ashleyannphotography.com » Under the Sycamore

Masthead header

i like wood crates

04.30.13

There was a period of time that whenever I left the house I returned with a chair. Never a new or nice chair. It was always a random cheap find…a chair that needed a little tender loving care, but full of its own character. We have ran out of room for chairs, and without realizing it I moved on to wood crates. I use them for everything. Everything looks prettier in a vintage wood crate, right?

Most of the time I have them sitting with stuff in them, but recently I added a few to the wall. This is not my idea, I’ve seen similar things all over online. Nonetheless, I thought I’d share my two new happy crates.

P.S. I never pay more than $10.00 for one of these….I just wait until I find them for cheap and scoop them up!

See that little post it note. My youngest son made it a few years ago. It is him giving me a hug. One of my very favorite pieces of decoration in the whole house.

And a couple others I already had pictures of, (there are plenty more around the house too!)

Holding books * Holding fabric

You can see the teal one in the background, it holds all the little things I need to remember to do…but usually forget.

back to top share on facebook tweet this post pin site image email a friend
add a comment
link to this post
email a friend

Ellen @ Black and White and Loved All Over - Lovely! I also am digging on that soup can/pencil holder.

Necole @seriouslysassymama - I lucked out and found a wood crate in the trash at my neighbors house. I painted it yellow, and it is what I planted my herbs in.

Katy @ RICE - This post made me smile :) We have an outbuilding that is full of random, cheap chairs I’ve collected, that are waiting to be given some TLC. And we have more crates that I can count on both hands in my house. You’re right. Everything looks prettier in a crate. An apple orchard closed near us and I was able to get a bunch of apple crates at $5 a piece! I love crates too! :)

Jacqueline - Last week I bought a cute green wooden chair with no seat. When my twelve year old saw it and I was excitedly telling her I only paid four dollars, she looked at me very seriously and said “Mom, I think you may have gotten taken on this one”. I will never be able to look at that chair without smiling!

Alet - I saw (fell in love) with one the weekend, at a farmers market. But because I couldn’t give my husband an immediate answer as to what I want to do with it – I wasn’t allowed to buy it.

I’m sure I can still find one on the next market day?

Jill - I love all the happy red around your house!!! Boxes are pefectamente’!

Alice H - Where do you go to find the old crates? Also, where did you get the jumbo clothespin?

Thanks,
Alice

Allison - Hi Ashley! We usually have a bunch of wood palates at my office that we throw away. If you are interested please let me know and I will just give them to you for free! Message me if interested.

maggie - Where do you find your crates? I’ve been wanting some but have no idea where to look! :)

Megan - @Alice H – I believe Joanne ETC has the giant clothes pin.

Ashley, I have to admit that I totally copied your crate shelves after seeing them in last week’s post on A Beautiful Mess. I found two awesome ones on eBay and they are now hanging in the kitchen of my 1950′s ranch. They are perfect!! Thank you for sharing your home with all of us (and letting us totally rip off your ideas :) Don’t worry, I have already been giving your blog a shout out to all my friends who comment on my new shelves.

Misty Smith - I love crates as well, I was lucky enough to win 6 at an auction for $5 all together (It helps I was the only girl at that part of the auction, they all know my family and knew I wanted the crates haha) I use the ones that still have the bottle holders in them for my sons small trains and cars, he loves it!!

bethblntn - Oh my goodness I wish I could fill my house with these. Every time I’m out I see them and am SO close to grabbing it and taking it home. Then I see the price tag. Here I have yet to find one less then $30. yeah, NOT spending $30 on a wooden crate. *sigh* maybe one day. Its also You can find such a good deal. Way to go!

Cheryl - I love crates too! I have one in my kitchen to hold trash bags. It’s just the right size to hide the giant Costco box that the bags come in. I have them in my craft room to store and display all sorts of things. My very first crate was a “Borden’s” crate, and I use it to store magazines in the living room. I’m always on the lookout for them, but they’ve gotten pretty expensive.

