My new life's dream :o)

For a long time, all I've ever wanted to do with my life was get married and start having babies... Well I'm in the middle of that eternal project and I still feel like something is missing from my life.  Don't get me wrong, I love my husband (most days:) and I think my toddler and bun-in-the-oven are fantastic additions to our ever growing family... But I feel like I never conquered a career. 

For those of you that know me well, I can pretty much do anything I set my mind too.  Sometimes I think I'm so untalented and then I hear comments like, "Patty, I hate you... I come over spontaneously and you say 'are you hungry?' and then BAM! delicious homemade won tons."  PS... the ultimate compliment for me is "I hate you because... " followed by something I do well. It makes me smile from ear to ear.  

Naturally as a high school student, I had million different things I wanted to go to college for.  I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, a home-ec teacher, a lawyer, or a medical sports trainer.  So when I came home from registering for classes at Sinclair, what did I sign up for? CULINARY ARTS.  My mother about fell on the floor with surprise and said, "What in the world made you choose that as your degree? You've literally never even mentioned that as a career option."  I just figured it was something I could still practice while being a housewife, and if I didn't get married young, I could have an amazing career.  I've always loved to cook.  I asked for a waffle iron for Christmas when I was 9.  I could make pancakes from scratch and cook them on the skillet by myself by the time I was 7... and I always loved loved loved watching my Mom cook.  (She still claims she isn't a great cook, but her kitchen is still my favorite place to eat!)

So I went to Culinary School. I wasn't as good as I thought I would be, but I was still pretty good.  I started working in restaurant as a server to get to know that side of the industry, and I still didn't have to confidence to hold my own in the kitchen. I was petrified I was going to screw up an entire days worth of food.  After working there for 2 years, I realized I was never going to move up in this dead end job and it really wasn't for me.  So I quit and I haven't worked in a restaurant since...

So here I am today.  After working as a nanny, a office assistant, a server & in retail... I still haven't found my niche.  I want to be successful at something and really proud of what I do.  After sitting at home dealing with a screaming toddler, babysitting a 3 month old and dealing with morning sickness, I decided to watch a show called DC Cupcakes.  It's a show on TLC about 2 sisters that left their corporate jobs to follow their dreams and open up a Cupcake only bakery. I wish I lived in DC so I could try to get a job there, but that seems near impossible. So I've come up with a plan... a 5 to 10 year plan.  I want to open my own Cupcakery.  I think it would be really fun and rewarding. I love baking, but cakes are not my thing... but cupcakes I'm amazing making!!! So this shall be my new endeavour and dream to make come true.

I want to be able to make every cupcake delicious and my own... including healthier recipes & gluten-free recipes. I really think I could make this a reality.  I would love some recipes for healthy or gluten-free recipes to play around with or ideas for different flavors to try to make.  Hopefully my house will be full of cupcakes for the next 5 years!  I'm so excited to actually have a dream I want to reach :o) Wish me luck!