Confessions of a working Mommy

2011-10-10T20:49:00.001-07:00

A-Z: About me!

2011-09-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

A. Age: 27
B. Bed size: King
C. Chore that you hate: Folding Laundry
D. Dogs: 2 - Maddie (Mini Dachshound) and Staten (Golden Retriever mix)
E. Essential start to your day: STARBUCKS Caramel Macchiato
F. Favorite color: Blue
G. Gold or Silver: Silver
H. Height: 5'6"
I. Instruments you play: Piano
J. Job title: High School Math Teacher & Volleyball/Track Coach
K. Kids: one - Colton (turns 2 next month!)
L. Live: Mesquite, Texas
M. Mother’s name: Cyndi
N. Nicknames: Ash, Coach Boots - this one is from my athletes... LOL
O. Overnight hospital stays: when I had my little boy :)
P. Pet peeves: inconsiderate people
Q. Quote from a movie: "The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me." The Notebook
R. Right or left handed: Right
S. Siblings: Little Sister - Mackenzie
T. Time you wake up: 6:15
U. Underwear: every day LOL
V. Vegetable you hate: Peas - the smell is SO GROSS
W. What makes you run late: not getting out of bed when my alarm goes off
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Back (after a very dumb rookie cop totalled my car)
Y. Yummy food that you make: Super Easy Apple/Peach Cobbler (thanks Ashley), Cinnamon Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie
Z. Zoo animal: elephants :)

Song-filled Sundays

2011-08-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

Today we told our home church of 20+ years that next week would be our last week... My mom cried... My MIL cried... and I'm sure my dad and FIL felt a little sadness as well. And although I am sad to say goodbye, I am extremely pumped to see what God has in store for us. Next Sunday marks Casey's two year anniversary as the interim music minister and with that - it also marks the end of our membership at RBC. That church has been home since I can remember... for both of us - without it, I might not be married to the man I am today. We've been through a lot together, but for Casey and I the ride stops in 7 days. Our pastor used a verse this morning that said this - "where your treasure is, your heart will be also" and HOW TRUE is that. My treasure - my family, friends, comfort has been in RBC for so long and I know my heart will remain there for a long while. I am looking forward to our future, wherever that might be, but like I have said so many times before - goodbyes are never easy. SO, if you are the praying kind, keep my hubby and me in mind this week (and the weeks to come). To all of our friends at RBC, we love you and we appreciate the support you guys have given us growing up, in our marriage, and now with our own family.

And now, so I can leave you on a happy note...

My son truly takes after us, don't you think?? He has music in his SOUL!

goodbyes still aren't easy the 3rd time around...

2011-08-18T18:46:00.001-07:00

my blogging hiatus ends TODAY!! sorry for the long-time no post era... but it's over I promise!

Today, tonight actually, this little stinker -

helped his Aunt ZZ pack up her things to head back to Arkansas. He did not want them to take the U-haul away and had a blast pretending to drive the big truck!

So to my sister... my best friend -

I know this summer might not have been what you had expected or even what you had hoped, but God knew exactly what you needed and every single millisecond was planned many years ago. Get back to Arkansas and continue to finish what you started there... don't let anyone tell you can't do something - because you can. Dream big - bigger than you ever imagined before. Think with your head, but let your heart lead - it is truly the size of Texas and it was made that way for a reason.

instagr.am

2011-03-14T13:17:00.000-07:00

instagr.am

Day 3 - First Love

2011-01-16T17:53:00.000-08:00

Well my first love has to be Dr. Pepper... I mean I hardly ever go a day without having one... Kidding... kinda :)

But seriously....

This post might be a difficult one for me... but here it goes.

Strangely enough, I was thinking about this very topic a couple of nights ago while I listened to the speaker at our church's Disciple Now. He started by asking the students if they thought they knew what love meant and several of them raised their hands. From there, he didn't try to tell them that they were wrong or they really didn't know what love was, he simply said that our idea of love changes over time. When we are young, love is for our parents, siblings, and other members of our family. It's also used to describe how we feel about ice cream, pizza, swimming, and presents. Love is just a feeling that we are taught to use for things that we enjoy. Then a few years later, we discover the opposite sex and we might have a few "serious" relationships and our view of love changes again. We think that love is about kisses, hugs, love notes, late night phone-calls (I guess texts would be more correct theses days), and prom dates. I'm not going to lie and say that I didn't fall into this very category in high school and even college. I dated a guy for almost three years that I thought I would "love" him forever. I won't ever deny that I cared for him on a deeper level than my other friends, but neither one of us really knew what love was truly about. [I can say that without reservation since both of us are very happily married these days.] Anyway, college was about the same for me... I wasn't the dating type and I only got into a relationship that I could see myself in for the long run. There was a time right after college where I hit, what I thought to be, rock-bottom in relationship world. I remember telling my mom that I was tired of being alone and that the true desire of my heart was to be married and eventually have children. Her response? If that was the true desire of my heart, then I needed to pray about it. Me, being the most incredibly impatient person that I am, did NOT like this response because I was already tired of waiting... so why should I wait some more. I didn't want to be an older bride, and eventually an older mom. But, low and behold, the dream I had was too small for the man upstairs... His plan was already in effect and within a week, I was re-united with the guy that I would soon call my husband. I can't say that from that day on it was candy and roses because it definitely was not. He and I were what I like to call "damaged goods." We had trust issues because we had both been burned before and that took a toll on us for a long time. BUT, when you wake up one day and you absolutely cannot imagine your life without that person.... That is love. When you find someone who is honest with you about even your worst attributes and you still can't imagine life without them... That is love. When you bring a new life into the world together and it turns your world upside down, but you still can't imagine life with anyone else... That is LOVE. There are many things that I love about my husband, but the one thing, above all else, that I love is that he teaches me daily how to love more than already know how. So for that, I believe, that Casey is my first TRUE love.

Casey Deree Pruitt, I love with with my whole heart and I can't imagine my life without you. Thank you for putting up with me every day and loving me back.

