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Okay, it's June!

And I am a little restless.
It seems that even though everything around me is changing rapidly,
the store needed a change too.

You know how one day you wake up and you need to change your living room around?
The store is like my living room.
Only I spend WAY more time in it than my actual living room.

So, with a little help from some new store fixtures,
and summer inventory (hooray!)
it's like a whole new store!!

Pre-school has been over for about a week now.
Really hard to keep a bored 3 year old off the new store shelves.
Especially when each platform feels like a treehouse made just for him.

Okay, so, it takes forever, but it so much fun to change things up.
I have to thank my dad for building me five new display towers.
They changed everything!

Rope handles.
Canvas.
Blue.
Love it.

Not sure which print I like best!
I guess that's why I own a store.
I never have to decide.

Summer scarves.
They make any old shorts and tank top look like you know what you're doing.

Love this. That's all.

Along with moving things around, there is another big change here for the summer.
We have an intern!
Meet Alex.

We've known her forever.
She's like family.
You will love her. I promise.

She'll be here on Mondays and Tuesdays.
What's that? Mondays?
YES! Open on Mondays!!
All summer long.

The well-known secret is that she prefers hanging out with us over her summer job last year.
She still has to fold stuff on occasion.
But she doesn't seem to mind.
Not sure she'll go on to own a retail store, but hey, I don't want to be a neuroscientist.
She does though.

We are looking forward to a fun summer.
Come visit us!

p.s. I don't mind if you like her better ;).

Ultimate Procrastination

I own eight car seats.
I have three kids.
And one car.

Over the course of any given day or week or month, the kids collect things.
McDonalds toys (yes I just admitted that I take them there).
Silly bands, matchbox cars, a wooden drum stick, headless fairy doll.

But the food is the ultimate.
Apple Jacks, Goldfish (thanks Pop-Pop), Saltines.

And because I do attempt to force healthy food down their throats,
this morning I found 100 degree, day-old blueberries.
Smashed, hot, blueberries.

 AFTER the vacuuming was already "done".
I think if I sat back there and threw crumbs everywhere for an hour
I couldn't duplicate what they can do in no time and with no effort.

Very small sampling of what I pulled out from the back.
I can't even believe I am showing you this.

I think I should be given product placement credit.
These two items performed a miracle today.

It took several hours.
And my youngest culprit was really excited to "help".
The several months (yes, months) of procrastination have come to an end!

I love the feeling of a clean car, a full tank of gas, and a fridge full of perfectly organized,
brand new groceries.
Now if I could just fix the fact that it costs more for gas than for groceries most days.

I am still committed to storing the beach essentials in the back of the car.
Repeat: Beach stuff, not junk stuff. Beach stuff, not junk stuff.
You just never know when you might need to take a detour for some salty water and a little sand.

Summer is Here.

Memorial Day Weekend.
The official start-of-summer holiday.

My grandmother thinks it's the day we can start wearing white again.
My kids have no idea it's a holiday.

We stick close to home on summer holiday weekends.
It seems the entire tri-state area comes to Delaware.
Most people who live here just hide.
We are afraid of traffic.

We kicked off our holiday weekend with ice cream at Dolce.

Sweet little outdoor tables.
Coffee for me.
Ice cream for them.

Doesn't it look perfect?

I couldn't bring myself to post the later pictures.
Pretty sure he ate a little chocolate soaked napkin.

The smart one.


On Monday, Dad invited us over for a pool party.

He said we misunderstood the invitation.
He invited us over for the "pool opening".
I love my family.

Plan B made up for the green pool.
Dear adults: You will not be able to move in the morning should you attempt to Slip-N-Slide.

I don't think I heard from the kids for hours.
Which was good, since Dad didn't cook anything for the party.
Best Pool Party Ever.

I don't think you can celebrate a summer holiday without some sort of strawberry dish.
And since I had to make it, I decided on strawberry shortcake.
Mostly because it requires virtually no effort.

All in all it turned out pretty well.
We made fun of Dad all afternoon for inviting us to a party that didn't exist.
He said he couldn't wait for the next one.

Happy Summer everyone!!

Corn turned out to be Cute

Taking a trip is always an opportunity to find new things to bring back to the store. 

For some reason, I think I thought Iowa only had corn and houses.

I wasn't expecting good shopping, that's for sure. 

I found this GREAT store, Eden, in downtown Des Moines. 

Soaps, lotions, perfumes galore! 

Good stuff. 

Lots of it. 

Jen, the owner, was super nice.  

Shop there. It's awesome. 

Next up, Seed, also in Historic East Village in downtown Des Moines. 

Organic. Flowers. Gifts. 

Adorable!

Everything is sort of tucked in old stoves and propped up on found objects. 

Love it!

Then I walk into Found Things.  

I just discovered heaven. 

This store made me want to fill a car and drive it home. 

Wish I had. 

Mapquest confirmed I could have driven back faster than it took to fly. 

