MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

WE JUST WANTED TO WISH YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

We will be spending our Christmas Eve and Christmas AWAY from our boxed filled apartment!! We are all packed and ready to leave the great state of Michigan. We're moving with great great sadness..but we know it is for the best. We are truly sorry if we didn't get to see you all personally before we left. BUT I've already made plans to come visit at the end of January.]




We're spending our Christmas Eve with our good friends Jack and Jenn..and of course baby Jack! I'm sure it will be a good time! We have soo soo much to do on Christmas day as many of you do.. We'll be back and forth all day between both Jason's moms and my moms house! Christmas is always fun! Anyways, I won't keep you any longer...



We hope you all have a great Christmas and a very happy and fun New Year!

Until 2009...

Love,

Jason, Ashley and Ava..

A BIG Change...

With lots and lots of time spent talking, trips, hesitation, excitement, sadness and happiness.. Jason and I have decided to move to Illinois!

This wasn't an easy decision for us. But we think at this time its going to be the best option for us right now. As many of you know, Michigan is a scary place right now with work, losing and finding jobs. So before we get hit even harder with the Michigan economy, we're getting out of here for awhile.

Like I told my mom, nothing has to be permanent. Yes, we found a house there, and jobs but it will mean nothing if we are not happy. Because I am such a mommas girl, we'll be visiting Michigan ALOT. So all of our friends here will still be able to see us and Ava! Of course everyone is more than welcome to visit. Its a 6 hour drive, plus we have a spare room!!

As you can imagine, I'm going to be super super busy in the next few days/week so I probably won't be posting until after the New Year. We hope you all have a great holiday and a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Love,
The Murphy's

LACK of Updates!

Hello friends! I'm so sorry for the lack of updates lately. I don't want to say that we have been busy.. because we just haven't. I just spend alot less time on the computer and more time rolling around on the floor with my big baby!

I sure hope Thanksgiving was good for everyone! We had a great time. We had family over and I cooked.. and everything turned out great!! It wasn't as stressful as I thought it would be..it was really nice.

We have a Christmas tree! I don't know if anyone seen our previous trees, but they were sad. Our first year it was a ceramics tree (no bigger than the size of a show box) and last year it was a poor..sad..small version of the Charlie Brown tree.. BUT this year..we have a real standing tree with lights and ornaments! I thought Ava would be more interested in it..but she isn't.. she would rather fling toys across the room...

Not much else to report today... nothing exciting going on with us Murphy's. We are traveling to Illinois today.. in crap weather! So wish us luck!

I'll be back to post again soon.. Until next time loves!


..Ash

Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!

I know I have been slacking on the blog. Even Jason said so! I promise to update you all with the happenings of the Murphies next week. Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. This year I feel I have truly truly been blessed. I have a wonderful husband, baby,family and friends.. Life has been crazy busy this past year, but its been one of the best years of my life.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday everyone! Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Black Friday shopping!

Love,
The Murphy's

Just a quick one!

Hello Hello!

Hope this finds you all doing well and staying warm! The weather has sure taken a turn for the worse around here. We only see the sun about 5 minutes a day. OHH to live in Hawaii. Well if we lived there I am sure we would still find something to bitch about! Like the ocean, or beaches, or flowers year round. Okay, I'm done!

Our week has been a lazy one! Ava and I haven't done much.. just rolled around on the floor, ate cereal and babbled and squealed all week! I did get her pictures back which I am super excited about!

Can I just tell everyone that I have made out hundreds of thank you cards this year and I'm still not finished. I promise you all that we will NOT have any events that require thank you cards in the next 2 years!!!

Anyways, the main reason for the blog today is to tell you about our picture website. Instead of emailing everyone I thought I would make a website full of pictures. On that site you will find tabs at the top of the page. Each tab has different pictures. Check it out! I hope you like it!

www.murphies08.shutterfly.com

Well I am outta here friends! I will blog tomorrow with the weekly story!!

*Ash*

November Already!