Day 2 - Meaning of your blog name

2011-01-15T08:11:00.000-08:00

Truth be told, there is no hidden meaning behind my blog's name. I'm a working mom, like many others, and as much as I love my little boy, I wouldn't have it any other way. Of course there are days where I miss my family and I wish for nothing more than to be home with them. BUT - I love what I do and I wouldn't give it up. I fully believe that teaching is the MOST important job in the world. We shape the minds of the future... kids will become doctors, lawyers, presidents, other teachers, etc because of their own teachers along the way. You can't have all of those other careers without first being taught. I also love being able to provide a safe environment for my kids at school because for so many of them, that is the ONLY safe place they have to go. All that to say, I love my job and I love my son...It's just about balance between the two. Some days are harder than others, but when it comes down to it, God isn't going to give me more than I can handle, right?

30-day Blogging Challenge: Day 1

2011-01-13T21:42:00.000-08:00

Day 1: introduce, recent picture, and 15 interesting facts

My name is Ashley Pruitt, formerly Ashley Johnson. I am 26 years old and I am married to a guy that I have known my entire life as the older brother of my childhood best friend. After a crazy dating experience, we decided to get hitched on the 4th of July in 2008 and then had our first child, Colton on October 22, 2009. I love my job as a teacher and coach at Poteet High School, where I graduated from, but I would be lying if I said every day was full of smiles and giggles. Teaching is hard... Coaching is time-consuming... But I wouldn't change my career for anything else in the world. I have a family at home, but I also have an amazing family at work. After Casey and I got married and then pregnant shortly after, we decided that we needed to upgrade to a house. After several weeks/months of looking, we decided to settle down in Mesquite, somewhere in between both of our parents (for easy babysitting access of course!). So we are very blessed to have a home, 2 great jobs, 2 incredible families, 2 dogs, and one very special little boy!

Facts:

1. I love Dr. Pepper

2. I love Caramel Macchiatos from Starbucks

3. I love Sweet Tea... like rot your teeth sweet.

4. I start every morning with one of the above (even my students know this)

5. I have a healthy addiction to the Food Network and would LOVE a gourmet kitchen to cook in

6. I love James Patterson books

7. I love Key Lime Pie

8. My favorite color is red, and green comes in a close second (but not red and green together)

9. I have an obsession with the idea of being organized. I am not that organized myself, but I try to be... I have a planner, lots of storage containers, etc.

10. To go along with #8, I love buying new office supplies. Nothing is better than a brand new package of pens, pencils, or post-its :)

11. I love Pei Wei and I wish we had one in Mesquite.

12. My favorite kind of pizza is buffalo chicken.

13. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, although I hardly ever eat it in the morning.

14. When Casey and I decide to have a second baby, I am hoping for a little girl that I can name Addison or Peyton. If we have another boy, that would be great too, but I am at a loss for what I'd name him.

15. At some point in my lifetime, I want to visit the Greek islands of Santorini.

That's ME! Stay tuned for more of this 30-day challenge!

30-day blogging challenge

2011-01-12T20:54:00.000-08:00

So I am stealing a friend's idea and hopping on the 30-day bandwagon. I too, have been in a blogging rut and haven't really found much to say that I haven't already. SO, I thought this might give me some interesting things to share!

Day 0: The 30 Day Challenge Explanation and Description
Day 1: Introduce, recent picture of yourself, 15 interesting facts
Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3: Your first love
Day 4: Your parents
Day 5: A song to match your mood
Day 6: A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7: Favorite movies
Day 8: A place you've traveled to
Day 9: A favorite picture of your best friend
Day 10: Something you're afraid of
Day 11: Favorite tv shows
Day 12: Something you don't leave the house without
Day 13: Goals
Day 14: A picture of you last year - how have you changed?
Day 15: Bible verse
Day 16: Dream house
Day 17: Something you're looking forward to
Day 18: Favorite Place to Eat
Day 19: Something you miss
Day 20: Nicknames
Day 21: Favorite Picture of yourself ALL TIME Why?
Day 22: What's in your purse?
Day 23: Favorite Movie
Day 24: Something you've learned
Day 25: Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26: Your Dream Wedding
Day 27: Original Photo of the city you live in
Day 28: Something that stresses you out
Day 29: 3 Wishes
Day 30: a picture of yourself this day and 5 good things that happened since you started the challenge

Day 1 coming tomorrow!! Let's see if I can actually stick to this!

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T22:25:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how fast this past year went by! I know that I have always been told that once you have kids, time literally FLIES by... and now I completely understand. Last year, I was still trying to get rid of my baby belly (who am I kidding... I still am!) and I was carrying around a newborn baby boy that had just graced us with his presence. This year, I was chasing around a one-year old little boy who is still the absolute light of my life! We have had a whirlwind year in my household and I promise to update tomorrow or the next day with lots of pictures!

Until then, best wishes to you all for 2011! I am incredibly blessed to have such an amazing family and group of friends to spend this next year with. May God bless you infinitely in the days to come!

Day 5 - A week of thanks...

2010-11-25T21:19:00.000-08:00

Short and sweet today folks... It's something that needs no real explanation.

I am thankful for God and everything that he has done for me. He made the ultimate sacrifice so many years ago, just for ME.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

How awesome is that? He is the reason that we have a day to celebrate giving thanks!

Day 4 - A week of thanks...

2010-11-24T21:16:00.000-08:00

Today is dedicated to my sister... I can't say that we were always the closest growing up... I can't even say that we were nice to each other growing up... BUT we definitely loved each other and now I can safely say that she is one of my very best friends.

She is unique... and brings out in the CRAZY in me!

She is a shoulder to lean on.

She has an AH-MAZE-ING voice and surprisingly made it all the way through her song at my wedding without crying!

She is caring.

She loves her family... and is never afraid to show it.

She is a great Aunt ZZ to my sweet angel.

She is strong.

She is BEAUTIFUL.

She is MY sister.

Day 3 - A week of thanks...

