

One of the mom's I babysit for brought me a "couple baby things"! Eek, can you believe how many wonderfully pink outfits there are in these piles?? Haha I counted 135. I got off early today and chose to spend my time wisely, as you can tell.

Also, these are some of the gifts Azaylee has recieved in the last couple weeks. Everyone is so generous! I can't wait to use all of them!

Looks like all that's left to buy for her is a pair of red Chuck Taylor's! ;D

2009-05-22T15:33:00.001-07:00

After a year these 2 are actually beginning to like(or at least lick) each other??!? =D

What's going on?

2009-05-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

* I am now 23 weeks pregnant and feeling pretty good. 17 weeks left doesnt seem too bad. Besides we have enough work to do before lil' miss Azaylee makes her appearance anyway. Most of the furniture that is going in the nursery has to be sanded and repainted so Aaron will be starting that process next week when he has some time off. ;) I am looking forward to seeing how it all comes together. I picked out a crib and my parents are actually going to be getting it for us! Here is a link to the crib.

*Aaron bought me a car! It is a 2001 Saturn Wagon. He refers to it as my "mommy car." I have never owned a car so nice. Supposedly for the 3rd wedding anniversary gift you are supposed to buy a gift of leather, so Aaron went all out and got me a car with leather interior. =) Im not sure how he will top this next year.

* Our anniversary is next Wednesday the 27th. We are going to camp out in Gaffney, SC at a Chic-Fil-A grand opening. Yes I am 6 months pregnant and yes I am crazy, BUT you can't pass up 52 free combos each for being the first 100 people there! I am getting really excited about going with Aaron. We will probably just stay up all night playing games and talking, and sleep all day Thursday when we get home. We were very blessed to both be able to take off. We have both wanted to do this for a few years, but there were never any openings close by so we are taking advantage of the last time we will be able to do this for a while!

* My sister has been in town for about a week now, so we have spent some time traveling back and forth to Wingate to see Russ and Emily. =) I don't really want her to go home, but I guess she will be leaving Friday!

* We work on the weekends at Hall Family Farm during the strawberry season. We have been very busy! Both Aaron and I have been working 7 days a week. It has been wonderful though. We have been able to save enough money for my maternity leave to be covered.

*And speaking of maternity leave, I found someone to come and help me 2 days a week in the fall after Azaylee arrives! My friend Bethany is going to come on days that she doesnt have classes and give me a hand with the 3 baby girls so that I can continue to work during the fall. Spring may be a different story ;).

SO as you can tell things are going well here in the Forsyth household!

Azaylee

2009-05-13T06:46:00.001-07:00

Finally here is one of our ultrasound pics. Hopefully soon we will scan the rest and post them!

Baby Bellies

2009-05-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

Me, 22 weeks and Audra, 27 weeks

I am seeing less and less of these everyday...

2009-05-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

10 years and counting...

2009-05-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

I met Aaron in 7th grade. We had several classes together and I always got to sit behind him being that I was a Griffin and he was a Forsyth. I graded his papers, which was always easy bc he never got anything less than a 100. I also listened to all of his funny stories and jokes, which are still mostly the same today, btw. There was something very different about Aaron. Everyone I hung out with used bad language, listened to Marilyn Manson, gossiped and cheated in school. Aaron didn't. He was weird. Aaron was the president of C2J, the school's Christian club, which stood for Committed to Jesus. He talked about church and was very good. I had to know more. So everyday I would pass Aaron notes on the edges of his papers that I graded, or have my friends talk to him. At the time, everyone was "going out." Of course this didn't mean you went anywhere, just meant you were boyfriend and girlfriend....which really just meant you walked down the hall together and passed triangular shaped notes to each other. I wanted that. I wanted to walk down the hall together and talk to Aaron about why he was the way he was. So, I asked him to go out. =) I sent him a note in class with the whole check yes or no section. And he ALWAYS circled "or". Everyday, I got to know him a little better throughout the semester and he explained to me that he was a Christian and really planted that seed with me. To make a long story short, throughout the semester he told me that he would tell me his real answer, not just "or", by the end of the school year. On May 7th, one of the last days of the semester, Aaron told my best friend Molly that I needed to pay attention bc I would get the answer that day. (cheesy, I know, but we were 12 ;) SO all day I watched and finally when my mom pulled up to the lot to get me, I thought oh well....but I still turned around to watch as we pulled away....AND as you can all guess...... 10 years ago today, Aaron nodded his head to me in the car rider lot at 3:47pm at East Union Middle School. ;) AND I just knew I would marry him and make him my very own. I became a Christian over that summer before 8th grade. Aaron and I continued to pass notes, went on our first date at nearly 16, four years later and knew that the Lord had called us to get married. This is a very unusual story and definitely wasn't the easiest way to go about pursuing marriage, but in the end, God has ordained this and made it into a story that honors and glorifies Him.

