take a walk in the country

...smell the sweet country air

the other day hills & I stayed in the entire day watching old episodes of teen mom on my ps3 netflix account. after about ALL the hours in the day had slipped by, i started to go crazy & needed OUT of my apartment. we packed mahie up, got our sunglasses on & out with the stroller we headed.

where? we didn't know

i played tour guide for a while going past q building & pointing to where what used-to be nea's apt. then we headed past sanoe's apt. then we almost hit the chapel but got bored so we decided to turn around & go to the temple. 

As our journey took us the back way to the temple grounds, I stopped and asked hill if she ever visited the farm/planting area. 

Nope, k shoots lets go!

Mahie was bouncin all over the place as I shoved the stroller over the grass & dead plants. 

It was a perfect time to be outdoors: the sun was almost about to set with a cool breeze running through the banana trees. 

all that was missing was a hāliʻi (sheet) to lay down on the grass with

after we left, i swear i didnt see one mosquito but somehow im suffering from 4 bites!

LOL, we carried the stroller up those little steps & voila!

we made it to the temple just in time to feed mahie and watch the sun set

go for a walk sometime

good for the heart, good for the soul

Move Ya Body!

All I can (barely) say is...OUCH!

I went to my first ever ZUMBA workout backstage at Night Show (PCC)

I'm so so so so so so x 100 out of shape!

In my head I think I can start where I left off BEFORE I was pregnant, yeah right! It isn't there physically! 

Although I thought I was gonna have a heart attack or something, it was VERY fun bouncing around with my old co-workers. Loved the music, it kept my spirits up LOL. 

I feel that I'm a pro at salsa moves.

Anyways, here's to getting my figure back!

See you all Thursday night!

Hubby's asleep, Baby's asleep...Mommy needs a shower before knocking out too :)

Day Off

It was James day off from the BBC (Bobby Benson Center), so I was able to sleep in a little more since he got up to feed Mahie. But then I heard her crying and the motherly instinct in me took over & forced me out of bed to face the day with eyeliner "raccoon" eyes & frizzy hair.

Monday's always reveal how messy my house has gotten from the previous week & neglect over the weekend. James was sent off to the Laundry Room & I tidied up everything else while Mahie stared wide-eyed around the couch. 

Finally the house could breath again & my stress level dropped. For some reason a messy home = a stressed out Ashlyn (ahhhhhh! watch out!)

We have so many papers lying around the house: bills, receipts, 'this is not a bill' statements, old mail, unopened mail, baby cards, coupons, notes...but now, everything has been either tossed out or filed into our RE-organized file case. Lets just see how long this lasts.

Our Daughter does NOT like to sleep or nap. She absolutely will not shut her eyes. WE think that SHE thinks she's missin' out on the world & therefore NEEDS to look around & see what's happening. She'll be swaddled & rocked so peacefully to sleep but then she'll wake herself up or fight her obviously tired eyelids from shutting. 

Geez girl, you're livin the life, get as much shut eye as possible!

Turning off the lights won't help, they just make her eyeballs grow bigger.

Lullabies? They make her smile....and smiling for some reason makes her hungry :)

SPEAKING of HUNGER, Mahie seems to be eating every other hour. My milk factory is going out of business soon, cause "we" can't keep up with her demands, no seriously. 

She loves breast milk, she loves formula, she loves the fat on the back of her hand, the corners of blankets, basically anything near her mouth she'll suck away at. 

*Warning* Be careful when kissing Mahie when she's hungry, she'll turn her head towards you and attempt to eat your cheek :)

Trust me, she's got some serious head bunts too!

Anyways I hear her hollering AGAIN from the bedroom for another bottle

That's my girl, eat like no tomorrow!

Sunday Mommy

At 5:45a.m. James got up & prepared for his 1st official day at his new job. Some of you may wonder WHAT JOB? WORKING ON A SUNDAY! (Gasp!)

The days nearing Mahie's delivery, James & talked about me staying home with our little sweetheart as much as possible before school started up again. Of course if I wanted to work a couple days here & there I could, but basically being with our daughter was the priority....meaning....the new Daddy went out & applied for a second job. For the past two weeks James underwent long hours of training (8a.m.-4/5pm) and then would head straight to his second job from 4pm-8pm. Mahie & I didn't see him until around eight at night, which sucked! Plus he couldn't be on his phone, so I never could text him either. Now he's done with the boring training part & has a set schedule for the week, yet BETTER pay does come with drawbacks since he'll be working every other Sunday.

After morning prayer, James kissed us goodbye at 6:45am. Mahie & I didnt get up til 9:30am and I thought I'd start to get her bathed, fed & diaper bag, etc. ready early for church at 12pm. Usually she is sleepy before church, but for some reason my chunky monkey was wide awake and very playful. She just didn't want to nap or be put down. I had to get all her things ready with one hand. I even had to drag her bouncy chair in the bathroom with me as I played peeka-boo behind the shower curtains. (I know all my shampoo didn't get rinsed out) This girl is definitely helping me lose weight because I barely had time to get a bite in for breakfast. She even had a second bottle while my stomach growled away.

