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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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encouragement, family traditions, favorite things, holidays, truth

Fall Family Fun Bucket List

Fall. As a kid, I always loved and looked forward to summer, but as an adult, fall is definitely my favorite. The weather becomes actually bearable, which means fun outdoor…

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September 8, 2018
family, names

abcd….E

And then there were 5! Although early on we were thinking we were going to have a little girl and had many E baby girl names to choose from, God…

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March 22, 2018
dairy free, Recipes

Quick and Easy Paleo Chicken Salad

I modified a chicken salad recipe a friend gave me years ago to come up with this quick, delicious paleo and whole 30 approved version. Now, I’m excited I can…

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August 29, 2018
  • books,  discipline,  toddler 101,  truth

    For the Love of Discipline Book Review

    May 6, 2018 /

    From Sara Wallace: “What should I do when my kid lies? How should I handle hitting? These are the kinds of questions 99.9% of our discipline conversations revolve around – and they drive us CRAZY. They’re not bad questions, but there are other questions we should be asking ourselves that will actually take off some pressure. They require looking at…

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    Ashley
  • comparison,  encouragement,  Reflections on Motherhood,  truth

    Mama, Stop Trying to Carry All the Things

    May 3, 2018 /

    His cherub face looks up at me, 5 stuffed animals in his arms,  “No, Mama! I do it myself!” This picture was snapped almost a year ago, but both of my boys still like to carry ALL the THINGS. We’ve tried reasoning (“Hey bud, you can’t hold all of those things. God gave us only two hands”). We’ve tried giving…

    Read More
    Ashley
  • decorating on a dime,  Uncategorized

    Bright and Cheery Kids Bathroom, with links to free printable

    May 1, 2018 /

    I couldn’t wait to have a happy and bright bathroom for our kids! I wanted to design a place that made me smile when I peered in, but also one that wouldn’t break the bank.  shower curtain was purchased at Target: Fat Brain Toys Personalized Name Puzzle – NEW! Having a name puzzle is also a great way to practice…

    Read More
    Ashley
  • babies 101

    Swaddle Review from a Mama who’s tried {almost} all of them

    April 30, 2018 /

    There are so many swaddling options for babies these days! How is a Mom supposed to choose? Sometimes I am envious of our moms’ generation. They didn’t have to worry about which swaddling blanket was the best (or which anything was the best for that matter. They didn’t have the blessing or curse of amazon reviews. They didn’t have to…

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    Ashley
  • babies 101,  favorite things,  pregnancy

    Must Have Baby Registry Items for your 2nd (or 3rd) Baby and Why you should still Register

    April 28, 2018 /

    It was 4th of July. I had finally gotten into the groove of working out again (after being diagnosed with a heart defect a year and a half before and being pregnant and then working through his extremely hard newborn days). C was 9 months old, and I was doing Baby Boot Camp. I remember being SO excited when we…

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    Ashley
  • decorating on a dime,  farmhouse

    Our Farmhouse Kitchen

    April 26, 2018 /

    When we saw our house for the first time, the kitchen definitely caught my eye. My realtor knew I would LOVE it, and she was right. I was SO happy to see that the seller had chosen things I actually would have picked out myself when he redid the kitchen! It was a huge gift after enduring having our house…

    Read More
    Ashley
  • C-Section,  pregnancy

    Ultimate Guide to C- Section Recovery

    April 26, 2018 /

    I’ve noticed over the years that people have a lot of strong opinions about the way they give birth. Some of my friends are huge proponents of the all-natural route (doula, water birth, home births or birth center, etc), some of my friends praise God for epidurals, and some delight in scheduled c-sections. Before I found out about my heart…

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    Ashley
  • pregnancy

    5 Best Morning Sickness Remedies

    April 23, 2018 /

    Congratulations! You saw that beloved pink (or blue, or read the digital screen), and you are pregnant! So many emotions. SO many hormones. Exhaustion. Sickness. Welcome to the beginning of motherhood, a road paved with so much joy and also so many trials, the first of which for many is “morning sickness”. Who thought of that name, anyway? Mine was…

    Read More
    Ashley
  • breastfeeding

    Best 10 Tips for Increasing Breastmilk Supply and the 1 Thing that Harmed it

    April 23, 2018 /

    I was SO determined to make breastfeeding work with our first. My mom and best friend had both warned me how hard it could be, so I researched and prepared. I even bought a book. I went to the classes. I watched some youtube videos. Unfortunately, I took the advice of the Lactation Consultant in the hospital (because I didn’t…

    Read More
    Ashley
  • babies 101,  motherhood

    Baby-wearing 101, a comparison of my 6 carriers

    April 23, 2018 /

    Baby-wearing! This is something I SO looked forward to before I became a Mom. I just LOVE baby-wearing, for so many reasons. It helps you bond with your baby, it makes him feel safe, it allows you to have your hands free to do other things  (like eat lunch for instance), you can run errands feeling “light” (without carrying in…

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    Ashley
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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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