Misty's Sense

Give Thanks Warmer of the Month

2010-10-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

The season of Thanksgiving is fast upon us and I am super-excited about setting up my Give Thanks warmer for November. I love Fright Night and the spooky decor but since receiving my Warmer of the Month a couple of days ago I am itching to display the new one...

See what I mean? I love it. Be sure to order Autumn Sunset or Central Park Pralines to go with it. Pumpkin Roll and Toasted Caramel Sugar are also good ones this time of the year! Another cute on for November is Plymouth...

I really like the leaf as the top on this one. The September Warmer of the Month, Montpelier, is still available but no longer 10% off! It is a fabulous fall decoration as well!

Order Placed!

2010-09-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

I am putting together my latest order today. I am ordering a couple of the Love, Life, Hope warmers...these are perfect for donating for raffles and charity auctions and such.

I am donating one for our Dig for a Cure event hosted by my daughter's volleyball team. The event will be amazing as well as a huge promotional opportunity for my Scentsy business. I am hoping to be a silver level sponsor which will get me a logo on the back of the shirts everyone will buy since your shirt is your ticket to the game. The goal is to get the entire crowd wearing these pink shirts. Throughout the exhibition game the sponsors will all be announced and I will donate this warmer to be given away as well.

Scentsy's newest products...

2010-09-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

We have so many new and exciting products it will take me days to tell you about all of them so let's just start with our Fragrance Foam...LOVE THIS!!

Fragrance Foam

Scentsy Fragrance Foam is a wonderful smelling hand wash. Killing germs
without drying hands, this product is full of emollients and scent.

Kindness...Givers Gain

2010-09-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

   I was recently invited to a Business Networking International Meeting. While I think it is an admirable program I don't think it is a good fit for me. I am shocked at the cost of a membership, the small size of the group and it's platform. I would recommend getting involved in a non-profit organization and begin networking from there. This BNI organization is just like a Twitter Party, only in person. Everyone walks around with their card and then at the end they "refer" each other to each other...all for only $350 per year, plus a $100 one-time processing fee and another $100 membership dues (I thought that was the $350 but apparently not). Also you are required to do activities each month to accrue points. You get points for referrals and one-on-one meetings with other members; bringing a guest gets points too. Everyone in the room goes around and stands up for a 20 second "commercial" and I am not exaggerating. I walked away with 2 things. 1. People will pay for anything. 2. Givers Gain.

   I say this because the premise of the idea is socially conscious and generous in spirit. Basically it is built on the referrals. So the more referrals you put out there for other people the more you gain by them sharing your name and area of expertise. It is about working together to make a group of people successful. The problem I have with it is that these people are motivated by money so they are charging money to make money. If this motivated group of people focused on a charity and worked together for that cause, they would not only be helping the cause but also making the same connections and creating a sense of purpose and teamwork. I feel like my $8 PTA membership and the contacts I make there and at scouts and anywhere else I volunteer are worth far more than a promise from 29 people that if they run into anyone wanting Scentsy they will give them my name. I make these connections amidst a spirit of giving...not money but time, energy, intellect. Giving for the improvement of the community.
   The director of the Kansas City area or district or region, said..."Givers Gain" and I like that. I often remind myself how I want to live with tidbits of wisdom and this is one I will keep and reuse. Givers do gain. Another one I have picked up is..."Leave the woodpile a little higher than how you found it." To me, this is a reminder to live above the line. To be the person who picks up the trash in the parking lot instead of running over it. The people who adopt pets from shelters instead of buying from a super-breeder. The people who start businesses who are socially conscious and aim to leave this earth as intact as possible. These are my people. I want to be these people.

Accepting Christ as my Personal Savior

2010-08-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

   When I was 13 I went to church camp at Camp Galilee in southern Missouri. This was an intense experience and remains firm in my memory. Every evening we would have a 'service' at The Slab. We would have a short sermon and sing a bunch of songs designed to make the most of the hormone-ridden teen's emotional state. We would cry and cling to each other, moved to tears. I honestly felt as though God was there with us. I experienced the spirit, but this was not the first time.
   There was a day when I was young, about 10, maybe a little younger. I was in the field behind my house, bored. I kicked back in the grass, looking at the sky. As I lie there staring at the clouds they moved in front of the sun and I felt as though I was asleep but half-awake and the sun began shining between the clouds with distinct 'rays'. I was frozen and then Jesus appeared to me. He was Love. He was Everything. I got but a moment's taste of the entire universe in that vision. All was clear and nothing else mattered. But it was fleeting. I tried to make it happen again, to no avail.
   There have been times since then, but not nearly as literal. I think my young mind was so impressionable. I dreamed my grandfather died the night he died. But the most powerful surrender I have ever experienced was the last night of church camp when I was 13. We were at the Slab. We had a sermon and then there were to be some 'kids' bearing witness to how they received Jesus into their hearts. I received Jesus into my heart that night. For real. I physically felt overwhelmed by the Presence of the Lord, the Spirit. I proclaimed him my Lord and Savior and from there on my own Discovery of my Spirituality began. Properly moved and exhausted I felt peaceful and full. At that moment it was the Answer. There were no questions.

Buddhism

2010-08-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

   The first time I remember hearing he word Buddhism was probably in school. I remember my parents always being open-minded about religion but I immediately discounted any religion without God, the Almighty Father and Jesus Christ, his only son. I had a sense of a lesser faith if those simple things weren't even acknowledged. I was forming the foundation for my spiritual growth. My parents did an amazing job of keeping all avenues open.
   I lived near an Air Force Base so we had all kinds of Catholics, Assembly of God, Baptists, Jehovah's Witness, Mormons--even Mennonite and Amish. Those came from the rural areas, not the Base. When I took confirmation as a 13-year-old, we attended a Catholic mass (which I had done before). I loved the church and the ceremony, the smells, the robes the beauty of it was breathtaking but I didn't feel the spirit, I wasn't moved. So off to the Jewish bar mitzvah. The boy was cute, I remember that and being so insanely bored I could barely stand it. It seemed very strange to me but I did feel a sense of importance. I had been to bible schools and activities at Christian Churches and Baptist churches. I also attended a black church once. That was an experience. I loved it there but realized it wouldn't be the same for me there. I am way too inhibited to fit into that sort of a service.
   I was a praise leader for a while in our contemporary service at the Methodist church. That was fun and sometimes I felt connected to the spirit...but not to the people as much. It seems to me, when praying in church, it is with such vigor, it feels forced. I prefer to open up and listen and that makes it awkward to be the one chosen to give a prayer. Prayers did not flow from my lips the way it does from my Dad's or my Mom's, Grandma's, Grammy's. At this time in my life I was pregnant with my son and starting my family. My daughter was 5-7 years old and my husband was baptized at the church, we were married and had our son, Will. It was a beautiful leg of my journey and I remember it fondly. One of the big aha moments of my life came during that time. It wasn't, however, nearly as powerful as the one I had when I was 13...more on that later!

