There are plenty of ways that my girls are growing up differently than I did. Their childhood is worlds apart, actually, in the literal and figurative sense. I grew up in the cornfields of Indiana, swinging from willow tree branches in the summer and sledding down cow pasture hills in the winter. Cora and Issa, on the other hand, are traveling all over to watch their Daddy play basketball. They’re growing up in a big city, with museums, theme parks, and Texas-sized EVERYTHING at their fingertips.
It’s a different world for sure, and one thing I know is I’ve had to learn very quickly what it means to raise kids in Texas. I certainly didn’t know what mutton busting was 7 years ago. Fire ants were a tough lesson we learned the hard way. I was extremely confused why bluebonnet pictures were such a huge deal. And I wasn’t even aware that a James Avery silver charm bracelet was a rite of passage for almost every Texas girl I’ve spoken to.
My friend April is really the first person I remember wearing her James Avery bracelet religiously. I asked her about it, and she told me that it was a gift when she was a young girl, and everyone knows now if they want to get her a special gift, adding a charm to her bracelet is a guaranteed win. Every momentous occasion in her life is commemorated on that bracelet, which now weighs about 45 pounds I might add. 😉 She told me she only very rarely takes it off; it’s just a part of her at this point. Her mom and her sister also wear theirs, and it’s a family tradition that binds them all together.
So when James Avery asked if they could send me a bracelet and two charms to celebrate their most charming offer of the year (Buy 2 charms get a charm necklace or bracelet free!) I immediately thought this was the perfect opportunity to introduce our girls to the wonderful world of James Avery. Cora’s 7 now, and quite the responsible girl 90% of the time, so I thought she would not only love the bracelet, but take good care of it as well.
We wanted to wait for a special occasion to gift the bracelet so she would remember her first James Avery bracelet forever. Of course, at this time of year there are plenty of reasons to celebrate with James Avery, including Mother’s Day, graduations, weddings, on and on. But we chose her piano recital as a happy moment to show her how proud we are of her hard work and how much we’re loving seeing her grow into a fantastic little lady.
After the recital, we went to eat at one of our favorite local kid-friendly spots, Alamo BBQ Co. and Cora had already spotted the gift bag. When she opened the tiny orange boxes her reaction was pure joy and delight. She opened the charms first, one a handcrafted unicorn to symbolize how special she is to us, and one a heart with the words “Made in Texas” to symbolize her heritage as a born and raised Texan. The bracelet I chose was the Connected Hearts Charm Bracelet because I knew at this age she would absolutely love the dainty, girly details.
As she looked over her new treasures, it made my heart so happy to see her soak up every word as I told her that these bracelets are very precious because we can add a charm every time something momentous happens in her life. I couldn’t stop laughing then when just a few minutes later, Cora came running back up to me from the playground and said, “Mom, I forgot to tell you something VERY important!” What?? I asked. “Well, when I went to the gym with Daddy, I climbed the rock wall, and I made it all the way to the top! ……………So can I get a charm for that?!”
It turns out one thing I didn’t realize was making the James Avery charms tradition such a big deal was going to mean that Cora now thinks EVERY MOMENT is an opportunity for a charm. LOL. I also didn’t realize that you have to go to the store to have each charm soldered on, so that very evening we ran to our closest location at The Rim and the sweet ladies at the store asked us exactly where Cora would like to place her charms. She also picked out a musical note charm to signify her piano recital, and we rushed back the next day to pick up her completed bracelet.
I’m proud to say Cora has not only taken good care of her bracelet so far, she’s barely taken it off. It seems she may be taking after her Tia April and just seeing it as part of her now, a tradition that was started when she was 7 and might continue for the rest of her life. I’m happy we’re supporting a Texas business that values quality and commemorating life’s important moments.
The Buy 2 Charms Get a Bracelet Free promotion ends June 4th, but it would also make a perfect Mother’s Day gift if you’re still on the hunt! Even if Mom has had her James Avery bracelet forever, perhaps gifting her a charm and then showing her she now matches her granddaughter, or some other sentimental gesture, can warm her heart and make her feel loved. I love being a mom to Texan girls, and I love building traditions with them that will last a lifetime. Thank you James Avery for helping me do just that!
XO,
A
P.S. This post is sponsored by James Avery. Don’t worry though, all opinions are my own.
