Casto Creations - Life in the Crazy Lane

Are We Better Off?

2011-06-01T06:18:00.000-07:00

Fashions in the 1920s and 30s are some of my all time favorites. Close seconds are 1940s and 50s. I think I was born in the wrong time period.

This article, posted on Etsy, gives a brief history of women's fashions and the pricing changes over the last hundred years or so. I found it fascinating.

I adore the green and blue dress on the right hand side of this picture. Womens' fashions were spectacular prior to the 1960s and 70s and have gone downhill ever since.

Especially the fact that the average woman in 1930 had nine outfits and today the average woman buys 60 pieces a YEAR. I can totally relate to that. Although I doubt I bought that many pieces last year, this year I could be in the running.

And as the article says, I shop for "...value with an impulse-buy standard of quality..." when buying clothes. It's why I opened a Kohl's charge card - great discounts and sales.

On the other hand I can absolutely appreciate the value of a high quality, high price, staple piece. I just can't always afford a $200 pair of pants. So I go with a $15 pair I find on the clearance rack and use my coupons. I am pretty good at making those clearance pants last a while though. I have a pair that have been with me now for over 5 years. They're looking a little worn, but they're still in my closet.

I think the same observation she's made about clothing can also be said about jewelry. Instead of a few more expensive, classic, staple pieces of jewelry women are encouraged to buy a different piece for every outfit. To do that, the pieces have to be cheap. Even "costume" jewelry from the "old" days was made really well. My great-grandma had some pieces that were handed down to me that aren't expensive or made with any sort of "real" stone, pearl, or metal, but they were made well and have lasted all this time.

My target market for jewelry is probably not going to be the people shopping the sale rack at Walmart or Target, or even Macy's where you can get a cheap pearl necklace for $20 on sale.

Maybe I'll have to think a little harder before hitting the Kohls 80% off racks. If a shirt is $3, do I really need it and is it even going to last me through the year?

While I'm not a freak about mass produced stuff (I do buy it after all), I do think it is important to support local and artisan created items - even clothing - whenever possible.

Sticker Shock

2011-05-31T19:48:00.000-07:00

While I knew on some level the price of silver and gold had been rising over the last two years I was not quite ready for how truly high the price had gotten.

I've designed several new pieces in the past few days and I'm super excited about them. Unfortunately, after pricing them out I'm a lot less sure that they are "good enough" for the price they have to be due to current silver prices.

Of course, I'm pricing based on the current cost of materials...in other words, what it would cost me today to replace the materials I used in each piece. Even though I did not pay $40+ an ounce for silver two years ago I realize I have to be able to replace my supplies. It's a painful process.

The same piece I may have priced at $50 two years ago may need to be up toward the $75 or $80 mark now, if not higher.

I can understand why there are so many people no longer using silver as a foundation of their jewelry. They can't afford to buy the metal and people can't afford to pay a fair price for their work. If I put $40 worth of silver into one piece I have to charge at least $120 ... and realistically $150 or more to account for wholesale pricing. That $40 in silver does not include my time and I've decided I deserve to get paid more than minimum wage at this point. And it does not include any other extra things like accent beads. And yes, I have used a full ounce of silver in a couple of pieces. It's not hard to do when using thicker gauges and PMC.

My hope is that I'll be able to combine a combination of hand forged metals, PMC, and beads to have affordable price points for everyone. I have a feeling though with my own expensive taste in materials that my jewelry may reach a price that even my mom will find too steep.

Happy Memorial Day

2011-05-30T06:36:00.000-07:00

Sunday's church service focused on honoring those who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice. This isn't just a three day weekend. This is when the country should remember that our freedom was bought with the blood of our fighting men and women.

Thank you to all who have served.

Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard

And all those families affected by those who serve.

God Bless.

Finally - New Jewelry

2011-05-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

I made new jewelry this week. Three pieces actually.

