molding hearts

Thanks for the suggestion on the tea options yesterday…I will be trying some of those out. I recently went to a shower where the mom-to-be recieved a small can of PlayDoh. The giver (her mother-in-law) said it was meant to be a reminder of the great role a mom plays in molding the heart of her child. What a beautiful picture and fun gift I thought.

We love playing with playdoh at our house. Here is our favorite recipe to make it at home.

1.10playdoh-011.10playdoh-03

Sheer joy. He loves molding his playdoh. As I watched him and thought of playdoh in the context of molding my children, it reminded me of the sheer joy I feel being a mom. I love being a mom….LOVE IT.1.10playdoh-04

It’s a big deal – to mold a child’s heart. A big, fun, exciting, rewarding deal.1.10playdoh-07

And again, to answer a few more of your questions from last week:

Are you planning on adding more kids to your family in the future?

To be honest I wasn’t sure if I wanted to answer this question…it just seemed very personal. However, the more I thought about it the more I knew I wanted to answer it. I love being a mom.  Of course I love my kids, but I just really like them too. I look at big families and smile thinking of how much fun they must have. So, yes, we hope our family expands again….we have dreamed of adopting since before we were married.  We hope to begin the adoption process in the coming year…..

How do you organize your day and have time to blog?

I blog at night and during naps. I usually try to write a couple of posts at a time. My day is fairly organized and scheduled. The kids and I have a daily routine…without it I think I would be sinking rather than swimming….though there are sure days of sinking. I even schedule time during the day for undistracted playing. That might sound sad, but I have learned if I don’t tell myself “this is play time only” then I find myself saying “Just a minute” or “hold on” or answering the phone, checking email, doing laundry, etc. instead of giving my kids undistracted attention from me.  Our schedule is flexible…always room for a friend to stop by or a spur of the moment trip to the park, but when we are doing the day to day the schedule is the only way I can feel some sense of control in “the crazy house” (what I lovingly call my home).

I enjoy this funny little blog and I make time for it for many reasons.  To be honest there are many days I think of stopping because it does take time…and I wonder its value for others and myself. It usually works out that just when I think I’ll stop blogging someone emails or leaves a comment that is just the thing I needed to hear. So thank you.

Where do you get your creative inspiration?

Blogs. Magazines. My kids. My friends. Nature. Just about everywhere and everything really.

Do you sleep?

Like I did before I had kids? NO. Last night I got up at 2am with one boy, another boy crawled into my bed at 4:30am because he “needed to cuddle”, my daughter was hungry at 6am…I slept in between those. If they would all sleep like my oldest then I could answer “Yes” to this question. As much as I would love sleep…I know one day that sweet boy won’t want to cuddle in the middle of the night. I know that all too soon this too shall pass.

by AshleyAnn

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Alba - who has kids and sleep all the night? no one I know. It’s a time in our lives that will pass, sooner than we expect. Please, please, please, do not stop blogging, I love your blog and your comments. It’s one of my good moments of the day around 14:00 (local time). Petonets, alba

anne c - thanks for sticking with your blog and not stopping…I love reading it everyday and you keep life real. As for the sleep thing.. I am slowly learning to embrace this phase of no sleep. I have to remember that it won’t be forever and God wouldn’t give me anything I couldn’t handle…but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss it from time to time :)

christina larsen - I appreciate you taking the time to blog everyday. I sure don’t! :( However, I do start my day off by reading yours. It makes me smile, or think, or it inspires me to think out side of the box.

Jodi - Thanks so much for answering the questions. I have thought about doing the 2 posts every time….I should try that.

I have that same feeling when I see big families (including yours). A big smile.

Thanks for continuing to blog. Although I know it does take time, it is TRULY appreciated by all.

Jodi - PS— even if you didn’t write anything (to save time). The pictures alone are worth a thousand words!!!!

amy - Re: the sleep question, that was mine. I guess I meant more along the lines of, do you stay up till 3am crafting and blogging, ie is that where you find the time to do all your projects–at the expense of sleeping! I have two little ones of my own, and we have our share of wake-ups every now and again. I hear that when they are teenagers you can’t get them out of bed…..: )

Jody - Ok..I usually don’t write to blogs..but I must now…KEEP WRITING! Your blog adds a small joy to my day. I am a Mom of four boys – four years and under (yep, triplets in there!) and most days I am running from one boy to the other & your blog gives me a time out & GREAT IDEAS for crafts. We’ve made your chocolate cake, your mod podge clothespins & your bird canvas (which inspired me to do more boards – I wish I could send you pictures!!)

Really, your blog reminds me to stop & enjoy just the fun of the days spent home with my kids & I appreciate your blog. Thank you!

(P.S. Another inspiration – your photos of details – kids’ shoes! I love it.)

Kara P - Just to let you know, I would be VERY sad if you ever stopped blogging!!! You totally inspire me!!!

ashlee - please dont stop! i check your blog every morning before my kids get up…it gives me a creative spark EVERYDAY. your photographs are beautiful, your crafting is so doable(is that a word?!), your mothering is inspiring, your craftivism is so generous. you are such a blessing to my life and i KNOW the lives of others. i am so thankful that you take the time to write this blog. God is using you in an awesome way!
can you share more of your daily schedule? this is something i struggle with so much and I would love to see how you handle it:)

Mara - I would understand if you felt you needed to stop blogging. But, I would so sad if you did. Yours is truly one of my favorite blogs not only for the beautiful images, amazing crafts ideas (of which I have tried tons) but also for the realness you bring. I am so inspired by your every post and hope to become a better crafter, photographer, mother and person!

