More Wedding Photos

More wedding pics

My sister & brother-in-law got to leave the church in this sweet ride! Of course, lots of us had our photo made with it. It's probably the closest I'll ever get to a Rolls Royce!


I don't have a single one with all three of us looking the same way! Maybe the other photographers had better luck!

Mr & Mrs Josh Williams...

I officially have another brother-in-law! The wedding was beautiful and the reception food a little too good, if you know what I mean. ; )

I'll post a few more of my photos when I get a chance, and lots more when I get my hands on the good ones that Cat took!

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend!

Aside from the wedding: Ashleigh was really good and sweet all weekend long. We took it pretty easy after the wedding. Saturday night we stayed at Cory & Josh's apartment (NO, they weren't there!) and slept in Sunday morning. We got home about 4:00 and didn't do much the rest of the weekend.

I'm really dragging today, but that's because Ash woke up throwing up about 3am and I didn't get back to sleep until after 5am. She started running fever about 9:30 this morning. I just don't know why she gets sick so much! Blah.

Oh well, more later, I promise!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope everyone has had a good weekend so far. Mine has been quite busy, but good and productive.

Kenneth made it home safe and sound Friday afternoon, Ashleigh and I are both happy to have him back.

Saturday Cory and I went to Tuscaloosa and bought the (silk) flowers for:
::4 flower arrangements
::14 bouteniers (sp?)
::2 Mother's corsages
::8 server corsages
::4 bridesmaid bouquets
::1 bridal bouquet
::1 "toss" bouquet
We also bought the ribbon, etc. for 4 pew markers. We left at 8:30 and got home at 6, but we got some beautiful things. We finished up everything this morning and Cory should be a little over halfway to Columbia with it all now.

Mom came down today and got to see all the wedding flowers and we got to spend some time together. Ashleigh was a little on the whiney side, clinging to me--I guess since I was gone yesterday. We TRIED to take some photos but that didn't go well AT ALL. Hopefully Kenneth will get some shots of me and Ash tonight. Gotta have photos of me and my girl on Mother's Day!

I got some money, a keychain and a lamp for Mother's Day. That's all very nice, but here's the best gift of all:
I was awake when Ashleigh woke up this morning. (Yes, in our bed-I know, I know...) I closed my eyes and she thought I was still asleep. She leaned over and whispered "Hey! Hey Mama!" followed by something in her little language only she understands. Then she kissed me on my cheek and rubbed my head. Then she laid her head down on the pillow right by my face and put her little arm around my neck. After a minute or so I opened my eyes and she was looking right into them! She grinned really big, said hey again and patted my cheek. Like me waking up was all she needed to make her day complete.

Moments like that make it worth all the interruptions, distractions, messes, crying and whining.

It's also very comforting to know that my Mom loves me just as much as I love Ashleigh. Very cool feeling, indeed...

Little Reminders

Sometimes it's good to pay attention to the little (and not-so-little) reminders of how truly blessed you are with your life. It's so easy to get bogged down in all the negativity.

Little reminders I've had lately:
::Several weeks ago, on my way to an appointment I drove by what I can best describe as row houses. They are so tiny, and look like they might fall over in a strong wind. They would fit inside the living/dining room/kitchen of our home. And I'm pretty sure there are two "living spaces" in each of those buildings! And no air conditioning.

::A co-worker is going through chemo right now to fight off cancer AND her mother is in a hospital a few hours away fighting cancer. My co-worker got a call this morning that she needed to go be with her mom...keep them in your prayers.

::I hear people talk about their unhappy marriages and other related problems and feel so thankful that Kenneth and I have a solid marriage.

::I learn about others losing their children to birth defects and am reminded how blessed we are that Ashleigh is healthy.

::When I watch Ashleigh sleeping (or playing) I'm so overwhelmed with love. I thank God every day that he allowed me to become a mother.

::Seeing Kenneth and Ashleigh together remind me how blessed I am to have married a man who is a wonderful Daddy.

Have you had any little reminders of how blessed you are?

Superhuman Mommy Powers & the Pimp Hat

Saturday was the Market Street Festival in Columbus. Diane (mother-in-law) and I took a cranky Ashleigh to her first festival ever. The weather was perfect and I was excited just to be out with two people I enjoy spending time with. Kenneth being there would have made it better, but he had plans with his brother, several hours away. :(

We only stayed about an hour, Ash was a little bipolar-squealing happy one minute, whining and fussy the next. I tried some teething tablets, and just succeeded in making her look like she'd been sucking on a powdered donut. So after she got a temporary "Girls Rule" tattoo, a balloon, and a Dora the Explorer beach ball, we headed out. OH! she did get to see some "teenage" ducks up close (not babies, not grown--so what do you call them?) some rabbits and some parrots. We was a little too cranky to try the petting zoo and pony rides. Maybe next year...

