opportunity

My whole life I have been a salesperson.

I remember being a very young girl, probably about 5 years old, and getting a box of chocolate bars from my school for a fundraiser.  I went door-to-door with them after school that day and came home with an empty box.  My parents were pretty impressed, but honestly, who could say "No" to a 5-year-old cutie with a box of chocolates?  I think I was just fearless.  I didn't think about people rejecting me.  I just wanted to sell my chocolates.

I kind of loved selling those candy bars.  I remember looking forward to the time every year when we got to take as many boxes as we thought we could sell home with us.  There were really cool prizes you could win based on how many you sold.  One year I sold a lot of bars and won lunch in a limo.  They picked us up some McDonald's cheeseburgers and drove us around town.  I still remember how cool it was to get out of school for an hour with something besides a school lunch and just revel in my accomplishment.  When you're in elementary school, it's the small things that make an impact.

Really, I think, sales are in my blood.  My grandma was part of a direct selling business called Home Interiors.  Some of you may have heard of it, although recently they changed their name to "Celebrating Home".  It is a home decorating business that sells framed art, candles, anything you might find in a home decor store.  She was a part of the business from the early years and was very successful.  

A few years ago I attempted a business with a skin care company and really worked my tail off for a few months without a lot of success and making almost no money.  The products were excellent, but the compensation was poor unless you had many downlines (people you personally sponsor).  A lot of money was put in, and little was gained.  It really left me disheartened, because sales were something I normally succeed in.  I felt like a mooch rather than a salesperson, constantly trying to get people to sell the product as this was the only way to succeed.  I ultimately decided this wasn't the place for me, and moved on.

Recently I was invited to a Premier Jewelry party.  I've always loved jewelry parties, whether they be at somebody's house or just a catalog party.  They're easy.  There's usually something for everybody, from young to old.  And I just love jewelry.  After attending my grandma's party, I saw how much free jewelry she earned by hostessing, and decided to have my own party.  I had an average to below-average turnout, but my sales were great and I got about $350 worth of jewelry for free.  It was really exciting.  I couldn't believe the benefits of hostessing, and how easy it was to do. 

Sarah, the jeweler who did my party, let me know that she gets 50% of her parties sales.  So my party's total was about $650, and she made around $325 that night, in 3 hours!!  That's an awesome hourly rate.  The opportunity to make a little extra money for my family had definitely presented itself to me in a big way.  I had been wanting to do something to help out financially recently, and I thought this could be a good way to do it.  It is important for me to stay home with my girls, and I could choose my hours this way.  

After a few days of thinking it over, my sister and I both decided to pursue the business together.  We have received our big kit of jewelry and have been wearing it and playing with it.  It's been very exciting, and we are pumped to do our first party soon.  Let me know if any of you would like to hostess a party.  I'd love to get my fall parties booked early.  

This is an amazing opportunity that I wanted to share with you all.  I will let you know how my first parties go!!  Wish me luck. :)

i'm gone, but then, i'm not gone*

When somebody dies, it is really tough.  Suddenly they have just been extinguished from your life.  Especially if it was an unexpected death, it is really hard to swallow that they aren't coming back.  

My Papa (my mom's dad) passed away September 4th, 2009 from a heart attack.  He was my hero.  He was always there for me.  When Luke and I got married in January of 2008 we lived in my grandparent's basement for about 5 months until we got a house of our own.  I am so thankful for that small window that we got to spend a lot of time with him before he passed.  Looking back that time is so precious.  I'd give up my house to go back to that time and just live with him again.

