Charles Towne Landing- Charleston Family Fun

One of our favorite places to explore in Charleston is Charles Towne Landing. As a teenager I volunteered there for many weekends, dressed up in the period clothing and all! Today I prefer to take a nice long walk around and teach our 3yo all about the true origin of bed bugs and where the old Settlers Village used to be. Of course, the 3yo leads the way, always going straight to the boat and then finally back down to the Animal Forest. I just enjoy every moment of beautiful bliss walking under the old oak trees.

There are also great picnic areas in and outside of the park. We grabbed lunch to go from Sesames (ooh yum) and had a nice shaded lunch before exploring.

Oh and all of the oak trees...

This one ^ is pretty cool because it has a stump marker to let you know that it was here at the time the Constitution was signed. Hello living history.

Admission is $10/adult; $6/age 6-15; Free for children 5 and younger. Open 9am-5pm, daily.
OR you can purchase a SC State Parks Passport for $75 for the whole family for the year!

If you are looking for a mommy night out, you should definitely join me for one of the Yoga Under the Oaks nights. One hour of yoga followed by happy hour. Oh yeah! I don't even do yoga, but the idea of just laying under these beauties for an hour of peace sounds pretty awesome to me!

Charleston Fashion Week 2014 + ghd Styler Giveaway!

Whew this last week was awesome! Charleston Fashion Week was as amazing as ever and if you didn't make it down there for a night, you definitely need to put a reminder on your phone for tickets for next year!!! I attended Wednesday (Day 2) and Saturday (finale) nights. I don't want to freeze your computer with a thousand pictures so I've decided to focus on a couple of my favorite designers and the Art Institute of Charleston's show- which was stunning! Of course, I also have some fun pictures because that's what it's all about to me- a fun night out!

If you aren't interested in fashion but love your hair, scroll down to enter the giveaway (details below)!!!

First off is Kaitlyn Machos. omgosh her dresses are drop dead gorgeous. Standing ovation, huge applause, winner of Wednesday night's emerging designer competition gorgeous. You have to hear/read her story. Beautiful inspiration and execution. I was not the only one a bit disappointed that she didn't win at the finale. It was kind of shocking since she received the most applause (as far as the people's choice winner goes). Oh well, though. She got her name out and I'm sure more good things will be going her way soon!

The next designer I liked a lot was Cori Spade. This was an interesting one because I love her inspiration, but I wasn't as in love with her designs. Dresses were cute, but the quilting was a little too simple. Cori was inspired by the North Carolina quilting trails she grew up around. I would love to see the same designs dresses/skirts, but with more inspired quilting than just the block quilt. Does that make sense? Either way... she's definitely someone to watch! (Note: I would definitely wear this skirt if given the chance! It really is pretty.)

Forgive me on this next one but I cannot figure out which designer to attribute this dress to! I feel awful about that. I thought it was part of the Art Institute's but now I'm not sure. Anyways... She's a beauty!

And now to the Art Institute of Charleston's show. Wow wow wow! Students used local inspiration (spot the Ravenel boob bridge!) and sweetgrass to make some serious OOH AAHH WOAH moments. In. Love. Soak it in Charleston, soak in the history.

Seriously, all I want for Christmas is sweetgrass tiara. What!? Audrey Hepburn eat your heart out! Dress designer, Model.

My heart beats faster just looking at the pictures. :) Some serious talent in this city! No wonder I love it so much.

When I wasn't picking my jaw up from the floor, I was having fun in the Style lounge and Belk tent! Warning: Please remember- I am NOT a fashion blogger. I'm not fashionable at all. The struggle is real since childhood. But I love to admire fashion and I love to dress for fun- whatever makes me happy! That does not equal stylish. lol Left skirt made by me, right flower crown also made by me. ;) Right necklace is the sand dollar by Lauren Amos Designs and right clutch is Aldo. Bracelets were my grandmas cause that's how I roll.

