• Birthday Interview With Harper

    July 20, 2021

    My baby is seven, and I can’t even believe it. She has grown so much, and is just as silly as can be. She is such an animal lover, and always wants to help out. I want to remember that she loves to make my sandwich for my work lunch right now.

    1. What is your favorite color?  blue
    2. What is your favorite toy?  legos
    3. What is your favorite fruit?  cherries
    4. What is your favorite tv show or movie? The squirrel movie that I got from the library (scaredy squirrel)
    5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  macaroni!! and chicken nuggets!
    6. What is your favorite game? Sleeping Queens!
    7. What is your favorite snack?  hmmm. cheese its!
    8. What is your favorite animal? cheetah! and chicken! and ducks!
    9. What is your favorite song?   umm.. I don’t know yet.
    10. What is your favorite book? hmmm… Nibbles!
    11. Who is your best friend?   *shoulder shrug* I think that me and Abby are friends
    12. What is your favorite cereal?   honey cheerios
    13. What is your favorite thing to do outside?  swim in the pool if it’s really reaaalllllllyyyyy hot
    14. What is your favorite drink? sweet tea and water. mostly water
    15. What is your favorite holiday?   Christmas and Easter
    16. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?  ten million stuffed animals
    17. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?   cereal or chocolate chip waffles if we have them
    18. What do you want for dinner on your birthday?  pizza and macaroni
    19. What do you want to be when you grow up?  I don’t know! A librarian probably just like you are
    20. What makes you feel happy?  This duck and that I got the lego set that I really realllllllyyyy wanted

    I hope seven is the best year yet!

    Read More

  • Creating Cozy

    December 15, 2020

    I am sure I’m not alone when I say that I am lacking inspiration. I am lacking motivation. This year has been hard and weird.

    Our family has had so many fun things happen this year– hello chickens and eggs and gardening– but, it has still been difficult. Many of our favorite things were cancelled. We are constantly having to pivot and switch the way that we can operate at work, and that is starting to feel overwhelming. (I am so grateful that I still get to work, so please don’t misunderstand me.) Dealing with angry and unkind people is wearing on me.

    I am so thankful for our home. Our hiding place. The place where I can snuggle into a couch or the bed and read a book. I can dig into my Bible and be reminded of the promises that God has made.

    I am just craving cozy. Candle light and twinkle lights. Soft blankets. Snuggles and good books. I just finished this and really enjoyed it… if you needed a recommendation.

    Does this happen to you? The night comes earlier every day. It starts to feel depressing, so we fill the darkness with flickering lights. We grasp for anything that feels comforting and warm.

    So, that is what we do. We hold tight to each other. We snuggle up close and read books, listen to music, and watch movies. Our home is illuminated by Christmas lights and flickering candles. Yes, things can still be hard/sad/frustrating, but we get to create the cozy and safety in our homes. Homemaking is such a gift.

    Read More

  • Counting Blessings

    March 22, 2020
    wagon ( I wish we had gone for this one) // bike (similar) // helmet

    There is so much bad and scary news out there. It is coming at us from EVERY ANGLE. I feel like I’m suffocating on it. Let’s focus on the good.

    Here in Illinois, we are under “shelter in place” orders through at least April 8. That means that I am not working. I am home with my babies. I am able to cook dinner for my family every evening. I’m able to slow down and savor this time. We aren’t rushing to art class, gymnastics, programs, choir practices, etc. All of the things that I always wish I had time for– I have time! You have time! This is our chance.

    We are able to go outside and play. We take daily walks around our driveway (it’s big) and up and down the street if there aren’t any cars. We ride bikes and plan where the garden is going. I think we have FINALLY settled on a spot! Hooray!! It’s been snowing and freezing rain today, so maybe next weekend we can get our blueberry and strawberry plants in the ground.

    I have been able to organize my kitchen cabinets in a way that makes sense. We moved in and immediately threw a big party for my parents. Then school started and we’ve just been dealing with where everything got put. I don’t have any regrets about any of that, but it’s nice to feel like we finally have a system. I also have a sourdough starter going. It stinks like no other today, so we are on the right path.

