Over this past year, I’ve been making some major decisions in my life. I’ve been putting systems into place and laying out plans and ideas. Today I made 2 major decisions, ordering a large business purchase to boost sales for the holidays and cutting my nails. Now, cutting my nails might not seem like it’s that important, but when you’ve been growing them to look beautiful for 19 years, it is quite a big deal. To me, it is a bigger deal than the business purchase.
I LOVE the show Jon and Kate plus Eight. I tried to not get the Kate post children image – short hair, wearing the same thing all the time, but being a stay at home mom, it makes sense to fall into that rut. Who are you seeing? Where are you going? Who are you trying to impress? No one and nowhere! So why not wear the same clothes that are big baggy and comfortable…if you’re at home all day with kids, it doesn’t matter what you look like. I’ve been trying to not get to that point, but with so much going on in my life getting things done trumps looking like Kimora Lee Simmons. However, I have always kept my nails done. If I chipped one, it was fixed within 24 hours. However, since having my second son, and not having a good support group, getting my nails done is a pain in the butt chore. The last 4 months I’ve broken 3 nails. This month, I had broken 2 and was sick of it. So today I just said forget it. Nail 3 was loosing it’s acrylic so I just pulled it off and cut the nail. I then just cut them all and called it a day. So I am now nail-free. My nail beds are very sore and sensitive to hot water, but in a few days it will be okay. I can’t type for anything so I’ve got to get used to adjusting to the keyboard.
I’m in the mood to just move forward and not look back. I am taking no prisoners and if you’re in my way of progress and success, I’m rolling right over you! It is really hard to accomplish what I’m trying to do with no help. It’s frustrating and aggravating and I totally hate it at times and feel defeated at times, but I let the moment hit me, cry it out and come back stronger with an F-U attitude. I’ve been feeling like that a lot lately as I’m trying to grow my business and need to do things out of the house without carrying my 1 year old with me. If people don’t want to help me out, then when I become a success, they WILL be left behind and cut off and cut out. Don’t come back asking for help, money or a hook-up. If you couldn’t help me when I was down, then you will not be acknowledged when I’m up. Since my mother passed away, I’ve had to fight for my position in this world. Some people have brought me WAY down as I’ve tried to grow and have made me go backwards. I have lived and learned and it will NOT happen again. BUT In terms of my business, NO ONE will get in my way of being successful –unless it is myself. So here I am now, trying to move forward and not look back with my new machine soon on the way and my short haircut and my short nails. As the song goes…I will survive! And if I have to take some people out on the way…oh well! LOL!!!!!
Off I go to decorate some cookies while my babies are watching Diego.
Keep On Keepin’ On!!!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
I haven't Forgotten About You...
I know it’s been such a while since I’ve written. That’s because life has been super busy over the past few weeks. Little Marcus keeps me busy throughout the day. I won’t have any baking orders and then out of nowhere, orders come out of the blue. I start school on Monday. And did I mention that I am trying to get through my business plan to open up a cupcake shop? Yes, life has been quite busy.
I just love my boys! They are the greatest! Alvin who is 3 makes me spend more time yelling at him than I like, but near the end of the day I remember how much I love him and I try to make sure each day ends on a very good note. Marcus has developed this very silly laugh, so even though he is now into temper tantrums and demands to get his way, he still keeps me laughing.
I can’t believe that school time is here. I am taking 2 classes this semester. I am so not looking forward to it. I am worried that the time it takes to study and all will totally screw up my business. Especially being that October – December are the busy months for baking!!!!! UGH!!!!! But I do want to finish what I started and I do want to get my certificate in Early Childhood Education so I’ve got to at least get through these next few months and hopefully stay on track with baking.