Victoria / Justice Pirate - These are beautiful. . now if only I could find wood crates. . .whenever I find them online people sell them for $30 and then whenever I find them in person they are broken or flimsy.

mara - i just love this post! the post-it pic just melts my heart and reminds me of the one my daughter drew of us cuddling together: http://www.marawolff.com/blog/2013/4/11/daily-schedule

thank you for sharing! as always your blog is beautiful as are your images.

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - LOL – this is too funny – there must be something in the air! I have a draft post saved about crates – :) sigh! I am jonesing for a yellow Pepsi one – cheapest I’ve found so far was $24.00.

It is out there somewhere for me – I’m keeping my eyes peeled!

Carissa - I haven’t found any for that cheap! But I’m keeping my eye out now. I definitely need more chairs too, oh and that filing cabinet!

Lex - YES! Me too. Husband left for the weekend, and I did a little re-setting in the house. I now have a nightstand and a shoe rack that are both wooden crates. :)

amanda - for the love of chairs.
on the side of the road .. at the thrift store, why is there a need to buy them, ALL THE TIME?? I buy to many chairs too. At our creative studio I was told I could no longer bring any more chairs in…. Glad you found a new love. Wood crates are just as awesome.

Sarah - Wood crates just do it. All a desk or a room needs sometimes is something vintage to put it together.

sandi - Love your blog you are so creative!

dates, soccer, ER, the vet, coop {our weekend}

04.29.13

 

We really value slow weekends, but sometimes slow just isn’t going to happen. This weekend was the opposite of slow. These are all with my iPhone because I all my dslr memory cards are full. I haven’t done extra backups on all my cards in months so I don’t want to delete anything. Gotta get that done…

She has been watching her siblings do forward rolls and is bound and determined to master it too.

****

For those that wondered, the boys were begging for haircuts – they like it short. I’ve tried to cut it in the past to scissor cut, but I’m really only good at buzz cuts. Also, I don’t mind the Cherry Berry rewards after the cuts! Yes, the youngest boy is in cleats. I have no idea why. Handsome guys.

****

She is the tiniest little ball of cuddly when she sleeps. The princess stuff is all her big sister’s doing.

****

Since the boys and I went to Cherry Berry, FireCracker wanted a date with her dad. She carefully thought out every detail of her outfit. I gave Chris a heads up on how much time and consideration went into her choices before he saw her. He is such a great dad. Just doted on her and encouraged her. And then took her out on their date.

****

While they were on their date, I fell. Tried to ignore the pain and cheer at my son’s soccer game. Later that night I went to the ER.

It would be a way cooler story if I said I fell while doing something awesome – like standing on a roof. But, no…I did not fall off the roof. Evidently I can stand on a coop roof with a nail gun, but I can’t make it down the three steps in the garage. Total wipeout. My fall was slowed a bit when my head hit my hanging punching bag, then I caught the rest of myself with my hand. Sprained wrist. Hurts like crazy, but no big deal.

The next morning was more soccer….and it was cold!

****

At my grandpa’s we gathered goods for smoothies and salads this week.

****

FireCracker thinks the coop would be a perfect house for her…this is her doing the ‘chicken dance’. The coop isn’t finished, but we were able to get one area secure enough that we could move the chickens inside. My oldest had to tell them goodnight one last time before he locked them in….

We also had speech therapy and a visit to our wonderful vet because Poppy got super sick. I am ready for slow….very, very, very slow!

back to top share on facebook tweet this post pin site image email a friend
add a comment
link to this post
email a friend

kimberly oyler - bummer about the wrist. at least your hair looked good! annnnnd i love little one’s coat. does it come in my size?

Lori - Oh my…that pic of Little One sleeping. So sweet!
FireCracker’s date with Daddy and her outfit. Love it!
Handsome boys and haircuts.
So, so sorry about your wrist. No fun. Hope it heals quickly for you.

emmybrown - so many awesome photos! Glad your wrist isn’t too bad and your desire for a better story is hilarious!

alamama - you guys are doing such a fantastic job raising your kids. hope your week slows down.

the whyte house - those are some awesome haircuts, boys!!

we did the cold soccer games in wichita, too. my poor mom only came to town to watch cause it was suppose to be warmer for them! oops.

my husband started taking our daughter on dates last year before he deployed. all she would talk about was when daddy came home she wanted to go on a date with him. i can imagine how excited firecracker was to go on hers!

sorry about the wrist! we went through a similar mess..the husband tore a ligament in his ankle from constant up and down while laying flooring(he had an old soccer injury that never healed properly, too). a cop hurting his ankle while laying flooring doesn’t fly at work, so it turned into saving his dog from a fire. lol.

kelleyn - Way to go on finishing the chicken coop! Sorry about your wrist. I hope it doesn’t hurt for too long.

