Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter!

Today was wonderful! After hearing some beautiful testimonies at church this morning we were able to spend the rest of this beautiful Easter Sunday with some family and friends having a picnic at the park. The day was gorgeous, the food was delicious, and the company was the best! Holland LOVES being outside and around people so it gave me some time to relax. Here are some pictures of our Easter Sunday!

Family photo!



Holland sitting in a chair that is just her size! 

These girls REFUSED to look at the camera! Silly ladies!

Crawling away from the camera. 

My wonderful man! 

I am in love with her sunhat! And amazingly she actually leaves it on...most of the time. 

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday!

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Questionnaire About Race & Me

My good blogging friend and real life friend Kylie tagged me in this fun post with questions about how things work in our marriage/relationship. I hope you enjoy getting to know Race and I a little better!  

PHOTO CREDIT: LAUREN BRIMLEY
{Side note: Race and I really need more pictures of just the two of us! This is from a year and a half ago!}

1. Who is your man?
Race W Ashby

2. How long have you been together?
Since we started dating: 3 years and a couple of months

3. Dating/Engaged/Married?
Officially dating February 26, 2010 // Engaged May 27, 2010 // Married September 3rd, 2010 {Pretty fast, eh?}

4. How old is your man?
He just turned 25! 

You or your man?

1. Who eats more?
I would say I do. Race eats WAY more sweets but not very much when it comes to actual meals. And since I've been pregnant/breastfeeding I eat A LOT. 

2. Who said "I love you" first?
This is embarrassing but Race and I actually don't know. He says that I said it first and I say that he said it first. Haha. I honestly can't remember the exact moment it happened. I guess I might need to go back and read some journal entries about it! 

3. Who weighs more?
Race. Although when I was pregnant I think we were pretty dang close to the same!

4. Who sings better?
Definitely Race. I'm not very good and I'm embarrassed to sing so that doesn't help at all. 

5. Who's older?
Race by a little bit under two years. 

6. Who's smarter?
Race says it totally depends on the subject. I would say we're pretty close in smartness although Race is a WAY better writer. 

7. Who's temper is worse?
Mine. Definitely. Race is pretty level headed but I get mad and I don't let it go until we talk it out and find a solution. 

8. Who does the laundry?
Almost always me. Race will switch it over for me when I ask him to but I don't mind doing the laundry for the most part and I'm really particular about how things get folded and put away so I just take care of it. 

9. Who does the dishes?
It used to be pretty even but I would say that now I do them more. Race has made a goal to always do the dishes before playing video games though so that might change! {Also I should give Race credit for the housework he does that aren't in these questions. Race ALWAYS takes the garbage out. I have taken it out MAYBE five times since we've gotten married. Also Race almost always does the sweeping, mopping and vacuuming. He's awesome!} 

10. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
If you're facing the bed then I do. We always sleep the opposite of our normal when we aren't in our own bed though. I don't know why but it always happens.

11. Who's feet are bigger?
Race's. Although if mine grow every pregnancy and decide not to shrink back to their normal size then I might just catch up! Haha. Not really but I'd be close. Although nevermind I don't know how shoe sizes translate between genders...

12. Who's hair is longer?
Mine. Thank goodness.  

13. Who's better with the computer?
Race. I know just enough to get by. 

14. Who pays the bills?
Both but mostly Race. I am always in charge of the phone bill but Race usually takes care of the rest. 

15. Who cooks dinner?
Almost always me. Race is convinced he doesn't know how to cook anything other than heating up a corn dog in the microwave. I'm sure that's not the case but he's at work til late every night anyway so it just works for me to cook. 

16. Who drives when you are together?
Race almost always does. I actually really don't like driving so I won't do it unless he's not feeling good or something. 

17. Who pays when you go out to dinner?
Usually Race but we have joint accounts so it's not like it really makes a difference. Race is learning a skill that my dad has {that I love} where as soon as the waiter/waitress brings your bill you have your card ready for them so that you aren't waiting around all night for them to come around again. I just like it because you can stay and chat for however long but when you are ready to leave you don't have to try and get their attention. 

18. Who's the most stubborn?
I think that I am more often stubborn but Race definitely has a few things that he is really stubborn about. 

19. Who is the first one to admit when they're wrong?
I would say we're pretty evenly split on this one. Although we both say that we are first to admit when we are wrong more than the other one. Haha. At night though it's usually me because I can't fall asleep mad at Race. I just have to cuddle with him and I don't cuddle when I'm mad so I just have to decide to get over it and say sorry. 

20. Whose parents do you see more?
Neither now that we live in Idaho. When we visit we try to spend equal time with both of our families. When we lived in AZ it was definitely my family. They were closer and there were a lot more baby blessings and family things to go to. 

21. Who kissed who first?
Race kissed me first. 

22. Who asked who out?
Race asked me out after inviting himself over bearing the gift of ice cream. 

23. What did you do?
On our first date we had a pirate theme because we may or may not have watched a pirated movie. So we went to Michael's and got crayons and candles to make pirate candles and then we went to Target to get some sparkling cider {the bottles were also for the pirate candles} and then we picked up Subway for dinner and headed over to Race's apartment to watch Avatar and make our awesome pirate candles. 