2010-11-23T22:53:00.000-08:00

My marriage is unlike most... in a good way... actually, in a great way. I have had the privilege of knowing my in-laws my entire life (pretty much anyway). Growing up, I had a best friend named Brittany and we were inseparable. I was constantly spending the night at her house and vice versa. Even as we went through middle school and high school, we remained friends... Our families were even so close that we all went on vacations together every summer. They still do to this day... I believe Hawaii is next... ridiculous right? :) Well Brittany has an older brother, Casey, who I was pretty close to growing up, but when I graduated high school and went to college, I lost touch with many of my childhood friends. Upon completing college, I ended up meeting up Casey for dinner just to catch up and chat. The rest is history because a year later, we were planning a wedding. All that to say, I am thankful for my in-laws. How many people can really say that they LOVE living close to their in-laws? I mean, don't get me wrong, my life is not an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond... my in-laws completely respect our personal space and bounderies, which makes me a happy lady. I honestly don't know what I would do without them... Every third day, when Casey has to go to work, my MIL comes to my house, picks up my son, and takes him to her mom's house for the day. On top of that, she or my FIL will go and pick him up for me on their way home. When Casey and I both got sick, they came to the rescue and took Colton to Chuck'E'Cheese just so that we could sleep the sickness off without interruptions. These are just a small sampling of the many things they help us with, but I am forever grateful for their willingness to help in any way. I always said that I would never marry a guy who had a family that I didn't feel I belonged to. I definitely hit the jackpot and I am one very, VERY blessed momma!

Thank you God for my extended family!

Day 2 - A week of thanks

2010-11-22T11:37:00.000-08:00

It used to be just me... then my sister came along... then I decided to get married... and then I had baby...

I wouldn't have gotten where I am today without my parents and they are Day 2 in my week of thanks blog!

I love that they raised two daughters and taught us important lessons like how to decide as a family where to go eat after church (it was ALWAYS Taco Bell, thanks Kenz), or how to decide which family member to pick on at Christmas, if Dr. Pepper is better than Wild Cherry Pepsi, or even when Dad told you no, just to go ask Mom! I'm kidding (kind of) but seriously, they taught us both so many important lessons, it's hard to name them all. Here are a few that have definitely stuck with me:

Love unconditionally and don't be afraid to dance like no one is watching (even when lots of people are!)

The J.O.Y you have in your heart will show by the smile on your face.

Never let go of the people that you care about and that care about you. They will be the ones who stick with you through thick and thin.

Use your God-given talents... or they will be taken away!

Never, EVER be afraid to show affection!

Thank you for giving me a life-long picture of what it looks like to be a good parent.
Thank you Mom and Dad for loving my baby like you still love me.

I am SO thankful for my parents.

Day 1 - A week of thanks...

2010-11-21T21:42:00.000-08:00

I know it's cliche, but in honor of Thanksgiving this Thursday, I am going to share something I am thankful for each day. (These are in no particular order of course)

Day 1:

I am thankful for a healthy baby boy. A little over a year ago, I was riding to the hospital with my husband at 5 AM, hoping that that day I would finally get to meet my special little boy. After laboring for over 15 hours, they wheeled me in for a c-section. This is not what I wanted, but it was what had to be done. My baby was basically lodged in between my hip bones and he wasn't budging!

An hour later, I met the sweetest little chubby face that I have ever seen, and instantly fell in love. As I stared into those perfect brown eyes, I knew that e

verything worked out just the way God had planned it all along.

As I think back on that day and remember this face:

and then now at the present time:

So, I am thankful for this amazing gift that I call my son. Even though everything didn't go as I had planned it, it still went like God had planned it.

Colton, mommy is thankful for you, sweet boy!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

It could have been worse...

2010-11-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

I could have gotten sick on a B day (when I have a 4th period, forcing me to stay and teach)...

I could have eaten a much heavier dinner the night before...

I could have had a volleyball game to be at...

I could have had to scramble for a last-minute babysitter for Colton...

I could have been home alone since it was technically Casey's day on shift...

It could have been worse...

It only sucked a little... my first Friday night off was spent either in bed, on the couch, or leaning over a toilet. My little one has apparently decided that sharing his not-so-little stomach virus with the entire family is a good idea. Not so much little man... But like I said, it could've been a lot worse! I just happened to get sick on a day where I only teach one class and I don't have volleyball anymore so I was able to skip out a little early from work. I also have an AMAZING family who help me at the drop of the hat, no questions asked. And as I mentioned before I could have been home alone, but since sharing is caring, Casey got sick last night and had to call in this morning. Nothing like spending some quality time with your husband when you are both in sick-mode. None-the-less, I got to spend some time with him that I didn't count on, and for me, every minute I get is precious.

Even in the stormiest weather... I do remember how blessed I really am... because it DEFINITELY could have been worse!

PS. Congrats to the Pirate Football team for beating Hachie tonight!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-15T19:19:00.001-07:00

My Little Sugar(sista) Bear...

2010-08-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

So I'm just going to throw this out there from the beginning... upon reading this blog, like I know she will (because she facebook and blogger stalks me), I know my sister is going to cry.... and my dad might too (because he likes reading my blog randomly too). I know this because she is not good with goodbyes... See, my parents were pretty spolied when I went to college because - even though I actually moved out and never moved back in (not for the summer... nothing), I only went about 30-40 minutes away to Dallas Baptist University and could run home whenever I wanted to! Then when I graduated from college and eventually got married, I moved to a house that is about 10 minutes away... crazy?? Heck no... I have a 10 month old (shout out to Colton who is TEN MONTHS OLD TODAY!!) and that means instant help with a simple phone call if I ever need it!! Anyway, thats beside the point because this post is dedicated to my sista-bear... She left for her second year of college on Saturday and since I was at a tournament all weekend, me and Colton spent the night at my parents on Thursday to get in some quality family time. Anyway, at the end of the night the silly girl sat on the couch holding my little sleeping angel and balled her eyes out... Who's the sensitive one?? yeah... definitely HER! Anyway, I want to give my sister a lot of credit... she leaves her entire family for about 8-9 months out of the year and goes to school, takes care of business, and returns to us in the summer more beautiful and more grown up than the last time she left. I thought it would be a little easier for her to leave the second time around because she wasn't worried about missing the birth of her nephew this time... but it wasn't easier. Goodbyes are never easy... So sister - just know this: We are so proud of you! We cannot wait to skype you and hopefully Colton will be talking soon so that he can say hello to his favorite ZZ. Remember, you were here for some of the most important things in his life and I know you will get to see so much more in the future... he started WALKING while you were here for crying out loud! Most importantly though... we love you and we cannot wait to see you again!

