This is my 6th year as a small business owner/WAHM.  I made the decision to quit my job in 2004 to take care of my 8 yr old daughter and new son.  I just couldn’t imagine letting someone else raise my new baby 8-10 hours a day.  It was definitely a struggle for my husband to handle all of the financial responsibility but we got by.  In 2006 while I was pregnant with our second son I decided that I wanted to help contribute money to our household.  But most of all I wanted to still be part of the grownup world out there, I wanted to also feel creative again.  I decided to start my own business.  And since I get bored easily my business has changed a few times.  Back in the day I blinged out Converse (sold quite a lot of those suckers but putting 500 tiny crystals on a pair of shoes can make anyone a little nutty! ).  I used to sell baby items like bibs, blankets and embellished shirts.  Then I started making headpieces and bows.  Oh and logos, I made logos too…those suckers are a lot of work!  Then I ventured into making sewing patterns.  I’ve definitely had the most fun with those.  Along the way I decided that I wanted to take better product shots so I taught myself photography…which has become my love, my one escape, my one hobby that I truly enjoy.

I look back and see that I’ve come a long way from when I first started.  It has definitely been a huge learning experience for me.   I’ve come to accept (actually, I still struggle a little with the fact) that I am not superwoman, that I can’t always accomplish everything in a single day.  My house isn’t always clean (hardy ever is!) and sometimes I have to put on a movie for the kids to get an order done.  My office looks like a cyclone hit it 24/7.  I request that my husband pick up dinner on his way home at least 2-3 times a week because I just can’t find time to make dinner.  But I get to be with my kids everyday…even though they make me crazy!   I do hope that 2012 is the year that I finally get more organized though.  I just haven’t found what works for me yet…I’ll take suggestions!  I do know that there are so many of you out there in the same situation as me…wanting to contribute financially, want to be there for the kids, have an amazingly clean house…have it all!  And I just want to say that you are all awesome and no one else will ever really know how hard you work everyday unless they walk in your shoes.  So leave the dishes in the sink, finish up an order, order a pizza and snuggle on the couch with your kiddos…oh, and take lots and lots of photos of them because it goes by waaaaaaay too fast!  I do all of this madness for my little lovies and wouldn’t trade it for anything!