Ashley Stork

22/12/2023

Our girl is three! THREE. I can hardly believe it. The last year has been full of s***k, spice, learning, excitement and some harder times too. This girl makes life joyful, fun and silly. It’s an honor to be her mom and watch her grow. HBD my girl 💗 May you always know how loved you are, keep Jesus in your heart, and never let that strong will go 🤪 👗 📸

16/12/2023

Not enough squares for all the pics from celebrating our girl(not sure I even got a pic of her and her grandparents 🤦🏼‍♀️) I can’t believe she’ll be 3 next week. It’s all gone by in the blink of an eye. Grateful for all the wonderful friends in our lives who came to celebrate today. Annie girl, you are s***ky, spicey, silly, funny, loving, caring and have a heart of gold. Time is a thief mamas make it slow down!

15/11/2023

My phone is torturing me with iPhone memories today. Probably the hardest thing of infertility is mourning what you thought your family would look like. My dream was to have 4 kids. I always wanted a giant family. Then getting pregnant proved to be harder than we anticipated so my dream number went down to 3, then 2 then it went to I just want to be able to get pregnant. If you are experiencing secondary infertility, or infertility for the first or second time, just know you aren’t alone 💗 your grief over whatever you may be grieving is valid.

24/09/2023

Been MIA this week but couldn’t think of a better reason to be —- is a wrap & was our best sale yet. These are the women who make it all happen. They have become more than just mom friends, they are some of my closest friends, confidants and mom coaches 🤣 whenever I find myself with a “mom” question they are some of the first ones I ask. & I couldn’t put on the sale we do without all of them. We’re tired and our feet and backs still hurt but man our hearts are full!

05/09/2023

Dreaming of cooler temps, sweaters and an all over cozy vibe? Me too but it’s 91 in Alabama today 🫠 so I created this guide to share my top 6 tips, using what you have in your closet, to transition your summer wardrobe to a fall vibe even when it’s still hotter than hell our side 🤣 It is all about changing fabrics, layering, and adjusting colors to feel more in season. Best part is it’s free! Sign up at the link in my bio👗

17/08/2023

Family photos can feel overwhelming & stressful to coordinate everyone’s attire with the shoot location, make sure everyone is happy with their look nevermind get there on time and your kids not make that weird smile they picked up yesterday(IYKYK). Enter me! I would love to help you curate a look for your whole family. We can source every item needed or look at pieces you may already have. Fall family photos are coming up & I would love to help you! DM me for more info!

11/08/2023

It may be August and still be 95+ degrees outside but fall fashion is dropping in stores now! Red is the color of the season, but also some really beautiful purples, blues, greens and this tan/taupe color I am in love with. What’s your fave?

08/08/2023

Elevate Your Brand Story 📸✨
When stepping in front of the camera for your brand shoot, it's not just about what you wear – it's about weaving your entire brand identity into each element.

This was a shoot I did for my former wedding planning business. We had several team members, location, and brand elements to consider.

When choosing your color palette, it should be reflective of your brand but does not have to be exact brand colors.

You should include brand elements like deliverables you create, products, etc. that are is in your brand color palette. I did weddings of all types, and styles but for shoots I focused on showcasing the ones I felt reflected my style as a designer & business I wanted to replicate the most. This single handily changed the clients that booked me.

Where you have your shoot is just as important. If your brand is light and airy, but you shoot in a dark and industrial space your images will be confusing. For this shoot, we wanted to shoot in our office space as we wanted potential clients to feel comfortable with the space before they even walked in. Even being in a space we worked in regularly, we still had to do somethings to bring the brand more to life in the space. I added new pillows, flowers on the table, and changed out images in frames to be more cohesive with the brand.

Every detail shapes your visual narrative.

17/07/2023

Routines are essential to my schedule & maintaining my sanity honestly. The predictability that routines give me gives me comfort. The amount of decision making that we do as women, especially as moms, is exhausting. For me, routines take out some of that constant decision making and streamlines it. What are some routines that you find essential?