So -- here's to you Sista-Sugarbear! Have a FANTASTIC sophomore year! We miss you already!

Here is what happened LAST time she left for school... She had to turn around and come back! :)

It's not my first rodeo...

2010-08-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

...BUT it is Colton's!

Thanks to Nana, G-Paw, and Aunt ZZ for taking little man to the rodeo, while mom got to have dinner with Marli May! I know he had a blast... :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-08-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

Fun Friday... but posted on Sunday!

2010-08-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

I love that Casey and I have fun couple friends to hang out with!! Friday night, on a whim, we decided to call Marli and Mark to see if they already had plans for the evening... Much to our surprise, they did not and were up for going to dinner with us! (we were childless for the evening...) So dinner at Primos it was and we had a fabulous time... so fabulous that we decided to go dancing afterwards (well, Marli danced and we mostly people watched, but that counts right?) Anyway, we had a blast and can't thank them enough for coming along last minute!

Love you Marli May! I'm so glad we are friends at work and not at work!

Sidenote: Marli made EVERYONE's night by dancing with a guy that just knew he is America's next top dancer! HI-LAR-I-OUS!!! I wish I had been faster with my camera so I could have gotten proof!

The "Suite" Life

2010-07-31T12:30:00.000-07:00

For any of you out there who know me at all, you'd know how family oriented I really am. I mean, when Casey and I bought our house, we moved right in between my parents and his. My immediate families all live within about 5-10 minutes of each other... I'm also blessed to have my extended family in the metroplex as well... just not quite as close. Well, all except my dad's oldest brother and his immediate family who live in Ohio. With the exception of Robin and Brad and their kids, we haven't been able to see that part of the family in about ten years. So you can imagine our excitement when we found out that Uncle Johnny and his two younger kids (not so young anymore) would be coming in town at the end of the summer. When they finally arrived in the great state of Texas on Wednesday, we all met up and went out for dinner at Matt's in Lakewood. They must have known we were coming because we had the entire upstairs to ourselves (which was probably the best thing they could have done-separating us from the "normal" people). It was so great to see everyone after so many years and so many changes in our lives! I couldn't wait for more time with everyone... so Friday night we all met up again at the Ranger game. I mentioned before how blessed I am to have this great family and part of that is all of our great "connections" :) I mean who doesn't love getting a suite at the Rangers game because your uncle knows somebody who let us use theirs for the night! So, that's exactly what we did... we all (all 19 of us) piled into this FANTASTIC suite right behind home plate and were catered to all night, with all the food and drinks we could want! The Rangers won, there were fireworks and we had an INCREDIBLE time! Thanks again Uncle Jay!

the view from the suite

#1 Rangers fan!

aunt zz, lee-lee, and momma

all of the guys: (top) colton, casey p, jay, casey j, miles, jeff

(bottom) hunter, keith, buddy, johnny, andy (casey j's OU buddy)

all of the ladies: cyndi, cathy, kenz, leslee, ashley, susan, milly, lauren

my little love!

he had a BLAST banging and pressing on the glass doors

making faces with momma

didn't take his eyes off the fireworks

Ok, I had to add these in here... My dad ALWAYS gives my sister a hard time about her posing for pictures because it NEVER fails that the hand migrates to the hip -- so enjoy them!

making fun of kenz...

and again...

and now she is EMBARASSED!! HAHAHAH

all of the brothers - together AT LAST! never a dull moment...

The next day was my 26th birthday... 26 just doesn't sound as cool as 25 does it? 25 was a great year... I found out I was pregnant, I became a homeowner, I went on a fabulous "last adult" vacation with Casey to the Riveira Maya, and then most importantly I had a son. I don't mind getting older... it doesn't freak me out like some people, but seriously... 26 just doesn't sound as fun! Anyway, we decided that Saturday would be more family time for the Johnson crew so we planned a cookout/swim party in Forney at my grandparents. As always, lots of fun was had and we were sad to see it come to an end! Sadly my two cousins had to fly out on Tuesday and then my Uncle flew out today... We had an amazing time catching up with them and I can't wait until we are all together again!

SO BLESSED with an incredible family.

Playdate with Berk

2010-07-31T12:26:00.001-07:00

I am so blessed to have so many friends that have kids around the same age as Colton! Since I am off for the summer and so is my friend Cara, we finally got together and scheduled a play-date for our little ones. They didn't know what to think at first, but they were fast friends after a little while.

Berkley was loving on her momma!

Glad to know my child isn't the only one who puts EVERYTHING in his mouth!

sweet little boy :)

My child loves to swim...

2010-07-31T12:22:00.000-07:00

In an effort to continue in my procrastination for writing my 5-page paper that is due tomorrow- here are some more catch up pictures from this summer!

A VERY Wordy Wednesday!

2010-07-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

**I dedicate this post to my BEAUTIFUL cousin Lauren, who currently lives in NYC and almost always keeps her blog updated... When I grow up I hope I can be just like her! :) Love you La-La (yes... Colton is going to call you that too)

I can't believe that it has been over two months since my last post! AND that now summer is over and my days of being a stay-at-home mom are soon coming to an end... It has truly been a blessing being able to stay at home with my husband and little one this summer.. We have had so much fun traveling and spending time together.