Next we stopped by a thrift store. After a few failed attempts, I managed to get a dose of Motrin down Ashleigh. (Enter Superhuman Mommy Powers) I basically put her in a headlock, held her mouth open, kept her arms pinned down, gave her a dropper full of medicine AND made sure she swallowed it. Yes, we were in the middle of the store. And no, I wasn't embarrassed at all. She was her happy self in less than 10 minutes.

Next we went to a dollar store where Diane bought Ashleigh a fuzzy purple hat. (Enter the Pimp Hat) Ashleigh just loves hats and makes a cute little pimp! ;)

The afternoon included a visit from a satellite service guy, who fixed what the first guy did wrong when he installed it last weekend. Now if I can just learn where all my favorite channels are on this system, I'll be happy!

Got 2 rooms and the hallway steam-cleaned and various other cleaning done Saturday afternoon.

Visited some neighbors, found some nail "treatment" that promises to keep my nails from splitting and chipping as well as a great neutral color--possible candidate for my sister's wedding and scored some great grocery deals. All with Ashleigh wearing her Pimp Hat. She slept through most of the shopping, though...

Today was MUCH more laid back. So much so that the living room and her room and littered with toys...almost like I never cleaned.

Kenneth brought me a Clarion Ledger (he always brings me newspapers when he goes somewhere) so I went through it, clipped out a few eye-catching ads.

WEEKEND MOVIES: Saturday-"The In-Laws" with Michael Douglas, Candice Bergen. It was pretty good. Sunday-"Jersey Girl" Totally get why this one bombed. I mean, when is Hollywood going to learn to go happy, funny romantic comedy OR serious pull-at-your-heartstrings, too real to life? You just can't mix the two and expect good things. Another example of this type thing (to me) "Raising Helen" I got the impression from all the previews it would be pretty funny. Ummmm.....not so much. SO, I hated it!

Anyway, I'll try to get a shot of Ashleigh in her Pimp Hat tomorrow morning to post, along with my scrapbook layouts from last weekend!

Still Here...

I think about blogging alot...my problem is finding the opportunity to do it!

First, the best news of all: I've now lost 14 pounds!!! YAY! Long way to go, but I'm proud of me.

Looking forward to the Market Street Festival weekend with Ashleigh and my mother-in-law, IF it's not raining. I don't do festivals in the rain. Sorry.

Random thought: Do you ever burp and it goes through your nose and hurts really bad? That happened to me yesterday while driving. Dr. Pepper burp. I wonder how dragons manage to breathe fire, LOL!!

Have a great weekend.

(Yes Kelley, I know I need to post my pages, but I forgot to bring the photos of them with me today. Sorry!)

Angry

I was almost through with my post and Ashleigh got in my lap hit a button and it's gone. G.O.N.E. And SHE's the one crying. I didn't even yell at her.

Oh well, I'll try to capture the magic again later.

It was really good...sorry you've missed it!

TGIF

Boy, was today ever a busy day! I suppose most of it was because of a full page car ad I had to do this morning, but things got all backed up, stress levels started rising...you get the idea. 5:00 (or 5:10) couldn't come quick enough. Kinda makes me dread Monday more than usual. Don't get me wrong, I like my job, it's just that Mondays bring an end to my pretending I'm a stay-at-home-mom. *Sigh*

I'll have to work our EVERY DAY this next week. Kenneth picked up pizza for supper. It was thin crust from Dominoes so it was too bad calorie-wise, but it wasn't exactly grilled chicken and veggies! I probably used most (or all) of my flex points for the week! (Weight Watchers people will get that one.)

I've officially re-ordered my bridesmaid's dress, since the first one I ordered was HUGE. Now watch, this one will be too small. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

It's raining and icky here, so they postponed Relay for Life until tomorrow at noon. On one hand, it really sucks because so many people-like Rachel- worked so hard to get ready for it all tonight, then it all had to be packed up to be put up again tomorrow. On the other hand, I can take Ashleigh and spend most of the afternoon and have a great time. I didn't have any plans other than the usual cleaning, hanging out and trying to scrapbook, but now I'll be doing Relay. I'm sure Ashleigh will have a blast--she's all about the outdoors. Kenneth might come too, his plans for tomorrow fell through.

Hmmm.....Ashleigh is trying to take her shirt off. Think that's a hint she's ready for her bath? It's past her bathtime anyway, so I better go do that and TRY to get her to sleep at a decent time.

WooHoo

I lost 12 lbs. this month!!! Only .5 this week, but considering Easter and all, I think that was pretty darn good. I'll just focus on the 12....

Easter Pics

Well, I've got quite a few photos to share, so I won't put them all in my post...be sure to click on the links to look at them all!

Ashleigh had a big weekend! Not only did she get to hunt Easter eggs twice, she got to ride in a little go-kart, just her size!



