The New Mamas of Nourish Baby Organics!

I am overwhelmed with joy to share with you that Nourish Baby Organics has been adopted!  Meet Raechel and Olivia the new mamas of Nourish!  While going through this transition with them I've hated to think of it as selling my business.  That just sounds so cold to me. It has felt much more like an adoption of my business and when looking up the meaning of adoption (because that is often what I do when words continue to play around in my head) I loved that the dictionary described it like this... adoption~ to take up and make one's own.

Let me just say, I truly couldn't think of two better people to take it up and make it their own.  I think I will always feel like it's birth mother but I'm ready to watch it spread it's wings and fly.  I will love seeing them take this business places I have only dreamed it could go.  I have so much faith in them and I feel so much peace about this decision knowing that they will love it as much as I have.

When I first decided that it was all too much for me and it was time to close the thought to sell entered my mind but I couldn't imagine who I would want to have carry it on or who would be up for the task.  I was so surprised and thrilled when I got a call from Raechel just asking if I might be open to it.  To say that I was honored is an understatement.  To have two people see value in the work that you've poured your heart and soul into and say that it still has worth is amazing.

Raechel has actually been very instrumental throughout Nourish's last year.  She has featured the products on her lovely blog, Finding My Feet, several times and is a self-admitted lavender oil junkie. If you have to have an addiction I guess lavender oil is the way to go, huh?  Her hubby Ryan of UD + M is also the genius mastermind behind our image and label redesign.   Yes, I know my baby will be in good hands with them and I think you will soon agree.

Before I close this announcement I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your love and support over the years.  I have enjoyed every minute of helping to nourish you and your little ones and will always look back on this journey fondly.  Please continue to show support to Raechel and Olivia as they carry on  Nourish Baby Organics. They are well prepared and will continue to provide the high quality and effective organic skin care you know and love.  To celebrate this big announcement they are offering 25% off of everything and discounted domestic shipping!  Also check out Raechel's blog for some exciting giveaways!

*If you would like to keep up with me you can find me on twitter @melissa_vines and I will be blogging every now and then at my new blog home, Raising Vines.  xoxo

Miss Lyric {8 months}

  8 months, 1 week & 1 day....my camera was having some malfunctions last week so I'm a little late taking her 8 month pictures. Hopefully not too much has changed in a span of a week but I do think she is hitting a growth spurt. She's weighing in at a respectable 20.5 lbs and loving solids now! She is a carb girl and would have bread over anything else any day. 
This past month we transferred her to her crib. Those first couple of nights I didn't know how we were going to make it. Girlfriend cried for me just about every hour on the hour! But she has finally gotten used to it and last night I am proud to say she slept from 8 until 6:30 and didn't wake up once! We didn't stick to any real method but leaned towards the No Cry Sleep Solution. If she cried and wouldn't go back to sleep with me patting her back then I'd get her out and rock her. I tried to be patient and see the situation through her eyes. I would be ticked off if I were her too! I knew going into it that there would be many sleepless nights for me but I am very pleased with how well it went. Overall she is such a fun, sweet and happy baby and I adore her with every fiber of my being.

closing a chapter...

{image}

Sometimes a good reevaluation is in order...am I happy with what I'm doing...does it fulfill me...or is it creating unnecessary stress in my life? Lately I've felt the need to reevaluate my business. Starting out it was a hobby, something to fill my entrepreneurial spirit but as my family and business have both grown it's made me contemplate if now is the right time to build this brand because of the season of life I'm in. I do love what I do and I have been on such a wonderful journey creating this business. It is a huge creative outlet for me. I love making the products, thinking of ideas to grow the line and all the amazing feedback I get from my customers. It is beyond rewarding when you hear someone say that something you've made has helped their child's eczema. It has grown into a business that I dreamed and imagined it could be but along the way my definition of what fulfills me has changed.

My family is number one in my life and I want to eliminate any stress that keeps me from parenting wholeheartedly. From the beginning I told myself that I would not let this business venture get in the way of my family and the second it does I will shut it down. Some people might have a different perception of what "getting in the way" is and I know many moms who can balance it all but I haven't found that balance and I'm okay with admitting that. My business has grown to the point that it is demanding too much time from me and away from my family.   I hate being with my family and feeling the pressure of all that needs to be done for the business.

This is not an easy decision for me but I'm welcoming the change and freedom from it. So, what this means for Nourish Baby Organics is that I'm winding down with a projection to close by the end of the year. I am stocking up on inventory right now and when everything sells then I will officially close...this is truly bittersweet. I will keep you all posted on this transition and I thank you for your love and support.  I appreciate each and every one of you that allowed me to live out my dream.  xoxo

beach trip {part 2}

My favorite part of our beach trip was surprisingly not the beach.  It's hard work when you have two little ones.  Bishop was completely fearless of the water and refused to wear a life jacket so we had to be on top of him  the whole time and Lyric after plopping face first into the sand was not a happy camper.  I even heard myself saying "it's just too sandy!"  Well, duh...what did I expect? Don't get me wrong I loved being near the water but it didn't have the effect on my blood pressure like I hoped it would.

