What you need from a Direct Sales Guy or Gal

How did I live my life without all of this stuff I have recently discovered by being on the inside of direct sales? I mean, seriously. I know everyone does an eye roll at the thought of one more Fabebook post advertising their crap, but this is the future people! Trust me, I do the eye roll too then remember I am one of them :) You have no idea how many people will see a post and that 1 post may be just what they are looking for at that specific time! Like if there was a potty training human I could have bought from a direct sales company  a few months ago, I would've paid BIG BUCKS for it. I recently saw a post from a fellow friend about why not buy from a Direct sales person? Why not try to buy a gift for someone through a friend to support what they are doing? Sure you may not be into everything that everyone is selling, but have you even tried it before judging it? I am so so guilty and only until recently has my mind been changed. I have found products that I am absolutely in love with. I started out by just buying from people who were buying from me as a thank you, not knowing I would be their regular customers as well. As most of you know, if you are my FB friend or follow me on IG @ashleyn2504), I am a stylist for Stella & Dot. Who doesn't want to grab their girlfriends and have me come over to style them and drink wine or cocktail of choice?? I mean, duh! I even do fundraisers to help anyone and everyone raise money for their cause of choice! I do not have any alterior motives, I just simply love fashion and helping people find pieces they love and that make them feel great! Sounds soooo cliché but it is the truth! I get emails and  photos texted to me all of the time of happy customers who are 5 years old to 85 years old...no joke. It is not for everyone and that is ok, but take a look at the things I have found and LOVE from a Direct Sales guy or gal and if something strikes your fancy, give them a shout. But remember, I am the ONLY Stella & Dot gal you will ever need ;)

Rodan & Fields: My worst habit is not washing my face. Never have and probably never will like I should but my drawer is filled to the brim with Rodan & Fields...haha. Why? I love the products that I have tried so far! I love the eye cream, the eye cleaning wipes, the redefine kit, hand cream, and now the roller! I thought it was just a little plastic thing and a joke until I rolled it on my face and had to text my consultant why my face was all red and bumpy...lol ( I have crazy skin and it was legit). See this is why you buy from friends! So you can text or call them and they will help you with whatever! Now I use the roller often and I never have a problem but my skin is always moisturized and not flaky anymore! My go to girl is Jen Penisten, so if interested contact her at Bestskinwithjen@gmail.com.

Usborne Books: If you have never bought books from them, Christmas is coming up and they are so awesome! Who doesn't love buying books? They have so many titles and the quality is top notch. The shine-a-light books are a favorite in our house. You take a flashlight to the book pages to discover hidden images! Need a gift or books, contact Tami Israel at Y4870.myubam.com.

It Works: I know you know someone who is a distributor for this company, I see more of this than anything else on my feed. I honestly have tried several things and it really isn't my thing BUT I have found something I love! The chew vitamins! I have been taking them along with my daughter takes 1 per day and it has helped SO much with her poop not being so hard....sorry for the mom talk :) So if you want soft poop for your toddler contact Dani Housley on Facebook! And one more wrap post and I may just try it before my October vacation ;)

Matilda Jane: The cutest clothing for littles! I have not personally bought the adult clothing, but that is because it is way more fun to shop for my daughter than me! If you love ruffles, lace and everything girlie, you will love this stuff. Plus, Joanna Gaines buys it for her girls, so you know it's cute!!! Haha #lifegoals My "Jane" as they call it is Jael Brose or trunk keeper #952 and you can order or send your wishlist here: jaelbrose@matildajaneclothing.com.

Lipsense: The newest lip gloss craze and it is a good one! Semi-permanent lip gloss in a variety of colors that you can mix and match! I am not going to lie, but the first few times I used it I was not loving the burn from the alcohol in the gloss, but the more you use it, the less you notice it! I love rose berry and can't wait to try out more! My Lip Sense gal is Kimberly Gleason if you need a hook up :) Just look her up on Facebook and she can add you to her group!

