LAST POST ON THIS BLOG

TRACI HAS MADE ME THE BEST NEW BLOG EVER!!!!!!
And from now on I'll be posting to that beautiful page.

Add the link you your favorites to keep up wit me ongoing insanity
as a Christian, Wife, Mother, Friend, Artist, Entrepreneur, Fledgling Business Woman, Shop Keeper, Flower Arranger, Would-Be Accountant, Maid, Chef, Cook and Bottle Washer.

Thanks ya'll !

http://shopalmosthome.blogspot.com

Mom in Baylor Plano

I'm a little out of all the loops of late becasue of the store and my new working hours but now I'm really out of pocket becasue mom is back in the hospital. It's not for the same reasons as in the past and it's a bit more delicate so I know you understand if i do not go into any detail.

It did turn into the blood preassure problems she has had in the past. As I write I'm at the hospital hoping that she is sleeping and ahs stopped "chucking" as out english nurse calls it. Tomorrow we can better access the situation once she has had some food and her blood pressure is down. (220/115! YIKES!)

Thank you for all the calls. I'm sorry if you are reading this and I should have called you in person. I'm trying to balance carpool, my grandmother, Almost Home, Baylor Plano vitising hours, and the cost of gas in the middle of all of this.

Please forgive me.

I GOT IT!!

I got the loan to buy the store! OH MY GOSH!!!!! I AM ABOUT TO OWN MY OWN STORE!!!!!
I have so many plans and things I want to do I can hardly believe it!

I didn't get the entire loan I was asking for but it's enough to buy the store. I can hardly believe it. I actually found out on Wednesday but I've been in a constant stat of motion since that moment.

I'm sure the next 6 months are going to be chaotic at best. It's impossible to list all the insanity that is going through my head at this point:

Finding care for the kids in the afternoons after school.
Securing additional funds
applying for credit cards for the business
Researching new vendors
Learning the systems at the store.
Looking for possible booth consignors
Bottling my lotion line
Applying for grants and an SBA loan
Making labels
Making candles for sale.........
And so much more that I can barely sleep for thinking about it all.

I had a miagraine this morning that was a whopper! I put my down for hours and I took tons of really strong medication for it. I'm thankful that it was only hours.
I feel like only have hours before I have to start running my own business. I'm paranoid about money at this oint and I'm conserving every penny, taking inventory of the items I'm bringing to the business and looking at pricing, merchandising and decorating.

I feel like every job I've ever had has led me to this. Now I'm my own boss!

I am praying for everyone who said a prayer for me during this time and for everyone who has supported me with positive thoughts, probing sobering questions that made me stop and think, hugs encouraging words and just friendship and love.

To my sweet husband of ten years who loves my no matter what I pull and supports me and encourages me and always tells me I can do anything, and I think actually believes it. You are my life and my rock!

To my sweet babys who look at me with such pure love that I could move a mountain if they wanted me to. I'm doing this in part to secure your future and teach you that you can do anything if you set your mind to it. Garre actually told me I could be the president if I wanted to. Not too sure that's what I want to do. Maybe local politics in a few years.

To my mom who is my fierecest and probally most loyal supported. I am looking to you to hold my hand through this part of my life. I will be leaning on you for your help in a million differnt ways.

To my sister Tracey, who despite being really, sick stayed up with me looking for wholesale vendors and I know will be beside me to help me make this a success. I love you and will always be grateful! We are going to have SO MUCH FUN!!!

To my precious friend Traci who is always in my corner and challenges me to look at every angle and check myself, Thank you my sweet friend. You have talked me through many things and listened to me and my insanity.

To Erica my sweet friend and PFTH cohort, who learned alongside me allthe insanity of starting a small business and loved me inspite of my ADD behaviors for all those busines years. You have terrific advice and I know you will be with me through this season of my life too.

To everyone who love us and has offered to help, thank you. I may be hitting you up for money so I'm sorry in advance!! Don't avoid my phone calls!

I am a self employeed shop keeper! WOW!!!!!!!!!

Well it's out of my hands

We met with the Bank and I've done everything I can to make sure this goes smoothly. I was up until 3:30 a.m. revising updating and changing the business plan. It looked great, to me. but it all depends on what the underwriter says now. I won't know until Tuesday or maybe Wednesday. I was stressed on Thursday but I'm okay now. If it doesn't happen the first time then I've made up my mind to file for a federal loan and then federal grants. I have a couple of willing investors but I am praying that the bank loan goes followed by the SBA federal loan then grants. All of this is to set up inventory in the store and pay back any actual loans. First the bank loan in full then the federal loan if possible then spend the grant money updating the look if the store and the signage and advertising.

I'm learning so much so fast that it's hard to keep it all straight. I lay down at night and my head starts spinning with numbers and figures and merchant information and many many unanswerable questions. I'm still trying to figure out what I am going to do for Kamdyn on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Garrison is old enough to hang at the store with me and actually help me out but Kamy is still too young. Also Garrison is such a big kid he can help me move things and I have promised to pay him for his help.

