Change is in the Air

{via Jamie Smith }

(if you live in the Colorado Springs area, you MUST book her)

I have been staring at the screen trying to figure out what I want to say, and how I want to say it.  There's a lot happening in our personal life.  The husband is getting out of the Army (Yay!).  So, that means, finding new jobs, finding where we want to live.  There's also the whole, "How are we going to get it all done?", "Are we doing the right thing?" bit.  So, maybe writing it all out will help me focus a bit more.

{via 4photos}

We've called Colorado Springs home for the last seven years.  That's almost unheard of in military families.  We've met amazing people and had amazing adventures.  But, there's also been quite a bit of personal struggle for me.  I've dealt with three deployments, being a 'single parent' (while the husband was deployed), dealt with depression, eating disorders, etc.  Luckily, I feel that I'm in a better state mentally, physically, and especially emotionally.  I just don't feel like Colorado Springs is home.  So, our family has decided to move.  I'm pretty sure it will be somewhere in the Carolinas or Georgia area.  We'll be close to my husband's family, some of my family, and friends.  

{via idaconcpts}

Now that the husband will be out of the Army, he and I will both have to find new jobs.  This is a totally scary thing for me because I have stayed at home with our son for the last four years.  As much as I have loved it, I am really excited to get back into the work force, with a steady paycheck.  Blogging and Etsy haven't exactly been paying my bills.

{via Zillow}

We finally get the look for our own house!!!  I have been collecting magazine clippings, taking notes, and dreaming of the day that I can paint walls, tear down stuff, and build a comfortable nest for my family.  I can't wait!

So where does that leave the blog and my shop?

I want to keep blogging.  I love writing.  I love meeting new people.  I love the blogging community.  I want to aim for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday posts.  I do know that as it gets closer to our move across the country, I will be a stressed out mama.  So, right now, I'm playing this by ear.  I can promise that once our family has settled in that I will be blogging regularly.  I can say that I will most likely pop in with random posts.  But, this is just saying that my family and this move/fresh start is what's most important right now.

Camp Moxie will remain open for the time being.  I would like to sell what I have in the shop.  I still have things to list.  I still have things I want to create.  We'll just say, I'll most likely have a good promo going on.  Currently, there are items that are 'Free Gift with Purchase'.  There will be more items added to that category as well.  Again, this'll be a play-it-by-ear thing.

So, yay!  I'm glad that is out there.  I'm glad my readers don't feel like I'm ignoring you.  It's just busy and scary and lots of life-changing decision-making.  I'm hoping for the best!  

Dark Bader Dyl

Last weekend, we got Dylan his Halloween costume.  I think it was a mistake to get it so early.  

Check him out.

Yep, he's our little Darth Vader.  He can't quite say it right, so it's "Dark Bader".  And guess what?  All last week, he wouldn't answer to anything besides "Dark Bader Dyl".  *Forehead slap*  Here I am, the mom who has to yell down the street for Dark Vader to come home.... sigh.   The costume has been put away, but the light saber has had to stay out.  This is his go-to day look.

This was our morning light saber training.  The always classy-styling Dylan, jammy pants tucked into your frog rainboots.  Sigh.  But, it got worse.  Dylan was sitting on my lap while I was fulfilling my addiction looking at Pinterest.  We came across this little gem.

{via draw pilgrim}

Of course, Dylan couldn't stop talking about me making him a Chewie.  So, I did.  After hours of laboring, configuring, sewing  (the pattern is really easy to follow... sometimes I'm just a moron),  I introduce you to the newest addition to our family.....  CHEWIE!!

Ummmmm... he doesn't look bad sitting down, but here's the truth.  And sorry I didn't take a better picture.. like with a real HD camera.  I didn't want you to see all the wonky details.

I have decided to call him "Gooey".  Whatever.. Dylan loves him... I can't sew plushies.  Lesson learned.

Helpful Hints for Husbands no. 04 {Why You Should Watch Grey's Anatomy}

Husbands, the tips in this post can be applied towards any television show or movie, in which you may deem "girlie" and have more than likely avoided.