Advocare: I actually tried this before I started selling Stella & Dot because I was working as a nurse and as you all know we work long shifts sometimes and need a little pick me up! Now I need it daily being a mom and running around like a chicken with my head cut off, dealing with a toddler who has boycotted naps at the ripe old age of 2. Boo! The product I love is the spark and it is probably the best seller for them! I love love love the pineapple coconut with coconut milk!! It is like the "pink drink" but better and less expensive habit! I also like the blue raspberry. I do like the rehydrate if I am working out, which is not very often! Haha I buy from different people because some have kinds on hand that I love! Shasta Hilmer (www.advogirl35.com)  is my on hand girl and I recently met the sweetest gal Crystal Thurber (http://www.advokc.com) in Kansas City at a tournament and she was so kind to send me samples of each of the products! I can't wait to try them. Younique: This was one of those parties where I was invited by a customer and I bought a lip stain because I really never change my make-up or try anything new! But I am a lipstick whore. Well lucky me I freaking loved the stain and better yet, it stays on! So then once again, my friend invited me to shop her party, so I ordered the foundation because it was "all the rage". Well I picked up some from a local gal and realized I looked like an Oompa Loompa because it was the wrong color (until Summer came along). Well, long story short, I now use the foundation daily, the primer when I go out, eyeshadow, lip stains, lipstick, and concealer. My local gal is Kaylyn Moore and my other go to gal is Ashley DeJonge at www.youniqueproducts.com/ashleydejonge (because I loved her name, no really) plus she turned out to be the sweetest gal ever! Funny how Direct Sales brings you to meet new people!

LulaRoe: If you know me you would say, no way no how does she wear that stuff. Well you are partially right. I was at one of my first vendor events and there happened to be a consultant there. I was browsing her racks and saw they had adorable little leggings and dresses for my daughter! ( See there I go again buying her crap). Then I decided it would be really funny to buy a pair of printed leggings for my mother who I knew would freak out and tell me hell to the no. I know, I am such a good daughter :) So after that I wanted to do a joint party with one of the local consultants with my Stella & Dot to reach people who don't know that we offer jewelry that doesn't need to be dressed up all of the time! This was the first time I bought leggings (black) and a Julia dress! And they are both pieces I love! Lord knows people in the Midwest have LulaRoe dealers like crack dealers around here so these are 2 of my gals Alicia Trogdon and the ever so sweet Tricia Rivas (also the owner of the amazing Trixies Salon here in Des Moines.)

Beauty Counter: I love their lip gloss too! I am telling you, I have a lot of it :) I also use the body scrub that makes my skin feel super moisturized after a shower, plus it smells so good, I want to eat it! I really want to try the charcoal mask and the face oil. Those will be my next purchases :) I heard that Target had some of it on the shelves for a hot minute, so you know it's good stuff! I have only purchased through a party so the 2 gals I know who sell it are Maegan Carroll www.beautycounter.com/meagancarroll and Katie Nola www.beautycounter.com/katienola

Young Living: Ok, so I know there are 2 companies out there that are popular, Young Living and doTerra. I have read the difference and I am really not sure why I chose one over the other, really no reason at all. I think that my go to girl Brianne Koch posted something on FaceBook at the right time and the rest is history :) See, you never know who is going to be reading each post. I now own the starter kit, and since have placed 3 additional orders because diffusing is my jam. Every night at bedtime, I turn on the diffuser with new concoctions depending on my mood. My favorite is lavender, peppermint and lemon all together. I use thieves on my canker sores and they are so much better by the next day. I love them! Oh and don't be afraid to drink that pouch drink in your starter kit, Ningxia Red, it is delish. Brianne's website is oily inspired.com.

Keep: Last but not least Stella & Dots sister company, Keep :) Adorable charms and bracelets to fit each personality and situation and style. Plus it goes really well with our Stella & Dot arm parties :) These make great gifts as they are easy to build upon, so you can buy 1 charm at a time! I just bought from an online party's so I don't have my own personal Keep Collector but I am sure if you ask on FB if anyone sells it there will be plenty of suggestions.