Thank you for being a wonderful husband, Aaron! Thank you for always following Christ and sharing that with me throughout our journey. You are my very best friend and I appreciate all that you do for me. Thank you for leading in our relationship and taking care of me. I still think your jokes are hilarious and love being able to share in all the inside jokes from so long ago. I LOVE YOU! I am looking forward to all the years to come and what God has in store for us! :)

8th grade dance, when Aaron was shorter than me

Junior Prom 2003

Engagement 2005

Wedding day 2006

2008

19 weeks ;)

2009-04-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

IT'S A.................

2009-04-26T03:46:00.000-07:00

.........................

........................

GIRL!!!!!!

I'm sorry I left all of you hanging for some days! I will post pics and tell you ALL about this later, but I did want to go ahead and let ya'll know that it's a healthy baby girl. WE ARE THRILLED! We get to use our girl name we picked out together in 8th grade (more about that later too. ;) She will be named Azaylee Horizon.

Countin' down the hours...

2009-04-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

So, tomorrow's the big day! We are sooooo excited about finding out the gender. We are praying for a cooperative baby who is very willing to be immodest for the duration of the ultrasound ;). I should be posting the results late tomorrow evening. We find out tomorrow morning but we have to wait all day to reveal bc our families are coming over in the evening to find out all together. Today, so far, is passing very, very slowly. I've never been known for my patience, but I have NO IDEA how anyone waits the entire 40 weeks to find out the sex! Well, I was 19 weeks yesterday and getting bigger and feeling more pregnant by the day. I hope it warms up soon, so I can start wearing some skirts and shorts. I was able to find lots of those at a consignment sale, but only have one pair of maternity jeans. I have been "rubber-banding" my normal pants and seems everytime I move around the rubber band shoots off and I spend 10 minutes on the floor looking for it. Haha. Kinda funny to picture, huh?
Well, we'll keep ya posted.

Diapers?? Feedback Needed!

2009-04-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

I need some opinions. Do/did you do cloth or disposable diapers? Either way, I would love to hear your thoughts on which one works best, what you would suggest, or pros and cons. Thank you!

Easter 2009

2009-04-13T05:04:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter! What beautiful weather! We went to Midway for church with all the Forsyth Family. Afterwards, we headed over to my grandma's for lunch and visiting. My parents were in Indiana with my sister, so I missed out on seeing them, but I am so glad they got to go for the weekend!

Later in the day, we had another lunch at Aaron's parents house(whew! good weekend for a pregnant girl). We were able to see all of Aaron's siblings, including Andrew and Ason. It was great! Please be praying for Andrew, his wife Regina and son, Hawk. He will be leaving this week for Iraq and will be gone at least through December. :( As I'm sure you can imagine, this is very hard on all the family, especially Gina.

Here are some pics from yesterday.

Aaron and I, with nephew, Hawk....Isn't he a cutie pie?? ;)

Me and Hawk

4 Months

2009-04-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

I ordered an Angelsounds fetal doppler off of Ebay and it is wonderful! I have been listening to the heartbeat everyday!

I can also hear the baby kicking while listening through the doppler...but it seems everytime I try to record it, it stops. Hard-headed kid. ;) ( I have been trying to post the recording repeatedly but it wont upload....hope to have it up soon.)

We find out the gender 2 weeks from tomorrow! =D It seems like this is going by so quickly!

Also, I am feeling some movement now and I am loving it. It makes me want to sit down/lay down and do nothing all day just to feel it more often.

