Last Day!!

Thanks to Grandma Riggs for ordering from me for Scentsy!! You're one of my first orders!! So far I have had 6! Five are good friends of mine from a Mommy Group I've belonged to online for years - and I haven't even met any of them in real life! Such nice girls!!
If anyone is interested in helping me out (I have a goal to meet by Feb. 6 to get a little "promotion") please order here:
https://ashleylocke.scentsy.us/Buy?partyId=70574501

And there's something cool going on right now. There's something called Bring Back My Bar - where they bring back scents that have been discontinued - so that you can buy them again. Today is the LAST DAY to buy these before they're gone!! So if any of the scents below sound good - hurry and order before midnight!! Or if you're so inclined to order anything else and help me reach my goal I'd appreciate it! I am still a long way off but am hopeful I'll get it! :) Thanks all!

Quinn is 8 Months!

On Saturday Quinn turns 9 months. Which means that 3 weeks ago he turned 8 months. I like to keep on top of things like that by posting weeks later. Whoops.
I, of course, did his pictures. I, of course, took way too many. And I, of course, am going to share too many with you. :) But first, some info!
~ He's still so silly. He still loves to "argue" by shaking his head "No" to questions we ask and make us laugh.
~ He gives big, wet kisses and grabs your face with both hands while doing it. Love it SO much.
~ He is still working on sleeping through the night. He was doing so so so good BUT then a darn tooth decided it had to come through right.then. Gr. It's taking it's sweet time and causing much discomfort in poor Quinny. It's his top right one and it's RIGHT THERE. I can feel it and I can see the white. I wish it would just pop through already! What's worse is knowing that it's little buddy - Left Top Tooth - is going to making his way down now as well. Sigh. In 3 years I'll get to sleep, I'm pretty sure. **I actually typed this a couple weeks ago, Quinn is getting back on track sleep wise - fingers crossed. His normal is bed by 6 - 6:30, wake at 4 am to eat, then back to bed until 7 am. Not too shabby!**
~ He loves to eat. He is still eating baby food. I prefer that to table food because I'm a crazy, insane, massive amounts of lunacy little paranoid. I like my babies to stay babies and I don't like doing things that are dangerous - such as eating food that isn't liquid. ;) We say he's like a baby bird because the whole time we're feeding him he sits with his little mouth open following you around waiting for food!  **Also, I started feeding him little bits of finger foods - beans, peas, bananas, avocados, etc. - which he LOVES. I am also doing things a little different than I did with Paiton. He started on SILK Organic Coconut Milk and he is in love with it! He has it in a cup with his meals and chugs it. It has more calcium and Vitamin D than regular cows milk. Also lots of other good things about it!
~ His eyes are still bluer than blue and anywhere we go people comment on them. Quinn reminds me a lot of Matt, but we hear that he looks like a mixture of both of us. :)
~ He {{exactly like his big sister}} refuses to drink from a sippy cup. He will only drink through a straw! Silly boy!
Enjoy the pictures of the most perfect boy!

How he felt about his bed during sleep training ;)

 He loves his toes...

 How could you not!? I would chew on them too!

If I Die Young

Here is Paiton singing "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. 

She actually knows every word to the entire song but since I was videotaping and she was shy she would only sing this one part. =) She's pretty stinking awesome! 

Katy Perry

As everyone I'm sure knows by now, Paiton is a big Katy Perry fan. The littlest big fan there is. :) She has one of her CD's, sings along, requests it in the car (along with The Band Perry and a variety of rap songs) and even calls Smurfette Katy Perry since she did the voice in the new movie. So yes, we love Katy Perry in this house.
Which brings me to my story. Paiton and I were talking about her dance teacher, Miss Abby, being pregnant. Paiton told me "I really hope she names the baby Katy Perry." I laugh so.hard.
Fast forward to Tuesday night at dance. Paiton asked me over and over if she could tell Miss Abby what to name her baby. After dance class I went to Miss Abby, confirmed her pregnancy to avoid an embarrassing situation, and then politely asked if Paiton could share with her what she thinks she should name the baby. Miss Abby, who is AMAZING, knelt down and asked Pai what she thought she should name the baby. Paiton's response: "Katy Perry, of course." Miss Abby told her she didn't know if it was a boy or a girl yet to which Paiton replied "Well, it sure doesn't matter. The baby's name is Katy Perry." Hahaha. Miss Abby got a kick out of it and assured Paiton she'd at least consider it. ;)

Launch Party!! :)

If you just so happen to need some new Scentsy stuff - I'm having a Launch Party!! It's my first ever party and I'm pretty excited! If you do want to place an order PLEASE do it through my party! Thanks! The link to it is here:

https://ashleylocke.scentsy.us/Buy?partyId=70574501

(Not pushing my family to order ;) I just had a couple people ask if there was a certain way to do it - and there is!)

