Fun summer getaway ideas with young kids

I don't know how it happened so quickly, but summer totally snuck up on me this year. Now that it's here, I am trying my best to come up with some quick and easy summer vacation ideas with the kiddos. I would love to hear your recommendations, but in my quick research, I thought there may be a few other parents out there that would appreciate the info I found. I have thrown it together here for you, with a few links to other great sites. Happy summer travels!!

East Coast:
Since we live in Charlotte, the east coast is the closest for a quick summer trip. Although not my very favorite spot to travel, we have spent some time in Myrtle Beach for recent photo shoots and really enjoyed ourselves. It's makes for a fun quick trip and my kids love it. There is a cute place called Broadway at the Beach, which we really enjoyed. Hotel prices are definitely way higher in the summer, but you can still find a good deal here and there for condo rentals. We just rented a 2-bedroom condo last weekend, which works out great with the kids. It's almost like a little home away from home and they are thrilled by that alone. The fact that it was within walking distance to the beach was a total bonus! This last trip, we went the tourist route and saw the the Pirate's Voyage dinner show and truly had a great time. My kids are still talking about it, which means it was a hit!

We have also visited the Isle of Palms since moving to Charlotte. It is less than a 4 hour drive, located just outside Charleston. We found it to be super family friendly, and not quite as touristy at Myrtle Beach. We rented a house when we were there, again in walking distance to the beach and really just made it a relaxing beach-type of vacation.

Prior to having children, we spent a summer vacation in Cape Cod. I would love to go back with the kiddos. It was such old-fashion fun, and the seafood was incredible! We rode bikes around Martha's Vineyard and at lunch on the water. This is definitely on my to-do list one summer soon! Here is a nice little list of things to do with the kids in Cape Cod, with reviews, which I always find helpful.

West Coast:
San Diego is one my favorite places in CA. The zoo is world-famous and the weather is pretty much perfect! We also recently heard about the LEGOLAND not too far away, and my kids have been begging for this trip every since. I even heard that you can choose the decor of your room - adventurer, royalty or pirate...too cool!

Santa Monica is also a great vacation spot. With the famous pier and miles of sand, it just makes you feel like you are on a vacation. I loved the energy at this place, watching people play around on the gymnastics equipment right there on the beach, playing volleyball, and just having a good time...it's a bit infectious! There is long list of fun things to do here, and you can find all of the details at their website here. Of course Disney Land is not too far away, but I've never been there, so can't speak personally on that one.

Mexico:
I'm not sure where he got it, but my son (who is only 2 years old) has been asking to go to Mexico for a full year now. When he hops on his little tricycle and we ask where he is going, he almost always responds with "Mexico". Hopeful little guy! So, one of these days, I would really like to take the kids down to an all-inclusive. I've done a bit of research and have found Dreams Resorts to be very kid-friendly from reviews, but there are really tons of options. We have always traveled to the Playa Del Carmen area as a couple, but recently stayed in Cancun at an adults-only resort called Live Aqua and LOVED it! If we take the kids, I think it will be more about the resort than the location, as the kid options would be the most important to me then.

Punta Cana: We took the kids (and my mom) to an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana for my mom's surprise 60th birthday last year. We had a wonderful time, and the kids loved every minute. Funny, their most memorable experience was the free unlimited fruit smoothies, but at least it was memorable for them! Although we had a fantastic time, I would say that I find the food to be significantly better in Mexico, so would be more likely to make that my destination of choice next time around.

Would love to hear from you guys, if anyone has any great recommendations. I know I only covered a handful here, but wanted to pass along just in case helpful to you! Oh, and if you are needing a super cute swimsuit to be the hit of the beach, I know just where to find it ;)

 For girls --> here
 For boys --> here

Holy cow...breathe!