This is a view I'm seeing more and more:

Quite the independent girl we've got! I can't imagine where she gets it from! : )

Be sure to check out the rest of my photos! You don't want to miss Ashleigh in her straw hat and my sad attempt at an Easter bunny cake!

I'm a Loser!

And I mean that in a good way. I lost another 4.5 lbs. this week!!! That makes 11.5 in 3 weeks. I love Weight Watchers.

Any big Easter plans? Ashleigh and I have to do a little wedding related shopping with Cory and Mama Saturday morning, then we're going on to my parent's house for an Easter dinner, and for Ashleigh to hunt some Easter eggs. And we'll have a little family gathering with Kenneth's folks Sunday. Don't know if it'll be right after church or later in the day, though...

Does anyone know why my daughter is so inexplicably terrified of hammering? Not the hammer, just the noise. A month or so ago she freaked out a little bit when I was setting some eyelets on a scrapbook page. Last night, Kenneth was hammering on something and she just totally freaked out, ran screaming and crying to our bedroom and hid behind our bed. (Yes, I went and comforted her, what kind of mommy do you think I am?) Very strange. She hates the vaccuum cleaner, too.

Things here are work are still really busy, but of the manageable sort now. Oh!! And I got a new computer monitor with external speakers that rock!!! Such small things make me happy. ; ) Really nice since I found an iTunes radio station I really like. One of those "Best of the 80's, 90's and today" type stations.

Here are a few photos from last Sunday afternoon. Probably the last time she'll be in long sleeves until this fall! (It's been near 90 all week and will be next week too!)



And if you've ever wondered how silly a 16 month old would look if she insisted on wearing her Daddy's 2X t-shirt, now you know:


Happy Easter!!! Eat some chocolate for me, because I think I'll stay away from it.

Bad Blogger

I know, I'm a bad blogger these days. I'm just too busy trying to be good at everything else, I suppose.

Good News: I lost 3 more pounds last week, making it a total of 7 pounds in 2 weeks. I have a lot more to go, but that's OK, I'm on the right track!

Otherwise, things are pretty dull. Work, go home, work some more, go to bed, get up late ; ), start all over again.

Kenneth has decided to go to a work conference sometime in May. I think he'll be gone for 2 nights. He'll have loads of fun, plus have lots of "networking opportunities" with some of the higher ups in the organization. That's a good thing.

Ashleigh is just growing up to fast! And her psychotic attachment to me seems to just grow by leaps and bounds. The screaming fits when I drop her off every morning are really wearing on me. It just breaks my heart! (Lord, help me remember this in the teen years when she screams at me to leave her alone, LOL) She did go to sleep just before 9pm last night, so MAYBE she's getting back on track with the time change situation.

As for me....I feel like I'm constantly struggling just to keep up. We're busy all the time at work (which is a good thing) and by the time I do what has to be done in the evenings at home, spend time with Ashleigh and Kenneth and then get her to bed, I'm just ready to fall out! (I do fit working out in almost every day though, YAY me!) To give you an example: Ashleigh was in our bed this morning. I do NOT remember her waking up crying and me going to her room and getting her. I asked Kenneth if he did, even though I knew he didn't. That's bad when you can do something like that in your sleep. Or, I guess it's just part of being a Mommy.

Oh, and I do plan on posting some more photos....someday!

Busy, busy, busy!

Same old story, too busy....

BUT, the weekend went well. I'll try to post some photos of the bridal later. Kenneth had a great trip, made it home safe & sound.

But for now, here's a photo of my sweet baby:

Well.....

I've lost 4 pounds in the first week! : ) I'm a happy camper.

Have a good weekend!!!

WHAT?!?

This morning I remembered something I've wanted to post for a couple of days:

Earlier this week, I went to Wal-Mart to buy several needed items, including sinus medicine. When Checker Girl scanned the medicine it beeped and she had to stop to read the screen. You know how some people always mumble when they read? She obviously had this problem. I heard "mumble, mumble, customer 18?" here she glances up at me, then mumbles "definitely" and hits the button to proceed.

DEFINITELY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

What the heck did she mean by THAT? I mean, I know I'm 33 and don't look like a teenager anymore, but come on! Did she have to be so tactless, rude and insensitive? I don't think so.

Lacking people skills? Definitely!!!

::Kenneth and the guys made it out to Texas just fine!

Look Out Texas (and other ramblings...)

