Fall Photo Dump

 I love Fall, most of all. The changing of the seasons feels more important this time of year than any other somehow. Next favorite or significant is the change from Winter to Spring. The rest all blends together, to me. 

Pumpkin patches, crafts, leaves everywhere... excuses to have cocoa with lots of marshmallows... 

Mugs get more significant, and pillows. Home decor as well. 

My kids love the cozy vibes. 

I'm back. Back again. Andrea's back. Tell a friend.

Well now I'm 35. It was a blast from the past, going back through some of these entries over the last few days. I can't believe I've been using this blog since I was 18. 

If my friends and family type their names into the search blog bar, or search by date in the sidebar, all the old photos and stories still come up. 

Almost 20 years, I've had this archive of memories. I think about how that's most of my life. How beautiful it is to see an order, or undercurrent, to all the ups and downs. I would get kind of self-concious about my feelings, and it's easy to stereotype some of my ramblings as young, or erring on the depressive, but I was, and once I get over that, there's some real nuggets of wisdom I was leaving 'future me'. With the advantage of hindsight, I look at the arcs of my different phases and am really touched.

I was telling my husband after the kids went to bed last night, about this. I started this a few weeks after we met, September 2006, when we just arrived in New York City to start college and 'adulthood'. I think I was always in love with him, but didn't really know it, or have the chance to really figure it out until we were ready. There are posts I was too self concious to leave up, where I said I wish my soulmate would get here already, that I'm told I already know him though. Other posts where people would talk about when I'm famous like it wasn't a question. Quotes by Charles Bronson, and Tyler Durden, as if those were my role models. A story from my dad saying I was a ferocious baby, who once tore up a calendar page of a dog I didn't like.

I made a little slideshow of all the images, over the years, to commemorate the occasion.

How do you romance your husband? I'm looking at some of the top rated gifts and is it just me or do they all sort of look like the same three things after a while? How many wallets beard oils and socks does a guy need anyway?

It's March! Pregnancy Safe Natural Self Care Amazon Items

I don't know if anyone else feels like this but winter is almost over and we don't have an excuse anymore! The chunky sweaters won't work to cover everytjing up soon, and after my last post I'm aware I'm in need of some self care. So I made some pregnancy safe choices on Amazon and wanted to share.

23 Week Pregnancy Update // Positive Affirmations

So far life has been feeling like a roller coaster. It just feels like I'm getting blocked creatively, productively, with the house search in today's real estate post pandemic market. I hate the feeling that I can't do something, but even this morning trying to edit the same video I've been trying to about our babymoon weeks ago has been stop and go with the laptop often shutting down randomly. 

I love spending time with my daughter and husband but always feel it's never enough time. Plus we got into a minor car accident the other weekend and it just reminded me that it can all be taken away in a second. 

I want to focus on the good and to manifest accordingly, and hope anyone who sees this can identify and likes this image I saw this morning that helped me feel better.

There is time to move and time to rest. To create and nurture. You hold what you have for a reason, and deserve to enjoy and revel in it. 

As my stomach gets even more uncomfortably big and my mind forgets little things sometimes and I blame it on pregnancy, I want to remember the important stuff and love this time me and my body are in. I know I haven't been able to make as much time for friends or some of the projects I had in mind. But they'll still be there when I can.

Babymoon Travel Tips

We had a really nice time making some memories just the two of us over Valentine's Weekend, as I hit 20 weeks pregnant with our second baby girl. 

1. Choose an easy destination. 

For us, the two big factors were wanting to be still relatively close to a hospital where insurance and quality of care wouldn't even be a question, and not wanting to spend longer traveling than we did at the destination. 

At first we were looking at Hawaii which would be lovely, but from where we live in Maryland it would have been a longer flight than our time there over the weekend. 

Instead we chose one of our favorite cities Charleston, and explored a new one Atlanta to fly home out of. We love road tripping so it gave us a chance to chat in the car like old days and see Final Cut, which I've aways wanted to check out. Final Cut Georgia is located in Martinez, around two hours from Charleston and two hours from Atlanta. Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People send their slightly damaged wares (or just stuff that didn't sell?) to this huge warehouse. I had heard about it when wedding dress searching back in the day, and was so happy we found a bunch of things for the house, my wardrobe, and baby. 

Going to the same restaurant we went to on our mini honeymoon in Charleston, and visiting some of our favorite haunts also meant a lot!