08/07/2023

‘Cause baby you’re a firework 🎇🎆

02/07/2023

The start of a new month makes me so happy! The start of a month of a holiday weekend can be hard. We will get thrown back into the work week and then before we know it the first 8-9 days of the month are spent. While you have some free time this weekend, grab your calendar and work through these couple of monthly prep steps. I promise you you will feel more centered, and more prepared for the month ahead! Let me know how your monthly prep goes 💐

27/06/2023

Nothing like a post I meant to post last week that I am just now getting up 🫠🫠 planning, creating content, and then executing it is alottttt of work. So here we are. Anyways while it’s still June, here are a few questions to ask yourself as you look at the rest of the year & what goals you have for yourself.

25/06/2023

12/06/2023

My BFF started saying this to each other a couple months ago. We are both juggling full time jobs, new businesses, mom/wife life, friends, etc. Often all of those things pull at us in a day & if we operate a day reacting rather than being proactive, forget it. I know I end the day feeling tired, frustrated, and like I didn’t do what I set out to accomplish that day. Here are a few strategies to help you run your day:
1. Review your calendar the night before & create a top 3 to do list (my top 3 notepad is linked in my bio)
2. In the morning, remind yourself of your top 3. Make those your intentions for the day.
3. Prioritize taking care of yourself at some point in the day — time to read, workout, journal. Whatever is going to give your brain a break & also bring some peace along with it.
4. Digital distractions are real. Set timers, settings on apps/email, whatever you need to in order to stay the course. Remember you are in control of your day!

07/06/2023

Look! A post! Anyone else miss pics on Instagram? Am I old now? Don’t answer that… Just a reminder that the goal of systems and processes in your home/family life is not to have an Instagram/Pinterest “worthy” life.
It’s to make space for the things that matter to you most. What’s a system or process that serves you & your family well?

31/05/2023

🎉 I am so overwhelmed by the very kind words & encouragement about my new branding & products. I have loved planners, notebooks, journals, stationery of all kinds really since middle school. I have been working hard behind the scenes in creating my own planner & products to empower women to organize, plan, and live with purpose.

To celebrate this new adventure, I am doing a giveaway for some of my favorite planning products!
- My top 3 notepad — literally my secret weapon in productivity
- My FAVE pens
- The best label maker
- Your own personalized accessory bag

To be entered:
- Follow
- Like THIS post
- Tag 3 friends in the comments you think would enjoy following my content
- Bonus 5 entries for sharing this post to your stories (be sure to tag me!)

Giveaway closes Thursday June 1st at 5p CST
*This giveaway is not sponsored by Instagram.

28/04/2023

2019-2020. From fall ‘18-Dec ‘19, we reviewed over 80 birth mother profiles. We presented our profile 46 times. Every time we were told no. It costs money every time you present your profile. It costs money for every IUI treatment. It costs your time, stress, anxiety. I continued therapy & medication which gave me incredible tools for working through generalized anxiety disorder, the stress and toll infertility & adoption were taking but I had the tools & was caring for myself in a way I hadn’t before. Truly 2019 was the year I learned what caring for myself meant. At the end of 2019 after a particularly heartbreaking end to a potential adoption, i told Lee I was done and I couldn’t keep doing this. Let’s talk to our doctor about IVF & see what our chances are.

1/20, I began meds, supplements, and protocol for a Jan 2020 for egg retrieval. We had a successful egg retrieval & ended up with 4 embryos. My doctor decided I needed to wait a cycle before transferring so we froze all 4 embryos. I had to have a cyst removed in Feb and once my cycle started we could transfer. I missed the march 2020 transfer cycle. I was devestated the wait would continue. 3/17/20 the world shut down. Luckily our doctors office quickly sprang into action developing plans for patients already in treatment. We transferred 2 embryos on 4/9/20. 10 days later we got the call that changed our lives. My blood work showed strong HCG levels and it appeared both embryos took. I only got to attend 3 appointments with Lee. In your first trimester at the fertility clinic you go every 2 weeks before being released to your do . We got to see baby A&B at our first & second ultrasounds. At the third, baby B wasn’t growing and was not viable. We were told there would be a high chance of this. It was still very bittersweet, another Angel baby we won’t know earthside. Following that 10 week appointment, we had a very boring pregnancy. The exact kind you want. December 22,2020 our world changed forever. Continued in the comments…

27/04/2023

Post 4 of 5: 2018-2019. What a blur. I was in my busiest wedding seasons ever, traveling often, began therapy for anxiety & depression, our family was dealing with some difficult situations and in spring 2018 we started clomid. Clomid for me was the worst fertility drug I’ve been on to this day. Now that I was down a tube, we would try it for a few months and then if we weren’t pregnant discuss further options. I was angry all the time, bloated, hot, and cranky. Sorry if you had to deal with me in the year 2018.