Holy crap can you believe its November already?? October has come and gone so fast! That's okay, onto Turkey, Stuffing and all the fixings for Thanksgiving! Jason and I.. well, me really, hold Thanksgiving close to our hearts. We started our lives 2 years ago that day. Who would have thought in just 2 short years we would be married with a beautiful baby? I sure didn't. The first night I hung out with Jason was a rough one for me. I was nervous, really didn't want to hang out with him because I had a lot of homework at the time and to be honest I didn't want to get lost! (I wasn't to familiar with the area yet) But we all know what a bug-a-boo Jason can be. So-- finally I just decided to come over. But not without vomiting. Yes, its true. I was so nervous I threw up. It really isn't funny. :) Before I left I thought to myself this dude is really going to get a piece of me. If he doesn't like me the way I am, screw it. SO with that in mind. I was late. And we all know Jason falls asleep at 9. I showed up at 9:30. In my sweat pants and a hoodie. No make-up. And flip flops of course. I'll never know what went through his mind the first time we met but I know I was thinking.."oh shit..he's cute.. I should have at least wore jeans!" I was a little nervous because he wouldn't even sit next to me on the couch! Are you kidding me? I met a nice guy??... I left that night thinking... I'm coming back over tomorrow... in a pair of jeans! That kinda begins our story. I run out of things to blog about so I will share a few more stories later this month.. November is full of memories for us so I will share more with you...and remind my husband of a few :)

Anywho.. Ava's first Halloween was so fun! She looked super cute in her monster costume! She was busy girl visiting a ton a places! She didn't get any candy but hats okay, her uncle bub got a ton! We got to visit all of her grammy's and she ever got to experience her first gas leak. (LOL) and even visited a haunted house! And of course we can't forget her favorite blue monster.. Jack!




We've kept pretty busy this week. Ava had her first photo shoot on Monday! I know I am a slacker about professional pics but they got done! I couldn't be more happy with them and I got Christmas cards of out the deal! woohoo! If you haven't seen them..here are a couple..



She also had her 4 month check up on Wednesday! Which also meant more of them icky shots!! She didn't mind because she got cool band aids in the end! She weighed 17 pounds 9 ounces! Holy cow I was shocked! She was also 26 inches long. The doc said that her weight was completely normal and she is really long! Yeah Yeah.. I dunno where she gets her height from it has to be from Jason's grandpa or uncle! It skipped us that's for sure!!



Happy Birthday to all of our November birthdays! Seems like we have alot this month! Jenn,and Amber on the 6th. Mine on the 16th. Kendall's on the 26th. My moms on the 29th. (I think. I can never remember!) (sorry mom!) And of course it would have been Jason's dad birthday on the 10th, also my grandpas on the 15th. If I don't have you on the list let me know and I will sure add you to the "don't forget to tell them happy birthday list" :)

Well my friends that is all for now! I hope you all have a great weekend! Stay warm!

**Ash**

My favorite time of year!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I can't believe October is gone! This month flew by for us. We were busy every weekend this month! It's hard to believe our baby will be 4 months old in just two days. She's growing up to fast for her mommy! Our week has ended on a good note, Jason is finally feeling better, Ava is getting over her cold, and I am still hanging in there.. felt a little sick this afternoon but I think it was the nasty spaghetti-o's I ate. YUCK!



October is my absolute favorite month. I love Halloween. I love to decorate for it, eat enough fun-sized candy bars to make anyone sick and sometime even dress up! (We got married in October because that's how much I love it!) Even though we were crazy busy this month, we still found a little time to go to the Cider Mill, ( for my IL people, a cider mill is sort of like Tanners, only much much much smaller and no apples to pick, or pumpkins you just buy all that stuff.. it takes the fun out of it but whatever!)(lazy freaking Michigan) pick out pumpkins and finally carve them! We invited my mom and brother over last night to carve pumpkins. My mom and I always get into situations where we end up asking ourselves, "who's idea was this?" and secretly, its usually always my idea she just seems to get drug into it. Except for the rice crispy treat thing.. that was her and somehow I was the one encouraging Oakwood nurses to be happy. Yeah right. Anyways, it took a long time because I got the stencil kits. And of course had to make a cool pumpkin! Ava even checked out her little pumpkin. She really didn't seem to impressed with the cold pumpkin! It was a lot of fun and I'm glad we could do it for her first Halloween!



