The Vanilla Tulip

A Little Too Fluffy

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:39:00 +0000

Last week a group of girls from Instagram and I started a little challenge called A Little Too Fluffy Round Two.

The original 6 week challenge was in January and started by Danielle from Take Heart.

At the time I was pregnant so obviously couldn't participate.

I've been trying to lose the rest of my baby weight.

I would do great for breakfast and lunch.

And then dinner and evening would come and I would fizzle out and eat terribly.

I knew I needed some accountability and a challenge.

I remembered Danielle's challenge and asked her if she would mind if I started Round Two.

I loved the concept and the name of the challenge that she came up with!

There are 42 of us women doing the challenge.

The person who loses the most body weight percentage in 6 weeks is the winner.

What do they win?

$420!

We all put in $10 towards the pot.

If that's not great incentive to lose weight I don't know what is!

We've got one week under our belts and it honestly went great!

I've been trying to drink a gallon of water a day.

When I crave something sweet I try to have a piece of fruit.

And lots of veggies and lean proteins.

Instead of dieting I'm trying to change my way of thinking towards food.

Being pregnant so often in the past five years I had developed a horrible mentality to food.

Eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.

You know...what you do when you're pregnant:)

But obviously I'm not pregnant anymore so it's time to eat like a normal person should!

Have I had a Dr. Pepper?

Yep.

Have I had chips and salsa?
Yep.

Baby steps people. :)

So if you follow me on Instagram (@thevanillatulip) and wonder what I'm talking

about when I write about A Little Too Fluffy this is it!

__________________________________________________________________

American Blogger: The Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

I began my blog when my Emma was just a babe.

Mostly as a way to easily share pictures of her with my family in Missouri.

Over the years my blog has grown into more than that.

Not only is it a way to share with my family but it has also been a creative outlet for me.

And in addition to that I have made some dear friendships from other women who blog.

One of them being Casey Wiegand.

I love this girl.

She is one of my dearest friends and while we've only been friends

for a few years it feels more like I've known her my whole life.

She's the real deal and as geniune and sweet as it gets.

Casey's husband makes films for a living.

The movies he makes are truly magical.

He can make the ordinary seem extra beautiful.

Chris is going to be taking two months this summer to make a documentary about bloggers.

I am so honored to have been asked to be a part of the documentary.

I hope Chris is in for a wild day with my four little crazies :)

Here's a little bit more about the project written by Casey and Chris...

-A DOCUMENTARY ON AMERICAN BLOGGERS-

"AMERICAN BLOGGER"

"What started this whole film idea for me was how my wife loves to blog/instagram so much and she is always meeting new people and, in most cases, really (sincerely) connecting with people around the country (and world). I was really more interested to dig deeper into all this blogging/instagram/twittter world and one, help people understand how cool it is to have an area on the internet that is all yours. And two, I hope to sort-of take a visual snapshot of this time in history when all these instagrammers/bloggers are able to put something out there into the world and really shape culture (in a positive way). An example of a visual element (besides the interviews and actual stories) - Imagine a woman sitting in a skyscraper apartment in NY and she reaches in her pocket and grabs a phone, takes a pic of the city below and uploads it. Then imaging another, sitting on a porch looking at the mountains, grabs their phone, takes a pic, and uploads it. This is so visually beautiful because they are both doing the exact same thing from two completely different worlds and perspectives. I think this is important to show the differences and similarities!!! I truly think this will be a emotional movie as well as a big hit."

The plan is that he will travel the US in our airstream ( over an 8 week period). He will be filming and documenting his journey the entire way as well as taking pictures. The neat thing about him traveling on the road is that he can stop and create time lapses (like this one) and dig deeper into certain stories if need be. He has his cast set ( he has had people inquire about this and you never know...there could always be an American Blogger 2 to tell a whole new round of stories, there are SO many amazing stories out there to still be heard!) I cannot wait for you to see who all he has on board. He will be blogging about this journey (I will be sharing snippets as well) and also sharing along the way on instagram (hashtag #americanblogger).

Once he is completely finished, we will sell the film on iTunes! Each of the bloggers involved will be showing the film trailer, a few outtakes and a link to where it can be purchased!

Ready

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:13:00 +0000

And just like that my blogging break is over.

I've taken almost a month off.

Blogging here and there.

There was no pressure to do so.

No rush.

I have been enjoying this past month.

Soaking up the kids.

Staying up late to watch movies with Travis.

Tinkering around the house.

I loved the quiet and not having to prep posts.

It was a time of refreshment.

But now... now I'm ready to post.

Ready to share lots of exciting things with you.

My creative juices are back and flowing.

This past weekend felt like summer is here to stay.

The temps were hot and humid.