I will also try to get a 4 month picture up soon. Our camera has officially died.:( Hopefully we will get one soon.

At 17 weeks, according to babycenter:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom (about the size of your palm). She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Indiana

2009-03-26T12:49:00.001-07:00

I had lots of fun in Indiana! We walked everywhere. I love cities like that where you can get anywhere within walking distance. We walked to lots of little antique stores, a really cool coffee shop, and ate lots of good food. The weather was beautiful, unlike the 10 degree weather they normally have, so we had a picnic in the park to celebrate ;). It was such a short 2 1/2 days, but I am so glad that I got to go and see Russ and Em before I get "very pregnant". We took lots of pics on Em's camera.....you can see them here. Thank you Russ and Em for letting me stay and showing me around Crawfordsville. Can't wait to see you again! ......to all of you that were concerned about my flying-solo abilities- I DID it!

14 weeks ;)

2009-03-19T05:13:00.000-07:00

I had my 1st big OB appt this week to make up for all the ones missed in the first trimester. It went great. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat and could even hear some kicking and movement. Everything looks healthy :). I am also feeling much better than I did. The nausea seems to be gone, and some foods are sounding good again. I still feel tired most days, but do get bursts of energy, unlike in the 1st trimester. I was told at my ultrasound appt last time that bc of some complications I could only work out/walk 3 days a week, but now at this appt I got permission to do more as long as the issues didn't start up again! I am so excited about heading back to the gym. I have more of a "bump" than I thought I would have this early(maybe because I am so short?!?)! I am getting very excited about the weeks to come of feeling movement and finding out the sex.

Better late than never...

2009-03-17T20:32:00.000-07:00

I just sent off Emily and Russ' Christmas presents today..... early start you might say, nah these are for Christmas 2008. Sad, but true!

I am so bad at long distance stuff. Sorry Emily. Hope you get them soon.

I am leaving for INDIANA on FRIDAY! WHOO-HOOOOO!

Litchfield Beach- Marriage Retreat

2009-03-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time at the beach this weekend! We were able to see alot of our old friends from Midway, Mike and Audra, and spend time with Aaron's parents. The weather was beautiful. It seemed like such a short weekend! We never even made it down to the beach. With all the sessions, raquetball, eating yummy food, swimming and just hanging out in our room, we stayed pretty busy. I forgot to take a single picture, luckily my father-in-law snapped these 2 of us in our room the first day. During the sessions we talked about the five love languages, accepting differences in personalities in marriages, and how to glorify God through your marriage. It was very encouraging and refreshing to spend some time with Aaron and remember the purpose for our marriage.

On Sunday when we got back, the whole family( minus Drew :( ) went to Chili's for dinner to celebrate Ason's, Aaron's youngest brother, return from basic training. He just got back and will be leaving for Iraq in the not so distant future along with Aaron's oldest brother, Andrew. It was nice to spend time with all the family, but it seems strange that we won't be seeing either of the two for close to a year :(. Hopefully, we will get to see them one more time before they officially leave for Iraq.

We also went to see my parents while we were in Wingate. It seems like I hardly see them anymore! We brought our ultrasound pics and got to visit with them for a little while. Its always wonderful to walk into the log cabin; the smell of the wood reminds me of so many memories!

I guess thats all for now ;)

3-D ultrasound picture

2009-03-09T05:20:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have seen this pic on facebook. I didn't want to post it on the blog until I showed our parents, but here is the coolest ultrasound picture of all. ;)

My first prenatal appt was....

2009-03-03T11:16:00.000-08:00

hmmm.....amazing to say the least. ;) We found out that we are actually 12 weeks tomorrow, not 8! Obviously my pregnancy didn't show up on a test until way later and I just assumed it was really early b/c we had been visiting the doctor about infertility about every other week since the end of November! Wow, It was so awesome to hear that strong heartbeat and see little baby A jumping on the monitor. The ultrasound tech was shocked bc she was the one that had just given me an ultrasound in Jan and didn't even check to see if I was pregnant =). I am so excited to know I am almost out of the 1st trimester and this really explains the reason why my pants were already getting so snug =) My baby really looks like a baby, not a blueberry! haha. My due date is Sept 16th. 3 months pregnant, hmm, will this ever feel real?? I can't stop smiling. God is so good to us!

