Madelyn's First Day of Kindergarten

Dear Madelyn,

Today was your first day of Kindergarten and I couldn’t be more proud of you. You’ve been counting down the days and are so ready for this new adventure to begin. You’re very smart and eager to learn so we know you will be an awesome student and have so much fun along the way.Dropping you off in your classroom was such a moment for me. I remembered the day you were born and holding you for the first time and how it seemed then that this day was so far away. And yet, there you stood today, so proud and so brave and so cute in your new blue apple dress (that you specifically picked out yourself) ready to begin this new chapter in your life.I wished you a great day and gave you a hug and kiss and left your side. I felt my chest tighten and my eyes fill with tears as I left your classroom not because I was sad, but because I was so proud of my little girl—of who you are today and of who you are to become.I missed you dearly during the day and counted down the hours until the school bus was to bring you back to me. There was a sigh of relief inside me when I saw it drive around the corner. Seeing you jump off the bus with a smile so wide comforted me in knowing I left you in wonderful, loving hands.This was a big day for you, Madelyn. I’m so excited to see how you will grow and who you will become. Remember this is your very first step to becoming a Veterinarian!

Congratulations and lots of A+’s,

Mommy

I've been accepted to LolliShops!

"LolliShops will appeal to those who love...Elegant Whimsy, Romantic Inspirations, and Fanciful Creations." Could there be a better place to sell girly items than LolliShops? I don't think so! LolliShops is a juried venue looking specifically for frou frou friendly items and I have been accepted to sell there. They're set to open their online doors this fall. Read more about it here.

Get Your Lemonade Here!

Remember the excitement of having your own lemonade stand? I do. I spent my summer days at my Grandma’s house with a few other neighborhood kids and when we would ask to sell lemonade (or Kool-aid) she would always go along with it. We would make the sign and get set up while she made us a pitcher of juice. I remember waving everyone down as they drove by and if you were lucky enough to walk by, well, then you had no other option but to buy from us. After each customer would leave we would recount our earnings, do the math and figure out how much each of us would get. At the end of the day we handed everything back over to Grandma and she would take out her cut, the cost of sugar and Kool-Aid, and hand each of us a handful of change split evenly of course right down to the coinage.

Well, that bug hit my 5 year old this last weekend. I have to admit I was thrilled. She first asked if she could have a lemonade stand on Monday—on Monday? “How about if we wait until the weekend when more people are around?” She pouted a bit and then hesitantly agreed Sunday would be best. We used the whole the week to plan, shop, and learn how to give back the correct amount of change.


All week I heard “Is it Sunday yet?” “Is it Sunday yet?” Sunday finally rolled around and she got out of bed raring to go. Once again I made her wait…until after lunch, which seemed like another day away for her. But, when it was finally time to start, I could see the wheels turning in her cute little head and the sparkle in her eyes. She squeezed the lemons, filled the cooler with ice, grabbed her sign and headed for the door. I set up her table in a shady spot, stuck the sign on it, wished her luck and before we knew it she had her very first customer! Her best friend from across the street and her brother came over and bought 3 lemonades and then came back for more. Realizing she might be somewhat busy, my daughter “hired” her friend to help and together they sat there for hours.


From indoors, we could hear “Get your fresh squeezed lemonade here!” and “only 25 cents!”, and a few “hey guys—the lemonade’s over here!” They even went door to door just to make sure people knew they were selling lemonade. By the day’s end they had an empty pitcher, a few bucks (their favorite part), and a memory to last a lifetime.

Take a Peek

Uh oh! Angie from The Downtown Boutique reviewed one of my headbands....yikes! Wonder what she had to say? Click here!

Sweet Spoll Dolls by My Sweet Imaginations

Not sure exactly how or when, but the other day I happened upon an Etsy shop that carried the cutest dolls I have even seen. Maybe I'm just sheltered, but I have never seen or heard of spool dolls before stopping by My Sweet Imaginations. There, with a little paint, fabric, trim, and imagination, plain old wooden spools are turned into whimsical little dolls. Their faces are carefully painted with amazing detail and they are dressed in the cutest fabrics and trim. I foresee my daughters' display shelves making room for a Spool Doll collection!

My Sweet Imaginations shop offers more than just Spool Dolls; she also offers a collection of Clothespin Dolls and Paintings. You can visit her blog and learn more about her and her work here.