Mamapreneur thoughts: Mamapreneur Dates

Mamapreneur. Success. Work. Home. What do those four words have in common? Lonely. Being a mamapreneur often means isolation at your home during the five day work week.

Especially when your business is producing any sort of significant amount. You may have a show where you get to interact with the best clients in the world. You have your kids swirling around your feet in and out of Mother's Day Out programs, mother's helpers, preschools, schools, etc. You may interact with clients during the work week on occasion. You have an interactive social media platform.

For the most part you are home producing. Alone.

Mamapreneur thought: co-working mama dates. Drop a kid off, bring a computer, meet a mamapreneur friend or two, work next to them on your computer for the computer things you need to do behind the scenes of producing. These could be arranged nationwide so individuals don't have to come up with the structure.

Mamapreneur thoughts: Nothing But Fruit Diet

A stomach bug that led to five pounds lost, three days of nauseousness and two foods that I eat. The only things I could stomach those three days were smoothies, fruit, and a few slices of nitrate free lunch meat. After noticing I continued to lose weight, I figured why not keep eating those things.

A four wheeling adventure that led to three weeks of soft diet, caused by one log to the face leading to two weeks of soft diet causing the fruit diet to continue.

So I added some hemp protein to my morning smoothie and called it a breakfast. Cherries, peaches, apricots, strawberries, blackberries, all organic thanks to Trader Joe's that keep organic attainable, throughout the day and called it a snack. A few slices of Trader Joe's smoked turkey meat or roast beef and called it a lunch. Soup or some other kind of soft meal and called it a dinner.

Two months later, my nails are longer, whiter and stronger than they have been in... ever. I've managed to keep ten pounds off. And haven't drank a single glass of water in those two months. In a hundred degree southern heat.

Mamapreneur thought: Nothing But Fruit diet. Eat your water. There's been more than one instafamous person who has made a career out of what they did or didn't eat. Nothing But Fruit can be the next.

Mamapreneur Thoughts: 26% Finances

How old were you when you learned the average cost of housing is 26% of a family's net income? I was today years old.

After several informal polls in Austin's massive mom facebook groups, I discovered many households fall under this average of mortgage or rent cost to net income at 7%, 16%, 20%, a few at 30%. Only one at 50%. Had I learned this earlier in life we may not have been so broke throughout life. We have always been at 50% or higher.

Mamapreneur thought: teach finances based on percentages to children and young adults. What average percentage is housing, utilities, food, gas, insurance, retirement, entertainment. Instead of numbers which mean nothing to an income of a different budget, show percentages. You could delve even further and investigate averages for investors. What is their percentage of their net income they put into investments?

Instagram Love

In the past two years, I have run a shop, had that shop fall apart, started another shop & a marketing consultant business, have a middle schooler and a high schooler, soon to be two high-schoolers, been on three different PTA Boards for middle school, high school and council (over entire school district PTAs), had a baby, now have a toddler, been through countless robotics competitions with my boys along with the emotional roller coaster winning or losing those can be, met amazing friends and encouragers through my personal instagram @littlehollowlogan and my shop feed @roseburkhardt.

For those of you still reading, here's just a little bit of the fun over in Instagram world with a few of my favorite shop mamas and all the love and care that goes into each piece of clothing my littlest guy, Logan, is dressed in. None of these would be possible without my hubby, Brandon of @bjbphotos & bbp.photos & the magic he makes in his photos.

From first birthday to approaching his second birthday a few months away, I present in order of when we met them, Part One of The Best of our Instagram Love - I've highlighted our favorite item from each photo, check out our instagram @littlehollowlogan to find the rest of the shops involved!

We met Courtney of @crewandco & Crew & Co early on in the game & fell in love with her sweet and positive spirit, not to mention her hand-lettered faith and uplifting designs during one of her ready to ship sales. Her All of God's Grace in One Tiny Face tee has become one of our all time favorites, along with Courtney herself! She has become a close friend and Logan and my older boys, too, rep her items! Looking forward to revealing those photos!

One of the sweetest mamas I have ever met, Maria of @thesweetpotatoe & The Sweet Potatoe, makes these striped pants we won in a giveaway that Logan has worn again and again and again. One of my favorite parts of shopping small is meeting the mama behind the item, the maker, who pours their heart, soul and love into each item, and sometimes having all night conversations with them as is the case with Maria!!

Another mention to @craftylittlejay of Hashtag Market who sent us her gorgeous Vintage Gold Moccs. He wore these things until he could wear them no more. We are ever grateful for her faith in @bjbphotos and his magic work with photos!!

Nelz of @heartofgoldapparel & Heart of Gold Apparel makes this For I am His & He is Mine hoodie. Nelz was our very first entire small shop shoot client and has become a mentor for so many Christian handmade shops. We are forever indebted to her faith in us to pull off shooting her Fall 2015 line as well as her continued mentorship!!

