A Brand New Chapter

A new year is underway and as always, it provides a perfect time for reflection, introspection, and cleaning out the cobwebs so to speak - the act of taking inventory of all the STUFF taking up residence in my mind and on my calendar and letting go of what doesn't need to be there to make room for the things that really are important. Last year, my motto was "stop the glorification of busy" - you can read about it here. Also, it was approximately one year ago that my husband made the difficult decision to leave his stable university teaching position in Texas to move our family back home to Oklahoma. He was prepared to walk away from teaching altogether and this move was a complete and total leap of faith. You can read more about it here.  I've never fully followed up that post with an extensive update about how it all turned out thus far. Two days after we moved into our home here in Edmond, I received an email regarding a vacancy at the University of Oklahoma. We moved here without any real prospects and the Music Man hit the ground running looking for employment before we completely ran through our savings. I can't fully explain how everything fell into place without giving a little back story....

Years ago, D's very first teaching position was as choir director at Monroney Jr. High in Midwest City. He earned "rookie of the year" right off the bat, and his beloved mentor teacher was his counterpart in marching band. We love her to this day. In fact, just last weekend we had the honor of being present as she was inducted into the OKMEA Hall of Fame - a truly dedicated teacher. So it wasn't a surprise to receive an email from her this past June right after we moved in. It was, however, largely unexpected to learn that just that morning a member of the choral team at the University of Oklahoma had resigned from his position. Just that very morning! She forwarded his resignation to me and asked me to pass it on to my unemployed Music Man. Several people assumed that we already had the OU position lined up before we moved and that we simply kept it a secret. That is not the case at all. We had already moved, I was shopping for the perfect cake studio space, and David was feverishly sending out his CV. Needless to say, it all came together and we are so very grateful for HIS faithful provision. 

Now, I sit here at the beginning of 2014 quite frankly in a state of shock and awe at all that has happened over the past 365 days. Overwhelmed with gratitude and at the same time filled with anticipation for the next 365. I would be lying to pretend the past year was without struggle, or turmoil, or a sufficient number of heartbreaks, but the positive always outweighs the negative...if only by choice. 

As I reflect and contemplate the changes that need to be made for 2014, I realize more than ever before how valuable and fleeting my time really is. There is a constant struggle to maintain a flow between work and family while continuing to date the most perfect man for me. I think any artist can appreciate the mentally draining task of creating new work, while trying to perpetuate some level of originality and integrity. The life of an artist is equal parts stimulating and draining. All things considered, I find myself drawn to a simplified 2014 - more than ever before. To rekindle a love for feeding my soul with books never-before read, places never-before visited, hikes never-before climbed, foods never-before eaten, and quiet time with my heavenly Father.

Stop the Glorification of Busy

2013. It's a new year and I personally stopped making New Year's resolutions a few years ago (nothing sets a girl up for failure quite like lofty unattainable goals) and I prefer to strive for  self-improvement in small every day tasks. However, the new year brought with it a few changes in my personal and professional life. I'm coming up on the fifth anniversary of my Texas based business and while I have enjoyed all aspects of operating a food business, the ebb and flow of life often changes and the past few months have made me painfully aware that something needed to give. I'm busy. Really, really busy....All. The. Time. Now, I'm not assuming that I'm the only person on the planet going crazy trying to keep up with it all. A lot of us are going crazy, most of us actually. In fact, I think some moms become a little competitive over who is busier, who has more on their plate, who juggles it all with the most finesse. So it's with conscious effort that I have chosen to implement changes and adapt a new kind of goal:

That's right. Stop the glorification of busy. Why do we allow our plates to get so full and why do we glamorize a crazy schedule? Why do we say "yes" when we could so easily say "no"? How many things are really worth it? Not nearly as many as we take on, I'm sure. Here is to re-prioritizing my 2013 to reflect the most important aspects of life. To reallocating time, to sleep, to health, to wellness. To letting life's journey flow without angst and worry, no more biting off more than a girl should rationally chew and implementing sleep deprivation to make it all happen. 

With that, it became necessary to redefine my business. To make cutbacks and changes, to prioritize a new plan that could fit into my new parameters for calm and flow. I chose to cut the catering aspect of my business away and will shift my focus to primarily cakes, weddings, and events. Baked goods and dessert buffets. Parties and party planning. I love the art of creating pretty things, be it a beautiful cake or an elegant table setting. The stress of mass producing a dinner for 250 people no longer seems necessary or desirable. I have done that one too many times and often lose the joy of cooking in the process. I have greatly appreciated my loyal catering clients and have been thankful for your business over these past 5 years. I love to cook and to share my food with others, but prefer to keep that outlet for the entertainment of close friends/family and for sharing recipes through this blog. That said, you can expect to see a few of my standard catered fare favorites popping up on the blog soon. I'm happy to share them with you. 

In the meantime, head over to my re-designed website and check out my new business branding. I'm super proud of the logo and web design and hope you'll enjoy perusing the pages and photo's. Be sure to click over and follow me on Instagram (my fave obsession) or on Twitter. Below is a peek at the new homepage - click the pic or the above link and check it out. Many thanks! 

Happy New Year!

I just love a fresh start! 2012 will see many projects and endeavors come to fruition and I simply cannot wait to get this year started! However, first things first....

Several weeks ago I mentioned on my Facebook page that I had been working on a gig with a company on the east coast. After letting a very rude amount of time pass, I found my inbox flooded with questions and rumors that had begun floating around - some of them made me laugh out loud! Here is the short rendition of what is going on lately with my business in hopes of covering all the bases:

Yes: I know several individuals associated with the Food Network.

No: I am not currently working on any network television deals with the Food Network or any other television entities. Hello? The camera adds ten pounds!

Yes: I was contacted by a publishing company on the east coast and am discussing the details of authoring a cake decorating book.

Yes: I have a product launching in January (yes! this month!) under a separate label. I cannot begin to tell you the learning process involved in copyrighting, patenting, and legally protecting your work when taking on a venture such as this. Oi Vey. I will share more of the story at a later date.

NO: I am not having any more children - are you kidding me?!?

A heartfelt thank-you to all of my family, friends and clients for your continued excitement for my business as I work to follow my dreams. Your comments, encouragement, and loyalty are the fuel to my fire. You make the work worth the WORK and bring a light to my eyes. May you each have a blessed 2012.