Our summer started out with our first family vacation (as a family of three) and we decided that Southern California was calling our name! The weather was perfect... there was plenty to do... and we had a blast! Here are some pictures documenting our time in SoCal:

at the airport in Anaheim

driving around LA

this was for my boys... dodgers stadium!

day 2: found one of these ASAP

SEA WORLD SAN DIEGO

love this sweet face!

day 3: back in Anaheim at Disneyland

look at those big eyes!!

so pooped that he missed the fireworks!

day 4: back to San Diego... at the Zoo :)

and... Petco Park for a little Padres action

day 5: back to LA for Universal Studios

day 6: California Adventure park and we FINALLY see Mickey Mouse!

last day: Huntington Beach and Newport (it was PRETTY chilly!)

So obviously this is just a piece of my summer, but since it is now 11:43 and I have to get up in six short hours... I leave you with this series of pictures of my child and his new eating habits :)

Silly Sunday

2010-05-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

A few days late... but hey, better late than never!

Sunday we got to celebrate Aunt Luvi's (Brittany) birthday at the Pruitt house and Colton LOVED being the center of attention!

How could you not love this sweet face?

YUM... ICE CREAM!

MORE MOMMA!!

There's none left??

I am SO ready to spend my summer with this handsome little man! I can't wait!

Here's to you, Dad

2010-05-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today, 51 years ago, a woman named Maureen Johnson welcomed her third son into the world... He grew up... met a girl... went to college... got married... then they had ME! :)

So Happy Birthday Dad... from your favorite daughter! (I'm the favorite now because I got married AND had a little boy, which now means we have BOYS in our family, besides Dad)

For loving your girls and our activities (even though you might have had more fatherly fun with boys)

For showing me how to love my spouse

For always holding on... even when I wanted to be let go

For welcoming my husband into our family just like he was your own son

For loving my son as much as you love me

and

Just because...

I Love You!

Happy Birthday Dad! I hope we get to spend many more together!

New beginnings

2010-05-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

So, lots has happened since my last post!

1. I traveled down I-35 to Austin for our state track meet and our kids walked away with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places... At the state level, this is an AWESOME accomplishment! I am SO proud of the two girls we took, but SO happy to finally have some down time.

2. I was named our new Math department head for the 2010-2011 school year and the years to follow. I am very sad to see our current head leave because she is an incredible person, teacher, and mentor. We have a few big changes coming in our department with people leaving and moving around. I am pretty excited about whats to come, but pretty anxious as well. So when you are thinking about it, send some prayers my way! I have some HUGE shoes to fill.

3. I got accepted into the Graduate Academic Partnership program at UTA (University of Texas at Arlington). This means I start my masters program THIS month!! CRAZY!! May 24th is the magic date and then 60 weeks later, if all goes as planned, I will graduate with my masters in Education. Although 60 weeks SOUNDS like a long time, it's really a short period of time to complete something like your masters degree.

4. This one isn't really #4, but as a teacher, you have to throw it out there... We have 6 REAL days of school left and then 8 days of OFYP. What is OFYP?? You don't want to know... but if you must... it's basically where the kids who didn't pass any part of TAKS, come to school and get more TAKS thrown in their face, while all of the other "angels" stay home and sleep and start their summer 8 days early!

So... new beginnings here I come. I truly believe that God has bigger and better plans for me at Poteet and that is why I didn't get that head volleyball position. God-1, Ashley-0... really its more like God-5 billion, Ashley-0... but you get the point!

Can't wait until summer... 3 weeks!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

perfect ending to my day...

2010-05-09T20:13:00.000-07:00

I'll love you forever

I'll like you for always

As long as I'm living

My baby you'll be

Today was a good day...

2010-05-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

A very good day in fact... and just what the doctor ordered.

I have been so busy and so caught up in my work, that my family

has been coming in 2nd on the priorities list lately and that just isn't right.

So today, I woke up with nothing on my agenda... No TAKS test to administer... No Track meet... No wedding showers... No place to be... but of course with a monster headache and a very stuffed up nose... Lucky for me, my little angel just wanted to cuddle in bed with mom and went back to sleep along with his allergy-ridden mother. So around ten thirty, I finally rolled over to a sweet, smiling little boy and everything was right with the world. Forget the snot running down my nose... forget the scratchy-ness in my throat... Forget the huge headache between my eyes... My little one wanted to play and he wanted to play with his mommy! We did finally roll out of bed around eleven and Casey suggested we take a family trip to the Dallas World Aquarium. Well, we would have gone, if the entire world hadn't been in downtown today marching on behalf of something to do with immigration. I don't really even know what they were marching for... I just know it was about immigration. So yeah, we didn't go to the aquarium... BUT we did go to the zoo instead! Now, I will admit that at first, I was not completely sold on this idea... Don't tell my husband, but I just knew that it was going to be packed and absolutely miserable. Oh but God's a funny guy and must have been trying to teach me something today... It ended up being absolutely beautiful outside and not crowded at all! Kudos to you, hubby, it was a great idea and like I said before, just what the doctor ordered.

I absolutely loved watching Colton discover new things today. He is such a curious little boy and enjoys watching the world around him. He especially loved the fish in the Koi Pond and I'm pretty sure he and his daddy will be trying to catch those together one day.

Here are some pictures from our day:

Lesson learned - Take time to enjoy your family and all of the small things that we so often take for granted.

Yes, today was a very good day...

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Half Birthday!

2010-04-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Half Birthday to the little boy who single-handedly changed my life forever!

I cannot believe it has been SIX months since Colton was born... Here is a recap of the day that my life changed:

AND MY FAVORITE... I told him "Happy Half Birthday Little Boy"... and this is the face I got in return!

I love you more than words could EVER express... YOU are my whole world little boy, silly faces and ALL!

Wordless Wednesday... hopping on the bandwagon!

2010-04-21T20:23:00.001-07:00

2010-04-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

I love my job. I really do... so if you ever happen to catch me on an extra-frustrating day and I look like I HATE my job... I promise I actually do love it. I honestly couldn't imagine doing anything else with my life...