Mom! (My mom recently became a blogger!

 

 

Love finding new Southern bloggers to follow!
Fashion Bloggers: The Retail Therapist and Northern Lights- Southern Belles

Former Roomy and my finale date: Felicia from Two Hearts West Creations
(Fun Fact: My first date with my husband was actually with me, him, and Felicia!) :)

And I can't do a post without a shout-out to the very talented Daniel D. He was the perfect start to Wednesday night!

Thank you so much to everyone at CHSFW, especially the fabulous Ayoka Lucas who brings this baby to life every year. This is one event that every Charlestonian should experience. Can't wait till next year! (Giveaway below!!!)

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lowcountry Farm Tours

Lowcountry Farm Tours 2014 is just around the corner and I can't wait! If you live in the Charleston area, this is a really special family event that you shouldn't miss. For one day multiple Johns Island and Wadmalaw farms are open to the public for tours and tastings. Yes, many of the farms are open for tours other times but there's something extra fun about being a part of a large group, traveling farm to farm for one day. :)
 

The last time I was able to go was 2012 and we had a pretty tired [read: grumpy] 1.5 year old in tow so we only saw a couple farms. But he did enjoy the food and loved seeing the animals post-naptime. haha. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Ambrose Farm.

If you have never been to Ambrose Farm, you really have to go! And on your way home, stop by their Stono Market for lunch at the cafe or to pick up some farm fresh eggs, raw milk, produce, pimento cheese (soooo good!), meat, or freezer meals ready to pop in the oven. (Seriously- there freezer meals are amazing!)

Farmer Pete explaining their farming practices.

 

We also picked strawberries, ate yummy tacos, and swung on a tire swing. Plenty of fun for everyone. :) Get your tickets and get out to support your local farmers- I hope to see you there!!!

 

P.S. The little tidbits given by Farmer Pete about surviving in today's farming world were mind blowing. If you've ever binged on Netflix documentaries about the food industry- you don't want to miss what he has to say!

Mom

It's the most complicated word...because how can we really define it? In the last few years I have gone from "eventual mom" to "foster mom" to "pre-adoptive mom" to, hopefully some day soon, just what my son calls me- "momma/mommy".

Our whole world hangs on this notion of what a mom is. Or isn't. You can be legally severed from being a mom. You can be legally "granted" motherhood. You can accidentally stumble upon it after 1 too many margaritas. You can be a biological mom, adoptive mom, spiritual mom, second mom to your kids friends, and probably at least 100 other types of mom.

No matter which type of mom you are (even "not a mom"), it's all about your choices and what battles you are willing to fight. I hear all the time, "oh I could never do what you do or oh I don't know how you do it!" Guess what? Neither do I. But I chose to be a mom and there is no battle that I won't fight for my son. I am momma, hear me roar. The only choice left is to get up each day and fight the next battle.

For me that literally means fighting to keep my son. He's too young to even know that countless hours have been left un-slept and a million tears cried for him. I hope that he never really knows about it all (not the facts and his history, but the emotional roller coaster that we go through). I hope all he ever knows is how much I love him.

Having my own child has made me stop and think some on what my mom went through as I was growing up. She is my biological mother and never had to fight for me, but that didn't mean there weren't scares. I'm going to ignore the teenage years for the sake of time. :) ... As a baby I contracted meningitis. The doctors told my parents that I would not survive the night. Obviously they were wrong.

Can you imagine the horror of that time? I can. Do you know how many times I have heard the story of me almost dying? Once, maybe twice ever. Actually, thinking about it always makes me question whether I just dreamed it because it's not something I've ever heard much about. And that's the way it should be.

Love is about being there for each other and truly caring. That's what I walked away from my childhood knowing and what I strive to show my son every day. Someday he's going to look back at all the pictures of us loving each other (ones that I can't post here!). I hope the story of how I legally became his mom will seem like nothing more than a weird dream.