Lets try this again ((epic fail))

to follow me to the new blog :)

Time to start over. Again...

A few weeks ago, I said that I needed to re prioritize. Too many pancakes on my plate; not only too many, but once they were sat in front of me I changed my mind completely and decided I didn't even want pancakes to begin with. When we came back from vacation I was fueled by December sales. Ready to take on and do what ever it takes to be great at owning a business. Then two days later, Patty closed her store in the mall down and what little exposure I was getting, was gone. In true Megs style, I lifted my head and drove on. Sugar Bee's Engraving attended a local Bridal fair about ten days ago and although we met with almost one hundred brides, we got not one single order. I'm not taking it personally, no one else booked anything that day either.

In the week since, I have had some relatively sleepless nights. I couldn't put my finger on the "wrongness" I've been feeling. Yesterday at about 3am it hit me. We are about to have one really crazy summer. In a month's time we will be listing our house for sale and if it sells quickly ((please, oh please!)) then we'll also be having one crazy spring that will lead into one crazy summer. I have decided in everything that will be going on in the short term to shut off Sugar Bee's Website & stop all future marketing attempts until we know what the crap is going on. This is not good-bye to Sugar Bee's it is only see you later. I just can't tell you when "later" will be. I am completely at peace with this desicion and cannot wait to pick things back up and really be READY. I've learned so much from this experience and I can't wait to apply it to a new and better Sugar Bee's Engraving.

For everyone who has been so great in reading and sticking with me when I abandoned my blog, I will still be posting. I have created another blog called 1,000 Days of Chaos. There you will get a full run down of why it will be a spring and summer of CRAZINESS.

Thanks for reading :)

Road Tripping - A Forward

My whole life has been spent in a car driving some where. From the time I was eighteen months old until I was five, we lived out of a yellow Ryder truck; traveling across this great nation of ours. In fact, before I was five, I had experienced more of this country than most do in their lifetimes. We often lived hours away from our family and many of the weekends in my youth were spent in the backseat driving to and from their houses. The amount of time spent in the car only increased as I became a driver. Now, eight or nine cross-country trips in a car under my belt, I feel it is safe to say that being on the road is like being "home" for me. Yes, even with a fifteen month old.

As you may have guessed, we drove to visit our family for our holiday vacation. It is a "quick" sixteen hour drive down I-40. Simple. Two lefts and a right, we like to joke. Having wasted four hours on our way there stopping for the benefit of our not-so-thrilled child, we decided to over-night-it on the way back. Some how I wound up with the worst part of night driving, the midnight to daylight shift, and I found it oddly cathartic. The drive to J's family home in Arizona takes us right through a portion of my life history. A lot of what happened in that place in my life made me who I am, yet for all the Megs-shaping that took place then, I rarely discuss it and think about it even less. But when you are driving in the middle of the night, through a city that was at one time your home, reflection is unavoidable.

Before we left the house in Arizona, J and I were dreading the drive. "This is gonna suck!" was repeated more times than I could count. No amount of telling ourselves how "quick" the drive is was going to get us over the length of time we were to be in the car with the kid. "Well, we can leave tomorrow," I said, "But it's still going to suck then too." I know this from personal experience. One time, on one of our many trips to my grandma's house, my little brother decided he didn't want to leave. He ran to a near by olive tree orchard and hid in a tree while my mother frantically searched every where for him. Right before my mom called the police, my cousin came clean and they found him a short while later. Not only did he still have to leave, but then we spent the majority of the car ride home listening to my mom's lecture on the days activities. Luckily, for me J agreed instead of hiding and a little while later we were saying good-bye to his family and pulling out of the driveway. I suck at good-byes. I cry every time. I hate how far we are from every one and even a well placed family drama can't deter me from the mom-guilt of having my child thousands of miles away from her family. Bug, either remembering the torture of her last sixteen hour ride in the car or instinctively knowing she wouldn't get to play with her Papa or her cousins for a long time, screamed for the first two hours of the drive, until she tired herself out and finally fell asleep. J drove for five hours and when it was my turn I downed a five-hour energy and turned on my road tripping music. By the time J was sound asleep in the passenger seat, I was well into a bag of chocolate peanut butter bugles and my reflection time.

