Episode 99
Join Us for This Week’s Episode of A Day In Her Life with Ashlee McHugh!
This week, Ellie sits down with Ashlee McHugh, a former lawyer turned business owner who helps creatives navigate contracts with confidence. She’s also a mom living in Louisiana, and let’s jump into her chaotic yet routine, fulfilling days.
What We Discuss:
Morning Person Energy: How Ashlee starts her day with a to-do list, 10-year journal, and a healthy dose of Substack reading and podcast listening.
Morning Shift with Her Daughter: The daily routine that allows Ashlee time to get ready in the morning and how she and her husband divide and conquer.
Nightly Laundry & Early Bedtime: The systems that keep her household running smoothly—and how being an early sleeper helps.
Career Pivot to Entrepreneurship: Why Ashlee left her legal career and how she built a business that supports creatives.
A Lifetime Sport: The new hobby she’s picked up that’s keeping her moving and connected.
Friendship Habits: The simple way she reaches out to friends when they pop into her mind.
European Summer Travel: The family trip that sparked a new tradition—and how they're planning their next adventure.
Making Friends in a New City: How Ashlee made connections after moving to New Orleans, and the mindset shift that helped her embrace the awkwardness of making adult friends.
This episode is a refreshing look at how one woman blends structure with spontaneity, ambition with rest, and motherhood with community. Don’t miss it!
Follow Ashlee
[AshleeHightower.com](http://AshleeHightower.comhttps://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fashleehightower.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DPAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacSOudE-XkiVUEV_Qfbnxdqa8uVw-Jnn91s-toGRqRnMujCmXk5e_YSIaSooQ_aem_74sLnIvk8bwf1DJnFCX86g&e=AT2Zf22d-Rgy5KdhLSwORt-ve_gNUpCAtzmjRXGc00Bs0HCldX9DrK4jECcVDGdEGffIDfAoMQt5_FldCGU1A-NmwETS6Y9b0zSQda8)
Here For This - Ashlee’s Substack
References
[00:01:27] Ellie: Let's jump in. Welcome to today's episode of A Day in Her Life podcast. Today I am so thrilled to be here with Ashley McHugh.
I'm so excited for this conversation. Ashley's a longtime listener and we are connected by another guest, Monica. So thank you Monica, for the connection. Hi Ashley. How's it going today?
[00:01:44] Ashlee: Hey Ellie. Great. Happy to be here. Thanks for having me.
[00:01:48] Ellie: Absolutely. Let's jump right in. Can you tell me who you are, what you do, or how you fill your days and what your household looks like?
[00:01:56] Ashlee: sure. So my name is Ashley. Ew. I live in New Orleans, Louisiana with my husband and a 4-year-old little boy. We've been in New Orleans now for almost four years. We were previously in Houston and then Washington DC before that in Birmingham, Alabama before. I'm an attorney and I run my own business called Contracts or creatives where I help small business owners and creative entrepreneurs with all their contract needs.
I also have a little side kind of business where I share more lifestyle content and life in New Orleans. Our travels with our family and kind of everyday, everyday style. And that's Cobalt Chronicles. I have a Instagram and a that I.
[00:02:44] Ellie: Awesome. I have some questions for you about contracts, so I'll, we'll come back to those at the end. But let's do a few rapid fires. Do you prefer coffee or tea,
[00:02:53] Ashlee: Coffee,
[00:02:54] Ellie: reading or watching tv
[00:02:57] Ashlee: tv. I don't watch it often, but TV
[00:03:00] Ellie: beach or mountains,
[00:03:01] Ashlee: Beach.
[00:03:03] Ellie: sweet or savory,
[00:03:05] Ashlee: Sweet.
[00:03:06] Ellie: chocolate or vanilla?
[00:03:08] Ashlee: Mm, vanilla.
[00:03:10] Ellie: And then describe your days in three words if you can.
[00:03:14] Ashlee: Ooh. Okay. Let's see. I'd say chaotic, but also routine and fulfilling.
[00:03:24] Ellie: I love that. So fun fact. The original name that I had for the podcast before one of my friends was like A day in her life is what you should call it. And the URL was available was routine chaos.
[00:03:35] Ashlee: Oh, really?
[00:03:36] Ellie: That's, I even have the URL still probably for that. 'cause I'm just one of those people, if I think of something, I'm like, I'm gonna see if there's a URL available.
Which is a weird habit of mine. But yeah. So I love that.
[00:03:46] Ashlee: That's funny. Yeah.
[00:03:48] Ellie: You mentioned you've been in New Orleans for four years. What brought you to New Orleans? Just curious.
[00:03:53] Ashlee: Yeah, so I'm originally from Louisiana. I'm from North Louisiana, from Shreveport, and my husband is from Mobile, but his family is actually from Baton Rouge and they've all moved back to Baton Rouge except for one sister. So all our family's in Louisiana and we just wanted to kind of get closer to family, but we've lived in a bunch of big cities, so, you know, picking a city in Louisiana that's big and that's New Orleans, and we always visited New Orleans, you know, a ton when we were dating and, you know, growing up in Louisiana.
So we just love it here and it's the first place we've bought a house. So that's what I tell everyone. I'm like, we're staying because we, we have didn't buy a house anywhere else. So yes, we we're here,
[00:04:34] Ellie: I love that. That's fun. I, my, I've been in New Orleans a few times, but once I was there for work and I got a speeding ticket going over
[00:04:42] Ashlee: Oh.
[00:04:42] Ellie: really long bridge that leaves Louisiana, that like super long bridge. 'cause I was taking a picture. Terrible.
[00:04:51] Ashlee: Well,
[00:04:52] Ellie: Yep. I deserve that. Let's say,
[00:04:54] Ashlee: yeah. Yeah. No, yeah, I'd a, it's a, it's an interesting city. You do have to, you know, deal with, there's a lot of traffic and street and infrastructure woes that you have to put up with here, but you know, the good outweighs the, the headaches.
[00:05:07] Ellie: I love it. So let's jump right in. Let's start with your mornings. What time do you get up? What do you do for breakfast? Do you do breakfast? And let's go kind of until you get your kids off to your kid, off to school.
[00:05:17] Ashlee: Okay, sure. So, my husband wakes up very early before me to go work out. So his alarm goes off, I don't know, five 20 ish, and then mine goes off at five 30. But I usually hit snooze once or twice, but I'm typically up before 6:00 AM. I have always been an early riser, a morning person. I feel like I, even before I had my child, I woke up even earlier.
And especially I used to work. In my first career out of law school at a traditional law firm, and I would wake up at like crazy hours. So I've always been a morning person. I get up before six and go straight to my coffee machine and my beloved espresso machine and make a coffee. First thing, which I know is probably, you know, I should drink some water in the morning, but it's what, it's, I get my coffee and I usually have about like 45 minutes, maybe an hour if I'm lucky to myself before my child wakes up.
