10 Reasons why I LOVE living in Union, South Carolina

When we decided to move to Union, South Carolina everyone was asking "why Union"? Even people in Union where asking us "why Union"?

So here are my top 10 reasons why I am so happy with our decision:

1. First thing people say - "it's in the middle of nowhere". Yes, it seems like it's in the middle of nowhere... but, it's actually a perfect place to be if you like taking day trips. Just a little over an hour and you are in Greenville, SC or Charlotte, NC. Add a few more hours and you can hit Columbia, Charleston or the S Carolina Beaches... Want to go the other direction? Asheville, NC and Lake Lure are not too far away.

2. There is a walkway from the sidewalk to the front porch. Not just the main drive, but a separate pathway. Each and every home in my neighborhood.... it's so very Southern, and inviting. I know this seems silly, but they didn't have that where I grew up.

3. The front yards of the houses are well manicured and full of blooming trees and flowers. Apollo and I love strolling and looking at the variety of flowers and herbs. (This statement does not pertain to my home... it's in "transition") :/

4. Whether I am pushing the stroller on Main Street or to the Park, people smile and nod - and get this, some actually stop and say hello!

5. Miss Betty Jackson, the nicest lady at the Farmer's Market (and possibly in town). Forget about the delicious produce she sells - She also teaches my son, Apollo how to count from 1 to 10. She even brought us some yummy, juicy Strawberries from her garden. We just love her!

6. You know your neighbors here. When we moved in, one of our neighbors gave us the BEST Chocolate Cake I have ever eaten. Yes, I did eat half of it all by myself! We have bonfires and BBQ, play with the kids... it awesome.

7. Did I mention there's a Farmer's Market? Fresh produce and nuts are just a short walk away. Awesome!

8. We have cool events. Downtown might seem sleepy, but it's host to parades and events all year long. You can see some pics in some of my prior blog posts.


9. Union is rich in history. Union was  temporarily the State Capitol during the Civil War. Union also has not one, but two battlegrounds from the Revolutionary War.  Don't get more American than that... Check out the museum on Main Street for a closer look. http://www.unioncountymuseum.com/

10. Our home. When we saw this fixer-upper we fell in love immediately. A historical home with so much potential, big enough for our hobbies, work and play. It may look a little rough right now, but make no mistake - this is my dream home!

 xoxo, 

Lauren 

A Big Thank You!!!! A year in review.

Let me tell you people, it has not been an easy year. After making the decision to stop working, purchase a home (in need of major renovation), move from Arizona to South Carolina and launch our new business…. (deep breath) I am looking back to a year ago.
 

When we showed people pictures of our new home, we were told many things...

Too much work needed to be done to it, don’t buy it.

Why would you want to move to Union, SC? That’s in the middle of nowhere.

The renovations will cost too much.

Blah, blah – negative – blah

But did we listen? Hell no!! All we saw was the vision. A steal of a deal…a home that my son was going to grow up in…a small community where you know your neighbors… a home that was built for a family – already full of happy memories.

We emptied all of our savings, borrowed a small loan from my family and we walked into the lawyers office, handed them a check and this house was ours. All ours! Paid off!

Brandon works day and night fixing things in our old home. We are constantly cleaning, fixing, gardening…. Every day…. We go to bed exhausted each night and wake up the next morning to do it again.

I decided to stay home to raise my son. A $45,000 a year pay cut….. Financially, it has not been easy at all. But who cares when you have the most wonderful son in the world? He is happy, healthy, smart and strong. I am positive this is because Apollo is being parented well. We play and laugh and sing and clap together. He wakes up every morning with a HUGE smile.

So when it is suggested that I go back to work, the answer is: Hell no!! Knowing that my son is content; that his needs are met is the most important thing.

Instead of “going back to work” we decided, to launch or business and build a team in S. Carolina. Again, I hear all the blah, blah – negative – blah.

Some think it’s not a “real” business because we don’t have four walls as a store front and bunch of overhead.

Some say that I don’t work because I don’t get up at the crack of dawn, sit in traffic all morning just to be greeted by an asshole boss. I wake up when Apollo does, take care of his needs, the house and in between breastfeeding and nap time I “work” until I finally fall asleep at night. Do I have a fat paycheck to show for it every week? No. And when we do get money, it goes to our bills or back into our business.

But, that is what it means to be an entrepreneur. It means working your ass off, whether you are paid immediately or not… when people believe that all you do is eat bon bons like Peggy Bundy because they have no idea what it means to succeed at launching a business…  to create our future, our legacy.

So a big giant THANK YOU!!!!! to all of our family, friends, fellow Mommies and customers that have supported us. 
 Thank you for listening to me complain and whine and vent.

Thank you for letting me know that you support our decisions. It is your words of encouragement that I repeat in my head when times are tough.

Thank you for signing up and supporting our online store ShopArea8.com. Thank you for each and every purchase.

Thank you for every little bit of positivity and prayers - they drown out all of the negative comments and people in our lives. Thanks to my best friend, Sara, who is there for me when I call and supports me during all this change.


During this year we have managed to create a home - even if it's a work in progess... We spent today working on the house. I was peeling off 40 year old wallpaper and Brandon was pulling down one of the chimneys brick by brick. We stink, we're tired...
We celebrated Apollo's first Birthday! Our business has recently launched worldwide. How awesome is that?! So many reasons to be grateful.

If you haven't yet, please go to one of our pages and sign up as a preferred customer. Take a look at what we think is a great business. And of course, shop and save!

 ShopArea8.com    Isotonix   Motives   
If you are outside of the U.S. then go to GLOBAL.shop

Now I'm sitting with my family watching my son clap and giggle aloud at the television.

I gotta say.... It's all soooooo worth it, every moment!

THANK YOU!!!
xoxo

Lauren
 

Christmas Open House - Main Street, Union SC

Union may be a small town, but there is always something fun to do!
The Chamber of Commerce hosted a Christmas Open House. It was pretty cold outside... but who cares when there's so much to keep you distracted? There was music and dancing... Cookies, hot Apple cider and hot Chocolate! Carriage rides and a Train ride for the kids. And SANTA of course.

Here are some photos of the festivities:

 And the man of the hour, Santa!

 

We had a great family night.

Veteran's Day Parade - Union, SC

I had no idea that there was going to be a parade for Veteran's Day until I looked out my Bedroom window and saw the huge American Flag hanging up on Main Street. Then the school buses began pouring in. This is what I love about living in this small town... and so close to Main Street!
I got the baby in the stroller and off we went.
Here are some pictures from the Parade:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great time! Apollo enjoyed the Marching band drummers. He fell asleep on the stroller ride home. A big day out indeed!