Lex - I must admit I laughed out loud at the mental image of your face catching the hanging punching bag … and then I read it to Husband and we both laughed out loud. :) Glad you’re okay.

Mariah - Ack! Two years ago I fell down the three steps into my garage TOO! (Actually… I think it’s two steps. I win.) But I messed up my ankle. not my wrist. I’m super graceful.

Hannahbelle - You’re livin’ my dream, lady — chicken coop, fresh garden food, and a posse of kiddos! I love it! I hope your hand heals quickly!

Arina - Hey Ashley
My first time responding to any blog, i thought its about time since i have been following your posts for over a year! Thank you for sharing your heart and your home, i tried the other day to explain to my husband why i am so absorbed in your blog but i just cant explain! I love seeing your children and what they are up to, maybe they remind me of the Famous Five books i loved as a kid? I dont know, but i just cant wait till your post comes through every day (in france so i get it during the morning, early afternoon usually) and feeling quite disappointed when i forget its weekend and there wont be one! Lol
Ps. I saw this website and thought your boys might get a kick out of it: http://en.akinator.com/ its a “genie” that asks 20 questions to figure out what fictional character you are thinking of, its fun.

Hope your week is a calm spring day

A

Joan R. - You find beauty in every detail of life and love your babies so much….it really shows!

Although my baby is now 18, I still enjoy reading your blog about the special times you spend with your kiddos. If anything, it makes me reminisce about his youth and our special times.

Thanks for sharing!

Joan in KY

the inadvertent farmer - Broke my arm building a treehouse for my boys…they promptly put up a ‘not girls allowed’ sign as soon as it was done. Hope you wrist is better soon and life hands you a slow day or two…or 10! Kim

Wendi - Hi Ashley,
My husband and I have been reading “Evangeline” by Longfellow. Our adopted daughters name is Evangeline so it seems appropriate that there would be a connection there. Wondering if that is where the title of your blog came from?

Blog Follower,
Wendi Kuhl

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Thinking of you and hoping your wrist feels better soon!

giozi - Beautiful pictures. Your children are each day more beautiful and cutes.
Thanks for your kind words. God is give me strength.
I was watching Paul Washer in youtube. He has been a great discovery for me.

Jenny B. - So sorry about your wrist! :( And sorry you don’t have a cool story to go with it. :) Can I just say (I may have said it before), that I think Little One looks like Chris? Some friends of mine at church have adopted their own little one, and I thought their son looked like his daddy too. It may be all in my head, but it is what it is! :)

elizabeth H - wow!! busy weekend indeed. i *LIVE* for quiet, settled weekends w. my family around.
i fell 12 days before giving birth to my 6th child… just walking along the sidewalk & tripped on an uneven slab. I broke a finger & torn multiple ligaments…i cried like a big baby! it hurt TREMENDOUSLY!! i’m SO sorry about your wrist~praying for complete healing.
Your boys look SO BIG!
Firecracker,Oh i adore her! LOVE those socks & father/daughter dates :0)
PS> i spy something lovely in the background behind Little One in that first picture…PLEASE SHARE!!

Nicole A. - I was just showing my husband the picture of your husband and Firecracker on their date and explaining how you refer to her as “firecracker” on your blog. We were laughing together because our 2 year old daughter could easily receive the same name and would, in a second, pull together the craziest outfit, that had seemingly been thought out in her head for months, if she were told that she got to go on a date with dad. It is just the sweetest! While all this was going on, my son (3 years) asked, “Mom, can Firecracker come to our house? I want to play with her.” So if you are ever in the California Bay Area, you have an open play-date invitation at our place :) Blessings to you guys!