A Christian Girl's Study of Buddhism

2010-08-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

I came into this world a daughter of Christians. Lots of them. I was raised a Methodist by moderately liberal (my opinion, of course) parents. I loved growing up in the church and have memories of this feeling, when I was little, of it being a literal family. Not just a church family. I don't know when that distinction was made in my mind, maybe I will figure that out as I study Buddhism. My earliest memories are of Easter dresses with ruffles and bells and lilies and Grandma Hall's voice during hymns. I remember the look on the congregation's face as we, the lambs, the angels, cherubs in His flock; sang and lit candles and praised the Lord. I grew up, experienced my first loss of a loved one, accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior, was confirmed and became a member; in my own right, of the Methodist Church. My membership still lies with the Methodist Church and I still consider myself a Christian and talk to Jesus daily. I believe in God as our Creator and that Jesus is his Son. I also believe we are evolved. I also believe in a need for such a thing as religion so people, for the most part, will behave. I think it has grown grotesquely misshapen over centuries of manipulation by powerful people. In a way all of these stories from all of these religions once were pure and holy. As the first teacher told the first lesson the intention was there, to enlighten, to answer questions, to inspire. These philosophical hills make me crazy and I look for the bridges all the time. There haven't been any forthcoming thus far so I am taking it upon myself to build one. Starting with Buddhism. Buddhism because I find it beautiful and familiar. I enjoy yoga for exercise. The religion embraces all aspects I prioritize highly in my life. Buddhism because I wonder if I am a Buddhist as well as a Christian or instead of a Christian. I am staying with as well as as long as I can. Christianity is my foundation. My roots still grow there. My awe of God only multiplies and my relationship with Jesus only becomes more detailed the more I learn and breathe. With every moment I acknowledge and recognize I become curiouser and curiouser about all of it; and more gracious. I want to learn when we became aware. Of humanity. I want to learn when I became aware of the distinction between church and life. When did I start seeing the holes? These are my questions and here is my search for the answers.

2010-08-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

This journey is becoming rockier and it seems, some days, as though I am not keeping up with climbing. Each day I learn something new. Like it is very difficult to get the floor vacuumed when you are a MOM, soccer coach (only in the technical sense), a PTA President, Scentsy Certified Consultant, wife, athlete, yogi, self, cook, chauffeur, etc. The pressure put on women these days is staggering. I am surprised at how much I can get done in a day and how quickly my mood and energy level can go from as high as it needs to be to even take on these daily responsibilities to so low that I can barely get dinner made, a load of laundry finished and the kids to their activities.
My daughter is now a freshman and she LOVES high school. She made the volleyball team, which is HUGE and she has classes with her friends from previous years and there is always something to participate in. Will is also adjusting to 2nd grade well. He seems to have forgotten his penchant for acting and shouting out.

My trick is to put the stones in big ones first...being a Mom, being Misty, being a Wife...then we put in the smaller ones like PTA and Scentsy...then if we shake it up a bit we can even fit more in; such as cooking, gardening and spending time with friends. I have my off days. I cannot always practice what I preach for I am human. I know what I need to do but sometimes it is hard to make myself do it. So today I need to pass out some brochures for Scensty, submit a grant application for PTA and pick up Kelsey at volleyball at 5:30p. Then I have to hold soccer practice, cook dinner, do a little laundry, ensure everyone is ready for school tomorrow.
Scentsy makes this possible. My Scentsy business is flexible. I can schedule Scentsy around soccer, PTA, volleyball and exercise. I get to have some relaxing girl time when I want it and I can make a little spending money and win some amazing prizes. I love my job. I love being a mom; even when it means spending an hour in the car waiting for practice to get over. Or when I am learning soccer right along side my 7-year-old son.

2010-08-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

It has been a great family weekend. We visited friends on Friday evening and the kids each had a friend spend the night over the weekend. We also all got new haircuts and styles and today their grandmother is taking them to the movies. I am beginning to get restless and nervous about being PTA President and impatient about my business. I just really can't wait to get started with the business FOR REAL.
My fantastically talented husband is working on a website for New Era hats so he is constantly in front of a computer and I need some attention. I definitely need to get back in the gym. That usually cures me of the restlessness. I have been researching a couple of things for my sad little garden. It is really sad this year. I have neglected it and there are ants. I have to get something done about that today. I am also wanting to caulk the windows and line the cabinet shelves and drawers again.

Save 10% this month on all Scentsy Products!

Seems as though I have an ambitious week ahead of me and today I am going to enjoy the couch and some leisurely laundry. If you have been considering having a Scentsy party and/or ordering...August is the month to do it. Scentsy is offering an extra 10% off everything all month! Exciting news from an exciting company. I have never seen an entire company do 10% off for a month. What a great promotion for us business owners and for you, the loyal customers who make Scentsy the fastest-growing direct sales company in the United States. We just got started in Canada so if you are a northerner getting to know the company be sure to visit my site. I have information about Scentsy products and the Scentsy business opportunity as well as pictures of our products and what kinds of Scentsy parties I offer.

Save 10% on all Scentsy Products this month!

2010-08-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

The Scentsy business is picking up momentum while I am registering my daughter for high school, learning my new role as PTA President, learning how to be a soccer coach and supporting my husband in his business ventures and "real job" while keeping the house running smoothly and making healthy meals. I know we have all had our moments of whining about the thankless job we have as WAHMs but at the same time I have to remind myself of how it used to be...

I used to get up in the morning and get ready for work while "keeping Will busy" with TV or something while I put on a little make-up and put on the lovely khakis or black pants (depending on retailer) and shirt emblazoned with either a Circuit City or a Blockbuster logo. I then scooped him up tossed him in the car and drove him to his babysitter where I would drop him off at around 8:20a. I would then begin my morning commute. At it's worst I was driving over an hour through the busiest part of the city out west while I lived as far on the east side of the city as I could be and still be considered a suburb. I would work until between 5 or 6p and then actually leave between 5:30 and 6:30p. This would put me home between 6:30p and 7:30p. Many nights I would stop at the store and pick up something to eat and that would extend it even further. We ate out so much I am ashamed. I had, on average, about 4 hours a day with my children and I wasn't very pleasant for probably an hour or two of it since that time was spent rushing and being frustrated. I cry about the time I lost there in pursuit of the "American Dream" but then I look forward again and am grateful for what I have been blessed with...

A great, supportive husband who agrees we should keep family first...great kids who make it a pleasure to be a mom. I am truly blessed, owning my Scentsy business is another aspect of my personal dreams. A way for me to carve out a little something for me, for my ego, for my checking account...for me.

Maybe I Will Get a Routine Someday....

2010-08-02T12:50:00.000-07:00

As it turns out we are not only about to be soccer parents but we are now soccer coaches. I don't understand what happened to my peaceful quiet existence. Savoring every moment of staying home with my children. Taking time for myself at the gym. I am not saying I am no longer doing these things as I was afraid would happen but actually my ability to do both seems to have improved. I might be busy all day and work long hours as PTA president, chauffer, Scentsy Consultant, Mom (not to mention friend, sister, daughter, wife) and still be able to be in the moment when my son comes up to cuddle me in the evening and my teenager comes in to complain about how embarrassing her step-dad's socks are. Throughout my journey I have been trying to find this and hold onto it thinking I need to cling to it and never let it go but the truth is if I focus on living it then it expands and rewards me with more and more. I know I am blessed with gifts and I am fortunate enough to be able to pursue them right now. Thanks to my Scentsy business and my supportive husband! Thanks, Chris, for believing in me yet again!

To start your own business is the first step toward your financial freedom. Without control of your own income it is harder to fulfill your family's dreams...

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
- Theodore Roosevelt

Contact me to find out how you can work a business on your terms and earn some extra money or even begin your own empire!

PTA Enrollment is in Full Swing!