Do you ever feel like you have turned into your parents? I feel like I lived so many years with my parents warning me that life goes by so fast, yet yearning to reach the next milestone, that seemed in the moment to take forever! It was just recently that I 'got it'. Yep, life flies by at warp speed and if you don't take just a moment to take it in, you will miss the beauty. Just yesterday, I was feeling overwhelmed, a little like life was flying by, and I was too exhausted to take it in. It was at 1:00am, as I sat up still working, that I looked out our back window, overlooking a peaceful lake, and took just a moment to remember that this life is short-term. I guess we all fight this internal battle between enjoying all life has to offer, while also juggling the responsibilities that propel us forward. I LOVE what I do, but at times feel like I am drowning in it just a bit. There's the designing, the selling, the managing, the running a growing business...then there are the kids, the hubby, dinner to be made, tennis lessons to go to. Oh and did I mention, we are about to put our house on the market?? So much to do, so many hours working, but then I must take a moment to remember how blessed I really am. I am certainly not the only parent trying to 'do it all', so I know you can likely relate. It's funny, I now find myself reminding my 4-yr old daughter to enjoy every age, to take it all in, cause "life goes by fast". I guess my parents were right all along, with age comes wisdom. As I age, and the dark circles become more prominent, the wrinkles become a little deeper, and those darn grey hairs are just hanging out at the surface laughing at me a little each day. I take it all in stride because there is nothing more rewarding, more valuable than understanding and truly appreciating that each day, each week as a gift from God. I may not do each of those days perfectly, and I certainly have a TON to learn, but there is something freeing about living life for your own beliefs, values and achievements, over the expectations of others. Pushing myself everyday, yet understanding the value in my priorities. Life does go by fast and although I may drown in it a bit, the adventure is mighty fun!

Thea Anna's pudding dessert

Do you ever think back on a particular food that reminds you of your childhood? I do, one in particular - Thea Anna's pudding dessert. This sweet was a staple at birthday parties, cookouts, holidays, ect.

Thea means aunt in Greek, but is also commonly used out of respect with non family members. While Thea Anna and I are not blood related, she is no doubt my second mother. I spent almost as much time in her home as my own growing up, and her two daughters and I think of each other as sisters. Our mothers are best friends and together we make up one big fat happy Greek family! Both Thea Anna and my mother have an unusual affinity towards extreme cleanliness, so as children we were encouraged to play with toys that couldn't cause detrimental damage to walls/carpets/furniture/decorative pieces/ect. We stuck to relatively mess-free play - riding bikes, Barbie dolls, hide and seek, ect. This meant that crafts and cooking were out of the question - these activities posed too high of a risk to cause destruction to our homes. Don't get me wrong, I love them for it! And despite the play restrictions we are all creative in our own right, can cook edible food, and are incredibly clean.

So when asked to write a creative kid friendly blog, I was at a complete loss. That is until Thea Anna's pudding dessert came to mind. It tastes amazing, is super easy to make, and above all is kid friendly. To verify this point I recruited a family member's child to help me make it. She told me that she had fun - so it is in fact kid approved!

Ingredients:

• (3) 5.1 oz JELL-O vanilla pudding
• (1) half gallon of milk
• (2) 14.4 oz boxes of graham crackers
• (1) 16 oz Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge frosting
• (1) 12 oz Cool Whip
• sprinkles

Directions:

• Prepare pudding as directed on box
• Line (1) 15 x 10 x 2 glass baking dish with chocolate frosted graham crackers
• Top with 1/3 of the vanilla pudding
• Continue until you have filled the baking dish with three layers of frosted graham crackers and pudding
• Top with Cool Whip and sprinkles
• Refrigerate overnight
• Enjoy! 

~Written By: Jamie Account Manager, International & National Chain Accounts

Designer's Corner - Happy Mothers Day

Mother's Day is the perfect occasion to dress up and celebrate that special person who gave birth to you and loves you unconditionally. So we came up with our Top 5 Ways to show Mom how much you love her! Breakfast in Bed A Pretty Flower Arrangement A hand-drawn card Taking her out to celebrate A big Hug & Kiss!

Here are some of our favorite stylish outfits for a special celebration. RuggedButts Gray Tuxedo Onesie, complete with the coordinating Gray Drivers Cap & Argyle Legwarmers, for your handsome little man. For your little princess, we love our Fancy Ruffle-Back Sundress paired with our matching soft soled shoes and our a Fuchsia, White, & Lime Satin Rosette Headband. Our top flower picks for mom are: tulips, orchids, lilies, daisies, & roses.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! ♥ the resident rufflebutt stylist

Challenged

I saw this quote today, and found myself in a moment of thought...which is rare around my office, usually not so much time to actually think! Anyhow, this one really resonated with me today. There are many days in this business and in life where I run on high-speed, handling the daily decisions the best way possible, overcoming obstacles, and creating solutions. Then, there is the occasion, to be quite honest with you, where I am deeply challenged and not quite sure how to handle it.

