Momtrepreneur's Market {Christmas In July}

So, I just happen to know some hard-working ladies who own their own businesses or work from home creating amazing things who just happen to be momma's too. A couple of them got together and dreamed up this great idea of having a mom's market .  An evening to get out of the house, set up a table, and share our handmade goods with other people. It kind of grew, just by word-of-facebook, and we rented a barn at Mixon Park Circle in the historic North Charleston area, 17 different vendors showed up, and we had an amazing evening with all kinds of shopping, wine, Christmas music, and even beautiful food to enjoy. I loved getting to be a part of the vendors. I had two tables set up. One with my own personal handmade things and another filled with the amazing smelling soaps, candles, and lip balms that my mom and I make. My sweet friend, Tammy, came out and helped me manage my tables. Can't wait to do it again in October! And in the mean time, I hope to be able to stock my etsy shop with lovely little earrings, necklaces, and word blocks for the holidays and our new etsy shop with the soaps, candles, and lip balms.

I was a total slacker and took not a single picture. These 3 are borrowed from Mixon Park Circle's facebook page.

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Some of the awesome ladies that I'm friends with were there:

Keri of Pink Lemonade

Ashley of Fraiche Event Designs

Rachael of Lily Carriers

Ivy of Living Tree

sand between our toes

 Mike and I are not originally from the coast, Mike is actually from Oklahoma, which is pretty close to as far away from the ocean as you can get. So during the 12 years that we've lived here we've only been to the beach a handful of times. Sand is not my favorite thing, constantly being worried that my child (who shall remain unnamed) was going to run off with strangers or drown herself, and not being able to see what exactly I'm stepping on in the water, those have all been deterrents to my (our?) enjoyment of "the beach." But recently we've been going to a specific beach during a specific time at the prompting of some friends. And you know what? It's been a totally different experience (other than that I still don't like murky water and stepping on pointy conch shells) that makes the colossal amount of sand in the bathtub and the car, and the washer, and the porch, and the beach bags, all worth it. I've parred down our "essentials" of what we carry to the beach and we've added food to the mix. A trip to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's for snacks and special drinks right before we hit the island makes a world of difference. We've stayed for hours. Hours and hours. Our kids love it. Samuel is in boy heaven and we can actually relax and just sit and watch them play in the tidal pool. Very few worries about them, unless the tide is coming in, and a very wonderful way to spend our Saturdays. I only wish we had discovered it could be this way years ago.
Here's to a month of Saturday's at the beach! I finally feel like a true South Carolinian! (shhhh...don't tell the natives!)

 

 

 

July 2012 {10 on 10}

Crazy crazy day. You can't tell it from the photos, but it was. We had friend from WA. staying with, a house showing, a hurt foot, a thunder storm, preparations for a craft night at my house, preparations for a craft bazaar, and church all in one day. I'm short a couple photos but I was just snapping them as I went, not counting and hoping I had my 10. I have 9. Enough for this time.

 7am - coffee in a favorite vintage-thrift-store-find-mug to get me going

8am - craft bazaar products all stacked up and so cute to look at

 9am - getting the floor swept for the showing

 

 10am - the lace table cloth from Mike's grandmother, always on our table for show

 1pm - a crashed out boy (yes, it's crazy blurry but he's so darn cute)

 2pm - mandevilla in the rain 

 3pm - Olivia's twisted ankle

4pm - working on more craft bazaar items

5pm - Mac and friends fill my living room floor

June 2012 {10 on 10}

10 on 10 

June 2012

7:30 - new nail polish 

8:30 - hair done and earrings on

9:30 - new skirt and sandals

2:30 - Disney movies are on sale at Costco right now

Love Cars!

3:30 - my beautiful gladiolas 

4:30 - tomatoes from the garden

5:30 - sticking magnets on the fridge

6:30 - chopping nuts for cookie making

7:30 - mommy and daddy cups of tea

8:30 - helping hands in the cookie dough

Memorial Day 2012

We didn't do a whole huge lot on Memorial Day weekend. It was just us, no family or friends, so very quiet. A date on Monday + take-out with the girls, church on Sunday and the buying of a very large anniversary present, and on Saturday lots of relaxing and playing. In the evening we decided to take Rosie over to the school ball field and start practicing riding her bike without training wheels.
 She had received a glider bike for her 3rd birthday and had gotten really good at it and loved riding it. But when we switched her to a bike with peddles, it was all a bit too much coordination for a newly minted 4 year old to try and balance, steer, and peddle all at the same time. So we pulled the training wheels out and stuck them on. She was happy and we were a bit chagrined that the whole idea of the glider bike had seemingly not worked. Fast forward 6 months to May and by this point she had been begging us for 2 months to please take her training wheels off. Our long weekend at home seemed like a perfect time to try.

We walked over to the feild, shut the gates (to keep the boy captive) Mike took off the training wheels and she hopped on. 1st time around the feild, he was holding her up and she was crying that she couldn't ever learn it. 2nd time around the field, he held her less and she was still frustrated that she hadn't gotten it yet. 3rd time around the field, he let go and she took off. He ran along side, gently tapping her sides if she started leaning to far over. 4th time around required nothing. She had it. All in a space of about 5 minutes.
We were amazed and she was so proud. There is nothing quite like the look of proud accomplishment on your child's face when they conquer something they were struggling with.

We spent over an hour, going round and round, learning things like; how to start, ("give yourself a little kick") and most importantly, how to stop on command ("red light, STOP!") That it's ok to go "fast like a rabbit" sometimes, but often times "slow like a turtle" is safer and best. Sticking together and always keeping mommy and daddy in sight are very important. Don't always try to race big sister, (my little competitive middle child!) please avoid running over baby brother and other people it at all possible, and never cross the road without a grown up.

It was an amazing evening, seeing your baby grow up before your eyes. The weather was perfect, no bugs, and the light was perfection. I took a ton of pictures.
Sweet Rose, you are now a full-fledged two-wheeled bike rider! We are so proud of you!

 taking the training wheels off

 2nd time around, she's still upset she can't do it on her own

 3rd time around, she's doing it herself!

 the lil man was just happy to be free and in the dirt!

 catching their breath

 Miss O. who didn't want her picture taken

 

all my loves doing their thing

 

She was so happy and proud. <3