Zhanna - Oh lawdy, how I adore your girls. You are so right, little sister is so precious when she sleeps. The way her tiny body curls up. My heart seriously melts!

And big sister! The effort she put into her outfit! Such a doll! I just cant get enough of how much she reminds me of my youngest, Simona.

angie - Okay, so I’m not stalking you I promise…but it may feel like that. I just posted a comment on your feeding situation with your daughter and then started skimming your blog to see photos and this may sound weird but you daughter and ours look so similar! I don’t believe that they are in any way, shape or form related mind you, I mean…billions and billions of people in China, but it was so fascinating to see some of your sweet girl’s pictures! Just sayin’. P.S. I am so jealous of your photography gift, you’re photos are just amazing! Okay…I’m done now. Blessings!

at the zoo…or we are the zoo

04.26.13

No real post today. Just a very rare picture of me with all my kids. I think I only have a handful of group shots like this…so hard to wrangle them all. Thanks Mom for taking this. I have more from our trip to the zoo yesterday, but today is crazy busy and I am just popping on here to share this picture.

There was a family at my church growing up that had five kids. The parents worked with our youth group and were (are) incredible. Back then none of us high schoolers could remember how many kids they had. I have five kids now and I’ve learned not many people can remember how many kids I have! I’m that mom. It’s awesome.

Sidenote: my boys need haircuts. I am so impressed with those moms that have lots of boys and the boys’ hair always looks great. I don’t know how they keep up with it. Their hair grows so fast and my youngest son has one mean cowlick! Good thing Cherry Berry is next to Sports Clips.

back to top share on facebook tweet this post pin site image email a friend
add a comment
link to this post
email a friend

Lyn - Great Picture. Zoo’s are incredible places for families and Pictures!

Liene - Great capture!

Charity G. - I always feel like the need for haircuts sneaks up on me and by the time I notice they need a new one we continue to walk around for a month or so before it ever happens. I like to tell myself their being trendy and no one will notice their longer hair because we live in California and the beach isn’t too far away.

Danielle - Got to love the zoo :) I have no trouble remembering how many kids you have because that is how big my family was :) Glad I am not the only one with shaggy haired boys!

Laurie J - Ha! I can relate to this on so many levels, but ESP because my 3 boys needs haircuts desperately and my middle one is the cowlicker…..seriously, it’s amazing how the chunk of hair keeps popping up, lol

Necole @seriouslysassymama - A group of ragamuffins. It is perfect.

Kiera - love the pictures…fun that you’re ‘that mom!’
do your boys want hair cuts? our son decided to grow his hair out, about a month ago he had a hair appointment with his dad {they both have amazing hair! and usually keep it on the shaggy side} he asked that day if he HAD to cut his hair, he wanted to keep growing it out…okay…he’s 7 1/2, he has great 1977 feathered hair, we have 3 rules {the same rules that apply to his sister}
1. keep it clean
2. keep it brushed
3. keep it out of your eyes

Christy - Your oldest is straight up modeling! Ha! I love it!

Lisa - Love the Tulsa zoo cause of the memories going there when my three were little. You do many things well, learn to cut their hair. I have three boys too and started cutting hair assembly line style a few years back. We have a cape and everything, bought a kit at costco. Just a #4 up the side and then make the hair on top be all the same length using scissors. you have watched the pros do it a million times. They are 15, 14 and 10 they still let me do it. It’s a #1 for my hubby all the way around, mr balding. Practice makes perfect. Three boys are a lot of fun!

Mary - you’re THAT mom!
you mean, the awesome one who is amazingly inspiring and beautiful and creative and on and on and on??? i TRULY mean that.
you are so amazing and God has used you to inspire me!
big hugs mama!
xoxo

amber - That’s hilarious:)! No one can remember how many you have…lol. Perfect time of year for the zoo! And what awesome looking kids…all 5 of them!

Jillian - You have such a beautiful, fun family!

Kristin S - Great pic! Fun to see you all together – and that you kept your bangs!