Oldies but goodies that I have bought from before I started with direct sales is Pampered chef, Avon, Tupperware, Uppercase Living, and Tastefully Simple ( the beer bread). I am sure there are some that I am forgetting or maybe I am leaving out some since my Grandma and Mother will read this ;) Haha

So you may ask what the point of this blog post was? Well, people ask me all of the time what products I use, what colors and what are products that I love. I am frequently looking for party hostess online or in home, and I feel like with all of the options out there, people get totally overwhelmed and annoyed with all of the party requests they are receiving. If you don't love it, it's OK!!! Maybe you have a friend you know would love it, so order it for them as a gift! Connections or networks, whatever you want to call it, really has led me to friends who will be around for a very long time, and I am so grateful for that! So the next time you are invited to a party, at least take a look and see if there is anything you could buy! Support friends because you never know when you may be the next to jump on board the direct sales train. It isn't "selling" if you love the product and are passionate about it!

You can email me anytime if you ever want information on joining my Stella & Dot team! Ladyandred2504@hotmail.com. No boss, no quotas, and a lot of accessories! Or if you just want to browse my online boutique shop here: www.stelladot.com/sites/ashleydejong

XOXO

2 Words...Potty Training.

Where do I even start with this topic? Maybe how I got this brilliant idea to start it? Well, I am ashamed to tell you that it all began because I did not want to be THAT Mom who was the last to potty train their child. No seriously. Potty training is really all about me ya know. But really though. Before we started the potty thing, she would tell me at Target wearing her diapers that she had to potty and I would tell her that we didn't have time, just go in your diaper. I know, Mom of the year right here. Also I am the one who would be doing 99% of the training and that alone is super scary and overwhelming so who wants to do that?? I came up with so many excuses as to when we would start and why she wasn't ready but the only problem was me. We are in gymnastics class with several kids around the same age as Rowan and I noticed a little girl not much older than her come in with undies on. So I began to fish around about how old was the child, how did they do, and was it as awful as everyone says. I really asked every single parent I ran into from then on. You could call me the potty investigator. Haha. Then one day a little boy came into class and his mother mentioned that they were "commando" and potty training. So now and BOY and a GIRL were trained before my child? How can this be? I asked her how she started and she said that she was reading the "Oh, Crap" book and it was working. I immediately went home and Googled it, bought it for my iPad and told myself I am going to start potty training....soon. That was Wednesday. I look at my calendar and start to pick out dates to start....and I can't find a single date that gives me 3 days at home. Crazy huh? I am a stay at home mom and I can't find 3 days at home. Weird. I mean trips to Target count right? If you know me, shhh MOM don't say anything, you can't tell me nothing. I can do it and I will do it, my own way and I will make a way.

So Friday comes along and after sitting down to read "Oh, Crap" I figured now is the best time, even though we are leaving for Minnesota the following weekend, she will already be trained by then right? Pants came off Friday at 3pm. Literally. As I  start to read it, I feel like this is just a guide and so I start to skim further into the book to find what I really need to know since I clearly know everything already. Haha. For the first few times at the potty, she did great! She peed like a champ! I couldn't believe it! And I kept thinking, well we are done right? That was easy. Not so fast. We got the pee part down but what about the poop? I kept her in dresses with no undies on because I am not going to look like a "bad mom" and let my child run around naked outside. Remember this is all about me :) No poop on Day 1, surely it would be coming on Day #2. Yep, it came alright. Outside by her swing set in the grass and she was so proud! Ok, at least it was outside so it was easy clean up. Thanks kid. If that was the worst thing, we are still surviving pretty well. Day #3. Because I know everything and do not follow advice until I am desperate, I never stayed home with her to train her because who has time for that? I was anxious as heck and I now know where every bathroom is in every place I go! Off to Nana's she went. This mama needed a break and Nana was also graced with a turd outside too :) Haha. The dogs have taught her well. Day #4, me alone with her again while daddy worked. She was awake for a hot minute until I smelled poop. This time it was not so convenient. Caught up in her skin tight jammie's....into the tub she went. 8:00 am, and outfit change #1 not sure why but I decided to put shorts on her with no undies today instead of a dress, but I did. Maybe because I assumed she had this pee thing down. I Let her play outside for a minute and saw a small puddle of water on my deck? Hmmm Rowan what is that? I peed. Seriously? Yep, so back inside for pants change #2. Go back to what I am doing and come back outside to another small puddle next to the first one....ummm what is that? Did the dog mark her territory and pee too? Nope. Outfit change #3. Oh man, it is only 8:30 am and I am loosing this battle hard! It is not even 9am and I want to hit up a patio for a glass of wine!! So sheepishly I pulled out that book that I thought I didn't need and skimmed right for the get my child to poop chapter and why all of a sudden is she regressing!!! HELP ME!! After the book calmed me down, I put her back into a dress without undies. I felt a sense of defeat. I finally broke down and made a stupid sticker chart that everyone said to do while thinking this is a waste of time and not worth it but let me tell you, she loves to put that sticker up like "look at me". We were fighting for the control and she was winning and she knew it. We had no problems the rest of the day but we can not get this poop thing down.