My favorite part of our trip was exploring the little villages on our bikes. We stayed in Seacrest, Florida which is sandwiched between two of the most beautiful beachside communities I've ever seen. I'd stick the babies in the back of the bike and ride all around Rosemary and Alys Beach. They are a far cry from the commercialized beaches you often see in Florida. Each area is unique with a real feel of community. I miss it terribly there and look forward to going back.

1st day of "school"

Bishop had his first day of school this week.  Well, I should say his 1st day of mother's day out but we've been talking all summer to him about how he's starting "school" and how much fun it will be.  I let him pick out his backpack and put stickers on his new lunch box.  He was really excited about it but a little disappointed that he wouldn't be riding a school bus and I was disappointed that this was the best picture he'd let me get of his 1st day!  

The program we have him is called Promiseland and is at our church, Fellowship Bible.  We chose to do one day a week this year to ease him into it. But he did so well we could have done two days and I'm wishing now that we had!  I'm looking so forward to all that he'll learn over the year, new friends that he will make and watching him grow in faith with the Lord. 

honey mint fruit salad

I recently made this super easy fruit salad for a friend's baby shower and it was so good that I wanted to share it with you!

Fruit Salad with Honey, Mint and Lime Dressing

• 8-10 cups fresh chopped fruit (any assortment you like)
• 3 Tblsp honey
• 3 Tblsp brown sugar
• 3 Tblsp fresh chopped mint
• juice from 1 small lime

Put chopped fruit in large bowl. I used bananas, cantaloupe, kiwis, strawberries and grapes.  In separate bowl whisk together honey, brown sugar, mint and lime juice.  Pour over fruit and stir well.  Enjoy!

7 months old

Happy 7 months Birthday to Miss Lyric!

beach trip {part 1}

Five kids, seven grown ups and one glorious beach vacation.  I hadn't seen the ocean in far too long and  I will not be waiting that long again.  I am declaring a new tradition for our family and it is a yearly beach trip!

{summer reading list}

My nightstand table has been stacked high with books to read this summer not mention the ones I have on my iPhone's Kindle and there is  a big range in subjects as you will see. I can rarely read through an entire book without starting another at the same time too. I've never focused well. :)

• First up is Baby-Led Weaning.  In the BLW method you skip pureed baby food and go straight to finger foods.  It is designed to create a more enjoyable meal time for baby and better eating habits by allowing them to explore food on their own. They encourage your baby to join in with the family at meal time and the cookbook and some great recipes that the whole family will like.   The title of the book is somewhat misleading to me though.  I have no intention of weaning Lyric from nursing and the title sounds like that is what you're learning to do.  They actually recommend that you allow your baby to feed themselves as much or as little as they want while still getting their primary nutrition from breastmilk or formula.

• I'll be the first to admit that I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to dealing with a toddler.  One minute he is an angel and the next minute I'm ready to schedule an exorcism to release that demon that has taken over.  Out of all the parenting books out there I have liked the method used in The Happiest Toddler on the Block best.  It is a kind and caring method that focuses on how to communicate with your right brained child. 

• Healing with Aromatherapy is in one word, fascinating!  Of course I know not everyone is fascinated by the healing properties of essential oils, how they are derived and where they originate from but I can not read enough about it.  I do have a botanical name after all.  Not only is my first name, Melissa, an herb (also known as lemon balm) but my last name, Vines, is a plant.  Predestined that I would get into this field perhaps?

• If you are thinking about starting your own business you can not do enough research or read too many books on the subject.  Taking your time to plan properly will save you a lot of time, money and grief when it comes time to launch your dream.  I recently came across Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months and wish that I had read it 12 months ago!  It walks you through the entire process of entrepreneurship, covering everything from getting your personal finances in order first to writing a solid business plan and hiring employees.  

• Like millions of other people I read The Help this summer and have been anxiously awaiting the movie.  It's such an interesting look into life in the south during the civil rights movement, thank God we've come so far since then!  I loved every minute of the story.  It's hard to believe that the manuscript got rejected by 45 different agents before getting published. 

• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a biography about the tragic life and death of a woman named Henrietta Lacks whose unknown contribution of cancerous cells rocked the world of science and medicine.  It is a thorough investigation into her life and family and how they were impacted by the knowledge that Henrietta's cells continued to live on even after she was gone.  Extremely interesting to say the least but such a heavy story that I was glad when I finished it.

• Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches was brought to my attention by my dear friend Raechel over at Finding My Feet.  I think that sometimes books come into your life at just the right moment, when they are the most needed and that was the case for this one.  I was really feeling in the trenches and needed a fresher perspective of my role as mommy to two little ones.  An attitude adjustment was in order and that is exactly what I carried away from it. 

Miss Lyric striking a pose...

This girl knows how to work a camera, already!