Intro thread - Page 4

[e&r]

Hi,
I'm also a WAHM. My DH found these boards for me when I was pregnant. We have an almost 9 month old DS.

My DH and I have a craft business - we make blank books; journals, sketchbooks, photo albums, etc. (leather, wood, and hardcover). We travel to craft shows all over the country, but mostly in the west.

My DH and I are also Montessori teachers. We've taken a few years off, but will be starting a school in our soon-to-be built (hopefully!) home on 10 acres. We will start with a pre-school age class, and then add an elementary in a few years. I will teach, and DH will be there for DS when needed, and any other children we may have.

We are also starting an organic farm, so eventually we will have three part-time businesses at home.

Nice to meet you all!

[LaLa]

Wow! That is quite a busy life you lead!
Welcome

[Plaid]

Wannabe!

I'm Teresa, formerly GardenMama, an avid lurker for years since I unfortunately rarely have the time to post, but really excited about this new forum. (I changed my name because my one-yr-old hasn't allowed me much garden time, and whenever I saw my name here I felt like an imposter!) I'm a SAHM working on becoming a WAHM, making diapers & baby clothes, though I've got sooo much to learn. I earned a BFA way back in 1988, majored in textiles (plus some ceramics and lots of art history). I have a strong need to make beautiful things, and have worked with driftwood, gourds, handmade felt, & paper, as well as fabrics. I still love to garden, and one day I'll get back out there, but for now I find sewing to be the most complementary creative activity to mothering my dd.

So that's my story. It looks like I will have to get parttime work outside of the house before I can launch my business, since we are too far in debt at the moment. Meanwhile, I will look to this board for inspiration & guidance. You WAHMs are my heroes!

[KathyS]

Hey- how long has this Wahm Well Forum been here? LOL I just found it the other day.

Thought I would introduce myself for those of you who don't know me. ( I don't really consider myself a diaper wahm..LOL)

Kathy, wahm to four children- Mary 13- Jake -11 , AJ - 9 and caleb -2. Married to my husband/farmer Bill for 14 years
We farm in rural Illinois. Besides having my online business ( which I LOVE doing) I also raise hens for egg selling ( year round) roasting chickens in the spring- About 150.. we sell sweet corn ---family money raising activity and all the money we make goes to doing the fun summer things that eat holes in your pockets.
I've just recently gotten into selling at the farmers market. next year I hope to raise alot more fruits and vegtables for this purpose. RIght now I sell my eggs, corn, green beans and our daughter makes home made baked goods.

I enjoy reading everyone's Intro and hope to get to know you better.

~ Kathy

[e&r]

T
Maybe this isn't considered off topic (I'm asking about your business, I guess), but little-blessings/Kathy, what type of chickens do you raise? This is a topic of interest to me lately - we're about to get into that for our own use, with extras to our local family members. What breeds?

Sounds fun!
Ellen

[mamakarata]

hi-

i have a 12 yo dd and 20 mo old ds. i am the office manager/network admin, as well as one of the insurance agents for my family insurance agency business- working with my mom.

my plan is to fully take over the business when ds is about 10 yo , and much of my work involves streamlining the over all operations w/computers while taking the overflow of quoting/selling and servicing exisitng customers.

i took ds to the office w/me full time til he was one, and then we graduated slowly into what we do now, which is my telecommuting w/ds at home for half the day, and then leaving for the office while dh takes ds the other half of the day.

it's a full, full time job -calls get transferred home often and the pace can fluctuate unexpectadly. i am the breadwinner- but i do love the balance i have achieved with it and my immediate family.

dh is free lance (you name it) and picks up where i must leave off. ds is still a baby and still bf's and naps in my lap while i work. he is #1 priority and many times i must let the voice mail pick up when ds needs my undivided, but amazingly, we have a pretty good groove, and i am good about turning work off at 5pm to do family.

dd and i have been in karate for 5 years (hence my user name) so 2 nights a week we have our time together to stay connected (which is so important as she approachers her teens- aack!)

somewhere in there i try to connect w/dh, and, yes, even myself! meditation and exercise at 5am (the ONLY quiet time i have in any given day which is a HUGE motivating factor for anyone who thinks i am crazy). but it is always the ongoing balancing act.

i am excited by this thread b/c i love to hear how other wahm cope with the challenges.

[KathyS]

what type of chickens do you raise? This is a topic of interest to me lately - we're about to get into that for our own use, with extras to our local family members. What breeds?

Hi Ellen,
For layers I have golden comets. They are wonderful layers- very calm birds. My children don't even mind gathering eggs. They also lay all winter long during the cold Illinois weather.

For Fryers I have had great luck with Jumbo Cornish Rock. I order them from Mt Healthy Hatchery. You can find them online as well. Their birds arrive to me in the mail the day after they are hatched and I've had no problems with disease or loosing a lot of chicks. The Jumbo Cornish rock usually dress out to about 3-4lbs in 6-7 weeks. They grow very fast and are juicy /tasty birds.

This year I received 50 Road Island Reds and I don't recommend them for Fryers unless you are planning to use them as stewing chickens. Their meat is very tough and I've found after talking to other people that they experienced the same thing. I wish I had kept the hens back for layers- I hear they are good layers as well. But I didn't know and had them all butchered. So we will be eating a lot of chicken soup this winter. LOL - Oh well- live in learn.

I love talking chickens- so fee free to email me if you have any other questions

~ Kathy

[thrrrnbush]

Hi, my name is Crystal. I guess I'm a diaper wahm. Diaper seller, not maker. I've been trying to be a writer for almost a decade. I even got myself a column on Grisandole's website. Then she told me about this website similar to her own, for sale, at a great price. I haven't had much time to write since she told me that. I'm still whirling in the chaos. Don't know where I got myself to, but it sure ain't Kansas.