photo by Christina Ward Photography
It has been a crazy year. We started the year by making the big decision on where we wanted to set down roots. And after living all over the country throughout the past decade we decided to go back home to Massachusetts. By late March, we had put an offer down on a house. We moved in just 10 weeks later, in June. We laid down new hardwood floors all over, painted nearly every room (I’ll never paint again I swear it!), redid the kitchen cabinets from honeyed oak to fresh, bright white. It wasn’t all work though—we celebrated with a bridal shower, my bachelorette party in Las Vegas. The summer flew. All the while, we were planning our wedding for September and our honeymoon in October. Throughout all of this, I haven’t been as active on the blog as I wanted to be.
If you have followed this blog for awhile you know my propensity for procrastination. I tend to freeze when I have difficult things I need to do. When I wait, more work piles up, and then tackling any of it seems so insanely overwhelming I start googling how to create a new identity and start a new life. I want to share posts about our wedding and honeymoon with you but it seems so stressful to me to figure out what to share, and what to say, and to pick out the right pictures. So instead I shut my eyes and block my ears until the overwhelming feeling goes away. I say all of this fully realizing that the cure, of course of course of course, is JUST.DO.THE.WORK. Do the damn work. Knowing this, logically, and yet not feeling able to practice it, makes me insane and makes me hate myself that much more. So if you find yourself rolling your eyes after reading this paragraph, I get it.
For the past week, I’ve been catching up on work and have started to figure out what I want to do moving forward. I’m working on a wedding post with lots of photos and hope to get that up sometime soon (before the sun burns out at least). Then I’ll work on the honeymoon post. In the meantime, I will be sharing recipes—some sponsored and some not, writing some short posts about weight loss, and general life stuff. The blog will start being more active over the next few months and into the new year. And I am excited to get back to it :)
Yay can’t wait!! I love reading your blog!
I love following your blog! You are HUMAN you know and it’s so nice to know I am not the only one who puts things off cannot wait to hear more WHEN you are able.
Very excited! I miss your posts!
” I say all of this fully realizing that the cure, of course of course of course, is JUST.DO.THE.WORK. Do the damn work. Knowing this, logically, and yet not feeling able to practice it, makes me insane and makes me hate myself that much more.” that resonates with me so much regarding many aspects in my life. Excited to see what’s to come!
Dear Andie, we all understand that you’ve had a lot going on this year & are a newlywed with a new home. I have missed your voice, b/c you inspire me, & I can’t wait to see your gorgeous pictures, but please don’t stress yourself out!!! We’ll be happy to see it whenever you have time to breathe. And breathe we really want you to do! I’ll still be here…
I’m so excited for your future posts! I adore you and I can totally relate to freezing when times seem overwhelming! But “do the damn work” is going to be my new slogan!
You look insanely happy in this picture!! Enjoy this time and take things one day at a time. What I love best about your blog is that you keep it real. Can’t wait to read future posts!!
Your wedding photo is beautiful. Life can be rough sometimes. Take it easy. Enjoy. Write when you can. Blessings to you both. Have s happy marriage.
Home buying/renovating, wedding & honeymoon planning is hard…. really hard…I’ve been doing the same. Take your time getting back in the groove of your new life and know that we are grateful when you choose to to share your life with us. You’re recipes and blog posts are a delight, but take care of yourself first:)
Your*
If your other pictures are as beautiful as the one you posted no wonder you can’t decide which photos to use. Congrats on your marriage and new home. Enjoy every moment. Take sometime for yourself.
I enjoy your posts and loved your book. Thank you for the inspiration you have provided.
Love you website and story. You mentioned how you painted your honey oak kitchen cabinets bright white. Can you please describe the process you used such as prep and type of paint?
Even though most everything that has happened is happy, it doesn’t mean that it’s not stressful. Be gentle with yourself. You are just one person, and you don’t have to be super human. Much love to you! And even though you may feel bad about not writing a post yet, your Instagram has been so fun to follow.
Have you watched Tim Urban’s TED talk? It’s brilliant and hilarious and so, so true.
You are not alone. Your ostrich reaction to being overwhelmed is soooo me. And the only way out of the mess is to just do the damn work.
Kinda like weight loss, yes?
Good luck!
Glad you’re getting back on tract! Love your posts!
That sounds fantastic! Can’t wait to see your posts!
First, you look absolutely stunning in the wedding pic!! Second, I completely understand the procrastination part. As a perfectionist, I am an “all or nothing” gal that chooses to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head when I feel overwhelmed instead of just getting it done! This is in all aspects of my life too! Weight loss, housekeeping, work, etc. Why?? Anyway, just wanted you to know I get you!
P. S. Loved your book! As a child of an alcoholic father and a girl who has struggled with binging/losing weight my whole life, felt like I could have wrote most of it : )
Sometimes life just happens. Embrace this wonderful year with no excuses to anyone. You and Daniel deserves it. No excuses to anyone.