A barbeque, water balloons, kiddie pool, water guns,

homemade popsicles and gardening were a few of the things that filled up our weekend.

How was yours!?

Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:52:00 +0000

The winner of the Curated by Kelly Giveaway is:

Julie Rogers!

Email me and we'll get you hooked up!

thevanillatulip (at) yahoo (dot) com

Brothers

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Thu, 09 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Brothers.

Best friends.

These two will always have a special bond.

I can already see it forming.

And it excites me.

They're 22 months apart.

Constantly mistaken for twins because Cade is big for his age.

I could watch them interact all day.

They're constantly rolling and roughing one another up.

They'll walk past each other and punch as they're going by.

They remind me of baby bear cubs.

I love to daydream about when they're older.

Both tall, lanky, blonde teenagers.

They'll be two grades apart.

It's fun to think about them playing football together.

I can imagine them rolling around like they do now.

Except the punches will be harder and their muscles much bigger.

And then my mind drifts to when they'll be grown men.

And it makes my heart swell with pride.

These two little boys have changed my life.

Each night I pray for their futures.

Their future families and wives.

I pray that they would be leaders.

And that they would be strong and brave.

Someday they will be big.

And they'll move out of my house.

They'll make their own decisions.

They will lead their own families.

But for now...

I'm savoring watching these two little bears splash in the tub together each night.

Rolling, hitting, giggling.

Cherishing these fleeting moments.

Because before I realize it my baby boys will be men.

I love you my sweet little bear cubs!

First Time Obedience

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Thu, 09 May 2013 01:54:00 +0000

Training up our children is hard. And it is constant. You have to be on your A-game all the time. Always watching. Always correcting. Always guiding. Always encouraging them to do what is right.

Each family parents differently. I love the beauty in that. You do what works for your family. You adjust and readjust. You make up your own rules. And sometimes you carry down the rules and guidelines that your parents had for you when you were a child.

One of the things that we have carried down from my parents and use in our own family now is, "first time obedience."

My parents used to teach classes called Growing Kids God's Way.

"First time obedience" is exactly what it sounds like.

Our children are expected to obey the first time.

We don't count to three.

They don't get a second chance or a third chance.

You come the first time you're called.

And you obey the first time you're told to do something.

Do our kids obey first every single time?

Nope.

Hardly.

But we're getting there.

It's hard and it takes time and effort to train them to obey the first time.

Right now the one we struggle most with in this area is Cade.

He's two and he has the mind of a two year old.

He wants his way or the highway :)

But here's why we stick with it and why we're huge believers in first time obedience.

It's for their safety.

Here's an example of where it worked like it was supposed to.

Last week I took the kids to the park.

Long story short there was a man in sunglasses there who made me feel super uneasy.

He wasn't with a family and just hovered around where we were.

He left the park and went in the opposite direction of our car.

I loaded up my kids in the stroller and as I was almost to my car he pulled up in a vehicle to the side of my car.

There was nobody else in the parking lot.

No one to see or hear me if I needed help.

I was able to open the passenger door of my car and told my kids "get in the car NOW!"

There was no arguing or asking why. They all climbed in immediately.

First time and quickly.

Just like I have been training them to do.

I climbed in the same door after them and locked the door.

He drove away once we were all locked in.

I have never been more shaken or rattled as a mother.

What if's have been in my thoughts since then.

What if my children didn't obey first time.

What if Cade would have ran the other way instead of into the car.

There was no time to count to three.

No time to chase a toddler.

No time to argue with little ones about why they had to get in the front passenger door.

They obeyed the first time.

I have praised and thanked the Lord every day since then for His protection on our family that day.

Praised and thanked Him for my children's first time obedience that day.

Needless to say our First Time Obedience rule has been enforced even more since that day.

It's so important to have my little ones obeying me first time.

Not just because it's nice when they listen but also for their safety.

I would love to hear some of the rules in your home that relate to obedience.

What works for your family?

Any tips you could share?

Hope your Wednesday has been a good one!

Guest Post+Giveaway: Curated by Kelly

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Mon, 06 May 2013 00:36:00 +0000

Hello, Vanilla Tulip friends! I'm so excited to be a part of Ashley's wonderful blog today. I'm Kelly from Curated by Kelly and I blog about things I love and sell my favorite statement necklaces in my little shop.

My husband and I recently adopted our two boys and we are having so much fun being parents. Over the next year we'll be sharing more about our adoption journey on the blog. I also love to read and pull together my favorite finds. I do a giveaway of something I love on my blog almost every week. It's not usually something sponsored, just things I love that I want to share with someone else.

So why Curated by Kelly and why statement necklaces? I have a closet full of them and I'm asked all the time where I buy them. I finally decided to "curate" a collection of them in one place, at an affordable price. It's been such a fun journey and I'm always excited to launch new arrivals each Friday and see how our friends style them.