{via Grey's Anatomy on Facebook}

1.  Men, grab a large bottle (or two) of wine.  Make sure it's chilled, if needed.  Your wife will love it.  It plays into the next few tips and you might want it - just to help ya through.

2.  Know ahead of time, jammie pants (comfy clothes, fat pants) are a must.  This is what we wait for all week, we are dang sure going to enjoy it.  Plus, we'll be getting ready to watch the show about 15 minutes ahead of time.  Or, if you're lucky and record the show, we'll be ready to watch at 8:15 to avoid any commercial interruptions.  

3.  Sit on the couch with your lady.  Act like you're paying attention, but do not talk during the show.  

4.  Bonus Points:  Rub her feet while pretending to be involved.

Now all of this work and what do you get out of it?  Ha.

A)  If you grabbed the bottle(s) of wine, she'll likely be feelin' pretty good after the show.  If it's a "cryer" episode, you know the emotional ones, she'll be in a cuddling mood.  And, if you've been sitting with her, acting like you care, rubbing her feet, she'll probably want to jump your bones.  Pow!

B)  Has your wife ever said something along the lines of, "Why can't you be more like _____?"  Watch how the men talk to the women on the show... well most of them.  See how they handle their ladies' drama.  Watch how the guys use the one-liners, or stories, to convey their love.  These shows are the reason we want to you act like ________.

C)  The best part of this whole bit...  She may even count watching Grey's as quality time together.  Enough said.

Get to it men!

New Info on Camp Moxie for Oct. 2011

Hey everyone!  I just wanted to give ya the scoop on what's new/going on with Camp Moxie.

This owl tote is new for Fall 2011 and will only be available this season.  I wanted to do something special for my favorite season, and here it is.  Head on over here to check out the Owl Tote.

I also have special items that you receive a free (totally free) gift with purchase.  For example:

Buy this Milk Glass Vase:

Get this Lace Print Glass - all for $18.00 USD (plus shipping).

OR

Buy this Crazy Daisy Pyrex Bowl:

Get this matching Crazy Daisy Pyrex Tea Cup and Saucer - all for $17.00 USD (plus shipping).

There will be a few more buy one get a free item features, but I thought I'd give you a heads-up before they disappeared.  There is also lots of other fabulous finds.  Head over to Camp Moxie to see what I have.

xoxo

Ashley

{What I meant to post on Tuesday} Tuesdays are My Dylie Days

{The happy park we go to, with a happy view of the mountains!)

Tuesdays are a great days.  Our public library has storytime for Pre-School age at 10:30 every Tuesday.  It's enough time for Dyl and I to have a lazy morning, then head out for stories and crafts.  So much fun watching my lil guy meeting new friends, singing songs, doing crafts... It seriously warms my heart.  When I was on my "downer week", I made it a point to never miss storytime.  Amazingly beneficial decision.  I got to relax a little, and Dylan got his much needed kid time.  

Dylan wanted to take a picture of me.  Pretty good skills for a 3-year-old.

Dylan was mad I made his picnic before park time.

Well, a few weeks ago, I made a day of it.  We grabbed the outside toys and Subway and had a picnic in the park and lots of playtime.  Check out some of the awesome-ness that is Dylan at the Park. 

Free from the picnic, and he must run, not walk to the park.

      

Dylan had to tell me the right and wrong way to use the slide.  Mr. Bossypants.

You cannot sit on the swing.

You have to let it crash you DOWN!

Then, you build mounds with the mulch.

And dump on your face.  It only makes sense.

Finally, we rid the playground of bad guys before we leave.

I'm so glad the weather was warm, Dylan was in an awesome mood, and mama was happy.  We spend two whole hours outside.  With storytime, we were gone 3.5 hours.  Yay!  No TV, no whining, no nagging; just happy time.  Oh, I'm not going to enjoy the winter trapped inside.  Sigh.

{What I meant to post on Monday} Happy Columbus Day!

