Page 61 of Returning to Everton

We stroll through the aisles looking at all of the stalls until something catches our eye. I find one that has homemade spices and we stop to look. The table is lined with these adorable mini mason jars filled with different spices. Each jar has a chalkboard label. They are so cute and would look amazing in my new kitchen. Even if I don’t actually use them, though I’m sure I will.

I pick out a few spices to try and I take my haul to the couple manning the table to pay.

“I love these little jars,” I exclaim. “How often do you set up out here? I’m going to have to come back and try some more, but I figured this was probably enough for now.” I chuckle.

“We’re out here every weekend in the summer, then once a month through the fall,” the middle-aged woman tells me as she rings me up and places all of my jars in a bag.

“Oh great! I have plenty of time to come back and try your other spices. You have such a large variety.”

“Thank you. We try to make a healthy alternative to as many spices as we can. These are the ones we have perfected. We’re working on more, but we make sure they're perfect before we sell them,” she informs me.

“Well, I can’t wait to try them!” I pay her thirty dollars and thank her before we move on to the next table.

A few tables down, Violet sees a stall full of homemade doll clothes.

“Mommy! Mommy! Can I get Abby doll some new clothes?” she asks excitedly.

I smile at her. “Let’s see what they have sweetie.”

Now that she has permission, she rushes over to the table and starts looking through all of the clothes. She’s very careful to keep the table nice and neat. I’m pretty proud of her for that. Most kids would make a mess digging through the stacks.

“Mommy there’s so many! How will I choose which one I want?”

Quinn smirks at me and whispers, “Hashtag why choose.”

I just shake my head at her and roll my eyes. I turn to Violet and ask her to show me the outfits she’s picked out. She shows me this cute dark green dress with light green flowers on it. Then a pair of pajamas with unicorns all over the pants and a unicorn with rainbow hair laying on a pillow on the shirt that says ‘I need my beauty sleep’. She also managed to find a shirt that matches the one she is wearing now, with the unicorn that says ‘Everything I do is Magical’. We just have to get it.

“Okay, is that everything?” I ask her.

“No,” she pouts, “but it’s a start.”

I chuckle at her and walk over to the checkout table. There’s a little girl about Violet’s age sitting at the table. When Violet sees the little girl, she rushes over to say hi. She’s wearing a unicorn shirt too, so naturally Violet thinks they’re going to be best friends.

“Hi! I love unicorns too! What’s your name?” Violet asks the little girl.

The little girl smiles up at Violet. “My name’s Chloe. What’s yours?”

“Hi, Chloe! I’m Violet! I’m five! How old are you?” Violet is very excited to meet a little girl. Not that she hasn’t been having a blast with Logan, but every girl needs a girlfriend.

“Wow! I’m five too! Are you starting school this year?” Chloe asks.

“Yes! I can’t wait! Are you?”

As the girls are talking very excitedly, they’ve caught the attention of a young woman, I’m assuming is Chloe’s mom. She walks up to us with a smile.

“Hi, I’m Maggie. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Oh, it’s no problem. The girls were just getting to know each other. I’m Rowen and this is my daughter, Violet,” I place my hands on the bouncing girl’s shoulders. “We just moved here, so Violet is pretty excited to meet another girl her age.”

Maggie giggles “I can see that. It’s understandable, so is Chloe. We moved here earlier this year, so she doesn’t know a lot of people either. She’s very excited to start school in a couple weeks. Hopefully, she makes new friends then.”

“Well, it looks like she’s made a new friend today,” I laugh.

“Mommy! Can Chloe come over and play in my playhouse?” Violet asks with her puppy dog eyes.

I look at Maggie to judge her feelings on the matter. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll give Maggie my number and she can text me when Chloe can come over. How’s that?”

“Okay, Mommy!”

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