Please stop by, say hi and let us know what you'd like to see in the shop! Cheers. Kelly

Kelly is giving one reader a $50 store credit to her shop! To enter: You simply need to be a follower of her Facebook page!

http://m.facebook.com/curatedbykelly?id=223968024406224&_rdr

Leave a comment letting me know you've done so. The winner will be announced on Friday!

Moments- Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:41:00 +0000

-Part One Here-

+One of our favorite things to do in the afternoons is to gather around my camera.

We'll turn the little screen towards ourselves.

And then I'll just push the button.

Letting it snap picture after picture.

300 pictures in five minutes.

Five minutes filled with lots of laughs and giggles.

Lots of funny faces.

Squishing bodies close together.

Cheeks to cheeks.

Giggles as we look through the pictures taken.

And more giggles as somebody toots while we're taking pictures.

Wanting to remember little moments...even the stinky ones:)

+Tiny toys and tiny animals.

I love the scenes I find all around the house.

The creativity that comes from them playing with these tiny animals never ceases to amaze me.

Some days they put together a circus performance.

And others they name every animal after a member of our family.

Somehow I always end up being the pig.

Hmm.

And I don't want to forget tip-toeing into their room at night to make sure they are all tucked in.

Only to step on a yak or a wild hog.

Painful.

There will come a day where I'll miss finding little wild animals on my floors.

My floors will stay someday stay clean and picked up.

Treasuring these moments.

+The shirtless wonder.

And usually pant-less wonder as well.

I can't keep clothes on this child for the life of me.

He's a free spirit.

Nakedness means nothing to him.

I love him for it:)

+I'll want to remember how somebody tore the deer to bits and I tried to salvage it by putting it back together with packing tape.

And now his antlers just hang their limply.

Poor Bucky.

And I'll remember how nothing is sacred.

Forget about having favorite things...

because eventually they will be torn apart or drawn on by little hands.

And this season will pass.

Although, I'm not so sure I'll miss having my things torn apart and drawn on;)

And the chalkboard.

I love seeing the little notes and picture that are drawn on it.

Baby hands drawing baby things.

+This girl was born to be a mother.

I want to remember how she swaddles her baby dolls.

And how she has to know where her Bitty Baby is at all times.

I want to remember that last week she wouldn't let me leave the doll

in the car because it was "too warm in the car for Bitty".

+This is a little lamp in the kids bedroom.

I want to remember turning it on every evening as the sun sets.

Reading stories to the warm glow of it.

And I want to remember how Cade always tries to take the balloon out of the little statues hand because he thinks it's a sucker.

Moments-Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Thu, 02 May 2013 02:03:00 +0000

One of my favorite things to do is to sit down in front of my computer at the end of the day to look through the pictures that I took.

Little moments captured.

Moments I don't want to ever forget.

I want to remember this season with my blessings.

The little moments that put together our day.

The smiles, the cries, the glasses we drank from, the toys we played with.

I love to think about how thirty years from now my adult children will curl up around photo albums filled with these pictures.

They'll look back on the details.

And hopefully the little details will spark a memory or a story.

These are a few of the snippets from our past week.

Moments I don't want to forget.

+She'll be three months on Sunday.

Her hair is coming in fuzzy and blonde.

Just like her siblings.

She has the sweetest coo and giggle.

And her left ear sticks out just enough that it makes me want to nibble it every time I get near it.

+This has been my breakfast every day this past week.

An egg, fresh salsa and avacado.

When I look back at this picture I'll remember that I was trying to lose the rest of my baby weight.

And I'll remember that it was hard.

Especially with four little ones needing constant attention.

And I'll remember that though it was hard that I continued to stick with it.

(7 pounds down in the past 10 days! Can you tell I'm pumped?! ;) )

+Our bathroom step stool.

I want to remember the fact that all three kids need to stand on it to turn on the bathroom light.

And I want to remember that the boys have to stand on it to wash their hands.

Because there will come a day when nobody will need the step stool anymore.

They'll be tall and lanky.

And the step stool will get pushed aside.

+I'll look back at this picture and remember how I wanted to freeze this moment.

My baby being little.

I want to remember her wobbly head and her milky breathe.

+Saturday morning breakfasts.

This past Saturday I opened my kitchen window as I cooked.

The fresh morning breeze and the smell of french toast cooking...bliss.

And as I cooked I could hear the kids playing in the living room while Travis drank his coffee.

And I thought to myself how I would blog about blissful Saturday morning breakfasts.

I called them to breakfast.

We all sat down.

A milk glass was spilled.

Syrup was poured on the table.

A temper tantrum was thrown.

Tears were shed.

