Audrey Positivity

I’m Not A Lot of Fun to Be Around

This week M was diagnosed with an inner ear infection. (It’s her second one ever.) We’ve been having some rough nights so I’m actually relieved to find out there’s a reason for the sleeplessness. This ear infection follows a few weeks of the stomach flu (for all of us), insane allergies, and sickness amongst our extended families. Add lack of sleep, missed days of work, and backyard battles between Bristol and the groundhogs… and you’ve got a very grumpy Audrey.

I’d love to say I’m holding it together with the grace of a good Christian Pinterest-mom, but I am very much not. I apologized to K and said, “I know I’m not a lot of fun to be around around.” He informed me that I wasn’t wrong.

How does Joanna Gaines do it? Believe me when I say I am not jealous of her- five children and a home/media conglomerate is not my dream. But is there a Hearth & Hand collection of boxed Gaines-energy…? Because I’d like to order a set.

I have my strengths but I have my weakness, too, and sometimes they shine bright like a diamond. I feel like I’m dropping the ball more often than balancing it. *And it’s a boulder. It might just be a weird stage of pandemic life. I hope it’s just a weird stage of pandemic life. Or maybe this is the new normal as a mom of a toddler who doesn’t sit still EVER.

My kitchen is messy. Our toilets need bleached. I don’t know the last time M “brushed” her teeth. The dogs are behind on flea & tick AND Enzo has an infection. PLUS the deep freeze lost power and I need to scrub the rotten blood out of it. Not to mention the garden beds have weeds, the vacuum is collecting spider webs, and there are actual spiders that M enjoys watching living between the glass and screen in the windows.

I’m like a less glamorous, mildly disgusting Morticia Addams.

Then, this week, someone told me that they think really highly of me.

And it caught me completely off guard.

I try to be very real online and IRL. I try to share the dirt as often as I do the highlights. So… it was just an incredibly flattering compliment from a distant friend (who is equally more so killing it out there in the world).

And so, even if your porcelain bowl is a little more marbled, please know that someone out there thinks you’re doing a swell job. Maybe it’s your spouse, maybe it’s an internet friend, maybe it’s your cat. But someone is cheering for you.

Have a super weekend ❤️

Audrey Goals etc.

1st Half Goals

Earlier this week I decided today’s post needed to be a recap on my Q1 goals and a share of my Q2 goals. So I went looking for my first quarter goals. And then realized I never made any.

LOL. That seems right.

I actually did make some goals, but I only wrote them down in my planner. I did not share them on the blog. This is only my 18th blog post of the year. As I mentioned on Tuesday, my motivation is low.

It’s actually alarming to me how quickly and vastly my priorities and goals have changed over the last 18 months. Part of that is my small human and part of it is the pandemic and life as we know it hitting the fan. I formed my 101 in 1001 list back in July 2020 but I had no idea what life would be mid- or post-pandemic. (Let’s be real- I still don’t know.)

But I’m still chipping away at it.

I cherry picked a few 1001 Goals to work on in the first quarter. I was aiming to accomplish:

  • read 10 books (I read 5)
  • no fast food (lol, didn’t happen)
  • research taking a sign language course (also didn’t happen)
  • hike with Bristol (check!)
  • mail birthday/anniversary cards (check!)
  • mins game (I planned to do this in Feb., but I didn’t)
  • leave one random note of encouragement (honestly, I don’t frequent many public places)

As you can see, I did not do very much. But I’m ok with that.

During the second quarter I’d like to do the unfinished things from above plus:

  • read 10 more books
  • leave two notes
  • read a classic
  • ride bike for a week (I almost achieved this one… grrrrr.)
  • scrapbook year 6

These are all attainable goals but my level of motivation is the true variable. Time will tell what I accomplish and what I postpone.

Do you have any goals for April/May/June?

Audrey Relationships

Eight Years

This season of life is not conducive to blog writing… When I get a moment of “free” time I spend it cleaning or watching television or playing a video game or- rarely- reading. I’m not drawn to this space because I don’t have the energy or creativity to contribute much.

But I always make an anniversary post and today is our 8th wedding anniversary.

Eight.

(We’ve been a couple for nearly 14 years.)

This has been another stressful trip around the sun- although I still believe 2019 tested us beyond anything we’ve ever experienced. I’m always amazed by my husband’s ability to handle stress. In the moments that I know would break me, he does what needs to be done and doesn’t flinch.

Over the last 8+ years I have watched him dedicate everything to the things and people he cares about. His company. Lylee. Me (especially during my PPD). Maddie.
When I’m afraid I have nothing more to give he steps in and both contributes AND lifts me back on my feet.

I’m not sure you can ask for much more in a life partner.

I should add this has also been an incredible trip around the sun, too. M is a totally different human than she was on our 7th anniversary. She is a perfect blend of us. She’s everything we want and need, and this past year watching her become her has been awesome. Again, I’m so lucky to share her with K.

It’s been good & bad. Every year is good and bad. I’m just grateful to get through another one with my other half.

Happy Anniversary, my love.

-A

Audrey Family, Humor

A Tale of Two Toddlers

On Sunday we went to church and left Moo in the toddlers’ room during the service.

When we picked her up, the volunteers in the room told us that another little girl had gotten hurt and M was first on the scene to pat her head and give her a hug.

My mommy-heart LITERALLY burst.

Later that afternoon I held M and told her that my absolute favorite feedback regarding her isn’t about intellect or beauty- it’s about her generosity and kindness. I think it might’ve gone over her 16 month old head, but whatever.

Then, that evening during a bedtime tantrum, Moo smacked my face repeated and slashed me with her Wolverine-like nails.

So all of that to say, you win some and you lose some.

LOL.

Hope everyone had a very Happy Easter / weekend and my tale of Dr. Jekly and Mr(s). Moo reminds you that there are great and terrible moments in every 24 hour period. Bank the good ones and keep Neosporin on hand for the bad.

Audrey Favorites & Recs, Shopping & Finances

Pandemic Project # 348: PHOTOWALL

To be honest, the majority of our time at home this past year was spent keeping Moo out of trouble AND keeping the business out of trouble. We didn’t complete too many home projects. I am extremely jealous of the people who checked off task after task.

As such, we have plenty of shelves & pictures to hang, but when Photowall reached out for a collaboration I was not about to say no. All the printed canvases in our home are from Photowall and our newest print is just what we needed to reignite our home-decorating passion.

Have you ever paid hundreds for a professional photography session only to sit around on the final prints and use them as extremely expensive iPhone backgrounds…? Yeah, us too.

Or maybe you snapped an amazing picture, but it’s now trapped in your phone with no where to go and no one to admire it.

Enter: Photowall

It looks intimidating, but the assembly process is simple and takes less than 20 minutes.

Right now this gem is hanging in our bedroom, but our plan is to order more & hang them in the foyer. I ordered a 31.5 x 39.37 inch print. It’s huge and the print quality is amazing.

Photowall also has a huge selection of artwork and wallpaper. If you have a boring wall in need of something bright, bold, or unique, check out the designs on their website.

Shipping is free and SO fast. Such good people with great hearts.

This particular canvas was gifted to me, but I HAVE and will continue to buy from Photowall with my own hard-earned money. The people and products are truly top-notch. #sponsored

As I said, behind the Photowall name are some amazing people.

They’ve given me a code to share with you- good for 25% percent off anything on the site! Use audielou25 at the check out and treat yourself to some beautiful art!

If you have any questions about the company or code, please let me know!