tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13821363258222531482024-03-23T13:03:44.993-06:00The SullengersAshleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.comBlogger802125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-47084097451896649142020-04-30T07:29:00.002-06:002020-04-30T07:32:51.615-06:00Mother's Day Gift Guide 2020
Mother's Day is coming up next Sunday. In addition to what we offer on Presentlee, I've gathered together a guide of some of my favorite things. Some of these items help make life easier and some just bring me joy. I hope you can find something this Mother's Day that brings you happiness and makes you feel important, needed, and loved. We know that not all happiness can Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-74087100920175216582020-03-31T07:29:00.003-06:002020-03-31T22:09:55.670-06:002020 Easter Gift Guide
Easter is quickly approaching and after being quarantined for a couple of weeks, I've been on the hunt for different activities to keep my kids occupied this year. Here are a few fun things I've been looking at. The different items are bound to keep any child busy which is a win-win for everyone in the family.
Please note that this post contains affiliate links and sales made through Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-34868954338632554172020-03-26T09:07:00.000-06:002020-03-26T09:18:32.930-06:0012 Ways to Help Someone Who is in the Hospital
In 2010 we were living in Idaho and our 18 month old daughter, Preslee fell into a canal. She was found over a mile downstream by a farmer who immediately called 911. You can read more about her story here. She was flown to a hospital in SLC, UT and stayed for a week before she passed away. After writing 12 Ways to Help A Family Planning A Funeral, I had multiple requests to share how to help aAshleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-87751057329857910592020-03-05T06:00:00.003-07:002020-03-05T06:02:30.086-07:00St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt (Round 2)
While growing up, leprechauns always visited our house on St. Patrick's Day. I can still vividly remember spending hours searching for them and convinced I saw at least one or two every year. They would often leave clues hidden around the house with a big bowl filled with green items at the end. I was convinced that one day I would a big pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Now with Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-32186974847368411022020-02-07T14:31:00.000-07:002020-02-07T14:34:49.426-07:00Grief vs. Mourning
Grief can be such an isolating journey, but every now and then I seem to connect to someone who seems to understand. Sometimes it's in person and other times it's online. Either way, I'm grateful they choose to share their difficult journey with others because it reminds me that we aren't always alone.
Over the years there have been a few articles on grief that have really spoken to me. The Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-55873209645919509842020-02-05T21:24:00.001-07:002020-02-12T10:08:58.352-07:00Random Acts of Kindness Day
Years ago, we asked our readers to leave random acts of kindness cards in their community for Preslee's 4th Birthday. It was a big hit and something our family was so grateful for. Read about it here.
Did you know that February 17th is RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS DAY?
We want to celebrate, and hope you'll join in with us!
To celebrate, we are offering you a freebie. You can Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-51914614934729182712020-02-05T21:14:00.001-07:002020-02-05T21:15:54.874-07:00Valentine's Printable Lunch Tags
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I wanted to do something fun for the kids that didn't cost a lot. I usually send something fun in their lunch every year and thought it would be fun to send some lunch box printables all week long. A few were left with some extra space to add a little note to make it more meaningful.
Click here to download the Free Lunch Box Tags.
I also Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-67648557503800268522020-01-27T19:45:00.000-07:002020-01-27T20:11:08.796-07:00Twelve Ways to Help a Family Planning a Funeral
When Preslee, our 18 month old daughter passed away, (read more about it here) Patrick and I were in our early twenties and were at a loss when it came to knowing how to plan a funeral. It was difficult for us to focus and remembering everything that needed to be done before the funeral was difficult. We were grateful for family and friends who stepped in to help.