Sooooo what do Mom's do when we want our kids to do something?? We bribe them, well at least I do :) Since the whole "let your poop go swimming" thing wasn't working and I thought I better find another term since it was the start of pool season and I do NOT want to be the one that makes everyone clear the pool due to a floating turd. The sticker chart wasn't working for poop, I had to think of something she really wanted. Oh, I know. A crab. Yes, you heard me right. My 2.5 year old wants a hermit crab thanks to the mall kiosk where she has to hold one every single time we go. BINGO! "Ok Rowan, you poop in the potty and we will go to the mall and you can get a hermit crab and bring it home." Literally the next morning, she pooped on the potty before gymnastics and immediately said, "let's go get the crab." Oh crap. She remembered. A deal is a deal.

We are now the proud owners of Daisy the hermit crab and also I am a sucker because she still won't poop in the toilet. It is either in her pants or outside. WHY WHY WHY! I am a pretty open person when it comes to talking about bathroom habits and I can't imagine her feeling embarrassed about it. I even make up stupid songs like "poo poo in the potty" and sing them to her! LOL

As for that Minnesota trip, it was a 36 hour weekend for a wedding that Rowan was the flower girl for! Imagine my terror when I realized we had to drive 4 hours with her and I had to let her walk down the isle with no underwear on....I really really contemplated putting a diaper back on her for that 30 minutes. But I didn't. We took the potty in the car and let her use it when she had to go, which was twice. I put a puppy training pad on her car seat to catch any accidents that may occur. Best idea ever, even though we didn't need it :) We only had 1 poo accident and 1 potty incident. Not too shabby for all of that travel and craziness! She walked down the isle like a pro and we have decided that she makes such a cute flower girl, we will now be renting her out for weddings :)

Well we are on day 14 and we are still working on it. We have the pee down, it's the crap I can't handle. Time to pick up the book again as now I see where the title came from. Very clever. As for the bribe, well Daisy the hermit crab was eaten by our Goldendoodle :( I am currently working on my next bribe! I just keep telling myself, it will happen, she will do it....and I am still waiting.

All I know is that I have some great photos and stories to tell her when she is older about how potty training went and what is better that making memories and remembering how we all survived! Again, people with more that 1 child....you are seriously all saints!

Cheers! Yes I will be having a glass of wine :)

Vacation with my Mini

Whew! These past few weeks have been a whirlwind and I can't even believe I have the time to sit here and write this! But this crummy weather, my hot tea and couch were calling my name. If you follow my blog, you will know I ONLY pack in a carry on suitcase 1.) because I am a control freak and scared to loose it and 2.) I am impatient and don't like to wait to pick up luggage, but this last trip to Cabo with my family, I caved and checked a bag. Seriously the best decision ever. And I will NEVER again choose to fly out at 5:30am ever again....getting up at 3 am is not for anyone! I was traveling alone (first time internationally) with my 2.5 year old daughter and it is too hard to pack for her in 1 suitcase let alone a carry on! Diapers, life jacket, clothes and shoes. And there was NO way I could've made it through the airports with my child, suitcase and buggy all intact without checking a bag. So I sucked it up and checked it, but next time, if I stay at a house like we did this time, I will wait and buy diapers at the Mega Mart and save myself some packing space :) The best part was that my daughter was an absolute gem the entire trip! She had a few 2 year old moments but seriously the trip was so nice and it helped by having a cooperative child....every Mother understands this! 