Of course, I haven't had time to photograph any of it yet, but that's okay because two pieces are gifts. One has already been gifted so no pictures there. The other will be gifted soon. And the last one will probably be photographed eventually.

It feels SO wonderful to get back into gear making jewelry. My mind is spinning with new ideas and designs that I want to try. It really has been almost two years since I stopped...whether I was not inspired because of being too tired from taking care of Marshal, a new job, hubby, the house...or ... yeah, that's probably what it was.

For some reason, I feel like I'm getting a better handle on things. Not sure why that would be because my life is absolutely as crazy as ever, but I don't feel as overwhelmed.

Maybe it's the working out...or the prioritizing of my work load.

All I know is I am excited to finish getting the garage organized so I'll have my clean creative space in the kitchen and a work bench in the garage to play and take photographs.

Everyone have a super fabulous Memorial day weekend. Stay safe!

Cord Blood Registry (CBR) Participates in New Study

2011-05-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

I'm sure somewhere on this blog, way back when, I wrote about having Marshal's cord blood stored when he was born. Since my family history with cancer and just knowing all the horrible things that can happen I wanted to be on the safe side.

We picked Cord Blood Registry as the company to guard our son's stems cells. They keep up regular communication with us and recently sent an e-mail out about a new study they are participating in.

"...the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston...launched an FDA-regulated trial looking at cord blood stem cells in the treatment of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). ...

Ten children, ages 18 months to 17 years, who have access to their own cord blood stem cells at CBR and who have suffered a recent TBI (within the last 6-18 months) will be enrolled in the study."

This is very exciting. It amazes me how technology and medicine advances and makes me feel a little less worried about the future. Marshal has access to his stem cells now and into his adult years in case he needs them.

If you know someone who is having a baby, I highly recommend looking into cord blood storage.

A Lot of Stuff

2011-05-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Our kitchen remodel is very nearly done. The granite was installed last Friday so now I am beginning the process of putting things back in the kitchen...including my jewelry making supplies.

Hubby isn't thrilled, but I cannot create in the garage. Sorry. Just ain't gonna happen.

I have my own little desk tucked away in the kitchen and my goal is to keep everything put away and organized. We have plenty of drawers and cabinets now so I should have no real excuses...except I have a LOT of stuff.

Starting Saturday I began going through things...first wire and chain. I have a lot of wire. Thankfully I bought it all way back when silver was under $20 an ounce. I shudder to think about buying silver or gold now. I'll have to sell a lot more jewelry to even be able to afford new stuff.

I may be able to send in a shipment to Midwest Refineries* though...that may pay for a couple ounces of new silver. My scrap pile has gotten pretty large. Mostly because all those little tiny scraps that have been lying around for years were swept up into one pile together when we moved everything into the garage. Now that I can go through things I can let go of the little pieces that I know I'll never actually use for anything.

Oh, and screw up pieces. *sigh* I hate giving those up, but there's really no way to save any of them. Might as well get some cash for them.

Anyhoo...it's going to be a multi-day, possibly multi-week, process to go through all of my supplies. It's good to get a feel for what I have, but I really want to be able to start creating again. One step at a time I suppose.

* I've used Midwest Refineries several times...long before all these crazy "buy your gold" companies popped up. They have been fair and honest in every encounter I've had. If you want to sell some gold or silver I highly recommend them. And I was not reimbursed for this opinion. :)

Perceptions

2011-05-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

My boss recently brought to my attention his perception of some of my jewelry. We do not generally share similar tastes but I was truly surprised by his comments.

The biggest surprise to me was his comment that some of the chain I used looked "cheap". I always thought the thin chain I used looked delicate and pretty.

He is a big guy and did buy his wife one of the larger linked Tiffany's necklaces. But still, I was genuinely surprised that he thought the chain looked cheap.

Can't things that are dainty and small be high in value? Do things have to be large to be viewed as "expensive" looking? The chain I used for the pendant above is not inexpensive and it's deceptively strong.