2010-07-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

Life has become crazy with open enrollment at the Elementary School, Scentsy and the squeezing-in of as many summer activities as we still can! I am looking forward to school starting because I really am excited about having a regular routine again and I CAN'T WAIT to get back to five times a week at the gym. I am learning how precious these years are and how fast it is flying by. My daughter has begun volleyball camp at the high school and my son is beginning soccer, which, of course, my husband and I are coaching. I sound as if I might be complaining but I really am not...I love my job, my business, my volunteering....all because it is flexible and allows me the freedom to prioritize and care for my family first and then fit business in around the more important stuff!!

boutiquescents.com

Things are picking up around here...

2010-07-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Things around here are picking up. We have had a great week with a Royals game; a day with friends at their house, playing in their pool; then Sunday, a day of psuedo-rest. Monday had me back in the grind with a PTA budget meeting, visit to the bank to change signatures on the account and 3 random phone calls. So that was about 5 hours yesterday. I managed to make it to the gym and dragged my daughter along. I think she is going to be surprised at how hard volleyball camp is going to be next week.

My Scentsy world is getting bigger and bigger and I am so excited to have some income along with the flexibility of remaining a mom first. Will is getting ready to start soccer and my gorgeous daughter is about to start high school and I know I won't have to miss a minute of it!! I think I need to write a letter to some salon owners and tell them about Scentsy. My friend who sells Scentsy candles at her salon does really well. She just puts the sample testers in her clients' laps and has her warmers all over, providing beautiful lighting and soothing fragrance. Next thing you know, her customer has written another check for her new Scentsy warmers and bars. I think tanning salon owners would sell Scentsy pretty easily as well. I think I will be writing a letter next...back to "work"!

Vacation Is Over...for awhile at least!

2010-07-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

I am terribly late on blogging...we had a great time, though, hosting some friends from Colorado. They came in on Thursday evening and we did a lot and lounged a lot. Now I am trying to catch up on some housework and of course my business which has been blooming over the weekend. I have a new recruit from Alabama and I am excited to have started my team with such a sharp woman! PTA is in full swing with a budget meeting coming up and open enrollment right behind it. I am finding the hardest part of PTA is getting all of our schedules to jive. We all have different availability and lifestyles. It is challenging to find a day and time when these busy moms, career women, business owners, athletes, wives...can get together.

Not only did we have a fantastic time with friends this weekend, but we also had our family portrait taken. It is convenient that our friend is a photographer. He is so generous to have shared his talent with us.

All in all a terrific weekend. A staycation for us and then in September we will invade their home...

Cub Scout Camp

2010-07-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

So there I am; sun beating down on me, standing in knee-deep grass. I have been properly doused with deet and sunblock. I am wearing a hat and close-toed shoes. My husband told me I was pushing the limits with a tank top, but I argued that I had layered 2 of them and reminded him I would be standing in knee-deep grass with the sun beating down on me, so I was going to wear the tank tops.

I was catapulted back to my youth when I spent my first grade year in Brownies. I went to meetings and went through the little ceremonies and I was so excited to go to day camp. But I was in no way prepared for what I was about to encounter at girl scout day camp. First they made me wear heavy tennis shoes and socks. And it was hot. Then I had to wear a hat that itched my head and made me sweat. There were bugs all over, the grass itched my legs and a girl was stung by a bee and was taken away in an ambulance. I couldn't wash my hands very well from the milk-jugs-hanging-from-tree faucet and my sandwich was wet from the cooler. I never went back and I never did anything involving scouts. Until my senior year when my boyfriend, now husband, was working on his Eagle Scout. I went on a camp-out with his troop and actually had some fun. I wasn't a fan of the sharing showers with whatever stranger happened to be staying at the camp ground, but I had a faucet and a plug so I could blow-dry my hair at least. Over the years I have learned a great deal of camping and have gone camping a little. I wouldn't say I enjoy it but I know my husband likes it and I can have a good time so we dabble...but I digress...
After recovering from my flashback I decided my son was going to like this and I was going to just enjoy it with him because even though it isn't me, it isn't about me. So I dove in. I fished and made crafts and shot a slingshot and watched a helicopter land and had a fire truck spray me down and climbed across a monkey bridge and directed the skits we performed and this is how I ended up...

and this is how WE ended up...

Now I still contest that 5 days is a long time. He was exhausted as was I but I would not trade last week for any other in my life. I got to do this and help the pack because I have my own Scentsy business.

I make my own hours and work when I want. I am not saying it just happens; I do have to facebook and twitter and blog and send out emails and keep making connections but I love doing those things anyway and building my brand has become a challenge for ME. Raising my own kids is my career, Boutique Scents is how I make some money and have some fun. Give me a call or email me and I can share this amazing opportunity with you, then you can have fun going to cub scout camp too! ( I think maybe a spa day should be next)

JOIN SCENTSY TODAY AND START YOUR OWN BUSINESS FOR $99!

2010-06-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

WIN A FREE SCENTSY BRICK: visit us on Facebook, "like" us, then leave a comment telling us your favorite scent and you will be entered to win a FREE SCENTSY BRICK.

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Save over $140 throughout the year using Scentsy Candles instead of traditional jarred candles. Not only do Scentsy Warmersadd fragrance your home, they add style as well. You aren’t left with an empty, charred piece of glass. Instead, you have a decorative touch.
Wickless Scentsy Candles provide fragrance and expression and also improve quality of life and health. Scentsy Warmers only heat the candle bars enough to release scent. The odorless wax remains. There is no flame burning harmful chemicals into the air. With traditional candles, the wax and wick both slowly disappear as you burn it. Imagine where the chemicals from the wax and wick go!? The residue remains, only you can’t see it…it is in the air you breathe, in the fabric of your home, in your carpets. With Scentsy, the warmer only gets warm enough to release the scent, nothing else, you are left with an unscented wax bar. This is what makes Scentsy Flameless Candles the safest candles. There are many ways to Buy Scentsy. You can Buy Scentsy Online or call me at 866-927-5977 and I can help you purchase Scentsy Candles and Warmers. If you would like to Buy Scentsy Candles Online, just click on any 'buy now' link then click 'place an order' and begin your transaction. If you would like to contact a Scentsy Consultant near you, please contact me and a member of my team will contact you.

Seriously, folks, this is such a blessing in my life right now. Our family is all headed in the same direction with the same mission and I think, in part, it has to do with us starting our Scentsy business! I love that family is first and there are always bits and pieces of time to get my work done around the kids' schedules. I love that I get to spend afternoons by the pool watching my son play with his friends. I especially love that my teenage daughter is not spending the days alone or watching her brother while I work.

and Craziness ensues on the homefront

2010-06-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

Now offering the FREEDOM BUNDLE...great for 4th of July AND Christmas...

So my Thursday, May 27th was spent going to Costco, assisting with an event at the Elementary School, dropping off a check for the summer movie program season tickets for HPE, dinner then the PLMS awards show. Kelsey was alarmingly moody but I think she is just sad about leaving the comfortable middle school cocoon. Friday greeted me with the final bus stop walk, hurried ride to school with the teenager then off to my own little weekend of debauchery.