So I love that part of my morning. I grab my journal, my planner, my to-do list and my computer and sit on the couch and enjoy my coffee. And the first thing I try to do every morning is journal. I have a 10 year journal. So it's just five lines in a journal each morning, so, you know, just jot something down, whatever's on my mind and it's fun to look back.
I actually started the journal in 2020, so that was an interesting year to. So I have a lot of, I, you know, everything that was going on in 2020 and I also was pregnant then too. So there's lots of fun things to look back on every day. So I start my morning with the journal and then get on my planner.
I'm like an old school planner person. I like write everything down. So I have my planner look at the day, have my legal pad to-do list, and jot down things that are, you know, going on that day, my to-do list. And I try to push off getting on the computer for as long as I can, but then I typically have my computer and I have.
I'd say like several newsletters and substack that I really enjoy like reading while I'm having my coffee. I love the Morning Brew as a quick catch up on the news and like kind of a quick hit of what's happening during the day. And let's see, what are the other, I love Axios, new Orleans, like a local Axios column that just shares like New Orleans and like local things that are going on.
Read that. And then what, I'm trying to think of my favorite Substack right now. I always read Grace at the Stripe. I love hers. And Jessica of an Indigo Day, hers is great. And then Emily in your phone is like a political one that I like to read. I feel like she makes things digestible and like actionable.
So those are a couple of the things I like to read in the morning. And then my child usually wakes up around. Like 6 45 today. He slept until seven, which was great. But we, he kind of needs to get out by seven to get the day going and to get our school routine going. My husband is usually done with his workout around the same time, so he is back and like getting ready for the day.
So usually I'll go get my son up and we come downstairs and then my husband kind of takes over like the morning routine, so he'll, he will get breakfast ready for my son and he'll eat breakfast as well at the same time. And they're funny, like they'll just like kind of do their own thing. Watch like sports center.
My child knows like way too much about all the sports. He's so into it and it's hilarious. And they do their thing while I go get dressed and ready for the day. I'll do a quick skin gear, do my makeup, do my hair, get dressed. I usually like. Even though I work from home most days, I like getting dressed and getting kind of fully ready for the day.
It just puts me in the mindset of okay, this is Workday, we're gonna be productive. Obviously there are some days when I'm like, just throw on the athleisure outfit and call it a day. But most days I'd say I like get fully ready and I love like listening to a podcast while I'm getting ready.
I kinda like shut my bedroom door and my bathroom door and let them have their morning time and I have my morning time. And then I'd say that takes about, you know, 30, 40 minutes and then I come back out and get my son's school bag ready, which is pretty easy. We don't have to pack lunch or anything.
It's just like water bottle and kind of get everyone going. My son also loves to play a sport before we leave, so he gets like 10 minutes of whatever sport he picks, which he's getting a little too good. He likes to play tennis a lot and. It's gotten a little outta hand inside. So we do that and then we get out of the door by before eight, so he has to be dropped off at school by eight 20.
So we like to get out the door before eight. So it's kind of like our quick morning at home.
[00:09:58] Ellie: I love that, and I love that your husband takes that time with him so that you can have your getting ready time in, in peace and
[00:10:03] Ashlee: No, it's, it's so nice. Yeah. When I would say when my husband has to travel for work, that's like the one thing where I'm like, okay, please keep sleeping so I can get dressed and quiet, because that's I don't know the pain point of the morning when I'm doing it by myself. I'm like, oh my goodness.
You know little children at your feet while you're trying to, trying to get
[00:10:20] Ellie: understand that my son got up at 4:00 AM this morning, not 4:00 AM five 40. At five 40 he took put on his Tony box 'cause he was awake and I think he went back to sleep, but I was like, what are you doing? And he, he knows not to, he knows not to get out of his room, but I was like, go back to bed.
[00:10:39] Ashlee: Yes, yes. Oh yeah. Staring at the monitor. I'm like, no, it's not time for
[00:10:42] Ellie: I know. What is your I love a 10 year, 10 year journal. I have a five year journal, so I'm a big fan of that. What what planner do you use?
[00:10:52] Ashlee: So I used the Aaron Conran life planner. I have used this planner for, I mean, probably over 10 years. I know I used it in law school. I may have even used it in college. So maybe it's been 15, 20 years. I don't even know. I love it. I order the same one every single year. I get the 18 month one.
[00:11:10] Ellie: I do the same thing. I, I have been using this like style of moleskin planner for.
[00:11:17] Ashlee: Yeah.
[00:11:18] Ellie: Since college and I, I use this for like my dates and like my schedule and I use but I use the like full focus planner for more like my to-dos and like planning tasks and stuff. But like when I feel like when you find your system, you like find your system.
[00:11:33] Ashlee: Yeah. And I've tried to go digital and do the Google calendar and do all the things, and I'll, I'll stick to it for, I don't know, maybe a month, like not even that long. And then I just, I completely abandon it. I use Google Calendar, like for some work stuff, but not I still write those calls and meetings and days like in my planner as well.
So I don't know. I've tried, but I just, I lug around the big, the big paper planner everywhere I go.
[00:12:00] Ellie: You got, you gotta do what you gotta do. What works for you? What, once you drop your son or your son gets to school, what does your. How do you get settled for work? How do you structure your day? Do you have a typical way you like to structure your day? Is, what does that look like?
[00:12:18] Ashlee: Yeah, so I, so we share cars. So we have one car. So I do drop off for everyone in the morning. I drop my son off and then I drop my husband off, and then I'll either work from home or a coffee shop. So I, I usually work from a coffee shop at least two days a week. So I'd say our whole drop off process is like 30 minutes.
So I'm usually at some sort of desk by eight 30. And I usually wait to eat breakfast until then, so I kind of use the like eight 30 to nine to eat my breakfast, like check in to emails and kind of like set the tone for the day. Depending on what I have going on that day, I usually work from eight 30 until three if I'm not going to work out.
If I'm gonna work out that day, I have to shut the work day down at one 30. So it's like really crunch time because we don't have like aftercare or a nanny at this point, so it's me doing the pickup at, you know, the end of the school day. So yeah, so those are kind of my like, work hours. The, it depends kind of what I have going on, like juggling the contracts business with also like the lifestyle blog my focus is always the contracts.
So, you know, that's always like top of mind and doing any client work or focusing on my website. Like I have a lot of stuff going on there right now, especially doing like downloadable templates on the website and working with the SEO person behind the scenes. So, you know, that business is always top of mind.
And then. Just throwing in some of the lifestyle content for the Cobalt Chronicles business. Whether that's like putting up my outfit of the day, I do usually try to share my outfit every single day just because I feel like that's, it's an easy piece of content for me to capture and to link. And also I think people enjoy just seeing like everyday outfits.
So I try to do that every morning as well. And then yeah, kind of like go from there depending on what's on my to-do list for work for the day.
