Giveaway Time, for My Blogiversary!

It has been a little over one year since I began bloggin'.

I never imagined that this little blog,
that was designed to show my friends and family
all the fun adventures of RAISING ALLIKAYE,
would introduce me to so much!
I have bloggy friends...
the ones that always comment...
the ones that we share pictures and stories about our lives...
the friends that make me laugh...
the friends that make me inspired...
the friends that make me think...
the friends that cure my daily boredom!
I love my bloggy friends!
And boy do I ever love my real-life friends and fam too!!

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Here are my 6 favorite posts over the past year...
I Hope You Dance
Arise My Love
"The Lauren" Braid
Cantaloupe and Burritos
Allikaye's Animal Noises
Memories of Deutschland

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To celebrate this little blog milestone...
I thought...let's do a giveaway!
I always love me a good blog giveaway!
All you have to so is comment...
how easy is that!

I am giving away...
what else...
but some blocks!

Look at my ETSY shop...
and the winner gets to choose some blocks!
You can choose some of the pre-made blocks...
or give me a theme to work with...
for some personalized blocks!
You can look at some of my "sold" items...
for ideas of what others have ordered...
it is up to YOU....who ever the winner is!
I will choose the winner sometime this weekend!

Remember to comment!

Any one can win - even if you don't have a blog!
Just make sure I know where to contact you -
or just check back this weekend to see who the winner is!
And if you don't win...
You can still buy some blocks from me...wink wink!

Love to you all!

Pumpkin Pickin

First...the pumpkin pickin'...
Then came the carvin'...

Last, but definitely not least...
here is the cutest ladybug that ya ever did see!

I made the shirt with ribbon and some iron-on-transfers...
just in case she wouldn't wear her full costume!
But she DID wear her fuzzy ladybug...
minus the hood...
Here is Miss Allikaye on the Pony Rides!
Here you can witness the first tasting of cotton candy...
it melted in that girls mouth faster than I could get pictures!
Our church had an amazing Fall Festival...
complete with big trampolines, bounce castles, a petting zoo, and the pony rides.
This was Allikaye's face most of the time...
there was quite a lot stimulation all around her!
Happy Halloween!

Happy 30th Anniversary!

Two of my favorite people in all the world!

Two of my bestest friends!
Two of my role models!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

So...here are some PEARLS...
that is the traditional 30th anniversary gift...
oh so pretty... We hope to be as amazing and loving parents as you have been...
We pray that our love will be as evident for each other as yours is for each other...
We hope to raise Allikaye to respect and love us as much as you have taught me!
We pray that we will continue to honor and serve the Lord...
and be amazing witnesses to that love...
You both are amazing parents...
I love you so!
Happy 30th...you young pups!
Love, Matt and Ashley

Here is some jazz
to remind you of our little anniversary celebration...
nothing like a cool little coffee house...
and some old school Frank Sinatra...
to help your dad to feel younger...hehehe

Rock and Roll Princess

I am going to let my dear friend, scrapblog,
show you what we have been up to the last week.
If you are so inclined...
you may click on the pictures to make them larger.

First...we did a little rockin'...

Then, Matt and I both played in our beloved sports alumni games...

We also hung out at the Denver Zoo and loved the fall-ness...

There ya go! Thank you Scrapblog!

So now...
here are two pictures of my upcoming project...
I have never "redone" furniture...
and I am soo excited about this!
My mama bought this for Allikaye (and me)
at this awesome antique store in downtown Castle Rock. It was labeled as a "Timeout Bench"
and right now it is all rusted out.

I am picturing PINK...
and a really cute girly cushion!!
ANY ADVICE...
before I embark on this cuteness??
Can I just go straight into spray painting it?
Do they even have light pink spray paint?
Do I need to do some kind of primer?
What's the best way to make a cushion...
without pulling out my sewing machine (that I can't thread)?
Help me... my knowledgeable friends!!!
And I will be so excited to share with you all the finished project!

Oh, That's a Good One...

