Have To Dump This Stress! (Long One..get A Cup Of Coffee!)
Decorating By loriemoms Updated 20 Jun 2007 , 1:12am by adven68
I have had many a sleepless night lately, and have been too busy to come visit here with y'all and just enjoy this place. So I decided maybe it will help my stress if I can just put it all out! I guess if I can make it through the next month without going nuts, I will can make it through ANY Challenge!
My business has been, thank God, growing very fast. I started doing cakes because I wanted to just take in a little extra money and thought I would do 2 - 3 a MONTH. I have a full time job and wanted to start slowing it down too and eventually maybe "retire" into a cake business.
Well, I am doing 4-5 cakes a WEEK, and turning down business every day. I decided that maybe it was time to start doing the full time business sooner and have plans to go full time Spring of 2008. (If I live that long!)
Last fall, we started researching commerical sites, yada yada and man, the prices were nuts. Then we decided we would add on to our house (I had already taken over the kitchen, the dining room, the office, and a spare bedroom) We were in the middle of getting quotes when we went to a local builders parade of homes, and walked into this PERFECT house. It has a spare bedroom OFF THE KITCHEN and a three car garage and lots of extra space. It has a huge kitchen so I can put in two ovens and use the spare bedroom off the kitchen for decorating, and maybe another oven in the future,etc. And the price was in our range and everything!
So we decided to build this house.
The building of the house has gone beautifully so far, and we sold our current home in just a month! But now the fun begans.
We close on our current home on June 6th. JUNE! The height of wedding season!!! Our new house will not be ready till the end of July-Beginning of August. So we have rented an apartment to move into after June 6th.
I have three HUGE weddings next weekend (May 19th) and gradution cakes, and two more weddings June 2nd. I have turned down all work after that till September. (I dont want to try to make an apartment kitchen legal) I have been telling people I am booked, as I don't want to lose customers. (Figure they would think Wow, she sure must be good if she is busy! hahaha) So the last few weeks I have been baking cakes like crazy, decorating like crazy, and PACKING and all the other hassels of moving! 95% of our stuff is going into storage, and the rest into the apartment, So we are moving TWICE!
On top of it, my full time job is VERY busy. Have three major projects going on and have been putting in 50 hour weeks. (I go to work at 5 AM, and get home around 5 PM, then I make dinner for the family, kick everyone out of the kitchen, and bake cakes, make gum paste flowers, etc, till 11 PM.) I took next friday off for all those weddings!
AND that isn't all folks! My daughter is expecting twin boys any day now!! (she is due next week) I have a 2 year old granddaughter that I will be helping her out with as well as the twins. And her husband is being shipped out (Airforce) end of June. I feel guilty that i won't be much help till we are all moved and such.
I cannot wait till June 7th, when all I have to worry about are the projects at work and the new house being built (will post photos in September, when hopefully it will all be done! It is going to be just too cool)
I also get a wonderful week off in Atlanta, as my husband got me a class with Nicolas Lodge! I will sure need the break!
But till then...
ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!
Thanks for listening. I feel better. (Have any of you been this crazy???)
Wow....that is a lot to have on your plate!! I have a psychic vibe that you will get through it. YOu may need people to help you, but it will happen. Just get your strategy set in place now, and then you will handle whatever will come. You may have to ask a friend or family member to take over their kitchen for a week or two...but it will come together. Best of luck!
Have you considered switching your coffee for something else? (to relax) My hat's off to you, if I was closer, I would jump in and help where I could. One thing at a time sweetheart. You may have to turn down more orders right now to enjoy the babies. Priority #1.
Good luck with everything!
Amy
OH MY!!! I feel your stress and wish I were there to help you out! You WILL get through it though. Keep your chin up, hang in there, and be thankful that you sold your house-even though the timing didn't work out too well, it could be on the market for a year and you'd be dealing with two mortgages. Good luck to you and to your daughter. It will be a stressful time for her too and my thoughts are certainly with her as well. Congratulations on your new home and your wonderful growing business!!!