I love to fill my house with interesting, old, unique stuff. 

Not necessarily old boots, but you get the idea.  

After all my East Village adventures, we headed to Historic Valley Junction for the Big Bash. 

Mainstreet Iowa decided to do a street fair instead of the traditional food, music, fancy place version. 

Can anyone say perfect??

It is exactly what Main Street is all about. 

Thumbs Up Iowa. 

At the Bash, I met the cutest couple ever - Michael and Courtney Wagler. 

Michael is a design consultant for Main Street Iowa.

Courtney is a jewelry designer and small business owner. 

Courtney had a white tent set up with some of the fabulous jewelry.

Earthy, modern, classic. 

The place was mobbed!

We are SO excited to announce that a little bit of Iowa is headed to the East Coast!

Courtney's company Bare Root Designs has agreed to be a part of Minorbird.

I was WAY wrong about Iowa. 

I guess I hope that's what people say when they come to Delaware. 

I strongly encourage you to get involved in your community's Main Street program. 

You really can change your world.  

Check out Downtown Milford, Inc. if you're local and interested!

Golf Carts, Crickets and Airplanes. Oh my.

Downtown Milford is part of the National Main Street Program sponsored by the National Historic Trust for Preservation. 
What does that mean?

It means we work our butts off to revitalize our historic downtown, stimulate economic development and growth, support small business, and create a place where people love to gather and enjoy their community.

So, once a year, we all get together in a different city to share and learn (and maybe complain just a little) and ultimately be reminded of why we do what we do the rest of the year.

On Sunday, I left to represent our small town in Des Moines, Iowa.

I can't tell you how much fun it was to miss my connection in Memphis due to a delay.
Then sit around.

There was at least some entertainment in Memphis. 

I have never been, nor will I ever be, as skinny as this guy. 

And when you're that skinny, you deserve to be able to wear star patches on the backs of your knees. 

Then I fly to Minneapolis/St. Paul on a winged golf cart.
I don't like smallish planes.

You really begin to appreciate the small things.

Like not having to do an acrobatic move to use a paper towel to grab the door handle, hold the door open with your foot, attempt to quickly throw the paper towel behind you into the trash can, and make it out without nipping your heel in the door and having your bag smashed.
Thank you Step-N-Pull.

Then I get to run. Fast.
Barely make it to get on the LAST flight to Des Moines.
On a cricket.

I realize that there were actually about 50 seats on the plane, but it felt like five. Maybe ten.
The only thing that made it okay was that I was too exhausted to care very much.

For a place with so many cornfields, they could stand to add a few runways.
Then maybe my suitcase could have arrived sometime before 11:30 the next morning.

Plus I missed all the meat on a stick at the opening ceremony Sunday afternoon.
Jan Miller said it was great.
And I believe Jan Miller.

Finally in Iowa.
No shower.
Same clothes as yesterday.
(at least my dress was cute)







All the people you meet with and talk to and do projects with all in one place.
Hugs and handshakes everywhere.
And I do not even have a toothbrush.

I make the best of it.
No one seemed to notice and I'm pretty sure I didn't smell. Yet.

The conference turned out to be great!

Des Moines was WAY better than I expected. 

I learned a lot. 

Talked even more. 

And I really believe I am bringing home some new ideas to make our hometown a better place. 

p.s. Stay tuned for the all the juicy details of the "after hours" events. 

By the way, I am writing this blog from Detroit.
Where I am stuck because I missed my connection.
Again.

Roots. The Hair not The Movie.

It is my should-be-monthly but push-it-as-close-to bi-monthly-as-I-can hair camouflage appointment.

Sadly, you don't have to squint to see it.
Or use a zoom lens.

Off I go to Bad Hair Day to see Arlene.
She'll fix it.

But you see, this salon is really not normal.
Which is why I kinda like it.

Meet Drexel.
He owns the joint.

He is also President of the Board of Directors for Rehoboth's Main Street Program.
I like that.

Especially since I am on the Board of Directors for Milford's Main Street Program.
It must mean we like the same things.

Just a point of reference for those of you wondering what on earth he had strapped to his head.

Princess Beatrice.
"Best" hat award from the Royal Wedding.

We'll use the word "best" loosely.
That sucker is going up for sale on Ebay.

I'm always game for a photo op with royalty.
I told you Drexel and I had a lot in common.

Back to my bad hair genetics.

My hair used to fall out really bad.
And it is prematurely grey.
Joy.

Arlene convinced me to try Aveda hair color.
My hair doesn't fall out anymore.
But, interestingly, Arlene also convinced me to thin out my hair at every other trim.

Holy Moly!!
What a difference.
No more mushroom cap hair!

30 minutes and a little O Magazine for iPad later...

My hair is brown again.
For the next 30 days or so that is...

Disclaimer: There would have been a better hair photo if not for buckets of pouring rain today.

Have a great weekend!!