**Not particularly interesting fact**

Right out of high school I got my first job in a restaurant, ok a BAR, but they served food and had a "dining room" and I was a naive 18 year old! (I mean seriously, what "restaurant" stays open until 2 AM every night??) Anyway, after opening my eyes (AND WALLET) to the food/service industry, I realized how easy it was for me to make some fast cash! So, throughout college, I moved up the ranks and was fully prepared to be the Assistant Service Manager at our restaurant when I graduated. However, the Big Man Upstairs had other plans for me... The day before I was to sign on the dotted line to go on salary, I got a phonecall from my old high school coach telling me that I should head over to Carrollton to interview for a teaching/coaching position. I didn't even think that this was a possibility at the time because I wasn't certified and I didn't think you could get hired without it... I'm not tooting my horn, because I think they were desperate to hire someone so late in the year, but I got hired on the spot. This began my journey as an educator in the state of Texas. I only ended up staying in Carrollton for one year, but I fully believe that the one year changed my life. I made mistakes, I learned lessons, I gained friends and I lost friends, but most of all, I grew up. Shortly after leaving, I reconnected with the man I now call my husband and the rest is history...

SO all of that to lead up to my next statement:

I didn't get the job.

But you know what? It's ok... I am ok... and I know that God has bigger plans for me.

It's interesting to me how much change is happening in our school and our district now and also for next year. The man that hired me... an INCREDIBLE principal, is retiring and moving across the state. The woman that is replacing him, just so happens to be a family friend, whom I have known my entire life. Coincidence? I think not... We also have recently acquired a new athletic director/football coach... I can't tell you how excited I was after meeting him because of all of his references to his faith and his God. I honestly can't wait to see what kind of transformations are made in our athletic department. Another major change is that, my department head... an AMAZING friend, mentor, and person is leaving the district as well. We are in for some MAJOR changes at Poteet High School and I can't wait! Change is a pretty scary thing... but now that I know that I am there to stay... I WILL embrace it with open arms! How else can you allow yourself to grow??

I think when it comes down to it, that is the lesson that I was supposed to learn through all of this... GROWTH is so important in our lives. We aren't meant to always be babies in life... We have to grow up and we have to mature. And we do this, through our trials and our triumphs.

Daniel 2:21

"He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning."

So what's next?? Well, I have applied for Graduate School... which is huge for me! Our district is wonderful and actually pays for us to go back and get our masters. They even work with certain universities and have programs that are only online. Other than that, I am going to finish out the year and enjoy my time with my boys at home! AND, I am going to try to post at least once a week! Hopefully I won't have to eat my words next Sunday afternoon!

Good night bloggers!

2010-03-28T20:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, Yes I know... it has been MONTHS since I wrote my last blog on here. 5 months and 2 days to be exact... How do I know?? Because the last time I was on here writing about my life, I had just brought home the most amazing gift a person could ever receive... a brand new baby boy! It has been such an amazing journey since that day, so hopefully through this blog I can get you all caught up! Don't get me wrong... they don't tell you about the first night home from the hospital, or the fussy/needy days where you can't get anything done because he just wants to be held for 24 hours, or the ridiculous lack of sleep that occurs for the rest of my life. But you know what? It is all worth it to have a healthy baby in my house... I've learned that more than ever in the past week, but we'll get to that in a little bit.

Since the last blog, several holidays have past and here are some pictures of us celebrating those days!

not so happy about mom dressing him up for his first halloween

so much personality already!

First Thanksgiving together

Christmastime!

Santa's Little Helper :)

His daddy can definitely make him smile!

First road trip to see Aunt Z in Arkansas

First SNOW day!!

So fast forward to March 2010-

I started out the month making a decision to apply for a head volleyball job. This was a HUGE decision for me because I love where I am at right now and I always wanted to come back to my old high school to teach and coach. However, after talking it through SEVERAL times with my husband, I decided to go for it and throw my name in the hat. Little did I know that I would end up being one of three finalists for the job and interviewing for it this past week. I honestly can't imagine leaving my kids at PHS, but if that is what is in God's big plan for me, then that is what I will do. It is completely in his hands at this point and all I can do now, is WAIT. (ugh... I am HORRIBLE at waiting)

Then there was Spring Break. BUT, with coaching track comes a very SHORT break! Needless to say, I did get to spend some MUCH needed Mommy-time with mister Colton. As much as I really do love my job, I've realized how much I am missing of my little man's cute phases. He is rolling over, laughing at everything, and trying to talk to everyone! We are almost sitting up on our own and eating 1st foods like squash and sweet potatoes. I think I need a Spring Break every two weeks or so... Wouldn't that make teaching a job that a lot of people would want??

Well after my week of bliss at home with my little man and wonderful husband, I did eventually have to go back to work. The week was going pretty well until Wednesday... I found out on my way home that a friend of mine had just found her 3 month old little girl had passed away during a nap. I was sick hearing this... I mean, how? WHY? I couldn't get home fast enough and when I did, I think my little boy stayed in my arms for the rest of the night. I was so incredibly heartbroken for this family and still cannot fathom how they still must feel. My only peace in the matter was knowing that God has a bigger plan and everything (yes, even such a horrible thing as this) happens for some reason or another. And although I may not ever know what that reason is, I have faith in God that he will take care of things and take care of this family.

Then the day from H-E-double hockey sticks came... dum-da-dum-dum! Thursday I had three major things scheduled, plus I had to make sure I had everything ready for my sub at school the next day. **Sidenote to all the teachers out there: Isn't it just SO much easier to show up to work?? I mean, I love having days off every once in awhile, but preparing for a sub is way more tiring than actually being at work! Ok, off the soapbox there... So Thursday I had my interview and I think it went well. Again, playing the waiting game sucks, but it's no longer in my hands so I can't worry. Then after that, I had to rush back to school to help host a baby shower for our wonderful trainer at school. I still can't believe they are waiting to find out the sex until the little one decides to make his/her appearance. THEN, after that more rushing... but this time home. We had planned a surprise party for my mom, who turned 50 this year. Her birthday was on the 15th, but my sister didn't get to come home from school until last week, so we had to hold off on the festivities. She ended up being VERY surprised and everything went just as planned, but by the end of the day, I was exhausted!