    We are talking a LOT about this illness. We are talking a lot about how God has not been surprised by any of this. He knew what was coming, so we don’t need to fear. We also talk a lot about how God gave us a brain, and we need to make wise decisions. We need to do things to protect ourselves and our neighbors.

    Being a homeschool family, our typical days haven’t changed a whole lot. Our activities have all been cancelled, but school continues on as usual. I keep saying how excited I am to see how many families continue homeschooling after this. I know so many parents who say “I wish I could homeschool, but I don’t think I’d do a good job.” I can’t wait to see how many people realize that they CAN do this! YOU CAN DO THIS!! Even if it’s only temporary for your family, you can do it.

    Almost every church has done an online service today. I encourage you to find a biblically sound church service to listen to. There are so many that we can now listen to one each day and have loads of encouragement to counteract the fear and anxiety that many of us are feeling. I want to link my church’s service, but I don’t like that kind of specificity on here. 😉

    Tell me– what is something good that has happened in the past week for you? Let’s focus on the BLESSINGS.

    I love this song. Take a listen!! “You never stop working. Way maker. Miracle worker. Promise Keeper. Light in the darkness. My God. That is who You are.” This is just the reminder we need in this time. God is the way maker. He still is working miracles. He keeps his promises. He is the LIGHT OF THE WORLD!!

    Read More

  • Creating Home

    January 14, 2020
    butter keeper

    Some of you many not know that I was an interior design major at one point in college. I changed my major because I knew that we would be moving wherever God called us in ministry– and a career in interior design wouldn’t be sustainable in my mind. Honestly, my biggest regret is switching majors and not sticking with something that I loved. I see so many people who have successful design businesses that work from home.

    I grew up watching Trading Spaces with my mom. HGTV was my favorite channel to watch. It still would be my favorite if we had cable. I LOVE Joanna Gaines and what she is doing. Even though House Hunters was absurd, I still loved to see the inside of those homes. All of that to say, I still really love interior design.

    If you are reading our book club book for January, then you know she is talking all about home– the atmosphere that is created by us. I don’t want to go into the book now. I’m saving that for the end of the month. But, it has just reaffirmed how much and why I love home design.

    I have said for years that I am responsible for creating “home” for my children. We have moved a lot, and lived in many dwellings (8) in our eleven years of marriage. We take the “home” atmosphere with us wherever we go. I create it with cozy pillows and throws, candles, conversation, music, books, art, etc.

    It doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant. It just has to be you. It has to be your family. It doesn’t need to be cookie cutter or fit into the most popular box. If fills you and your family with joy– embrace your style.

    For my family, on our small budget, everything needs to serve a purpose. In the kitchen, I love having our wooden cutting boards on display. They get used every day, and are easily accessible. The many throws in our home come to good use since the house is a bit drafty. We have family photos on display and thrift store artwork that we love. I am not a minimalist by any stretch of the imagination, but I do love simplicity and tidiness.

    Home is where our families will learn the most about Jesus. Inside of these walls should be a safe haven for our family when the world gets too hard. Prayer and scripture should fill our home. When someone walks through our front door, I want them to feel that love resides here. That is why I love design and am passionate about creating a cozy and inviting home. I want home to be the place my daughters long for when life gets hard. I want them to know that they are safe and unconditionally loved here.

    Read More

  • Rediscovering ME

    January 3, 2020

    Happy Friday, friends! Is anyone else extremely lost after the holidays? I can’t figure out what day it is or what I am supposed to be doing. I even worked several days, but still felt like I had forgotten how to do my job every time.

    Moving on– I wanted to share something that has been on my heart for quite some time.

    Do you ever feel like you have lost yourself? I have. I have felt it for years. In 2009, Scott and I started our lives in full-time ministry. Slowly, I felt myself trying to fit myself into a box of what others expected of me. The way a ministry wife is supposed to walk, talk, dress, etc.

    I spent years trying to fit into the mold of what I THOUGHT I was supposed to be. I tried so hard to live up to others’ expectations of me. It was exhausting, and honestly why I feel like I have lost myself.

