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I thought I would blog about what Sarah and I consider show “must-haves.”

We always get groceries to have in the booth because we can no longer smell the fair food without getting a little nauseous after all this time.  I can’t eat another corn dog or Indian taco.   But maybe someday the aroma will allure me!  So for groceries we get bagels, grape jelly, peanut butter, grapes, apples, water, some form of chocolate and Sarah’s latest trail mix concoction.  (She likes to do it, makes her feel domestic or something . 

We always pack her laptop for blogging, a people magazine for a hot bubble bath after the show and usually a hair dye kit for Sarah, (we like to experiment!) We also have a camera, the breast pump, the I-pod, and the infamous tally sheet for fanny packs. That’s right, we tally fanny packs and mullets, if there is a certain number too many, we rethink the show, seriously , the fanny pack was the worst invention ever, who wants to add weight to any part of that region, and the mullet died in the 80’s, let it go, not let is grow! 

Sarah’s usually has her lesson plans for her full time job as a pre-school teacher and I have my design pad to sketch anything I see that I think would be fun to add to my line. 

So there you have it, the must-haves, now back to tallying mullets and fanny packs—-

First Adventure:  My twin sister and I do all the shows together, and she is the best adventure partner ever!  We are always running into some kind of trouble with cars, trailers or load in or load out.  Well this trip delivered a lot of fun. It’s five hours to Grand Forks so a long trip considering.  About 14 miles outside of Watertown we realized we were out of gas, not just like 10 more miles and you will be empty, but the fuel economy on our van just had stars, not even a zero for us.  So we didn’t panic but we certainly laughed and coasted for like 14 miles.  When we could roll into a gas station, by the grace of God, we filled up 16.8 gallons, the tank holds 16 gallons…..oh my. 

Second Adventure:  We get to the hotel at 11pm after we set up and go to check in under Rebekah Scott.  The attendant looks at us funny and says, a Rebekah Scott just checked in,   So yes, two Rebekah Scotts were signed up, which meant she gave our room to the other really cool Rebekah Scott (at least I assume that because of her name 11pm, and no room, and the town is booked solid because of the arts fest and a soccer tournament.  The attendant says I have one room open; it is a smoking suite with a Jacuzzi tub.  Well we need to smell it first and then decide, and then she says “It will be free.”  Sold!  We stayed in it and showered to make sure the smoke didn’t soak in…crazy us. 

Third Adventure:  We are traveling home and singing at the top of our lungs to Sarah’s ipod music and then I break down into  tears like I always do, praising God for this lifestyle I live and allowing me to thrive when Sarah hands me Kleenex to dry up.  I always have that moment, and I know it is God reminding me of my blessings.  I reflect often in my life because I just can’t take for granted what He has given me.  So that’s my third adventure, this life!

Well I made a very scary but good decision this week.  I have been filling inventory for all the art shows and the trunk shows and still running short on them.  If I am doing my figuring right for how many I need to support all the shows, I am 90 short.  That’s right, 90 short.  I have never been this busy, I have been busy but I have never been this busy.  It’s just crazy, and I love it but I had to sit back and evaluate some things.  So because I need to fill about 90 bags in about 3 weeks, I have been working and working without a lot of sleep or sanity.  I work at home with my children right next to me. We take lots of breaks and I meet their needs like any mother would, but I was letting things slip and it started to get to me.  I have always been very “domestic,” meaning I like to have dinner every night at the table with my little family unit and do the dishes together and pray together and catch up our days with each other.  We don’t do this every night, but at least 4 nights a week we do eat together.  I was getting so busy; I was staying up till like midnight and then back up again at 5 to sew.  Well it’s a good thing I love what I am doing so I don’t get tired of it but I do get stressed by it at times.  So when things starting slipping with my family and my little ones needs weren’t being met, I knew I had to make a decision. 

I was busy sewing and my son Gus needed something and he was saying, “mommy mommy mommy” over and over again, (like we all know so well!) and I just snapped, I yelled and I will never forget the look on his face.  It is permanently impressed on my brain.  I realized things had to change.  So I bent down to his level told him I was sorry and promised him I would play some ball right then and there.  He hugged me back and was busy getting his ball and bat, while I reflected on what just happened.  I stood back up and read the sign I have printed above my ironing board, it says, “wife, then mother, then designer”.  It reminds me of my priorities and the order of importance.   I got it from a really good book called, “A Woman After God’s Own Heart.”  The book changed things in my life drastically.  It explained to me how to serve my family joyfully and how to use my gifts from God.  So that being said I asked myself how I can fix what just happened? 

So I decided after prayer and talking with my husband, not to do Aberdeen Arts Festival.  I HATE even thinking about canceling the show but I have to think about it like this: It may not be the best decision for my business, but without a doubt the BEST decision for my family.  Iversyn, my daughter is only a baby once, the art festivals are every summer, but she is only a baby for a very short time.  This way my quality and purses remain at top notch.

So there I said it.  Yikes, still makes me nervous, but we will survive. 

I would like to still offer our 10% off show special for anyone within 50 miles of Aberdeen. I know I had some customers coming and I feel terrible, but you can still redeem your 10% off coupon through email and our shopping cart online.  I am sorry,  but my family and I thank you. 

Here’s to a busy summer and being a mom— the best job I have.