Friday we took about 10 kids to the CFB Relays (in Carrollton) and we ended up breaking two school records in the 4x100 relay and the 100 dash. Those times ended up being the 5th fastest 4x100 and the #1 100 time in the state this year. Quite an accomplishment for our kids and I couldn't have been more proud!

I finally got some rest Saturday night and also got to spend some quality time with my boys at home. I even got to see an old college friend at church on Sunday **Shout out to Miss Kep :)** and I promised I would update my blog!

Here are some more recent pictures:

State Basketball Tournament in Austin...

Dallas Madison got 2nd place so G-Paw let me wear his silver medal

Taking it all in with Daddy at UT

My little heart-breaker

St. Patrick's Day

Trying "real food" for the first time... He really does like it now... :)

Bundled up and watching dad play softball

Thank you God for such an AMAZING little boy!

God has truly blessed me and my family over the past five months and I couldn'd be happier. So as I patiently wait to hear about the job situation, this one verse keeps replaying in my head. So for all of you DBUers out there:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

So I will wait...

Please welcome: Colton Pruitt :)

2009-10-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

I am a mom... most incredible feeling in the world. LOTS of pics to come...

a little of this and a little of that...

2009-07-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks have flown by and I know it's because we have been so busy... For starters Casey surprised me with a anniversary getaway to the Gaylord Texan to watch Fireworks and well... just GETAWAY!

Next up was Amy and Matt's Wedding... all the way out in Tim-buck-too (aka Justin, TX). It took place at this cute little wedding chapel and it truly was a good time. The rehearsal dinner was definitely up our alley because it was held at the Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco during a Roughriders game! Here are some pics from the event...

Then the next day we were off to Mexico for our last "adult" vacation for awhile... with the little guy coming soon, we know our vacations will probably consist more of disney and friends than of beaches and sand. Needless to say we had a great time staying at the Paradisus Riviera Maya! The first real day there (monday) we took a taxi to Playa del Carmen and took a ferry from there over to Cozumel. We did a little window shopping and lots of walking, but didn't buy a thing! I also learned that apparently being pregnant and walking around with a guy MUST mean that you are honeymooners! (I think they have this one a LITTLE backwards). The second day we took an excursion to the waterpark/natural aquarium called Xel-ha. It was really cool and you could basically do whatever you wanted... Snorkeling, swimming, scuba diving, and you could even swim with the dolphins. All the food and drinks that you could stand were your to have and included in the price to get in. We spent half the day there and then went a little further from Playa to Tulum where we took a FABULOUS tour of the Mayan Ruins. The ruins at Tulum are the only ones that are built on cliffs that lead directly to the most BEAUTIFUL beach! Great tour... great guide... great DAY! The third day we went deep sea fishing... not so great on the luck there but Casey at least caught something... and for those of you wondering... NO - I did not get sick at all on the boat... hot yes... sick no. The last full day there we spent relaxing and lounging around the resort... We took in every bit of sleep that we could and enjoyed the massive main pool at our resort thoroughly! I even won TWICE at L-O-T-E-R-I-A... which is BINGO here in the US. :) For our final night, we enjoyed a Mexican Dinner Theater which hopefully explains the last few pictures below... Basically they took several different regions from Mexico and preformed the styles of dance that came from that area. Entertaining for sure...

Sadly today I am enjoying the last day that I will spend with the hubs... he goes back to work tomorrow (only for 24 hours... but still!) Then I actually start back with camps and work next weekend... It has been a great and memorable summer and now I can't wait for my little man to make his appearance into the world!

2009-07-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

So I have officially been married a year and I have the greatest husband in the world... who cares if I didn't think that for a split second on my anniversary right??

I've been telling my husband for weeks that it was ok that he was on shift at the firestation on our first anniversary and I would be content with celebrating on another day... Except when the day came and the prego hormones kicked in - it was SO not okay! His alarm went off like usual at 5:45 am and he slowly but surely got up to get ready to leave me for 24 hours. When the time came to actually leave, I was fighting back tears and trying not to let him see me cry. He let the dogs out back like usual and then left. I couldn't believe I would actually be spending my first anniversary alone! So he leaves and the house is empty and lonely... and keep in mind... still have the crazy prego horomones raging! It's only 6:30 am and I couldn't go back to sleep if I tried... So I'm watching TV (which NOTHING is on on July 4th that early in the morning no matter how many channels you have...) and still fighting back tears... I text him and tell him to come home, but of course I know it is way too late for him to call in or try and get a sub...

So about 30 minutes passes and I still am laying in bed, throwing myself a pity party, and my house alarm starts beeping like someone has just come in... I am frozen and scared and not about to move a muscle. But wouldn't you know it, my husband walks through the bedroom door and says "Surprise... I couldn't leave you alone on our first anniversary!" My response?? "you suck... you really really suck... you know that?" (with a teary smile on my face)

Come to find out, when he left... he actually took the dogs with him and dropped them off at Granny and Grandad's so that we could have a romantic get-away. To where you ask???

The Gaylord... Dinner reservations at Ama Lur and then fireworks and dancing at the Glass Cactus afterwards...

The biggest surprise?? Both sides of the family knew about this the whole time and never let it slip... if you know my family... you know that is AMAZING!

Anyway, so with the hubs back home and my hormones not so out of whack, we both went back to sleep for awhile. By midafternoon we were packed and ready for an overnight trip to Grapevine and glad to be somewhere that we could spend time together "just us".

I will post pictures of the pre-dinner us and the fireworks over Lake Grapevine later... but I had to share my wonderful experience on my FIRST wedding anniversary. I definitely had the 2nd best 4th of July I have ever had in my life. (The first was of course last year's when I married Casey Deree Pruitt) I can't wait for the many more anniversaries that we will have together and I cannot express enough how truly blessed I am in this world.

2009-06-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

it's a ...

BOY!!

we cannot wait to meet him, but we still have about four months to go... Doctor says that everything is going very smoothly and the baby's heartbeat is very strong!

