It's all sunny in OHIO!!!!!!

I have returned from sunny Orlando, rested for 5 days from our trip and am now ready to get back to normal (if there is such a thing). I have had a lot of time to reflect on life over the past few days. I have spent a lot of time quietly thinking and listening to what the universe has in store for me.

You know, life is just always changing. I am always changing and evolving. Over the past year I have learned so much about myself. My life has been golden in so many ways. I had a wonderful baby who has brought me so much joy and meaning that it almost scares me. Our family was financially stable enough for me to take a year off to be at home with my children and start a cupcake business. While my store front has been put off for 5-8 years, I now know that I can be an entrepreneur. Before I only knew that it was a goal. I had no blue print on how to achieve it. I had read book after book on starting, financing, marketing and growing your own business. But now I have lived it. I have completed a plan, talked to banks and most importantly talked to people who are doing it. The one thing I can say is that cupcake bakery owners are some of the nicest, friendliest, most helpful people that I have ever encountered. They have shared so much knowledge and "do's and don't" that I could have never gotten from a book. Their honesty and words of wisdom lead me to realize that I can do this BUT I (and my family) are just not ready now.

So Fans of Harmony, I want to thank you for all of your support and words of encouragement. I am going to doggie ear this chapter of my journey and come back to it at a later date. It could be two months, 2 years or 20 years - you know how the universe works ;-) This is my last post for a LONG while. I am beginning a new chapter of my life and I honestly have not really had too much to say about my journey to Harmony lately. The orders are still rolling in but my focus has changed to returning to corporate America and finding a company that will be a good fit for me and my passion for the art and science of food. I did not want to delete this blog b/c it truly captures a HUGE piece of my evolution over the past few months. So I am signing off from Journey to Harmony but you can catch me at http://thebakingscientist.blogspot.com/ starting today.

You should have know that I could not give up blogging. Hope you will join me at my new spot.

Much thanks again, for all of the comments and support, especially Kari and Mo. You sistas are true angels.

Peace, love and most of all Harmony.

Rain Rain go away OR we may be washed away

It's raining........

It has rained so much over the past 2 days, that I have seriously considered building an ark. I am really serious. I have not left the house (except to take the kids to their activities last night). I have so much to do to prepare for our big spring vacation to sunny FLORIDA (leaving this weekend), but I have chosen to stay in doors instead of weathering the storms. I have gotten a lot of much needed laundry done. I have also applied to a few really cool jobs out of state considering I was over qualified for the 2 local jobs that I applied for. I had an over the phone interview with one this AM and I have a 2nd over the phone for the same job with the VP of Supply Chain Management tomorrow morning. I am one of those people that really enjoys the thrill of the job hunt! I know, kinda nuts, but I just love talking to other people about jobs. My best bud from college says that I should write a "how to interview" book.

Anywho, not much Harmony news. I have had to turn down 2 orders for Easter since we will be out of town. Kinda sucks but hey, both customers were understanding.
Oh, I did get an interesting call from the management company that would not return my 10+ calls about the locations we were looking at back in January. They are having trouble getting rid of the location and wanted to know if I wanted to strike a deal. I was tempted to chat them up but decided that my time was way to valuable. I am living in the moment and not in the past. As I said before, Harmony has to come on my terms.

Well, gotta run, Z-man took his first step last night and is now obsessed with walking- its over now.

Stay dry

This goes out to all the Stay at Home Mamas

The past few days have been good. I have not been stressing about what is going to happen next in my life... ok, I have not been stressing to much about what is going to happen next. I have been making a conscious effort to live in the moment. I have also been baking up storm and that helps to keep my mind off of being at home ALL day with Z-man. I know you are tired of hearing it but I have to take my hat off to all of the mamas out there that stay at home with their children each and every day. I have only been doing this for 11 months and it is by far the HARDEST job that I have ever had. At first it was SOOOOO fun being home watching talk shows, playing with the baby, working out (yep, I WAS working out just after I had Z-man), taking long walks, going to the mall, having lunch dates with other moms, trying to start a business (;-) love how I slipped that in) and having a spotless house. I must say that 11 months into this gig, my stamina has totally fizzled. I just don't know how all of the other moms in our network do this each and every day and feel fulfilled. I am going bananas. I miss work. Don't get me wrong, my kiddies have really benefited from me being home (not sure if that was grammatically correct). I have loved putting them on the bus every morning, volunteering in their classrooms and being here for them when they get home. Most off all I have LOVED watching Z-man grow and change during his first year of life. From a cooing and pooping newborn to a cruising still pooping almost one year old, I will cherish this year forever and ever. It has probably been the most exciting, emotional, joyous, saddest, craziest year that I have had, but I must say that I have grown and now truly know what my purpose is. A storefront for Harmony may be 5-8 years away but I know that I WILL achieve that dream. A year ago, it was something that I wanted to do before I die, but today, I have a plan to make it happen (on my terms) before I turn 40!!!!!

Well, I suppose I have bored you enough. Oh, one last thing, my big Jack and Jill event was postponed until April 11 b/c of the blizzard of '08 (thanks for asking you know who). I did do a 50 cupcake event on Saturday for boys scouts. I forgot to take pictures, as usual.

Anywho, keep living your dreams or at least take the first step to make a dream a reality.

Peace, love and most of all Harmony!