Its always hard to come up with titles for random posts

2009-02-24T07:50:00.000-08:00

My appointment is a week from yesterday =) I am getting so excited. After talking to the doctor last week, I found out that I will get an ultrasound next week for sure and get to hear the heartbeat. I will be so glad to finally get some of my questions answered and feel like this really is real. Each week seems like a huge accomplishment. It's kinda strange to think about. I am trying not to be fearful or worry about my baby. I know the Lord is sovereign over this whole situation, I just have been surprised with how often I find myself thinking about everything that could go wrong. Please be praying for me about this.

Next weekend we are going to Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort for a marriage retreat with couples from the church we used to go to. We are REALLY looking forward to this. We went a couple years ago and had so much fun. I'm sure there will be pictures afterwards, if I don't forget to take them. I seem to forget everything now!

We went to Ikea last night for the first time! What an awesome store! We found all kinds of cool ideas for things to do in our house and it all seems pretty affordable. I can't wait to go back when I have more time and money to shop.

We are finally bringing Speckles to Forsyth County to get fixed tomorrow. We called the Charlotte Humane Society and their first available appt was for June 11th. That seemed like a long time to have to listen to Speckle's mating calls at the front windows, so we decided to call around and find somewhere else to bring her.

Indiana, here I come ;)

2009-02-20T06:34:00.000-08:00

Aaron just booked me a flight to go to Indiana for a weekend in March!!! I am SOOO excited. I get to go see my sister for a weekend! =DDDD

We are VERY PLEASED to announce.....

2009-02-16T05:37:00.000-08:00

......that a baby Forsyth is on the way!!! That's right! We are pregnant =D. After a year of praying hard over this and learning some patience, the Lord has blessed us with a child. We are around 6 weeks right now and will be due in October. I have not been to the doctor yet, she wasn't available until the beginning of March. (learning more patience ;))
Thank you for all your prayers so far in this process. Please be praying for a healthy baby and pregnancy. We are so excited and are praising God for His sovereignty and timing!

Nothing exciting happening yet(other than heartburn,exhaustion, and only wanting to eat waffles =P), but the belly shots have begun.=) We will keep ya posted!

***Aaron and Ashley***

Update

2009-01-28T12:45:00.000-08:00

The other day I opened the dryer to get the clothes out and Abby was sleeping inside with it completely closed. Who knows how long she was in there! poor cat. she didnt seem to care too much. ;) Pics below.

Thanks for all the previous cat suggestions. Speckles has not gotten on the counter since I posted that.....or maybe she is just good at not doing it when Im around. Either way, I havent tried any of your suggestions yet. Thanks Robin for letting me know about the humane society. We will be scheduling a kitty visit in a few weeks!

Heat Update: When we bought our house the seller purchased a home warranty for us as part of the contract. The warranty company sent out Accent Heat on Monday and we were able to fix the heat for 60 dollars! The guy said one of the parts alone wouldve been 500 dollars. Praise the Lord for ALWAYS taking care of us!

Kitty Advice Needed

2009-01-23T07:46:00.000-08:00

Speckles, the used to be stray cat, is now an inside cat. She is doing very well with going in and out of the house instead of using a litter box. I guess she learned that from watching Abby. We are having an issue with her trying to jump up on counters. Kitchen and bathroom. With Abby I have always used a water bottle to squirt her when she would do something like that and she learns pretty quickly not to do it again. With Speck its been completely different though. The other day when she jumped up on the counter for the first time, I poured pretty much a whole glass of water on her (couldn't find the squirt bottle.) and she just rolled in it and purred and licked it up. How do you punish/teach a cat that likes water? Do any of you have any ideas of how we can train her? Also, I would love any Vet recommendations of where I should bring her to get her fixed now that she is "coming of age" ;-]

2009-01-23T07:14:00.001-08:00

This is such a cool website.
It is vinyl letters/sayings that go on flat surfaces. I have been looking for things like this on etsy.com, but they are quite pricey. These are affordable, ranging from 10-12 dollars per set. Here are some of my faves. (hint, hint Aaron ;p)

I just love having a house now, so I can actually decorate it and not have to take the stuff down in a year to move to a new apartment!
We have been having trouble with our heat though. We keep waking up in the middle of the night shivering only to find the vents putting out cold air instead of hot. It works off and on though so we are not sure what the issue is. We went and bought a great space heater. It is on most of the day since I keep the 2 kiddos. Normally a couple hours after we get up, the heat will kick back on again. Anybody know anything about heat and air?? brrr

Blogging.....