This process is usually pretty simple. My parents watch Will part of the weekend, Chris' parents watch Will part of the weekend and Kelsey goes to the lake with her grandmother. This was not the case this year. Kelsey wanted to attend some end-of-the-school-year festivities and my mom couldn't make it to our house until 4:30p and the kids were getting out of school at noon. Of course Kelsey's party was to start immediately after school. So I managed to make arrangements for Kelsey to do what she wanted and for Will to play with a neighbor friend long enough for my mom to get here. Thank you, Debbie! Then, Will began throwing up...8 times Saturday and we finally got rid of the fever yesterday at noon so he is really anxious to get his summer on. We are heading to the pool...

I can start taking orders Tuesday for our 4th of July Special...so cute!

2010-05-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

Today I am gearing up for the trip to Costco to get the 200 candy bars for the end of the year bash at HPE and also have to pick up supplies for our annual 4-day float trip...my entire afternoon/evening is occupied with PTA and end of school stuff so this is my unwinding this morning.

Having a great time with the Scentsy business and starting Tuesday, June 1st I will be able to take orders for the Freedom Bundle. A fantastic deal...when you click on it give it a minute to load up...you will be pleasantly surprised!
If you already have the candy shoppe warmer you just need to get the new topper and you are ready for Independence day!

2010-05-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

boutiquescents.com

Last night after dinner I realized I had made a sale on my Scentsy website! So in the last 2 days I have made 1 sale per day just by being on the internet. That is super-exciting to me. I have much PTA stuff and talent shows and award shows and end-of-the-year stuff to do over the next couple of days. I am so glad I am able to schedule family first and be involved with the schools.

I am needing to recruit a host for a party...I would like someone to "host" an online or book party so I can gather up some orders into a party and give someone hostess credit for them :) If you sell $150 the shipping is on us and you can get $15 in free product and an item at 1/2 price. And that's just the minimum. These products are safe, effective, efficient and don't leach chemicals and soot into the air in your home. It is so hard to pick my favorites. I love the Scentsy plug-ins for bathrooms.

The Scentsy full-size warmers are great for any room...I have one in my office, in my kitchen, in Kelsey's room (of course the zebra one) and in the living room. I turn them on for fragrance sometimes and for subtle lighting other times. I love the way they soften a room and fill it with fragrance.

Back to work on PTA...still need to find a Fundraising Chair for our trash bag sales initiative...any HPE parents interested? It is actually an easy one to chair, at least we aren't doing that Katherine Beich stuff anymore :P

Scentsy is my answer!?

2010-05-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

The truth is, I secretly thought they were cute from the start but I didn't have any money to spend and I was so used to telling myself, "I don't NEED it, it's just something else to dust," I wouldn't even let myself look at the catalog. I have been searching (look back at hideously misguided attempts at blogging left here with huge gaps) for my purpose, my calling. My mom keeps telling me I can't find it because I am doing it (being a SAHM) and I finally agree now that I have started a Scentsy business. I researched the company and spent some time with the product and decided (WITH my husband's support) to pursue Scentsy Candles. I have had 2 "parties" in the last month and expect to get a commission check right off the bat.

I get to schedule family first, then pta and volunteering, exercise, cleaning house. Then, when I get around to it, I do my Scentsy. Hopefully soon I can pay someone else to clean the toilets so it doesn't even have to be on my radar!

I love that I get to come up with my own branding and design for my Scentsy website. They also have a standard site for all consultants and they give it to you free for the first 3 months. https://boutiquescents.scentsy.us/Home

This product is one-of-a-kind and everyone loves it so take a look... boutiquescents.com

Love, love the warmers. And the scents are amazing. This all sounds generic but it is so true. One of my neighbors is a Partylite consultant and she loves her Scentsy Warmer. My other neighbor is thinking of getting rid of her candles/candle decor all-together...I think I might do that too!

Some people have Scentsy home parties, some people have Scentsy basket parties (book parties); some consultants sell Scentsy at trade shows and fairs. Start up is only $99 and it is the hottest direct marketing plan out there right now! http://www.boutiquescents.com/join

Grandmothers

2009-11-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened this week to keep me from writing. I probably should have been writing all along but there are times in my life when just getting the minimum accomplished is a feat. Last week, on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, I lost my Grammy. As a child I loved my Grammy and thought she was so tall. I wanted to be just like her. I had two amazing Grandmothers, completely alike in some ways and completely different in others. Grandma Hall was salt-of-the-earth. She wore hardly any make-up, and when she did it seemed more out of obligation and expectation than pleasure or pride. Grammy was the sky. She enjoyed putting on her face and taking care of her skin and trying to stay young-looking. Both were strong business women. Both were ridiculous examples of Christians. Both of them loved me.

There has only been one sunny day since she died and that was Friday, the day I had so much to accomplish. I think a little sunshine would help me cheer up and I would love some family time but it just is so raw still. Today is my birthday and I understand how Jess felt everytime we lost a Hall. I know it will not always be this way but it does kind of suck that it is right now. My daughter. My daughter, Kelsey, got up and played her ~~little~~ giant heart out on the violin. She played Oh, Danny Boy and it was so amazing to watch her just get up there and play. I was so nervous for her and she was so confident and I remember being the same way with my mom. She was so awed by me and I was thinking how average I was all along. Here I am knowing how she felt as well.

I should be cleaning my house for the company I am going to have tomorrow night. I really want to reschedule the dentist appointments and spend the day with my aunt and my sister and my mom but we'll see. I think my aunt is in a rough place right now and I respect that. I need to clean anyway. And go to Costco and the store. We have eaten out constantly and I hate it when we do that. Now I feel like I am babbling and it must be time for me to wrap it up.

Spouting Off

2009-11-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

I was disappointed when Larry Johnson allowed himself to be baited by a fan on twitter. This ended up with Larry using homosexual slurs and basically making a jerk of himself. I am not personally a fan of his...never have been. He has always been quick to say what is on his mind and usually, it seemed, it was not nice or positive. For a while here in KC he was dubbed a cry-baby. He wanted to be a super-star his rookie year and complained consistently. His father also was vocal about how he felt about his son's lack of snaps. Most recently LJ criticized the coaching staff and implied his father was more qualified to coach the Chiefs than Todd Haley.

Regardless of what internal struggles are occurring, a professional should remain above the line and handle disagreements and complaints within the organization. Johnson showed his lack of integrity by calling out his coach in the media and offending much of our community. I signed the petition to have him cut from the Chiefs and yesterday he was finally released. On a side note...if anyone is looking for a running back who can only carry the ball on his right and has no stiff-arm to speak of there is one available. You may want to know that the hole the offensive line creates must be large enough for his physical body, his huge ego and the unearthly chip on his shoulder.

Over the weekend I heard rumblings of a fan undercutting Blaine Gabbert of the MU Tigers and his performance, blaming him for ruining the Tigers' entire season. If you actually look at the statistics from the game Saturday he had a solid performance, not one to be ashamed of by any stretch of the imagination. This disappointed me as well. I enjoy Twitter and Facebook. I like to see into my favorite athletes and friends' lives and I am always upset when people abuse the access they have to the target of their comments and the countless others out there looking and reading. This "fan" was uber-critical of Gabbert and the Tigers and was generally classless. Not only is it just a jerky kind of thing to do, there is an inherent difference in attacking a professional like Larry Johnson and a student athlete like Blaine Gabbert.