This is all apart of the journey...Live in the moment

The past few days have been really fun and kinda sad too. My mom has come and gone. We had a blast and her visit has me really longing to be closer to some sort of family support. Yes, we are very blessed that we have several people that we consider family here but there is nothing like living close to those we love and care for. My hubby and I have spent countless hours in the past considering a move. We have already lived on the East Coast near my folks and that was truly trying. The east coast is so EXPENSIVE and the people are um, let's just say that the East Coast and I just don't agree. I was raised in the big city and I really do not care to raise my kids back east. So what about my hubby's family, they live in LA and out bank account is not big enough to live anywhere in Cali. So, what about other relatives. Well, we have folks in ATL, TX and TN. We have considered all of those areas. My favorite is ATL. I just adore HOTLANTA!!! I have strongly thought about TX b/c my sister-in law is a big time Aggie professor.

So why am I saying all of this, um, I am not really sure. I am just longing to be closer to family.
We shall see, I am back on the JOB market and open to relocating. Perhaps, we will find home.
I know that this is kinda the dull part of my journey thus far. I am really trying to live in the moment and not worry so much about the future.

Anywho, now that I have bored you half to death, I am headed to help my kids with their homework.

Live in the moment....

Our perfect 10!!!

As promised, I have enclosed pictures from Nalah-B's first USA Gymnastics sanctioned meet last Friday. Some of the pictures area a little fuzzy but I thought I would include them anyway. The day was a true adventure for the entire family considering we traveled to Louisville, KY while the Blizzard of '08 hit the KY and Ohio area.
Nalah competed on all events as a level 3 gymnast. Her team placed 3rd and she had a blast. Her results are listed below:

Vault: 8.2
Beam: 7.9
Floor: 7.85
Bars: 6.7

We are very proud of her considering she has only trained as a level 3 since January. Her season is over but she will continue to
train for next year's season. 2016 Olympics here she comes!!!!

Enjoy!

We are the jolly Snow Brigade, With our trusty shovels we make a raid.

Just a quick post for now b/c I have become the hot chocolate lady for the time being.
Our snow tally is somewhere between 12-14 inches of snow. We have another small round coming tonight. Daylights savings time is tonight so I know that spring is coming soon!!!

Nalah's stats are coming too.

Oh, that's my hubby digging us out. It was so cool, all the folks in the neighborhood came out this afternoon for fun in the snow, shoveling, and snow blowing. These are the times that make my heart warm and fuzzy.

I wanna take a minute or two, and give much respect due To the man that's made a difference in my world What a man, what a man, what a man...

I must take my hat off to my hubby,Chaka for getting us to Nalah-B's meet safely and back home again in what REALLY is the BIGGEST storm that we have seen since we first moved here in '04.
The meet was in Louisville, KY, usually less than a 2 hours drive but this morning it took us 3.5 hours to get there. We woke us to the quiet before the storm. By 8:30 AM visibility was getting worse but we made the decision to get in the car with plenty of food, blankets and water to take my baby to her first USA Gymnastics sanctioned event. Check in time was 1:30 pm and we made it to the meet by 1pm. Yeah it took us a while but it was so worth is. Nalah-B did well. I will share her stats with you tomorrow since we will be snowed in for sure.

Well, I am off to rest my tired legs.

I got da berry blues

Just a quick post. It is crazy busy over here. I am preparing for the big Jack and Jill event this weekend. This is the big even where Harmony Cupcakes beat out several other local bakeries including the Sheraton in Sharonville where the event is being held. All of my specialty ingredients are here but I still have a trip to Sam's Club or GFS for sugar and butter. I am excited but nervous about this event. The planning committee was really hard to please and I do not want to disappoint. They put great emphasis on elegance and I just want the customer to be satisfied. I ordered a cupcake tree that holds 300 cupcakes, and I am spending the next 2 days decorating it. Keep me in your thoughts. I will be sure to take pictures for you.

My mommy is also coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She has not been out to visit since May, which is the longest we have gone without seeing one another.

Anywho, I gotta get Nalah-B off to gymnastics practice.

More to come soon.

Oh, I almost forgot......the cupcake pictures are from last week's pretty in pink strawberry and I got da blues order. They were a huge hit at 53rd Bank!

Gimme some sunshine.......PLEASE!

I never really knew how weather can effect a person until recently. The past 2 months have been brutal in OH. It has been cold with lots of snow and freezing rain and very little sunshine. I have always loved winter but I am so ready for spring. This is the first time in my life that I have honestly longed to live in a warmer place. My hubby keeps telling me that the weather has not been so bad and I keep saying, where have you been living over the past month or so????

The last 2 months have been really depressing. Perhaps it's b/c I have deferred my dream and decided to go back to corporate America. Don't get me wrong, I love developing new products, working with customers and working with food. I just don't play the political game well. I believe in being ethical and rewarding hard workers who play fairly. We all know that corporate does not work this way. So why am I going to go back you ask?? It is a necessary evil. Could we make it on Chaka's salary alone, ummm, probably. But we would not be able to continue to get ahead and save for Harmony. So, in order to achieve my dream, I have to take this path get to Harmony. I also believe that the kids need to be a bit older before I start this business so they don't suffer as much.

So what is up for today. Cleaning and laundry. I have been a bit of a bum when it comes to house work this week. I have had too many other things to do.
Well, I am going to sign off......

