Valentines Day, was madness. I don't think we were ready for it. We looked back this morning to see com parables of last year to this year... and we were up by 3x as much. We felt it, our bodies felt it and so did our employees.

We kind of loved it all in the same time. Friday and Saturday were just pure craziness, and then Sunday we all just reflected about how awesome it was- but we feel like we are delirious. Sunday we thought would be dead- was not. It was a fantastic weekend. More fantastic then most. Although this might catch flack - I really do enjoy working weekends.

I have three kids and not seeing them on the weekends is the worst, being late or not being able to bring my daughter to dance almost every single Saturday, and not being able to bring my boys to the movies for getting all A's on their report card- I feel like if I am not at the bakery  Thurs- Sun (I am there everyday...) all day then something can happen, a cake will get made wrong, too many phone calls will get unanswered. Or I just need to feel like it is running more smoothly.

We have a great staff.. all 8 of them, plus myself and Jeremy. It is crazy to think we have grown that much- but we are still in the developing stages I feel. In a year from now I want to know all our debt is paid which luckily is not much, all our equipment is bought and we have a routine for things on how we want them to run.

Lets be honest, most businesses are opened in two ways- with a backer, (an investor) or without one. We did not have one this time around. When we opened our store we have -221.00 in our account. No lie.

We had all equipment to buy, piece by piece. Craigslist, other bakeries going out of business, and just in all honesty skipping out on paying a bill or two of our own to get a fridge, or an oven, or mixer. Jeremy and myself have a great support system outside of the bakery - some who work or frequent there (my dad is like the mascot I swear.) and they helped us when needed. This might get a little deep, but its life.... we had a choice of paying our employees, and getting supplies a few months ago and not having heat for our house.  My dad came in and was a saint. We have three kids, we will never let them freeze - but yeah we don't get to draw a check every week like many think. There is no savings, or plan B (or C, or D) yet. We are in that growing phase.

It is hard, and a few months ago I had a couple weeks of a low point- of crying wondering what we were going to do. My husband who is the optimistic one- told me to go into work the next day and look around at all that we have accomplished, to look at our house, our kids, our cards, our dogs and all materialistic items we have. Look at all those- and realize that no matter how hard of a time we were going through, we are still very fortunate to have what we have. He is so right. He is so amazing. He makes me realize as much as I think other businesses have it better, they probably don't

Every single day- we have people telling us how lucky we are, how popular we are getting, etc.. and it is really surreal. To know that we started from NOTHING. Gave up everything, and I mean everything to push this company. We have no investor, we have no partners, we have each other to keep it going. We eat, breath and (hardly ever) sleep this company. I am proud of myself, now after getting through that rut I was in, and proud of my husband, our staff, our storefront, and everything we are going to do.

This is so sappy, but it is true. I never dream about success, I work for it. To quote Bright Eyes (whoa...) I would rather be working for a paycheck then waiting to win the lottery.