I was kind of hesitant going to church without James, especially with carrying our heavy car seat. So before heading out, I picked Mahie up, looked her in the eyes & told her she needed to be a good girl today.....she made the biggest smile & kicked her legs. As soon as we were out the door she knocked out....for the whole 3 hours of church! phew :)

I'm confident enough to say I got the hang of things. Not just with having Mahie alone at church, but being her Mommy so far. The beginning was not easy and sometimes I just wanna complain like "well they're rich" or "it's easy for them because they still live with their parents" or envy those that seem to just be handed things, but I'm glad my husband and I have felt the experience of what it is to struggle at times. Those who don't are living in a fantasy world. Whether it be financially, physically or emotionally...we can say we did it all ourselves, us together. 

The greatest lesson of faith & strength.

So bring it on rent, tuition, insurance mix ups, late night baby fussiness, piles of laundry, dirty dishes, grocery budgeting, car troubles, long hours at the library, longER hours at work....you gotta learn to just ride the wave and go with things. 

James is off tomorrow, oh happy day!

bon anniversaire de mariage

June 24th, 2010

For time and all ETERNITY....beat that!

“I urge husbands and fathers of this Church to be the kind of men your wives would not want to be without. I urge the sisters of this Church to be patient, loving, and understanding with their husbands. Those who enter into marriage should be fully prepared to establish their marriage as the first priority in their lives.”-James E. Faust

Smile its CONTAGIOUS

Look who LOVES Tummy Time

(well, sort of...)

1month, 2weeks, 6days old

Already Mahie is:

-gulping down 2oz breast milk/2oz formula =4oz total

-holding her head up on her own

-lifting her head during tummy time

-wanting to stand if she leans against us

-wiggling her body as if she can crawl

-following an object moving in front of her

-beginning to coo & trying out her vocals

-too big for her newborn diapers

-too big for newborn clothes

-preferring to sleep by her daddy than in her crib

-sleeping throughout the night without feedings (YAY)

-SMILING LIKE CRAZY!

"Im so glad when Daddy comes home!"

It started Tuesday afternoon as I was playing with Mahie on our bed, when I heard the children outside on the playground BELCHING, "IM SO GLAD WHEN DADDY COMES HOME, GLAD AS I CAN BE.....", thank goodness for those little big mouths that day because it reminded me Sunday (today) was FATHER's DAY. I love that primary song, it's so cute and makes me miss Primary so much. The tune was stuck in my head the entire week.

Poor James woke up earlier than me & fed baby on his special day. But I catered back to him by making Mr. Daddy breakfast in bed, which has been a tradition in my family to waken our parents with breakfast in bed on Mother's & Father's Day.

Capturing his FIRST Father's Day...with MANY MORE to come!

Of course the Mommy gotta get in on some camera action, along with some unfolded laundry :)

Mahie wearing her new dress & tiare headband from her Aunty Shannon. All dolled up for church.

Bishop Buckingham: "Some of the most important spirits you'll ever meet, are the ones born into your home...take care of them".

We were blessed to hear talks from ward members about fathers & for the wonderful spirit they bring within our homes. I'm so grateful that I not only was married to James, but SEALED for time and all eternity to my best friend. And also that the temple ensures that Mahie (& her future siblings) will always be with James & I no matter what happens. I grew up in a home filled and protected by the power of the priesthood, with a Father who was there for my Family every step of the way...and I am blessed to continue to have that home for my children thanks to James. I can't imagine a home without the blessings of Christ, the Temple and especially the Priesthood. It's a joy and comfort so great, that you wish EVERY one could have...and a blessing so precious that you'll WANT to work on and keep present in your home. 

"Fathers, by divine decree, you are to preside over your family units. This is a sobering responsibility and the most important one you will ever assume, for it is an eternal responsibility. You place the family in its proper priority. It's the part of your life that will endure beyond the grave" -Elder L. Tom Perry

"We encourage you, brethren, to remember that priesthood is a righteous authority only. Earn the respect and confidence of your children through your loving relationship with them. A righteous father protects his children with his time and presence in their social, educational, and spiritual activities and responsibilities. Tender expressions of love and affection toward children are as much the responsibility of the father as the mother. Tell your children you love them" -Pres. Howard W. Hunter

Thank you Dad for being my loving Father. You'll always be on my phone's Speed Dial.

Thank you James for asking me to be your wife that one summer night and for being a wonderful Father to our little spirit, Mahie.

"One of the best things a Father can do for his children, is to love their Mother"

6Weeks ByeBye Castle

WOOHOO! I made it to my 6 weeks postpartum check up and I'm glad it's over, done with, goodbye baby pain, awkward doctor pelvic exams, being uncomfortable, scheduling everything around doctor appointments...until round two for the next pepe, won't be missing you Castle!