After clomid was proving to be unsuccessful, my OBGYN referred us to I had dye tests to be sure my remaining tube wasn’t blocked, polys and cysts removed which delayed IUI cycles which means more waiting. We would start with IUI treatments and go from there. Lee and I both felt unsure of IVF and really didn’t think we wanted to go down that route. Adoption had always been part of our family planning and we decided we weren’t getting any younger so we started the adoption process WHILE going through IUI treatment. DO NOT DO THAT. That is too much & someone should have told me. I was still in therapy but if I’m being honest I wasn’t doing the work. I was pretending I was to check off a box to make myself feel better.

Fall 2018 was what I refer to as the epic mess. I was overbooked, overworked, medication was wrecking havoc on my body & mind, burning out rapidly. It all came to a head when I heard God say “you cannot be a mother like this. You cannot be the mother you want to be if you continue on this path”. I knew it was time to make some big changes personally & professionally. Pics from fall 2018 on our 10 year anniversary trip. We had paused IUI for this trip, and received our first adoption no while we were there.

09/04/2023

Happy Easter ✝️ our Savior is the Risen King! May we live our lives with the joy of today everyday. Peep that last pic for real toddler life. 🐣🐰

05/04/2023

Tonight we said goodbye to our best girl. Devastated doesn’t begin to cover it. Lucy was my wedding gift 14.5 years ago. For the first couple weeks she was so tiny I carried her in my sweatshirt pocket. She went everywhere with me. Lucy was everyone’s dog. She was the sweetest with anyone she ever met. Back in the day, she was my escape artist, loved running around, would be in the yard all day. She adjusted ok when Annie came along. After a while it got to the point where she just couldn’t move well so she had no choice but to play with Anne Rawlins 🤣 she was my first baby. We have had dogs for 15 years and to go from 2 to none in the last year is so strange. We hope Charlie & Lucy are in doggie heaven bothering the crap outta each other like the good ole days. We love you Loo. 🌈

31/03/2023

Creating a morning routine was a game changer for me as a new mom. Before becoming a mom, I was on my schedule and could start my day how I pleased. That blew up after having Anne Rawlins and I knew I needed to start my day without being needed right away. I am a better mom when I can get up & dressed and do at least one thing for myself before she hits the ground running. Waking up to a screaming baby/toddler who needs you immediately is not exactly a lovely to welcome the day 🤣
So these are is my tip to creating a routine you love and that serves you well:
Don’t put more than 5 things on your AM routine list. I recommend starting with 3. Stick to the 3 for at least a month and then add 1 more if you want. Don’t rush it.
What to include in your routine? For me, it’s something for myself, something to care for our home, & something that’s going to make the evening easier. The thing for me is to get up earlier than my daughter, start the coffee, and if I’m lucky read my daily devotional. Something to care for our home may be unload/load dishwasher, switch out some laundry, or put something away I’ve been putting off. My husband and I share caring for our home but truthfully I am just home more than he is and so more does fall to me. We both function better in a neat space. Something to make the evening easier normally revolves around dinner. So if I can chop something while making breakfast or even pull something out of the freezer that’s one less step later when I am more tired.

What is something in your AM routine or something you want to include?

21/03/2023

My number 1 productivity tip:
At the end of your day, set your top 3 to dos/goals for tomorrow.

The primary caretaker in a family completes something like an average of 59 tasks every day. It is super easy to let these tasks rule your day before you even have a chance to get your day going.

These top 3 things should be the things that are going to move you towards your goals, are important & necessary and/or have high urgency.

I also like to complete one of these tasks before I check my email or let other things derail my day.

This list can be a sticky note on your computer, a quick list you jot in a notebook, in your phone or in your planner. Doesn’t have to be fancy!

In transparency, I haven’t made my list for tomorrow but I am about to!