Scare...

I received a call this morning from Sarah...she said Emerson (pictured), a friend's baby, was at LeBonheur with bacterial meningitis. The prognosis in early a.m. was NOT good. He had a 105 fever and they were told to call their preacher. However, as of this afternoon he is awake and chatting, fever down and moved from IC to a private room! YAY EMERSON! Way to hang in there little man!

On a positive note as well, I think we are moving one step closer to a very tangible idea that is "the hub"...we will see. As of now it seems to be a play cafe/green retail open place with renewable energy resources and as green as possible. A rental space for music classes and play classes, maybe a space for chiro care... We would love to do a garden and I want SO desperately to do either raw milk or milk "refills" with the glass jugs (they have a place like that in Fayetteville, AR and it's AWESOME! Very old school). Still trying to tie everything together but I have a whole list of ideas (natural handmade soaps, lip balm, recycled clothes, green diapers). We are getting pretty excited about it and it looks like we are coming closer to fruition. PLEASE if anyone has ideas bring 'em on! Until later....

Co-ops and garden swaps

So...The boys are out of town :( but we will pick them up in Columbus this weekend :) so I will enjoy my free time! With that we will be extending the garden, getting our chicks, a rabbit (why, I don't know!) cleaning the house and back yard. I had a meeting at church tonight to get ready for the summer series and think I am probably be more excited about it than the kids! I was at a table with a couple we know who has an organic farm. We were talking "business" and I mentioned the chicken and we talked more "business" (gardening is the best business EVER). As I was walking out, a lady approached me and was asking about what she overheard at our table. She said she likes to garden and grows a few veggies she has a surplus in and wanted to swap out some produce for eggs....This got me thinking...what else would be more wonderful than a garden swap at church?!?!? Place it in the bulletin and those that have more herbs than they can use and so forth can swap them out at a table in the main hall. (I know...I'm such and idealist!) Pleasant thoughts :)

Splattered on the wall....

Penn and I threw around some ideas last night about some store possibilities and I am meeting with a friend today who has opened a few businesses to talk about a "tentative" business plan. Of course it took me FOREVER to sleep last night because I had all the glorious possibilities running through my head... we'll see. Oh yeah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little sis!!!!!!! You are soooo old...and I hate that because it means I'm getting older :( By the way...did I mention how fabulous vampires are???

Later,

Nicole

New Endeavors

So...I did some thinking today...What if I took my passion that is Alternamamas and constructed a forum. A retail store for things green, organic, natural and such geared towards moms and kiddos alike. Embrace the attached parenting mindset with slings and nursing apparel but much more. Definitely kid friendly, and take it a step further. Weekly meetings with experts such as pediatricians to discuss vaccinations, farmers to discuss organic gardening, school representatives to discuss Montessori vs. Padeia? Maybe a monthly professionals mommy network with kids to give those working moms some time to talk work and still hang with their kids. I could definitely bring the people, that's one thing I know how to do...

WHAT THE.....

Soooo, it's been a WHILE since my last post. Boy time flies when you work, are married with 2 kids, trying to stay in shape and pick up an extra hobby....Anyway, let's see...

Work is, well, work...what can you say. It's not what it used to be out there. I would love to find something in fashion, or something with kids, or something where I could use my creative and energetic juices. Hey, maybe something with all 3 (yeah)! Well, I won't bore you with little tidbits about the last year (that long, huh) so I will just let you know where we are now.

Waiting for the ground to dry from the unrelenting bouts of thunderstorms that pop up in an instant so we can finish our garden. Don't get me wrong, a shower and a little rumblin' is great once in a while. Chicks, hopefully, soon to follow so we can work on our soon-to-be award winning compost (it'll be 'da sh*t....get it!)

Boys are AWESOME! Neal is so enthusiastic about everything, and so friendly and welcoming to other kids, never meets a stranger. Sam is super smart, he can count to 12, sing ABCs, knows colors and shapes and his vocab grows CONSTANTLY (sometimes with things we wish he WOULDN'T say...Daddy!) They will be going to school together this summer, Neal got a scholarship (let's hope it foreshadows things to come!) to CheekWood Child Development! They are both very excited about this.

Well, that's about it...working on Alternamamas Nashville, West End Community Church youth ministries (LOVE IT), wanna make some dresses and hair accessories (those cute little headbands with a splash of feathers) just need to find some time somewhere.....

Nicole :)