I wasn't surprised to find that the person responsible for baiting Larry Johnson into his own demise was associated with the author of the tweets trashing Gabbert. In response to the unfair criticism someone began a movement on twitter called #imwithBG11 and the flood gates opened. RockMnation also had some comments and once I looked into it a little I learned who was behind the Tweets...Austin Huff...FORMER MU TIGER. Who does that? As a fan if you don't like what is happening with your team there are many ways to express yourself in the media, on twitter, facebook, blog...whatever your poison. Get your facts straight first. Don't be jerky. Be honest. Give credit where it is due and provide constructive criticism. Maybe point out specific examples. TheAHuff did not do this and was completely amateur in his Tweets and posts.

Now I am going to follow my own advice and give Austin his due credit. He posted an apology and it seems very sincere. I am impressed with his ability to swallow his pride and publish such a raw, emotional response to what has transpired the last few days. Congratulations Austin on a classy move! Here's a link: http://www.rockmnation.com/2009/11/9/1123975/a-message-from-gabberts-online

Kudos to Austin and rockmnation.com for handling this as well as it could have been in the end! Happy Football!

plastic cups

2009-11-06T09:31:00.001-08:00

I did not get a book purchased yesterday. I didn't get much besides some bathroom cleaning and some laundry, dinner, running up to the school to get Reflections submissions for the PTA, played outside for an hour, went to the grocery store, took Will to skate night and while there worked on some PTA stuff, came home and worked on some PTA stuff. So maybe instead of the "find the real meaningful purpose to your life" book, I might need the family manager/planner book. Maybe I should go shopping for one right now...that is exactly what I feel like doing. Blowing off all responsibility, like vacuuming and more laundry, and SHOPPING. Doesn't that sound fun?

I threw away all the plastic cups in the house the other day because I knew if I didn't just get it over with I would hang on to them forever and ever and keep using them. Most of them didn't even have numbers on the bottom classifying them...scary! Now I need glasses, I have some but they are not very kid friendly. I need to find something for Will. Off to the meaningful vacuuming I am going to do today. Meaningful because it is a way I attempt to keep the allergies at bay...I keep reminding myself that it is bigger than cleaning...it is caring.

A Book

2009-11-05T07:23:00.001-08:00

I think a book is in order. As a matter of fact, I think a couple of books might be in order. I am still searching for the answer. The career that will give me some financial independence, feed my soul, keep me interested and challenged...no biggie...I think I need an expert to tell me how to do this because my muddling it up is getting old.

I am going to get a book. If I don't manage to figure out what it is I want to do I will get another book. I think I have a problem. I can't decide who or what I want to be. I want to get this figured out and I will continue to work on this until I accomplish it...

I do get distracted by life, Tuesday it was the orchestral performance and finding elance...that sucked up a couple or three days of my life. I am so sorry but I am not willing to write 1000 articles for $500! There are a few legitimate leads but geez there are a bunch of people with high ratings and tons of experience getting all the good work. Maybe I can find something decent, maybe not, we'll see.

I have to stay focused, full of intent in finding the meaningful career I just know I am destined to eventually find. I feel similar to my sister. She hasn't found her meaningful match but I think she is satisfied with her career (most of the time). I am so restless career-wise but completely at peace (most of the time) with my match.

Orchestra Recital

2009-11-04T07:06:00.000-08:00

Last night was one of those evenings. Kelsey had a recital at her school and Will took this opportunity to push my buttons and be impossible. Of course he didn't want to put on shoes, or his jacket, or go at all. We couldn't find the Nintendo DS, which I distinctly remembered returning to its case only yesterday. Will, as I was pulling his sweatshirt over his head, (he had lost his zip-up hoodie on the playground earlier) chose this moment to ask if we could go to Target to get his "reward". I owe him a small reward for remaining in control and not being sent to the "safe spot" at school for a whole month. I explained to him that the reward was not at the top of my priority list, that we were running late for Kelsey's recital and I was focused on getting there on time. I threw a book in my bag for him, filled up my water bottle, and off we went. Will was happily occupied with the Kids Almanac through the PTA meeting, through the 7th grade orchestra playing two pieces and the 8th grade orchestra's first piece-then it started to get shaky. Voice volume began rising as he said, "This book isn't really anything for me right now, you got anything else interesting in there?" I came up with the pages in my planner marked "Notes for my Novel" and a pen. I told him, as the second song began, to draw me a picture of what the song made him think of. The orchestra played and after the song was over he showed me his picture of a person in a box with notes around their head and I asked what it was and he said, "Elevator Music! It makes me think of riding in an elevator."

Halloween Junk

2009-11-02T19:38:00.000-08:00

Plastic stuff from China all over my kitchen island is what I found Sunday morning after spending the wee hours hunched over the toilet. Regretting the velveeta and ground beef dip, the cherries covered first in a layer of coconut and crushed walnuts then coated with chocolate; definitely regretting the candy corn.

The evening started innocently enough. I had the normal Halloween day of running around frantically buying the last touches for the costumes. The clip to make the bow a hair accessory, the knee socks, a thimble so we could finish retrofitting an adult double-blaster-holster so Will could be authentic in his Jango Fett-ness. We ended up only being a couple of minutes late to the party and all was well. I did, however give myself a black eye early in the evening when my cell phone rang and I smacked myself in the head trying to answer it.

I gave myself permission to eat whatever I wanted Saturday night. I normally eat pretty healthy. No hydrogenated oils at my house, no conventional apples or potatoes. You won't find macoroni and cheese, canned tomatoes, beef or anything that goes from a box to the dinner table. I endulged. I ate con queso dip and sour cream dip and candy, candy, candy. I did break from the junk long enough to eat a bowl of vegetable soup along with 2 slices of a French baguette. Then I went to bed. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. rushing to the bathroom.

I finally stopped around 6:00 a.m. then slept a little before coming downstairs to the aftermath. Just like the junk food that poisoned my digestive system, the toys were crowding my normally neat kitchen island. The piece of plastic with the circles and the hole in the middle and you try to get the tiny bee bee into the center hole. The stick with the paper wound round and round it and then you fling it at someone and make them flinch. I also found spider rings and plastic skeletons and all of it went in the bag I keep for my mom's classroom. I recycle what I can but these plastic odds and ends, the toys from McDonald's, the stuff the kids bring home with them after a birthday party, these cannot be recycled. I try to make sure these things get reused by giving them to my mom to use as prizes in her classroom. She often has students who don't get a lot in the way of material things and to them these plastic pieces are treasures. I know it will end up in the landfill eventually but at least I put it off a little while.

Of course this is coming from the same woman who stripped at least $20 worth of reworked rubber and plastic off of her son when he couldn't even walk because of all the gear he had to have, which of course we had to buy!

Let's go on a diet. I challenge parents to give consumable products as favors at parties, or just a smile and a, "thanks for coming!". We are overstuffing our mouths and our homes barely leaving room for our lives and as long as our existence thrives on things this will be our fate. Obese people in over-stuffed houses scooting to work, then the shopping center and finally the restaurant.

Don't even get me started on shopping for a costume with a 13-year-old girl!

This morning...

2009-10-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

So this morning it was brought to my attention that I might have something to offer in the way of writing about sports. It would be nice to be able to do so, it would be fun and my husband and I are sports fans. Pretty much all sports all the time. Funny since we were BOTH cheerleaders in high school. Neither of us athletes in the typical mid-west American definition. My husband was a gymnast and was elite at one time. He also tried his hand at wrestling and is good enough with a racket and some clubs. Sometimes he has to be reminded who turned him on to golf and I am happy to do it. That makes me a golfer and currently a runner and undisciplined yogi. More importantly we are fans. We are the fuel for the market.