[00:14:08] Ellie: Do you tend to structure your days in specific ways? Like every Monday is emails or Tuesday is client meetings, or how do you, do you have an approach to that?
[00:14:21] Ashlee: Yeah, I'd say not, not like that specific. I usually, I usually write when I sit down on my desk, I have a cadence, I think to the day, but. And not that it's so structured, this is what I do at this time and this is like what I do on this day. But I think just the routine I've gotten in is I'll sit down and, you know, after breakfast and emails, I'll usually post to Cobalt Chronicles Instagram account on stories and get like kind of all that outta the way if I've, like sometimes I'll even like batch posts from stuff the day before that I didn't post, so I'll batch, you know, here's what I did yesterday, but sometimes I don't even say it was yesterday, I just act like it was today.
So I'm usually kind of a day behind on stories. So I'll batch post there, post my outfit of the day, post any sales that are happening. But I try to limit that to like, at least like 30 minutes. I don't like to spend too much time there, especially in January of this year. I made a point to kind of step back from that because it's such a time suck if you let it be.
So I've tried to kind of step back from. Posting so much on stories. I've done that. I've had that business for a long time now, and you know, it's ebb and flowed and I used to share every single part of every single part of my day especially before I had a child. So I really stepped back from that a lot.
So I'll spend, you know, just 30 minutes there and then and then kind of dive into my client contract work from there. And I'd say that takes up the majority of my time. And then it just depends, like for, you know, my substack, I published a post every Tuesday, so if it's Monday, I'm like getting that ready to go.
So I'd say I have more of a weekly cadence like routine instead of you know. Monday is for client calls. This is for this. I do try, you know, there's blocks where I have to have my client calls, so I'll schedule those usually during the morning, but, and I try to end them all by one 30 in case I am gonna go work out that day.
I don't have an interruption there for any, any added excuse not to squeeze that in.
[00:16:17] Ellie: Awesome. You mentioned that you pick up your son, I think around three. How do you wrap up your workday? What does that look like? And then what does your three to dinner look like?
[00:16:29] Ashlee: Yeah, so I usually, like I said, I try to work out. I'd say I go to the gym probably at least realistically, like twice a week. And then I have tennis once a week. So I'll, on those days I wrap up at one 30. If I'm not doing that, I'll wrap up around three and go pick him up from school. And then it kind of depends on the day.
Either we. I also try to save any errands that I can do with him until after pickup, because I don't like those to take up, like the precious time during the workday. So, you know, if we need to go to the grocery store or go to Costco or do a mail like run, I'll save those errands for after pickup.
And then, you know, he loves to just come home and play. So we do that a lot. He also has depending on what we have going on, he always has some sort of therapies after school. He was born prematurely at 27 weeks, so we've had a million therapies ever since he was born. So those are kind of just like part of our weekly routine.
So we do that after school some days of the week. And then I'd say around when we go to therapy, it's a little later, but I'd say around 4 45, I'm like, okay, what are we doing for dinner? Usually I've like thought of, thought of that ahead of time during the day, but not prepped anything. My husband usually gets home from work.
He's pretty good about getting home around like 5, 5 15, which is really nice. So then I can start cooking dinner and it's been amazing with the time change being light outside so much later. So they'll get some outside time. We recently redid our backyard, which has been like amazing because our backyard was kind of unusable before.
So now like I can just sit in them outside in the backyard while I cook dinner and they get outside time and I can get dinner going and we're usually eating since the time change. I say it's a little later just 'cause they do stay outside longer, but we'll eat dinner probably around six. And then. Our day kind of starts, like winding down. I'd say after that my son gets to pick a show that he likes to watch for 20 minutes after dinner. So he is always like very jazzed about that. So we, we, we had to implement early on that everyone has to finish dinner before he can watch a show because he would just, you know, quickly finish dinner and be ready to watch his show.
So he does that. He picks a show and we wrap up dinner around probably six 30. And he, we, we try to like all kind of sit on the couch and watch the show together. If not, like my husband's cleaning up, he kind of does clean up duty with the kitchen, which is amazing. We usually head upstairs for bedtime for him around like 6 45.
He has always been like super routine and like very good sleeper, which is amazing. So he just kind of knows the routine. We go upstairs, brush our teeth, do bath if it's bath night and do books and get ready for bed. And he usually picks who he wants to read his books. So one of us will stay up and read books while the other one comes back downstairs.
And my husband will do the dishes and clean up the kitchen. And then I will usually put on a little laundry and then go shower. I like treasure my nighttime showers, so that's kind of how we like wind down. My son's like part of the day.
[00:19:38] Ellie: What does dinner look like or where do you get inspiration for cooking and how do you, how do you plan that?
[00:19:45] Ashlee: Yeah, so I think I, I kind of have a rotation of like our go-tos. I, we, I cook at home. I'd say definitely Monday through Thursday, and then one or two weekend nights of the weekend. We like to go out to eat, like whether it's Friday night or we usually save it for the evening, so Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening.
But yeah, I'd say I rotate through like our easy go-tos, like yoki and, you know, ground beef pasta sauce or tacos or, I don't know, just like the easy, easy, easy meals. If I need like new inspiration, I love kero chambers. Half baked harvest is always a go-to. But I'm not getting like super creative and sometimes I feel guilty because.
I feel like if it was just me and my child, like my dinners would be so simple, but I've always felt pressured to like, make my husband something because he eats so much. I'm like, we need a meat and some vegetables. And so I try to not feel the pressure to do that. 'cause I don't think he, honestly, it doesn't care.
And he would eat anything. He's like a disposal and, which is nice. Everything I cook, he's thanks, this is great. I'm like, Ooh, okay. It was pretty simple, but thank you. So yeah, do just like rotating through a list of our like easy, easy go-to meals. But I do try to think ahead a little bit, at least like during the day, you know, to thaw out some like chicken or our ground Turkey or, you know, whatever we're having that
[00:21:03] Ellie: That is the crux is like remembering to defrost whatever the thing is. 'cause I am so bad about that and so I always forget to defrost it.
[00:21:14] Ashlee: Yeah. And then the panic sets in at four. I'm like, oh my gosh, I forgot to defrost something. What are we gonna do?
[00:21:18] Ellie: I'm always sticking something in the sink and water and I'm sure that there's something wrong with that, but I do it all the time.
[00:21:25] Ashlee: I know. Yeah. I mean, I rely on our Instant Pot a lot and our air fryer, like I use those a lot.
[00:21:32] Ellie: Same and instant Pop makes things so fast and. We have two go-to meals that I actually, because I'm going outta town, I made both of them. Like when I was making dinner yesterday, I made another meal while I was cooking. And that same thing the night before. Like I don't have to leave meals for my husband when I leave, but I, I, it would be easier for me if I had meals when I was traveling so, or he's travels.