My Papa was a funny man.  He was in the military for 20 or 30 years, so he was extremely regimented.  Everything in his days was on a schedule, even though he was retired and could have done what he wanted, when he wanted.  I mean, he wasn't extreme, but the little things mattered to him.  He got up every morning at 6 and went to have breakfast at the Baker's Square at 7.  He had oatmeal every morning, until his doctor told him he should have something different due to the carbs, so he switched to bacon and eggs.  Then he went over to our family's bookstore and had a cookie and a cup of coffee.  Then he went home for just a little bit, probably to "use the library."  And after that he would turn back around and go to the bookstore again, where I would oftentimes meet him for lunch.  In the afternoon he may run to the grocery store, or Walmart, or Lowe's, whatever he needed to get done.  But he'd always be back at his house just before 4, because that's when Dr. Phil started.  And every day he would say to us, "You shoulda seen Dr. Phil today!"  He always told us the whole plot in detail.  And in the evening, almost every night, he went out to dinner, and a lot of the time he would take Luke and I, and Haven too when she was born.  He loved to go out to eat - it was one of his favorite things.  I think that's because he was such a talker.  He was very social.  He would talk to anybody.   He loved to talk to us and he loved to flirt with the waitresses.  It was just what he did.  He was harmless though.  Nobody ever minded.  At night, after dinner, he would stay up for the 10 o clock news, and then he'd be off to bed.  It's nice to remember the details about him.  Sometimes I just daydream about him a little and it's like a happy place for me, a comfort.

This morning I was looking for something to give Parker for her breakfast, and I decided on a banana.  It was an easy decision because she is obsessed with them lately.  The other day she ate about 8 bananas in two days.  Whatever.  If she wants to eat bananas, I'm going to keep feeding them to her.  Better than being obsessed with fruit snacks like Haven is.   As I was peeling the banana and handing it to her, I had a flashback to a time when we lived with Grammy and Papa.  Near the end of his life, he had quite a few health struggles.  He had heart problems and diabetes for as long as I was alive, and had to take daily insulin shots in the stomach.  You could see him struggling to walk because the circulation in his legs was so bad.  But he refused any help.  The doctor told him to get a walker, and he wouldn't have it.  They had the motorized carts at the grocery store, and I don't think he used them until the last few months of his life.  Honestly, he probably should have been in a wheelchair, but he wouldn't allow it.  Probably had something to do with his ego.  So, when we lived with them, and we saw his struggle, we offered to do some things for him to make his life easier, like buy the groceries.  He always had a list anyway, so we thought we'd utilize our young legs, and do him a favor.  One day, he consented, and we went and shopped for him.  One item on the list was bananas.  We found the biggest, most beautiful bananas in the store, and thought we had done a great job.  We brought all the groceries home and put them away.  The next day he said to us, "The bananas you bought are too big!  I like small ones that I can eat in a couple bites with my medicine."  I think we may have bought the wrong milk too on that trip.  After that we realized, it may be hard for him, but he likes to do it.  The grocery store is part of his schedule, and he thrives on his schedule.  That was the last time we bought groceries.  He told us to just put things on the list if we needed anything.

This story makes me laugh.  I love that an everyday activity like picking up a "too big" banana can flood me with memories about my favorite man.  My Papa filled the room with his energy and his big, loud voice.  It's impossible not to miss him.  I have a hollow feeling in my chest when I think too much about him.  In September, it will have been three years since he passed.  It's hard to believe it's been that long without him, but the pain is much more tolerable now.  He's not here anymore, and that's just a way of life now.  But he's forever in my heart, and even in some of my daily activities.  That's how I know he's still with me, and he's looking down on us.  

I can't wait to see him again.  

Love you, Papa.

*Anybody know what movie this is from?
Please, somebody, guess right!

texts from chloe

I just wanted to give a quick heads up to everybody.

My sister started posting pictures of her conversations with our youngest sister, Chloe, who is 17 and has autism.  Some of them are pretty hilarious and people kept asking us to start a blog with all of the conversations.

So here is the link to the blog.  Check it out.

textsfromchloe.tumblr.com

the real me

It is really easy to care too much about what others think.

I have realized over the years just how much I really care about what people think of the things I do, the clothes I wear, the books/movies I like, the people I do and don't hang out with, etc.  For me it was way worse in high school, if I thought there was the slightest chance somebody might think what I was wearing was stupid, or if they thought my hair looked bad, or if maybe my friend didn't like something (but I really did), I would just pass on those things.  That is a lot of individuality I missed out on.  I have always been somebody that needed advice (or maybe approval?) on what to wear, how to wear it, and what accessories to put with it.  And up until recently, when asked to sum up my style, I couldn't really tell you.  I used to walk into the stores I liked and would see something I liked on a mannequin and just buy everything on it.  I was playing right into those advertisers hands!