Silence is Golden

Well, Fans of Harmony, I have been a little silent for the last few days. I have been swamped with LIFE stuff. From interviewing and baking, to preparing for my big event next weekend, I have not had ANY computer time. Each week is becoming more an more packed. Z-man is also VERY mobile so I can not sit at the computer while he plays with his toys any more. We gates off the family room. At first he was so excited to be inside his own space but now he has figured out that we have pretty much caged him in the family room. As soon as I open the door to the gate he speed crawls to make a quick escape. If he makes it out he is elated but when I close the gate before he makes it out, he begins banging and shaking the gate while babbling at me. He is very persistent........



Here is a little Harmony news:

I ordered the cutest chocolate fans to top my chocolate cupcakes for the big event that I am doing. They are very nice. You can find them at http://www.pastrychef.com/ under ingredients. They are a little pricey put my client insisted that we use them. Hey, if they are will to pay then I will do as they say. I have also not been able to find medium blue foil cupcake wrapper in the US. I found a supplier in Australia but the liners would not make it here in time for next Saturday. I did find some really nice navy and white cupcake liners that will go great with the sliver liners that I have to use.



My 2 interviews are done and over with. I guess you can say that I am one of those people that loves to interview. I don't get nervous, I just have a good time. I know it is a bit odd but where else is it ok to talk about yourself for hours. We will see what happens. I will know something by early next week on both.

Well, I better get to getting.

We're skating on thin ice......

Well, the kids were home today for another snow/ icw day!!!!!!!!!!!!! Luck ducks only went to school 2 days this week. I am hoping that they do not have to extend the school year, ugh.
I was kinda bummed last night went we got the call @ 9pm saying that the schools were closed. I had today mapped out. I was going to head to the craft store (one of my favorite places) and then to the mall to find an interview outfit/suit. Yep, fans of Harmony, I have an interview on Wednesday of next week with a confection company (yeah!). I also had an interview last Friday with another local food company. I will be back to developing new products in no time. Honestly, I did not think that things would be moving this fast but heyI am not complaining.

Did not accomplish much today, just hung out with the kids and watched musicals. From Annie, to Grease to Hairspray, my day was full of singin' and dancin' .

Would have been nice if Chaka were home to enjoy the festivities but my baby is working his tail off. I am so happy for him b/c he loves his job and his boss loves him.

Anywho, I did not want to be a stanger. We just got back from gymnastics practice and I had a second to myself.

Have a good nite and stay warm and safe....we slid most of the way home b/c the roads are now covered with ice so be careful. Catch ya mañana

JUST CHILLIN' (literally)

Well, folks, this week has been full of nothing but ingredient ordering, cupcake tree/ tower shopping and being at home with the kids (they were off Monday and today was their 5th snow day). A wamer climate is looking really apealing right now.

Here is an update on Harmony:

For now Harmony is a thriving home based cottage bakery. The storefront has been put on hold. We simple have not been able to find an affordable space or the support to get things up and running. I have also done some major soul searching over the past month and a half. I have had moments where I have said "I can do this" and then I have had moment where I have said "now is not the time, you have a new baby(now 10 months), you have just reached the peak of your professional career and your family's financial future needs you to work, I also kinda miss working in the food industry (shhhh don't tell)!" BUT THIS IS YOUR DREAM !!! you say. Yes, it"our" dream and it will be realized.

I have always been a big dreamer and achiever which is why I must defer this dream for now. I gotta do HARMONY right. It is just not enough to get the doors open, it has to be done right and on my terms. I feel very passionate about being "great". Everything that I have ever done has been done on my terms and I have to do this on my terms.

So what next..........

Continue to grow Harmony on a part-time basis pushing special events and weddings.
Hit the farmers marekt circuit this April to October.
Land a few business accounts
Continue to network and get the word out about my services (no one is offering over 20 varieites of cupcakes to clients in the Nasty Natti)

So that is the plan. It could change as things develop..........

Also, I have started looking for a JOB is corporate America again. I know, I hear the gasps. But hey we gotta pay the bills. We budgeted for me to be home for a year and take a stab at my dream and be home with Z-man. I am so grateful for this time b/c my other 2 babies were in daycare at 6 weeks and this KILLED me. It is b/c of our planning and teamwork that we could afford for me to be home. But hey the bank account is dwindling and I am about 2 months away from hitting (my panic button- Chaka is a beans, rice and card board box kinda guy - I am NOT). We also have a huge chunk in the Harmony fund that will continue to grow (thanks dad!)

So fans of Harmony, what do you think? I am not selling out or giving up. A girls got to do what a girls got to do. I have learned so much and, in a way, I am so much wiser, stronger, and happier than I was this time last year. I have a solid business plan, a great business coach and a huge network of folks that have kept the orders coming. I also have events booked in March, April and May so I am here to stay.

Will I conitnue to blog, ummmmm yep, maybe not everyday but at least once or twice a week! Harmony is still alive - we are an LLC with a tax id and I am still taking orders!

Well, I am out for now. Keep the support coming......this is all apart of the journey.....thanks for sharing this part with me........I look forward to sharing the next chapter with you.

Peace

Just cupcakes...........

No words today, I am fried.............

Just pics of some of this weeks cupcake orders. I am baked and I am off to catch up on my household chores. There is a sea of laundry waiting for me upstairs. More tomorrow.......need rest...........

You got me flipping and flopping!!!

Well fans of Harmony, the universe is truly on my side today. I got the schedule for Nalah's big meet and she competes on the 7th NOT the 8th (phew). I was really feeling guilty about the possibility of missing my baby's FIRST meet and now I do not have to worry any more.