When someone you care about Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-64500573632840650742020-01-26T21:00:00.001-07:002020-01-26T21:00:44.570-07:00Gone Too Soon
It was a warm summer evening and I was counting down the minutes until my husband and I could leave for our date. It had been ages since we had been able to get away on our own. My in-laws had agreed to watch our 18-month-old daughter, Preslee, while we attended a movie. As soon as we walked through the door, Preslee took off running to join her older cousins. As I said goodbye and attempted toAshleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-42332974462324418452020-01-08T20:51:00.002-07:002020-01-09T08:52:08.230-07:00Made with Love
With the start of a new year, a new decade even, I've made it a goal to be more present with the people I care about. As a stay at home mom who uses Walmart pick-up to grocery shop, I can go days without seeing anyone outside of my home. I've made it a goal to check in on friends and neighbors a little more often and I tend to dislike showing up empty handed. I've learned that an inexpensive Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-50663612900289038512019-12-14T07:38:00.002-07:002019-12-14T07:38:23.073-07:00How to Help Someone Grieving During the Holidays
The Holidays are quickly approaching, and though it’s a magical time for most, those who have experienced a recent loss tend to struggle. Family gatherings and celebrations are often a painful reminder of what is missing in their life. As I think back over the past nine years following my daughter’s death, I realize there were many people who made a conscious effort to help us get through the Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-89638368530710176582019-08-13T20:19:00.001-06:002019-08-13T20:21:07.717-06:00WE CAN DO HARD THINGS-(Whittlee hamblin)On the day that Whittlee Hamblin’s husband, Stewart, was given a clean bill of health from a brain tumor he was diagnosed with last year, she was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. This news came as nothing short of a shock to their systems. Having a young family, their oldest daughter is 5 and their twin daughters are 4, they never anticipated facing these heavy health related trials at Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-32138620182006103562019-06-13T14:17:00.001-06:002019-06-13T14:17:30.860-06:00WE CAN DO HARD THINGS-(ALEXIS KOONTZ)We say over and over again here on this blog that the most important thing is to just show up for someone who is trudging through a painful trial. And yet, even those of us who have lived through the unthinkable ourselves can still struggle to know how to show our solicitude when such a trial shows up for a loved one. That is what the “We Can Do Hard Things” series is about. Sometimes you may Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-27649586920701072842019-06-13T07:44:00.001-06:002019-06-13T07:44:23.424-06:00How to Support a Grieving Dad
Sometimes I feel guilty. I have received so much support over the years after losing Preslee, but sometimes it hurts because Patrick isn't always included. I have received so many gifts, and Patrick - only a few. People will talk to me about Preslee, and many times won't acknowledge Patrick in the same conversation.
I've learned this isn't uncommon.
So we wanted to share what Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-22359994001803475522019-05-29T12:49:00.000-06:002019-05-29T12:55:57.531-06:00WE CAN DO HARD THINGS-(MICHELLE NEWMAN)“A woman asked me, ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’Without hesitation the answer came to me,‘So that great things happen to the world.’Just about every good cause and every charity is rooted in some form of tragedy or trial. I truly believe experiences can make you bitter or better. For many years my son’s death made me bitter. I was suicidal, depressed, anxious, angry and trauma Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-67365728775411632532019-03-19T09:25:00.000-06:002019-03-20T19:39:33.427-06:00WE CAN DO HARD THINGS-(ASHLEE BIRK Boyson)On March 11, 2011, Ashlee Birk Boyson was made a widow by two shots of a gun. Her husband was having an affair with his paralegal and her husband found them at a Walgreens and decided to use weapons instead of words. She had just given birth to their fifth child, and now found herself a 28-year-old widow. After a murder trial two years later, and still stuck in the victimhood of those bullets andAshleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-65223822450628374502019-01-31T07:21:00.000-07:002019-01-31T09:08:20.231-07:00How to Host a Galentines Day Party
