A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

I didn't know where to begin with this post because it's hard to comprehend it's been a year already since Hayden was born. But, here we are... celebrating his first birthday with a smash cake and all! Thank you to People and SoapDigest for writing about Hayden's day, but I also wanted to write a bit about it on my own site, too. 

My awesome friends at Good Carma Studio hosted the day with us. Ladies, you outdid yourselves. Thank you!!  I know the animal theme was part of my baby shower (and then his first nursery!),  but we came full circle with a "WILD ONE" jungle theme. It was a jam packed party full of love and fun, bubbles and special touches. We made sure no one left Adam's Garden hungry (thanks to StoneFireGrill---amazing!) and PolkatotsCupcakes!

My favorite part was sharing the day with friends and family. It's always a joy to see others have fun, especially Hayden and Huck having a blast with so many "little" friends at this indoor playground.

I had to combat the post party blues a bit...has anyone else experienced that? So much build up, then it's over! And it goes by so fast... the guest come, the kids play, everyone eats and visits and then you cut the cake! Huck said it best on the way home, "That was the best party. I wish it could last forever." I feel that way so often about moments in time. It's bittersweet to witness our babies starting to become independent. But, there's never a dull moment with the Hayden and Huck, more work coming up and getting situated in a new house. Always more to look forward to right around the corner. 

Photo: Linger Photography -  Location: Adam's Garden LA (such a bright and cheery indoor space and staff. Clean and lovely- they use only organic cleaning products!) everyone seemed to love the playground:) The staff play with all the kids, too!

Hayden is proud of his  milestone chalkboard. It looks like he's telling his brother all about it. Thank you, Kelly Patrice

Hayden is proud of his  milestone chalkboard. It looks like he's telling his brother all about it. Thank you, Kelly Patrice

Sharing some of our favorite photos: 

My mom gave Hayden is little birthday outfit he wore, then we changed into Fayfaire's "I'm This Many" birthday t-shirt, which also comes in an adorable pink ruffled version, before we had the smash cake session. I love Fayfaire's mission to pay it forward by donating a onesie to the neonatal unit of Miracle Babies for every purchase sold. 

And since we're talking outfits, many of you have messaged asking about my pants and top, so here are the quick details!

Pants (love love) are on sale at Topshop for under $40 with free shipping and returns. And my TOP that I LOVE is under $40, too. It comes in three designs. And nude sandals...


I have to thank all the visitors that come by here and comment and enjoy sharing ideas and thoughts and support. A few of you sent the sweetest gifts and cards for Hayden's birthday. I look forward to sharing pictures in some upcoming posts. And wanted to share one of reader's birthday poem:

One year ago, on this very night Hayden Joel Henricks was born. What a beautiful sight. 7lbs 9oz 21 inches long with love and a heartbeat oh so strong. The world watching as you laugh, learn and grow bringing more joy than you'll ever know. Seeing things through your eyes has been the greatest gift and a big surprise. I can't believe you're turning 1, such an amazing little guy you've bcome. On this very special Birthday may all your dreams come true as everyone comes together to celebrate you. - Leslie McFadden

THANK YOU ALL.  XOXO ASHLEY

Friday is for Friends, #KindText and a Sprinkle of Magic!

I pray every day and night for this child. We are so blessed to have healthy, vibrant children. There are a great many things Joel and I hope to instill in Hayden and his big brother Huck. At night, when I'm holding the baby or saying goodnight to Huck, I just want them protected forever. And I want them to grow up protecting others. 

Right now, their innocence is palpable. Huck has such a vivid imagination. I want Hayden's imagination to flourish, too. I hope he believes he can do or be anything. And mostly, I want them both to believe in themselves. I pray that God enables me to be the best step-mother and parent I can be. I think of Proverbs 22:6: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not part from it. 