Today the kiddies were home. It was kinda a lazy day until this afternoon when I had to rush Nalah-B off to practice.

I am baking for an early AM delivery so I am out for now.

Have a nice nite.

Still no spell check and you know that I am the worlds worse speller...........

Shower Me with your love....Shower me with the love I've been waiting

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!!!

Ok, I am guilty of being a once a week poster. I never thought that I would be too busy to blog but the last week has been CRAZY. I have only had a few min. on the computer each day which has been torture.

The past week I have been sick...well...sick again and now I am getting better by the min. I have also had MANY cupcake orders. YEAH!!!!! I will post pictures once I find time to upload them to the computer.

Here is a quick update:

Good news first: Remember the HUGE event that I was bidding on, I got the gig!!!!! I had to submit 2 rounds of samples, attend 2 planning mettings and then I had to submit a formal proposal. I beat out 2 other bakeries and the hotel's catering department where the venue is being held. I am elated to say the least. This will be MAJOR exposure for Harmony. There will be over 300 of Cincinatti's Who's Who at this event (yeah I feel the pressure but I know that I will rock it). I will tell you more about it as the time approaches. The date is March 8th and I am already in planning mode b/c it is less than a month away.

Bad news: The date is the same weekend as Nalah's big USGA meet in Kentucky. I am praying that she is scheduled to compete on Friday or Sunday so I can be there. Otherwise I will have to miss it (ugh). I sware the work/ life balance issues never go away. My mom is flying in as my backup/ standin and we will make a huge deal the entire weekend.

Well, I gotta run, more orders to fill and the kids have a 4 day weekend so I am officially on the clock non-stop now until Tuesday.

Oh, I almost forgot........if you are going to Vegas (and I know some of you are going soon) stop in and by a dozen or so cupcakes at Retro Bakery (you can find the address on Retro's website). Retro opened this week and we Supermom's have to support one another! Kari and her hubby are the owners and they truly rock!!! When you stop in, please tell her that Claire the baking scientist sent you. I plan on making it out there before the year is over.

I am out. I will try not to be a one weeker again, but hey life is really crazy right now.

I am out.

I saw the light but it passed me bye....YEAH!

I have actually been in bed since my last post. I thought that I was going to see the light at some point. My body ached so bad that it hurt to wiggle my toes. The good news is that no one else has gotten my bug. I am feeling better just in time for Amari's mother's breakfast at his school tomorrow! I was definately feeling the mother's guilt b/c he begged me to get better this morning as he left for school. I also missed last year's breakfast b/c I was on the road traveling for my job. So I was in healing mode all day today and I am about 85% better. All you mom's know that 85% is the same as 100% when you have kiddies.

Up for tomorrow:
Plan for Saturday's order - I am working hard to secure the final bid for a HUGE gala for an organization's 55th Gala. They have been pretty demanding and VERY critical so we shall see if Harmony makes the cut. It could be big if we do make the cut. The gala will have over 300 people in attendance.

Anywho, I am out for now. I have to clean myself up so I am presentable for tomorrow.

Who coughed on me????????????

Not I said the prince!

Not I said Z-man!

Not I said the king!

It was I said Nalah Princess Butterfly!

Well, fans of Harmony, I have the dreaded Nalah-B cough but worse. We share everything in this house...... The chills hit me late yesterday but I just put on a sweater and ignored it. By the time Chaka got home from work I was wiped. I have been in bed off and on all day. When Z-man slept, so did I. I think he maybe fighting something too. He slept over 4 hours this morning. I hope we do not pay for this 2nite.

Man, you don't realize how important breathing is until you can not do it freely...............

I am back to bed since life goes on whether I am sick or not.

Stay well and warm.

Good morning acceptance, Good morning inner strength, I'm loving every moment, even the strain

Over the rainbow
76 Dalmatians
Cookies N' cream




Death by chocolate
Mocha Chakalata (after
my hubby Chaka)

Well, fans of Harmony, I am making this post after receiving many phone calls about my sporatic posts over the last few weeks. I still do not understand why folks call me instead of posting a comment. I know a few of you have shared that you read my blog while at work and your job's will not allow you to comment but hey I guess I am just glad that you have kept reading and you missed me!

I though the title from India Arie's song Good Morning was a nice way to start the week off. For those India fans out there just take the title as it is, don't think about the meaning of the entire song b/c that is so not where I am.

Anywho, I have been busy thinking, analysing and planning on this end. I am continuing to take things one day at a time and see how the universe unfolds things for our family. I do not have much news about Harmony to share but I am being still and living in the moment which is somewhat of a challenge for me. You know that I am a planner and I do not take it well when things do not happen on my terms, but hey I am growing and I am continuing to learn that I have to surrender in order to stop blocking any blessings coming my way. This journey to Harmony is really humbling me and I will be wiser and stronger once I reach my goal.

Well since my thoughts are kinda all over the place, I am going to sign off for now. Z-man is napping and I have several phone calls to make.

Have a peaceful day and I will be back tomorrow.........

Oh, almost forgot. Enjoy the pictures of Ali's cupcakes. Thanks for thinking of me, I hope your team enjoys them.

Sorry if anything is mispelled....the spell check is not working on blogger.

Still hibernating.....Being Still......And BAKING CUPCAKES, Of Course!