I have stated before, besides the daily mess that is life, I am fairly happy with where I am at and who I am in life. When I think about all of the events that have unfolded in my life, I truly appreciate my life. My husband. My child. My family. Things haven't always been great. At some points things have been down right unbelievable. I've had a hard go at it. While I was driving and reflecting, I decided to share some of my experiences here. They won't be easy to write, but I think it's time to get rid of some this. If you'd care to take a ride, get in and buckle up. It's going to be a bumpy ride...

Remember me??

I used to be the girl who wrote here. I had witty, clever and thoughtful things to say ((or so I thought, anyways)). I would sit in the morning with my big ol' cup of coffee - mostly creamer but I like things sweet - and type away. I couldn't find me for a while. I lost that girl but I think she's back. Hope so, anyways. Writing has always been cathartic for me and yet I always stop doing it when I need the therapy the most. Go figure. Silly, girl.

December has been one crazy month. Is it really only eight days to Christmas? Didn't we just have Thanksgiving? Sugar Bee's Engraving participated in the Christ Kindl Markt on Ft. Sill the first weekend in December. Then we had our Holiday Open House here in the store ((Where I sit at the moment)) last weekend. This week has been filled with finals, order filling, baby appointments and Doctors appointments for me. Monday after my fifth - and very painful - migraine in two weeks, I made an appointment. Actually, I made two. One to see my doctor and one to have a consult with a chiropractor. Anyone want to take bets on which was the most effective? Tomorrow I have five orders to fill and then in less than 48 hours, we are leaving for a much needed ((and deserved)) Christmas vacation.

For nine beautiful days, Bug, her dad and I, will be in Fort Mohave, AZ visiting J's family for Christmas. We were there last year but our Christmas was marred by the tragic death of J's sister in a house fire. It's amazing what a funeral can do to a holiday. Of course I was sad but I had never met her. She was still my husband's sister; the aunt of my child she never got to see. But I was really disappointed. It was Bug's very first Christmas and instead of spending it in our Christmas pj's, drinking hot chocolate and watching A Christmas Story for the ninth time, we were waiting to hear from the funeral director. The day wasn't all bad though. My little brother had gotten in on his mid-tour leave from Afghanistan and my mom flew him right to me for Christmas. A thought that still makes me cry. At the start of all of it, I thought for sure we would have nothing good to remember about Bug's first Christmas. But when I look at her baby book all there are, are pages of her with people who love her. Obviously, we hope this year goes a little better. Buggie will have a blast this year. She is old enough to actually open presents. Not only that, but there are three certain little girl cousins I have a feeling she is going to be ecstatic to play with. There are four of them, born in a two year amount of time. She's going to have a blast! I'm also excited about the prospect of doing nothing for nine days. I can't work because I won't be at home where my tools are. I don't have to worry about school until January 10th. And everything else can just wait. After these last few months of going, going, going, I wonder if I will be able to handle doing nothing. Probably not.

Well, I think that pretty much catches me up. For now. There's customers in the store so I'm going to go. But that was nice. I've missed this bloggy girl.

Epiphany

I'm at the store. This is the first time in weeks that I haven't sat here and stewed on things. Things have been selling the last few days and, actually, this will be the first month Patty has to pay ME for having stuff in here. I came to conculsion this morning. Actually it was more of an epiphany: I have stressed the joy rght out of my hobby business. Four days ago J and I decided that December didn't matter and that Jan 1 it would all be somewhat over. I accepted it. I let go of everything that 'could be.' I relaxed about all of it and decided not to care. And now I'm making sales. My practical side is wondering if it's a coincidence. My other side is thanking God for reminding me I can't really control anything.

This morning, while making some pendants, I actaully ENJOYED what I was doing. I was smiling and finding pleasure in my HOBBY.

Weird.

General Life Update

I've been severely neglecting my blogging. It's not out of lack of things to say (( I've never really had that problem before ;-)) It's mostly been because of lack of time. The last three weeks have flown by at the craziest speed. I remember people telling me when I was young that, as an adult, life hits the fast-forward button. Everytime you wait for things to slow down or lighten up a bit, it just gets worse. I've never felt that hold more true than I do right at this moment.

