Tulip Festival Travel Vlog | Baby Bump Keeps Growing!

The Annual Wooden Shoe Farm Tulip Festival in Woodburn, Oregon is known for its acres upon acres of colorful blooms that grace the Portland countryside.  We went on opening weekend last year and absolutely fell in love with the picturesque scenery and fresh smell of thousands of newly bloomed tulips.
 

We loved it so much we decided to bring Alva with us on this year's adventure to opening weekend.  However, we were disappointed to find an underwhelming number of tulips in bloom.  In fact, just several rows of reds and yellows had blossomed.  Turns out the rest have been stifled into a late bloom due to the abnormally cold winter and wet spring Oregon has experienced this year.  

The pictures used in this blog are from last year's (normal) opening weekend.  Acres of beautiful tulips for as far as the eye can see, set against a backdrop of clear blue skies, a traditional Dutch windmill, and the graceful outline of Mount Hood.

Lesson learned: check with the local news before heading out to the farm.  However, we still had fun, we got VERY muddy (I'm blaming pregnancy brain for failing to realize we should bring towels and wipes with us when bringing a dog to a field that has had a very wet spring).  We cannot wait to bring Welles with us next year, to not just experience the tulips in my belly but also in person!

Check out the vlog below of our fun and exciting day at the Tulip Festival!  Caution: mud on the baby belly may be involved : )

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SNAP ME! @AshleyEBeauty

5K at 5 MONTHS PREGNANT Vlog! | PORTLAND'S SHAMROCK RUN

I'd never participated in a 5K before, and was signed up for Portland's annual Shamrock Run just several weeks into my first trimester by my fiancé.  At this point the back aches and extra weight of a large balloon-sized belly hadn't set in and, desiring to be as active as possible during my pregnancy, agreed to my first 5K.

Portland's annual Shamrock Run attracts thousands of people every year, from half-marathon runners, 5K runners, power-walkers, and walking families with strollers alike (we fit into this last group).  It was a crisp early Spring morning that faded into a warm day, perfect weather for some prenatal exercise!  

I would be lying if my back wasn't aching by the end of it, or uncomfortable at points when my bladder (which remains ever full these days) felt like a water balloon jiggling in my stomach, but was it worth it in the end?  Hell yes.

Interested in MORE pregnancy vlogs?  Check out my YouTube!

    

SNAP ME! @AshleyEBeauty

21 & 22 Weeks Pregnant | SEEING THE BABY'S FACE!

Here I am at 22 weeks pregnant and I cannot believe how fast the time is flying by.  It felt like just yesterday I found out I was pregnant, and it seemed as if we had all the time in the world to get ready.  Now, the second trimester is winding down, and the home stretch of the 3rd trimester feels like it is coming up so fast!

The past two weeks have been intensely busy with us moving into a new house and having two doctor visits.  The first was our routine midwife visit and the second was a follow-up anatomy ultrasound.  Everything went great and we were even able to get some very clear and accurate 3D pics of little Welles' face!  It's crazy how fast he's growing and how human-like he now looks.

In this vlog I go into more detail on our doctor visits, share some of ultrasounds pics, and let you know the goods on what it feels like to be 22 weeks pregnant!  Make sure you check it out, as well as all of my other pregnancy vlogs.

Interested in MORE pregnancy vlogs?  Check out my YouTube!

    

SNAP ME! @AshleyEBeauty

Syracuse Travel Vlog | Baby Gender Reveal & Surprise Engagement!

Surprise!  We traveled back to Syracuse from Portland to surprise our family with a gender reveal! We told our family to gather for a gender reveal via Skype, but little did they know we had other plans.  Make sure you check out the whole amazing surprise in the video!

Unfortunately, I was sick for most of the long weekend, and didn't start feeling better until we went back to Portland four days later.  There are very few safe medications to take when you're sick while pregnant, so it was mostly honey, tea, and ultra soft and strong tissues for me.

Oh yea...Brandon shocked everyone with a surprise proposal at the end of the gender reveal!  Thankfully, there were several people recording and that made it into the vlog as well.  Share in the joy and excitement with us and check out the vlog!

Interested in MORE vlogs?  Check out my YouTube!

  

Snap Me! AshleyEBeauty