I’m a stay at home mom with four kids and every now and then I need some girl time with friends! One of my favorite things to do is throw a party and bring everyone together. Next month in light of Valentines Day, I thought it would be fun to get all the girls together for a Galentine’s Party. I’m excited and wanted to help you throw your own! Here are a few tips and tricks I’ve learned to help Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-46323816342369074742019-01-30T07:14:00.000-07:002019-01-30T07:14:51.318-07:002019 Favorite Things Gift Guide
I’ve hosted a few parties where we’ve exchanged favorite gifts and the number one question I get is “What should I bring?” My love language is giving gifts so I’m constantly thinking, writing down ideas, and browsing stores for ideas. It’s not hard when you look around your house to think of some common favorite items you use daily. Below are some of my favorite things to give you Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-42693847772496220972019-01-23T19:39:00.000-07:002019-01-28T09:57:28.621-07:00WE CAN DO HARD THINGS-(LAURA NEIBAUR)
There are some trials that are quite obvious for the outside world to see: a death in the family, a hospital stay, a divorce, or a major illness or injury. Then there are trials that may not be quite as obvious. When a family is struggling through a financial crisis, those on the outside may not immediately be aware of the problem. The judgement, fear and shame that come with financial Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-91092376489673830362018-12-05T13:38:00.001-07:002018-12-05T13:38:17.431-07:00WE CAN DO HARD THINGS-(JENNA LIESCH)There are some stories that can only be described as miraculous. Judah Liesch’s is definitely one of those. Arriving on the scene exactly 100 days before his due date, Judah sent 184 total days in two separate neonatal intensive care units before he was finally able to go home (a few extra medical supplies in tow) to his 3 siblings and incredible parents. Today, he is a growing and happy 2 year Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-19935140835736031112018-11-26T14:12:00.001-07:002018-12-10T10:08:59.824-07:00Give Presentlee’s christmas project
The first Christmas after losing Preslee was awful. With no kids to focus on, and missing Preslee more than we could bare, Pat and I didn’t even discuss Christmas. I just couldn’t get myself to go there. We didn’t decorate, we didn’t watch a single Christmas movie, we avoided it all costs. We desperately hoped family wouldn’t ask us to watch nephews and nieces open presents that year. We just Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-77040080486068089112018-11-21T00:00:00.000-07:002018-11-21T07:08:05.044-07:00WE CAN DO HARD THINGS-(ALEATHA CHILD)Most people know that upwards of 25 percent of recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage, but did you know that less than 5 percent of those women will go on to have recurrent miscarriages? When someone you love losses a pregnancy, or two, or maybe even more, it is hard to know what to say or do. As their arm’s ache over never having a chance to hold the little life they were growing, your heart Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-48527581413215342032018-10-24T00:00:00.000-06:002018-10-24T13:26:46.979-06:00We CAN DO HARD THINGS-(LINSEY JACKSON)
When Linsey Jackson was only 25 years old, her father passed away from cancer. Due to personal reasons, her and her family moved in with her parents right as her father began treatment. Despite having to watch their grandpa go through cancer treatment, her family (and especially her children) brought a happiness to the home that he needed. He loved all 4 of his grandsons so much and seeing Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-14435669669297056902018-10-11T09:47:00.001-06:002018-10-11T09:47:09.041-06:00We Can Do Hard Things–(LeAnne Lavender)Meet LeAnne Lavender. (Yes, that is her real name, and she says it’s a major upgrade from her maiden name!) She met Mr. Lavender in 2010 and married him 3 years later. Their first two years of marriage included Derek graduating from law school, moving into their 410 square foot garage while they worked on their fixer-upper home and hosting bonfires and game nights.Everything changed for them on Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1382136325822253148.post-37470458726888062732018-08-28T21:48:00.001-06:002018-08-28T21:50:45.624-06:00Family Command CenterLast year when Cannon and Cruiz entered preschool I felt so scattered with three kids in school! I dropped the ball a couple of times and knew I needed to come up with a way to stay organized during the school year. Though there are a million AMAZING pictures and ideas on Pinterest, I want something practical, affordable, doable! And I have limited space. So this week we’re focusing on Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17807238490395570269noreply@blogger.com1