Speaking of our little girl, she had a busy month along with us! All the sudden she has started all these new things! First of all she has really found her voice. She always has cooed and babbled but now.. shes screaming. And my goodness this girl will scream just to hear herself! She thinks its funny and has a good time screaming at the TV and her toys. Shes started to scream and laugh with excitement and its really cute. She get sooo excited when we tickle her or scream back at her. Then there is her toes. I could get rid of all her toys, (except the famous elephant) and she could just play with toes all day long. That's how much she loves them! She loves when I take her socks off then she can really have at them. Amazing how she can turn herself into half the size she really is!


She has a couple new favorite things. Her bouncebounce baby...a excersaucer.. she loves that thing! She plays in that and hits the toys like they were bad! Shes still a little small for it but we just put a towel around her and she goes and goes like its no ones business! Thanks to uncle Jeffy for putting that together while he was over! And I put her in her highchair for the first time yesterday. Daddy calls it her big girl chair and she thinks its super cool that she can see up high! Its cute and I think she likes it!



And FINALLY... she is rolling over!! That is the biggest development this month! It was amazing to see her roll over for the first time. I, of course was a big freak and screamed and called Jason right away! She wouldn't do it again for a few days but finally Jason got to see it and now shes a full time roller! I got it on video for everyone to see if you would like.. for the computer.. handicapped.. like my mom, just push the big PLAY button in the center..like on a old VCR.. LOL.. I'm funny.



In other news, I'm going to keep count on here. The count would be for how many times Jason forgets his wedding ring at home. We're already at.. ONE. Such a man..such a man..

Anyways, I think that's about it for this weeks updates. PLEASE everyone has a safe and wonderful Halloween! We'll be taking our monster out tonight for trick or treating at Grammys, Gma's and a couple more places. Instead of candy lets hope they have diapers for the Av! LOL.. just kidding grannys!

Have a great weekend everyone!
Ashley

MARRIED LIFE!!

OOOOOO WEEEE What a weekend!!!! As you might have guessed, we got married! Jason didn't run and I didn't throw up. Weekend successful.



For those of you who joined us at the wedding, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Our wedding was beautiful, wonderful, stressful and just want we wanted all thanks you each and every one of you. Minus the cold weather! We hope that you all had a wonderful time, had enough to eat and a had a little hangover the next day.



To our wedding party.. each and everyone of you were in our wedding for a reason. My girls, you all know why you were there. I wouldn't have it any other way. (Well I would, just plus one) You all looked beautiful and put up with the skimpy dress I picked out for you at the end of October! Who knows what I was thinking! For you three that traveled, THANK YOU. That meant the world to me to have my best friends there to celebrate the happiest day of my life. Our handsome groomsmen, I couldn't be more excited that you were all in our wedding, and were all on time!

Like I said, our wedding was wonderful even though it was a little chilly for everyone at the ceremony. Terry wouldn't know because she wasn't there. Whatever. ;)

Our first few days of married life has been full of sneezes, coughs, medicine and Kleenex. Jason is battling a nasty cold and Ava has her first one! We've spent our entire honeymoon covered in boogies. That's okay. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Well thanks for checking in..I have to get out of here and finish putting all this wedding stuff away!! I will be back later this week for an update! Take Care everyone!!!

Ashley MURPHY!!!! :0)

Less than a week!

Wow, I have less then a week and I will be married woman. Thank God it will be legal! All this wedding stuff will be over and we'll be married. That's all what we want anyways!

