andi lately
october 2021 - newsletter #7
Thanks for being here! This monthly-ish newsletter is where I share a round-up of life lately - what I'm enjoying, reading, learning, buying, doing, thinking about, and more. It’ll be a mix of motherhood reflections, personal stories and photos, mental/emotional health updates, plant and home decor tips, blog posts round-ups, travel ideas, products I recommend, brand marketing tips and tricks, articles I enjoyed, quotes that resonated, and really anything else that comes to mind.
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Hi friends! Thanks for subscribing to this email newsletter. 🥰 🤗 Instagram being down earlier this week was a good reminder for me to not focus solely on one platform. I’m glad I have my blog, Pinterest, and this newsletter to share, connect, and be creative outside of IG/FB. This email newsletter in particular has been extra fun because it’s sparked some great one-on-one email convos and feels a little more intimate than just blasting random things out into a social media echo chamber. I can’t believe fall is already here, but I’m very glad to be saying goodbye to hot and humid Nashville summer! Cliché as it might be, I love the coziness and comfort that fall brings and I’m so ready to break out my sweaters!
One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is trying to be content and at peace despite life’s circumstances. Things have been good and ‘normal’ lately and I felt really myself - cheerful and happy! But inevitably, things can change, my kids get sick, work situations are stressful, bad days happen, etc. and some weeks don’t go according to plan. I’m not trying to pretend tough situations or hard moments don’t exist - but I’m trying to not let them totally derail me or make me totally emotionally spiral that day. Walks outside, prayer, deep breaths, texting my people simply saying “I’m struggling today”, exercise, lowering my expectations, and focusing on the things I *can* control seem to really help me when circumstances are less than ideal. Winnie’s been under the weather this week and I’m super behind on work. In the past, this has turned me into a grumpy monster, feeling stressed and overwhelmed and frustrated. This time, I’m trying to go with the flow a little bit more and not let situations, events, and circumstances completely rule my mental and emotional space. Easier said than done, but I can tell a difference in my mood and attitude. ✨
LIFE UPDATES
In September, we celebrated our SIXTH wedding anniversary! And early October marks THREE years since we bought and moved into our home in Nashville. Time really is flying by.
Last month we also went on a trip to New England! We flew in and out of Boston and stayed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Portland, Maine; and Boston. It was such a wonderful trip in such a stunning part of the country! Here’s a blog post from our trip with photos and TONS of recommendations about places to go and things to do (from me and crowdsourced via IG). Here’s a blog post sharing four Maine beaches we visited and loved. 💙
This week, I got my flu vaccine along with my Covid booster. Very grateful. Looking forward to the girls having the chance to get vaccinated hopefully soon. 🤞🏻
We got a new car! After a *process* to get the car in the spring (remember when I waited a week in Ohio and it arrived literally right as my flight back to Nashville was taking off? 😐) and a stressful car accident four weeks later and insurance drama this summer and having to jump through hoops to replace it — that car saga is thankfully over 🥳 Very much looking forward to the only ‘car things’ I have to think about being if we need gas.
We have some travel coming up! Next week, I’m flying up to Ohio with the girls to my parents house! We haven’t been up there since April! Early November we are driving to Ohio (but to Columbus - staying with my two sisters who live there) for a friend’s wedding. And then we are going to San Diego for Thanksgiving with E’s family! They usually come to Nashville, but we are excited for a change of scenery and to spend a week at the beach.
REFLECTIONS (a few things I’ve shared on my blog and/or Instagram lately)
So many phases and moments in parenthood are so, so, so hard and feel like they will never end. But I promise — they are fleeting and temporary. Acknowledge that it’s hard, have grace for yourself and your child, try to lean into the good, and remind yourself that you’re doing a fantastic job. 🤍 Read full post here.
An Ode to our Rocking Chair — “It’s just a chair. But what happened in this space — the person I’ve grown into, the mother I’ve become, the ways I’ve been stretched — is so much more.”
THINGS I RECENTLY PURCHASED
I’ve been wearing these leather sneakers basically daily!
After hearing so many positive reviews, I finally bit the bullet on this lightweight double stroller and it’s been a lifesaver for traveling with both girls. Also just realized I shared about this stroller in August too, but it’s worth mentioning again haha!
Just ordered a bunch of cute neutral pieces for the girls — this 2 Piece Sweatshirt Set for Winnie is so sweet.
I ordered this pretty blue dress and love it! Can dress is up with boots/heels or also casually with sandals/sneakers.
I asked my IG followers their favorite jeans and they delivered! I compiled all of the recommendations in a long blog post (see above!) but this pair of high-waisted denim has been my top pick!
Super excited for this cross body bag — I’ve been wanting something that’s a little bigger than my wallet but smaller than my (always overstuffed) diaper bag or my ‘work bag’ (leather tote).
I’m full on obsessed with ILIA Skin Tint (I wear Paloma color) and just bought my third one! It feels like you’re not wearing makeup!
RANDOM PLANT TIP FROM E 🌵
It’s October so for most of us, it’s time to start bringing plants back inside for winter! The two parts to watch out for: pests and drastic changes in light levels from moving them back inside.
For pests, I hose down the plants (including the undersides of leaves!) and spray with Bayer Advanced 3 in 1 spray which will treat insects, mites and fungal issues. When inside, I try to keep the outdoor plants isolated from others in case there are any pests remaining.
For drastic changes in light (you are cutting the plants “food” by 5-10x moving them inside), try gradually bringing them into full shade outside first for a week, and then indoors for half the day for another week to help them adjust to lower light levels.
RANDOM BLOG POSTS
Crowdsourced Denim Recommendations (organized by price point!)
120+ Black Content Creators with Under 10K Followers (follow them!)
RECENTLY WATCHED & READ
Watched: LulaRich (about the LulaRoe MLM company…WILD), The Way Down (SO WILD — about a cult based not far from where we live! 😳), and Maid (which is inspired by Stephanie Land's book which I read a couple years ago — worth reading AND watching)
Read: The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
FROM MY CAMERA ROLL
CODES & DISCOUNTS
LUCKYANDI for 10% off everything in my Moroccan textile shop!
ANDI25 - Get 25% off Eizzy Baby - we love their collapsible silicone snack cups
LUCKYANDI- Get 10% Chelsea & West Pop-Up Play Tents
Get 20% off everything from Kitsch at this link; they sell my favorite (cute, comfy, affordable) face masks and also great hair accessories
LUCKY10 for 10% off Little Colorado - we own the kids picnic table!
LUCKY5OFF for $5 off your first Vellabox candle subscription order
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