I Have Four Things To Tell You

Sometimes life gets exciting and busy and wonderful and I forget to share kind of big stuff on the blog. So today, I'm sharing four pieces of news that I've probably tweeted about, but haven't sat down at the keyboard long enough to really explain.

So here it goes!

01. I'm going to BlogHer'13.

Ok, so this you know because of the wee badge I've got up in the right hand corner... and it was sort of mentioned in this post, but really, I haven't dedicated a moment to it as I should have. I'll be attending BlogHer'13 in Chicago, and will be in the city July 25th-28th. The first and only blogging conference I've attended so far, was BlogHer'11 in San Diego -- and I had such an amazing experience. 

Honestly, meeting bloggy friends is one of my favourite things in the world. There's nothing like connecting with people after following their lives, and chatting online, and getting to really know one another before you ever meet. For example, I've contributed to the blog Child Mode in the past, and wrote with its founder, Nadia, over on another blog, and finally this weekend we had a chance to meet in person! She happened to be near Peterborough, check out Viamede Resort, so we met up and I got to meet her three gorgeous children too. Such a great visit!

Nadia and I are working on some blog ideas for later in the summer... can't wait to share!

Also, if you're going to be in Chicago next month, give me a shout! I'm hoping to meet even more of you lovelies!

02. I got glasses.

After months of thinking to myself, "Driving at night shouldn't be this hard", I went to get my eyes checked and walked away with a prescription to help deal with my deteriorating ability to see things that are far away. And WOW what a difference they make. It's a tiny prescription, but for driving and distance, I'm a much happier girl with my glasses on. I'm still a bit stunned at how much I can see with them on! Hello leaves on trees and far away billboards! The world is crisp and clear!

03. I started writing for The Inquisitr.

If you've been reading So Fawned for a while, you might know that I used to write full time for Celebrity Baby Scoop, and that I currently contribute to Mom Spark, a mama blog founded by the lovely Amy.

After making the decision to close my shop, I knew I'd be back writing and sure enough, was able to land myself a gig with The Inquisitr. Currently an intern and loving it!

04. We're moving to the country. 

Here's the big one. Earlier this year my mister and I moved in together, and this week, we'll be putting the condo on the market, and moving to the country, to a farmhouse owned by family. You've probably seen my Instagram feed filling up with images of fields and barns, orchards, and the most beautiful old home. I'm thrilled for the chance to have Gretchen experience what it's like to live in the country, with endless fields to play in, fresh air, and lazy summers days. 

We can't wait to enjoy the peace and quiet of rural life -- something we both grew up loving. It's also just about 20 minutes out of town. A summer of bonfires and sipping tea on our wraparound porch is about to begin. That barn above? That'll be my view from my new office. Incredible. 

So there we have it. Four bits of news -- four things that are making me very, very happy. 

My next post will come to you from the farmhouse. Peace!

Looking Back At The 2004 Peterborough Flood

Next month with mark the nine year anniversary of the 2004 Peterborough Flood.

The other day, at brunch with some friends, we all got to reminiscing about where we were when the flood happened, what we were doing, where we worked, who we were with. I have a hard time believe it was actually nine years ago. That seems like an eternity.

On July 15th, 2004, my hometown, Peterborough, Ontario, woke up to a flooded city after a night of non-stop rain. Our waterways couldn't handle it -- and the sewer system couldn't either. (See that white truck? That was my mother's. It was completely submerged in the parking lot -- she swam out the window.)



At the time I was living in a second floor apartment building, and working at a YMCA summer camp. I remember early morning phone calls and eventually the realization that this was no ordinary "rain day".

We all went to work, bailing out parts of the Because of the sewer issues, people in our city weren't just dealing with water damage -- they were dealing with losing entire floors of their homes to sewage. Floor to ceiling. Nothing could be saved.

Many people found themselves being turned down by their insurance if they hadn't opted in to specific flood damage policies, as often insurance companies don't cover "acts of god" ie. flooding, or other natural disasters. When I first had to purchase content insurance for my home, I asked about flooding right off the bat. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep at night with that possibility lurking!

Hello, downtown Peterborough!