So we had our bachelor and bachelorette parties over the weekend. And they were a hot mess. Well, I'll take that back. They were fun until all hell had to break loose! Only us! LOL! We get ONE bachelor and bachelorette party in our entire lives, and they end up in total craziness! Thats okay though... just as long as it doesnt happen at the wedding.

I have a million things to do this week along with everyone comming into town, getting last minute things done, its crazy how a wedding (the happiest day of your life) can make you totally insane and you pretty much can't wait for it to be over with!

Jason was looking at himself in the mirror last night (cute isn't he?)(lol)with his wedding band on and said "this is werid!" LOL, poor guy. I am making him wear a ring. He'll just have to get used to wearing it. Even to the strip clubs! :) And trust me.. I'll make sure he has it on EVERYWHERE!! LOL!!!

Ava is doing good. She spent the night with her Gma on Saturday. Good reports except for the spitty up! I guess I am just used to have a hard spot on my shirts and I think nothing of it. Poor Gma. Nothing like a rotten baby. You lucky woman. Carter was a saint. And he still sleeps until 11.

Anyways, I have a million things to do. Just wanted to check in this week and let you all know Jason and I haven't killed eachother, my bridesmaids haven't written me off yet due to all the wedding bitching, and could we all say a little prayer..something about all the groomsmen not killing eachother over the weekend.. and just wait until next weekend? Thanks. Amen.


Take Care my friends.. Check in later this week for what I am sure will be.. the last blog as..

...Ashley Andrews....


woohoo!!

Busy-ness!!

So I told myself I was going to be really good with this blog, keep it updated but hell, I am so busy doing wedding stuff, doing stuff with Ava, fittings, cleaning..AHH! I just don't have time to keep this up! So while I am supposed to be doing my "Save your Marriage" book, I am blogging. I am doing pretty good today, I only have 2 chapters left. We meet with the Pastor who is marrying Jason and I tonight and we are supposed to have this all finished. Well... I'm not done...yet.. Any who..

We had such a fun weekend! On Thursday, we Murphy's drove down to Illinois for the weekend. We ended up staying longer than expected but that's okay! I got to eat at all my favorite places so that was exciting. On Friday we toured my dad's new house. He just got a new house a few days ago and I was impressed! It was nice and I know he loves the big yard.. from there we went to visit the Klokkenga's. The girls got to roll around (well at least half way roll) they took a tub, and just babbled to each other. They are super cute.. We also all went out for dinner at Gil's which was super yummy! Even Aunt Sis and Uncle Jeff joined us! It was a lot of fun..





On Saturday we visited one of my favorite places ever, Tanners Orchard. I love their cider, Carmel apples, and pumpkins! Its such a fun place and it was really somewhere where I wanted to take Ava. It was a good time. Saturday night we went the the annual Buxton bonfire. HOW FUN! I got to meet the Howard's baby, Jace. What a cutie! He is so tiny! I have a hard time remembering Ava that small! That was a good time to catch up and let the babies play!



Sunday we just hung out at my dad's house then to Bryan & Erin's for ice cream. We didn't drive home that day because Ava was super crabby.. and who wants to ride in a car for 6 hours with a screaming baby? Us either! Either way we had a great time and can't wait to do it again!

Well.. 10 days until the wedding. Thank God because I am just done with everything wedding! Its so stressful and you never stop thinking about it! We've been super busy with it I feel like we don't have time for anything else! It will be over soon enough.. secretly... I can't wait to be a Murphy!!


Ava had her first round of cereal. And she isn't ready for it! She just plays with it and pushes it out her mouth! That's okay... we'll try again in a couple weeks. Its hard to believe that in just 2 weeks our baby is going to be 4 months old! Time for another round of them dreadful shots! The first time was horrible for me and I am sure the next round is going to be just as bad! She's growing up so fast its unreal. She is more than ready to roll over. Shes half way there.. I'm now changing her diapers while she lays on her side. She seems to think its funny. Shes also starting to cut teeth. I can see that they are almost in.. and she is a drooling machine! Also super crabby! Poor baby.. I feel bad for her! (and me too because she is growing to fast for me!)