Becoming an adult and getting married does something to your self-esteem.  "Oh, I could wear that shirt I like and it doesn't matter what anybody thinks!"  I won't be a total loser if I don't have those shoes that everybody has - as a matter of fact, I don't even like them!  And now that I have bills to pay, and I know how much clothes cost, I know that it doesn't matter if all of my clothes come from Target  - I can do that!  All that matters, is that I like it, and that what I am wearing is glorifying to God - remember, Modest is Hottest! ;)  haha, had to slip that in there.

It's not just about clothes though.  I've always been a book nerd.  I love to read a few chapters of a good book before I fall asleep.  It helps me wind down from the day.  

I LOVE Harry Potter and I LOOOOOVE Twilight.

Those are two things you should know about me.

Here's me on the outside.  

Nice, normal, mother of two beautiful girls.

And here's me on the inside - dressing up as Professor Trelawney to go see the H.Po movies, and who knows maybe sometimes at home too.

 And thinking it might be a good idea to get a Twilight tattoo that covers my entire back.

Like I said, that's me on the inside.  I won't get a giant Twilight tattoo.  But if someday I have a nervous breakdown and do that, don't be judgey, because I'll revert back to my high school days and cry myself to sleep. 

25

Yesterday I turned 25 years old. 

A quarter century.

Wow.

Birthdays and age don't really get to me, but man, only 5 years til 30.  

That's really hard to believe.

I already had a small birthday party at the beginning of this week, but my mom and grandma were out of town.  So I spent most of yesterday with my husband, my girls, my sister, and them.  We got up early and had breakfast at the Machine Shed.  It has the BEST breakfast buffet on Saturday mornings, and my birthday just so happened to be on a Saturday this year - Lucky me!  :)

I received some birthday money, so after breakfast, Luke, the girls, and I went to the mall.  I found a cute shirt on sale at J.Crew, which was my first purchase.  

I got this in a peach color, which I can't find online.

Then we went upstairs and Luke bought me a new pair of Toms that I have been wanting forever.  

We also purchased a pair of shoes for Haven, which are hilarious.

She looks like a little skater punk when she wears them.  Actually she wore them to church today with a dress...which looked awful, but that's a battle I chose not to fight on the way out the door.  Oh well, ya win some, ya lose some.

After Luke went to work, I took the girls home for a nap and had some me time, which is my favorite time.  And once the girls woke up, we went to Samurai sushi for dinner.  My mom and I split a platter of sushi, and it was delicious.  My grandma and sister who are not sushi lovers had chicken teriyaki and fried rice and soup.  An Asian man that works on the teppanyaki side of the restaurant kept coming up behind Parker and tapping her on the shoulder and then hiding.  He even put his arms around her at one point in a "hug".  She was scared to death!  She started bawling.  And I would say at least five more times the man came by and either tapped her on the shoulder, waved at her, or just made eye contact with her and she would start bawling every time.  We tried to just laugh and comfort Parker, but I was starting to get irritated.  I was about to say, "STOP SCARING MY BABY!"  But luckily he had to start cooking for a table and seemed to leave us alone at the end of the meal.  

(Sub-story:  That is not the first time we've had people at that restaurant act strange around our kids.  When Haven was a baby, one of the waitresses picked her up out of her high chair and carried her away to show one of her coworkers how cute she was.  She probably kept her for around five minutes before she brought her back.  Any longer and I would have gone to get her.  I kept my eye on her the whole time the lady had her, but it still just bothered me.  Is that weird to anybody else?)

