Catching You Up...

Life has certainly changed over the past month. Well, lets just be honest ~ 2011 has been one twist and turn after another. It started with the unexpected layoff in January, the national TV debut of The Marshmallows Company (which is doing fabulous, by the way), moving TMC into its commercial kitchen digs, dreaming and planning for The Homestead and finally opening The Homestead at the end of May.
Now we are nearly a month into the business and life doesn't look anything like it did 6 months ago.
Let me begin by saying, The Homestead has been received so well by the community and we are really blessed with the continual flood of customers each day.

The first week was so exhausting. EXHAUSTING! The mental anguish of opening a business is not for the faint of heart. Mike and I fell into bed each night (about 8pm) after barely keeping our eyes open enough to eat dinner and tuck the boys in. There were MANY moments where we either said out loud or said in passing glances, "why did we think this was a good idea?"

Week two and three have been much less stressful, less exhausting and more enjoyable. We have settled into a groove, learning our customers names and stories and feel each day like we can actually do this!So here we are...living out our dreams. Our visions and ideas talked through at length over 12 years of marriage are being lived out each day. We have a family business! Mike and I work together each and every day.


Our first Bluegrass jam session out at the shop.

But it isn't all peaches and cream. Mike, who is having a harder time appreciating the reached goal, is still weighed down with the daily financial obligations of a family of 5. This is one of the tricky things with our situation. Yes, we are acheiving our goals and creating a successful business and without a doubt we know that much of the path to get us here was clearly laid out for us and doors were supernaturally opened for us to walk through to get to this point. With that said, we had always envisioned having atleast some finances in reserve when the time did arrive to start a business. But that wasn't the case. A layoff (without severance) for 6 months prior to starting a business?? Not something I would recommend.

So we are torn. Mike continues to look for a "real" job to help make ends meet. As much as he wants a "real" job, I am so thrilled and encouraged each day we are out at The Homestead together. We really make an amazing team.

We have talked long into the night about things like faith, trust and reliance on God. Those key words to us Believers are tested and tried by fire during times like these.

The future is still unknown. Mike has interviewed for jobs as far away as Maine. Canaan has some potentially huge opportunites coming up with his business too. I love The Homestead dearly and hope we are still talking with our same customers over cups of coffee for years to come. I can't see the big picture though. Each day we get up and make the most of it and trust that all of the external stresses like family finances will fall into place.

A great article just came out in a local business publication here in town. I think it captures the essence of The Homestead.


Fresh Picked Mint for a batch of Mint Chip Ice Cream at The Homestead.

He's 5


Life has become quite crazy with this whole new business venture. Mike heads out early to start the coffee and put the pastries in the oven and I trickle in a little later on in the morning after spending some time with the boys. Then I am off for 4-5 hours baking, making lunch for customers and helping close The Homestead each day at 2.
Both Mike and I are home by 3pm each day to spend the late afternoon and evening making dinner with the boys, playing at the pool or just lounging on the couch watching a movie from the library.
All this to say...life has not afforded much time for blogging lately.
But I couldn't pass up taking a few moments to blog about Ezra's 5th birthday this week.

Ezra keeps us on our toes. He is completely unpredictable, headstrong, much less sensitive than his older brother and much more willing to let us know what he thinks...at all times. He is goofy and stylish and just might be the next David Beckham if he had his way.

Never a dull moment with our sweet Ezra, that's for sure.
We love it.

Blog Interview

I have lots to share about the opening of The Homestead this week. Its been a whirlwind. Busy, busy, busy...to say the least. We doubled our lunch crowd today and sold out before closing time at 2pm.
In the meantime...here is a link to a blog interview I was asked to do for a great local blog here in Lexington called Bourbon & Beans. They are doing some great things over there!