Will you be changing your brand to “Andie Woolson”?!?! Can’t wait to see the blog pick up again :D
When you are ready, we are here. The people who follow you do so for a reason…we get it. I can’t wait to read and see wedding posts. You were a stunning bride! I used your advice of focusing on just getting through one day at a time when I was trying to lose weight so it wouldn’t be so overwhelming and now I will just. do. the. work. that is in front of me today instead of procrastinating myself.
You are the best! Thank you for always being truthful and putting yourself out there.
I love you. I love your honesty….your transparency in your challenges. Always know you are wonderful and that your willingness to challenge yourself and do better each day is inspiring. We all fail at things everyday. But recognizing and moving on and trying to do better is the goal. I am in a similar season. I know I’m not my most productive best self….I’ve let stress get the best of me….but we will overcome!
Love you lots. Tons of Hugs!
Xo
You are only human and that’s what we love about you. Life can be overwhelming at times and yes we just have to push through it. I am so happy for all the wonderful things that came your way this year. I look forward to seeing your future posts. You’re an inspiration to us all
Congrats on the wedding! Love your dress!!! Thanks for sharing. It’s so hard to stay on top of everything. To say “just do the work” is so much easier said than done! Looking forward to future posts. Take care and enjoy the moment!
Andie you are a drop dead gorgeous bride and I had no doubt you would be so beautiful! You have to take care of self before caring and sharing for/with others. I miss your blog, however, glad you had down time. Your book was an inspiration. YOU are an inspiration. I hired a health coach in late June and have lost 30 lbs. I realized that I need accountability. Thanks for keeping it REAL. Happy Life to you and yours!
Dearest Andie,
I haven’t left a comment here in ages as I’ve been busy with life things too. Firstly, you both look happy and beautiful in the above picture. Secondly, congratulations on the house and wedding, it’s so wonderful. Lastly, you have experienced what are supposed to be some of the most stressful experiences in life such as moving home and getting married, i.e major life events, and I totally understand the upheaval and the time that this consumes. I can see that you’re a perfectionist and so will give all of yourself to what ever you do including this blog, for which I am grateful but this needn’t be a difficult thing for you to do. I’m sure that when you’ve settled in and settled down, you’ll organically find your way back here without having to punish yourself for not doing more because you’ve been savouring your wonderful new life as you should and I’ll be happy to see you here whenever you come back. Lots of love, Tara.
Hi Andie,
I am so happy to see the first photo. What a beautiful bride and handsome groom. This is only the beginning. There’s so much to come and build on and enjoy. May you always find what you need within and in each other.
Judy
I tried to just write “XOXO” and leave it at that but i got an error message that the comment was too short and that I needed to write something useful.
I love that you have big ideas. But they are that :) And you clutch about things that mean something to you. And that’s ok. You can’t break the thing. Daniel loves you. Everyone can see that you care. It comes across without you having to try. Love you. This is going to be great! Your posts about mundane things when you lived in Seattle are still my favorite. You can tell me to clean my sink and I love it, tell me you are writing a book and I love it the same, tell me you are listening to Hall and Oates and somehow Ilove it even more. This work you are doing…is hard…yes, sometimes you gotta show your work (phrase is from Lainey Gossip) but also a wise woman once told me that white knuckling wasn’t the way, to accept and love, to visualize, and i would add to that to chase the joy-wherever you can find it- chase that first and then, yes, just share.
You you are so me in a lot of ways however you’ve taken steps and accomplish things that I still feel so in a rut to do when do I get to the point that it matters enough to do it
Andie, I’ve never posted here before. You have touched all of us to the core. Please savor all of the amazing things happening in your life. Wedding and honeymoon pics are always wonderful and welcome, whether it be now or a year from now. The holidays are around the corner and since this is your first Thanksgiving and Christmas as a married couple AND to be celebrated in your new home , please go easy on yourself and thoroughly enjoy this magical time in a bottle. Hugs.
I did therapy to help me deal with my procrestination problem and the most important thing I learned was to start with teeny tiny work packages. I scheduled really small tasks for the day and it really helped me to get back on track without feeling overwhelmed.
Don‘t forget to enjoy the newlywed life :)
Greetings to your hubby and I‘m looking forward to your posts :)
P.S. Don‘t stress yourself with the posts. I guess most of us just are excited to get a glimpse into your beautiful wedding :)
After reading and rereading your book, I just feel like I know both of you and this is so so fun to see. Thank you for sharing some of your wedding with us!
I love the honesty in this! Excited for whats to come. :)
Congratulations, Andie!! And I feel you in so many ways. <3 I hope I get to see you in the new year! Miss you and can't wait to see what you share on the blog!
I LOVE how vulnerable you are in this post. I, and countless others, can fully identify and it’s deeply refreshing to hear someone be honest about it. It’s encouraging to know I’m not the only one that feels the way you feel. The freeze at the pileup is a daily ritual for me. I’m posting “JUST DO THE DAMN WORK” on my office wall right now.
Love you, girl. You’ve been an encouragement to me for many years.
A happy marriage is what any girl dreams of and I am no exception.
It sounds like you’ve had an incredibly busy year! Embracing the chaos is tough, but your experiences will make for great blog posts. Keep pushing through!
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