I have been known to get a little obsessed
with t-shirts that have funny sayings on them.
Not really the cliche and cheesy sayings...
but the ones that make you laugh right away...
the ones that you think...
"Who thought to put that on shirt? Brilliant!"
Snorg Tees has lots of great ones.
Here are a few that either my hubby or me own:

And here are a few that made me laugh out loud today...

Do you have any fun shirts...
with quirky and original sayings??

Nebraska...the Good Life

There are quite a few things

that I LOVE about visiting my fam in
Nebraska.
First of all has to be that great fam that lives out there!
I have so many great summer memories...
and even though the times have changed, and there are lots of babies...
the memories just keep adding up!
Look at these cute kids!
I think there is a picture just like this...
when were all their ages!
The first is my cousin Amber's 3 awesome kids...

And these are the adorable and handsome twin boys of my cousin Anna...
My Aunt Jeanne, also introduced me to Suduko...
yes, I knew what it was, and thought..
No way! I am terrible at math and numbers! So between my cuz Erin and my aunt,
I have now been formally introduced...
and am now slightly addicted.
I am on the EaSy puzzles,
not the fiendish ones like those crazy Nebraskans!

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So...have you ever had a Runza??
Yumm-o!
To me it is like going to In n' Out while in California...
while in Nebraska...go to Runza!
Yeah, we ate there twice in 4 days...*********************
My cousin Amber sells
Uppercase Living...
check it out!
It is basically really fun and original wall art!
She gave me this old window that she transformed...

This one she made for Allikaye's room...
she put the words on a canvas with ribbon!
LOVE it! I have so many ideas that are in the works for more...
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Allright...last order of Nebraska business...
my aunt bought me this amazing purse!
Oh yeah!
I like to stare at it!

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Here is Allikaye's first bowling experience...
thanks NE...

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I will leave you with a little shot of my...
1) shorter hair
2) darker hair

Thank you so much my Nebraska Family!
I love you guys so!

**Edited to add: Rachel Coleman - the creator of Signing Time - linked up to Raising Allikaye - and 9 other blogs - that reviewed the new Baby Signing Time videos - on her blog! I feel a little famous...hopefully Allikaye will get used to the paparazzi!**

Date Night, First Haircut, Blocks, and a Roadtrip!

Here are a few things we have been up to lately...

First of all...hubby and me got to go on a Date Night...
I mean we even got to stay out over night!!
After a nice,
no-stress-to-hurry-and-finish-because-Allikaye-doesn't-want-to-sit-anymore
dinner...
we headed to Comedy Works -
which I highly recommend for a great ab workout!
We were super excited because Jon Reep was the headliner!
He is the winner of the Last Comic Standing -Season 5!
SO FUNNY!
And then we stayed in downtown Denver at the Westin!
Here's a video from the season finale...
and it's perfect for football season!

And next...Allikaye had her first haircut!!
I have been nervous to get her haircut all this time (20 months)
because her precious hair has taken so long to grow!
Here are two perfect pictures of the mullet-crazy-hair I am dealing with lately...
taken at our library...
So I figured - let's just go for it, and get the

FIRST HAIRCUT!
Check this place out!
Where were cool girlie boutiques like this when I was little??

Here is her "whats dat?" face...

Miss Allikaye did SO fabulous getting her little pampering done!
I should have done it sooner!
And I am obsessed with how cute it looks...
it is shorter in the back and longer in the front!
I actually copied her at my haircut today! We went to the pet shop afterwards...
Look at the back...oh my...isn't it adorable...so hip!
Caution...there is an annoying mama voice in this video...


I have also been havin some fun making lots of blocks!
Here are some cute ones that I am lovin!
Check out my etsy for more!
And finally...
Allikaye, my mama, and me are heading to Nebraska!We are off to visit my cousin Anna's new twin boys...
my cousin Amber's fun bunch...
and my auntie and uncle!
Click on their names to see peeks of their blogs -
to see who I'm seeing!
I am super excited for Allikaye to be able to play with her cousins!!

Have a great weekend!
And let me just say...
I am thankful for all of you bloggy friends of mine!
I just LOVE your comments...really I do!