The End
Dear Friends,
It’s been seven years since I started this blog. I started as a young mother who needed an outlet – a community. And I found it.
Then when I found my current lifestyle, it transformed into a food blogging/Paleo/CrossFit/Gluten-Free/Family hybrid blog.
It’s opened doors for me – professionally and personally – and for that I am grateful.
But last week, the day a monster took a score of babies from their parents, I was out of the house working a 12-hour day at a competition. I couldn’t get to them to just hold them, feel their squishy foreheads under my lips, protect them from anything. I realized I hadn’t seen them since the morning before and only an hour that night, before I retired back to my home office, putting in another 16-hour day which has been the norm more lately than not.
I called Mike and asked him to pick them up and bring them to me so I could see them, hug them, because my god, it could have been MY babies. I got home late that night and laid in bed wishing for sleep and only barely succeeding at keeping the sting of tears from overflowing.
I hadn’t seen my kids all week, all month, for the last year it seems. What if it was MY BABIES? If they were taken from me, would I have any peace knowing I spent as much time with them as I could, that I gave them my full effort? I stared at the ceiling, knowing my answer.
I did this to myself. I put too much on my plate and a hobby that I once loved became just one more thing I had to get done – one more deadline. It became work. And when a hobby becomes a job that takes time away from my children, it is no longer worth it. I don’t want to be that parent that wishes they were more present. I don’t want my kids to think the laptop attached to my hands is more important than coloring on the floor or going to see a movie.
I don’t want to be an observer in their lives. I want to be there with them living it.
Something has to give.
And, friends, it’s this. And this decision does not come lightly, trust me.
This website has always been something that brought me joy and humility, and I am so incredibly humbled to have made a difference at all to anyone, even a little bit. I’m going to leave the website up so people can access the recipes, at least until I can convert them all into an e-book PDF for free download.
I’ve learned a lot about myself: my strengths, my weaknesses, what I really want from this life.
I want to write. I will continue to do that, personally and professionally.
I want to play and live and cook and create and love.
Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives for the last seven years.
Thank you for believing in me.
With much love and respect,
AndreAnna
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Double A,
I am so lucky to not only have stumbled upon your blog a year ago, without even knowing you basically lived in my backyard. Know you truly touch all those who come in contact with you, whether blog, at qccf, print, etc. You are destined for great things my friend.
Thanks for all you have done. I have appreciated your blog, and you. Totally understand your feelings. I am a mom of 9.5 year old twins. I was lucky enough to be home with them until they were three and the are the light of my life. I miss every moment I’m away from them, and balancing work, personal enrichment and family is so hard. All you do, all you are they appreciate, but know your decisions are the right ones for you and your family. Only you will know what is best for them and you, never apologize for that!
Thank you for all that you have done. You have helped me and so many others so much. I appreciate you.
I have enjoyed following your blog, but I deeply respect your decision. As the mom of three teenagers I can tell you that what they say is surely true … the days are long but the years are short. Enjoy every moment with those babies.
I get it. Love you. Really.
Oh, I will miss you! I don’t post, but you have been a huge inspiration to me. Without you, I never would have found CrossFit or Paleo or Junk headbands or …..
I also have young kids and definitely respect what you are doing. Thank you so much for your funny and insightful posts over the years. Enjoy the extra time with your family. Those little people do grow up way too fast.
I guess I’m one of the golden oldies around here as I’ve been reading since you were a a diapering madwoman through the modern matriarch and then to Life as a Plate. Charlotte was just a baby then and I can even remember you announcing your pregnancy with Sawyer. Thank you for sharing your life with us. If you hadn’t, I might never have gotten to see the corn fields of Iowa!! I’ll miss your blog, but hope you’ll still be around on FB and Twitter. Merry Christmas to you and yours!!
I have truly enjoyed reading your blog for the past couple of years. You are a true inspiration. Know that we will miss you here but are proud of you for knowing what is best for your family and having the courage to do it. You are a funny, strong, comfortingly honest woman, and anyone who has read this blog is better for it. Wishing you and your family the best.