To take a step back, I am not your average CEO. My formal education is not from a fancy Ivy League school. My parents, although both extremely talented and hard-working in their own right, do not have a college education. I am not the most well-spoken person you have ever met, nor the best-read. I try my best to keep up. I have two children that are at the top of my priority list, and this business was really baby #1 before they were born. I read a great business book when I can fit it in between days in search of carousels (my sons request this weekend), and I challenge myself to learn from others whenever possible. I think for the most part, I do okay most days. Really, I am not unlike most of you reading this post, most likely. We are just 'normal' people working super hard to do the best we possible can.

So, back to those challenged moments. I realized today that these challenges I face, are truly my most valuable teachers. Whether a loved one, an employee, or a vendor, those that challenge me, often force me to take a step back and evaluate. I evaluate my actions, the actions of others, ways to improve, and ways to grow. In retrospect, I should be grateful to these people. I should also remember in those moments that these will be the people to lift me higher, to make me better, and to teach me the most.

Do you have someone challenging you at the moment? In writing this blog, I often think it a bit silly to write about my life...really everyone has their own lives to worry about, why care about mine? But, I do it in hopes that what I am going through at the moment may touch someone else. May, the unlikely chance, be just what they needed to read that day. If you are being challenged by someone in this moment, maybe this perspective can help...what are they teaching you? I'm fairly certain I am stronger, wiser, and maybe even enlightened by the people that have pushed, tested, and challenged me the most. I may not have enjoyed the process (to say the least), but I am grateful for it.

Designer's Corner

Spring hue of the week: ocean-inspired teal With Spring weather finally here, people are clamoring for color! Teal is bursting out as the color to bring us out of winter's stormy hues. From nails to eyes, it is a color that looks great on all ladies, including the miniature ones! A refreshing change, this ocean-inspired hue is my pick of the week

This new RuffleButts ruffle-front tee is right on when it comes to the color, and when Amber added soft mesh ruffles waterfalling down the front, it was a homerun. What I also love about this top is that it is so universal. Pair it with the coordinating striped pants and you have a total outfit, making my life as a mom much easier with one less decision in the morning. When I want to spice things up, I’ll pair it with a cute RuffleButt and the super soft ruffled tights. Of course, I am all about the sparkles, as is my little princess, so we like to top of the outfit with some matching glitter Toms or maybe maryjanes. This color is so reminiscent of a crystal clear Tahitian sea...I think I need a vacation now! ♥ the resident rufflebutt stylist

Inspired by Chelsea Handler...no, seriously

Of all the celebrities out there to choose from nowadays, seems a bit surprising I would pick this gal, known for her mean comedic pokes and no-care attitude, for my list of inspiration sources, right? Well, although I've always found her magnetic in some odd way, I recently put it all together. It was more than 10 years ago, Chelsea Handler jumped off the screen at me in this goofy comedic 'candid camera' type show called Girls Behaving Badly. There was just something about her...actually I know exactly what it was. She stood out to me as the type of person that commits 100% - if she's gonna do it, she's gonna do it all the way, which totally showed. BUT, she has a way of making everyone else believe that she doesn't really care. I'm really not sure if she would agree with me here (or totally make fun of this entire blog post all together...likely), but I am guessing that for most of her life, she was determined to achieve 'success'. It just seems so much to me that when she goes after something, she does it with everything she's got. I mean, this amazing success that she has achieved to date did not come accidentally. Although paid extremely well nowadays, it is a TON of work!

She oddly enough reminds me of myself in some ways, and completely not in others. So, here are my top 5 reasons why Chelsea Handler is on my list of people who inspire me:

1) In her rise to fame and success, it seems to be that she cares about others, and wants them to rise with her. Ok, who am I to make this call, but hear me out here. I've noticed that in almost everything she does, she does it with others. Think about it...Chuy, Chelsea's sidekick, has risen to his own star with her daily nighttime show. She also starts the show with multiple comedic guests, and while she often totally rides them on public tv, she does share the spotlight and gives them face time. It is all in good fun, and often quite entertaining. I just love that she seems to make it NOT all about her, and I have a lot of respect for that.