So I just did it and it took me like five minutes and I was like,
[00:21:59] Ashlee: I know. And you, I always feel so accomplished when I do that and I'm like, why don't I do this more often? But, you know, I don't know, maybe
[00:22:07] Ellie: a holdout on the Instant Pot for a long time and I feel like I finally had a come to Jesus and I was like, this thing's amazing.
[00:22:15] Ashlee: Oh yeah. It's amazing. Even if I do just like chicken breasts with like salt and pepper and some chicken broth and then I'll shred
[00:22:22] Ellie: Shred it. Yes.
[00:22:23] Ashlee: the yield on that is amazing and you can do so many things with it. So we'll do like enchiladas with the shredded chicken or I'll make a soup. I don't know.
There's so, so
[00:22:31] Ellie: So much you could
[00:22:32] Ashlee: Mediterranean bowls, anything. Yeah. So yeah, they don't, it's always a good go-to for the beginning of the week and then kind of use it as long as it lasts.
[00:22:40] Ellie: Yeah, you mentioned your bedtime showers or evening showers after your A. What do those showers look like? What, what makes them so special? And then B, what does your evening look like after your son is down and your, do you have time to yourself?
[00:22:58] Ashlee: Yeah. So it's funny because I feel like this was a big shift for me after having a child. I always was a a morning shower before, and. After I had a child, I feel like I like treasure. The nighttime shower, it's like, it like rinses off the day. It's like a hot, like comforting, just place to be where there's no noise.
It's just me and just for 10 minutes at least. And I don't know, it's just like something about it at the end of the day, just as I like look forward to it every day. And I think especially when he was younger and it was like more chaotic, you know, throughout the day I was like, oh, just get me to the shower, like the end of the day.
So yeah, so I'll do that and then do my skincare routine which is, you know, pretty simple. It's always nice, like when my husband is traveling for work, I feel like I spend more time doing that. And I'll do the actual like guha, like facial massage. I'm like, I need to do this more often. But you know, during our normal week, I'm kind of like not hustling through it, but I wanna get to.
The couch. And, and our thing is, we usually watch a one episode of a show whatever show we happen to be watching at the, at the moment right now, we're watching Drive to Survive the Formula One series on Netflix. So we'll usually watch an episode of whatever show we're watching and I don't know if I mentioned this or not, but I usually put on a load of laundry too, either before or after I get out the shower.
And it just kind of keeps, keeps the laundry going throughout the week because it pops up so fast. Like I only have one child and I can't imagine people, you know, I have friends that have four children. I'm like, how do you keep up? I don't understand all this laundry. And so yes, I'll do that.
And then, my husband, I always am like, I'm gonna join you one day. 'cause he's very good about getting in all of his like, movement and workouts. And he does his stretches. He does like a Peloton stretch workout while we get our show going. And then we usually watch the episode of one show, and then we're like early birds to bed too, since we wake up so early.
I'd say we usually head back to bed around like eight 30 and, and read in bed. He goes to bed or goes to sleep before I do. I usually read for a little bit and then lights out probably before 10. I mean, sometimes I'll stay up later as if he's traveling. I'm, I am bad about that. I'll stay up like way too late.
But on a typical, you know, work week, it lights off before 10.
[00:25:22] Ellie: I do that same revenge, stay up when my husband's gone. It's not even revenge. Stay up. It's just like I stay up later than I need to for no reason
[00:25:30] Ashlee: I know.
[00:25:31] Ellie: other than I
[00:25:32] Ashlee: I don't know why.
[00:25:34] Ellie: Yeah.
[00:25:34] Ashlee: I know. It's like there's nobody Yeah. Trying to sleep. So I just stay up doing like silly things.
[00:25:41] Ellie: What are you reading right now?
[00:25:43] Ashlee: I'm reading Emily GIF's Summer Pact.
[00:25:47] Ellie: I've read that.
[00:25:49] Ashlee: Yeah. I, I don't, I'm not sure if it's like new or not new but I feel like anything she puts out, i,
[00:25:56] Ellie: I do
[00:25:56] Ashlee: I gravitate towards. Yeah. I feel I get most of my, I get all my books from the library, so it kind of just depends like what's, you know, what's available when, and I feel like I get all my book recs from one of my friends in DC so I kind of just go, she has an Instagram highlight, so I always go check that out when I'm like getting towards the end of a book because the library checkout, you know, it's like a process getting the book, the library that I need to pick it up at.
So,
[00:26:23] Ellie: you u, do you use a Kindle for your
[00:26:26] Ashlee: No, I know, I don't, I have the Libby app and so sometimes, like if, you know, I, if I can't get a book or, and I don't have a book for a while, I'll start reading one on the Libby app. But I just, I'm on my phone like so much for work and I don't know, I try to like, try my best to keep it out of the bedroom and that's where I generally read.
So, yeah, I don't know. I know, I mean, I, I do need to try out the Kindle at some point.
[00:26:53] Ellie: I love my Kindle. I. use it all the time. And I like that I can read it in bed in like the dark too. 'cause it's like very, very dimly backlit.
[00:27:04] Ashlee: I need to try it out, especially for travel too, because I do find myself, when we go on trips, like I wanna bring my books, but then they take up so much space and and then for longer trips what am I gonna do with this library book after I finish it, I'm gonna have to lu it around with me. So
[00:27:17] Ellie: I always, if I'm bringing a book, I bring one that I can leave there. I
[00:27:21] Ashlee: and yeah.
[00:27:22] Ellie: like dropping it in like the little free library or you know, if the house has a bookshelf. How did you get into law and contracts or kind of what spurred you to start your own business after being in a more traditional law setting?
[00:27:39] Ashlee: Yeah, so I. Graduated law school and went like a very traditional path. I went to work for a big national law firm and worked in their litigation group and did a lot of financial services work. And then also I have my patent bar. So it's like an additional bar that you take. You have to have a science, hard science undergrad degree to even be able to sit for the patent bar.
So I did that. So I practiced with the Intellectual property group for a while, and then it was just like a grind, like any, any first year. You know, practicing law. It was enjoyable to, to an extent, but I kind of saw like the partners and their workload and their like light work life balance. And it wasn't really something I thought that's what I wanted to do long term.
You know, if I would've been doing something different, like in hindsight, maybe I would've. Stayed a little longer in that setting. But I kind of just wanted a change. And at the time to, I was living in Birmingham, Alabama, that's where I went to law school and had met my now husband. And we also wanted to move to a bigger city.
We were getting, I was getting close to 30 at that point, and a lot of our friends were starting to settle down, get married and have kids, and we just were not there yet. We were looking to move to a bigger city, so we ended up kind of going through our list and narrowing down like pros and cons.
And at the time in my big old job, I was traveling a lot to Virginia and we also had an office in Washington, DC and had some friends who lived in dc So we, I would sometimes not go home from traveling. I would just go to DC for the weekend and then go back to the Virginia office. So I kind of fell in love with DC when we were in this process of looking for a bigger city to move to.