That's right, all of you who live in east Texas, anyway. Kenneth, his Daddy and youngest brother are headed your way. Right now. Kenneth left about 8:30 tonight, headed to Jacksonville, TX (wherever THAT is) for the Mud Nationals. All I really know is it's a big thing where he'll ride his 4-wheeler and break in those new tires he bought about a month ago. I just made sure he packed his Singulair and inhaler, and I cleaned off the memory card of my old digital camera. So I can rest assured he'll be able to breathe and take photos. ; ) And he'll be home sometime Sunday. We'll miss him, but I'm going to be busy with last minute preparations for my sister's bridal shower. I'm leaving work at lunchtime Friday and heading up to my parent's house for the weekend. My Mom is so excited that Ashleigh will be there so long. I'm sure my Daddy is too, but you know men just don't usually show excitement like women. Spending the night away from home is a hassle because it throws our whole routine off, but that's OK. Ashleigh needs time with my side of the family (I do to!).

The "diet thing" is going quite well. Since I have crappy scales (that will be replaced with digital ones this weekend I hope) I don't know how much I've lost exactly, but I have dropped a few pounds, I think. I'm doing Weight Watchers (again--just following the plan, not going to meetings) and it's so easy to get back into the groove that it's impossible to remember why I ever stop and gain weight again. I've been working out every day too! I'd love to win the money, but losing weight and feeling better about myself is really the only prize I need.

Ashleigh is growing up too fast! She just learns new things and gets cuter and sweeter every day. It seems that way. I actually cried a little when I left her this morning. Not just because she was crying and screaming "No Mama!" when I started to leave. It just really hit me that this complete dependence she has in me; the belief that I can right all wrongs and make all hurts vanish will be gone before I know it. Sometimes it can be a little irritating when I can't have 5 seconds of peace when she's awake because she wants me playing with her constantly; but I know I'll be devastated when these times are gone. OK. Enough of that!!!

Hmmm.....I've thought of all sorts of odd & end things through the week to write about, but now I can't think of anything! Oh well, guess that means it's time to sign off!

Getting In Gear

Well, wish me luck!

I am:
::Starting a healthier lifestyle today
::Starting to take care of myself so I can be the Mom/Wife/Friend/Person I need to be
::Being positive that I CAN and WILL do this.
::Stopping "trying" and starting "doing"
::Going to exercise at least 5 days a week, preferably 7

Bet you're wondering what's inspired me today, of all days. Well, I'll be honest. It's competition with some money for the prize.
Several of us at work (12, I think) began a weight loss "competition" today. Everyone chips in $10 and at the end of the month, whoever has lost the most weight wins all the money. My sister's wedding in 2 months also serves as motivation. I don't want people to think she chose an elephant for the matron of honor! Not that I'll be anywhere near my goal weight in 2 months, but I can look quite a bit thinner!

I've been playing at trying to be healthier with sporadic success since Ashleigh was born. But now with so many eyes watching and $120 at stake, it's ON!!! I'm so tired of not fitting in the majority of my clothes and feeling so uncomfortable in my own body that I don't want to leave the house.

I'll keep you updated. For real this time. I'm going to weigh in every Friday morning.

Have a great weekend! Mine will be busy with a wedding, (where I serve groom's cake-grrr....) completing some gift projects and cleaning my house. Joy oh joy...

Getting Caught Up

Why is it that if you miss a little sleep, it takes forever to get caught back up? I've gotten a decent night's sleep the past two nights-I even went to bed early last night and overslept this morning! And I think I'm even sleepier than yesterday...argh! Oh well, I'll feel well-rested again someday. It might take a few years, but I know it'll happen.

Things have been relatively quiet in the Taylor household, nothing much to report. Ashleigh learned to make a rooster noise on Monday and that is just priceless! Kenneth's getting ready to go on his trip to Texas at the end of the month and I'm making bridal shower preparations. Also need to get wedding invitations designed for my sister before she kills me!

Oh!!! Happy, happy, joy, joy-I'm getting my hair done tonight! I'm even more excited than usualy because I'm long overdue for a trim and root job. I had an appointment a couple of weeks ago, but Ashleigh's flu cancelled that out!

I did get Ashleigh's Easter dress yesterday...it's really cute (of course, why would I buy a dress I thought was ugly, LOL) I'll try to post a photo soon.

Oh, just a little note: those Biore Pore strips say just to use them on your nose, and I now know why-they don't work anywhere else. I tried cutting one in half to put in my chin and it didn't do anything but bother Ashleigh. She kept pointing at my chin saying uh-uh and ow!

Good Weekend

Well, we had a super-busy but fun weekend. My Mom came to our house Friday evening. Then she, Ashleigh and I headed out early Saturday morning for Columbia, MS, about 4 hours away. We met my sister's future in-laws, who are super nice, attended her bridal shower and went shopping. Got home Sunday evening totally exhausted, but it was worth it. Ashleigh has started drooling again-thought we were past that at 15 months, guess not! Not sleeping well either, joy of all joys. But that's OK. She's started pointing to cars and saying "Car! Vroom, vroom, vroom!" And she also likes to point out doors to us and flip light switches. So that makes the lost sleep worth it to me!!

Got a cool Photoshop action today, here are a few pictures I applied it to:



I think it's pretty neat for a change, anyway!