2) She is the master of dry wit. I'm SO envious!! It is often my husband or a friend will jokingly say something to me, and I just yearn for the ability to throw a quick come-back (of course all in good fun). Instead I can only laugh, and then about 30 minutes later think of a decent retort that is now completely lame in wasted time. I'm too 'nice' and it is no fun in moments like those!

3) She's honest. This is a tough one for me, as I highly value honesty, but I also place importance on empathy and the feelings of others (likely too much at times). Sometimes I think she crosses the line in her honesty about others (or flatly flies past it), but I also see a softness in her recently that I think comes with maturity. It is more her honesty about herself that I truly admire. She has this awesome way of not taking herself too seriously, or the people around her, that makes me want to be one of her best girlfriends. There is just nothing better than an honest girlfriend that tells you like it is...and makes you laugh!

4) She's hard working. She films her show daily, has written something like 5 books in the past 7 years (many of which have landed on the New York Times best seller list), and she also has a mokumentory called  After Lately that has become a big hit of it's own. I think I also read somewhere that she created her own production company. This lady clearly works her butt off and has some serious work-ethic.

5) She's clearly to the point in her life where she does not live for the opinion of others. This has been a personal struggle of my own, and honestly this business has helped me GREATLY along the way. I remember vividly an Oprah interview with Jennifer Aniston where they talked about how great it was to get older and to stop living so much for others. I found myself much through my twenties caring immensely what others thought about my decisions, life, and success. It was when I discovered this amazing balance between empathy for others, and confidence in my own beliefs and decisions, that I was able to let go, and in the end make better decisions all the way around. From everything I've seen with Chelsea, she seems so confident in who she is and what she wants. That inspires me on many levels, but most of all because I feel she lives her life with intention and doesn't seem to waste time confusing people-pleasing ways with her own purpose.

6 Year Journey

Wow, what a crazy ride! As I realized it was 6 years ago this month that I made the decision to pursue this dream, it really brings me back to our roots. From my visit on the Anderson Show to landing on the Inc 500 List, this past year has certainly been an exciting one, to say the least. There are many days that I look around, amazed by our abundance of blessings and the journey that got us here. To think that I came from that little one-room office where I ran RuffleButts completely on my own in 2007, just a gal from KY determined to pursue a dream, is sometimes hard to even believe.

Don’t get me wrong, the story reads a bit like a drama in the start. I will never forget the 1^st shipment ever, that arrived to my small little office. As I excitedly pulled open the 1^st box, my kid-like giddy quickly went from thrill to emotional devastation. Turned out less than half of the shipment was produced correctly. My amazing mom hopped on a plane and came to my aid, as we individually checked each and every garment. Yep, she’s awesome!

Then, came our fun family twist…after 2 years and a bumpy road of trying, just 9 months into the business, God blessed our family with what we would later find out to be a perfect little RuffleButt model! I can do this, right? Be a Mom & Entrepreneur! I was inspired (and maybe slightly intimidated) by the many super-moms out there, and I was determined to do both and do them both well. So, on we went and I hired my 1^st Assistant. Now, just 5 years later, we are 15 people strong, and what amazing 15 people they are!

So, as the story goes on, customers begged us to add something for the boys. We answered with an entire collection called Rugged Butts, all for the little guys! Just months after pulling the trigger on the new venture, God decided both of my families needed a #2 and my belly began growing again. We were happy to find out that we would have the joy of a 2^nd RuffleButt model. Just to keep things interesting, a few months later, following the arrival of the 1^st Rugged Butts shipment, our baby BOY arrived…yep, you read that right, they were wrong, it was a perfect, little Rugged Butts model!

As my family was growing, so was the business…right out of our office space! So, with a 4 week old baby in tow, off we went into an official (and MUCH larger) office/warehouse space. The entire team pitched in and made the move. A very big day for the RuffleButt family! To continue on this trend of upgrades, we decided our website was missing out…so shortly after the move came the launch of a MUCH upgraded website. We are always striving to provide our customers with the very best experience possible, in every way, so with our improved website came an improved shopping experience. With a few hiccups (and an entire crash at Black Friday), we dusted ourselves off and continued on our quest to spread the ruffles and share the joy!