So we ended up moving to dc This is like a long roundabout story, getting to the contracts. But, so we ended up moving to DC and I took a job with Bloomberg News as a legal editor. So I kind of stepped out of the big law, but still, you know, had a job that required a law degree. So I went into more corporate role there.
And I was in healthcare group doing all of our healthcare publications as an editor. So I kept in contact with a bunch of attorneys because I had have attorneys write for us for all the publications. So did that. And then in DC it just kind of opened my eyes to. So many other career paths. I feel like in a lot of smaller towns and cities, you know, you come outta law school and you think the only job path is working for a law firm.
And then I think, and at least in my mind, it was like, you work for a law firm and if you don't wanna work for a law firm, you have to work at a law firm for a while and then you can go inhouse somewhere. And that was kind of like the only path I like knew. And then moving to DC just opened my eyes to like a lot of different career paths and also introduced me to a lot of people doing things on the side because I feel like side hustles, I mean, this was like, what, 2014?
And like everyone was like in the side hustle phase. I met a lot of friends doing, you know, blogging and it's when makes me sound old, but when blogging was like the main thing, nobody was even on like influencing on Instagram. Stories didn't exist and swipe ups didn't exist. So, you know, met at a bunch of different creative people doing fun things like wedding planning, event planning, graphic designers.
So while I was at Bloomberg, I started my blog and lifestyle business. I also had gotten a DS LR camera, which I felt like was the thing at the time because you didn't really take iPhone photos, you had your big giant camera. So I started the lifestyle blog then probably around like 2015. And the more I got into that, the more I saw the need for contracts.
So with the, you know, bloggers and creatives that I was meeting at all these events. And also like this, the time. That I was doing this in the blogging space. It was very like fast paced and happening, and I, we were close enough to New York where we got invited to a lot of New York events. So I was meeting like so many people in that space and I was just realizing you need contracts for all these collaborations you're doing and all these brand partnerships.
And none of my friends had those, like they didn't have them and brands were sending them contracts, which a lot of brands didn't even send contracts at that point. It was just like via email Hey, can you do this for us? And you know, we'll pay you a few hundred dollars. So kind of starting to notice the need for the contracts and then like meeting even more people in the space, like the graphic designers, event planners, wedding planners planner, and just becoming like more and more connected with that group.
Just realizing the need. So I started contracts for creatives during that time too. And I did all three for probably maybe two years. I was working at Bloomberg, doing the contracts for creative and the blogging stuff. I would literally spend like every lunch break, I would go to the Starbucks down the street in Crystal City, Virginia and work on my two side businesses.
And, you know, do, it was kind of like all consuming, but it was fun. Like I loved doing it after work. That's really like how I spent all my time. And it's wild to look back on. Even Monica who connected us, we laugh all the time. Like we both had blogs at the time and we were publishing posts like every single day which is wild to think about, like back in the day.
So just juggling all those things. And like I said, I did that for about two years and then eventually was, you know, making enough through those two businesses to, and I was just so overwhelmed, like it wasn't working anymore. And so then I eventually quit Bloomberg and kind of run both businesses and, and that's what I've been doing for almost 10 years now, which is wild.
So yeah, that's kind of like the roundabout long-winded version of how I got into contrast.
[00:33:33] Ellie: No, it's so cool to think about how your unique experiences and like interactions like kind of created an opportunity for you and that like really fit exactly what was needed there, which is really cool.
[00:33:46] Ashlee: Yeah. Yeah. And it's fun. And my clients are, are, I'd say they're like 99% female, which is amazing. Which I didn't go out like intending that to be the case. And I think it's just I don't know how I market my business probably draws in a lot of females. And yeah, so my, all my clients are doing really fun things and, you know, it's just, it's like rewarding knowing you're helping like a small business and somebody that's like trying to get their thing going.
Too, you know, it's more rewarding than some of the law firm work I was doing where most of my clients were like big banks who would still, you know, get a little more fulfillment out of that.
[00:34:23] Ellie: That's awesome. You mentioned working out what other, or tell us a little more about what you do in the day for yourself. So, if it's not working out, is it your shower? What are the things that you would say are for you and help you either relax or take care of yourself?
[00:34:39] Ashlee: Okay. Yeah, so I'd say waking up early, like making it a point to be up early before my son gets up. Because I really do treasure that time in the morning when I'm just having my coffee and it's quiet and nobody's awake and, and needs anything. The, yeah, working out and, and tennis, which I feel like a lot of people mention tennis on your podcast, which is funny.
But yeah, getting, I've started taking tennis lessons again in the fall, so it's been, I dunno, like six or eight months since I've gotten back into that, which has been really fun. I feel like I've been an on and off tennis player like my whole life. And. Just getting back into that has been really great.
It's nice to be like outside. I do it with a friend, so it's like a, you know, friend catch up session. Being outside is amazing 'cause I feel like I, you know, it's always, it fills my cup, but I don't do it like, often enough to be outside for a full hour is always nice. So I do that. And then I'd say working from coffee shops is oddly, you know, I feel like something I do for myself because I could easily work from home every day if I wanted to.
But I choose to, you know, I need to be around people even if I'm not directly interacting. And I love my coffee shop girls. They you know, know my order. And it's nice to have that familiarity and kind of do that, mix that in throughout the week.
[00:35:53] Ellie: When we lived in Madison, Wisconsin, there was a really big coffee shop culture and then I moved to Boston and there's just not a coffee shop
[00:36:00] Ashlee: Oh really?
[00:36:02] Ellie: I miss that so much when we moved here because I was so used to going to a coffee shop and getting a coffee or I only drink iced tea, but getting an iced tea and sitting down and working and yeah, definitely something I miss in the east coast.
We don't
[00:36:14] Ashlee: Oh, interesting. Yeah, I feel like there's, there's lots of little coffee shops yeah. In our neighborhood, which is always, it's always fun, like finding the good ones. I have one that I'm, is like my favorite and I go there probably too often. But yeah, no, it's fun. It's just nice to get outta the house
[00:36:30] Ellie: Yeah. And see other people, even if you're not like meeting with them.
[00:36:34] Ashlee: Yeah, yeah. Exactly.
[00:36:36] Ellie: People watch a bit, if you will.
[00:36:38] Ashlee: Yes.
[00:36:39] Ellie: Curious, you mentioned you've gotten back into tennis. How have you gotten back into tennis? I, I have been playing in like a community place and then doing lessons or like clinics at a local, like tennis place.
But like how have you gotten back into tennis? Has it been local? Has it been finding a coach? It's a question that's come up a few times for
[00:36:57] Ashlee: Yeah, so I my, one of my mom friends messaged me in the fall and asked if I wanted to start taking lessons. And it had been like on my mind that I wanted to get back into it. So we started taking lessons at a local park, Audubon Park here in New Orleans. So they it's really, it's been really great.