At the time of the flood, I was also a co-chair of the Red Cross Youth Council in Peterborough. On the night of the 15th, I spent hours travelling back and forth to stores who had donated everything from money to cleaning supplies and more, and we created clean-up buckets for folks to pick up for free to help with the process. It's insane to walk into a Walmart and leave with every mop and bucket!

The aftermath of the flood was devastating. Homes and businesses were lost. Our local archives mostly destroyed, vehicles ruined. For weeks and weeks, streets were littered with what used to be peoples treasures and belongings. The smell of drying sewage lingered.

But, Peterborough is a town of resilience and community. And so we cleaned up. And moved on.

One good thing that came out of the flood, was the revitalization of Hunter Street -- now the Cafe District in our pretty little downtown. I think that had the flood not occurred, we wouldn't see such vibrant shops and life there now.

Hunter Street went from this:

To this:

An incredible transformation.

I think I might need an I Survived The 2004 Peterborough Flood t-shirt.

Have you ever experienced a flood?

{Small Style} Coffee By The Pond, Toes In The Water

Another sunny morning at The Children's Pond? Yes please.

She waded through the water til her toes were chilled and splashed her with My Little Pony friends. And then she "fell in", of course on purpose, yelling "yay!" and loving every minute of it.

I'd love a summer filled with mornings like these.

I definitely have a photo of her doing just this, when she was much smaller. Time to hunt through the archives for a comparison that's sure to make my heart ache just a wee bit.

Friends.

Shorts, shirt: Old Navy // Hat: Joe Fresh // Ponies: Thrift finds // Bare feet: Brrr!

Have a beautiful day, friends. Pop back soon... a few fun and exciting announcements will be coming up soon. I'm all giddy!

When One Door Closes: Saying Goodbye To Tango & Stepping Into The Next Phase Of My Life

This evening, after a week of decompressing, I posted the following on my Facebook wall:

Last week I made the tough choice to close Tango. Owning a store downtown was the fulfilling of a dream for me and I will never regret having taken over the shop as a single mother at age 25 and creating a space that ended up being truly my own. However, in business there are always highs and lows, risks and adventures -- and after much deliberation, I knew it was time to say goodbye to the shop.

"Greatness is not achieved by never falling, but by rising each time we fall."

And so I'll rise and enjoy this new phase of life.

Thank you so much to the friends and family who have been incredibly supportive and to all who helped Tango be a special chapter in my lives. 

Last Wednesday I closed the doors and said goodbye to a part of my life that will always be special -- that taught me so much, and that I will always remember as growing experience. I am humbled and honored by the support of my friends during this time. I also shared this:

I want my friends to know that this is a choice that does not sadden me, it's a choice that I made that will open up new opportunities. I have returned to blogging full time, with my doula career flourishing too, and there are no regrets, mes amis. I'm proud to have done what I did. And I knew when the time was through. Much love.

To me, despite the fact that my store did not succeed in the greater sense, this is not a sad decision or a negative time in my life. I am excited for the chance to begin anew and face the future with a thirst for broadening my mind, feeding my soul, and encouraging -- nurturing -- new growth in not only my work, but my life, and the lives of those around me.

It really has been a season of change. Everywhere I turn, I am hearing stories of big life changes, moves, new jobs, breakups, new babies, engagements, divorces. And I'm so proud to see people thriving on change and acknowledging that without it, we'd be bored. Stale. Unhappy. Complacent. And what sort of LIFE is that?

So, cheers, dear friends. To the new. To the future. To moving on & making the most of it all.

Peace & prosperity. 

{Wordless Wednesday} Mornings By The Water

At The Children's Pond

A few mornings ago, Gretchen and I had some time to visit our favourite cafe and park, which features the sweetest little spot called The Children's Pond. Now that the weather allows, it's filled up and perfect for tiny toes on hot days.

A few friends joined in too. Watching Gretchen meet new people is beautiful. Everyone she meets is her new friend as soon as she sees them. She's not shy and has absolutely no inhibitions when it comes to chatting with new people. I love watching her launch right into a long story about our morning, or what she's wearing, or something she did the day before -- the same way you or I would speak to someone we'd known for years and years. She's the most social little creature and I hope she never loses that eagerness to form bonds with lovely friends.