2009-01-20T14:51:00.000-08:00

soooo....Im sorry to all of you who are anticipating a post. For some reason, I am at a loss of cute stories, cute pictures,or exciting news to share. I didnt take any pictures at Christmas. Thats right, not one. I had the flu on New Years and missed a wonderful party, so again no pics. And ever since then weve just been busy with the usual stuff. This week, Aaron had Monday off for the holiday then today off for the snow, so it has been nice having him around. We got a giftcard for Christmas to Cheesecake Factory, so we were able to go on Sunday with Regina and Baby Hawk. That was quite a treat, since we would not normally spend money on it. Thats about all thats going on. Another day in the exciting lives of Aaron and Ashley. ;)

Painted...

2009-01-01T16:27:00.000-08:00

We painted our living room! It turned out great. We really like the colors together and feel like it makes the room cozier(word?). At first we had trouble getting the paint to cover without pulling off when we rolled over to smooth it. But thanks to Ang and Kasey, and their painting experience, we were able to put a 2nd coat and fix the issue. I guess we should've primed? just didnt think about it since the walls were white. Here are some pics of the final results...=-)

Harris Teeter Trip

2009-01-01T16:11:00.000-08:00

My first post on our blog.
Ashley and I went to Harris Teeter tonight to get some groceries. Harris Teeter is doing triple mfg coupons. I was pretty impressed with how things turned out and felt it blog-worthy. We had to buy a few things seperately since you can't use the same coupon twice. We also got some chicken breasts: buy 1 get 2 free. And I threw in a couple of Filets, cause I like beef.

Total Price ($80.69) - VIC Savings($13.91) = $66.78 - Triple Coupons ($39.56) = $27.22

All of the coupons

And the food

I think I will post more ways to save money on our blog. I like saving money. It's one of my favorite hobbies. Ashley calls me the next "Money Saving Mom".

Enough for my first post. Go buy stuff with coupons.

Aaron

Thank you

2009-01-01T15:48:00.001-08:00

Thank you for all of your wonderful prayers and comments from my last post. We have more peace about the situation and are trusting in His word and promises for the present as well as the future. Please continue to pray and thank you to so many of you that have shared your personal experiences and situations with me.

~Ashley

struggling...

2008-12-27T17:12:00.000-08:00

Romans 12: 15

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

Please pray for me. I have a heavy heart right now about a few circumstances in my life. Please pray that Aaron and I would be able to have children. Pray that I would have peace and thanksgiving during this time, while also being filled with joy for others. Thank you.

Painting!

2008-12-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

We are finally going to paint our living room! The colors are chosen, brushes our ready, and Aaron is off tomorrow. It is going to be the official living room painting day! For Christmas, I got a GC from a family I sit for, so I was able to purchase supplies and the Mayan red paint from Home Depot. A couple weeks ago, we went to a worship night at Josh and Brooke's house. I told Josh I liked the color of their paint, asked what the color was, and he gave me a gallon! We have been very blessed. =) Thank you! Above the chair rail will be this color...

Applesauce Cake

Below the chair rail, will be this color.....

Mayan Red

I think it will go very well with these pillows I picked up at a yard sale in our neighborhood....

And this rug that Aaron bought for me recently at Rooms to Go Outlet...

I will post pics as soon as we get it painted!

Waiting for an Xbox.....

2008-12-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

Aaron never spends a penny. ever. period. Not too long ago, we had a discussion about how I really wanted Aaron to buy something for himself, for all the hard work he does. He has wanted an Xbox 360 ever since they came out. Aaron's best friend, Angelo owns one so periodically Aaron borrows it. A couple days after this conversation, Aaron started researching prices on ebay and other stores online. He finally found a great deal on one and ordered it right away. I have never seen Aaron so excited about anything material. On the day the x-box was supposed to come, he called me almost every hour to see if it had arrived. After he got home, and it still wasn't here, he was pretty disappointed. I walked down the stairs to find him sitting like this, facing the door, waiting for his prize. It really cracked me up. Every time lights would reflect on the house at the end of the street, he would get up and see if it was the UPS truck. =) What a funny guy I'm married to...