They offer a lot of different options here. So we actually started doing private lessons with one of the pros there. And I think it was a good way to start because you don't feel intimidated because it's like just you and a friend and finding a friend that's kind of on the same level was great. And so we started doing that and then we, and then I feel like once you get into.
Of other ways to get involved. And so then we figured out they have a clinic every Tuesday and Thursday morning, so we'll switch off. Obviously the clinics are more like cost effective and they're fun because there's like other people there that, you know, you don't, I met some, you know, meet new people at the clinics and honestly, sometimes the clinics are even better because it's only two other people and it's kind of like a private lesson.
But you're, you're playing with other people and I feel like that's been nice too, just because you kind of get used to like your little routine of playing with your one friend and the pro and you're oh, a few other people play differently. So we've been doing that. And then I don't know if this is I, I feel like this is probably similar.
I don't know in other places, but a lot of the schools here have tennis teams for the parents and little tennis clinics. Yeah.
[00:38:20] Ellie: not something we have up here.
[00:38:21] Ashlee: okay. I didn't know. I was like, I don't, it's funny because I feel like, you know, it's always oh, the tennis moms and whatever, but, yeah, this, a lot of the schools have like tennis clinics and tennis leagues and there's always a tennis tournament.
Like my friend that I play with, she invited me to play in a couple of their kids' schools tournaments they had the past few weeks. So I feel like that it's kind of like a thing I don't know here. So it's kind of easy to get involved. There's also a tennis club that's like in our neighborhood that some of our friends belong to too.
So I feel like it's just like enough people like that we're around or involved in tennis too. So it's like a fun thing, I dunno, to,
[00:39:00] Ellie: No, that's awesome. I, I'm always just curious about how people are doing it and I feel people, like people sometimes talk about tennis, but they're like, a lot of a lot of it here is country club based and so that's another consideration. But that's really cool that schools do that, which is awesome.
yeah. Yeah. It's fun.
How else do you make time for your relationship with your friends? What are some ways that you nurture your friendships these days? I.
[00:39:24] Ashlee: Yeah, so I feel like this is kind of. I guess I wish it was like a bigger priority, a bigger part of my every day, which at this point I feel like it's just, you know, your, your time is limited. So, I mean, the ways I try to squeeze it in, I do the tennis with a friend. I have another friend from college who actually lives here, new Orleans, new Orleans as well.
And we try, we say we're gonna go on weekly walks. It ends up being like once every two or three weeks we go on walks at one of the parks here, which is always nice. And then I try, I do try to squeeze in as often as possible. I'll try to have at least one coffee date during the week. So obviously that depends on like the friends' work schedule and, you know, if they can make that happen.
But I'm always at the coffee shop, so just kind of doing double time with that. If a friend or even like a new acquaintance, you know, can meet up for coffee, I'll try to squeeze that in as well. You know, we've only, we've lived here for four years, so I feel like we did have some friends that.
We're already here that we, you know, have reconnected with and you know, but I'm also trying to make new friends and fostering those like new mom, friend, friend relationships as well. So, you know, there's some moms that are in my child's class that also have flexible schedules, so we'll try to schedule coffee dates as well and catch up.
And then for, I, obviously I have a lot of long distance friends just from moving around a lot. So I'd say for them, mostly it's like group texts. There's two groups, my childhood friends and then my college friends and my law school friends that we all have individual like group texts going all the time.
And I've tried to really make it a point, I feel like my husband is good about this too. Like anytime randomly throughout the day or week, if I think of somebody or somebody does something that makes me think of them, I try to text them. So if my, you know, son says something funny that reminds me of somebody, or there's like a funny photo that pops up on my time hop, I try to just reach out.
And text when I can just as a little touchpoint to stay in, stay in touch.
[00:41:21] Ellie: I love that. That's something I try to do as well is like just, even if it means nothing and you don't expect a response, just Hey, I thought of you because of this, and I, I feel like that's a powerful way to stay connected.
[00:41:32] Ashlee: Yeah. Especially, you know, I have a few friends who aren't like it specifically in like the group texts that are long distance, so that's like a nice way to be able to like, you know, it's not like I'm gonna text them like, Hey, how's your week going? Because that seems like a longer conversation.
But, you know, just those like one off texts are, are nice.
[00:41:49] Ellie: Yeah. How do you make time for your relationship with your husband? So what are some ways that you two try to stay connected?
[00:41:57] Ashlee: Let's see. So during the week, obviously it's a little, you know, time crunched, but I'd say our, our nightly kind of after our son goes to bed you know, we catch up on anything. I'd say usually when we both come downstairs, it's kind of a quick, like five minute if there's anything to catch up on or if you know, our child did something funny during the day, I wanna fill him in on.
And then our show time at night, and then usually after we get finished with our, with whatever show we're watching, we'll have you know, some time to chat. And but I'd say that's kind of like as, as much quality time as we spend during the week. But then, you know, outside of that we try to make a point to go on date nights.
We don't have any family that lives in New Orleans. You know, so finding babysitters is key. We have like a, a little roster and that we like to use and, you know, going on monthly date nights, which I feel like the last few we've been on. New Orleans, it's spring here in New Orleans right now, and that means it's festival season.
So New Orleans, like the party never stops. It rolls from from Christmas to Mardi Gras to St. Patrick's Day, and now we're in festival season. So our last few date nights have kind of involved like festivals and and going out for those type of things. But yeah, trying to get in date nights every so often.
Michael's parents live in Baton Rouge, so they're not here, but they're close enough and they graciously take a Weldon for usually I'd say every six weeks, maybe for a weekend, which is really nice. Nice. So we'll have a couple of days to mix in, like fun, you know, going out to dinner, going to do fun things, and also like getting house stuff done or to done.
So yeah, that's kinda how we're making it work in this phase of life.
[00:43:40] Ellie: I can't imagine the festival season in New Orleans. Like it always seems like there's something to celebrate down there or something like it must be as someone who sometimes has fomo, I imagine I would have a hard time with that. Like you
[00:43:51] Ashlee: oh my gosh.
[00:43:52] Ellie: the things.
[00:43:53] Ashlee: 100%. Like we were at breakfast this morning, I was telling my son like, we have such a fun weekend and it's like a million things. It's just French Quarter Fest is this weekend and the masters. So there's like all these things going on around the masters and then there's the egg hunt at City Park on Sunday.
It's just like one thing after the other. And yeah, you kinda have to pick and choose and you get really spoiled here with there being so much to do, like all the time. And it's nice 'cause I feel like most everything is very kid friendly and everyone brings, everyone brings their kids to like everything.
So it all also makes it fun and yeah, always something going on.
[00:44:30] Ellie: You mentioned therapies for your son. How, and organization wise, how do you track kind of, how do you and your husband stay on top of all the different things that you have going on with your own lives, with your own work, and for your son?
