After scaling back my in-store hours, I realized something bigger was happening behing the scenes, too. It wasn't just about saving my business - it was about saving me. 

    If you only know me from the shop, you might think I've got this whole business thing nailed. Cute displays, organized racks (most days), good deals, decent racks.

    But behind Pink & Blue Kidz Clothing is just... me.

    A woman in her 40s with four kids, wildly unpredictable hormones, a deeply committed relationship with salt and vinegar chips, and a store cat who stares into my soul like he's judging my every life choice.

    There's no team. No assistant. No magical business fairy doing customer service at 2 a.m. There's just me - trying to finish a product post before someone needs help with homework or melts down over which socks feel "weird" today.

Reality Check:
 
  Most days, I'm answering DMs while reheating my coffee for a third time, talking myself out of crying on the floor, and remembering mid-message that I never actually ate lunch. Again.

    And while it might look like I've figured this all out - trust me, I haven't. I'm still navigating the messy reality of running a store while balancing motherhood, my own health, and a home life that often feels more draining than it should. Some days, I feel more like I'm surviving than thriving - and no, that doesn't always show up in the caption.
 
  But here's what is real:

    My youngest often photobombs product shots.
 
   My house looks like a craft explosion met a snack tornado.
 
  And my store has become the one space where I feel like myself - even when everything else feels uncertain.
   
 Running this business has been more than work. It's been a lifeline. It reminds me that I still matter, even when life gets heavy and the support I wish I had just... isn't there.
 
  So no, I don't have it all together. Some days I forget my own kid's name mid-sentence. Some days I forget what size box I'm supposed to ship.
 
  But I'm here, showing up imperfectly - and honestly, that's kind of the brand now.

    Thanks for sticking around. For supporting the chaos. For letting me be human while I run this shop.

It means more than you know.

With love and a whole lot of hustle,
Dee