All about Ashlyn: June 2014

Ashlyn's school had a family party a few weeks ago and both Jered and I were able to go. She was so excited to show us around, even though we've seen it all before. The kids sang songs to us, showed us their garden, read us a story. It was all very cute! The most special part, according to all the kids, was at the end of the party they got to have popsicles!! They rarely get to have sweets like that at school, occasionally if its someones birthday the parents will bring cupcakes or cookies, so this was really special for the kids.

Picture of a picture of when the class went to the fire station

Pic of a pic of most of the class, Ashlyn front and center

This is one of Ashlyn's bff's, Elsie

This is Evita, another of her bff's

and this is Gemma, another bff. Her and Gemma have

been at WeeCare together since the very beginning. Gemma

started about 3 weeks after Ashlyn.

Ashlyn showing us her playground.

I know I haven't posted in a long while. Its just that we don't do anything anymore, except work at the house! We have been doing so much outside and no matter how much we do, there is still a ton that needs done. We've been trimming, weeding, mowing and planting. We've got the rose beds looking 100% better than when we moved in. Jered has trimmed up quite a few of the trees and those are looking a lot better. We've got some though that need cut down completely. We got our garden planted and already have some sprouts. Ashlyn is very excited about the cantaloupe and pumpkins (cross your fingers)! Jered set us up with a soaker hose for the garden with a timer so we don't have to worry so much about watering or for us its more like not watering. The bathroom remodel got put on pause because we've been doing so much outside. We've had such beautiful weather this spring, we've really taken advantage.

Also I've been working a lot of overtime. A few weekends. a few late nights, working on my day off. I'm tired! There is a light at the end of this overtime tunnel though! We've hired a couple of new people to cover the shifts we're all working OT for and I'm switching my hours at the end of the month. I will be working 5 days a week 7am-330pm. I needed to switch hours when Ashlyn starts school but I'm really looking forward to getting off those couple hours earlier through the summer as well. Right now we usually get home about 6pm and we like to do stuff outside for a bit before it gets dark. Before we know it, its after 8pm, we haven't eaten dinner and Ashlyn needs to be in bed. Needless to say, most nights she's been up a little later than usual and she's been eating a lot of peanut butter sandwiches, cereal and/or yogurt for dinner! :)

Most of you probably saw the huge surprise we gave her the other weekend. My friend at work was selling her step-sons quad because he had outgrown it. She asked me if we wanted it for Ashlyn and she gave us a super good deal so we went for it! My friend and her husband were able to bring it over a couple of weeks ago and we kept it hidden for about a week before we showed it to her. She was SO surprised!! Jered took her for a ride first and then when we put her on it for her first solo ride....oh boy! She took off with the throttle pushed all the way in and almost ran over Jered! Thank goodness my friends husband Craig had put a governor on the throttle so all we had to do was tighten the little screw so she couldn't go so fast. She's been riding a bit in the driveway, learning to turn and how to do slow down, how to start it etc. Her hands are too little to reach the brake and be able to squeeze it hard enough to slow down but letting off the throttle is working for now. She asked me, "Mommy did you ever wreck when you were little?" I told her "yes I did, many many times because I was going way too fast!" She has no fear though and I didn't either. I can remember riding for so long my thumb would hurt from pushing in the throttle. My cousin Traci and I would ride and ride and ride when we were growing up. Except we were only on 3 wheels, with no helmets and we'd be gone for hours at a time riding all over the farm. There were quite a few times we came home a little bruised and bloody, more afraid of getting in trouble for doing something to the 3-wheeler than we were for ourselves. My brother ran me over once and made me promise never to tell Mom. The scratches and bruises on my back were a pretty big clue though! :) How did we survive? :)

We just got back from our annual Father's Day camping trip. We had the best time! So relaxing and fun. After our first ride out to the sand dunes and to the beach, when we got back to camp Ashlyn said, "THAT WAS AMAZING!!!" Sums up the whole weekend. We didn't make it home till 11pm Sunday so we're all a bit tired and there's lots of clean up to do but it was all worth it!

Ashlyn will be going to Vacation Bible School again at my mom's church the week of June 23rd. So Jered and I will be footloose and fancy free for a week!! :) We'll miss her like crazy of course but we're both looking forward to it too. We'll go to a few restaurants we've been wanting to try but aren't exactly kid friendly. Maybe even stop for a drink after work. No plans really but I'm sure we'll find something to do! :)

Of course we have the 45th (?) annual Ballard family campout/reunion for the 4th of July coming up in a couple of weeks. So we'll be headed down to Florence again. No quads though, just lots of family and fun. Our friends Justin and Steph and their two kids have come with us the last couple of years. They're coming again this year too. After a couple years in a row you're a regular! The kids have a great time, the adults do too! ;)

Just two short months and Ashlyn will be in kindergarten. I'm not ready! I'm not ready!! Stop the clock!!! I asked her the other day if she would just stay 5 forever. She told me she couldn't because she's gonna be 6 soon.

Summer is here and we plan to make the most of it!