As I mentioned earlier, I have decided to open up a cupcake shop. I am searching for grants now to help buy large scale items for baking designs which will definitely bring in more business for me (I can’t say what the items are yet, but they will definitely increase my business). I am also looking to market my business more than just word of mouth and Facebook – thank God for those channels!!!!! I just finished making a butterfly cake. It was my first sheet cake. Why didn’t anybody tell me that a sheet cake is 3 batches of cake batter and 4 batches of icing. My goodness that’s a lot of flour, sugar and butter!!! LOL!!!! My cousin is starting an event planning business of her own and saw my work and is going to put me down as one of her vendors! She then turned around and asked me to make 20 Buzz Lightyear cookies AND an Oreo cake! All by September 4th. I am totally not worried about the cake, but I am a bit nervous about Buzz. I hate doing faces. I don’t think it will be too much of a problem, but faces are the hardest thing for me to do. But I will get through it. I also have to do some back to school cookies and some Halloween and fall cookies. I need to get these done before the season hits and school is here and I have absolutely no time. I did make the dough already, so I’ve just got to get baking and decorating. Then there is the business plan. It’s so time consuming. I haven’t been able to touch it in I think 2 weeks. UGH!!! I hate it when time rolls by like that. I don’t like unfinished projects on my plate. It creates a pile. :-)
Today the boys’ swing was up…then it was down. The directions were so horrible that the boy’s father put the main pole on upside down. So maybe tomorrow the boys will be able to enjoy their swing.
Well, it’s 11pm and I need to get some sleep. I feel like I’m depriving myself. I am so excited about my cake and I’m not celebrating with anything…no cookies, no ice cream, no cake. What a bummer. Have to go to the grocery store tomorrow and buy some ice cream! Then I can celebrate the cake being done and the swing being up. I feel that if I don’t celebrate what I’ve done, who will?!?!?! I like to reward myself with a treat every time I do something big. I used to do it at work when I’d finish a big mailing or some big project…I’d go out for some B&R ice cream. Yummm!!! It’s a great pick-me-up and I feel great about myself when I reward myself. So I’ll celebrate tomorrow…
Have a wonderful night!
I just love my boys! They are the greatest! Alvin who is 3 makes me spend more time yelling at him than I like, but near the end of the day I remember how much I love him and I try to make sure each day ends on a very good note. Marcus has developed this very silly laugh, so even though he is now into temper tantrums and demands to get his way, he still keeps me laughing.
I can’t believe that school time is here. I am taking 2 classes this semester. I am so not looking forward to it. I am worried that the time it takes to study and all will totally screw up my business. Especially being that October – December are the busy months for baking!!!!! UGH!!!!! But I do want to finish what I started and I do want to get my certificate in Early Childhood Education so I’ve got to at least get through these next few months and hopefully stay on track with baking.
As I mentioned earlier, I have decided to open up a cupcake shop. I am searching for grants now to help buy large scale items for baking designs which will definitely bring in more business for me (I can’t say what the items are yet, but they will definitely increase my business). I am also looking to market my business more than just word of mouth and Facebook – thank God for those channels!!!!! I just finished making a butterfly cake. It was my first sheet cake. Why didn’t anybody tell me that a sheet cake is 3 batches of cake batter and 4 batches of icing. My goodness that’s a lot of flour, sugar and butter!!! LOL!!!! My cousin is starting an event planning business of her own and saw my work and is going to put me down as one of her vendors! She then turned around and asked me to make 20 Buzz Lightyear cookies AND an Oreo cake! All by September 4th. I am totally not worried about the cake, but I am a bit nervous about Buzz. I hate doing faces. I don’t think it will be too much of a problem, but faces are the hardest thing for me to do. But I will get through it. I also have to do some back to school cookies and some Halloween and fall cookies. I need to get these done before the season hits and school is here and I have absolutely no time. I did make the dough already, so I’ve just got to get baking and decorating. Then there is the business plan. It’s so time consuming. I haven’t been able to touch it in I think 2 weeks. UGH!!! I hate it when time rolls by like that. I don’t like unfinished projects on my plate. It creates a pile. :-)
Today the boys’ swing was up…then it was down. The directions were so horrible that the boy’s father put the main pole on upside down. So maybe tomorrow the boys will be able to enjoy their swing.
Well, it’s 11pm and I need to get some sleep. I feel like I’m depriving myself. I am so excited about my cake and I’m not celebrating with anything…no cookies, no ice cream, no cake. What a bummer. Have to go to the grocery store tomorrow and buy some ice cream! Then I can celebrate the cake being done and the swing being up. I feel that if I don’t celebrate what I’ve done, who will?!?!?! I like to reward myself with a treat every time I do something big. I used to do it at work when I’d finish a big mailing or some big project…I’d go out for some B&R ice cream. Yummm!!! It’s a great pick-me-up and I feel great about myself when I reward myself. So I’ll celebrate tomorrow…
Have a wonderful night!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Catching Up
Okay, it’s been a while since I’ve last written. A lot has happened, so here we go:
My boys have been great. Alvin is doing well at home with potty training, but he’s not doing well at school with it. I don’t have a clue what the problem is. Marcus is the cutest thing ever – next to his brother. He is clearly using signals to tell us what he wants, but he just refuses to talk. He does say up and he tries to say shoe and choo-choo. But that’s about it.