I am so jealous. I know you're stressed out now but when you get all moved into your new house and have your cake space, it will be well worth it. You do sound extremely busy though. But what I wouldn't do just to have my husband even think about getting me a class with Nick!! You are soooo lucky. I am really jealous.
sunflowerfreak
OMG loriemoms... I am exhausted just READING about your life! How on earth are you handling it all with such grace and applomb?!?! You are a hero!! Don't feel bad about taking that time off, you have EARNED IT!! And you are brilliant to tell everyone you are booked, not 'taking a break'. That will really make an impression on people. Shooooot, she is so good she's booked solid! 
Keep up the faith, keep pushing as hard as you can, and man, I wish I was building a new house! You are very lucky!! I wish you all the best un this endeavor!!!
Thanks everyone!! I do feel better just laying it all out...and just taking one day at a time!! (and one cake at a time!) Today I have spent the day baking and making daisies for a wedding cake and I made a list of what cake I needed for what and its been really nice just checking off the cakes I have finished (Aren't freezers a wonderful invention!)
I also for the first time in I don't know how long turned off my Blackberry. My boss will have to try to find me on Monday! hahaha!
You are all invited to my house for a big party when its done! 
And I will let you know when the twins come!! My poor daughter is SO big I think she wants it over with already!
What an incredibly wonderful, fantastic, miraculous time for you!!
Stop for a moment and "bask" in all of your blessings right now. Take pictures, enjoy your growing family, take prise in your growing business, watch your new home as its constructed, soak up the class-- enjoy every minute of it and make sure you get some sleep in-between!
You will look back on this time in wonder and amazement when it's all over. Congratulations!! 
Yes it sounds pretty stressful. However, let me say Congratulations! On the new grand-twins, the new house, the increase in your cake business and how well you're going to do your cakes!
Like you said, just take one cake at a time, one box to pack at a time and rest when you can. You WILL get through this.
Thankfully all your stress is from GOOD things! Count your blessings. You have tons of joy ahead of you for years to come.
Sometimes when you think of all the things you have to do it becomes overwhelming. So make your lists, do your best and in no time you will be through to the other side and be so happy you did it all.
Lots of prayers on the new house. I know that alone can be stressfull. But on top of all the other WOW. You are awsome girl. Don't let it become overbearing. Take a deep breath. And drink some tea.
loriemoms... I almost got an anxiety attack reading that, but hey, we are here for you. I have also decided to go into cakes full time, and move We found the perfect house with a detached garage already converted to an apt so I can use it as my biz, after installing an oven and sink... I too just had a baby boy 10 weeks ago, so I am in much the same boat, except my current house hasn't sold, so my stress will be possibly carrying 2 mortgages. Anyhoo just wanted to say good luck to you and always know we stress with you... and are here for venting if need be
have a great one!
lori aka SugarBakerz
I just wanted to post an update! (as I AM surviving! haha!)
We are now living in a little two bedroom apartment, waiting for the house to be done (6 more weeks!) I cant wait to get into that new bakery room! I am not doing any cakes (didnt want to try to make the apartment "legal") but am busy booking weddings for Sept and October, so that is keeping my busy besides my day job! As well as my two new grandbaby boys came May 29th..both weighing almost 7 lbs!! (My poor daughter) Everyone is doing well and they are adorable!!!
Thanks for all your support! Just gotta make it through the end of next month!!! I am busy shopping around trying to find good deals on stainless tables and such (anyone know of any? Ebay is OVERPRICED!)
Have a great Summer everyone!
WOW! I can' imagine what you are going through. We are just looking at buying a house and it has a very nice big dining area attached to it (that is not the dining room) and I am anxious enough about buying that and getting moved in.
Congratulations on becoming a grandma again! Glad to hear you have two healthy boys! At 7 lbs no wonder your daughter was ready to have them.
Can't wait to see the new house!
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