Dr. Moors gave the approval that I recovered perfectly & gave me the thumbs up to start working out/running again. Music to my ears! So to celebrate James got me some new running kicks from Champs since my usual nike's felt snug after I gave birth. I think I may have gone up a shoe size.

Time to put these babies & my jogging stroller to the test!

Sleeping Beauty

Such a Little Princess, RIGHT?!

You can't even tell she's a newborn.
She got over being "swaddled" by the second week and LOVES having her hands free. If ever we do wrap her up, we'll hear little cries/grunts coming from her crib...which we know she's in the process of wiggling her hands free. Usually they're raised above her head, but I was surprised to peek in on her to find Mahie sleeping like a little girl & not my new born.

Saturday Munchin Lunchin

Whoa, the skies have been blasting & crackling like crazy this weekend. I'm such a "fraidy-cat" that I cling onto James whenever a huge one ka-BOOMS right above us. Ugh, I hate it. Don't get me wrong, I love rainy days, but not scary thunderstorms. Good thing Mahie is able to sleep right through them & mommy's screams. 

Luckily, around midday, sunny skies & humid heat were rising and I begged James to take Mahie & I out. I've been going crazy being cooped up in my home. At first we thought about Kaneohe bound, but then we knew James had work at 4pm so we didn't want to rush back. Plus I think we both knew I'd get tempted to shop. Well we turned left on Kam Hwy instead of right and off to Haleiwa Town it was!

James: "Haleiwa Joes?"

Me: "No, I wanna try that Thai food place. The really colorfully one!"

HALEIWA EATS

(photo's always look stunning until they get uploaded on here)

We tried some very deliciously, different, dishes.
Coconut Curry Chicken Kabobs
Thai Chicken Fried Rice
Pineapple Curry w/Vege's
Our mouths were steaming! We're totally not fans of spicy foods, however we THOUGHT we made it clear to the waitress that we wanted MILD.

Here's James showing off his chopsticks skills.
We both suck at using them and I feel that they become even more difficult to work with when you're starving and can only pick up a few rice grains, haha. The chopsticks reminded us of that one movie, "Surfing Ninjas". You know, where those brothers are like secret princes, and one brother uses his video game thing to control the ninja's fighting. (They even envision surfboards out of a forest of trees) Well in one scene the guys used chopsticks. Ya dumb, we laughed.

Dessert was YUMMERS! Fried banana's and the best vanilla ice cream ever.
It was nice to crack up together. The inside of the restaurant reminded us of our honeymoon, especially Mexico because of all the colors.
Here's what Mahie thought of the place:

Zzzzz!
As James & Baby knocked out in our a.c. car, I was able to check out the Volcom Store & Surf N Sea. Haven't been shopping in Haleiwa for a long while.
It was such a nice day.
Our upcoming ONE YEAR anniversary is approaching!
Anyways I can also hear more thunder sneaking up, blah! Like on Jurassic Park when you know the T-Rex (or whatever) is coming, the little rumbles in the muddy foot puddles...well Imma try and knock out before I freak out.
Goodnight, love us three!

"One Month" Week

Mahie has made it to the big "ONE MONTH" (+ 3days) milestone.

Weighing in at 10.1 lbs

Which meant she was due for the second part of her HepB shot

OUCH!!

I was so afraid for her that I had to have James hold her because my entire body tensed up as they prepared her immunization. James rocked her in his arms & put her pacifier in her mouth...and her poor little face made a cute but heartbreaking frown when the needle went in. Yes she cried, but with the comfort of her Daddy, she handled it very well & she was showered with hugs & kisses. 

As the day ended though, she started get cranky & fussy. My arms were so tired of holding her (which was the only way she could be soothed) as I walked in circles around the apartment. It's funny how you can come up with the dumbest lullabies when you're desperate to rock your tired baby to sleep.

Ready for her 1st day at Church

After recovering and being MIA for almost 4 weeks, we made it to our ward (which felt strange). So many old friends had moved out after graduation & new couples/faces were everywhere. They may have thought we were new too, SORRY NO! 

Although I breastfeed Mahie, she'll also take as much formula as possible too. So being our first time taking her to sacrament, I made sure to pack enough newborn ready-to-feed bottles just in case she decided to scream her head off. She never does, but you never know & I didn't want to be the Mom w/the screaming baby that kills the reverence. Plus I'm not at all confident w/using my feeding cover in public. I think I checked on Mahie every other minute & barely paid attention to the speakers. Thankfully she slept the entire time, snuggled in her car seat. I was so tempted to use one of her blankets because I was freezing from the a.c.! We originally planned just for sacrament, but it just felt right to stay all 3 hours and we were blessed with a content sleepy baby.

honi's for those chubby cheeks!