Ashley Does: My Favorite Books To Read By The Pool This Summer (So Far!)

Something you may or may not know about me: I am a book nerd.

I was an English Major at The University Of Colorado and have done my share of reading heavy, complex pieces of literature.

Ever since I graduated, I have gravitated toward lighter reading. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Tess Of The d’Urbervilles and The Bell Jar, but after years and years of analyzing English literature, mama was in need of something a bit less intense! Continue reading “Ashley Does: My Favorite Books To Read By The Pool This Summer (So Far!)”

Ashley Does: What Is Beauty, Really?

What is beauty, to you?

I presented this question to my friends and family and got some pretty amazing answers.

Do you know what not a single person mentioned?

Outward appearance.

No one mentioned a dress size or perfect makeup or fashionable clothes.

Beauty, it turns out, is a mindset. It is an attitude. It is a verb. (It is food trucks, according to my friend Kevin.) Continue reading “Ashley Does: What Is Beauty, Really?”

Ashley Does: Mother’s Day Gift Perfection

Every year you ask yourself the same question: What do I get Mom for Mother’s Day?

Let me help you make it really easy, shall I?

Being a mom myself, as well as the daughter of a mother, I have had a lot of time to think about this particular subject!

In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I’m featuring my favorite companies I have been introduced to by other mamas! These ladies are my friends and colleagues, the types of women who run their households and their businesses with passion. They are inspiring and I am so proud to be able to feature them here!

Without further ado: My roundup of fantastic Mother’s Day gift ideas that I think you will love! Continue reading “Ashley Does: Mother’s Day Gift Perfection”

Ashley Does: Four-Year-Olds Never Stop Talking Ever No Matter What And You Can’t Make Them. So Here’s What I Do Instead.

It’s 2:30 in the afternoon and my house is the quietest it has been since 6:00 this morning.

That is when our four-year-old barged into our room, whimpering that she had lost a specific stuffed animal and that she would not be able to go back to sleep without it.

Since we are such great parents, we waved a hand in her general direction, mumbled that she was fine, and sent her back to bed.  Continue reading “Ashley Does: Four-Year-Olds Never Stop Talking Ever No Matter What And You Can’t Make Them. So Here’s What I Do Instead.”

Ashley Does: 30 Day Fill Your Cup Challenge – Week 1 & A Giveaway!

Have you started the 30 Day Fill Your Cup Challenge yet?

I hope you have. You are worth 15 minutes a day to #fillyourcup and make sure you are the best you you can be!

Since it’s Monday, I’m posting a little reminder just in case you got behind over the weekend. Not that that could ever happen, right?! Continue reading “Ashley Does: 30 Day Fill Your Cup Challenge – Week 1 & A Giveaway!”

Ashley Does: 30 Day Fill Your Cup Challenge

Work. School. Cooking meals. Keeping house. Laundry. Running errands. Providing taxi services for tiny humans.

It’s impossible to tally all the different ways women take care of everyone and everything around them.

It’s important work, what women do. We are the people who keep life running smoothly. We make sure everyone’s where they need to be, when they need to be there, and wearing pants. Usually while we have less than stellar hair. (Let’s be honest here.)

It is so important for women to take the time to care for themselves. If you run all day long, all week long, without taking some time for yourself, you’ll run yourself out!

It’s in our nature to put ourselves last. There are so many important things to get done that self-care gets pushed to the back burner.

Because of this, I am issuing you a challenge that I hope you will accept. Because you are worth it! You are worth taking the time to make sure you #fillyourcup and take care of yourself so you can better tackle all the things you have to accomplish.

The 30 Day Fill Your Cup Challenge

#FILLYOURCUP30Day

The premise is simple: commit to 15 minutes a day in the month of April to do something for yourself. Something that fills you up, recharges you, and makes you a better YOU.

You can use these suggestions or come up with your own. I designed this list to be tasks that are easily completed in 15 minutes a day, but take more time if you can! And while this list is geared toward the calendar month of April (more lengthy tasks are listed on the weekend days) you can rearrange them as you need to.

The point is to commit to yourself and follow through with that commitment. Treat yourself how you would treat anyone else: if you make a promise to a friend, coworker, or family member, you aren’t likely to break it are you? Treat yourself that well. You deserve to be treated that way!

Print out this list and pin it up somewhere in your house that it will remind you to take the time to #fillyourcup every day.  Check back on Mondays throughout April for your weekly reminder of upcoming challenges.

I can’t wait to hear how your participation in the 30 Day Fill Your Cup Challenge changes your life! Be sure to come back and tell us how it went in the comments!

Need daily encouragement for this challenge? Join us in the Pretty Things Lounge on Facebook where we’ll be sharing our #fillyourcup successes!

Ashley Does: Treat Yourself to A Pretty Things Subscription Box & Fill Your Cup!

Do you love trying new things? How about getting happy mail?

That’s what I thought – we ALL love getting fun, new things delivered to our door! And we absolutely deserve to treat ourselves to me time!

Because of this adoration, I have something super fantastic to share with you!

Y’all I am so excited I can hardly contain myself! Continue reading “Ashley Does: Treat Yourself to A Pretty Things Subscription Box & Fill Your Cup!”

Ashley Does: My Marriage Comes Before My Kids – And Yours Should, Too

Marriage is a union of two people who have promised to stick together through anything life may throw at them.

It’s sacred. It’s hard work. It’s rewarding. It’s exhausting.

Besides the relationship I have with God, my marriage is the most important relationship in my life.

It’s so important that I place it above all others – including my kids.  Continue reading “Ashley Does: My Marriage Comes Before My Kids – And Yours Should, Too”

Ashley Does: It’s Time For An Anti-Aging Routine

I was born in 1984. That makes me (almost) 33.

Guys I’m not old. I’m the first to tell you that 33 years old is not old.

Are we clear there?

Good, because I’m going to tell you something that may shock and appall you.

If you are over the age of 25 – it’s time for an anti-aging routine.

Please don’t throw anything!

Continue reading “Ashley Does: It’s Time For An Anti-Aging Routine”