Happy Valentine’s Weekend!

We hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating love and friendship with your family and friends and that you enjoy the long weekend with Monday off from school!

A quick reminder that we’ll be at Café de Fleur this morning from 8–10am with free cups of coffee and Valentine’s crafts for the kids. 🫶🏼 We’d love to see you there!

We’ve been having a blast watching the Winter Olympics at our house. The boys’ favorite event to watch is snowboarding, and they love cheering on the athletes as they do their tricks. We have a giant wedge pillow from one of Daniel’s post-surgery recoveries, and it has officially become their “snow mountain” for practicing tricks of their own.

Next week is Third Thursday on the 19th, and the theme is Mardi Gras! In addition to the vendors, extended business hours in downtown Summerville, and food trucks, So Jazzy will be performing with the Summerville Orchestra to bring a little New Orleans flair to town. Third Thursday takes place from 5:30–8pm in Hutchinson Square.

Would you be our Valentine? Show us some love by becoming a Palmetto Parents Supporter! For just $5/month you can show us your appreciation all year long and keep this labor of love free!

After several reschedules thanks to January’s unpredictable weather, we finally made it to one of the most delightfully cozy winter experiences imaginable: roasting marshmallows and making s’mores surrounded by goats in sweaters, Bonita the donkey, friendly Great Pyrenees dogs, Highland cows, bunnies, and more at Flowertown Charm Farm.

Any night that involves roasting marshmallows instantly becomes “the best night of my life” for my four-year-old, and this one was no exception. Between sticky s’mores fingers and the magic of being outside by a fire, he was completely in his element. Meanwhile, my 21-month-old couldn’t get enough of the animals. He wandered the farm in awe, pointing, waving, and loudly saying “awww” and “HI!” to nearly every creature we passed. When it was finally time to leave, he wrapped his arms around the dogs, said “night night,” and waved goodbye…an undeniable case of cuteness overload.

One of the highlights of the evening was feeding carrots to the goats, an activity both boys absolutely loved. They were also fascinated by Tank, the giant tortoise, who now has a clear viewing window built into his home beneath the chicken coop. Sitting and watching him move slowly through his space was mesmerizing for them.

The entire evening felt like the epitome of a cozy winter night with a warm fire, animal snuggles, laughter, and memories that feel small in the moment but our family will be talking about them for a long time. Experiences like this are exactly what make Flowertown Charm so special.

Located right in the heart of Summerville, Flowertown Charm Farm is a working farm and event space that blends hands-on animal experiences with thoughtfully curated gatherings for both families and adults. From animal encounters to seasonal events, the farm offers a peaceful, storybook-like escape that feels worlds away, despite being just minutes from town. What’s surprising is how many people don’t even realize it’s there. But once you visit, it’s the kind of place you’ll want everyone to know about.

If you’re hoping to experience the winter marshmallow roasts, be sure to book soon. These events are only offered on weekends through mid-March. After that, the farm shifts into spring activities, featuring activities like yoga on the farm, paint-and-sip nights, and other seasonal events.

To see upcoming events and purchase tickets, visit their website and plan your visit soon!

One of the best things I’ve added to my routine this year has been FIT4MOM Summerville, a fitness community designed specifically for moms.

I’ve been to five classes now, and each one has been different but the perfect level of challenge as I ease back into a consistent fitness rhythm. It’s such a good use of time. Sam does an incredible job offering variations for every fitness level, so you truly feel supported no matter where you’re starting.

And it’s more than just a workout. It fills my social tank just as much as it strengthens my body. My 21-month-old has already made a little friend his age, and it’s been so sweet watching him play alongside other kids — and absolutely adorable seeing them try to mimic our squats and band work.

Classes run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9am at Wassamassaw Park, not far from downtown Summerville. You can join every class or pop in whenever you want!

Mark your calendar for the next class + meetup on 2/27! After class, there will be a 10:30am meetup at The Bomb Bar. Come for the workout and stay for the fun or just join us at the meetup. Either way, you’re welcome. And if you’ve been curious, you can try your first class for free.

Head to Twisted Sugar for some extra sweet Valentine’s Day fun! From 11am–1pm there will be a parent + child cookie decorating event! For $8, you’ll receive a cookie decorating kit and a drink. There will be festive pink drinks will be available that day to make it extra fun and celebratory. If you’d like to secure a spot, you can pre-purchase your tickets here. Twisted Sugar is located at 1907 Varner St Suite B-5 in Summerville.

If your family loves building forts like ours does, the Ashley River library location is hosting a super special fort night next Friday! Your family will get entry to the library after hours to read stories, sing songs, and pick a spot in the library to set up a fort. The library has had an amazing winter line up, but this one stood out to us as a really fun time to bond with your family! Register your family here— there’s 14 family spots remaining!

P.S. You do not need to be a Dorchester County resident to enjoy this event. We know we have a lot of Berekely County readers, too!

Yesterday we finally got out for a lunchtime family coffee date and tried Carolus Coffee Company, the mobile coffee café that everyone has been buzzing about since it first opened. Ryan, a local Summerville dad, bought the van, did all the work himself to turn it into a fully operational coffee café, and started popping up around downtown Summerville in December. The community has shown up for him in such a big way that he now has a permanent spot on the corner of Richardson Ave. and Cedar St. (in the lot of Laura Jones & Co.—just use that address in your GPS). You can find him there every Wednesday–Saturday from 9am–1pm. It’s a good idea to follow him on Instagram for schedule updates, especially in case of weather changes or unexpected closures.

We had heard so many people say he serves some of the best coffee in Summerville, so we were excited to try it for ourselves. Daniel ordered a cortado, and I went with an iced vanilla oat milk latte. We walked around downtown, enjoyed our drinks in the warmer weather, and you can always grab your coffee and relax in the outdoor seating on Short Central. It’s clear that Ryan takes a lot of pride in what he serves. He uses locally loved Prophet Coffee beans along with organic syrups and milks (both whole and oat). The menu includes a variety of espresso drinks as well as cold brew.

We love supporting a local Summerville dad, and it’s so fun to have this unique coffee option in town!

Right before I started my first job as a sixth grade teacher, I met with the teacher I was taking over for — my own sixth grade teacher (what a full-circle gift). I expected advice about classroom management or lesson plans.

Instead, she said this:
“Make sure you laugh every single day.”

Laugh with your students. Laugh at the ridiculousness. And if you go a day without laughing? That’s your cue that something needs to change.

That wisdom floated back to me this week…because I’m realizing it’s just as important in parenting as in teaching.

This week alone:

There are toys scattered everywhere, dramatic heartbreak over invisible injustices, and “great ideas” that make you stop mid-step and question everything.

And it’s so easy for those moments to spark irritation, frustration, overwhelm.

But I’ve been trying something different.

Let the things that are truly big deals be big deals.
But don’t let the things that could be a chuckle turn into something heavier than they need to be.

Sometimes the play food in the dryer is just… funny.
Sometimes the lava lamp meltdown is a story you’ll tell later.
Sometimes the bedtime battle is your cue to catch your spouse’s eye and try not to laugh while brushing tiny, furious teeth.

Daniel and I are reminding each other not to take it personally. To laugh. To keep going. To hold the line…but also laugh.

Because if we go too long without laughing?
That might be our sign that something needs to shift.

So here’s your reminder this week (and mine too):
Find the humor. Let yourself laugh. Parenting is wild… and sometimes the only sane response is to chuckle and carry on.

Love,

The Berks 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