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About the Author

Hi friends! Welcome to Mama Needs a Manual. I am so glad you stopped by.
    I am Ashley. Wife to Bryan, Mama to Caleb, David and Ethan (yes, we are ABCDE). I am also a daughter of God, saved by His grace alone. I love coffee, crafting, baking, and curling up on the couch with a good book. Most days are spent chasing our kiddos around and being active whenever I get the chance. I am a professional problem-solver by trade.
A former Calculus teacher turned stay-at-home mom, this blog has become my new “classroom” where I share practical trouble-shooting advice, tips and encouragement. May this be a grace-filled space where you know you are not alone in the trenches!
Read the rest of my story here

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lessons, motherhood

Happy 9 Months Caleb!

                    Stats Caleb is 24 lbs 9 oz (98%), 30.75 inches (100%) and also has a head circumference in the 100%.…

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March 22, 2018
celebrate, family traditions, holidays

David’s Three-Rex Birthday Party

David has been talking about having a dinosaur birthday for months! There are so many fun ideas floating around out there on the huge world wide web, so I was…

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April 18, 2019
Birthday Party Ideas, celebrate

David’s Wild ONE First Birthday Party

I love birthday parties! When it came time for David’s we brainstormed (and by we I mean me and by brainstorm I mean search Pinterest) looking for the perfect theme.…

read more
March 2, 2019
  • Birthday Party Ideas

    Dude Perfect Birthday Party

    September 17, 2023 /

    Dude Perfect Birthday Party Games- after searching a lot on google and piecing together some different things I found, here’s a one stop shop to plan a fun birthday party in your backyard for upper elementary-young middle school aged boys. First, the decorations: I kept it pretty simple. I used my silhouette to cut out a dp logo and glued…

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    Ashley
  • Birthday Party Ideas,  Uncategorized

    Ford’s One Year Old Little Blue Truck Party

    July 12, 2021 /

    We can hardly believe it’s been a year since Ford joined our family! We have enjoyed celebrating each of our boys with a book themed first birthday party (Very Hungry Caterpillar, Wild One: Where the Wild Things Are, Curious George) so to keep the tradition alive, we chose the Little Blue Truck, a book we’ve loved reading to all of…

    Read More
    Ashley
  • Recipes

    7 Easy Dump Crockpot Freezer Meals

    June 28, 2020 /

    We’ve been preparing for our 4th little man to be here in a week or so, and finally got around to making time to do freezer meals. I always leave them towards the end of my to-do list because while very nice to have (my future self always thanks me), they aren’t a necessity. With the other 3, I used…

    Read More
    Ashley
  • babies 101,  celebrate,  encouragement,  motherhood

    Five Things I’d tell myself Five Years In (and Three Kids Later)

    September 18, 2019 /

    Our oldest son turns five in a couple of days, and I can hardly believe it. In some ways it feels like just yesterday I was cradling him on my chest and in others it feels like life time ago. Tonight I lingered a little while at bedtime, watching him sleep trying to turn back time, imagining his little infant…

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    Ashley
  • comparison,  Recipes,  trials

    Weight Watcher Tips from a Busy Mama of 3

    August 22, 2019 /

    I’m not stranger to Weight Watchers (now rebranded WW). I first “joined” or I should say pseudo-joined in 2000 when I was 14 years old. That’s a whole other story for another day that led to a decade long battle with food. For the last several years, God has brought huge freedom in the area of self-image and bondage to food.…

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    Ashley
  • encouragement,  truth

    Trash or Toy? : 8 Life Lessons from Toy Story 4 that will Increase your Joy

    July 18, 2019 /

      We were so excited to take the boys to see Toy Story 4. They have enjoyed watching the first Toy Story for a while now, and couldn’t wait to see their favorites, Woody and Buzz, on the big screen. We haven’t taken the boys to many movies yet, and as parents we want to be mindful of we put…

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    Ashley
  • Birthday Party Ideas,  celebrate

    C’s 2 Year Old Finding Nemo Birthday

    July 17, 2019 /

    Caleb will be 5 in a couple of months. As I look through these pictures, my heart aches only the way a mother’s can. How did I not know this was a thing until I was a mom- the pain of wanting to hold on and let go at the same time? D was 6 months and still waking up…

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    Ashley
  • babies 101,  encouragement,  Reflections on Motherhood,  toddler 101,  truth

    Our Children are Not Problems to Solve- They are People to Love

    July 15, 2019 /

      I was picking toys off of the living room floor and the thought came, almost audible- “Your children are not problems to solve, Ashley. They are people, made in my image to love.” I’m not sure if it was the Lord speaking or a phrase I read somewhere, but I heard it and I haven’t stopped thinking about it…

    Read More
    Ashley
  • celebrate,  encouragement,  truth

    Which Float is Right for My Baby or Toddler? And How to Fight Fear Around the Water

    June 21, 2019 /

    We’ve had babies ages 0-4 in the water the last four summers. Needless to say, we’ve tried quite a bit of floats on the market and have had a range of young non-swimming children in the water. Here are our go-tos. Of course, like most baby products, every one has their favorites and what one person may swear by another…

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    Ashley
  • celebrate,  encouragement,  family traditions,  motherhood,  truth

    Summer Activities for Moms of Littles- How to Savor and Survive with 3 Under 5

    May 31, 2019 /

    Sweet Summer Time- Tips for Savoring these fleeting little years and Saving Mama’s Sanity It’s summer time! “What are you going to do with your kids?” I have gotten this question a lot lately, and although at first, I was like, what do you mean? How is the school year any different, they are all 3 mostly with me, but…

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    Ashley
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Recent Posts

  • Dude Perfect Birthday Party
  • Ford’s One Year Old Little Blue Truck Party
  • 7 Easy Dump Crockpot Freezer Meals
  • Five Things I’d tell myself Five Years In (and Three Kids Later)
  • Weight Watcher Tips from a Busy Mama of 3

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About the Author

Hi friends! Welcome to Mama Needs a Manual. I am so glad you stopped by.
    I am Ashley. Wife to Bryan, Mama to Caleb, David and Ethan (yes, we are ABCDE). I am also a daughter of God, saved by His grace alone. I love coffee, crafting, baking, and curling up on the couch with a good book. Most days are spent chasing our kiddos around and being active whenever I get the chance. I am a professional problem-solver by trade.
A former Calculus teacher turned stay-at-home mom, this blog has become my new “classroom” where I share practical trouble-shooting advice, tips and encouragement. May this be a grace-filled space where you know you are not alone in the trenches!
Read the rest of my story here
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