Our Thanksgiving was good. I LOVE ((LOVE LOVE)) to cook Thanksgiving dinner and I was a little sad not to be doing it this year. But it seemed silly to insist on cooking a big ol' feast for J, Bug and I. So instead We spent it with some good friends and had some delicious turkey & stuffing. Also, we are having a Bon Voyage/End of Cycle/Holiday Extravaganza Party on Saturday, so technically I get to cook the 'big ol' feast then anyways. The day after Thanksgiving was super busy. I spent a disappointing morning at the store. For as busy as the mall was, the store was dead. The things that did sell were none of my things and by the time J came to get me, I was more than ready to leave. I did get to spend the morning with a new friend and it was very nice to get to meet her, even though she is shortly moving to Hawaii. Oh the joys of military friends. After he picked me up, J and I went to do some Christmas shopping at the PX. We got some great deals ((among them a last minute manager's special of 25% off all clearnace clothing)) and also got to spend some much needed time together alone. By the end of my lesson that night I was flat wore out. I got home and made the three of us some hot cocoa and then and racked out for the night at a quarter to eight. Yesterday was busy filling some orders that have been waiting to be done for over a week thanks to a shipping error at the mask company.

And now I am sitting in the store again... wondering what it would take to make some sales. It's dead. Again. And I've really come to accept the fact that Jan 1st will be my move out date. We have weighed all of our options and while it's great for brand recognition, it's doing nothing for our pocket books. I have sold two items in the almost 7 weeks that I have been here. The website and FB are offering me more sales and so, the logical business decision is o move out. I think I've said on here before, that God does not give you what you deserve, but just what you need. When I came into the store the first time, he was doing just that; giving me exactly what I needed. I have had the opportunity to meet some great women. And I do mean GREAT women! I have learned some great business lessons and also some great business management lessons. Knowing when to go is one of them. At this point any sales we make now, are only going to be pre-holiday sales ((which I would greatly appreciate)) are only going to be that. In January I'll be right back where I am now. In preperation for the move out of the store I have marked everything down 25%. Later this evening I will be posting the same sale on Sugar Bee's FB page for any of you who might want a peek.

Other than disappointing sales, life is good. I'm looking forward to our Holiday Extravaganza this weekend and We will be traveling to see J's family in a couple weeks for Christmas and I'm SO excited about that!!

How was your Thanksgiving? What was your best post-Thanksgiving deal??

Thanksgiving

I LOVE Thanksgiving. I love what it stands for. I love where the tradition came from. I love the food. Ok, I REALLY love the food. In the "olden" days of our family, back when things were good; my whole family would go to my grandma's house and she would make this HUGE turkey. It was chaos. It was loud. It was perfect. Our Thanksgiving's since haven't by any means been quiet, but they for sure haven't been the crazy, loud, chaotic Thanksgivings I had as a kid. I miss those holidays.

As an adult and military spouse, and of course, a mom, Thanksgiving has taken on a whole new meaning for me. I still tear up when I think about eating a big ol' turkey feast while my husband was on a mission in Iraq. And then again when it was my little brother. Military families give thanks so much more often then your typical family does. We could sit here all day, I'm sure and go over JUST military-things we are thankful for and how often we are thankful for them.

Now, Everyone knows that the original Thanksgiving feast was between the Plymouth Settlers & the Wampanoag Indians in honor of a bountiful harvest. However, very few people know that the holiday itself was actually done to honor Civil War soldiers and families. At the height of the Civil War, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving day a national holiday and asked all Americans to ask God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.”(http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving) - A far cry from the paper pilgrim hats and horns of plenty we made as children.

This Thanksgiving day, I hope you all have family & loved ones and great food. I hope everyone has something of their own to be thankful for, but also remembers all those who don't get to have family & loved ones with them.

This Sunday at Church our pastor shared this awesome quote with us, I wanted to leave you with:
"Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good." Psalms 100:4-5

The Lord IS good. Happy Thanksgiving!!

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