    I am not obligated to live up to others’ expectations. Neither are you. I am obligated to live a life that fully honors Christ. I have an audience of one that I am living for– and no one else. I’m learning to strip away the weight of expectations from others, and learning to embrace the woman that God created ME to be.

    I know that this does not just happen to ministry wives. Some women lose themselves in motherhood. This does not mean that “just mom” is an insult. I loved being a stay-at-home mother and would happily go back to it if I were able to. I mean that I lost myself to being a mom. I became so focused on meeting the girls’ needs and taking care of everything for them that I forgot to take care of me. I would skip meals, not take vitamins, and eat so much junk. I think this happens to most moms.

    It can also happen with family expectations. I have seen families that don’t see growth or change in people. If you were a certain way as a child, they still treat you that way as an adult. If you do anything different, you are treated as an outcast or made to feel like you have betrayed the family. I have seen it happen so often.

    Through all of this, I am learning to laugh more and have fun. I am remembering who ASHLEY is. Just Ashley, child of God. Not Ashley– mother. Not Ashley– ministry wife. Just me. I’m taking better care of myself. I am digging in deeper to God’s word– reading from my Bible and doing a devotion each day. I have learned that it is ok to be different and break the mold. Part of this re-discovery comes from stepping out of ministry and feeling so lost. Another part comes with age.

    It’s beautiful to realize who you are again. It’s beautiful to know that when we are back in full-time ministry, I will know exactly who I am– exactly whose I am.

    Read More

  • Giving

    November 14, 2019
    step stool || apron

    If you don’t already know, we love baking bread. I want to send you back to this recipe, which is our favorite sweet bread. The recipe makes two loaves, which makes it perfect for gifting.

    I made this bread once and took a loaf to one of my coworkers– I just removed the chocolate chips from the recipe. Her mom is really limited on what she can eat, and a nursing home is not taking care of her the way they are supposed to. When I gave it to her, it was as though I gave her a bar of solid gold.

    I don’t tell you this to toot my own horn AT ALL. I tell you this because we often want to do something for others, but feel the financial strain. Especially at this time of year. Baking a simple loaf of bread is such a gift to people. If you aren’t great with bread, bake some cookies. If you are making a meal for your family, make an extra helping for your neighbor.

    I feel as though we overcomplicate giving. We feel that if we aren’t able to give in a big and extravagant way, we shouldn’t give at all. That is FALSE. Usually, the small gifts mean the most to people. Your tiny drop in the bucket and yours and yours and yours combined with mine eventually overflow. A little kindness goes a long way.

    This has been a wonderful lesson for my daughters. They love to help me bake (and eat) this bread, but they always know that a loaf is going to go to someone else. They usually want to give it to the same person, and she is just as thankful as the first time. It has been such a simple and fun way to teach them generosity– while also teaching them the skill of baking bread. Win-win!

    They are also learning the skill of braiding. 😉 So cute.

    What small gift can you give to help spread the kindness? Who can you hold a door open for? Can you tell a mother or father that they are doing a great job? Just look around and you will see a need that you can easily meet.

    Read More

  • Simple Surprises

    October 7, 2019

    Scott and I have been planning to surprise the girls for quite a while. I found these pajamas on sale and snagged them quickly. We decided that we would give them to the girls and let them stay up late while we watched a movie and ate popcorn.

    When I got home from work on Wednesday, I started getting everything ready while they were on their way home from church. I put their new PJs on the steps. When they got home, we told them to go put jammies on and get ready for bed. They squealed and were so excited when they saw them. They rushed up and put them on. I popped popcorn and had it ready to go.

    We all snuggled on the couch together and watched It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Our schedule is difficult. I homeschool the kids all day. When Scott gets home, I rush out the door for work. When I get home, they are just going to bed. The kids have been in tears recently about how we don’t get very much family time anymore. It kills me. This was a fun way to sneak in some special time together.

    I’m planning to do something similar for Christmas. I already have the jammies bought. The holiday jammies sell out so fast, so I always plan ahead!