{via someecards}

Does anyone even get Columbus Day off anymore?  The husband had it off, so I felt like I had the day off, too.  It's just such an odd holiday... should we still celebrate?  Does anyone even celebrate it? 

{via someecards}

1% may celebrate it, ha!  Anyways, I hope everyone can find some enjoyment today.  I have orders to catch up on.. which is totally awesome.  Happy Columbus Day/Day Off... if you're lucky!

xoxo Ashley

I'm not alone.

In case you didn't know, I like to procrastinate.  I'm the the 'Pro'-castinater.  Everything (eventually) gets done and on time, but I'm never the one to get it done immediately, with time to spare.  You know, I think part of me enjoys the rush of getting it all done at the last minute.  Is it some kind of disorder?  Does anyone else suffer from this?  

Jenna Marbles does.  This video cracks me up because I.CAN.RELATE.  Check it out, and Happy Friiiiidaaaay!

Helpful Hints for Husbands no. 03 - What to do when you're darling is down.

Let's face it, women can have mood swings.  It's just part of who we are.  We'll be happy one minute, then the next we may be sobbing profusely.  Have no fear, men!  I'm here to share some tips to help you, help her when she's feeling blue.

{via Rawnaq}

If you see your lovely lady, looking not-so-lovely, 1) DO NOT ask if she wants to talk about it.  Why?  A) She may not want to talk about it.  B)  She'll likely say she doesn't want to talk about it.  C)  We don't think you'll listen, so we don't want to waste time (at this point in our fit).  We just want to feel sorry for ourselves.

{via Image Spark}

Here's where you take action:  2)  Take her out on a walk, in the sunshine, and hold her hand.  This one's a double-whammy.  It's a scientific fact that just 15 minutes outdoors boosts your Vitamin D levels, which in turn boosts your mood.  AND, science has also proven positive effects from human touch.  Touch is a basic human need.  Holding hands shows her that you love her, and also stimulates a calming sense in your brain.  She'll feel relaxed and more connected to you.  Plus, a little fresh air never hurt anyone.

{via Rainstorms and Sunshine}

3)  Once she's relaxed a little, she'll be more likely to open up about what's going on.  Just listen because you love her.  Hold her if she needs it.  Just be on her team.  Remind her why you love her.  Talk her through the emotions.  I promise, it'll work...

but if not

{via South Moon Under}

Whoa!

{via Stuff No One Told Me}

My 15-day pity party is over.  Hooray!  Now, I can make up excuses about why I haven't been present.  I can put the blame on a billion of things.  I'm just going to go ahead and say I was feeling sorry for myself.  I was letting my anxieties turn simplicities into intricacies.  Something like a battlefield in the brain.  It was all just in my head.  Honestly, you probably wouldn't have wanted to talk to me.  Or even, hear what I was going to whine about.  Better to just keep my mouth shut.  

I don't really know when it happened, but thank the sweet Lord that it all clicked.  I grabbed the bull by the balls and worked on putting the pieces back together.  The noise in my brain basically shattered everything I thought I knew and felt into a million trillion gazillion pieces.  Craziness.  

Now:  I'm better.  I'm happier.  I'm alive.  I have a better insight into myself and what I want.  And honestly, who doesn't need a little meltdown?    

Here's the proof that I'm better!  Yay for fresh outlooks!

What now?  I have some awesome ideas, blog posts, announcements... lots of stuff.  Stay tuned!

Today I Love

I love having all the windows in the house opened, and the breeze filtering through.  Our high today is 69 degrees!  I love it!  I also love playing with the little guy behind the couch.  Silly time is a must.

I love sitting in the sunspots, reading.  I finally started reading "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.  I'm addicted so far.  Did you know they're making a movie based on the books?  Here's the trailer.  Looks awesome!

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Dylan is usually sprawled out across my lap while I'm reading.  Luckily for me, he was "taking a break from sunny time"  is what he said.