If there's a place you've always wanted to go, you can plug the location into Skyscanner or similar apps, to watch flights and make your dream real, for the best price!

2. Pay to upgrade. 

The last thing you want to be is the stressed out pregnant person in line at the airport. There are so many chances for things to not go right, that whatever you can do to remain comfortable, I recommend. We flew Southwest, and because we were a little late doing pre check-in, we would've been one of the last to board our first departing flight. Out of 143 people I think we would've been 122? To watch all those other passengers board while I stood waiting would've made the start of our trip awful, and there's probably no chance my husband and I would've sat together. Paying $30 to upgrade made a huge difference. We were in the first row of the plane, and were able to get off our flight super fast and get to relaxing! 

This goes for hotel upgrades too! When we checked in, because we'd made an account beforehand and were members, Mark and I got a better room with patio, and a free drink without asking!

3. Look at alternate transportation options. 

The line to get a rental car where we'd reserved was crazy. So many people were lined up at Avis even though we were one of the first from our flight to get there. I think we would've been waiting an hour at least. But because I hadn't paid with my credit card yet (it would've been at pickup) I was able to cancel on the spot without getting charged and Mark found us a cheaper rental for the same distance and dates, at the company next door. 

Some cities also have unique ways to get around labeled as excursions. Carriage rides, bikes, or scooters can be really romantic and get you in the most quality time (make each moment count!) before baby comes. 

4. Bring clothes for any weather. 

I'd looked up weather conditions beforehand, but God will surprise you! A sweater I didn't think I'd need became a staple for overly conditioned airplane interiors and one day it wasn't supposed to get cold but did. If I could recommend one nice outfit, one very comfy maternity outfit, and layering piece set at least, I think you'll be fine. 

Fall Craft Ideas | Packing Halloween Orders | Everything I Eat in a Day ASMR Vlog (Spend the Day With Me) 🎃

 8:28 Pumpkin Print Craft Idea (Salt PlayDough: 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup salt, splash of olive oil. Bakes at 250 for an hour)

9:58 ASMR Cooking Cutting, All the Meal Prep! Simple Thai Coconut Chicken Soup with Rice (Adapted from Hello Fresh)

13:47 Halloween Orders! 

14:20 Family Time (Daddy is making Aoife a Kitchen Tower!)

15:02 Dinner, Green Chef Veggie Thai Ginger Curry Dish

I filmed a little 'spend the day with me' vlog sharing some fall handmade craft ideas, meal ideas (including a warming Thai Chicken Coconut Soup that is super easy), and packing up orders. All orders this week get a special Halloween thank you card!

MY MORNING ROUTINE FALL 2021 VLOG

I love waking up with the crisper fall air in the mornings lately, and thinking through my morning routine to share with you guys was a nice exercise in being more intentional and organized with my time, which is I think an inevitable side effect of the season when it's harder to be out and about all day (rainer, colder, etc). 

It's a blessing to still get these days with Aoife while she's still small, and I count myself truly lucky to be able to work from home doing freelance work and the codex club orders for the time being. 

We're nearing the end of her breastfeeding journey too, and let me tell you, it's a harder emotional time than I thought it would be. The way she snuggles in with her legs tucked in on top of mine is the cutest thing, and I dread thinking of when our kids won't need us as much. 

Hope you enjoy the video. For now, life is good. I make eggs in the morning, I play in the park with her, and it's awesome. Yesterday I watched her practice using a fork, which she's pretty good at actually, for almost an hour. Yep!

macbook laptop inspirational desktop wallpapers

I've been making these macbook laptop desktop wallpapers for myself recently and wanted to share. They're my take on a living vision board that you'll be reminded of frequently. If you'd like one as well, or you'd like me to give a how-to demo, let me know! Please contact me before downloading or using for information on copyright sharing and artist credit.

We're Pregnant!

July can’t come soon enough… Excited to announce we’re expecting a baby girl! 📷: Rachel V King Lifestyle

How to Stay Healthy and Sane during the Pandemic (Day in the Life Working from Home | Trying to be Productive)

Checking in from the codex club home office. My husband and I set up our work stations in the dining room and are now 2 weeks into quarantine. Here are my tips of how to stay sane and healthy during this time, not because I’m an expert but because these have been working for me and I want to do anything I can to put positivity out there and be helpful at this time. 