Thank you so much for your blog;sharing your life with us. You are truly inspirational and funny and always put a smile on my face when i read your posts. I understand and respect your decision, I am a widow with two girls, ages 30 & 31 and on that fateful day did not rest until I had heard from my girls that indeed they were fine and that Isent them an air kiss and hug. Please enjoy this precious time with Charlotte,Sawyer and Mike, because indeed it does fly by!! I wish you all the best. Thank you for sharing.
You and your posts will sadly be missed, but who could argue with your reasoning. You are an amazing mother and person, and I’m just happy to know someone so wonderful.
Thank you so much for being open, honest, and the source of so many good meals! I will miss having a window into your life, but I completely understand and respect your decision. In deciding to stop blogging, you’re staying true to the values that you’ve written about all along, and I can appreciate that! Best wishes to you and your family for a bright, happy, and fulfilling 2013.
You are doing the right thing. Live and love your family to the fullest. Best wishes.
I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your life. I have been a silent follower of this blog for the last three years and watched you as you moved, and then started Crossfit and gluten free living. I just wanted to thank you for inspiring me to follow suit. I love Crossfit, and as a former fat girl myself I know I only tried it because you gave me the courage to walk into the box for the first time. You don’t know me at all, but you have inspired me greatly and helped me along my journey to be healthy. Your blog will be sorely missed, but your priorities are absolutely in order. Thank you for helping me change my life.
All the best,
Stephanie, Ontario Canada.
I remember coming across your blog when I was searching for pregnant belly pics 4 years ago because I felt mine was so abnormally large.
While I am sad to see you go I completely understand your decision. Kids come first – end of story.
Best of luck to you in the future. I know you will continue to do wonderful things.
Take care.
so sad to see you go. Family comes first and there is no arguing that. Best of luck.
Oh, man. I am so sad. I love your blog and your recipes. But if there is a better reason for backing off, at least for this time in your life, you’ve certainly named it. Thanks for the wonderful times and the camaraderie. I hope you might check in once in a while and update us on what’s going on in your life and any super duper spectacular recipes you come up with. Even if it’s really only once in a great while, it’d be great to hear from you and know that things are well.
Dear AndreAnna, I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed reading your blog the past year or so. I always looked forward to getting the e-mail for your latest post. I have told so many people about your blog and how great it is. From one Jersey Girl to another, have a great life and enjoy every second with those beautiful children you have.
Thank you for everything that you’ve shared with us. Thanks to you, I cut out gluten from both my & my son’s diets, with great results for both of us, and I’m not sure I would have thought about taking that step (at least, not for my son) without reading your story. I’ve loved keeping up with you and your family, your cooking, your Crossfit adventures, etc.–but I completely understand and respect your decision.
Best wishes for you and your family as you move forward!
Will miss your blog terribly! I often turn here for inspiration, if you could do it, I could too. There is no better reason to end it, though. As a mom of three I totally get it. I made lots of sacrifices for mine (homeschooled, etc.) and wouldn’t have done it any other way. I wish you health and happiness and lots more hugging time. It goes by in a flash and they’ll be off on their own adventure. Enjoy!
You have been such an inspiration and want to thank you for sharing your life with us. I will miss reading about your life and all the hard work you put into EVERYTHING you do. I wish you peace, joy and fulfillment. Thanks again!!
I want to say thank you. Yours has been one of my favorite blogs for years. Please think about leaving it up and just posting when you WANT to. Thank you!!!
Thank you for the 7 years you have given us. I think it is courageous that you know when to let go of something, especially something positive, because you know what you need. Best of luck!
I miss your posts but understand why you don’t.
I wanted to know, werent you going to be publishing a cook book? Maybe I am mistaken but if you are, I would love to purchase it if its still in the works…
I only found your site today because I’m doing the 21DSD. Thank you for leaving it up. I appreciate that it’s still here. I totally understand your reason for stopping. I hope all your other dreams are fulfilled and you find a good balance with it all.
Thank you so much for leaving your site up. I just found out that my 9y/o daughter is allergic to wheat, yeast, oats, soy, peanuts, and mango; and I’ve been trying to find a recipe for a bread she can/will eat. Your site is a wonderful resource for me.
I wish you the best, thank you!
…. and to think I am 7-years-late to the party! Have just started on this wheat-free path and so happy to have found your recipes. They look amazing. THANK YOU! Your right choice (and I truly believe it is the right one) is our loss…… your children are very lucky little people!
Good luck with everything moving forward…