I have great friends that are creative and are supporting healthy, positive messages for all of us, especially our kids. I'm no different than any other parent that wants their kids to dream big, be brave, but never ever compromise kindness. If you saw my instagram post, you know I'm thrilled to spread the good works of a friend's project called #KindText. Chrissy Kling started this movement with her pre-teens to develop healthy, kind habits for kids with phones and social media. As Chrissy pointed out to me, the world will always have bullies and mean girls, but let's not raise them! Our kids learn from us. If we are not being kind to one another, they see that. KindText is a fun but heartfelt (and sometimes very serious) movement worth sharing, promoting and getting involved. I love that the idea is to promote kindness in tweens and teens on social media, but it's working on adults, too. Pay kindness forward. It costs us nothing and slowly changes our world. If someone has done something like this for you, the feeling is magical... which leads me to...

My multi-talented friend Kimberly Brown has her own etsy store. I really appreciate the messages on her soft t-shirts like the "I believe in magic" one she's wearing pictured below. 

She has another one that reads: being normal is vastly overrated. This is a quote from her character Marnie in Halloweentown, the iconic movie in which Kim starred. Who else can quote lines from that film? I love this message. I've never felt normal! It's taken a lifetime to understand that is actually a good thing! I hope Hayden and Huck determine what's their own version of 'normal' and not let the world determine for them! 

I be remiss if I didn't also mention the t-shirts are under $18.  Kim's site does a great job at describing the sizing and fabrics, so check it out! And you can check her out if you are anywhere near Salem, Oregon at the Cherry City Comic Con this weekend! 

And follow #KindText 

And for the lighthearted, fashion portion, see below! This chic, very light sweater (you have to see it on) is on sale for $47 right now;) I also wore it the entire weekend my friend Ali got married. It was perfect with boyfriend jeans at the beach, dinner, morning breakfast, sunset walks with Hayden, etc. I'm into bell sleeves on unexpected pieces like this one and on the hoodie I wore in this post. I'm also into stripes;  this sweater has both! 

ps- Hayden never turned around in these photos, but if he had....a little frog prince!

As always, share any thoughts! Share your own experiences of inspiration when someone else sent a #kindtext or paid it forward to YOU.  xoxo Ashley

Love is in the Air! What to Wear to Weddings this season!

It's wedding season! Late afternoon, sunset weddings are now happening. We just attended a gorgeous one for our friends Ali and Kevin! Congrats to the happy couple!

I for one never know what to wear. In California, we often read "black tie optional" on the invitation. That opens up a wide range of options. If you received an invite with that description, would you think long or tea length? Is short ok? Regardless of the level of dressiness, there are a few questions I ask myself....read on!  

ashleyajones.com

1) Am I appropriate? Age-appropriate, length, color, seasonally-appropriate, coverage-wise...For instance, if I expect I might be dancing quite a bit, I don't want to have any wardrobe malfunctions! So, for this last wedding, I opted for this versatile, affordable dress (below, check out how cute it is with a t-shirt and converse underneath!).

2) Am I comfortable? Weddings are usually long. You start on the early side and go into the evening. Your shoes should be able to withstand the night (I brought these stretchy ballet flats to change into when my heels were too much), but I also heard these foldable shoes are wonderful, too. I wore my favorite (investment) closed-toed shoes because my toenails weren't painted (ha!), but if I had made the time, I would have worn open-toed strappy sandals. 

3) Do I think I'm gonna wanna enjoy the music? This is definitely something to consider when picking out your dress (and shoes).

4) For HIM? Do you want to coordinate on some level? I don't usually worry about this, but occasionally, it's fun to compliment or have a color scheme.

5) Will it get cold at night or will it be cold inside the venue? I brought a wrap for the evening. We're in such transitional weather here... warm during the day and pretty chilly at night. I like an option like this (and love all the color choices). 

6) Bag for essentials? I carried this clutch that turns into a cross body purse. (I also used it HERE for a casual look).



AshleyAJones/photoboothfun
AshleyAJones/photobooth

This post and other ideas:


AshleyAJones.com

Thanks for checking in today... chime in below with any thoughts! Stay tuned because I have some fun posts planned for the weekend. Happy Pre-St.Patty's Day!! Wear your green tomorrow. xoxo