We flew first class our entire trip thanks to my little blue card (not pill) from my fun job as a Stella & Dot stylist! Why not right?? I sell it for fun, I will use my income for fun! Now I am not sure I ever want to travel coach again :) But if you think you get stares when you fly coach with a child, you should see the looks and comments you get flying first class with one! The eye rolls and the sighs! Haha but I loved the cover up comments when she was a complete angel and actually quieter than the snoring man 2 rows back. One lady said, "oh thank God for iPads" No honey, thankfully I have been fortunate enough to travel with her since she was 4 months old and she is used to it and loves it. But yes, thank God for iPads too :)  Have a toddler and traveling soon? I would like to pat myself on the back for packing an amazing backpack for a child! 

1.) Window cling ons. I may have to give some credit to my daughter for wanting these at Target and the idea then coming to me. Best.Idea.Ever. No mess, cheap, and reuse able! 

   2.) Water Wow books! Fill a plastic paint brush up with water and paint pictures and then re-paint once they are dry!  Lots of different ones to choose from too! You can find them at Target, department stores like Younkers and of course the airport if you want to pay double!

   3.) And this shoelace and block thing from Target dollar spot! Is there anything you can not get in that money pit they call the dollar spot? UGH! Kept her attention for ever! Keep on taking my money Target.

My family picked us up from the Airport and drove us to our home away from home! Our first time using a home booking site since we usually plug in a place to go on Expedia like an all inclusive! It was actually really nice! Gated community, large pool, private (rocky) beach, and close location to downtown. It was in Cabo Bello and our home was called Casa De Esperanza or House of Hope. You can learn more about their mission at hopeforloscabos.com as all donations for the house and car (after costs are covered) go directly to various areas of need in Los Cabos. The house has 3 bedroom and each room has their own bathroom. Staying somewhere and doing good all at the same time is a win win for me!

     Since my husband and I have been to Cabo 2-3 times before, I was more relaxed knowing a little about the location. We tried to eat at all of the "it" spots for my family to see and experience and hit up all of the little trinket shops for crap we all didn't need, but what is the fun if you don't come home with maracas? Haha Oh and a drum, a bracelet and a "drug rug" or poncho as I call it! Never heard it called that before! But my little lady looks awfully cute in it!

Eat here: 

1.) Cabo Wabo

2. The Office

3.) Captain Tony's 

We did not party here: (Although there were a few babies in the bars)

1.) Cabo Wabo

2.) Squid Row

3.) Jungle Bar

Walking the marina is always fun! Lots of shops, restaurants, Starbucks & entertainment. I know I am not young anymore, but I will still never understand the need to walk the streets with only a swim suit on. Does that make me old? Either way, we saw a lot of booty and drunk people :)  Always very entertaining.

  You must do the touristy thing and go to the Arch. Rent a glass bottom boat, and take a little ride to Lover's Beach, Pelican Rock, the Arch, stinky seal rock (seriously smells so bad) and lastly Divorce Beach, but swimming is not recommended here. Surprised? Me either 😊 

      She was not too sure about the boat ride! Haha 

Biggest funny of the vacation. Yes it involves my daughter. So I was showering with her when a little wall lizard came out from the drain and ran out of the shower onto the baseboard. Of course my bug loving daughter thought she needed to catch it. I laughed and let her out to catch it thinking that they are so stinking fast, there will be NO way she will catch it. Low and behold, she walked over to it, reached down and picked the darn thing up no problem. UGH!! So out of the shower I go to get a cup (with no lid) to keep it in. Brilliant I know. Well she played and played with that lizard until he no longer had a tail, then it was time to let me die in peace. RIP lizard. Only my child.         