I'm having a hard time focusing on what is going into the store. I have a timeline drawn out that is realistic and conservative for making the necessary changes. It's really a responsible time line as well. Much of what is in the store will be gone quickly. It's currently marketed to 50 and up and I'm going to bring the age demographic down quite a bit. Wylie is absoutly booming right now. 400% growth rate in the last 20 months so the time is right to get into the downtown area. I will be the youngest merchant in the Historic district. Who knows how that will play out. Ebveryone has and opinion about what I should do with the store. I'm listening to everyone and making notes and also following my instincts.

Right now my prayer is that God be with us and guide Sean and I every step of the way. So far He has opened doors that I never imagined He'd open and on faith we have stepped through them. In a million years I would have never though I would be in this position today. A store front has so many huge responsibilities and I do have a lot of questions but I'm really going on faith and I have the support of an amazing man who really believes I can do anyhting I put my mind to. Sean is my rock.

This week is 10 years that we have been married. There have been rough patches but those are few and far between. We have seen a lot together and it's gone by so fast. I'm getting too emotional just writing this so I'm going to wrap it up for this entry.

I have to rest easy knowing if tis store thing doesnt fly then there is a reason and I'll deal with it.

Almost Home / Le Maison Presque

I'm finally ready to blog about what is going on in our lives. I've started a bath and body line because of all I learned in the last year about what we should not be using. I'm not what I would consider "organic" but I am very concerned with the rise in various childhood issues and the connection to some of the things approved by the FDA that go into our B&B products. So I started playing around with these and then fragrances and it's been a hit. In fact so much of a hit that I'm having trouble keeping things in stock. See I started off by making these as gifts and pretty soon, strangers were calling because a friend of a friend tried my hand cream and now they want to try it too. The feed back is really good also.

Well over Christmas a good friend, Amber, talked to a stylist who is opening a spa in the downtown Wylie area. She wanted to talk to me about carrying the spa products in her retail portion of her spa. I made an appointment to meet with her last Wednesday 1/5/08 but I arrived a bit early for the appointment. I decided to look around for a bit in downtown and made a bee-line to a store called Almost Home. I'd never been in and I by-passed all the other store and went directly to AH. I overheard the owner telling a customer that she was looking for a buyer for the retail portion of the business and that she was moving the tea-room piece to a historical house in the downtown area. (I have since learned that Wylie was listed by Forbes and on of the top ten fastest growing communities in the country and that the average age has dropped from 45 to 27 in less than 20 months. They have also had a 400% growth rate in that same time period. This will be relevant in just a few sentences.) She (Kathy) said if she could find the right person, and she and her husband and the building owner have been praying, to come in and buy it all lock- stock and barrel then she would happily give them the deal of a life time. With my head spinning (this is a life-long dream for me but one that was FAR out to sight ad seemingly impossible) and my heart pounding, I approached her and asked some general questions. A little over a week later, the contract of sale is completed, the lease is agreed upon, I've measured the store, I've meet with the bank and the landlord and I'm am only hammering out the financial aspects of the deal. Obviously I can not out all the details in my blog, but it is the deal of a lifetime. I keep waiting to find some landmine of make a false step because it truly seems too good to be true however after having an attorney and CPA take a look it is sound.


And the best part of the entire story is that GOD HAS DIRECTED EVERY SINGLE PART OF THE DEAL. It's as though He has been my real-life partner opening doors and making things happen.


If I pray for it, I am getting really accustomed to it happening very quickly. I have specific instances of things happening that are just too much to be coincidence. Every single person who has been close by and watching this take place has seen it.

So as it stands today, I have a meeting on Tuesday with the bank president to go over financials. Sean and I are looking at our books because we have to have 20% of the loan amount in either cash collateral or both to add to the deal. The bank will only fund 80%. I'm open to an investor because I'll be able to borrow a very small sum (about $3500) for only a couple of weeks until the loan is funded then I'll pay the entire sum back. That plus collateral will easily over the percentage and I'll have working capital to update the inventory. The current inventory is a bit dated.

I've been hesitant to really broadcast this news because if the deal should not happen I do not want to have a lot of explaining to do. So here's my public statement about that" If this deal does not happen it will be for the best and I'll accept it. But I do have my heart set on it at this point and I have a TON of plans. It's a place where everyone can put their stuff either on consignment or rent their own booth and share in this experience and hopefully make some money too. It's a place for all of my various and sundry artistic endeavors in one place. It's a place to teach my children about financial responsibility and that dreams can come true and a place to give back to the community in the form of charitable functions and sponsoring different important issues and groups. I am praying very hard for this to happen and I really want to talk to anyone and everyone (after the deal goes through) about retail potential.

The store has been in the downtown area for over 8 years and has an established clientele. all the kinks are worked out and it's really turn-key so I will be making changed very responsibly and slowly. I want to keep the current clients but expand to serve the 400% growth in the area. I'll be adding a secondary title to the store and painting, merchandising and updating the overall look.

I'll get a picture of the working title and sign. I'll be painting the sign myself but I'll have it professionally weatherproofed and installed. Le Maison Presque means almost home in french and it sounds nice. I'm tossing around others but this is the top choice for now.
I'll keep the posts coming as things progress or degress.....





4 generations at the tearoom inside the store.