We have season tickets and buy gear emblazoned with our favorite teams names. We pay to park and tailgate for hours before the game. We dutifully stand and scream while our team is on defense, we learn all the chants and cheers and download our favorite stadium or theme song music. (Come on Dana White, get that theme song on iTunes where I can find it. I want the intro for The Ultimate Fighter on my workout playlist!) We follow on facebook and twitter and watch Hard Knocks. We DVR games we attend and watch embarrassing hours of football, MMA, hockey, college basketball, olympics. We IM each other throughout the day with clips from youtube and links to a Rick Reilly piece.

So I have been on this epic quest for my calling. The vocation I can be passionate about (besides raising my children myself). Maybe this has something to do with it. It is my favorite past-time. Sports. I am an athlete. Kind of. Mostly I want to have a great time and offer a new perspective maybe. One from a woman who truly enjoys the sports but isn't trying to be masculine. A woman who honestly cares about these guys who play each week for her. I don't watch to please my husband anymore, I can't imagine spending an autumn Sunday doing anything but watching football. I watch because it is amazing what can happen when athletes are performing at their peak. Because it is interesting. Because it is fun. Really fun.

Who will care?

2009-10-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

My new challenge is figuring out what is it that makes me special enough, interesting enough or enough of an authority on something to actually get paid to write about it. I recently read a decent autobiography of a junkie. A real one. I have had a couple of isolated dramatic circumstances but certainly not enough to fill the pages of a novel. I follow my friend's blog, he writes about his training as a soldier preparing to deploy to Afghanistan. I don't even have a passport. I have been reading a lot of information about parenting gifted children. I have no test scores to prove my son is gifted and I if I am researching then how am I qualified to advise? I became a fan of a woman who writes about her life as a mom. I am a mom but I don't feel qualified to train one! I think I just have to keep writing. Somewhere there is an idea, a piece of me will eventually surface as the topic, the direction, and I will keep writing until I find it. After all, I am a writer, right?

The first time I KNEW what was going to happen was when I was 10. My grandfather was in the Intensive Care Unit at Johnson County Community Hospital. The hospital where everyone in my life went, where I and my sister and all our friends were born. The nearest one. It was his third heart attack and things were different this time.

I don't exactly remember the other times, although there are stories like the copperhead one. It's a good one for another day. I just know he was diabetic, which meant he couldn't have sugar and had to give himself shots. I used to love to watch him give himself a shot in the thigh or hip, standing there in his boxers in the bathroom with the bright orange and yellow and brown seventies flowers on the wallpaper. I remember one was the shape of a bird, further accented by a nail hole from a picture no longer hanging, in exactly the spot an eye would be. I also liked sitting in his lap in his leather arm-chair with a Diet Pepsi in a glass bottle. We would watch Hee-Haw and the Grand Ole Opry. Once in a while we would watch a cop show like Hill Street Blues or Hawaii Five-O. This time was different because he was in the hospital a long time it seemed and everyone was whispering instead of talking. I was bored at the hospital and really mad I couldn't see him. They kept telling me I needed to be 12 and I could not see what the difference was. Did they think I was going to cause trouble or be loud? Did they think I would cry? Grammy came and got me and Jessica, not Grandpa Hall's wife but my mom's mom. We went to her house to spend the night and we would go to church with her in the morning. I never missed Sunday school back then, ever. My Sunday school teacher, also named Bette with an 'e', gave us candy for memorizing our scriptures and I was to recite the 10 Commandments the next morning.

I remember Lori was not there and it was scary in that room without her. There is this doll, at least it was still there last time I looked. It scared me and I remember Grammy having us go tinkle before tucking us into bed. I dreamt that night that Grandpa died and we stayed at Grandma Hall's house for a couple of weeks, I even dreamt details like my sister's birthday and a conversation I later had with Grandma. The next morning we got up and ate breakfast and got dressed for church, I was so excited to get my candy. Mint was my favorite. I could hear Grammy on the phone but even though I was only a few feet away in the bathroom I couldn't tell what she was saying. She and my mom both have this low, murmur of a voice mostly envied, only occaisionally irritatingly quiet. This normally would be one of those times but this sense of dread was coming over me and instead of being annoyed by not knowing what was going on I was sad because I knew what was going on. That's not when it changed, though, I went along with Grammy and pretended not to know. I went to Sunday school and it didn't really change until that moment on the stoop in front of the side doors of the church. Next to the new parking lot I received the news that my Grandpa had died and confirmation that I had dreamt an event before it happened.

Jack

2009-10-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

I am completely moved to write again. Inspired partially by my friend who is blogging his training and preparation for a deployment to Afghanistan and partially by my need to figure out what it is I am on this earth for. I know, right? So cliche. But truly I am a confused person maybe because of all the responsibility in my life right now. I feel more connected to what I do each day more than I have since high school. This is a good thing, however, I would really like to earn some money again someday and here I am with a second chance at choosing a rewarding career, one that falls into that, "choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life"- confucius, category. I think I am a writer but of course that doesn't mean one can just go out and get paid to be a writer. One must write the piece that gets published, the one they were supposed to write. So I have more time on my hands with a first grader in school; so I will write. About everything. We will see what happens.

I dreamt about my old church last night and I remember being in the sanctuary and I think I was at a wedding but I think it was mine. I am not sure. I remember getting a lot of attention. I have been thinking about my faith a lot lately and yesterday I was remembering my first tastes of Christianity. My Beginning as a Follower of Christ. I remember Jack Carmichael. He is one of my earliest literal memories. I can go back in my mind and sense an environment of calm love and complete safety but my first real memory in the church is of Jack. I am told I would sit in the pew with Mom and Dad and just watch him as a toddler, eyes wide, enthralled by his movement and volume. I remember him in his robe. He had a cloth around his neck that changed with the seasons. His microphone was little and clipped to the collar and when he would pause you could hear his breathing, his heart pumping more inspiration through him so he could share some more. He moved across the floor, not on the altar, but down the stairs on the floor in front of us. When he lifted his arms the sleeves of the robe made angel wings and he would look to the sky, hands up and raise his voice to ensure we knew exactly of Who he spoke. I understood, even then, it was the Spirit's presence that made my heart pound and grow large just like it is right now as I write this, as I recall watching someone doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing at exactly the time they were supposed to be doing it. I want to be There.