Well friends I think that is all for now. I must go and finish my book.. I will try to blog a couple more times before the wedding but I'm not promising anything! I'm a busy woman these days! Take Care everyone!

Love,
J, A and Baby A :)

Welcome!!

Sooo.. I have been thinking for a long time now about starting a blog. I've followed a couple of blogs because I am that nosy and figured and I am that nosy following other peoples lives then why wouldn't anyone want to follow mine? Anyways, so here we go. Enjoy, be nosy and have fun.

As you might have guessed Jason, Ava and I have been quite busy this month. Well Jason and I have been busy.. Av just kinda tags along in her car seat. As you all know we are getting married at the end of the month. 16 days from now and I couldn't more happy about it. I'm really not that stressed about anything, things seems to just be falling into place as we go. We may not have the fanciest wedding but hell it isn't about that anyways. I'm trying to get a final head count for our reception and are realizing that people just don't seem to care to send their RSVP's back. From now on, I promise to send every RSVP we get in the mail.. BACK! Its fine because I've just hunted everyone that we didn't get one from down and just asked if they were coming. Now for those of you in our wedding party.. Here is the address to the rehearsal dinner.. 49700 Parkside Northville Michigan 48168 Its just a fun little get together so everyone can meet and get to know each other. Its a pizza and beer kinda thing so please don't dress up because we aren't. For my girls that are asking, I don't care what kind of shoes you wear as long as they are black dressy type. Bring a sweater, jacket or whatever you see fit because I have a feeling its going to snow. I think we are going to be getting ready at my house but I'm not quite sure yet. That's still in the works. I do have a hair and make up price, if I didn't tell you please let me know and I will let you know. Guys! Please be fitted by October 11th. That means you Jason and Frank. (typical of Jason right?) :) You are to be ready at 2:30 on the wedding day and ready for pick up at Kathy's house. You will all have transportation to the wedding and reception but please take your car to Joy Manor before the wedding unless you will all be calling cabs which I have warned every cab company in the Metro Detroit area about our wedding. (just kidding)

Over this past weekend we took our first and probably last trip up North for the year! We had a big birthday to celebrate. Jason grandma celebrated her 80th birthday on Sunday! It was also a special day because Ava met her great-grand parents, aunts, uncles and cousins! Us Murphy's ( I know I'm not a Murphy yet, but get over it...it works with the blog!) drove up on Saturday night and rented the cutest cabin! It had 2 bedrooms, a full kitchen and bathroom and a dining area! It was alot of fun and Ava seemed to enjoy it. It of course was sad when we had to leave we both wished we could have stayed another night. It always sucks when we get home from up North. Its bright,loud and smelly when we come home. Up there is full of stars, sounds of nothing and the forever campfire smell! Its great!



Ava is growing like a little weed! The saying is true they grow up to fast! She is doing new things everyday! She is really close to rolling over. I can't leave her alone for a second anymore! She almost fell off the bed yesterday..I turned my back to pick up a laundry basket..turned around..and she was in a totally different position..and half way off the bed before I knew it! She is getting better every day too.. she isn't as crabby and is starting to like her daddy much more! Not that she didn't before.... Her own personality is showing more and more everyday. Its even hard to pick her up anymore because she is so ticklish! She is just like me..ticklish everywhere!! I'll post of video of her as soon as I figure out how to do it.. I'm new to this blogging thing!

Halloween has to be my favorite holiday! I love to decorate for it and I spent 9 months wondering what Ava was going to be for her first Halloween! Jason and I decided that she is going to be a monster! It totally fits her. We found a pink monster costume and she looks cute as a little monster could! Her boyfriend Jack is also a monster.. only blue! I can't wait to get them together for pictures! It really is going to be a monster mash...



Well that's all for now! Check back soon for more updates and pictures!

Love,
J, A and Baby A :)