After dinner we headed to the mall where I spent my remaining money on some clothes at Tommy Hilfiger of all places.  I don't shop there very often, but they usually have some pretty classic outfits.  I think most anybody can shop there, regardless of if you dress really preppy or not.  I bought a pair of navy blue shorts, an embroidered navy blue shirt with white stitching, and a basic white jean jacket.  I wanted a blue denim jacket but they didn't have my size and I was being impatient.  

It was a great birthday overall.  I ended my trip at the mall with a trip to Starbucks where I got a free birthday drink.  Any size, any drink.  You bet I got their new largest size, the trenta, which is 31 ounces, of the Tazo Iced Tea Lemonade.  It was delicious.

Thank you all of my FB friends.  I got over 70 well wishes yesterday.  It was so fun to check my notifications all day and see your comments popping up.  Love you guys!

Court

mind dump

Recently I've had a whole lot to do, and blogging didn't make the list unfortunately.

Sorryboutthat.

I've recently become part of the stock team at Baby Gap.

My friend Jade and I unpack boxes, sip lattes, talk "50 Shades of Grey", and swoon over the cuteness of the incoming shipments.  Do you have any idea how tiny swimsuits for newborns are?!  I can honestly say that I've never had as much fun working as I have in the last few weeks.  I look forward to it.  I love the girls I work with.  I love the high-quality product we sell.  Going to work is like therapy for mommies.

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We signed Haven up for preschool.  She will be going to the same school that Luke and I both attended.  I am so excited for her.  She really craves time with other kids her age, and as a stay-at-home-mom I can't always provide that.  She has dance class once a week, Sunday school, and I take her to the play-place at the mall, but it just doesn't seem like enough.  So preschool should be great for her.  I originally wanted to do 3 days a week half day, but it was full so she'll actually be going 5 days a week for half the day.  I have no doubt that she's ready for it however, except for the occasional potty accident which we are working on and she's almost got mastered.

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It took me a few years to realize that I am a sensitive person.  I really care what people I love think about me.  I want peace in my life, and am unsettled until all conflicts are resolved.

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I love this weather!!!!!!!!!  I love that we have porch furniture.  

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My birthday is coming up on May 26 and I will be 25 years old.  
That is very weird.

I have been thinking about what I would like.  I have a bad habit of putting things I need on my list rather than things I want, because I don't like spending our paychecks on things like saran wrap and water hoses.

Here's my list for this year:

-Shelving above laundry and in garage

-Landscaping

-Racquetball backpack with name embroidered

-Fence

-Barnes and Noble GC

-Ohana Steakhouse GC

-Homemakers GC

-World Market GC

Shelving for above our laundry and in the garage is a stupid birthday present, but if I don't ask for it I'm scared we'll never get it and MAMA NEEDS IT!

Our cute house is so adorable, but is lacking some serious landscaping.  That request is a little more fun, I mean, gardening is bound to be a hobby of mine in the next 20 years or so.

My husband actually bought me the racquetball bag for Mother's day, and I am waiting for it to arrive in the mail.  I am so very excited about this.  I have had a hand-me-down bag that has a broken handle for a few years.  Did you guys know that we play racquetball?  We do.  Luke and I both played for the Iowa State racquetball club.  It was so much fun.  We met most of our best friends from college through club racquetball.  We went to lots of tournaments and had the time of our lives.  Racquetball tournaments sound ultimately nerdy, I know.  Before I went to my first one I was really hesitant.  They are a blast.  I encourage any husband/wife to get involved in racquetball and enter a tournament as a doubles team.  It is really fun!  We'll show you how to play if you want!  Email me if you're interested.  

Sorry, got a little carried away.

Our backyard desperately needs fenced in so that our girls can play back there without our constant supervision.  The yard backs up to an alleyway that cars drive through, and it's just too dangerous for the girls to be out there for one second without us.  

So if anybody needs an idea as to what I want for my birthday, there ya go.  Go crazy. ;)

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Last thought.

Nap time is far too short.  

Gotta go, baby crying.

#mommyproblems

I wouldn't be a good mommy blogger if I didn't post this.

This is my life on a near daily basis.  No joke.

If you didn't laugh at this, we can't be friends.