Job hunting still sucks. I went on an interview last week and the hours were long and included weekends. The job itself wasn’t bad, but I can’t work long hours with my 2 little ones and I definitely won’t work weekends when that would be my boys only full days to be with me. So that one went out the window…not to mention one of the positions was commission only and the other was only 55-75k and the 75k was a stretch. So the pay was not up to par with me having additional daycare costs.
Business-wise, things were scarce. I had no orders for the month of August and then all of a sudden I had 2 birthday requests: one for a cake and one for cookies. The cake was a red velvet cake and the cookies were a dozen birthday cake cookies. Everything looked beautiful if I do say so myself. However, the cookies were for a relative for Saturday and the person just decided to not pick them up. After multiple attempts to contact them, they were supposed to get back to me on Sunday. Well it’s Sunday night and I have not heard a thing. They even asked how long would the cookies stay fresh, and would they last a week…why would I want to keep someone’s birthday cookies in my house for a week????? Now I have been very trusting of everyone and not have asked for any payments up front, but after being burned on ordering music cookies cutters and the order was all of a sudden dropped and then me making these cookies and they are now not being picked up I am re-thinking about telling everyone, no payment, no baking. Not of course for those who have come through, but definitely for everyone else. I don’t understand what people don’t get about me not working and that this is a business. I have to spend my money up front and wait to get that money back. That up-front money is money that goes into my children’s mouth. Why do people think that it’s okay to screw people over and have the nerve to think I will get over it??? I didn’t and I won’t get over it. Don’t get it twisted.
My children and I have been very tired yesterday and today. I was in bed last night at 9am and still took an hour nap this afternoon and could have slept longer. It’s 11:00 now, so I am going to end here and get some sleep.
Have a great night! I hope I will too!
My boys have been great. Alvin is doing well at home with potty training, but he’s not doing well at school with it. I don’t have a clue what the problem is. Marcus is the cutest thing ever – next to his brother. He is clearly using signals to tell us what he wants, but he just refuses to talk. He does say up and he tries to say shoe and choo-choo. But that’s about it.
Job hunting still sucks. I went on an interview last week and the hours were long and included weekends. The job itself wasn’t bad, but I can’t work long hours with my 2 little ones and I definitely won’t work weekends when that would be my boys only full days to be with me. So that one went out the window…not to mention one of the positions was commission only and the other was only 55-75k and the 75k was a stretch. So the pay was not up to par with me having additional daycare costs.
Business-wise, things were scarce. I had no orders for the month of August and then all of a sudden I had 2 birthday requests: one for a cake and one for cookies. The cake was a red velvet cake and the cookies were a dozen birthday cake cookies. Everything looked beautiful if I do say so myself. However, the cookies were for a relative for Saturday and the person just decided to not pick them up. After multiple attempts to contact them, they were supposed to get back to me on Sunday. Well it’s Sunday night and I have not heard a thing. They even asked how long would the cookies stay fresh, and would they last a week…why would I want to keep someone’s birthday cookies in my house for a week????? Now I have been very trusting of everyone and not have asked for any payments up front, but after being burned on ordering music cookies cutters and the order was all of a sudden dropped and then me making these cookies and they are now not being picked up I am re-thinking about telling everyone, no payment, no baking. Not of course for those who have come through, but definitely for everyone else. I don’t understand what people don’t get about me not working and that this is a business. I have to spend my money up front and wait to get that money back. That up-front money is money that goes into my children’s mouth. Why do people think that it’s okay to screw people over and have the nerve to think I will get over it??? I didn’t and I won’t get over it. Don’t get it twisted.
My children and I have been very tired yesterday and today. I was in bed last night at 9am and still took an hour nap this afternoon and could have slept longer. It’s 11:00 now, so I am going to end here and get some sleep.
Have a great night! I hope I will too!
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