Well, folks, I am still taking time for me and away from my journey to Harmony Cupcakes. Enjoying my time with Z-man and my other two pumpkins. My oldest prince Amari celebrated the big 08 on Monday. He said he had the best day ever as I tucked him into bed. That really warmed my heart.

Not much to say today, or this week for that matter. Just taking time away, being still and listening to what the universe has in store for me. More revelations to come, I am sure!

Here are some photos from a cupcake order that I filled yesterday for the folks at 53rd bank! They have been some of my best customers! They ordered Over the rainbow, vanilla and 76 dalmatians

Enjoy today........I'm out.

Friends, how many of us have them?????????

This has been an awesome week! From my b-day celebration to all of the well-intentioned pick me up calls that I received, I must admit that I have some really awesome friends and family.

Every now and then my vision gets a little hazy. Walking this road to entrepreneurial freedom is NOT easy (especially when you have limited start-up funds and big $$$ dreams). But I can say that I have so many people to keep me believing even when I want to throw in the towel and defer my dream (which in the past week, I have done about 20+ times). I just want to say a huge thank you to my sexy hubby, Ed in Buffalo, My best friend in the big NYC, and The Jones/ Williams families, my PPI crew, and my "new" sistafriend Ms. N for all of their EXTRA encouragement and support. Tackling a dream is never easy and starting a business is probably one of the most trying things that I have EVER attempted to do. Kinda like birthing an elephant (right mom?)...... this is also the name of a book by KARIN ABARBANEL that I am waiting for it to be released. I read Karen's How to Succeed on your Own and it is a must read. Amazon has both books pretty cheap and I am sure that the library has them both.

Anywho, I will continue to move forward. I have decided not to share progress about Harmony's location until we actually have a deal that is signed, sealed with keys delivered.

I am out. Prince Amari has strep and it is his b-day weekend so we had to cancel his b-day plans (bummer). A little TLC and he should be up and running by Monday, just in time to turn the big 08.

Be blessed and not stressed, Peace.

They say it's your birthday dadadadadum.......

Yep! I am a year older, stronger, brighter, wiser and most of all more FABULOUS than ever. Today marks my last official number birthday. My mom stopped counting at 29 and I have decided that 32 will be the number for me.

The kids were so sweet today. They marched in and sang to me while I was still in bed. My oldest 2 gave their own renditions of the Happy Birthday song. Nalah's was more R&B Neosoul while Amari completely rocked out pretending that he was playing the electric guitar. I do fear that I may have a teenage son who is a rocker with a band that practices in my garage or basement someday. Amari's musical taste is very diverse but at the end of the day he loves good old fashion rock n roll and 70's funk. Our rides to school used to be very comical b/c Amari was the only kid in pre-school and kindergarten that knew all the works to Earth Wind and Fire and Heatwave's songs (2 of Chaka and my favorite groups). He is truly my special 70's groovin' prince.

Anywho. Today was pretty low key. I pretty much rolled solo with Z-man as my side kick. Chaka and I were going to meet for lunch but Z-man fell asleep and I just did not feel like waking a peacefully sleeping baby just to take him out in the 30 degree cold (with snow on the ground) for a very quick lunch date. Instead I snuggled up with a blanket and read all morning while I did laundry (man, that statement alone sounded like I am ready for my AARP card).
Chaka and Amari did take me to dinner while Nalah was at gymnastics practice and then we all came home for a quick mini b-day party. I lucked out with a much needed gift certificate to the spa from them all.

I can honestly say that I don't feel any different today than I did yesterday. I do truly hope to find peace and serenity in this next year of life. Last year I wished for patience and I think I may be half way there. What can I say, I am a work in progress. One thing that I know for sure is that I will no longer dwell on the past. Instead I am going to celebrate my successes and live in the moment.

Until next time, Peace.

Oh, my posting will continue to be sporadic until Feb. 1st. There is a lot going on and I simply have not had too much to say, so bare with me. There will be more Harmony news to come in February.

I am out.

I just want to party all the time, party all the time....

Today our family celebrated my birthday(it's Tuesday!) and just had a day of FUN, FUN and more FUN!!!
Chaka let me sleep in and did not wake me to go to church this AM. I was so grateful. Resting until 9 or so really did my body good. I am feeling refreshed and renewed.

We really partied all day today. We did not worry about time or about our budget, we just had a little fun. Our intentions were to drive to Columbus to Genji, my favorite Japanese steakhouse and have a fun meal but none of us felt like the 90 min. drive, so we settled on Pappadeuxs. Our meal was very nice. If you ever dine at Pappadeuxs I highly recommend the crab fingers as an appetizer or your meal. The sauteed crab fingers are AMAZING! Chaka, Nalah-B and I really enjoyed them. Prince Amari tried them even thought he does not care for food from the sea. He insists that it is not right to kill and eat animals out of the ocean. We still have not figured out why he thinks that it is OK to kill and eat animals that roam the earth but not the sea. He politely tells people that he does not eat anything from the sea. Go figure, he is 7 and he is really passionate about this so we just smile and let him be. Anywho, the meal was nice.

After our meal we headed over to Krazy City to PLAY!!! We rock climbed, drove racing cars, played games and just really had a good time. I needed this play time b/c I am so serious all of the time. Everyone knows that Chaka has the fun loving worry free spirt and I am the serious thinker who OVER ponders and plans everything. Thank God opposites attract b/c MAN our lives would be dull if Chaka were more like me.