  

Of course I did a little "work" on my vacation! Yes, selfies are my job, and just wearing it out and about people see the goods and want to know where they can get it!  Showing off Stella & Dot's accessories and their versatility is part of the work, but also a selfie shows how simple it is to look "put together" for any occasion. I think if people really understood how easy & fun this job is, more would do it! They just hear "selling" something and say no way. But having a stylist on my team paying off student loans and saving for a trip to Disney is more motivation to help others earn extra money too! Oh and if you didn't already know, this vacation is a big ol' tax write off, just ask me how!! 

*Follow me on Instagram for outfit and jewelry details ashleyn2504

A huge thank you to my family for setting up this very fun vacation and for making memories that will last a lifetime! I already miss you all and look forward to the next time we get to see you!

 

Much love Cabo! Until next time :) ✌️    XO

Lady and Red 

 

Is this Really my Life?

Hello. It's me. I was wondering...sorry I had too! I swear I hear that song every time I say hello! Thanks Adele. Well it has been a long time since I have taken the time to actually sit down and blog. Life is just busy, but I like it. My little Stella & Dot business is doing well and I am setting goals that I am crushing. I love fashion and jewelry so it is such a great way for me to escape the "mom brain" that I had fallen in to. I am so grateful to my loyal customers and new ones too! I now have something else to talk about other than what my child ate for breakfast and how many times she has pooped in a day. Tell me I am not the only one with this syndrome please? Sometimes doing something little for yourslelf can have the greatest impact on you and the others around you. My favorite quote from the creator of Stella & Dot is posted in the the image below. Since it has been awhile, I have a lot to share with you. Well I am now the Mom to a 2 year old sweet baby girl with a personality bigger than this world, and I love it! She keeps me on my toes and tests my patience and ability as a Mom daily. I would not say she is in the terrible twos....I would more like classify as it the "Is this Really my life" stage? Or "did that really just happen" stage. I mean seriously, I can't even make this stuff up it is so good! Well sit back, relax, and enjoy this 3 ring circus I call life.

 First off, we got a new puppy. He is a male Goldendoodle, standard size because mini wasn't big enough I guess? We (well I did) thought it would be a great idea for Rowan to have a dog she could rough house with and grow up with because our 4lb Maltese wants nothing to do with her unless she is giving out food. Ummm that was a brilliant idea on my part. Did I forget what it was like to have a new puppy? All I ever wanted was another toddler to join me daily (said no mom ever), Louie is seriously the cutest and sweetest man, which is how we get through some days. Just like what I tell Rowan on days she is extra spicy....."You are lucky you are cute." Not only does he pee a river when he has an accident, his poop is 5X the size of normal poo leaving land mines in our yard, and he chews every toy my super tidy toddler leaves around. It is chaos around here most days now. I routinely find the dog eating food out of my toddlers mouth per her request because she thinks it is hilarious! Oh real funny. But they are the best of buds and seeing them play and him lay next to her when she is sick is the sweetest thing ever. We really do love him!

If being naked is a 2 year old phase I am so ready for it to be over! I swear everything bugs her!! If there is a tag in site, not even touching her, it needs to be cut out immediately or a meltdown occurs. Socks are like the devil to her and if they touch her feet she may breakdown, or the line in the sock is touching her toes wrong. Thank God for Uggs. I would pay double the price right now for them over dealing with the sock issue. Oh and she has mastered the whole part of taking off not just socks but everything including the diaper :/ I will be running around rushing to get somewhere on time (which I am never late) and picking up articles of clothing throughout the house to dress my child for the 3rd time that morning. I LOVE the inventor of the onsie that snaps :) It's is like a nice version of the straight jacket for toddlers and I am going to be so lost when she outgrows the 24month size :(