Now I'm looking at my selection in materials slightly differently...perhaps what I perceived as delicate others see as cheap.

Thoughts?

Capturing Laughter

2011-05-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

Marshal has the cutest, most infectious laugh I've ever heard. Of course, I could be completely biased...seeing as he is my son.

Kids and dogs make for great entertainment, and mine did not disappoint. Timber has always loved water. When we'd put out a sprinkler we'd have to keep him inside or he'd "play" with it so much he'd destroy it. He loves to try to 'eat' the water coming directly from the hose. It's hilarious.

But add Marshal into the mix - now it's even better. Daddy was washing the truck so he had the hose out front with Timber tied up (he'd run away...being tied out is a must if Timber goes in the front yard) and for some reason Marshal and daddy ended up spraying the water for Timber. It was hard to video and not crack up laughing.

Is there anything more precious than a child's laugh? I wish I could bottle it for times when I'm feeling sad. It's impossible not to smile while listening to a truly carefree laugh.

Getting in Shape

2011-05-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

I joined the gym. Again.

When I was pregnant with Marshal I went there for the Water Aerobics class but now that I can move outside of water I decided it was time to lose some weight and get in shape. I was getting winded doing the simplest things. The first two weeks were the hardest but I'm really getting back into cardio.

I've taken Zumba classes too...those are intense workouts. And my trainer is my own little slice of hell. I've decided to start calling those sessions my 30 minutes of hell. But in a good way.

My goal is to be able to keep up with Marshal without needing oxygen. And it's actually nice to be able to go to the gym, put my ear phones in, and read while doing cardio. It's "me" time.

Maybe this whole kitchen remodel thing has inspired me to redo more than just our house.

Marshal and me after my exhausting workout this afternoon. He's chillin'. I can barely hold the book up.

What's My Style?

2011-05-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

In going through my jewelry photos from the last few years, it's clear to me that I have no style. And by "no style" I just mean that there's no one defining theme among the different pieces I've designed over the years. There are so many types of pieces I like to create that I've never settled on one ... well, style.

Some people focus on creating with lampwork beads. Which I use.

Others focus only on Swarovski crystals. Which I also use.

Some love pearls...which I definitely do.

Others only work in metal. Again...I love to work with metals.

So where is my niche?

I think the next few months will be seeing if I actually have one. :) Maybe it's the Bipolar Disorder talking, but I really think that being eclectic is something I need to embrace. If I work with Lucite one day and freshwater pearls the next, maybe that's okay. And who says Lucite and Freshwater pearls can't go together?

One thing I know...making jewelry is obviously in my blood. Because if it were just a passing phase (like my card making and scrap booking) I wouldn't be so drawn to it after such a long time away.

Back in Gear

2011-05-17T20:06:00.000-07:00

Wow...It has been a long time, hasn't it? My last post obviously was an emotional and difficult one. And I took a lot of time "off" from things. Including blogging.

I'd like to start back up again soon. I'm having my business cards re-designed by a fabulous company called Site Impressions, family owned and operated by Sheryl and Joe. Sheryl has designed some amazing drafts and now I just have to pick out the ones I like best.

We've been remodeling our kitchen. What a nightmare that is. But the great news about the remodel is that I'll have my own little built in desk to work on jewelry. YAY! I'll even get to work on a granite surface...so spoiled, right? :)

Of course, the whole kitchen remodel is in honor of my mother in law, Pat. We told her, before she passed, that we were going to redo the kitchen with our "inheritance". She always laughed and said "Good, maybe then you'll start cooking." :) And that is my hope too.

I have a list of things to do and there's still never enough time. My work is still amazing and I love my job so much. But I miss making jewelry and blogging. This blog needs to be cleaned up and revamped but that will be a lower priority than just getting back into the swing of things.

So...here's to new starts. New blog posts. And new jewelry.