All in all this was a great day that reminded me that my family is truly my greatest gift. It's days like today that the stresses of opening a business or not opening a business really do not matter.

Stay warm and hug your loved one.

Peace

This is a test...... keep on walking, keep on talking, through this world, walk tall

As for my title.....Yeah, I like John Mellencamp....ain't no shame in my diverse musical taste.

I had to whip out the Kirk Franklin, Mary J. Blidge, India Arie, Poison, Desiree, Faith Evans, The Secret, and the Oprah DVD's to get through this week. Kisses from Z-man was just not making it all better.......... I know that I filled a bucket with my tears, I am not kidding.

This was the first week since taking this leap of faith that I actually considered going back to corporate America. I know, I hear the gasps........

I still did not hear back on the LOI and at this point I have given up hope. I even had a friend call and inquire about the space and she was told that it was still available, which is true. The part that had me baffled is that she got a call back right away from the same woman that I had been working with. I am the fool that had called the home phone and my cell phones to make sure nothing was wrong with them while waiting for a call back from her (I know I am crazy like that). Anywho, I was trying to make sense of it all when a friend of mine who owns a business called to check in on my progress. I brought her up to speed and she pretty much encouraged me to move on and not take it personally, it was just the universe saving me from "something". So I am going to keep on walking and moving forward. This is all apart of the journey, right???? Only time will tell.

Peace out.....

No One can change your life except for...Don't ever let anyone step all over you...Just hold on for one more day and things will go your way

This one is a long one, so grab a seat and a cup of tea, you're gonna be here a minute.....

I know the title is incredibly long but it pretty much sums up the past few days in my world. The words are from one of my favorite songs from 8th grade, Hold On by Wilson Phillips. My hubby cracks up whenever I put on their tape, I have been playing it a lot here lately. I have no idea why I still have the tape but it still plays and I still sing all of the songs as if I was 13 again. It sounds just as good on my son's Fisher Price tape recorder as it did on my boom box in 8th grade.



Anywho, I came down with a tummy ache and cold on Monday and have been out of wack since then. I still have not been able to track down anyone about our LOI. I pretty much started to get really peeved on Monday b/c it had been almost 2 weeks since we requested our changes. Pretty much no one would call us back. Has professionalism gone out of the door????Long story short I am so glad that we did not sign anything b/c we are not moving forward with our location. After consulting with my business coach and crying on Chaka's shoulder, I realized that it was not a good sign that the strip mall owners and the realtor did not return any of my dozen or so phone calls or that another business had closed up shop in the strip mall since we discovered the space right befoer the Christmas holidays. The sucky part is that we already gave the architect a deposit for a space that we are not moving forward with now. The good news is that the architect did a fabulous job so far (we met with her today) and I will definitely use her once/ if we ever find an affordable home for Harmony. So we are out @ $700.00 but hey, lesson learned.... sign the lease and then hire the architect. I think we got ahead of ourselves on this one. Please learn from my laps in judgement. I was just really excited about finding a location that already had a hood, 2 (yes I said 2) grease inceptors and a walk in cooler. The location was in one of the older(less than 5 years) strip malls close to our house. When the Kroger Supermarket left the strip mall to move across the highway last summer, the strip mall started to loose businesses. All in all it has lost 5 businesses in the 10 spaces that are left. Slowly the spaces have filled back up but their are still 3 spots open. I don't really think that the space is going anywhere b/c there are 2 more strip malls being built right up the road not to mention that the new Kroger is in a brand new strip mall. I just don't understand why no one has returned my calls.

I am still plowing forward, but man am I being tested. I am not use to surrendering and letting the universe provide the answers on its terms. But on this one I am going to be still and really listen.

This part of my journey is kinda comical b/c I have not had the "this is it" moment with either of our spaces. My feelings have been more like "this will do" or "It has potential". I can testify that throughout life when I have compromised on a decision and settled for something it never works out, ummmm can I say PPI.

Anywho, this is where the journey gets interesting. Can I endure this test? Do I have faith to keep the dream of Harmony alive or will it become a dream deferred? Only the universe knows. All I know is, for now I am swamped with cupcake orders this week and I have a kitchen that is being over taken by bags of flour, mixing bowls and decorating supplies.

Harmony is coming, whether it is 2 months, 2 years or 2 decades from now, you will be able to bring Harmony into your life. I am like the little engine that could, I am going to keep on moving.

Until, later, Peace.

It's all about ME ME ME ME ME, Forget about YOU YOU YOU......

A little Total to set the tone for the next 2 hours. As soon as I finish this post I am going to take 2 hours for ME. Since Thursday I have been working overtime for everyone else. From picking up Nalah-B from a High School Musical sleepovers in Dayton on Friday to spending 3.5 hours at Nalah-B's meet this afternoon I have been running across the universe for my children and god-daughter. This weekend has not had one min. of ME time.

As my oldest, the prince, says.........I'm bushed.

I am headed upstairs to light some candles, grab a book and soak in our jacuzzi. When we nickled and dimed to build our house almost 2 years ago, our bathroom is the one area that we completely splurged on. It is truly my sanctuary. I even wanted to give birth to Z-man there but my OB did not do home births. So I am off to clear my mind and try to take a moment and not over analyze or think about anything ,which is pretty darn hard for me. One of my nicknames is "the thinker" b/c I am always deep in thought. I am going to try hard and be still and focus on me.

I want fabulous, That is my simple request...I need a little fabulous is that so wrong?