Set a routine and keep to it. This has helped me so much, to continue waking up early when I would be working during the week, and have a to-do list that gives me a sense of accomplishment completing (mostly).



Read more! I always say when I have more time I'll read more. Now might be the perfect time to start the free month trial Amazon kindle gives you. So far I've been reading the 'Tao of Twitter', which is pretty engaging and shared a lot that I didn't know.



Exercise. Even if it’s just some planks, mountain climbers and jumping jacks over and over for 5 minutes, get sweaty. It’ll make your mind and body more alert.



Cook healthy food. I’m such a foodie, and enjoy having the time to cook for me and my husband when there’s time. Lately it feels healthier to cook the food I want at home- sausage and eggs in the morning, and fried rice at lunch for example. My neighbors brought over some leftover pork chops which made my day (in the doorway from six feet lol).



Something simple I recommend is having some water with sea salt and lemon in it during the day to keep from being dehydrated.



Filter your news. With the state of things right now it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed, and not all the facts will be correct, potentially because things are always changing. For me, it’s been helpful to mostly stick to the free NYT briefings you can get even without a subscription at this time (it seems pretty vetted).



Binge a favorite show. In the evenings with dinner, I’ve been watching the Mentalist on Amazon Prime, Tiger King on Netflix, and the Mandalorian on Disney+. It gives me again a sense of schedule and something to look forward to at the end of the day.

Packaging an Etsy Online Order With Me

Check out the card I was wrapping up: https://bit.ly/2HFo0oy

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Come Thrift With Me! Amazon Welcome Box, Prepping for Baby DITL (17 Weeks Pregnant)

This Presidents Day I took the day off to thrift and sip with you at the local Goodwill, my free Amazon Welcome Baby Box (6:08) came in so my husband does an unboxing - and I sort new laundry sharing recent Goodwill, Poshmark and Aden + Anais baby items, while chatting about the pregnancy so far (7:38).

My Hoop Earrings: https://bit.ly/32a9EG2
My Scoop Walmart Combat Boots: https://bit.ly/37JDzGa

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https://instagram.com/thecodexclub
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Honeymoon Day 7 Traveling From Japan to Taiwan (Sushi Conveyer Belt at Narita Airport)

Thank you for following our honeymoon!

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Honeymoon Day 6 Tokyo DisneySea

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Our last day in Tokyo, we wanted to check out DisneySea, which is more geared for adults and more unique in ride offerings than Tokyo Disney nearby. It's also the cheapest Disney out there. We had an amazing time!

Honeymoon Day 3 - Hiking Mount Takao

Took the subway an hour out from Shinjuku on the Keio line to see Mount Takao for a nice day trip! We saw temples, monkeys, and Mount Fuji!

Honeymoon Day 2+4 - Shinjuku, Harajuku + Shibuya Crossing

Unusual Breakfast at Comfort Suites (00:59), LOVED the Shinjuku National Gardens (02:22), Tokyo Metro Government Building view of the city (06:41), Harry Hedgehog Cafe (08:59), Meiji Temple (11:01), Harajuku (11:38), Shibuya Crossing (11:49) Golden Gai for ramen (12:12), we did Karaoke but there's no evidence, Robot Restaurant (13:35) for a memorable performance. Got these kimonos at APA Hotel; had to channel Bill Murray.

VLOG - Traveling to Japan (Honeymoon)

November 13th, Mark and I traveled to Narita Airport Japan to start our honeymoon! The most useful things we packed were a Brita water bottle, emergen-c packets, and snacks/ meals to eat on the go. These all came in super helpful, so I'm glad we thought about them beforehand.



Also, we each only packed a personal item (backpack for him, beachbag for me), and rolling carry-on, because we were about to take 8 flights and didnt want to deal with checking or losing our luggage on one and be screwed out of having clothes for part of our trip. It made things super simple to just have it all within eyesight on the plane and forced us to stay in the moment. Yes, we did laundry a few times. But it kept us feeling free and when we did pick up things we needed it was truly part of the experience and from where we were in the world at that time.



It was snowing in Baltimore and 60 degrees Fahrenheit in Japan. We had a layover in Chicago, and got to hang out in the United lounge with some snacks and drinks before boarding out flight. Our flight to Japan was around 13 hours, and included a cute honeymoon dish from the attendants, on the biggest plane we've ever been on.



