Mother-Daughter Trip With MacKenzie-Childs

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to travel upstate to Aurora, New York with my mom for a mother-daughter getaway trip with MacKenzie-Childs. My mom is my best friend, so when I was offered the opportunity to bring her along, I was so excited! Since I’m in New York now and she’s still living in our hometown in Granger, Indiana, we’re left with phone calls and texts to keep us connected. We usually talk on the phone at least once every single day, and whenever I’m back in Indiana we’re inseparable. She works full time for my dad, so it’s rare that she gets much time away from work to visit me, so we were both really excited this trip allowed us to get a little surprise visit in.

There were 6 other mom & daughter duos on the trip which made for such a fun dynamic. We stayed at an adorable bed & breakfast on the shore of Cayuga Lake decorated with the distinctive and playful designs of MacKenzie-Childs. We ate breakfast together in the mornings in the beautiful dining room that overlooked the lake, and relaxed by the cozy fireplaces in the house at night. We had the opportunity to tour MC Headquarters that’s located in this quaint little town of Aurora. Life is so simple and beautiful there, it made me miss the simple life back home in Indiana! We were lead through a production tour where we saw exactly how the pieces were made and the incredible handmade details that went into each item. A few of our favorite activities during the trip were flower arranging class where we picked out vases for our arrangements and the painting lesson where we hand painted our own cake platters.

From my mom: “It was so fun to be able to spend a few days one-one-one together relaxing and getting to learn more about the story behind the bold and creative MacKenzie-Childs pieces. Olivia and I were fairly new to the collection, so it was a really great way for us to learn more about the entire process that goes on behind the scenes and the incredible craftsmanship poured into every single piece. We definitely found a new respect for the brand and it really inspired us to branch out and start adding more color to our both of our monochromatic homes! We put a four-piece table setting together for Olivia’s apartment that we found during the trip and it’s perfect for spring/summer. She’ll be sharing it with you early next month! I’m so thankful for this trip and was blown away by the incredible hospitality from the MC team all week.”

My mom and I were so thankful for this four day trip together where we could bond with each other and the other girls on the trip. We left upstate with a fresh perspective on the importance of tradition that was inspired by the way the MacKenzie Child’s team does such an incredible job of staying true to their unique aesthetic over the years even as the market evolves.

Speaking of tradition –  this got me thinking about our own traditions in my family and the women who have embedded them into our lives. Mother’s Day is a really important day in my family because of the special women we celebrate. My mom has been my anchor, sounding board, teacher, and role model my entire life. Both of my brothers, little sister, and dad all look to her for her insightful wisdom and unconditional love that holds our family together. On mother’s day we also celebrate two other very important women in our family. Granny (my mom’s mom) who is one of the most loving and selfless people I’ve ever met. Aside from raising her own 7 children (my mom is the oldest of 7!), she’s fostered 20 other children over her lifetime. She took in 13 newborn babies whose mothers were deciding whether to keep them or give them up for adoption and she’s fostered teenage orphans with no family of their own. I’ve always wished she lived closer to us! We also celebrate our little Nani (my dad’s mom), who most of you know from the year when I lived with her. I have learned more from her than she’ll ever know! She’s instilled in us that there is nothing more important in life that family. We’ve grown up with her as the head of the Rink family, holding us together through so many traditions – like her themed parties and unforgettable holidays.

I’m so thankful for this opportunity and this time with her! I wanted to wrap this post up by giving you my favorite Mother’s Day gift ideas I came across on the trip that I think your moms will love. The tea kettle is on my personal wishlist too, it looks so cute on the stovetop.

Brought to you by MacKenzie-Childs.