24. Who's more sensitive?
Definitely me. I think Race has cried maybe twice since I've known him. 

25. Who's taller?
Race. He is 5'10" and I am {almost} 5'1" 

26. Who is more indecisive?
Usually me. Although when it comes to picking something to watch off of Netflix or something Race can browse for hours. I'm not sure if that's because he is indecisive or because he just enjoys browsing. Hmmm.

27. Who has more siblings?
Me. I have eight brothers and two sisters and Race has two sisters and two brothers. 

28. Who wears the pants in the relationship?
Race says that he does and I would probably agree. 

29. Who has the best husband ever?
That would be me! 

And now I tag Kara of Not a Couple's Blog and Alexis of Alexis Laughs and anyone else who would like to do this because I would love to read your answers! It's fun to see how different everyone's relationships are. 

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Blogging About Blogging

I always thought it was kind of weird to blog about blogging. So even when I had things to say about blogging I just didn't. And then I read this awesome post by Elise of Elise's Pieces and decided that blogging about blogging is not that weird. {Especially when you use the word blogging a billion times in the first couple of sentences}

Anyway, I completely agree with Elise's post so you should go and read it and then come back here {if you don't get sucked into Elise's blog for the next few hours}!

My blogging story:

I got really into blogging a couple of years ago and posted quite a bit. I made quite a few awesome blogging friends and had swap sponsors and even did some product reviews and sponsored posts. It was a lot of fun!

Then I got pregnant and had a baby and didn't post nearly as much. My posts were erratic, to say the least, and I felt bad about that. I switched off between feeling bad about not posting enough and feeling bad for posting so much about Holland. But I am not sorry about that. Holland and Race are my world and I love to share them with my blogging friends.

My mom told me about this awesome proverb that says, "Joy shared is joy doubled; sorrow shared is sorrow halved."

I love sharing my joys and sorrows through my blog. I don't live near very much family and haven't made very many friends in Idaho yet so blogging is a way for me to connect with people. When I am having a hard day I want to talk to someone about it. And Race and Holland sometimes need a break from being my sounding board/Holland doesn't respond too much just yet! When Holland learns something new or I find a fun new hobby or Race and I go on a fun date and I just want to share these things with someone {or lots of people}! And blogging is how I am able to do that!

I love being a part of the blogging community. I know at times it can be hard to refrain from comparing your life to the seemingly perfect lives of every other blogger out there or feeling like you need to own all of the cool things other bloggers have but I know that all bloggers experience sorrows and joys and blogging is a wonderful way to make connections with those around us and bond with people we may have never been able to meet otherwise. And that is amazing.

I am so grateful for the many friends I have made through blogging. I am also so grateful for posts that I have read of people's hardships that have been just what I needed during my trials. I can only hope that someday a post I have written can help someone in their time of need.

I love blogging and I am not going to apologize for my posts no matter how erratic {or solely focused on my adorable daughter} they are! Now please introduce yourself so I can make some more blogging friends!

P.S. I also love Instagram and post LOTS of pictures of Holland on there {and don't ever apologize for it because she is a stinkin' cutie} so if that's the kind of thing you are into then request to follow me! {@emmaashby}

P.P.S. I just can't help posting a couple pictures of Holland because, like I've mentioned a few times, she's adorable!

Holland's fish face that she does all the time. 
{Now if only you could hear when she smacks her 
lips after making this face! So funny!}

And then Holland's teeth grinding face.
Most AWFUL noise ever! 
But her face is still super cute/hilarious!

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Holland's Seventh Month in Instagrams

Holland's seventh month consisted of: 

#7daysofstyle {seen here but this was my favorite outfit from that week}

Wearing green for St. Patrick's Day/Race's birthday!

Reaching for me and melting my heart!

Dressing in pretty dresses! 

Learning how to climb on everything! 


Wearing Madison's Mr. Potato Head glasses!

Chewing on/playing with lots of random things!




Having the prettiest red lips anyone saw!

Getting kisses from Madison.

Watching Yo Gabba Gabba when she was grumpy and teething. {She also got her first tooth but I haven't been able to get a good picture of it on my phone yet!}

Playing with fun new toys/books from Mimo!

Getting a new, comfy carseat!

Falling asleep while sitting up!

Learning to crawl! She does a funny little zombie crawl but she's getting pretty fast! 

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Holland's Sixth Month in Instagrams

Holland's Sixth Month consisted:

Chewing on binkies as toys but still refusing to actually use one or take a bottle.

Showing me her toys.

 Watching Dad play the piano. Much more interesting than watching herself in the mirror apparently!

Cuddling with Dad. 

Making funny faces at me!

Chewing on an apple--her favorite food and pretty much the only food she eats!

A ride in the laundry basket with cousin Madison!

The cutest naked babe!

She loves to play cousin Madison's piano and makes the funniest faces while doing it!


 Looking so grown up!

 Move in day! I found Holland's mobile from my sister-in-law and Holland LOVES it!

Playing on the floor while I try to organize her new room!

Holland started taking baths again instead of showers with me.

Wearing hats while playing is the best!

A toy set from Mimo for Holland's half birthday!

Matching!

My birthday!

You can never have too many bows! ;]

Valentine's Day