Our first meal super late was at a Denny's, where Mark got some sizzling Chicken and I got Pasta with Meat Sauce. And the next day is the next video: https://youtu.be/HjyBzzuPqi8

Mini Honeymoon in Charleston (Where to Eat & Drink, DOLPHINS, Amtrak Sle...

I have to say we really needed this break, right after the wedding and opening my store in Baltimore, Maryland a week after. We had a drink on the beach at South Point the night before and ironed out some of the last details. Some of the planning involved trying to go somewhere close enough to drive together (we love road trips) and bring back some good memories. Last year when we drove all the way down the East Coast, one of our favorite cities was Charleston South Carolina. We always wanted to spend more time together there and had a great mini honeymoon there!



So we got a good deal on a rental car (Ford Flex), and started the drive! We crossed through D.C. on the way and stopped at this greasy spoon 'Silver Diner' that we used to go to when he picked me up from the bus station on my trips down to see him when we were dating long distance. In those days he was in College Park Maryland and I was in Manhattan, four hours away. I used to love coming to this restaurant and playing on the little booth jukebox. What a nice throwback. 'Hey Jude' by the Beatles was my favorite.  I had some chicken soup, and he had a burger.



A little further, we found ourselves in the Outer Banks of North Carolina along the beaches. There was a rest stop Mark looked up, where we could sleep under the stars in the back of the car. When we woke up, we got to sit and see the sunrise along the beach together. It was like we were the only people in the world.



One fast food joint I'd never tried before is Bojangles, but the crisp on everything was amazing! I'm so glad we stopped here for breakfast to try the cajun chicken filet biscuits! Most giant hash browns ever, as well. The ride was sweetened by some Seagrams pre-made cocktails from one of the many gas stations and stops we stopped at for snacks and the restroom.



The first place we stopped in Charleston was the Angel Oak Tree, oldest living organism on the East Coast and maybe the largest? It was so beautiful and grand.



The Vendue Hotel was really nice and gave us a happy honeymoon card, snacks and bottle of champagne. The concierge was really helpful and nice. Dropped off our rental car and started to explore the city. There were a lot of memories from our original trip that made us want to retrace our steps. Pineapple Fountain, a local boutique called Indigo, and walking by the water were first.



We ate all the food. Low country boil at an out of the way spot on the water. Incredible Fried Chicken at Magnolia's Restaurant, Callie's Hot Little Biscuit & a tea, drinks at SNOB - 'Front Porch Thyme' is really good, and gelato at Carmella's.



The trip back was enjoyable and relaxing on the Amtrak Sleeper commuter train car. It was another throwback nostalgic activity and a bucket list item for sure. Though small, we were comfortable in the twin bed compartment, and had a great breakfast for free in the dining car that morning.

'American Honey' Movie Review

I found this after literally googling fall movies on Netflix in October and reading here that this would be the best movie you haven't seen on Netflix.

I'm a sucker for the types of movies where a young girl is going into another new unexpected but hopefully good stage in her life. I was set up to like it- the director did Fish Tank- and Shia LaBoeuf I consider an incredible actor even back in his Even Stevens days on Disney.

The air of desperation loomed all 3 hours- the stakes for just staying alive were so high that you can't help but keep watching to see if this young Star will be okay.

She starts the film in a dumpster, rooting around for food with two half-siblings. I was less compelled by this or the plot device that makes her escape from home possible- for me what stuck in my mind was the love story. I remember her seeing Shia in K-mart- one of the most romantic sexy meet-cutes despite the fluorescent lighting and various other younger kids they're both handling at the moment. Being pulled by Jake into this adventure across the country- where a part of her knows she might not be special (he literally says 'everybody loves me' when pitching their connection and why she should get into an unmarked van with him)- but she isn't just another runaway girl. She's a grounding agent for the others in her old life, taking care of others and being a survivor no matter what the circumstance. She might be the only person who doesn't lie. Jake is an aging older runaway who won't be able to use his 'buy these magazines so I can go to college' sales pitch forever- I think Jake (Shia) realizes this could be firmer ground than the cycle of exploitation he's been depending on. Later on he finally shows everyone how crazy he is over her- their boss says 'you think you're special?' But to have to say that- it's clear- she is. I love their love story. I think at the end they purposely don't have them say it into the camera that the expiration date to this adventure is coming- but there's no other reason for Jake to come back (he's been saving up enough to leave for a while) except to be with Star.