Happy Tuesday, Penny Darlings!

Coming to you live from Mother’s Day week/Preston’s final week of Ragtime/last week before the birthday week giveaway madness begins! So it’s a lot of scheduling!

Let me just sneak the boring stuff so we can get to the goods! Check me out on Instagram here!  I also have a selling Instagram page where I sell some of my old clothes/styles so that I don’t drown in my own wardrobe. I just listed a few new things – so check that out!

Ya’ll know that I post about my mom ALL. THE. TIME. She is a literal gem and a total badass and one of the weirdest and funniest people I know. If you know my mom, you know she’s a hoot and a half. Or more like just half a hoot (that joke is funny if you know she’s only 5 feet tall). When I’m looking for her in public – I just say “Have you seen a woman who looks like me but shorter?” and honestly 9 out of 10 times – THAT WORKS!

But today, I teamed up with homesick candles to share a list of things I need to thank my mom for for Mother’s Day. This list doesn’t even begin to cover all the things I owe gratitude to my parents for, but it’s a start.

 

1.) You took us on the Tacky Tours

Summers of ’02, ’03, ’04 – my brother, my mom, & I went on three different cross country roadtrips. We went out to Colorado, all of New England, & Chicago to Santa Monica on Route 66. I’ve played mini-golf in the basement of a funeral home in Illinois, saw the world’s biggest ball of Twine in Kansas, drove a Duck Boat in Boston, saw the Andy Griffith lake in California, and watched a bottle roll UP A DAMN hill in Pennsylvania. While the rules were always: Nothing educational, I learned SO much.

 

2.) You came to pick me up at summer camp when I was too homesick

Ultimately, I would have survived if you had made me stay, but as an adult – I recognize that it felt awesome to have you in my corner. I was 12 and homesick and I wanted nothing more than to come home my mom.

3.) You gave me endless opportunities

You gave me baton twirling classes, swim team, Girl Scouts, theatre, camps, Sunday School, chorus, acting classes, gymnastics, and dance classes as a child. We traveled to over 30 states, 9 countries, and a million small towns. You helped me apply to college. I appreciate all of that.

 

4.) You were right…I became a writer.

I always used to roll my eyes – because I didn’t want you to see me as a writer, I wanted to see me as an (cue dramatic hand to the head) ACTRESS. You always said that I had a story to tell and that I would write it someday. You were right. I admit publicly….you were right.

 

Side Note: This homesick candle (in a perfect floral box) is so bright and floral to gift to my mama. She loved it and it reminded her of her lavender that she grows in her garden!

Totally perfect for Mother’s Day! Shop it & other awesome ‘just for mom’ gifts here!

Check out homesick!

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Bonus: Use my special code: penny15 for 15% off of your order! 

5.) You planned our big day

There was a solid year of my life where we talked on the phone like two or three times a day. You went above and beyond to make our wedding special and perfect. You curated a reality that I didn’t even think was possible for marrying my best friend. I could never thank you (and dad!) enough for that.

 

6.) You taught me how to be an excellent wife.

I never doubted for one single second that you were completely and totally in love with dad…even when you were bickering about ‘what’s too much rosemary in the chicken noodle soup’. I hope to emulate what a wonderful marriage you have. You’re still just a goofy and mushy as you were when I was 10 and I’m sure just as mushy as the day you met. As I got older, I realized that it wasn’t all sunshine, and I know it takes work. You and dad are literally #MarriageGoals

 

7.) You made us eat dinner together

When I was growing up and playing in the backyard, I probably complained about having to come in for dinner while our friends got saved plates while they stayed out to play. As a grown-up, I know that us eating dinner together every night (even when schedules were hectic and you had to bend over backwards to make it possible) has made me a better person. I appreciate all you did to make sure we could eat dinner together every night.

 

8.) You brag about me on social media

Adam might hate it….but I don’t! I love that my accomplishments are yours too! You share all my blog posts, give out my business cards to anyone you talk to, and love to bring up my successes! After being an adult and realizing how few parents actually do that – I definitely appreciate that!

 

9.) You made me totally rad

Is that cool? Do the kids still say rad? But my mom is a total entrepreneur, has always encouraged creative pursuits, and never limited imagination. Those three things all mixed together have made me who I am today. I always dreamed of being my own boss and getting to be creative and if I want it, I just have to imagine it and create it! I know it was because you were totally rad.

 

10.) You have loved me unconditionally

Being a year into therapy, I’m realizing how few people are capable of giving unconditional love. I used to think everyone’s parents loved and trusted and respected them unconditionally. Again, getting older, I realize that not everyone gets that kind of love. You have seen the best of me and the worst of me and have continued to love both.

Thank you, Mom!

 

 

*This post was sponsored by homesick but all thoughts & opinions are my own*

SO HERE’S THE “END OF BLOG” SPIEL!

If you are at all interested in doing a collab or working with me – please feel free to check out my new Contact Me! page! I also do social media consulting and photography, so please reach out! Let’s work together!

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Thank you for all that you do. You are truly extraordinary.

Love all you wonderful ladies (and gents!) out there!

How Very,

Abby