Ashley

This ain’t your mama’s dictionary. It’s the Clorox Ick-tionary! #sponsored

This blog post is part of a paid SocialMoms and Clorox blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more posts on this topic, click here. If you have kids or have spent longer than about five minutes with a child that's under 6 years of age, you have an idea of how gross they can be. I kind of wish I could be so carefree -- walk around with tomato sauce all over my face, water on my shirt, or jelly in my hair. Who cares, right?! I've got places to be! No time to clean up. Besides, it's hardly noticeable! That's definitely what my kids are thinking. And it's pretty embarrassing when we walk into the grocery store and I notice that one of them has half of their lunch still hanging out on their shirt. I want to put a sign on them saying "I bathe them! I promise!" but I know that when I walk down the produce aisle, the other mom shopping with her three kids can totally commiserate. Her kid has chocolate milk stains, too. Solidarity fist bump, mom. I … [Read more...]

It’s Challenge Time. #NoSodaSummer

It's something that I've been trying to quit for a really, really long time. Last fall, I got into a really great swing and went soda-free. I didn't really miss it, and I would have it on occasion when we went out to eat. Otherwise, it was water for me! I felt great, and I know that I was just healthier then, you know? Around Christmas time (oh y'know, nearly 6 months ago), I got back into the soda habit, and I am fully addicted again. It's so hard for me to say no to a fizzy fountain drink! Diet Dr. Pepper is my BFF, and I could drink it all day long if I let myself. So bad for me. But then I started reading up on the junk they stick in soda. So that's pretty bad, yeah. But then just yesterday, I read an article that stated that diet soda is as bad for your teeth as methamphetamine or crack cocaine. HOLD UP, Y'ALL. Those who drink large amounts of diet soda for long periods of time often experience tooth erosion, rotting, decay and other types of oral damage – in many … [Read more...]

Make some noise and #FinishTheFight! Twitter Party + PRIZES!

LET’S MAKE SOME NOISE! Because silence won’t finish the fight, action will. In honor of the American Cancer Society’s 100th birthday (May 22), join us for a Moment AGAINST Silence, Wednesday, May 29, 2013, to make some noise and finish the fight against cancer. #FinishTheFight Twitter Party Info What: From deadly to treatable, from curable to preventable, the progress the American Cancer Society has helped make in the past 100 years is remarkable. There was a time when the word “cancer” was spoken only in whispers – a time when we lost almost every patient. Yet today, 2 out of 3 survive to celebrate more birthdays. Let's make it 3 out of 3. Join us for a Twitter party in honor of the American Cancer Society's 100th birthday to help finish the fight against cancer. Help us make noise by taking a pledge and creating your life list on Facebook. When: Wednesday, May 29, at 2p ET / 1p CT / 11a PT Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the … [Read more...]

Beating Summer Blues with Netflix Just For Kids! #sponsored #NetflixKids

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX. A few months ago, we cut the cord. We finally kicked DirecTV (and their $170/month bill!) to the curb. Now, we get our TV on with Netflix! I was nervous about the switch at first, because I really rely on the preschool programming in the mornings -- sometimes I just need to get a little work done, y'know? But I have been pleasantly surprised by Netflix! So what do they have on Netflix, anyway? A lot of stuff, that's what! We're big on Disney in our house, so I was so pleased to see that Netflix has added a ton of Disney programming like Cars Toons: Mater’s Tall Tales, Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, and Jake and the Never Land Pirates. I was even more pumped to see some of the classics like The Aristocats, 101 Dalmations, and Pocahontas! I may or may not sing "Colors of the Wind" at the top of my lungs. I get a kick out of embarrassing my daughter, that's for sure ;)! There's other great shows from … [Read more...]

Weigh In Wednesday Week 43: Back on the Wagon

So if you read my post on Monday, you know that I've been having a rough go of it. There's nothing worse than being in a rut, and I've finally decided to pull myself out of it. And it. feels. awesome. Since Monday, I've tracked every bite of food that's gone into my mouth -- yes, even the two frozen margaritas I had on Tuesday. They were even more costly than my two shredded chicken soft tacos (which were so delish, by the way). It makes me feel safe knowing that even if I dip into my weekly points, I know exactly what I have left to 'spend'. If you're not tracking your food yet, do it! You will shock yourself! I don't have a whole lot to say tonight, because I pretty much spilled my guts on Monday, but I did take this screenshot today from my Weight Watchers app that I thought was pretty neat. I mean, yeah, it's kind of depressing to see that I've basically done nothing productive in over a month, but I told you I was in a funk! At any rate, it did help me a little to see … [Read more...]