Thankful

2010-11-28T20:24:00.000-08:00

It's been an emotionally exhausting Thanksgiving holiday. My mother in law passed away Thanksgiving morning. She'd been sick for quite some time (I posted several times about it but don't feel like looking for them right now) with Leukemia and had finally said no more treatments. It doesn't even seem real that she had gone. And it certainly doesn't seem fair. Her parents lived into their 90s. She was 69. She should have made it to see Marshal graduate high school. We're lucky she lived to see his first birthday.

Marshal just born - she'd just finished chemotherapy and a horrendous hospital stay. It was a miracle to have her home.

Four months old - Her hair was starting to grow back - CURLY! =)

Month 11 - Still going through treatment but loving her grandson time.

One of the last really good photos - with her daughter at Marshal's first birthday party.

We moved everything out yesterday into storage and today I did the final walk through her apartment. Hubby couldn't do it.

I'm not the most emotional person. It takes quite a bit normally to make me cry. But the last four days have just been brutal. The smallest thing starts my eyes watering. Like getting Marshal's pictures taken for Christmas and thinking about who gets photos - I immediately thought of her.

I hate crying.

It's all very exhausting. I just want to curl up under the blankets and sleep for a few days.

I'm extremely grateful for all the amazing and wonderful people I've met - online on Facebook as well as through networking and my new job. The support and prayers are very much appreciated and needed.

An Actual Jewelry Post

2010-11-21T19:56:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile. But the last couple of weeks I've had the desire to create...mostly jewelry but also cards and scrapbooking. I don't know what's brought the urge back but it's great.

And so far I've created three necklace and earring sets...only one of which I've managed to even halfway photograph. All three sets involve pearls. :)

These pearls are so beautiful in person...they don't all "match" - some are a little more yellow in tint and some are more pink but they all have great luster and it's just for me to wear so I wasn't too concerned. I was mostly using up pearls from older incomplete strands...left overs. And the coral just POPS out ... I love red.

Another set for my jewelry box. One of these days I'll make something to put in my Etsy shop. :) But not today.

The Sky is Falling

2010-11-16T08:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a wacky 24 hours. The storm started building yesterday and by late evening many people in the area were out of power. Our lights flickered but thankfully we kept our power. Which is weird for us - we generally lose power quickly.

Then this morning we had an earthquake! Sheesh. One thing after another around here.

Carmex Lotions?

2010-11-08T16:00:00.001-08:00

This post brought to you by Carmex®. All opinions are 100% mine.

Who says Carmex is just for your lips? I was given an opportunity to try out Carmex® Healing Lotion and Carmex® Healing Cream recently and this is the perfect time of year to get a decent hand cream. While the packaging won't leave any lasting impressions, the product itself is pretty good.

I'm really bad about using lotions regularly; my hubby uses his lotions on a regular basis. Wearing a gun belt and bullet proof vest don't do wonders for the skin.

And you know the smell that Carmex lip balms have? It is incredibly hard to describe and the lotion has an almost lip balm smell but it is more pleasant. It reminds me of winter and snow. :) Which is great because I love winter and snow.

One thing I generally hate about lotions is if they are too sticky or 'wet' feeling. Luckily, Carmex is neither of those. It goes on very smooth and dries very quickly so your hands (or feet, or legs, or whatever) are quickly left feeling soft. I think with regular use the long term condition of my skin will improve.

So far I haven't heard any complaints from hubby either so that is also a good sign. All in all I definitely recommend trying this product if you have dry skin and especially with this cold winter we're predicted to have.

Carmex lotion is available at Walgreens, Walgreens.com, and Drugstore.com for $5.99.

We Just Got a WinCo!

2010-11-07T19:18:00.000-08:00

I had a fun adventure tonight. We finally got a WinCo Foods close to our house. I'd never been to one but I've always heard really great things so when I found out they were building one I was pretty jazzed (yes, my life is that pathetic).

