It’s hard to believe that it was a year ago that I wrote THIS POST. After a sudden and shocking illness and intensive treatment course for my husband, my family was in the very beginning stages of re-building our life last New Year. To me it was our chance to start fresh, to establish new priorities and goals and to really live life, not just talk about all of the things we wanted to see and do.
Fast forward one year and I can honestly say that we made a true effort to celebrate life and all of the little moments that came with it. Every day, every week and every month my husband’s health has continued to improve — something that we most certainly do not take for granted. Every milestone and moment seemed just that more special that we were able to share it together as a family. Some of my favorite moments this year were splashing in the ocean during our first family vacation (post-recovery) and seeing our oldest son start preschool!
Though my days are mostly spent chasing my boys, shuffling the oldest one to and from preschool twice a week and attending all sorts of sports classes at the YMCA, I am fortunate enough to have something to call my own — an outlet for my creative energy and a way for this stay-at-home momma to maintain her own identity (a.k.a. One Stylish Party).
The response to my little business this last year has been nothing short of thrilling (yes I’m smiling while writing this!). With very few goals and benchmarks in place, I guess I never expected for One Stylish Party to grow the way it did this year. The shop is always busy and I’m fortunate that my products have been well received by my customers and seen all over the internet. I think I’ve had the most fun with the styled party shoots and am still in disbelief that I was able to secure the BIG THREE in my first year of party styling: Amy Atlas, Hostess with the Mostess and Kara’s Party Ideas.
It’s fair to say that 2013 was the year of balance. Supporting my husband in his recovery, while taking care of our children and running our household. Swapping my 9 to 5 work-day schedule for soccer class, t-ball class, music class, gymnastics, playdates and all of the other fun things that come with being a momma to two toddlers. And finding time to pursue my passion and growing my business. Yes, there were lots of late nights and points when I questioned if it was all worth it, but the answer to that question is a thousand times YES.
With a year of balance (and re-building) behind us, I’m pretty sure that 2014 will be the year of focus and change, both professionally and personally. I remain focused on providing the best life possible for my family and am open to change that will continue to better the lives of my children and our family a as a whole. And now that the dust has settled and I’ve wrapped my head around being a small business owner, I am as focused as ever and ready to see where this year takes me, so watch out for new products, more collaborations and many more exciting things to come this year!
Leave a Reply