Our Wonderful Cat ;)

2008-12-22T06:38:00.000-08:00

Abby curled up in "her" recliner

She loves boxes of all types.

Aaron got some new shoes for work the other day and as soon as I set the box down, this is what she did.

Aaron put the lid on and she stayed there for quite a while.

I love our cat. Everyday, she is so sweet. She is friendly and curious. These are just a few pics I have taken of her recently.

Christmas is Coming!

2008-12-22T06:33:00.000-08:00

I LOVE HAVING SPACE FOR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS THIS YEAR! Last year we didnt put up any christmas decorations bc we went on a cruise. (not complaining at all...;D) I didnt realize how much I missed being able to decorate and get that Christmas feeling! I ended up putting up the tree very early in November bc my sis was coming into town and I wanted to go ahead and have it up. Our tree looks a little silly though. We bought it for our duplex our first Christmas as a married couple. It looked large there, in such a small place, but when I put it up this year....the 6.5 feet of Christmas tree looks like a bit of a midgit. Also this year I actually have a dining room to put my Christmas coke stuff out. It has been so much fun, preparing for Christmas in our very own house. =)

Thanksgiving Visit with Em and Russ

2008-12-22T06:16:00.000-08:00

Aaron and Russ

Emily and I

Em and Mom

Here are a few pics from Thanksgiving at my parent's house. I didnt take many pics bc my batteries were low, but here are a few. My sister, Emily and her fiance, Russ drove to NC all the way from Indiana. I didnt get to spend nearly enough time with my sister, but we had a wonderful time talking, cleaning out all of our old childhood stuff with mom and dad, playing Wii, and eating my mom's yummy food. Emily is one of my best friends, so 2 days out of 5 months is not anywhere near enough time to talk about everything and watch all the old movies I would like to with her.=( We hope to go to Indiana in the near future to see them again!

Tagged

2008-12-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

So, I was tagged by Dena. The tag instructions were to go to your 6th folder of photos, post the 6th photo in that folder, and explain it. This pic is from a trip to DC the first year we were married. Aaron had wrecked his motorcycle, so we went to pick up bike parts in DC that we found on Craigslist(of course). We had some extra time, so we spent a day walking around DC, taking lots of pics and sight seeing. Fun to remember!

I tag Audra W, Emily G, and Dana H.

( wish I could also tag Josh and Brooke, but they wont ever make a blog!)

My Mom

2008-12-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

I wanted to take today and talk about my mom. She is an amazing woman. She is always helpful and caring! She ALWAYS puts others first. Thanks mom for always being so wonderful.

I am so thankful for you bc .....
you cook lots of biscuits ;)
you showed me how to clean logs
you let me play in the barn with cats all day in the summer when I was little
you always had time to play games with me
you did spelling homework with me at the kitchen table
you have always cared for others
you taught me how to shuck corn, while jumping on the trampoline to make it more fun =D
you were always supportive of my dreams in playing softball, cheerleading, flag, cosmetology school and all the other things I tried =)
you worked very hard for my wedding to be a success
you warned me not to wear crazy kimonos in high school, even though I didnt listen
you brought me to The Refuge every Friday night to see Aaron
you always answer my questions about cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning, and even obesity in the 80's =D
you taught me to be a good wife by always taking good care of daddy.
you have helped so much with moving us into our house and fixing the kitchen. (and all the other broken things)

Thank you for all the things you do!

Commercial Music

2008-12-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

I always fall in love with music on commercials. This song is from a Samsung commercial. It is called "Silly Boy" by The Blue Van. I love it! I love the Outback song, the song from the Chevy commercial with shoes flying from the sky and many others. Enjoy!

More Thanksgiving pics...

2008-12-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

The Keebler House

Paddleboating

More Keebler house...

Its nice being related to a photographer...

2008-12-01T13:03:00.001-08:00

These pics were taken by my father-in-law, outside at the Keebler house.