*Eunice*

2009-07-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

Kelsey is back from JBA and my home seems a little more normal again. She had the time of her life, of course, and is now trying to adjust to living with her Mom again. I think it was enlightening for her to see other kids like her, who get it. Hopefully it gives her something to look forward to in college besides keg stands. She is already begging to go back next year and I am pretty motivated to get her there everytime I can so I am brainstorming for fundraising ideas. Ideally Kelsey would be able to raise the money herself, learning that all important money lesson. (insert 13-year old eye-roll here)

Lately it seems like I am noticing more and more that most people I run into are rude and unaware of anything around them except what their particular mission is in whatever place I am. I am tired of parents allowing their children to push and shove their way to the front of the line. It is up to us as parents to teach our children how to be polite and considerate. I am disenchanted with going in public. It seems to me that it is getting worse and worse and I don't know what to tell my kids when they say, "well all those kids are doing it." Except, "well, they are rude and their parents are even more rude for allowing such bad behavior." Somehow I don't think it is satisfying to my 6 and a half year old. My thirteen year old is showing signs she understands although they are fleeting. One of the nice things about JBA...all the kids and parents were polite. Everyone said, "excuse me" when they needed to pass by, people held doors for each other. If someone saw you struggling to get a cup off the top of the stack because your hands were full, they helped you. It was really refreshing to be around a mass of polite people. Do you ever look behind you to find a person fuming, rolling their eyes, tapping their toe etc.? I always wonder how long have they been standing there mad at me when they could have just said, "excuse me," and I would have noticed them and moved out of their way...I don't get it. Why do people choose to be mad? It is a choice.

and now the phone

2009-06-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night we were watching the Royals play and my husband was telling me about the free t-shirt fans got since it was T-shirt Tuesday at the "K". He asked me, "Do you know what you call your team's best pitcher?" He, of course, was looking to see if I knew the nickname for a team's strongest pitcher is the Ace... Will, who had been listening from the other room replied, before I could, "Zack Greinke?"

Last night we went to the game and did the requisite visit to the "Outfield Experience". I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and value provided out there. Tokens were $1 a piece but the most expensive attraction was only 2 tokens. We spent $3 and Will got to race Mike Aviles at baserunning and rode the Royals-inspired carousel. There are fountains for kids to play in and a playground area to play on which are free. I was expecting to feel nickel and dimed but we had a great time. I especially liked being able to walk around the fountains in the outfield. My whole life I have watched games on tv and in person, wishing I could walk around those fountains and last night I did!! I think it was very cool to be watching from a new perspective. We barely stayed in our seats.

This morning I told Will that in the afternoon we would either play outside or go to the pool with our neighbors/friends across the street. I then went upstairs to go to the bathroom. When I came downstairs he was dialing the phone in the kitchen. I said, "what are you doing?" Will replied, "calling Debbie again." I said, "you've already called her once?" He answered, "yes." At this point she must have answered because he then said, "One more thing, (don't really remember what he says here because I was processing the fact that he had already had a conversation with her)" I then caught up with the situation and got on the phone with my friend who told me he had called her and they talked about how we had gone to Summit Waves the day before and she told me he had had a really good time. This boy has not an ounce of shyness or hesitation in him. He started talking to a girl at least 2 or 3 years older than himself in line to get into Summit Waves. He also struck up a conversation with an older boy in line for the water slide. Oh, and he loves to freak out people by looking at name tags and calling workers, waitresses, cashiers, etc. by their names. I think he could be president someday. His family certainly has enough opinions to inspire political development!!

The government!

2009-06-12T07:47:00.001-07:00

My friends didn't find the humor in this but I did and I am pretty sure Will's Grandma Dotty will get a kick out of it so I am telling the story. I am watching one of my neighbor's children a couple of days a week and the boys were playing one of their traditional faustian-themed games adapted over the years...cowboys and indians, cops and robbers, storm-troopers and battle droids, ben 10 and aliens...you get the idea. The game had just begun and the characters were still in development...Will said, "I'm the cops." Alex one-upped him and said, "I am SWAT!" Will then turned and lowered his voice almost to a whisper and said mysteriously, "Well, then I am the Government..." In the photo he is the character he calls Identity...

A close friend had a miscarriage this week and her family could use some prayers, if you are so inclined.

Update to the wildlife in the yard...I really need to get an SLR! The momma rabbit and the baby were out chillin in the front yard, munching on some grass, drinking from the fountain when the adolescent light gray squirrel came and was checking out the baby rabbit, wanting to play. That's all he wants to do is play. He even climbs the playset and then runs down the slide. If only he knew how to slide, he would love it! The momma took offense to this and the dance that ensued was hilarious. The rabbit would hop and bang her feet on the ground and the squirrel would turn around and ruffle his tail and try to make it look big and scary like a cobra...it was comical because it was like a lady chasing the hoodlums from the yard and then the hoodlums moon the her on the way out. Meanwhile the cardinal family was back at the playground picking through the rocks for leftover snacks.

cardinals and grandma

2009-06-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I got up and my head is feeling marginally better but since I have been in this allergy/drug fog for the last 4 days I was wondering what in the world am I gonna write about today? Maybe I will have to post something in the afternoon and maybe something interesting might happen that I can talk about, or maybe something on the today show will grab my interest. I was stretching and opening the curtains, making coffee when I noticed the cardinal outside. For a couple of years I have been watching a male cardinal in our neighborhood. I don't think he lives in any of our trees, but it certainly comes for the feast of crackers, cookies and pb&j sandwiches that sprinkle my yard every evening. My Grandma Bette loved cardinals. She had paintings of them and needlepoint with them and I specifically remember an outdoor ceramic bell chime that she hung indoors and I always brushed my hand along it when I came and went down the hallway. Kelsey used to have me pick her up so she could make it chime. She loved it too. I was talking to my husband the other day because I was asking if it is the male or female that is all red...because lately I have seen another male, female, or baby...with red on top of head and red beak but brown feathers with little spots and it is smaller. So off to wikipedia I go because this morning the cardinal outside was the small one, I am almost certain now that it is a baby female! I wish I could get a good picture of it...it is soo cute and it was eating a worm and wiped its little face on the driveway. Thanks Grandma for the material. I looked it up and here it is the female northern cardinal...can't tell if it is young, it looks young! This is a stock photo from wikipedia because I don't have an SLR...maybe I should work on that!

Allergies and JBA

2009-06-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last 3-4 days seeking comfort from an all out assault on my sinuses. I am not a regular allergy sufferer although both my son and my husband are severe sufferers. I remember times in my life having a flare up and feeling really miserable for a day or so but nothing like this. I seriously feel as though my head weighs 50% more than usual, like someone has taken a match to the inside of my sinuses. At the same time I think my eyes are hooked up to a saline drip and my chest feels like there is an elephant sitting on it now. Each day since Thursday evening a new symptom has reared its ugly head. This morning it is what I suspect is the beginning of a cold sore on my nose which is par for the course after going through as many tissues as I have, even if they are the ones soaked in vick's lotion. Despite my great discomfort we managed to get Kelsey dropped off at JBA and she is having a great time. Her first class is this morning and I'm certain she was excited to start. Will had a great time with his Grandma Dotty who took him to a lego exhibit at Union Station where they built a robot...his idea of nirvana! Chris was awsome yesterday taking Will to the pool and to McDonalds and allowing me to shower, stick my head in the sink with a towel over it and the hot water flowing. I drank lots of hot tea...green and mint. I also made chicken noodle soup. I think it will take me a week to get the watkins menthol rub smell off my chest and neck and I slept with a Ricola wedged in my cheek like a squirrel so as not to be coughing constantly. Today I am feeling marginally better and will do my best to be less whiney...forgive me this narcissistic post-it can't get any worse, right?