Maybe now that school is officially out, I will have more time to update this thing and maybe, JUST MAYBE, I'll finally put some pictures on here as well!

Until next time...

so so SO ready!

2009-04-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

So we went to the doctor last Friday and heard the heartbeat! It's so crazy to think that I not only have one heart beating inside of me, but TWO hearts beating... CRAZY, but so incredibly awesome at the same time!

We find out May 18th what the sex of the baby is... any guesses??? I just know that I hope our little one is healthy and happy... I already know he or she will be loved unconditionally, no matter what!

ahhh... CAN'T WAIT!! 20 days and counting!

Back in action...

2009-04-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

So... In honor of my obsession with my cousin Lauren's blog straight from the glorious NYC, I decided that it is about time to start writing in mine again! It's been quite some time and so many things have changed...

The last time (and only time) I posted, I was newly married and had just gotten back from a wonderful honeymoon that not only included my new hubby, but also my families too! Since then, we have moved into a new house in Mesquite, minutes away from our families and also work! We are also now expecting a little one in October and we cannot wait to find out what "it" is!

Recently I've gotten to spend a lot of time with the family... mine and Casey's to be exact. We just got home yesterday from a relaxing weekend in Austin watching Texas VS OU baseball, where I FINALLY got to see my cousin Casey play! If you would have told me three or four years ago that Casey Johnson would be a name I heard over the loud speaker at a Texas/OU baseball game, I would have thought you were crazy! I honestly wondered if he would even make it out of high school some days... but none-the-less, he made it! (and not only did he make it, he made it to a Division 1 program!!) So here I sit, a very proud cousin, even if I've never actually told him outloud.

The weekend before that was Easter and also moving weekend... We spent the majority of Good Friday packing up the apartment in Garland and moving everything over to the house in Mesquite... Luckily for me, I have the most wonderful mom and mother-in-law in the world!
**Since I found out about the pregnancy, I've been feeling the effects of it BIG TIME and have gotten sick on MANY occasions!
So anyway, halfway through our moving adventure, my stomach was doing flip flops and I was keeled over in the bushes! Graciously, mom and mother-in-law took the reins and finished the job with hubby, while I hung out at the house and waited on the Cable Guy to get finished hooking us up!

That next day, we all piled in the car (minus my fireman since he was on shift) and went to our little cousin Sloan's first birthday party. I was more than pumped because I hadn't seen my cousins in forever, or at least since the last major holiday! Lauren had flown in from NYC and Les was taking a break from school, so the gang was all there... again minus one or two... but you get the picture. We oohed and awed at how absolutely adorable Sloan was and then laughed like crazy when it was time to blow the candles out. All in all, it was a time to just hang out and catch up with everyone in a very relaxing setting... No holiday pressure!!

Sunday was Easter and it was definitely different this year! My mom's side typically gets together for lunch on these kinds of holidays... but things just haven't quite been the same since Mamaw and Papaw passed away :( However, it actually made it much easier on Casey and I since we have to split time with our families... So we started out at church at RBC and then headed to lunch with the whole Pruitt clan! After the tons of food we all ate settled, everyone piled in cars and came by the house to see just what we had picked out for ourselves... After that it was on to the Johnson side of the family where we ate even more food! (well Casey didn't, but I did... but I'm prego so that's ok!) After eating, someone decided that it would be a GREAT idea to get out the Wii... Les had apparently not come into contact with one and just had to see how it all worked... After some intense tennis and boxing matches, we decided it would be an even BETTER idea to get out the Wii Fit and we had mom demonstrate the penguin game... Just picture my mom on this little white board, leaning to the right.... hopping it to catch a fish.... leaning to the left... hopping to catch another one and so on... She was actually really good at it... but definitely a funny site to watch! Anyway, after that we came BACK to the house to show my side of the family our new purchase and then actually stayed so we could get some rest at that point.

It was a very busy weekend, followed by a super busy week of prepping for TAKS for my kiddos and then the District Track meet in Lancaster for two days... then of course our trek to Austin, but that was the icing on the cake. Now I'm sitting here wishing my hubby wasn't at the station today because I would LOVE to crawl into bed and cuddle my way to sleep. You know, it's weeks and weekends like the past couple that make me SO VERY grateful for the people I have in my life... My immediate family of course, but also the people I work with that make my weeks bearable, and also my friends that I can call on at all times. I rest assured in the fact that whatever is inside my tummy right now... boy or girl... he or she will definitely be loved by many people... That's just the kind of people I surround myself with... Ones that are encouraging and uplifting... people you can count on...

One last thing... say a little prayer for us as we visit the doctor this Friday... We are hoping to see a clearer picture of what this little guy or gal looks like inside of me and we're hoping that everything is still going well!

Back in town and MARRIED

2008-07-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

So I am recently back from the trip of a lifetime... my HONEYMOON!! I am now officially unoffically Mrs. Casey Pruitt. It is very weird to me to call this guy that I have known my entire life, my husband, but as weird as it may be I love it just the same! So now the wedding festivities are over and back to real life we go... We just got back in town Monday and already we are planning two more trips out of town. We go to College Station on Monday for the Firefighter Olympics and then leave on the 31st for Lubbock to attend Lindsay and Brian's wedding. Whew.... where oh where did our summer run off to?
So at this time, I would really like to take the time to thank all of the people who made our special day the success that it was. The girls that I had by my side were absolutely fabulous and I cannot imagine having anyone else in their places. From recurling hair, to tying bows, to putting on my dress and shoes, to even putting lotion on my legs (thanks Linds) I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have the most wonderful set of friends in the whole world. And the guys that Casey had by his side... I can't thank you guys enough! You all made us laugh and gave us the best night of our lives. We thank you all so much and are so blessed to have had you all be a part of our wedding day.

For now though, I am exhausted... this is the first day that I have been away from my husband in almost three weeks. That's part of his being a fireman I know, but not seeing him for 24 hours straight is tougher than it may seem!

More posts later and lots of pictures to come!