Today was the grand opening. They had a few coupons that got sent out in Saturday's paper including a huge thing of apple juice for $0.98, toilet paper for $2.99 (the good stuff), Kraft Mac & Cheese for $0.38, bananas for $0.18 a pound! and several other things that I couldn't resist. Their prices on regular items were decent too although a couple of my regular weekly items weren't that much different than Fred Meyer.

Their bulk food section is incredible. And cheap.

It was absolutely insane there though - I waited in a line for a cart. Then of course the entire store was packed with people...which was actually kind of fun. At least for most of us. Some people seemed grumpy - but if you go to a store's grand opening you should really expect that kind of atmosphere.

Then I had to wait in line just to get in line to check out. Then I waited in the check out line.

Their check out system is really cool. They can actually check out two people at once. They had an issue with one of my coupons so while the checker waited for a supervisor she was actually able to switch to start checking out the people behind me. The little belts to bag the food are separated into two lanes. Talk about efficient.

And I LIKED bagging my own groceries. It was kind of fun. I wouldn't want to do it for a living, but at least I have no one to blame but myself if the bag breaks from being too full. :)

All in all I will definitely be going back to WinCo if I need bulk food items or when they have sales. I think that going there may reduce our grocery bill which is also something we are working on.

I have a feeling that all the other grocery stores were dismally slow today...but competition is good for everyone.

Hot Baby

2010-11-03T15:52:00.000-07:00

Marshal had a fever from Saturday morning until Tuesday late evening. It was not a pleasant experience as it was his very first fever ever in his 13 months of life. He stopped eating and getting him to drink enough was a struggle as well. Saturday and Sunday he was pretty catatonic … he only wanted to be held and would just stare blankly most of the time.

His nose has been stuffy but now it's full on stuffed so breathing was difficult for him – and that is our current issue. Since he can't breath he can't drink from his bottle (yes, that's another issue...I realize he should be off his bottle since he's over a year but whatever). He won't drink anything other than milk and pushes all other forms of liquid transport away. He also still won't eat very much.
Which brings us to last night. I truly think he was so hungry that his little tummy kept him up all night. In the middle of the night I even made him an English Muffin with butter – something that has never been done in our household. He had one little bite and was done with that. He would get a few sips in before falling asleep, exhausted, in my arms. Putting him back in his crib worked for 45 minutes to an hour before he was awake and crying again.
Needless to say, mommy is exhausted. Which is not good because today is a big day for me. When I first started with Aflac I called a local business and actually got a meeting. That was in May. It is now November and we've finally moved forward and I'm doing enrollments. It's very exciting and it's a company that I absolutely love – and would have loved even if they hadn't moved forward. But being so tired is not conducive to effective consultation. :(
Hopefully we can get his nose unstuffed somehow. It just sounds horrible but he doesn't know yet how to blow his nose or clear his throat so the stuff just sits there building up. I think we need to try to get him to sneeze or something.

My Husband Rejoices - I Can't Talk

2010-10-20T05:46:00.000-07:00

I lost my voice. If you find it will you please direct it back to me? I miss it very much.

It's very annoying to not be able to communicate with people. Even whispering hurts.

My job kind of requires being able to talk. Especially for making phone calls or presentations. A voice sort of helps. Whispering sounds kind of creepy.

I visited my doctor's office and was told it could be two to three WEEKS!!! What the heck!?!?!? I've never lost my voice for that long.

So I'll be staying home for a day or two to try to avoid conversations and whispering. Thankfully there are some things I can get done with out speaking.

I'm quite frustrated right now.

Get Up and Move!

2010-10-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PlayStation MOVE. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you need some inspiration to get moving? I sure do. I feel like I'm constantly moving, but not in the exercise kind of way.

Wii now has some competition. PlayStation has come out with PlayStation Move - designed to get you up and moving and having fun. Move is for all levels - casual to intense gamer. Their games range from sports, activity, party, family, shooter, and more.