Another glass of milk was spilled.

And more tears shed.

Wanting to remember every moment.

Even the spilled glasses of milk and tears.

Because someday I will look back and miss having little hands

flailing around my table spilling the milk.

+Her chuckle and baby belly laugh.

When we tickle under her chin.

She melts me!

+Afternoon snacks.

I want to remember how my kids live for afternoon snacks.

Their current fave: graham cracker sandwiches with peanut butter

and a glass of milk in a juice glass with a fun straw.

--Part Two Coming Tomorrow--

Phone Pics

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

+Just a few snapshots from my phone from the past few weeks+

This little area is one of my favorites in our home.

The dresser is a vintage one.

A coat of turquoise/teal paint later and I am in love with it!

I love afternoons in the kid's room.

This particular afternoon was especially peaceful and sweet.

I have more pictures of this little doll on my phone than anything else.

How could I not!? :)

I got out of the shower this past Saturday morning to find all Travis and the big kids cuddled around Eloise trying to make her smile.

I love catching little moments like this.

This+That

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

A little Wednesday This+That

+Since being back in our old town I haven't had any responsibilities aside from raising our kids and running our home.

I don't know that I've ever written about it but since Emma has been 6 months old I've watched extra kids in our home.

And I've also been our church pianist or taught piano lessons for since we've been married.

With Trav's new job I don't have to do any of that any more.

And to be honest I don't know what to do with myself!

I am loving it.

I love waking up knowing that our days can be filled with whatever we like.

The park...library...nature walk... anything.

Loving this new phase of life!+

+Let's talk weight loss.

Four babies in five years has done a number on my poor body.

I've got some baby weight to lose and I'm more motivated than ever to get rid of it before summer starts.

So lots of water, veggies, fruits and lean proteins are happening over here.

Really missing my Dr. Peppers and carbs...I'm a huge carb girl.

Breads, pasta...oh and cheese.

In a nutshell I just love good food. :)

But I'm day three of no cheating and eating healthy.

I think that might be a world record for me.

I've never stuck to ANYTHING for three days.

I'm on a roll.

Any one else in the same weight loss boat I am?+

+Let's talk Eloise for a bit.

She'll be three months next week.

And with each passing day she turns into a better baby than before.

Which is hard to believe... because from day one she has been a perfect baby.

She has the sweetest disposition.

Happy and content.

I can't get enough of her!+

+Back to the healthy eating thing...

do any of you have any favorite low-fat recipes?

I'm needing new ideas!+

+Now let's talk Colt.

He's discovered the tooth fairy.

And the fact that she leaves money for lost teeth.

His teeth are a long way from falling out...sturdy and stuck in his head as they get.

He wiggles them constantly.

The other day he had a sad look on his face.

I asked him what was wrong.

Colt: "I am sad because I want my teeth to fall out"

Me:"Why buddy?!"

Colt: "Because I just want some money!"

True story... the other night he tried to knock his teeth out on the bed so the tooth fairy would come.

Obviously it didn't work.

Just some of the adventures that have been happening over here at our house ;) +

+What kind of this and that has been happening in your life this week?!+

Settled

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:24:00 +0000

The past week and a half has been a peaceful time.

Quiet and productive.

I'm down to only one box that needs to be unpacked.

The pictures are hung on the walls...clothes in their drawers...everything where it should be.

It didn't take long to get settled due to the fact that I got rid of the majority of our belongings as well as the fact that the house is 1100 sq. ft.

I've had several people ask how it is fitting back into such a tiny house.

We've been back in it a week and a half and we are LOVING it!

The big three are sharing a bedroom and Eloise is sharing with us.

The big kids all go to bed at the same time.

I love sitting in the living room listening to them giggle and chatter before they fall asleep.

Memories in the making.

I hope they remember these days.

I know I will never forget them.

I've also had several people ask me, "don't you feel crammed?"

Nope.

I love having my babies close to me.

I love knowing what they're up to at all times.

That part is actually a must.

Especially with Cade.

That sweet boy is into EVERYTHING.

So being closer has actually eliminated a lot of his destructiveness ;)

Being in a smaller home has forced me to become more organized.

Everything has a specific place.

And if there's not room for it I just get rid of it.

Less is best in our situation.

Starting next week I'm going to start a blog series called "Small Spaces"

showing how we make it work.

Our little home is obviously a work in progress but I'll

share little spaces that are currently working for us.

While the blogging break was refreshing I've missed you all!

Glad to get back into the groove.

What have you all been up to?!

Mid-Week

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:16:00 +0000

Coming up out of the moving madness for a mid-week post.

The moment my feet hit the floor in the morning until my head hits my pillow at night I'm packing or cleaning.