BPA and JET DRY

2009-06-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

So I keep reading about bpa and how it leaches into our water bottles and food when it is exposed to extreme temperatures like in the microwave, our cars or the freezer and I am properly terrified that it will cause cancer or even an asthma attack. I use the little disposable "tupperware" but never reheat in it. I am careful with bottled water although who knows what it goes through before it hits our costco warehouse? I don't use a lot of bottled water, only when traveling, but my goal is to use none by the end of the summer. My friend Katy camps a lot and has 4 children and she fills up one of those orange coolers you see on ball fields and construction sites with water and ice and puts cups next to it (she even washes plastic QT cups and reuses them). She does it so her kids don't waste the expensive bottled water and dump half of it out on the ground, each other's head, the dog or whatever else happens to be begging for a good douse of water, but hers is the greenest method for providing water on a camping trip that I have yet to see. One thing that completely gives me the heebie-jeebies is putting those disposable things in the dishwasher and exposing them to extreme heat...and jet dry...I want to know more about jet dry...should I be using this? So I stopped refilling my jet dry and my glasses are still spotless but my plastic doesn't get dry...so here is my solution, some might consider it avant garde. At least Will does.

JBA

2009-06-04T08:58:00.000-07:00

Kelsey is getting ready to embark on this wonderful world of the Joseph Baldwin Academy...it is a 3 week intensive study for 7-9th graders at Truman State University where they take a college course. This means kelsey will be responsible for laundry, making decisions, keeping track of money and an id and she is expected to perform to the utmost of her academic ability all at once. This of course has no effect on her, she is confident and relaxed and I am writing obsessively and going over silly laundry tips over and over. She is right now readying herself for a movie with friends as I go back over the budget and the list and IM with my aunt Lori who sent two of my cousins when they were kelsey's age. Also she will not be able to have her cell phone on her which is the only point of contention for her...they are to check them in with their preceptor then are only allowed to check it out during free time (only a couple hours of free time a day). This will be quite a change from having it attached semi-permanently to her hand. I am sure she will handle all of this with grace and ease and I will be at home fine one moment and panicked the next about whether she has enough clean underwear and that her shirts aren't hung up but in a pile on the floor. So I have the bedding in the washing machine...the amount of towels have been decided and I will go get her laundry detergent and dryer sheets later. Will has requested my help in making an origami swan...gonna have to get that figured out, maybe we will have a picture of one tomorrow!!

Roe Park Makeover

2009-06-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

My son is currently watching the 5 or 6 (we can't count them they are moving so fast) squirrels playing in the front yard on the play equipment, up the tree, across the landscape rock, around and around the tree, playing hide and seek...2 moms and 3 or 4 youngsters. Our block is the best...we have wonderful, appropriate wildlife, terrific neighbors, tons of kids. I think of it as my village. Our village, I guess. Last Saturday we (7 families within a block) replaced parts and re stained the play set in my neighbor's backyard where we all congregate. It has affectionately been dubbed Roe Park in honor of the owners who haven't ever put up a fence or asked anyone to get off their property. It was a fantastic day to show community at work, just idyllic. The other day 3 of the boys were outside playing football while Will, my son, sat cross-legged in the middle of the "football field" reading a book about dinosaurs. They never fell on him or hit him with the ball but would occasionally pause and huddle over the book to see what Will was telling them about as they played...the athletes and the mathlete. Wish I had a picture...

the "up" quiz

2009-06-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

We went to see "UP" this weekend at the movies and Will has been quizing me about details from the film. Yesterday we were sitting on the lounge chair at the pool and I was answering (to the best of my memory) questions Will posed. "Where did Mr. Frederickson and Russell go?" I answer, "Paradise Falls." Will approves with his signature "ding ding ding" (one finger up with glee at my correct response). "You are correct." Then he asks, "What do they find when they get to Paradise Falls?" I again answer, "Kevin." He says "ennn, wrong, Kevin and DOUG." I explained to him that he didn't prompt me to give him 2 answers. He pointed out that the way he asked the question there could have been "any number of answers and there were 2!" (as he held up 2 fingers). I have learned that although he is very intuitive and emotional his logical side is turning into his guide for life, I think. His father is gifted in this right/wrong/literal/logical manner, his mother on a softer note.

inner moral code

2008-09-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

Today I realized that there are those of us who follow the rules and those of us who figure out a way around the rules. My friend and I were going to this big consignment sale...gigantic...in a warehouse. The vendors and patrons are all caregivers, primarily moms. Today we show up and the parking lot is packed and we begin to drive around, worried that we may have to park at a neighboring business and walk and since it was chilly and rainy we were not happy with that possibility. As luck would have it a spot opened up in the back of the parking lot and we preceded to get her 2 year old daughter out of the car, get the stroller and begin the trek to the front door. As we approached the door a white SUV pulls up to the closest curb and a woman gets out and locks up her vehicle. My friend and I look at each other and she said, "I guess we could have done that." to which I replied, "I just didn't even think of it." She agreed, she didn't either, obviously, we drove around until a spot came open in the back of the parking lot. Despite the inconvenience, despite the walk to the front door, despite the rain and the 2-year-old we had in tow. It just didn't occur to us. Later after we stood in line to "check out" for 30-40 minutes a woman sneaked in front of me just as I was getting to the register...as I turned to say something to my friend. I want to know how one feels as they do these things. I would be nervous and guilty feeling but it seems those who behave in this manner feel entitled, more important...

is it really labor day?

2008-09-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

So do you have to be employed to consider labor day a holiday? The irony is that when I did have a job I would have 100% been working on labor day. I was a retail manager...big box even. That means my boss and all the support staff would have the day off while I worked hard trying to make budget with no customers. Now that I stay home and take care of the house it really was like a day off. Not to say that what i do at home isn't work...subject for another post. I just mean that some of the people who most need a day off aren't getting one. Be nice to the person who approaches you when you ask for the manager...they might not be having a good day either. Our economy is based solely on consumption which leaves little room for family values and personal satisfaction or happiness. We are constantly in search of what to buy next. We should be focused on what to DO next. Stop buying stuff you don't need, start reading and playing with your kids...hell, maybe even raise them yourself using all that money you are saving from not buying worthless, lead-filled junk made in China. Support businesses that close on Sundays...Hobby Lobby, Chick-Filet--sad those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head. Sad.

"hate"

2008-08-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

I let my son Will read my blog and he had feedback for me about the use of the word hate. This has come up a couple of time lately and I use the word way too much. He is right, as he said, "hate is a bad word, you should have backspaced over it and put don't like." He wasn't impressed when I just edited it with the story about him. I will now no longer use the word hate to describe my feelings toward anything. I am too good for that--and too creative to depend on such an overused (by me) word.

First Day

2008-08-29T11:03:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog and I hope it is as therapeutic as I suspect it might be. I hope to use this as an outlet for my negativity so I can let it go and not carry it through my life with me. My doctor's office has made me mad today...Lee's Summit Clinic...Dr. Joubert is a great doctor, slow to subscribe meds. Quick to change lifestyle first and treat the cause not the symptoms. I hate (after reading this post my 5-year-old son Will told me I should change "hate" to "don't like"--a future writer?) his office staff. They are always too busy to help, irritated by you, impatient with questions. They never give me all the info I need and are quick to criticize. I am tired of having to fight with the insurance company and the doctor's office over "codes". The difference between a well-child check for a 12 year old and a sport's physical...whether or not your insurance wants to pay. Also contingent on this problem is the doctor's offices' liability for saying they did something they didn't like take her temperature. The difference to the patient...$135. I could have gotten a sports physical free on any street corner a couple of weeks ago and saved all this trouble. I would think the doctor's office would want to be able to charge the insurance company. I would also think the doctor's office would want to come off as helpful and compassionate...whether they are ultimately going to be able to do what you want them to or not. After further investigation my insurance company ended up being reasonable and helpful....yeah BCBS!! and I am now looking for a new practice for my whole family.