Recently one friend of mine (mom of two boys under 2) taught another friend of mine (mom of 5 boys and one girl) how to cut “boy hair”. She said it was life changing after years and years of hauling all of them to get hair cuts far too often.

She takes them outside, strips them down to their skivvies, and cuts away.

Shelly Cunningham - You are adorable! And so are your kids.

ps- love firecrackers’ boots!!!

Court - With all the awesome stuff you do yourself, I’m surprised you don’t cut the boys’ hair. A set of clippers will pay for itself in only two haircuts and it’s really easy. And you don’t have to give them all buzz cuts – I buzz the bottom of my boys and then pull the clippers away at the top to blend it a longer length. Way more convenient than going somewhere. You should try it – you have nothing to lose. It’s hair – it’ll grow back. :)

merideth a - i always realize my boys need haircuts through pictures. it is so hard to keep up with it!! and we have some crazy cowlicks going on in this household too!

AshleyAnn - Court – I used to cut it….not so good at anything but a buzz cut!

AshleyAnn - Keira- they all want me just to buzz them….I like the longer shaggy too :)

Julia - What a great looking family. :)

Julie L - I’m going to be that mom too! I’m expecting my 5th around my birthday in October. I have a daughter and 3 boys and the kids are hoping for a little sister. Of course, that would be sweet but with either a boy or girl I’m excited. And as for our boys’ hair, my father-in-law cuts it and he lives next door to us. Also my husband likes to buzz their hair nice and short in the summer so it’s less of a chore. It does grow so quickly and I’m glad I don’t have to pay for 3 haircuts all the time. Love the picture. Have a great day Ashley!

Heidi Jo the Artist - “or we are the zoo” love it! I think we qualify into that category too. ;) I said to our older son, “Let’s cut your hair”, a few years back…he absolutely hated it always, and I was always met with dismay. And one day I came across a blog that said that she just let her kids, who happened to be both boys, do what they wanted with THEIR hair. I thought brilliant! Why am I fighting this!? So now my oldest son’s hair is super, super, long! I think maybe longer than mine!? He’s been called a girl several times, which he hates, but apparently not enough, since he isn’t ready to cut off his beautiful locks yet. When he does, he plans on giving them to Locks of Love. You might be able to take a peek of his hair on my Instagram. I actually got a couple of photos from a distance of him recently. Photos of him lately seem rare though. He’s had his hair long for so long that it will be weird if/when he gets it cut. Now, what to do with our younger son’s hair, too young to decide for himself. And it is growing super fast, after I just cut it, again…so I can definitely relate!

Victoria / Justice Pirate - You ARE that mom and you are ALL very awesome!!! I’d love to be that mom too in time. May God bless us with 3 more. ;)
If it helps at all, I have known a few families that have had 7 kids, 9 kids, and 10 kids. I know a lot of big families but those three were the largest.

Christina C - Love this photo! I don’t have boys but have nephews and buzz cuts are the best!!!!!!

Ingrid - Oh my goodness, I love this pis – you with all of them, it’s awesome! 5 kids looks so awesome!

kelleyn - So glad you had a fun time at the zoo and I love your yellow table! It is perfect!

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - You are THAT mom :)

Amabile - Dear Ashley,

I came across your blog a few weeks ago and I’m really in love with it. Your posts touch me. I can relate to most of the thoughts you expose here. It’s a big relief to find such kindness and simplicity in a world that can be so cruel. Your family is beautiful! Thanks for sharing it all.

Amábile.

elizabeth H - i love this picture!! i never seem to catch myself w. all my kiddos, though i value them SO much!
You look so calm & collected ~ a definite attribute of having a “zoo” family :0)
xoxo

Katie - You are “that mom” and that totally rocks! I am working on being “that mom” (I will have 3-under-3 come July, with God guiding us to more). I myself am an only child, but my mom is one-of-nine and my dad is one-of-five, and I have 26 (and counting) first cousins…so it seems natural to have a large family. My grandma actually refers to her 9 children, 13 grandchildren (plus spouses) and 10 great-grandchildren by number when the names don’t come to mind fast enough! :)

F a c e b o o k