I am still in High School Musical mode, so please forgive the title......

The above are the vegan chocolate b-day cupcakes for my god-daughter. They are truly FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!! They turned out nice, almost as fabulous as she is. My god-daughter wanted them decorated with pink sprinkles and just a tad bit of icing.

They even pasted the Nalah-B approval test.

Anywho, I am out..........

Together, together, together everyone, Together, together, come on let's have some fun

We're all in this together

Once we know

That we are

We're all stars

And we see that

We're all in this together

And it shows

All of you who have young and tween daughters all know where these lyrics are from.....Disney's High School Musical. Since I spent most of yesterday evening enthralled in High School Mania with my daughter, god-daughter and her cousins. Yesterday was my god-daughter/diva's 7th birthday. Her mother had an awesome idea to take the girls to see High School Musical(HSM) on ice instead of having a party for her. We had a blast. The evening started off with a nice pizza dinner at my house (on high school musical paper ware, of course!), then we headed down town to the show. The girls were dressed in the latest HSM attire. I also found the cutest HSM handbags that I filled with treats, lip gloss, and nail polish for the girls to enjoy. The girls screamed so much, you would have thought we were meeting Madonna, Michael Jackson or some MAJOR pop star. My goddaughter's mom and I kept looking at one another and cracking up at our daughters and all the other little girls going crazy over the show. It was truly a blast!

I feel so fortunate to have shared this moment together. The girls are still the happiest lil ladies on the planet this AM.

Up for today.......

More follow ups.........still now LOI update........I am starting to get really frustrated but I am channeling serenity and patience.

VEGAN cupcakes!!!!!!!!!!!!

I keep getting requests for vegan and gluten free cupcakes. So today I am working on Vegan ones. My Death by Chocolate's cake is already vegan but I need to come up with a tasty topping. I am hoping my days of developing non-dairy whipped toppings for Rich Product in Buffalo, NY will come in handy today. Pictures to come, of course.

Well, the timer just went off.

Peace and TGIF!

Whoa ooh ooh ooh ooh, just Hangin' Tough

A little NKOTB to start off Hump day, I know what you are thinking...YES! I was a huge fan of New Kids back in the 80's... no shame in admitting this one, doesn't every teenage girl obsess over a boy band at some point. My room was plastered with posters of all of the boys, I even had bed sheets (shh, don't tell anyone). You have to admit that the Wahlberg boys have done alright for themselves, and so has Joey.

Feeling a little under the weather today - a bit of a tummy bug. Hope it is just a 24 hour thing.

Still no news to report. I have put in a few calls and am waiting for return calls.

Up for the rest of the day:

Rest

Plan for the weekend - Nalah has back to back practices scheduled this weekend and a meet to attend on Sunday so I am going to have to carefully plan the weekend or we will be wiped out by Monday. Last night was her first weekday practice as a level 3 (6:15-8:15 (3x per week) instead of 4:15 - 6:15 (2x per week)) and it threw off the entire house. Serving dinner at 4:30pm is just not going to work for us b/c the kids were ready to eat again after practice. They also did not get in the bed until 9:30, a whole hour after their normal bedtime. To top it all off, Z-man was still going strong at 11pm. We are going to have to brainstorm something that will work better on Tuesday nights.

Anywho, I am out for now. Z-man is napping and I am going to have to join him and rest for a bit.

Enjoy the sunshine today, winter is making a comeback tomorrow.

Down on the Farm...the cows go Moo...Moo

The goal for today: Find a local dairy supplier.

I have been putting this off for a while and finally need to narrow my list down to one dairy supplier. My intention has been to purchase ingredients from as many local suppliers as possible. The 4-H office in Columbus was so helpful a few months back. They supplied me with an extensive list of dairy farmers in Ohio. Every last company that I talked to was so helpful and excited for our venture. It also helped that I got my degree from the OSU department of Agriculture, so I am an aggie and know a thing or to about dairy processing so I could speak the farmer's lingo.

Still no word about the changes we requested. I will be on the horn later today to bug a few folks.

Short and sweet today. I have a lunch date with some of the ladies that I used to work with.

I will post an update if anything transpires today.

You are my Sunshine, My only sunshine

Well, fans of Harmony, this post will be short and sweet. It is 60 degrees and sunny with a high of 67 today, so Z-man and I have been out walking this morning enjoying the weather.

The kids are back in school so I am going to open the windows and air out the house. This is the perfect day for a little cleaning and organizing. Besides it will keep my mind off of the waiting game that we are playing.

I also need to spend the day deciding what my Valentines day flavors are going to be. I am also working on a cupcake bouquet for folks to give to loved ones. Here are the flavors that I have worked up and tested on folks:

Chocolate covered strawberry ( strawberry cake topped with dark chocolate ganache garnished with strawberry cream cheese frosting and a dark chocolate drizzle)

Amarischino Cherry (named after my prince Amari) - Cherry infused cake with maraschino cherry bits, vanilla butter cream with a cherry on top

Pretty in Pink Strawberry- Strawberry cake, strawberry cream cheese frosting, pink fairy dust

The last 2 are from my existing menu so I decided to feature them for the day of love. If you have any other ideas, drop me a comment.

Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.

I am out.

Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight ....whoa

I have felt like dancing all day, hence the title. I am such a lover of music from the 70's and 80's. My hubby pokes fun at me all of the time b/c I am probably the only black woman out there with less rhythm than Oprah. But hey the beat is in your head and you gotta move to that beat, right?