I have had a few people ask why I decided to do Scentsy, have my photography business, work from home, etc. I'll do better than give you one reason, I'll give you 13 :
-Paiton's multiple doctors visits for sleep problems
-Quinn's multiple doctors visits for 6 ear infections
-Paiton's sleep study
-Paiton's visit with a pulmonologist and several visits with an ENT
-Paiton's majory surgery - T&A
-Quinn's visit with an ENT
-Quinn's surgery for tubes
-Paiton's broken foot - multiple x-rays, cast, follow up visits
-Quinn's visit to the ER for bad croup, trouble breathing, and chest x-rays
-Paiton's 2 bouts of Croup - one requiring a breathing treatment machine at home for 10 days
-My thyroid ultrasounds and biopsy
-Me giving birth with NO insurance and not qualifying for ANY help
-Quinn being hospitalized for jaundice

All of that happened in 2011. As you can probably guess we're buried in ridiculous amounts of medical debt. Anyone who doesn't see a problem with medical coverage in this country, and even worse in this state, can feel free to come dig through our stack of medical bills any day. No wonder people who are seriously ill are losing their homes, filing bankruptcy, etc. It's so sad, and so hard. Matt and I work for a living. We should be living a lot more comfortably than we are - because of this. It sickens me and it upsets me.
That's my vent for today. I hope a change is made because there are people even worse than we are, as hard as that is for me to imagine. On that note, I'm considering packing up and moving to Canada. The people there say cool things like "Eh", their money is pretty, and health coverage is not something you have to lay in bed at night sick over. What do you think, eh?

Scentsy Consultant!

Exciting news - I am now officially a Scentsy Consultant! 

I have been trying to find ways to produce more of an income for my family and I have wanted to try and do Scentsy for awhile. I met a lady who has a Scentsy Team. I've been talking with her for a couple weeks now and decided that it's a good time to join. 

Scentsy recently announced two new lines in addition to their warmers. They will also be selling bath and body products, laundry products, and....FONDUE WARMERS!! With the fondue they will be selling great Belgian chocolates as well. Very exciting!  

A lot of the Scentsy parties have moved from being in-home parties to being online or "basket" parties - where you get a basket of scents and things to try and then you just have a certain amount of time to have people order in your party - you still get the credit and can get discounts or free products! 

If you'd like to have a party, or just need new stuff for yourself - I'm now your girl!! Please help me build my customer base by getting my name out there if you don't mind! And let me know any time you need anything or want to have a party! 

Please visit my website: https://ashleylocke.scentsy.us

A Prayer For A Daughter

Tina Fey wrote this. It has a few swear words but I find it hilarious, and true.
If you have a daughter, read it, it's definitely worth the time. I'll be reading it to my own someday.

A Prayer For My Daughter

Snow Day 2012!!

We {{finally}} had our very first snow day of this winter! Paiton has been desperately waiting for snow to play in. She's been wanting to make Snow Angels and she likes to practice on the carpet! One morning we woke up to a couple of inches and it didn't show any signs of slowing down! 

After Quinn's morning nap we got all bundled up and headed out to the snow!

{It takes a LONG time to get two kids and yourself ready for the snow alone!}

 Quinn was ready for his first trip in the snow! I got him all bundled up and then he couldn't move! He was stuck like a star fish!

 Patiently waiting while Mom takes pictures.

 I set Quinn in the snow and then hurried back to take pictures before he tipped over! He was so bundled up that he couldn't really sit! 

{Paiton's birthday flamingos are still up - she won't let us take them down!}

 Quinn was overall unimpressed with the snow. He couldn't feel it since he was so bundled up and he couldn't really sit very well, so he was done after a couple minutes.

 "Really? This is what all the fuss was about?"  {{I feel the same way Quinny}}

 Crash! We lost him!

 Paiton would make a snowball, then throw it and yell "Snowball!"

 She finally, finally got to make a Snow Angel. As far as she's concerned, her life is complete. 

 Hiding as the snow flew into her eyes.

 After we were done we had to come in and make homemade hot chocolate - complete with peppermint marshmallows!

 We got some warm, clean jammies on and had our snack!

 I think every year I post a picture of Keilah enjoying the snow. This year was no different. She goes crazy in the snow and attacks it! 

 View out our front door.

 While Quinn took his second nap we decided the snow day wouldn't be complete without chocolate chip cookies! I have a recipe that claimed to be the best cookies ever, so we whipped a batch up! They were definitely pretty good, contenders for best cookie for sure!

 Tickling Kotah while the cookies baked.

 No day is complete without brother/sister wrestle time!