God bless Eloise and her sleeping through the night skills....

without a full nights sleep I have a feeling I'd be dragging :)

I am almost 100% sure that we have gotten rid of at least 50% of what we owned.

Gone.

Donated.

Thrown away.

Sold.

Gone.

And it has never felt better!

If it were up to me I'd get rid of it all and start fresh.

I have zero sentimental bone in my body for things.

Pictures and letters...I'll keep em'.

But that's it.

We're moving back into the home we purchased when we were newlyweds.

The one that fit us perfectly then.

It even felt spacious.

And now we're moving back into the 1100 sq. ft area with all six of us.

Is it ideal?

Nope.

Am I excited about it?

Yep!!!

One of the ways we're going to make it doable is by putting all three big kids into one room.

We found a used bunk bed last week that the big two will use.

Emma has claimed the top and Colt the bottom.

I'm excited about turning their beds into their own little space.

Living in such a small home I think it's so important that we each have an area that we can call our own.

So that's where we're at.

The official moving day is Friday.

The kids have been doing exceptionally well with this in between phase.

We're making it an adventure.

I sold our fridge (since our house we're moving to has one) earlier in the week so we've been using a cooler for our milk.

And I've packed up the majority of our clothes so we're living out of a suitcase.

So it's basically like we're camping.

And they love it :)

How has your week been?

Be back in a few days!

________________________________________________________________________________

-bunk beds-

-ice cream sandwich break-

-little doll baby... I adore her-

-boxes, boxes and more boxes-

-doll baby turned into an elephant-

-garage sale+donuts+friends...great morning-

-chicfilla+playplace...heavenly-

-best friends-

Face+Lip Microdermabrasion Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 04:08:00 +0000

Okay... so I'm going to start this post by being completely honest with you.

I am not being paid to do this post.

This is all my honest opinion about something I have started using and LOVE!!!

Let's go back 15 years.

As soon as I turned 13 my skin went crazy with acne.

And I have struggled with it off and on for the past 15 years.

This past year of pregnancy has cleared up my face.

However, I had noticed that my skin was dull and rough in some parts.

Almost like it needed a good moisturizer.

But due to my past experiences of breaking out I didn't

want to use any sort of moisturizer or special face wash on it.

Now for the true confessional... I had been using baby shampoo to wash my face this past year.

So terrible I know.

It definitely wasn't causing me to break out but it also wasn't helping my skin.

I also noticed small wrinkles starting to form around my eyes.

Now this is where my sister-in-law Kimmie comes into the picture.

She had started to sell products for Rodan and Fields.
Click HERE to see her website.

I didn't realize this but the doctors who created Pro Active started a new line (Rodan and Fields) and what they did for acne they are now doing for aging skin.

She raved about their products and how fantastic they were.

She asked if I wanted to try some of their products.

I told her I was a little concerned about it causing my face to break out.

She said to just give it a try and that if I didn't like it they would offer a full money back guarantee.

I chose the Anti-Age regimen.
They also carry products available for acne, sun damage and sensitive skin.

I have used it now for almost a month and my skin has NEVER looked better.

I have not had a single breakout since using the products.

My skin is incredibly smooth and as cheesy as it sounds has a glow to it.

I thought I'd show you the steps that I go through.

I wash my face morning and evening with the Daily Cleansing Mask.

It has a little bit of a scrub to it which I love... rubs off the gross stuff!

And then you let it sit for two minutes while it dries.

Then rinse it off!

Then I follow up with the Pore Minimizing Toner twice a day (morning and night).

Now this is the part that I was worried about.

The creams :/

I was afraid they would clog my pores and make me break out.

BUT... they most definitely did not!

Instead they have left my face feeling incredible!

There are two different creams.

One for the morning and one for the evening.

And Rodan and Fields was so kind to label them AM and PM so there wouldn't be any confusion. :)

The one that you use in the morning is a moisturizing treatment that has a SPF 30 in it.

Then in the evening I use the Overnight Restorative Cream.

This one helps to restore your skin's natural moistures while you sleep.

And when you wake up your skin appears firmer.

Not only are the products amazing but the business ownership aspect creates a unique part time opportunity which could be a real financial game changer regardless of your current job situation. You don’t have to throw parties or stock product, all of your selling is done directly from your web site so it is a virtual business. You can reach out to anybody in the U.S. to grow your business. Here is the gem of it all, this company is young so this is a ground floor opportunity. Can you imagine if you had partnered with these doctors when they started Pro Active?

If you're interested in ordering products make sure to contact Kim!

She can fill you in on all the details

and if you're a preferred customer you get

Free Shipping and 10% off your order.

Her e-mail is kimberly.neidel (at) gmail (dot) com.

______________________________________________________________________________

Kim has offered to give away something to EACH of you!

