Challenge

I can give you three good reasons why I haven't been good at blogging lately. 

Hooked. Got the second and third books today (thanks mom!). it's similar to hunger games, which I also loved. they are making movies out of it, so everyone go read it before the movie ruins it:) 

I haven't been this hooked on a series since Downton Abbey. Everyone has been telling me to watch it, so finally one night I caved. and ended up watching 3 episodes. and even when I tell myself 'just one episode' something big happens and I have to watch the next one. I curse Donielle for this one. 

The best reason possible is # 3- this little ball of energy. ( i realize I take a lot of pics in her pjs, but I love her pjs and sometimes we stay in them for a while). She is so much fun but also so exhausting:) So when she goes down for the night, I don't have much mental energy left to come up witty things to talk about. But i wouldn't have it any other way. She is changing so much every day I just want to pull the hands of time to a halt and make her stop growing! 
enough excuses, what i really wanted to share was my commitment this month.  My BSF leader sent me a prayer challenge last month and we both decided to do it for our husband's for valentines day (or month rather). you can see the full list of prayers here.  I can not tell you all how much it has changed our marriage in the 18 days I have been doing it so far. Each day, you pray the prayer for that day, and you tell your husband one thing you appreciate/admire about him. In my case, I send him an email each day/night because he is often at work. I write out the prayer, make it personal to us, and tell him something about him that I appreciate/love/admire/respect.  I challenge the wives who read this to do it (c'mon just try it). I know it sounds cheesy and maybe out of your comfort zone.,but I promise your husband will appreciate it and you will see changes in your marriage. I honestly had no idea the impact it would have on us when I decided to do it.  We are 18 days in and already amazed at God and his goodness in our marriage. 

Catch Up

Anyone who knows me, knows I love the snow. I think there is so much beauty and pureness in snow and the blanket it covers the earth the in. in the diamonds it makes in the sun light. seeing the snowman our neighbors kids built. i just love it.  but i am soo ready for spring.  I am tired of having to bundle up just to take Jackson outside. to put hats on Ainsley and hurry her inside because it's so cold. 

ice on our tree in new front yard 

our tree at old house :( hoping it makes it! 

Last week Philip planned a night out for me. He came home from work and said he had heard on the radio that Gary Alan was having a free concert at a local bar downtown. He said I was going:) (i LOVE Gary Alan). So i called my friend Donielle who shares my love for Gary and who goes to his concerts with me. And I realized whitney was going to be in town, and I told her she had to come.   So the night was planned and I was so excited.  10 minutes after we got there, they reached maximum capacity and wouldn't let anyone else in. It was snowing the whole time we were there and people were still waiting outside hoping to get in.  We had such a good time. and it is the closest I have been to Gary. I came home one happy happy girl :)

for those not on instagram:) 

Ainsley is getting more personality every day and we have so much fun with her. Here are just some pictures from the past few weeks 

played hard

playing in the wet shower 

dare devil 

And here are a few of her one year pics:) 

God is so good. He is working in our lives in such amazing ways. I am just in awe at all that He has done and is doing for our family, our marriage and our friends. more to come on this. for now I just wanted to dump some pics and do a little update:) 

First Birthday Party

I had always said I wasn't going to do a big birthday party when I had kids.  That the party was more for the parents than for the actual birthday baby.  But once we sat down and made a list of my family, philip's family, and our best friends, there was no avoiding a large number of people. We have too many people we love and who love Ainsley. Since Ainsley came into this world in a snowy wonderland, I decided to have the theme for her party be a 'Winter OneDerland'. 

her birthday outfit that I barely got any pics of her in it! 

something else i never realized until I had a child, was how precious nap time is. and how missing a nap can ruin a whole day (for us at least). so I decided to avoid nap time completely and have a birthday breakfast:)  and yes maybe a lot of her party was for philip and I. but more than anything, we just wanted a day to be about our daughter and celebrating her life. with the people who love her.  I think we succeeded! 

her invitation 

The forecast was predicting for freezing rain all week, but luckily the day was beautiful! the sun was out and there was no rain or snow in sight:)  We decided to have the party at the Hartland Clubhouse. This decision was made way before we decided to buy a house and move. It worked out perfectly though. The pressure of having it at our house was taken off (especially since our house is not put together yet!)  We started her day off by taking balloons in her room and singing to her as we came up the steps. she was a little confused :) 

philip hadn't put on his shirt yet:) we were too excited 

here are pictures of the party set up and the food: 

homemade hot cocoa favors:) 

doughnut hole kabobs and fruit platter

doughnuts and sausage balls 

snowflake water, OJ, milk boxes and juice boxes

snowflake cookies

mini cupcakes

Ainsley's smash cake 

frame of her monthly 'onesie' pics. thanks aunt rachel! 

Philip came home one day with a present for Ainsley that she 'had to have'. He said it was her housewarming present. But i decided it should be her first birthday present. I was skeptical at first but her present was the hit of the party. a roller coaster!!! 

Philip has been so excited for Ainsley to eat her smash cake. He really wanted her to pick the whole thing up and just tear into it. But she is a lady, and ate it pretty daintily :)  *picture overload coming up*

a little scared of the candle and everyone singing 

sharing with daddy 

what was left:) 

Opening presents was pretty amazing. to see the fun and thoughtful gifts everyone picked out for her was so sweet. I didn't have expectations of her helping open presents, so when she wanted down and to play, I was fine with that:) I had to open the presents quicker than I would have liked, but a baby's attention span is not very long:) 

Overall, I think the party went really well! and if it didn't, at least I felt like it did haha:) I wasn't stressed out about it and felt like Ainsley had such a good time. 

A huge thank you to my mom and family for bringing food, helping us set up, and decorate. And a huge thank you to mine and Philip's friends who stayed and helped clean afterwards! 

Ainsley shares her birthday with Auntie Jo, and that night we went to Mi Casita to celebrate her! (well my family always goes to Mi Casita on Saturday nights). They brought out the sombrero and ice cream for both AJ's:) 

hand in ice cream 

Ainsley also had shrimp for dinner and (sadly) liked it. Her Daddy is so happy, I however am not ecstatic. :)  Happy Happy Birthday to our sweet Ainsley! We hope we made you feel extra special on your special day. Birthdays are a big deal in this family, and I hope your first one was spectacular:)