Ashton's HUGE Accomplishment...

Ashton is really into American Girl Dolls. She got her first Bitty Baby from Aunt Marie, Uncle Jeff, Peyton, and Cameron when she was 3. Then when she became a Big Sister Mamo and Papo bought Elizabeth for her. Well, this summer Ashton decided she wanted to add a "Just Like Me" doll to her doll family. We told her she could save her money and buy it herself {Actually we told her she had to save half by herself and we would kick in the the other half just because saving $50 is a hard thing for a little girl to do} or she could wait and put it on her Christmas list. She decided to save her money.

She gets an allowance each week for doing her jobs. She has the ability to earn a total of $4 each if week . Half of the allowance she earns goes into her savings account and the other half she gets to keep and do what she wants with it. She saved every single bit of allowance she earned. She even did extra jobs to earn money. She quickly figured out that the "extra" money all went straight to her piggy bank so that was one reason she did so many extra jobs. Hey, whatever works. We appreciated the extra help and were happy to reward her for it.

Yesterday was the day she FINALLY reached her goal and here it is...

$51

This girl was so beyond excited to have reached her goal. She couldn't wait for Daddy to get home to share the big news with him. She and I were doing the happy dance, hugging, hi-5-ing...oh it was such a great moment! I had tears in my eyes and you couldn't wipe that ginormous smile off her face!

{Landry even ran around with a coupon yelling I TEN DOLLARS, I TEN DOLLARS}

So today after school, we took her to the American Girl store and let her buy her doll. She had her purse, her wallet and her American Girl Gift certificate that she has been saving since her birthday back in July~she was all set. She was so incredibly proud of herself and so thrilled. I was a little wrapped up in the moment that my dingy self FORGOT to whip out the camera and take pictures of her buying her doll...with her very own money! I am still kicking myself. A priceless moment not caught on camera but it will be in our memories forever I am sure.

She very carefully looked at the dolls and chose one that has dark brown hair with no bangs and the correct length, blue eyes, freckeles, and teeth. The only thing this doll is missing is earrings. She is hoping to get a gift card for Christmas so she can take Aubrey back to get her ears pierced {yep they do this at the doll hair salon and they even get SIX pairs of earrings}

The sales lady asked her did she want the doll out of the box....of course she did. Then she asked if she wanted the piggy tails in or out....well out of course since Ashton didn't have piggy tails and she had a headband in just like the doll.

Ashton hasn't stopped smiling since. This was a HUGE accomplishment for our BG....it is hard to save your money for that long especially when you are seven, but the pay off was well worth it! We are so proud of her...

Just after we got home, we took a picture of Ashton with all of her dolls. Aubrey (the newest addition and named by Ashton) on the left, Annalise (also named by Ashton) in the middle, and Elizabeth on the right.

Ashton....Mommy and Daddy are so incredibly proud of you Big Girl!