And what she's giving away are awesome...trust me...I've tried them:)

If you e-mail her to set up a time to talk very briefly about the

products and the business she will send you

a LIP SERUM and also a NIGHT RENEWING CAPSULE for free!

E-mail her at kimberly.neidel (at) gmail (dot) com and use The Vanilla Tulip in the subject line.

She is also doing a giveaway for ONE of you!

Kim is giving away a Lip Micro-Dermabrasion.

ENHANCEMENTS Lip Micro-Dermabrasion is an effective and convenient exfoliation stick created specifically for one of the areas of your face most prone to showing early signs of aging: your lips. It removes dead skin cells and exfoliates flaky lip tissues in just a few swipes. This easy to use, conditioning treatment makes lips look and feel more defined and youthful by renewing the surface and reducing lipstick bleeding.

-MANDATORY ENTRY-

-TWO STEPS-

You must be a follower of The Vanilla Tulip blog.

Go to Kim's R+F Page and let me know in a comment what products you'd like to try!

-EXTRA ENTRIES-

-Tweet about this Rodan and Fields Post (leave your tweet link in a comment)

-Update your Facebook status regarding this Rodan and Fields Post (leave the link in a comment)

-Follow The Vanilla Tulip on Facebook (leave a comment letting me know you've done so)

-Follow The Vanilla Tulip on Instagram @thevanillatulip (leave a comment letting me know you've done so)

Paisley or Polkadots

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 03:04:00 +0000

I adore headbands and bows on my girls.

I've found it's hard to find a headband that is cute and doesn't squeeze their head too tight.

Liz from The Quick Journey sent my girls a few headbands from her shop Paisley or Polkadots.

We LOVE them!

The back of the headband has an elastic adjustment and you tie them at the top.

EVERY single time we've been out and about with the girls

wearing them we've received numerous compliments on their headbands.

Liz also has headbands in adult sizes...

isn't her hair fabulous? :)

Here are a few places you can find Liz and her goodies!

BLOG
SHOP
FACEBOOK

Easy Peach Cobbler

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 07:00:00 +0000

I love cobbler.

I love it so much that I made this recipe twice in three days.

Once while my family was here visiting and then again for Easter dessert.

It's as easy as it gets.

I used canned peaches but it would be even better with fresh peaches!

Enjoy!

-Ingredients-

1/2 Cup Salted Butter (1 stick)

1 Cup Flour

1 3/4 Cups Sugar (divided)

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 Cup Milk

1 large can plus 1 small can of peaches OR 4 cups fresh peaches

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

-Directions-

Melt your butter and pour it into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

In a bowl mix together the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt.

Stir.

Add your 1 cup of milk and stir just until your dry ingredients are moistened.

Pour your batter over the butter.

DO NOT STIR!

If you're using canned peaches go ahead and drain the extra juice.

In a saucepan add your peaches, 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon.

Stir constantly and bring to a boil over high heat.

Carefully pour the peaches over the batter.

DO NOT STIR!

Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

You can serve it hot or cold.

I love it both ways!

Easter

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 02:57:00 +0000

"Up from the grave He arose,

with a mighty triumph o'er His foes

He arose a victor from the dark domain,

and He lives forever with His saints to reign.

He arose! He arose!

Hallelujah, Christ arose!"

_________________________________________________________________

My heart is full this Easter.

Christ is Risen!

Our day was a little out of the ordinary.

The big three kids woke up with fevers...

so sweet Eloise was the only one who got dressed in her Easter best.

It was a stormy morning followed by a sunny afternoon.

Long afternoon naps, comfy clothes, an egg hunt and a ham dinner ended the day.

While it wasn't a traditional Easter day one thing remains the same and unchanging...

my Lord is Risen!

He died for me...He died for you...

So thankful this Easter Sunday.

Hallelujah, Christ arose!

Changes+Downsizing

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:33:00 +0000

Where to start....

how about with this little bit of news...

we're moving!

And not just houses.

But towns.

In 2 1/2 weeks.

And we're pumped!

That's the news in a nutshell.

Travis will actually be getting out of the coaching/teaching profession and into sales.

It is an incredible opportunity that the Lord just kind of laid in our laps.

We have been praying the past year as to whether or not we wanted to stay in

coaching/teaching for the rest of our lives.

While it's rewarding it's also a struggle.

Being a football coach meant that we could plan on moving every 3-5 years.

And when we were first married we had no problem with that.

But now that our kids are getting older and making friends it makes it a bit harder.

It's our desire (Lord willing) that we can just settle down.

No more wondering where we'll live in the next few years.

The new job is a great one with a fantastic company.

And the really neat part?

We'll be moving back to our old home.

We never sold it and have been renting it out the past two years to my sister.