Here's to a summer of new friends and adventures. Toes in ponds, bare legs, iced coffees, skipping stones, sunhats, and beautiful weather.

Sandwich Board Love

A little downtown love: Our latest Tango sandwich board.

Have a fabulous Thursday, friends!

Tonight my partner is out of town on business, so the little miss and I are planning a girls night -- her choice for movie & dinner, nail painting, general silliness. Can't wait!

Today Was A Big Day

Today I celebrated a huge milestone, mes amis!

Today marked one year since taking over as the owner of Tango, my clothing shop in downtown Peterborough!

I can hardly believe that an entire year has passed! This has been my busiest, craziest year ever of my life. I've worked so hard to make changes & transform Tango into my own vision. A big thank you to everyone who came out, brought me flowers, supported our indie biz, and came out to spread the love!

I'll have to admit, I'm pretty proud of our new Springtime window displays. So far, this is my favourite look! Thanks to one of my shopgals for helping out with a little window painting, and for making our Gypsy Barn sandwich board stand out!

It's SO handy to have a costume shop next door, filled with fabulous balloons for our special day!

Happy anniversary flowers from our neighbours up the street at Hi Ho Silver!

Delicious food from Black Honey -- another downtown favourite!

Sometimes I go weeks without REALLY looking at my shop from the outside, but every time I do, I'm excited to see how our displays look from a distance. It's a funny thing to be inside the shop each day, but to not always view it the way others may view it. Does that even make sense? Either way, as I made my way home after our anniversary party this evening, I was so pleased to take a peek back, to take a moment and look at my shop. My shop. Even that is still a surprise sometimes. Perhaps I forget how big of a thing it is that I've done, or I forget that I'm in a position that not many 20somethings find themselves in. 

And so I stood across the street and took a moment. A moment to breath, relax, and know that life is just incredible at times. It's so important not to let it all slide by. Enjoy ALL those moments, mes amis. 

Many thanks to my friends, family, my loving & wonderful partner and to my little girl who makes life beautiful every single day.

Peace.

PS. The other day, my amazing daughter told me that when she grows up, she wants to go to work all by herself and she wants to work at Tango. Oh my heart. I love you, Gretchen. You make my heart burst with love & possibility. 

{Small Style} The Return Of Small Style!

Fact: My last Small Style post dates back to June 2012. Yikes!

The other day, at the warming party of our favourite seasonal cafe, I started snapping a few pics of Gretchen playing down by the water and I KNEW I had to get back into sharing her outfits. Love that stylish lass! She's definitely developing her own sense of what she enjoys wearing, but she still lets me pick some outfits out. Sometimes, however, she's adamant about a certain item of clothing and so help me if I disagree. (Sure, you can wear the poofy party dress to the park in the rain... why not...!)

Here's what we put together for Sunday's adventure.

Flip-flops & dress: Old Navy (aka Easter Bunny & a birthday present) // Top: I believe Joe Fresh (every girl needs a little jean shirt love)

Her hair is wild and free. Won't be tamed, girl. She's all about it.

Our waterway is VERY high right now. The path where G is walking is completely underwater... as is the dock that you can't see at all. She was thrilled to stomp around in the (chilly!) water. All she could talk about was taking her shoes off and splashing in the river. Love!

Have a beautiful day!

PS. Click here for one of my favourite Small Style video posts from 2011. Her voice is the sweetest! I feel like I barely remember her being so little. She's so grown up now.

Our Easter Weekend Love List

I've been wanting to get back into writing Love Lists, which I used to do much more frequently, and I think Easter weekend seems like a beautiful place to begin. Here it goes...

♥ Visits to Maple Fest

♥ When my mister's hair makes him looks like a Flock of Seagulls enthusiast

♥ A dog wearing a bowtie

♥ Otters!

♥ Easter morning egg hunts

♥ Making devilled eggs for the second time

♥ Bacon

♥ A girl on her brand new bike

♥ A busy, busy weekend with my little fam

Happy Easter, mes amis! Much love and fingers crossed for a gorgeous Spring ahead. Peace.