The exercise ball isn't going to make this one come any faster...

1 week to go! 1 week until my first, real vision goes live. April 22nd, 2022. As I sit here looking forward to this major life event it begins to dawn on me that, though this is my first official business of my own and the first time that I've gone through a lot of these motions, learning experiences, ups, downs, embarrassments, accomplishments and SO much more, this is not the first time I've gone through these feelings. I'm starting to realize that having a first business is much like having your first baby. The preparation, the excitement, the unknown. 

5 years ago I had just earned my most cherished title, "mama". Growing up I had always known I wanted children, and it couldn't get much sweeter than the wonderful blessing that our first born, Lily King, brought into our life. As many parents know so well, along with that beautiful little baby came an entire CONDO worth of toys, clothes, blankets, bibs, baskets, bouncy seats, a doc-a-tot, crib, changing table... (Literally, my Mother in Law had to rent a van big enough to drive down all of the Baby Shower items that we were so lovingly gifted!)

The next few years I bought and sold hundreds of children's items, just out of pure necessity. Bought and sold doc-a-tots to co-sleep, bought and sold a mamaroo, playmats, jungle gyms, high chairs, strollers, activity centers the size of a school bus, well, it was a school bus...anyways, you name it I probably have bought and sold it for my kids. Also, another hassle I ran into, all of this buying and selling needed cash. CASH! I don't know about you, but unless you're a stripper or a bartender, most people don't have cash on hand anymore. (No offense to either, I was one of the aforementioned.) ;) So, we did have cash thankfully-but still, it's a commodity that seems silly to spend on all these items that only keep their worth in assistance or playtime for a few months max.)

Fast forward to Lily's 2nd Birthday and we announce that we are expecting again! BUT-what we didn't know at the time was that we were expecting double trouble. July 10th, 2019 two beautiful babies made our family whole. Beckett and Laiya King were here and ready to party. With Lily as the ring leader, we now had out little pack complete, and now a family of 5....in a condo...and it was about to get a lot crazier! Two bouncy seats added to the mix, two more swings, two cribs and two baby walkers not long after that. Life was so full! Full of happiness yes, but, oh my was the clutter beginning to pile up. Add to that long hours working at the bar at night, two babies eating every 3 hours, baby bottles, breast-pumps and all the dishes that come along with that (iykyk) then throw in two-gold fish and a bunny. 'WOW. Hello Life! I was wondering when you were going to show up', I thought. Well, here she was in all her glory! Anyhow, how all great stories go, one night, working at the bar, I was talking to one of my most favorite regulars about how I saw something in all of this. How there has to be a better way. That night I will always remember because he literally just looked at me and said, "Well, Julie, what are you waiting for?" And here we are. 1 week away.

So, this brings me back to my original point. I want to introduce you all to my newest 'baby'. My first baby made me 'mama', my twins made me strong and taught me I can handle anything, and now this baby begins my journey of becoming an entrepreneur. It's all happening! I am so grateful for anyone that has interest in the app so far. I truly designed it with parents in mind. There's so much going on that simple things like baby items shouldn't be a stress factor in anyone's life. Let's trade these items that we all need only for a small amount of time, and make space for more abundance in our lives. I hear a lot of women say that there is "no village" anymore, and I do feel that quite a bit. My hope is this app becomes a tool that connects you with others in your community that we can all give and take from, and in the midst, maybe make some friends through it, or at least bring some happiness into our lives through keeping our children's minds engaged and our homes clear of clutter. Our mission is to simplify parenthood and enlighten childhood, and that's a mission I feel I can truly be proud of.