I wish you the very best luck with the adoption process, as soon as we have our baby boy in April we will be considering adoption as well.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to your readers and answering our questions.

Jill R - Thank you for blogging! On good mornings I am anxiously watching the clock so I can check the new blog post. On crazy days, the blog is my afternoon “treat.” I love your pictures, love your words, love your craftiness, love everything! Your blog is my daily reminder to not take a single day with my boys for granted. What a precious gift!

Carla - i think you are a really great example of being a mom. i don’t have kids yet, but i appreciate your ideas and positive outlook on it. and you have such cute ones, you shouldn’t stop! :)

lisa - I have to say I was recently introduced to your blog and LOVE it! It makes me smile and I LOVE the pictures. I agree you could just post pictures, they are worth a thousand words. I am expecting our third child and wonder where you find the time to get all the things done in a day.
Thank you for blogging and welcoming us into your family

mandi - i understand setting the undistracted play time. i have to do that too- there are just so many things needing to be done.
i love being a momma too. it always makes me sad when parents seem to want to rush this process of being little. i enjoy being in the thick of it. like you, the late night cuddles, the early breakfasts (part one and part two), just love it. i think it’s all how you look at it, you know? “a cheerful heart doeth good, like medicine”.

yep.

rachel denbow - Not allowed to stop blogging. Not allowed!
Someday, when you feel up for it, I’d love a peek at your written out daily schedule. I feel up a creek sometimes with nap times for Ruby being a little unpredictable still and Sebastian needs a little more routine or we’re going to be having hourly battles for the next few years on when it’s time to do what. Right now we give him a list of what comes first, second, third and a 5 minute warning when it’s time to wrap up on thing and move on to the next but the list of things is NOT the same most days and I don’t easily function in a self-imposed structure. I like to see what works for other mamas so I can tailor it a little.

But…only when you feel like sharing.

Sunshine Burns - I truly appreciate your words, your spirit and your blog. It’s such an encouragement to hear (and see the pictures) of your real world/home… I’m a couple of steps behind you as a mother and you have been a blessing and great encouragement to me as I’ve been reading the last few months. It is honoring to see how you are raising your little men (and lady!) to love the Lord! Your post today hit home- scheduling free play time needs to be a part of my day- giving my children disctracted minutes is not the same as sitting down with them with undivided attention! Would you share your rough/loose schedule…!?

Ruth - Great post. Being a blogging mother of four who wants to honor the Lord with my time, I’ve had to follow through with many of the same things that you’ve described here. Thanks for sharing–helps to see that I’m not the only one…:)

Katy - I was wondering if you might give a tutorial for the awesome ceiling decoration in baby sisters room? pretty please?

Melissa - I think one of the reasons I am so drawn to your blog is your confidence, you seem to take on life with open arms with a “come what may” attitude. It really is encouraging to see a little taste of your life, with all it’s mess and joy and color and “real”ness”. It makes me smile and reminds me to be thankful for my own little ones and take advantage of the moments I’m given. it is wonderful that your family is looking to adopt – I hope you do! What a blessing you would be to a child in need of God’s love.

Margie - Your blog is totally fab! Glad you take the time to do it, I have found so much inspiration in your posts….the chalk board, your faux fireplace (totally dig it!), your shoe print…..the list goes on and on!
‘Sleep’ and ‘Mother’ aren’t two words that usually go together, at least not in my house anyway :0).

Yanet - This is the very first blog I read (and I now religiously follow). I found it by Googling some kind of decorating question (which I now can’t remember). I browsed thru it one night for over two hours! Which is a HUGE chunk of time for a mommy of 3. Well, a huge chunk of time for any mommy really. Anyway, I love your decorating style and your little ones are adorable. Not sure if you read all your posts, but I wanted to say: Thanks for the inspiration creatively and to become a better mommy.

yeeshan - Hello, I’m a new reader and I love reading your posts. Your photos are fabulous and everything is just so inspiring to me. Thank you for taking the time to blog and I look forward to your new entries everyday!

Jennifer Foster - Hey Ashley, we knew you guys from college and were excited to find your blog a little while ago. Thanks for taking the time to share with and encourage your readers. I love your creative ideas of time shared with your little ones and how you are teaching them to love others.

Stephanie - Hey Ash! Great post….I too would LOVE to see your schedule. I am still struggling incorporating a new one in the mix (and I only have 2!) so I would love a glimpse of what your day looks like. As always, thank you for being such a blessing. Being authentic and sharing who God made you! Hope you are having a great week!

the inadvertent farmer - Being a mom rocks! Adopting is an adventure of a lifetime…can’t imagine my world without my darling daughter, our lives would be much less colorful, and noisy…and dramatic, lol! Kim

Kelly - I loved your answers. All of them. But especially the sleep one. I know it passes way too fast so I will give up sleep for middle of the night cuddles anytime!

Holly Todd - Submit my email address, I two years behind on photobooks now!

vicki - As a mom of three adult children, I can testify that the years fly by. You are wise to recognize the importance of living in the moment. Continue to cherish your precious family,and thanks for sharing your beautiful photographs and sweet blog.

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