So now she's getting an apartment and our old home is waiting for us!

The tricky part... our old home is 2 bedrooms.

Which means it's tiny.

But our plan is to live in it for a few years while we save.

I know it's a crazy idea.

But we are so excited about it!

I love trying to make things work and that's just what we're going to do.

We have 2 1/2 weeks until we move which means lots of de-cluttering is happening.

We're having a garage sale next week and selling ALOT

of what we own in order to fit back in the house.

You'd better believe I've been scouring Pinterest for organizational ideas for a small house! :)

I'm excited for this new chapter in our lives.

It definitely is bittersweet because the community that we're leaving is unlike any other.

To sum them up in two words... GENEROUS and LOVING.

And it's not just a handful of people.

It truly is the WHOLE community.

The people here have done nothing but love on our family from day one.

And their generosity is unlike anything we've ever seen.

Travis and I were talking the other night about how living

here for the past two years has changed our lives for the better.

We've learned what it means to be a great friend.

We've learned what it looks like to give.

The great part?

They won't be too far away that we can't come and visit anytime we want!

So that's where we're at.

I'm excited to keep you guys updated on the moving journey and downsizing.

Have any of you downsized recently?

I'd love to hear how you did it!

Postpartum Style #2

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:38:00 +0000

A week or so ago I did a little post on dressing postpartum.

And as I sat down to write another post on how to dress postpartum I began

to wonder when does postpartum end?

Anyone got an answer? :)

And when does a newborn stop being a newborn and turn into an infant?

Chew on those questions and then let me know.

Sweet Eloise is now 7 weeks old.

Her newborn cry is slowly evolving into an infant cry.

And her skinny newborn legs have turned into delicious thighs

that have invisible rubber bands all down them.

Scrumptious.

It's hard to admit that she has for the most part lost her newborn-ness.

*sigh*

Moving on.

As you can see I'm sporting another one of my chambray (denim...whichever you prefer) shirts.

This is my favorite.

It's from Target and I purchased it in a larger size for a looser fit.

And the skirt...wait for it... it's from Family Dollar.

Ten bucks, ladies.

Go and get yourself one.

The fit is perfect, the length is divine and the fabric is nice and thick so you can't see through it.

Since my shirt was a bit bigger I just tied it in a knot at the bottom.

It made the outfit feel a bit more put together and not so big on the top and bottom.

Ya know?

So there you have it.

My last postpartum what I wore post.

Because I'm pretty sure this post shouldn't even be considered postpartum:)

Make sure you check back tomorrow... I'll be sharing some fun news about our family.

And no, I am not pregnant;)

Hope your week has been a good one so far!

Scheduling

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:37:00 +0000

Being on a schedule... I love it.

I thrive on it.

I know some people aren't big on it.

But for me with so many little ones we function the best on a set schedule.

I've had several people ask what a normal day looks like for us.

So here is what a normal day usually looks like.

6:30- I wake up and feed Elle while the rest of the littles are sleeping.

7- Take a quick bath with Elle in her bouncer.

I get dressed and put on my makeup before they get up.

Most days I just let my hair air-dry.

7:30-The big three are usually rolling out of bed around now.

7:45-I start breakfast. A normal breakfast these days consists of raisin toast, cereal or yogurt parfaits.

8:00-Breakfast.

8:30- The kids are excused and I clean up breakfast dishes.

Then all the kids get dressed and I finish my hair for the day.

9-I make my cup of coffee and we start in with our day.

The kids usually head to the playroom and I tackle a load of laundry.

10 to 11- This is our time to play together. Read books, play games, craft, etc.

11-I finish up my morning chores and begin making lunch around 11:30

12-Travis comes home for lunch. This is my favorite part of our day!

1:00-Naptime!!! All four take naps at the same time. The big two don't sleep most days but just read books quietly in their rooms. I usually blog, spend time on the internet or nap during this time.

3:00-Everyone starts to wake up and is ready for an afternoon snack.

If it's nice we take our snacks outside and spend the rest of the afternoon playing in the yard.

If it's too chilly or rainy I either let them watch a cartoon or we do another craft.

5:00-Dinner prep starts.

5:45-We eat dinner and then the kids hop right into the bathtub.

6:30- We all hang out as a family. I love this time of day!

8- The three big kids are tucked into bed.

Travis and I spend the next few hours visiting and on the internet.

10- I feed Eloise one last time for the night (don't worry... she's been fed throughout the day;) )

and then we all head to bed!

Obviously this is our day to day schedule.

And while it's nice to stick to, I don't sweat it when things come up and it has to change.

One thing I've learned with having so many little ones is that I have to be flexible.

Some days we have friends come over and chores don't get done.

Or other days we head to the park or play outside and just skip naps altogether.