Today has been low key. Ran some errands and hung out with the family. Chaka's mom left early this AM and has arrived in LA safely. She will be back, I hope for the opening of Harmony and definitely this summer.

Well, our website launch party has been officially delayed until later this week. Chaka injured his shoulder at the gym and had to go for an emergency massage this afternoon. I hope it helps b/c he was in PAIN.

The kids go back to school tomorrow so its back to the grind. Hope to get an update on the LOI tomorrow. Cross your fingers.

I am out.

Flippin' and Floppin'

No Harmony news to report.



Spent the day running errands and taking Nalah-B to gymnastics practice. She is training so hard and really excited about her first real competition coming up soon... She is so dedicated, I really admire her work ethic. She is only 6 and is so serious about learning her craft. She claims that we will see her in the Olympics someday but who knows. She trains 6 hours a week and loves every min. of it. I hope she continues to live her life with so much passion. Her road to success will be so much easier if she does.

Anywho, I am going to enjoy the last few hours that I have with mi mamacita. She flies out tomorrow at the crack of dawn. I have truly enjoyed her company and hate to see her go. It is times like these that I wish we lived closer to both sides of the family. Such is life.....

Enjoy your night and remember to cherish the time you have with your loved ones.

Peace and Harmony, I'm out.

I got da "no news" Blues

No news yet on the LOI changes. Not really blue just anxious b/c we are going into a weekend and I wanted to try to wrap things up this week to feel a sense of accomplishment. The day is young so perhaps I will get the call or e-mail that I am waiting for.

Up for today:

Convince Mamacita (Chaka's mom) to leave the house- she is from Southern Cali is not used to this bitter cold. We ventured out on Wednesday but yesterday she stayed put. I don't blame her. I had to go out for a cake flour run and I nearly turned into an ice sculpture in our garage. The good news is, the snow and ice will melt this weekend. We are expecting a heatwave - high of 50+.

Go over all the changes that Chaka has made to my website and logo. I love what he has done. It has taken him a while but hey it's FREE!!! We are going to have a website launch party, break out a little sparkling cider and celebrate with the kids after we hit the publish button. I will let you know when we go live. Probably sometime Sunday since Mamacita flies out in the early AM.

Not too many calls to make today. I need to follow up about a call I got about doing a cocktail party for 500+ people in March. Harmony is hitting the "big time" and I really need a larger kitchen to work out of. My ingredients and packaging are taking over our home.

Most important for today, HANG OUT WITH THE KIDS! It's their last Friday of vacation and I want to have a little more fun with them. Perhaps we will go to the Children's Museum or bowling (my son's favorite pastime) or I may surprise them and see Enchanted, if it is still playing anywhere. They have been dying to see it since it came out in November.

Well, I need to get to getting.

I will keep you posted about the LOI............

TGIF

The Cupcakes are Flying with A Red Velvet Elvis

I almost forgot to tell you that Chaka and I visited The Flying Cupcake Bakery during our anniversary trip to Indianapolis. It was very nice. The decor reminded me of Holly Hobby's cottage (if she had one). Lots of pink and floral prints. The bakery had a nice amount of seating. If I remember correctly, they had about 4-5 tables. We arrived in the late afternoon so there were only a few cupcake varieties to choose from. Chaka and I each tried one and took 4 back to Chaka's mom and the kids. I went for the Red Velvet Elvis- a red velvet cake with chocolate chips and cream cheese frosting b/c I still don't understand the obsession that people have with Red Velvet cake or cupcakes. Perhaps it is b/c I am not from the south and my grandma never baked it. All in all the cupcake was good but I still don't understand Red Velvet cake. I will have my interpretation of Red Velvet on my menu. Ironically, the most asked question that I get when I tell people that I am opening a cupcake bakery is, "Are you going to have Red Velvet?" I guess that I have to please the masses in order to succeed.

Have a fabulous night.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

It is so frigid outside that we are officially hibernating. The high today is 23F so we are not going anywhere unless we have to. Poor Chaka was up and out this morning while the temp was in single digits. I love winter but this kind of cold is just not easy to manage.

Up for today:
Wait to hear back about our lease negotiation. YES! we are moving forward with our location. The LOI has been prepared but we have requested a few changes and now we are waiting to hear something. Once that is finalized, the lease will be prepared, the lawyer will review it and we will have the keys on Feb 1st. Simple right? You know better..... something will come up, it always does. I am keep in the faith though.

Just a word about leases to those who may be thinking about following this path, negotiation is key. Everything is fair game- from the price you pay per sq. ft. to T/I (tenant improvement) allowances. T/I can really help save you money in the long run. This is an allowance that your landlord pays you for the permanent improvements you will make to a space. These are things like improving the floors, bathrooms, light fixtures. Basically things that will be left behind if you choose to move locations. Some places will even let you use the allowance to pay future rent or purchase signage. A lot of places do not advertise a T/I allowance but it is always worth asking if any is available.

Well, I am out for now. The kids have play dates and I have a few calls to make before I have a house full of kids. I also have b-day cupcakes to make.

Bundle up and bring me some sunshine ;-)

Bring Harmony intt your life in 2008!

Happy New Year Fans of Harmony!!!

May this year be filled with peace, love, blessings and plenty of cupcakes and mini treats.

2008 will be the year that Harmony is brought into your life.

Stay warm.......