[00:44:45] Ashlee: Yes, I'd say I am mainly like the keeper of the calendar. My hu we don't have a shared calendar or anything, and some people are amazed by that. Like, how do you keep track of everything? But I'd say if my husband has something that like needs, that involves a time of the day where, you know, he would be with us or he like needs the car or whatever, like he'll just message me and we just figure it out and I'll, you know, make a note on the calendar.
But he also knows you know, when I'll be with our son and you know, just schedule around that. So yeah, with the therapies right now it's, it has, it has loosened up a little bit. So we actually only have one after school right now. His physical therapy, and he actually gets three therapies at school right now, which has been amazing.
So when he turned three, a lot of it transitioned to in school. So they come to his school and do the therapies. You know, at one point we had three at home therapies and then three clinic therapies every single week. So that was like a lot to manage, but I just, I told everyone, I was like, you know, it's just preparing me for all the sports and like practices and juggling all the things for later in life.
So yeah, so it was a, it, you know, at times is a lot to manage, but thankfully all the therapists are very accommodating and you know, we, we like figure it all out and, and keep it in, keep it written down in the, in the hard planner.
[00:46:06] Ellie: love it. Ashley, how, if at all, are you using AI in your day-to-day life?
[00:46:13] Ashlee: Okay. So I feel like I've just recently jumped on this train a little bit. I use chat GPT. I'll use it for a, to kind of like a jumpstart for writing. So I've been working a lot on my website this year for my contracts business. So that's at ashley hightower.com where I house all my contracts templates and there's templates there, but I also have a blog there where I write like all about different legal topics.
And I have an SEO person that's helping me right now. So I use chat GBT to kind of jumpstart, if I need you know, an intro paragraph to this specific topic. You know, so I've been using it for that. And I feel like it definitely takes some refining and it's not I don't understand how people just, you know, put in a prompt and think it's gonna write a paper for you.
Because I feel like some of the stuff it spits out is very, not at all like how you would speak and write. But it is a good starting place and I feel like it, you know, it gives you ideas on, on kind of where to go. So I've been using it a little bit for that, for like writing blog posts mainly.
And then I'll use it for dinner sometimes if I'm like really struggling towards the end of the week, I'm like, okay, we have chicken and I need to know what, what's something quick I can do in the Instant Pot. So I'll try to be specific we have a chicken, I wanna do it in Instant Pot and like Asian inspired because I know I have whatever, edamame or something else in the freezer.
So I use it for that. And I feel like it's pretty good for those type of tasks and I'm really looking forward to, we have, we did a month in Europe last summer, and so we're actually like finalizing everything to do it again this summer. So I'm kind of looking forward to feeding it little, you know, itineraries and kind of seeing what it spits back out instead of it's stuff that I would usually Google, but then, you know, you have to go through all the blog posts and okay, what do these people recommend for a day and wherever we are.
So I'm looking forward to kind of using it for a little day planning for our travels this summer.
[00:48:12] Ellie: That's really cool. Are you going to the same area in Europe or are you trying a different region, or how did you decide on that? I.
[00:48:20] Ashlee: yeah, so last summer it was kind of our goal for, I'd say a couple years. We're like, we really wanna do like a long term like stint in Europe. My husband and I love to travel and then we've brought our son on a lot of trips since he's been little, like he's traveled a lot. And we finally did it last year and it kind of sparked.
From there is one direct flight to Europe from New Orleans, and it's a British airway flight from New Orleans to London. So we were like, okay, we have that going for us, so let's take advantage. Especially I feel like with, you know, last year he was three. So with a 3-year-old we're like, we need to make it like as easy and it was as simple as possible.
So, so we did that overnight flight last year and did London, Paris, Zurich, Prague, Vienna. I think that's it last year. And so this year we're kind of doing a little bit of the same and then a little bit of different, so we're taking that same exact overnight flight again, the London flight. And I feel like London too is like a good place to start.
A little one because it's familiar enough and to me it kind of feels like New York and it feels like familiar. So, we're gonna do London and Paris again because we just loved Paris too. And it's obviously easy train ride from London and also like super kid friendly and it was just like really easy to navigate.
We love the hotel we stay at, so, we had a great experience. So we're gonna do London, Paris again, and then we're adding in Dublin, Amsterdam, and Stockholm this year. And then we are doing the same as last year as well. We kind of are bookending the trip as well with London. Just to give us like a little time before we take that same flight back.
[00:50:03] Ellie: That's
[00:50:04] Ashlee: Yeah. So I'm looking forward to it. Yeah, it, it was so much fun last year. I feel like I was nervous, more nervous last year because I was like, oh my gosh, a month. What are we doing? This is gonna be chaos and like crazy. But now that I like know, you know what to expect more I'm like more excited this year.
Nervous.
[00:50:22] Ellie: That'll be awesome. And those all sound like great towns. I know that Amsterdam specifically is so like kid friendly and easy to maneuver, so that's really
[00:50:31] Ashlee: Yeah, yeah. No, I'm excited. I, my husband is a big Hyatt person, so from all his, like traveling, we do a lot of it on points. So most of our flights and hotels are all booked with points which is, I mean, honestly, like how we can do it. And so it's funny because everyone's wait, how does y'all pick those destinations?
Well, there's a Hyatt there, so it's Hyatt dependent. We're loyalists.
[00:50:53] Ellie: I'm a, I'm a Marriott loyalist, so I know the, I know that same math. That'll be awesome.
[00:50:59] Ashlee: yeah. Looking forward to it.
[00:51:01] Ellie: What is something that you outsource right now, or what are things, if any, that you outsource in your days?
[00:51:07] Ashlee: Okay. Let's see. So I feel like we go back and forth on house cleaning, like outsourcing that all the time. I really wish you could just go all in and do it. I, but it's such a juggle for me and a struggle too, of well, I can do it, so why, why do I wanna pay somebody to do it? So we're not outsourcing that right now, but hopefully we'll get back to outsourcing that soon because it is something that I like, dread doing.
And I used to be so, you know, diligent about doing, but now I feel like the weekend time is so limited and like I don't wanna spend two hours doing that. So we're not over outsourcing that right now, but hopefully soon. I'd say we don't outsource a lot of house tasks. The one thing that's coming to mind is like the SEO stuff that I'm doing in my business.
I don't have a ton of outsourcing right now. Monica actually used to help me a lot with all my graphics. So she used to help me with all the graphics for my Cobalt business, and she's amazing at that. But right now I'm just outsourcing the SEO work for my contracts business. I think that's it.
Yeah. I feel like, you know, I go through phases. Sometimes I outsource our groceries by ordering for pickup or delivery, but I really, I kind of strayed away from that the past, I don't know, year and tried to just go, go shopping. It's also grocery shopping I feel is an activity for my son and I to do too.
[00:52:25] Ellie: Mm-hmm.
[00:52:25] Ashlee: And he is enjoyable at the grocery store. So we've been leaning into that for now.