I think Weight Watchers is trying to tell me something.

It's no secret that I've been so insanely busy, and I've missed a lot of weekly weigh ins. A lot of it is because once I'm done with my "real" job, I am ready to turn off the computer and hang with my kids -- which is awesome! Summer is coming up and we bought a new pool for the backyard to tide us over until we (hopefully) put in an in-ground pool over the winter. The kids are growing gills, and I've loved every second of lounging in a floaty-thing, sipping either a Diet Dr. Pepper or some kind of mixed drink. This scenario is glorious, and it's really, truly, been a joy to just LIVE. But I've become entirely too sedentary over the past month. Yes, MONTH. I am laying it all out on the table. 100% of it. I haven't run since the Boston Marathon, on April 15. I ran a mile with my kids that day, but haven't laced up since. Nothing. Nada. And for the first week, it was just purely a scheduling issue. Andrew was travelling a lot, so I couldn't very well just leave the kids alone at … [Read more...]

Make Your Life List and Help Fight Cancer #FinishTheFight #sponsored

The thing about cancer is that it's something you have in common with people, but you really wish you didn't. Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer. One thing we as a community can agree on is that we've got to Finish the Fight and do whatever we can to find a cure. I have had two grandparents affected by cancer -- my paternal grandmother lost her fight with cancer and the complications it brought, and my husband's grandfather recently beat lung cancer. Bottom line, folks -- it's time to find a cure. Finish the Fight -- Create a Life List The American Cancer Society is celebrating its 100th anniversary at the end of this month, and to ring in a century of advocacy, they need your help. Create a Life List of accomplishments, aspirations and hope for the future of cancer. Steps to creating your own Life List on American Cancer Society’s Facebook page: Visit The American Cancer Society on Facebook Add Your Accomplishments – Things you’ve done Add … [Read more...]

Graco FastAction Fold Click Connect Jogger #GracoJogger #ad

Graco Fast Action Fold Jogger Click Connect Stroller

You guys. If you're looking for a great crossover stroller, you're going to want to check out the new FastAction™ Fold Jogger Click Connect™ Stroller by Graco. One of my contributors, Lynnae, got to attend a party in its honor in Washington, DC! I'm going to show you pics of the event, of course, but I want to show you this killer stroller first! Graco’s NEW jogger is the ultimate crossover stroller, combining all the comfort and convenience features of a traditional stroller with performance and maneuverability of an all-terrain jogger. As an added bonus, Graco’s innovative one-second, one-hand FastAction™ fold automatically locks & is self-standing. It's considerably lighter than other strollers, and comes in several colors -- including tangerine! It has a hidden hand strap for jogging, too! Key Features Connects with a Graco SnugRide Click Connect™ 35 Infant Car Seat through a secure one-step attachment It’s easy to use with a one-second, single … [Read more...]

GoodNites Bed Mats: The Difference We’ve Seen #bedwetting #sponsored

As you guys have read over the past two months, I've been a GoodNites bed mats ambassador. My 4 year old, Micah, has been using the bed mats each night. I've talked to you about the difference between bedwetting and potty training, but I wanted to tell you how it's made a difference in Micah's quality of sleep. I don't want to give the wrong idea -- GoodNites Bed Mats won't make Micah stop wetting the bed. But they do help him get a better night's rest and gain a little bit of confidence along the way. There have been nights where he hasn't wet the bed, and when he wakes, he is so incredibly proud to show me that his mat is dry! Now with summer time on the way, he's been drinking so much more water to stay hydrated. We've talked about trying to wake up at night if he needs to go potty, and to listen to his body. If he does have an accident at night, I'm glad that he has a GoodNites bed mat to both protect his bed and keep him dry. Dealing with bedwetting? Coupon … [Read more...]

Weigh In Wednesday Week 39: I’m baaaack! and I have NEWS!

I know you couldn't bear for me to be away for yet another week, right? ;) Well! I took a little breather, and am doing my best to make sure that I have enough hours in the day to work, be with my family, be a mom and wife, and also actually have time to WORK OUT so I can then BLOG about it! People tell me all the time, "I don't know how you do it!" Neither do I, folks. Neither. do. I. I've enjoyed being able to just live for the past three weeks, and though I was still around and posting for previous obligations, it was good to fall asleep when I wanted to, not after I was done working. Since I can't very well fit in three week's worth of updates in one post, I'm going to just kind of throw things at you, smorgasbord style. We went to Texas! I took full advantage of the new running views and went out for a quick run. We were only there for about 36 hours (really!), so I just did a quick 2 miles. Oh, and when I say quick, I kind of mean it: Hey-oh! I know that … [Read more...]