Ashley notes how “weird” it was to finally get some alone time with Justin during their SoCal trip. “It felt like it was before we had Isaac and were just like giddy, in love, in each other’s faces.” 

In fact, they had such a magical time at their coastal retreat that they’ve decided to implement a new policy into their marriage.

“We were like, ‘OK, these three nights away made us have a new rule,'” the former America’s Next Top Model judge shares. 

Their first rule was that they don’t go longer than two weeks without seeing each other. Now, the couple has decided that “whenever we can” (with the stipulation that the timing is TBD because we’re all “coming into what a new normal is”), they are going to start going away with each other more often, even if it’s just for a couple of nights. 

Why? Well, in Ashley’s words, “Because marriage is important and being connected to your partner when you are married is important, especially when babies come into the mix.”

She jokes, “I need my alone time with me, and I need alone time with my man.”

It’s part of a larger realization she’s made during the pandemic about needing to prioritize her mental health. 

According to Ashley, she has learned “that I need more alone time than I ever thought I did,” adding, “I carve it out of my schedule. And Justin’s really great about giving it to me and taking Isaac. Or my mom is also super helpful.”

The American Beauty Star host goes on, “I think people have realized it’s more important that you focus on the things that actually matter, and I feel like this past year alone has allowed me to focus on taking care of my mental health, along with my physical health. It’s like the two go hand-in-hand, but really I think that there’s an emphasis on the inside, and it’s not necessarily as much about the outside as it was before.”