Another mention to Nichole of @wildlyloved & Wildly Loved who makes these amazing Jesus baggies. It is safe to say this is one of my favorite mamas in the entire world. This girl has been through the ringer and back & she keeps shining through. Her joy emits in every note of her voice. Her three precious boys are going to be amazing men from the faith and encouragement she holds in every part of her being.



Wow, time is running out. I forgot how cathartic blogging is, but also time consuming. This photo is perfect for our final photo. Our very first whole shop photo shoot with Heart of Gold Apparel and a mini photo shoot for another of my absolute favorite mamas in the whole world, Cambria of @kanebabyboutique and Kane Baby Boutique. She sent us her adorable Johnny Cash romper and put her faith in us to shoot her shop items, not just this once, but many times. I am so grateful for her friendship, encouragement, and pure heart as she has become a close friend!!!

Another mention to Chandra of @poshpaxdesigns at Posh Pax Designs with her infamous blocks that have made many a photo shoot a pleasant experience, not to mention more stylish. This mama lives just a few hours in me and it is on my agenda to meet her!! She now makes absolutely stunning dream catchers, but her blocks forever have a place in our memories!

Finally, I can't leave without a shout out to Jamie of @maadmoxxie & Maad Moxxie, who started our mocc obsession with her adorable booties graduating to her style a million different ways boots. If you haven't bought adorable shoes for your little and have been considering, go start with hers!!! She will blow your socks off with her quality and sweet heart!

These are just a few of the mamas we've been working with for awhile.  A million more photos and mamas we've met more recently are queued, but they will wait for another day! Instant interaction and community Instagram provides is an experience you won't easily forget. What blog world once was to me, Instagram has become. Bloggers, see you on the Instagram side! !Come join me at @littlehollowlogan, @bjbphotos and @roseburkhardt !

That place

Aaand I've gotten there. The place I don't want to be. The place where I say no to going out because it messes with my baby's schedule. The place where I let my kids schedule determine mine instead of the other way around. 

The place where I'm so tired I'll do anything I can to work around his schedule to keep baby happy so I don't have to be tired AND deal with miserable baby at same time. Maybe it's the age. Maybe it's me. I can't figure out which. I miss my friends. I miss my life. I love my baby. 

When I look at him I wouldn't trade a second of what I have with him. I'm glad he has a mommy that loves him so much adoring his every move. 

I just wish he had a happier mommy. I think too he is nursing less. My hormones are changing. That major oxytocin high where I haven't felt the low of the roller coaster for ten whole months is slowing down.

 I'm hitting the low and hitting hard. 

Last night I had a dream we had a sky ride coming into our bedroom. We rode on. The cable snapped. Somehow we survived. Then I accidentally got back on the broken cable with Logan. Brandon saw what was happening jumped in the next car then threw his phone over the side in despair when he realized what just happened. We'd both gotten on a broken ride. If that's not symbolism of how I'm feeling, I don't know what is. I'm back in that place again. I wish I wasn't. 

Little man says whether you're voting for school board or president, exercise you're right to vote!

Full swing

This guy is in full activity mode. There's no stopping for me. Or him. I get about five minutes of work time before he needs mom. I power work through his nap and fall into bed exhausted or mindlessly late night shop at night.

At times I think I could get so much more done if I had my me time again, then I think I wouldn't be doing crap if I had my me time. This little face is so motivating I work my butt off a hundred times as hard to be around this little man. Baby proofing is in full effect - outlet covers, baby stair gate on the way, crib mattress needs to be lowered to lowest rung, cords are shoved behind dressers, doors are utilized. 

These two in music class make my heart melt. I am so grateful for music class for Logan. I love that he loves and appreciates music already. I wish I knew about this when my older boys were younger. 

Driver and a Baby

Today my nearly 16 year old drove me home. I smell Axe as he walks out of the shower. He carries my La Croix for me out of the grocery store and into the house, along with everything else. He gives me a hug. Feels like a hug from a man. Somehow he was my baby almost 16 years ago. This happened in a blink. Tomorrow he will be out of my house. I am so, so, so grateful for Logan. I have tears as I type the previous to the last sentence. If I didn't have Logan I'd be in an all out fetal position sobbing.

This growing up is so beautiful. So difficult. Letting go. Letting them be an adult with an opinion of their own. Different from yours. Even though you raised them with all your opinions. They come back at you with wisdom you don't recognize. Where did that come from? Thank God He brings others in his life. Having duplicates of ourselves for children wouldn't change the world. I pray he has a heart for God and to serve others, full of character.

It's a Fungus

Ew, gross.

Welcome to the world of boys. I love every moment. Except the fungus. GROSS. But so, so, SO excited it's not eczema. Fungus you can get rid of. Eczema not so much. Who knows where eczema comes from. I think he might've got the fungus from a horse nuzzling his face. Oops. I took boy mama too seriously.

So he's been covered in bandages for the last few weeks to keep the cream. But still cute as a bug. His new favorite face is wrinkling his nose up. Everyone loves it.