I love that my tea "spoke" to me this morning.  "The heart sees deeper than the eye."  And, all in my heart mug.  Great start to a great day.  It's always a nice reminder to listen to your heart.

The absolute best part of my day is when I get to steal kisses from that little guy.  It's so nice when he wants to cuddle.  That doesn't happen often with energetic boys.  I'll steal those kissies if I have to!

That's a peak into my world.  What do you love today?

It's sooo fall!

As you may have gathered from this post, I LOVE FALL!  Isn't it amazing to open up the windows?  I swear you can just smell fall in the air.  What's even better is baking fall goodies!  I found a recipe for Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese filling on Pinterest.

{via Joy of Baking}

You MUST make this.  The recipe yields 2 loaves... I should've made a double batch.  Ten little minutes after I pulled it out of the oven, half of one loaf is already disappeared.  But, here is what I've learned:  When putting the mix in your loaf pans, put just enough dough in to cover the bottom of the pan.  Also, if you love cream cheese, double up on that part of the recipe.  Such a fabulous fall delight AND my house smells wonderful.  

Yay for fall!

Fun Local Favorite {Barracuda Bazaar}

Over Labor Day weekend, my fabulous parents came up to visit.  We had a blast just hanging out together.  We BBQ'd, we had a few drinks, and we went shopping!  If you are a Colorado Springs local or happen to come to town, you have to stop by Barracuda Bazaar {2603 W. Colorado Ave}!

{via Barracuda Bazaar}

You'll have to check out their website to see the tons of cute clothes.  Barracuda Bazaar is also the home of Gnarly Teeth, fabulous bacon products (from wallets to lip gloss).  They also have things that may be offensive to some, but all in good fun.  My favorite example:  A bumper sticker that read, "Sorry I didn't make it to church.  I was busy practicing witchcrafts and becoming a lesbian."  LOL, right!?  (And in no way am I making ANY jabs at church/religion/sexual orientation/whatever.  It was just a sticker, folks.)

Here's what we walked out with.

Just Sayin' sticky notes... I mean I'm always Just Sayin', why not write it out?  Maybe people would listen better if I handed them this note?  

And the BEST, which I should probably go get more...

Silly fingers!!!!  I just love the tentacle.  And the pickle finger... awesome!

We like to have finger fights.  Silly time!

I need a better camera... and to remember to turn off my flash.  Oops.

But anyways, stop by Barracuda Bazaar... I just love that place!  I know you will, too!

{This post was not compensated.  I wrote about it because I love the shop and want to share some local favorites.  Go Indie Businesses!}

It's Flu Season!

{via IOffer}

I have had something nasty for the last week.  I'm finally off the 'Quils.  Ya know, NyQuil and DayQuil.  I'm starting to feel like myself again.  But, here's a friendly reminder... Take Your Vitamin C!!!!  Drink LOTS of Water!!!  Oh, drink those Emergen-C packets.  They aren't too :S bad.  I'm pretty sure you don't want what's going around.  I care about you, so please take care of yourselves!!

Back tomorrow with more!

XOXO -AC

New Sponsor and New Bag

{via Diana}

You might have noticed a new sponsor on the left sidebar.  I want to introduce you to Miss Diana from dianapantz!  She's a fabulous crafter who's sharing her journey in becoming self-employed, vegan cooking, and fun photos from adventures in Minneapolis.  You'll have to check out her blog here and her shop here!

{via Diana}

Isn't she cute?

Speaking of cute....

I just finished and shipped a custom order.  I was asked to make a bag with an owl on it... no further instructions.  With some funky fabric and Grey's Anatomy re-runs, this beauty emerged.  I loved making it so much, I'm listing them as a new fall bag for Camp Moxie.  These will be in limited supply, so grab one (or five) up while you can!

Here's a closer view at the details in the stitching, which is all hand embroidered... and the owl is my own drawing and design... and the tree branch too.. which is glittery... oh I just love all the details.

You can send me a message if you would like an owl bag (ashleycrenshaw.blog@gmail.com), or head over to Camp Moxie to place an order!