Eggs and Engagements

i promise its easter and not a photo shoot.

but it may as well be. 

i mean look at all these beautiful people. 

i'm actually not sure why we haven't been contacted by whoever takes the pictures that come in the really expensive frame, when you buy them. 

because 8x10's would be flying off the shelves everywhere and we would be fake family for people all over america.

it may take a couple shots, but you can't rush perfection!

and on a completely unrelated note,

this is CLASSIC Mac these days.

his facial expressions and excitement kills me. 

the easter bunny nailed it, as you can see. 

i mean, a mickey mouse sucker?!

can life get any better!!

well... yes, yes it can, because we also get to add another lovely lady to the family.

my bro austin tricked this awesome girl into joining crazy town on October 11th.

hooray for new sisters!!

i need more girls in my life. 

happy easter!!

gold medal

i was out on a run the other day pushing the double stroller with 2 sick babes who desperately needed some fresh air and no music because i needed to be able to hear their little whines and whimpers

when i passed one of my neighbors on the trail,

she said as she ran past sporting her iPod and solitude

"running with a double stroller, you deserve a medal"

and you know what kept going through my mind for the rest of my run... 

 how YES, YES i did deserve a medal. 

not because i was out running, which was more for my sanity then anything.

but because i was going on week 3 of ear infections and RSV and bronchiolits and breathing treatments and antibiotics and vomit and fevers and the dreaded man cold

 (visit http://www.ashleyandamber.com/2014/03/manfreakincold.html for more info on that) 

but because i had not gone out for milk and kept on going.

and that my friends is why ALL OF US MOMS out there deserve a medal

at some time or another.

and not just any old medal, a GOLD. FREAKING. MEDAL.

because we keep waking up and showing up.

and coming back for more. 

no matter what!

i could be all "melt your heart, these three boys are my gold medals and i don't need anything more"

because they are all pretty dang fantastic and i don't know what else could be better then being a mom to these monsters, sick or healthy.

but sometimes, whether we want to admit it or not,

WE WANT MORE

nobody said to Michael Phelps or Joan Benoit. 

You are stupendous at what you do..... good job... keep it up... see ya around!!

NO, they are handed a freaking medal.

and yes i realize i'm never going to stand on a podium while the national anthem plays and be handed a shiny piece of hardware for being the best mom to play the sport!!

but i'm going to show up and lace up and do my very very best for these little men

cuz when all is said and done they really are better then any gold medal. 

but i still went and bought myself something bright and shiny 

as a reward for not putting 500 miles of open road between me and my 4 sick boys.

and for the record if i was gonna have a theme song playing while i handed myself these new kicks

it would be

"EYE OF THE TIGER" or anything from the original "FOOT LOOSE" sound track!

*

 KEEP 

CALM

AND

MOM

ON

*