I can see the light.

For two full months now we have been non-stop fulfilling Etsy orders gallore.

I'm proud to say, I'm down to just THREE orders to ship out!

The small light at the end of what seemed like such a dark, dark tunnel is now brighter than ever!

Last Monday was our Etsy shop cut-off date for delivery on all Christmas items. 

We literally had to shut down the site so that we could dedicate all of our time into fulfilling these orders.

There were steadily e-mails from potential customers flowing in like crazy asking about products & shipment dates. Taking time out to respond to them was taking away from production time. So, we had to close it up!

Here's what our storefront looked like most of the time..

I think the post office ladies hate seeing me walk thru those glass doors now-a-days.

They're like, "ohh, Heyy Caitlin. What ya got today?"  with the biggest smile on their face.

And really, deep down.. I'm sure they're probably thinking "ohmygosh... not.her.again. she has 30 million packages to ship out every.single.day! She holds up my line for 15 minutes at the MINIMUM. Can't she use UPS or FedEx instead??" 

But instead, they smile & are just as friendly and helpful as anyone could be!

I owe them big time :)

It's been a crazy, busy holiday season thus far! 

We LOVE each and every one of our customers & are SO thankful for their business and support.

We hope they are thrilled with each of their products as we were when we made them!

-xoxoxo

wishing you a holly jolly holiday

Our Christmas cards came in the mail on Friday!

Yippeee!

As we speak, I am addressing them to send out first thing tomorrow :)

I ordered the prints from snapfish.com

From now until December 11th, order yours and get FREE shipping + 40% off your prints!
Enter code: CARDSFS40

When you spend $30 or more, get free shipping by entering the code: FSDEC30

-xoxoxo

christmas card picture sneak peak!

I hope everyone had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving week & week-end. 

One of these days I'll get around to compiling all of my pictures & writing a re-cap post :)

In the meantime, I thought I would share some of our Christmas card pictures we took this past Sunday.

(Thanks to my Mom!)

If you're wondering why the hubs is looking a little scruffy..he's participating in 'no-shave November'.

I'm wondering if he's going to join the local bandwagon and keep it going for 'don't shave December'?

In which, my cousin totally made that up today. (ha!)

I'm using some of these on my website for my Etsy items.

I needed a few good pictures using these wooden signs.

They worked out perfect for the occasion!

attire:

dress- Charming Charlies

boots- Rack Room Shoes

-xoxoxo

....surprise!

It's a NEW me!
I just went..

Last Thursday I built up the nerve to chop an entire ELEVEN (11) inches off of my wavy, blonde hair. 

This type of stuff hits me in spurts. 

I've been in dire need of some color on my dark roots & I honestly just can't keep up with them every 8 weeks or so. So, I went ahead and hit the dark streak again. 

And I love it, really I do.

Do I not look like a totally different person?

Crazy!

Ok, so..Why 11 inches, you ask?

I've always wanted to donate my long hair to the Locks of Love foundation.

"Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis."

If you've never heard of this organization, you can read more about it here.

You literally braid or tie your hair back with a pony tail holder, measure 10-11 inches, and snip.

Sounds so simple, right?

There's documentation that you print and fill out from the Locks of Love website.

Once completed, you put your hair in a plastic bag & place it inside a mailing envelope!

And BAM, you have just helped out a needy child!

I feel so "fall-ish" now!

-xoxoxoxo

i ask for your prayers.

My store opens every other day at 10:00 am. For some reason, this morning I was up before the sun even began to rise. I got ready, and headed up to my store about 7:45am. I immediately opened the laptop and turned on Pandora to my daily station: Avalon. As the music played, I sang along and worked on a few orders. Around 9:45, I went ahead and opened up the doors and lugged my store sign out front showing our new business hours. As I scrambled around back behind the counter, I turned around as a sweet lady I know walked in from her next door hair salon. I greeted her with a smile as she approached the counter top with an uneasy expression on her face. 

She went on to say this (in a nutshell): "I think you are a great role model in our community. You are a beautiful girl and a lot of our younger girls look up to you. I've been praying for you. I think the Lord is leading me to talk to you.. I teach an all girls Sunday School class and times have been getting harder with my Mama. I have been praying for someone that can teach these girls on days that I can't be there. It's not all the time, just times my Mama may need me. I think the Lord is leading me to you. As you sat in front of me at revival a few weeks ago, the Lord was telling me it was you. So, I've been praying to come and talk with you. You don't have to give me an answer right now, but just pray about it. These girls need a younger prospective and role model, I think you are it."

You see, this sweet lady is a member of my past church. If you are new here or missed this post, then you probably aren't aware that I have recently switched my membership to my Husband's church. I'm no longer a member at this church with this all girls Sunday School class. 

Just yesterday Cliff and I received a letter from First Baptist (where we are members currently) with our schedule for nursery for the month of November. This upcoming Sunday, I have the babies and Cliff has the 1-2 year olds. I've been praying that we could become more active in church and I felt this opportunity was perfect for us. I signed up several weeks ago, but hadn't heard anything from the preschool administrator until yesterday! I am so happy that we can offer our service to our church by helping out in the nursery and I'm really looking forward to a new beginning come Sunday.

Yet, ever since this lady stepped out of my doors this morning, I've been pondering and in amazement that she was lead to speak with me. Is this a calling? Is this an opportunity? Sure, the class may only consist of 2-5 students, but was she lead to speak with me because I can make a difference in their lives? What about the nursery? Can I teach Sunday School at a church I am no longer a member at? 

So many questions and only one way for an acceptable answer. Prayer.

I ask all of you friends to please keep me in your thoughts and prayers throughout the next few weeks. I know the Lord will lead me in the right direction. If this is something I need to do, I feel certain that the opportunity will arise and work out perfectly.

----------------------------

On another note, I have a big surprise for you all!

I'll work on that post, if time permits, today!

-xoxo

it's not who you knew, it's not what you did, it's HOW you lived.

Life can get so, so busy at times.
More often than none, we forget to make time for the ones who matter most.
The tiniest things can make the biggest difference.
Because in the end, it's not who you knew, it's not what you did, it's how you lived.


I love this song.
The words are undescribable.
It touched my heart this morning, like it does every time I hear it.
So I thought I would share it, in hopes that it does the same for you!

Read the lyrics as you listen to the words.

-----------

Wake up to the sunlight
With your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don't spend your life lookin' back

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

 So go to the ballgames
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don't run from the truth
'Cause you can't get away
Just face it and you'll be okay

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin

So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end there's nobody else

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Happy Friday, friends! 

-xoxo

what I've been up to.

Starting tonight and lasting until Sunday afternoon, we are here! The Great Ogeechee Seafood Festival in Richmond Hill, GA!

If you're wondering why I've been MIA for the past two weeks, this is why.

Between preparing and decorating to studying for the NCLEX (which I took yesterday- finally!!), this has been my life for the past two weeks. Updates coming soon :)

If you're around town, stop by and see us!