So a few weeks ago I was getting ready for the day in my bathroom and Rowan was playing in the basement with her toys. She yells upstairs "mom" to find me and then comes upstairs to hunt me down, like always. She walks into the bathroom but I did not look down at her and when I finally did she was naked....go figure. We have been working on trying to potty train, just introducing her to the idea. I am really not looking forward to it because I dread the days where we are in the middle of a store and IT happens, or the emergency car stops. Ugh. So I proceeded to ask her why she is naked. She says "I poop", which means to me maybe she wants to sit on the potty. I put her up on the toilet and she says "no I pee". I encouraged her to go, then bribed her, which works with pretty much anything! Parenting fail in every book, but a parenting win in mine :) Well no potty came out and I was ready to run errands, but had to run around the house and picking up her outfit to dress her. Finally I reached the basement where I found her pants and diaper on top of our entertainment center underneath the TV. Now how and why are they there?? So I walk up only to find, 2 giant turds on the top of the table. She peeks out from behind the door and said "see I poop." Yep. I see that. Are you kidding me? Is this really happening right now? Of course I can't say anything or get upset because I do not want her to be scared to take her pants down and potty but for the love of God!!! I think to myself, it could've been worse! Rowan=1 Mom=0 And no....I never found the pee. If you are my friend on Facebook (lucky you :) ) haha you get to see a lot of jewelry! If you don't like it, or the photos I post on Instagram of my outfits and jewelry, there is a little button that says unfollow or unfriend :) It really is simple. I get paid to wear great jewelry, help others accessorize and I make more money than working PRN or part time as a nurse. Crazy huh? Also you get to see a little tid bit of my sweet life. I shared this with friends but have to share it with you since it was too darn funny. I seriously laugh still laugh about it. I feel like I am forcefeeding my daughter daily and I swear if I did not make her eat, she wouldn't. So I bought Grape Nuts because they are healthy, and I like them. I made her a small bowl of cereal and put a touch of brown sugar on top to entice her more to eat it. I fed her the first bite, she looked at me with such haste and disgust and stated "This is disgusting. This is dog food." She took the bite out of her mouth and marched herself over to the dog bowl and put it in there for them. The dogs loved it! Haha Never a dull moment.

Last weekend we changed her baby bed into the toddler version of it because she just hops the rails and gets out as she pleases. I thought it would be easier than that. Emotional mess would be a good word to describe my state of being. Never will I ever have a baby again, never again will I reach over the rails that once kept her in and safe and pull out her sweet smiling face. Now I get to snuggle right on in beside her, only for her to tell me "get out of my bed." Haha She loves her bed that much! She only wants to cuddle for a hot minute then she wants to sleep. So sleep deprived moms all over the world, next time you go in for the 3rd feeding of the night with 1 eye open and you see that smiling baby, reach down and know that soon enough it will be all over and that phase will be a distant memory. Love and live in the moment please.

Lastly, I swear she thinks she is Van Gogh. She color and marks up everything!!! No matter how many times I tell her to only color on paper and I tell her NO 5 thousand times, she still can not manage to listen. As I am cleaning off the dining room table where I have stupidly put her crayons and papers, I find my light tan microfiber dining chair colored on with crayon....black crayon, oh and yellow highlighter. A few deep breaths later and a super fast Google search of "how to clean crayon off of microfiber" my chair looks brand new. That is when I know God is working in me and helping me with my patience, I calmly cleaned up the mess and moved the crayons to a secret location far above her reach and went about our day. Mom life right here folks and for all of you out there right now Googling the same thing....rubbing alcohol and a clean magic eraser. BRAND NEW. You're Welcome.

All of these moments somehow are seriously funny after the fact, maybe because the clean up so far has been pretty painless. But she knows how to work me over with a few sweet words "you da best ever". My heart melts and I remember why I love being her mommy. But I promise you I ask myself daily "Is this really happening? Is this really my life?" And I am sure glad it is.

Cheers!

If you love fashion & jewelry follow me on instagram at Ashleyn2504! If you love it so much, want to get paid too? , let's chat!! XO

Ashley DeJong