08/07/2026
As summer comes to an end, I can’t help but think about just how quickly it flew by.
This summer, I made a very intentional decision to step back from Mamaheltoils and spend more time simply being “Mom.” I don’t know that I’ve truly done that in several years.
In April of 2022, my mom became very sick.
For a year and a half, I lived with a bag packed beside my bed, never knowing when I’d get the call or how long I’d be gone. Since we lost my dad in 2015, it was just my mom, my sister, and me navigating every surgery, appointment, hospital stay, and difficult decision together.
There were sacrifices along the way. I left vacations early, missed sporting events, school activities, and family time. Through it all, Jon was my rock. He made sure our boys, our dogs, and everything at home kept moving so I could focus on Mom without worrying about what I had left behind.
During Mom’s final 40-day hospital stay, we had countless conversations. Some made us laugh until we cried. Others were much harder.
One piece of advice she gave me has stayed with me every single day:
“Take the trips with your kids. Travel. See the world before you can’t.”
We didn’t take many vacations growing up, but some of my favorite memories are the simplest ones—eating pizza in bed and laughing while we peeled my dad’s sunburn after a day outside.
Those conversations changed something in Jon and me. We traded our fifth wheel for an RV because we wanted to make traveling easier with two growing boys and two black labs. We wanted to make the memories Mom hoped we would, and we have really enjoyed making those memories this summer.
Healing isn’t quick, and that’s okay-just in case someone else needed to hear that today!
Making the kinds of decisions my sister and I had to make at 36 and 37 is something many people don’t face until much later in life. Learning to live with grief, work through it, and slowly find joy again is a journey. Most days, I feel like I’m finally beginning to come out on the other side.
Looking back, I think I’ve kept myself constantly busy because it was easier than slowing down and feeling the weight of everything. This summer reminded me that it’s okay to slow down. In fact, sometimes it’s exactly what we need.
We have still been busy behind the scenes! We’ve started the rebranding process, made huge progress on our new production space, and I cannot wait to share it with all of you. The plan is to keep the little shed as a shopping space and eventually host Make & Take workshops there, which I’m so excited about.
To everyone who continued to support Mamaheltoils this summer—even though I wasn’t at many markets—thank you. Every order, every kind message, every recommendation, and every share has meant more than you know.
I’m excited for what’s ahead, and ready to jump back in! My fall and winter market schedule is FULL with some returning favorites and a few new markets that I can’t wait to share with you.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for allowing me the time to be present with my family while continuing to support this little business of mine.
It truly means the world to me. 💚