So much to update!!! January 2008 WOW!!!!!

I have so much to update. If I'm doing this for posterity I really have to get better about blogging. I certainly don't have time to scrapbook so this has to get more consist ant. YIKES I have SO much on my plate right now I'm running in a million different directions-

... but more on that later as things develop a bit.... Cryptic

Christmas was wonderful and VERY VERY busy. So busy in fact that I didn't even mail a single Christmas card. If people got one it was only because they happened to be at our house over the holidays. I think when thing slow down I will mail a few out to those who love me in spite of my short-comings.

I'm going backwards chronologically because I'll remember better that way.

Today January 7th - School Started back today I'm ready for that!!! After getting up at 6:00 am dressing, showering, eating b-fast and all the normal morning anxieties I drove G-man to school. (Side bar - He's growing his hair out so he can look like Troy Bolton!!! He looks really cute.) OOPS!!!! School STARTS TOMORROW!!!!!! Luckily I'm medicated so I was able to laugh it off.
Still in pain from the bike incident...
On a sentimental note today.
This is the last semester I will be able to spend girl time with Kamdyn during the day. We are so close and I'm trying to savor every moment because she starts kindergarten in the fall. I know that sounds like a long way off but I goes by so fast. She is such a little lady when she wants to be and super sassy the next minute. I'm sure she thinks we napped her from her castle when she was a baby and she is forced to live here. She is a wonderful little girl in all seriousness and I so blessed to have both of my beautiful children. Just writing this makes me tear up. Garrison is such a little man and he's already doing the textbook "pulling away" to form his own identity and opinions. He's still really impressionable but it's different somehow. He tells me I'm wrong a lot which makes me and Dad insane but I know it's only because he's growing intellectually as well as emotionally and physically. He's taken on a different look as well. He's lost that baby/child look and he is looking more like what he will look like in later life. His eyes are super blue still and he's got a mischievous twinkle in his eye and a dimple like mine on his left cheek that will serve him in later years, I fear, to attract the girls. He is VERY tall and broad shouldered but slim at the same time. He's built like a Basketball Center which I'm praying will take care of all of us someday. He has several "girlfriends" but his heart still pines for Lexi B. We saw her at church yesterday and he swooned for nearly and hour after seeing her. It's really cute. We are still dealing with his anxiety issues and the ADHD but things are much, much better. Given the family history on both sides (clinical depression, mental breakdown, addiction, OCD ADD ect) it's a wonder he is able to deal with things as well as he does. The doc says he's "hardwired" to be nervous, which he is all the time.

My cub scout/ Dad is the den leader

Garre and his best buddy Wylie.....

Sunday January 6th - AM Church very sore from fall yesterday- No church pm/ Got ADD Meds for me after 2 weeks without. Chaos over

Saturday, January 5th - Lazy for most of the day until attempting to teach neighborhood girl to ride her bike without training wheels. Gracie was about to fall into th street and I was running behind her to keep her steady. She was going down so to keep her from the street I shoved her to the grass as she was falling. Somehow, and this is still a mystery, I go tangles up in the back wheel. My feet couldn't keep up with the momentum and I fell sprawling onto of the bike and Gracie, nearly knocking the wind out of myself. Both knees totally busted, upper right under-arm "tattooed" with the wheel bolt and spokes, chin busted and both shoulders severely hyper extended. As I lay there assessing the damage Sean, from the driveway just a second after the fall, says tome, "I though you were going shopping?" I had been getting ready to go to Kohls with Kamdyn when Gracie appeared needing help. No other parent was present and I couldn't turn her away. I'm sure I'll hurt fo a month. I'm too old for this. and it wasn't eve my kid!!!!

December 31 2007 - Had an impromptu New Years party for a few friends. We played games and had a great time. It was the last time we were together before the Ownby's moved to England.

Week of December 25 - The Smiths Moved to England on the 28th. I'm so excited (and nervous) for them. What an amazing opportunity. The Ownby's leave in a week for about a year. the Smiths will only be there (as planned at this time) for about 9 months. I'm really going to miss seeing them. I've told Sean we re going in May for out 10th anniversary.

- We celebrated at a bunch of different locations: My sisters house, Sean's folks, and our house. After my mom moved out of the house we started a new Christmas eve tradition. She spend Christmas eve and morning at our house and it's really a lot of fun for everyone. This year we were doubly blessed because for the first time my grandmother was able to spend the night also. I will always remember that we had 4 generations in my house for Christmas eve 2007. I bought a lot of Christmas on EBAY. I do not recommend this. Garrison's BIG gift didn't even come until 4:30 on Christmas Eve and I was sweating it the entire way. He requested a Millennium Falcon Lego ship but at $400 that was impossible. I over spent as it is without getting really stupid. I was able to secure a Republic Cruiser Lego but that was the one gift that gave me the most grief!!! Kamdyn's request were a bit simpler; she only wanted a castle (Cinderella's version) and a new doll called the Real Loving Baby. Mission accomplished on all counts but one. Garrison also wanted Target Gift Cards for a Nintendo DS Lite Game system. As of today I still have yet to find one in stock. I am on several waiting lists and we are just trying to be patient.