[00:52:31] Ellie: That's so fun. Do you have any weekly or monthly rituals that you plan around, every weekend you do X or every month you do y.
[00:52:42] Ashlee: Yeah I'd say. I mean, my son's like therapies and his sports, like he's very into, we, I, we've kind of been alternating, you know, every season we did soccer and we're about to start t-ball. So obviously those are kind of like non-negotiables, even though I know he is only four. So we obviously could skip and it wouldn't be a big deal.
But making those a priority and like in his routine too is, is nice. I, I try to block out the, you know, any tennis times or like walking weekly walks with friends also. So I'd say those are kind of like the things I try to make as like non-negotiables. And on the weekend we just try to be like outside as much as possible and like combining, you know, play dates with friend time, hang time, social time for us as well.
So, yeah.
[00:53:33] Ellie: I, we signed up for T-Ball this year and we got the schedule. I messaged my friends, I was like, did I sign up for club hockey or is this just town T-Ball? There's one week where we have four games one week, and I'm like, how do people do this with working when working? It's ridiculous.
[00:53:51] Ashlee: Okay.
[00:53:52] Ellie: Ashley, what is something that you are deprioritizing or something that's instead of a ball that you're dropping, a ball that you're putting down right now that just doesn't fit in your days?
[00:54:05] Ashlee: Let's see. Okay. Maybe on the same cleaning, like deep cleaning my house. I'd say, you know, we keep a clean house, but I'm deprioritizing like everything being perfect and perfectly clean all the time. And then I guess on the same house note deprioritizing like decorating our house. So we moved in almost three years ago and it's just so you know, it's a process and we just did a big backyard remodel and then had to unexpectedly buy all new kitchen appliances, which was really fun.
So yeah, so there's like tons of things I wanna do. Like we don't have any window treatments in our living room, but that's just being put on the back burner right now and having to be okay with that.
[00:54:49] Ellie: That sounds like a very expensive surprise.
[00:54:52] Ashlee: Oh yeah. It was really, really great.
[00:54:56] Ellie: Something you mentioned in this kind of, I don't know if this dovetails a little bit, but you mentioned you've been in New Orleans for four years. Imagine, and, and you were, had your son right around that time. I have found, I was in a similar boat when we moved about four years ago, had a child. I found that it's been kind of hard to find friendships and I'm just curious how you've connected with, or what are ways that you've connected with women in New Orleans as a, I don't wanna say transplant 'cause like you're from Louisiana, but as a new resident, let's put it that way.
[00:55:29] Ashlee: Yeah. I feel like New Orleans is great in that aspect because there are a lot of people that are not from here that live here. So that's nice. I feel like even, you know, people that are from here, most people are pretty open to, you know, new friendships and I feel like, especially since my child, he's, he started full-time school.
This is his third year at the school that he's at. So, you know, I feel like we're kind of like getting into a good routine with making school friends, like my husband and I. So we definitely have, you know, the friends that I feel comfortable like texting on the weekends or texting during, in the week to hang out and do things.
And obviously our kids get along and that's like a built in plus to have kids the same age, so like on the weekends, you know, they can hang. So yeah, just kind of like making an effort. And I think also, you know, my experience from moving around a lot just since college and even going to college, like I went to a college that nobody really from my hometown, now a lot of people actually do go there.
I went to Ole Miss but when I went there, there was like two people from, you know, my town that went there. So. Having to do that for a long time, make friends in a new spot is really helpful. So yeah, so leaning on like the mom, friends from school that, you know, I've made, and then also just kind of cultivating like the friendships that we had and friends that we knew that already lived here.
I have one of my college friends live Sierra, so that's been great as like a, you know, just somebody to kind of lean on. But her children are older. So, you know, our schedules like don't always align. And then my husband went to LSU for undergrad, so he has a lot of friends that live here as well.
And so, you know, they're like a handful of the wives who I, you know, love and just have really kind of leaned into those friendships. And then they've introduced us to their friends and, you know, you just kind of like end up clicking with other people more than you know others and just like leaning into those friendships.
And again, like it really helps if they, if you have like kids around the age, because I. Your schedule is just online more, you know, and you can hang out out outside of, the chaos of the week more easily. So just like leaning in and just making an effort, you know, just schedule those coffee and I feel like you kind of have to put aside to feeling awkward of should I text this person?
I don't know. Do they wanna get coffee and just do it? And what are they gonna say? No, I don't have time. Oh, well just so yeah, and I feel like, I feel like everyone is kind of like in that same boat, you know? Unless you grew up like where you live now and you have a core like, base of friends and you don't wanna make new friends.
I don't know. I feel like everyone's kind of in the same boat. So just remembering that too, that everyone is always looking to kind of make new friends, especially in like new stages of life. So yeah,
[00:58:11] Ellie: Well
[00:58:12] Ashlee: of how I'm handling that right now.
[00:58:14] Ellie: Well said. Okay. Ashley, what are you obsessed with recently? What is sparking so much joy?
[00:58:20] Ashlee: Oh, okay. Let's see. The first thing that's coming to mind, because I've been trying not to do too much shopping lately, but I really Oh my, everything Cison does like I want, and especially when spending the month in Europe last summer, that's literally so funny. I'm like, the only stores I shopped at were Cison and grocery stores.
It was like, I bought snacks and cez pieces, so anything they put out, I'm like, oh man, I'm like, drooling over. So I'd say Cez is like my biggest obsession right now. And then, let's see. I'll throw in one other. I recently like skincare. The Sephora sale is happening right now, so I feel like my basket is like overflowing with the skincare.
I found like a vitamin C serum I love, so I'll, I'll plug it. It's by herbivore, it's their vitamin C serum and I feel like it's the first one I've used that like really, really works. So I've been loving, loving that.
[00:59:10] Ellie: That's awesome. I need to take a look at that Sephora sale.
Okay, Ashley, where can people learn more about you and follow you?
[00:59:17] Ashlee: Okay, so my contracts business, my Instagram handle is at contracts for creatives. And then my website there is Ashley Hightower. That's my beta name. Do com and my Cobalt Chronicles business. I have an Instagram handle at Cobalt Chronicles, where I share it more like day-to-day life there. And my website is cobalt chronicles.com and then you can find the links to my Substack and everything else there as well.
[00:59:44] Ellie: Awesome. And then Ashley, what is your favorite part of a day in your life?
[00:59:49] Ashlee: My favorite part, I think I'll do a two-parter of say my mornings, my coffee, and having some alone time. And then my school pickup, like seeing his face when I pick him up, like running to me is always like the best. So I'd say.
[01:00:04] Ellie: I love that. Awesome. Well, Ashley, it has been so great to chat and get to know you and I can't wait for the episode to air.
[01:00:10] Ashlee: Yeah. Thanks so much for having me. I appreciate it.
[01:00:13] Ellie: Absolutely.
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