Ashley Shannon
Ashley is a wife, mother, and self-appointed adventure curator. She spends her time learning dinosaur names with her kindergartener son, chasing after her toddler daughter, and taking walks with her family, which includes her 150 lb. English mastiff "puppy." As a lifelong learner, she is excited to explore the Charleston area and to paint her experience of motherhood with words.
A Letter To Our Hurricane Hosts
To Our Gracious Hurricane Florence Hosts,
I met your family four years ago while we were visiting my husband's aunt and uncle (your parents). Even though we have not seen each other since then, you...
The Ponds; A New Home Community With Something For Everyone
Imagine this: You’re rocking on your front porch, sweet tea within arm’s reach, immersed in a book recommended by your neighborhood book club. The sun is getting lower in the sky, and your middle...
Kids Music That Won’t Drive You BONKERS
It’s inevitable . . . the book, television show, movie, toy, or (fill in the blank) that most annoys you will be your child’s favorite. I’m looking at you, singing cube toy!
When it comes...
Closet Cleanup: A Father’s Day Surprise
Dilemma: Messy Closet
Occasion: Father’s Day
Opportunity: My husband’s business trip
Solution: Closet Cleanup for a Father’s Day surprise
Neither my husband nor I are what you would call fashionable (unless it’s fashionably late, then yes!...
To the Moms Who Came Before Me. . .
Warm smells.
That’s what I remember about my childhood visits to my grandparents’ house.
Every morning, my grandma made me breakfast: oatmeal with a spoon full of honey and a pinch of salt. If I was...
Mr. Gator, My Kids, and Me: A Hiking Adventure
The sun was warm on our faces, and the leaves crunched beneath our feet. We were happily chatting away, finding fallen trees to climb on and bugs to observe.
My son, daughter, and I...
4 Audiobooks to Share with Your Daughters
Even before I learned how to read, I loved stories. My mom had a magical way of sharing stories. If asked, she would say her love of stories came from being read to by...
A No-Spend Month: What We Did and What I Learned
Last week, on a rare date night, I convinced my husband (over a yummy plate of bruschetta) that we should embark on a month of no spending. Why you might ask? Although I’m sure...
How to Winter in Charleston (From a Cold-Climate Soul)
10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Growing up, that's where the thermometer’s mercury had to hover before we weren't allowed to play outside (granted the wind chill was also in the negative).
There's a reason they call my home...
6 Things I Never Experienced Before Charleston
The first time I visited Charleston, I was very pregnant. We received the unexpected news that my husband's job was being transferred to South Carolina early one Monday morning. Having never been to Charleston,...