Then came a phone call from the producers at Anderson…what, they wanted me, little ol me?? Turns out they caught wind of my story and a little person by the name of Sara Blakely. Yep, you may know her…super successful, Billion Dollar Entrepreneur, Founder of that little company called Spanx!! Well, Sara was just a determined, self-starter with no experience in apparel, venturing down a similar path not too long ago. I happened to catch an Oprah episode where I saw Sara speaking through the TV screen at me, back in 2007. Her passion and excitement spoke volumes and gave me that extra kick I needed to go for my own dream. I started RuffleButts Inc just weeks later! Anderson gave me my chance to thank Sara, an opportunity of a lifetime. The experience was one I’ll never forget and really lit my fire to pay the inspiration forward.

Today, our vision is much the same, although the story is no longer my own. I am now honored to share it with a team of amazing individuals, and a bevy of the most incredible customers EVER! We are blessed to do what we do, and it is our goal daily, to create unique products at a top-notch level of quality and customer service for the fabulous customers that got us here in the 1^st place. We operate by the Golden Rule, just as my mother taught me. It is with true gratitude that I share this story, because if you are reading this blog, you have likely in some way, played a part in this story that is the RuffleButts adventure.  

Good enough

Is there ever a day when you just need someone to tell you that you are good enough? I had a conversation last night that reminded me that we are all the same, just at different points on our journey. This business has been an incredible adventure and a path I was destined to take, but that's easy for me to say now. Looking back just 7 years, it was a totally different story. I knew my path was out there, but I hadn't found the on-ramp yet. I was determined to do something big, but truly didn't know if I was "good enough" to do it.

See, I'm really no different than anyone else out there, and really if you compare me to most CEO's, my pedigree does not compare. I grew up in KY, far from wealthy. No trust fund (I didn't know what they are). No ivy league education (I didn't really know what they were either). Actually, when I was about 13, my mom explained to me that she wanted to do as much as she possibly could for me, but her salary was limited and I needed to prepare for whatever it was that I wanted to do. IE, you want to drive, start saving for a car. You are going to college, but you are also paying for it. That was okay with me, and I had no doubts I could make it happen. I started working at 14 at a local dry cleaners and haven't stopped since. At 17, I worked two jobs and truly, honestly, didn't mind doing it. I went to the University of Cincinnati (not quite ivy league) and moved out on my own shortly before turning 18.

Long story short, I knew I wanted more for my life, and had no doubts I could get there, but certainly didn't know what the path looked like. As an adolescent, I think we all question if we are good enough...grades, status in society, relationships, friendships, whatever. I was no different. In my twenties, I felt driven, but wasn't sure in what direction. I was a little lost.

Looking back, it all makes complete sense. It was my path, my own journey that led me here. Every bit of it was a necessary page in my book. I was good enough every step of the way, but I just didn't truly realize who the "good enough" was for. It wasn't about my parents, or my friends, or even my bosses along the way. It was for Him. In the eyes of God, I was good enough all along. I just had to find trust, which lifted the weight off my shoulders and allowed me to look around. It allowed me to live much bigger, and free. I am so very grateful for where I am today, but I am equally grateful for my journey to get here.

Don't get me wrong, there are still days I question if I am making the right decisions, if I can handle this (there are a lot of people depending on me and I feel that daily), but there is never a day I question my worth. In my discussion last night, I wanted so badly to just hand over the answer, but I know that is not possible. So, I did the next closest thing, I shared the very valuable knowledge that she is absolutely good enough. I know so, because God made her that way. Now it is just her turn to find the on-ramp, and I can promise it is going to be one heck of a ride! She is an amazingly talented, driven, and beautiful person, but now she gets to discover that for herself.

Sound familiar? Did you have a certain age that you found your own path? For me, it was somewhere around age 26/27 and at 30, it got even better. I know it's not about age, but I think with age comes experience and wisdom. With wisdom comes faith, and with faith comes peace.

Fabulous Photography

We had the pleasure of working with yet another fabulously talented photographer...this time in our hometown of Charlotte! What a whirlwind, but I am thrilled to see the final results...our Fall Collection come to life. Christine, the main talent behind the Dimples and Curls team, is awesome behind the camera. And her hubby, the official kid whisperer, did a fabulous job of getting that pure, from-the-gut laugh captured on film (SD card). Her mom, also her photog partner, was also a huge part of pulling this whole thing off!

I am happy to share with you her artistic talents at work. Oh, and did I mention, we had the most fabulous RuffleButts & RuggedButts models, who truly made my designs come to life?!