One thing is for sure... writing things on my calendar helps to keep me on track.

I've found that Vista Print offers a great variety of calendars!

I'd love to know if you're a person who thrives on a schedule and being organized?!

Joss and Main

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 01:42:00 +0000

I just stumbled across the shop Joss and Main this past weekend.

Have you heard of them?

They have a huge variety of items for your home and at affordable prices.

And the fun part is the sales change every day!

Click here to head to their shop.

Here are a few things that have caught my eye!

Two

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:30:00 +0000

Happy Second Birthday to my sweet Cade.
This little boy has my heart.
He's my cuddler...always wanting to be close and touching skin to skin.
He's my best eater...always ready to try something new.
As soon as I start setting the table for meals he begins yelling "NINNER..NINNER (dinner)."
He is rough and 100% boy.
He loves to be a monster and stomps around the house growling at everyone trying to scare them.
He loves his "Bubba" (Colt), "Sissy" (Emma) and "Weezy" (Eloise).

I love you Cade Lee... I am so blessed and proud that you are mine!
Happy second birthday!!!

Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:11:00 +0000

And just like that it went from Monday to Friday in the blink of an eye.
This week has been a good one.
The majority of Monday and Tuesday were spent outside enjoying the summer like weather.
Wednesday the girls had well-child appointments first thing in the morning.
8:30 am to be exact.
In a town that was 30 minutes away.
It was nothing short of a miracle that all four of the
kids and I arrived to their appointments 15 minutes early.
I'm still patting myself on the back for that one.
Then came Thursday.
Rainy and cold Thursday.
And it was one of those days where we just took the day off from our normal routine.
Do you ever do that?
We watched movies, ate off of paper plates, colored and relaxed.
And that was it.
No cleaning. No cooking.
It was refreshing.

And now it's Friday.
The day before my sweet Cade turns two.
The cake is made...the decorations up.
And we tucked him in one last time as a one year old.
There's something so sweet to me about tucking little ones in before their birthday.
We had our last kisses and snuggles with our sweet one year old.
And just like that when you see them in the morning they're a whole new age.
Bittersweet.
But I am so thankful for healthy babies who are growing older.
God is good.
We are beyond blessed.

And before I forget to post these.
A little picture recap from our time at the zoo over spring break.
Sweet moments with my little pod.

Enjoy your weekend friends!

Magic Number

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 02:19:00 +0000

Eloise Claire turned 6 weeks today.

I know every mother will say this, but the past six weeks have flown by.

Yet at the same time it's hard to remember what our family was like before she was here.

She's the perfect addition.

The cherry on top.

The Lord has been so good to us.

She is my easiest and most laid back baby.

She cries only when she has a dirty diaper or is hungry.

And this past week she started sleeping through the night.

I can't type any of that without laughing and shaking my head.

None of my children slept through the night at this age.

In fact the big three didn't sleep through the night until they were well past six months.

Have I mentioned the Lord is good? :)

Back to the fact that she's six weeks.

Six weeks is always the magic number for me.

I remember when Emma (my first) was born,

my mom told me that at six weeks I would begin to feel normal.

And sure enough...she was right.

It's been that way with all four babies.

It's almost like you're coming out of the "I have a newborn and am exhausted" fog.

My energy creeps it's way back and I begin to feel motivated

to do something other than the bare minimums.

And around six weeks I always feel like I've for the most

part figured out what makes my newborn tick.

I know now that Eloise doesn't like salsa.

The three times I've eaten it she's screamed like a hyena for a few hours in the evening.

So no more salsa.

I've learned that she likes to cuddle with her face in my neck.

I love feeling her hot little breaths close to my skin.

I've also learned that unlike her older three siblings she doesn't care for bath time.

So I bath her in the morning instead of evening so that she won't get worked up before bedtime.

As a mom have you found that there's a magic number

of weeks where you begin to feel somewhat normal again?

I'd love to hear!

__________________________________________________________________________

Happy 6 Week Birthday sweet Eloise Claire!

God Bless Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley@The Vanilla Tulip) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 05:06:00 +0000

I love Texas in the late winter/early springtime.

Spring comes early around here.

And we try to soak up every minute of it.

Because before we know it the 100+ degree summer heat will be here.

And we'll be stuck inside our air-conditioned homes because of the sweltering conditions.

So when the springtime comes we embrace it and try to spend every waking minute outside!

Travis was gone this weekend for work.

Which meant it was just the kids and me.

Lots of outside time (for all of us), lots of Dr. Peppers (for me obviously)

and lots of early bedtimes (for them)

got us through our weekend without our favorite guy around.

How was your weekend?!?

-Don't forget to enter the last $100 CVS Gift Card giveaway!-