    Read More

  • Acid or Grace?

    September 30, 2019
    image source

    Does this one hurt you as much as it does me?

    I am filled TO. THE. BRIM. I’m overwhelmed. Overscheduled. Overtired. I have three kids who bump into me all day long. What is pouring out?

    I remember Lysa Terkeurst talking about what happens when people bump into your happy. Like, you are walking along and everything is really great. Then, something happens that messes it up. It could be big or small. What is going to come out of you?

    I know people who spew acid on EVERYONE around them when something happens. It doesn’t matter how big or small. And, don’t you dare try to share your heart with them because things will always be worse in their life than yours. You can smell how toxic they are– even if they aren’t currently angry and unhappy. These people are exhausting, and quite honestly I try to avoid them. A toxic attitude is so contagious.

    I want to be full of grace. When it comes to my family, I want grace to spill over. I want them to know that it’s ok to make mistakes. I want them to know that I will always love them and they can come to me with anything. But, if I have acid pouring over, they are going to be afraid of mistakes. They won’t come to me when someone has hurt them. They will hide things from me.

    “…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34

    What is your heart full of?

    This is convicting. My temper is something that I have worked really hard on controlling. I have been much better about pouring grace over my children and my husband– because I remind myself often of the grace that God has shown to me. I am so undeserving of His grace and kindness. Yet, He continually shows it to me. Over and over again he loves me in spite of me. The best way we can share Christ with others is to fill ourselves with His love and His word.

    So, ask yourself this question. “What do people feel: acid or grace?”

    Read More

  • Cut Loose

    September 23, 2019

    Yesterday was one of those perfect days. We went to church, ate as a family, then played all afternoon before going back up to church.

    I hopped on a scooter and rode around with Addi on the sidewalk areas we have. We laughed and had a blast.

    Then, I finally got out the bike that Scott got me for our anniversary. (I’ve wanted one of these beach cruisers for so long and am really excited about it!) Chloe was so thrilled to ride her bike with me. We took a ride down the road a bit before it started raining.

    I forgot how much fun life can still be as an adult. I get so caught up in the daily to-dos. I’m always rushing from one thing to the next. There’s never any time to cut loose and have fun. But, those moments with my girls were really special to them. It’s funny how much it means to them to get just a little bit of time.

    I challenge you this week to cut loose and have some fun. Do something with your children that they love to do. Laugh and play like you did as a child.

    Read More

  • I CAN even

    May 28, 2019

    We hear it all the time– I can’t even.

    I can’t even get motivated to clean my house.

    I can’t even handle my life anymore.

    I can’t even get healthy.

    I can’t even.

    STOP IT RIGHT NOW.

    We can even. We can wake up and chose to take charge of the day.

    I get it. Life is hard. Life is SO HARD. You guys, if I listed all of the ways that life has slammed me down over the past five years.. I don’t even want to go down that rabbit hole. Honestly. Life has made me depressed. The constant trials, hurt, pain, struggles, and suffering have made me wish it would be over. There are days it takes every ounce of strength just to put my feet on the floor in the morning. I GET IT. It’s hard. It’s ok when you are in a dark place to take a day of rest.

    Self-care is all the rage. That is great, but sometimes it seems to go the one extreme or the other. Either you have to be busy to the point of destruction, or you have to be so lazy that you are also at the point of destruction. How about we change that. It is ok to take care of yourself. It’s ok to say “no” to the things that you don’t have the time or energy for.

    Saying “no” to everything in life because “I can’t even” isn’t acceptable. Our families deserve better. Our friends deserve better. Quite frankly we deserve better. We deserve to wake up in a home that fills us with joy because we CAN even take the time to tidy up our home. We CAN even go through all of the stuff that clutters our lives and minds. We CAN even take the time to go for a walk or run to clear our minds and take care of our health. We CAN even make a healthy meal for ourselves. We CAN even take the time to spend with our children and husbands– because they deserve more than an empty shell.

    I don’t want to be remembered as the one who “can’t even” with anything. I want to be remembered was one who COULD.

    Read More