Back to the Grind

It’s funny looking back now—just a few weeks ago, the food trailer calendar was blank, the ovens were quiet, and my alarm clock was the only thing keeping me on a schedule. School had just started, and I was deep in the process of adjusting to the new routine. Let’s just say “fun” wasn’t exactly the word I’d use—unless you count endless coffee refills as fun.

During that time, in between lesson plans and settling into the classroom, I was focused on giving Apparel 212 a little spark. The boutique had slowed down, and as every small business owner knows, slow doesn’t pay the bills. I was updating the site, brainstorming new drops, and trying to build some momentum again. (By the way, if you haven’t checked it out yet, now’s a great time—and yes, a purchase or two would still make my day!)

Back then, I only had one food trailer event on the calendar: September 22 at the open house for a newly built school in my district. It felt like a full-circle kind of moment—teaching by day, pizza-slinging by night. I remember writing that post with hope that the fall schedule would start to fill in.

Fast forward to now, and I’m happy to say the trailer hasn’t stayed quiet. We’ve already been to three events since then, and the season is starting to take shape. That dream of trading in the grind for a little more freedom? It feels a step closer every time we fire up the ovens.

For me, it’s always a balancing act: the classroom hustle, the boutique hustle, and the food trailer hustle. But looking back reminds me how quickly things can shift when you keep showing up.