If a little Genie popped over to our house and granted us a PlayStation Move I think our family would really have a good time with it. My son will be getting to an age where he can actually play with coordination. The Move controller looks pretty easy to use and I think we'd have fun playing together as a family.

I think hubby would enjoy the Resident Evil game. He's a big fan of those movies. Marshal would definitely like EyePet, and I think I would too, although Start The Party looks fun too.

The best part is that if you already have a PlayStation you can bring motion gaming exclusively to your existing PlayStation®3 for only $99 with the MOVE bundle package!

Yes, I have a One Year Old

2010-10-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

Hubby, Marshal, and I went to the grocery store yesterday late afternoon. I actually enjoy shopping with Marshal because he can generally be entertained by the surroundings. Hubby...not so much. Our bill is almost always $20 to $50 higher when he comes along. But even so, it is fun to do as a family once in awhile.

We were in the ethnic ailse and hubby picked up the potato pancake mix. It wasn't super expensive so I said okay (I've almost got him trained) and some random lady in the same ailse got all high and mighty and said to her (mom?) "They just got a potato pancake MIX" as if it's some sort of cooking sin to get a mix.

I wasn't in the best of moods anyway so it made me a little mad. I snapped back at her "Yes, a mix. We have a one year old and we don't get a lot of sleep" and walked away.

It didn't offend me necessarily but it was a little obnoxious. I rarely say out loud what I think of some people's grocery choices...generally only when I like something they've picked and we're making idle chit chat in the checkout line. I would not say something in a negative manner to someone standing right next to me about their grocery choices.

Why can't people keep their thoughts to themselves? She wasn't young so I'm sure she's a fabulous cook who thinks making potato pancakes is just a quick thing to whip up as a snack. Me? Not so much. I don't cook and if hubby wants to eat them he's going to have to make them himself.

Yes, I have a one year old and am constantly tired or busy. Not to mention that I don't enjoy cooking. It's not my idea of fun.

Eating on the other hand. Bring it on!

Crazy Times

2010-10-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

Marshal started daycare last week. Talk about stressful. He did fine the first two days when I dropped him off. After that...

Well, it hasn't been all that pleasant. The poor kid just screams and grasps at my neck like I'm leaving him at the devil's own playground. *sigh*

This morning was no different. And honestly, it doesn't make me feel all that guilty. I wish he'd get down and want to play on his own but I know it's also something he'll eventually get used to.

He went all week last week but this week he will be there just two days, Monday and Tuesday. The next three days he'll be with his special sitter (also called "nanny" but in a very non snooty way). She's like a third grandma to him.

He has obviously enjoyed his time at daycare ... they have art projects and his are so cute. I can't wait to see them.

Squirrel!

2010-09-30T10:35:00.000-07:00

I love that movie, Up! It so describes my life sometimes...look a Squirrel.

Distractions are prevalent.

My boy is one. I can't believe he is so big. And seriously tall. He's in the 92nd percentile for height. But skinny. Only in the 44th percentile for weight. I kind of worry that he's too skinny but he eats as much as we give him. He's definitely an active little guy burning those calories.

Funny Face

Shoes!

His favorite toy.

I'm Not An Environmentalist...But...

2010-09-20T13:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know how comfortable I am with the idea of a genetically engineered fish. I mean, I guess it's not that big a deal considering that scientists have been modifying genetics this way or that for decades in all kinds of foods. But for some reason it makes me a little nervous.

It sounds so sci-fi, but really genetically "modifying" something could be as simple as withholding light at a specific moment, or adding light, or just feeding them a slightly different food. But this isn't that simple. This is actually a fish with the genes of a salmon and an ocean "pout". That's messing with nature in a much greater way.

What do you think???

His First Fair

2010-09-17T05:59:00.000-07:00

Oh boy. Yesterday we went to the Puyallup Fair.

I wanted to go last year when I was uber pregnant but the doctor threatened me - if I went into labor up in Puyallup I had to go to the hospital there and that would mean a strange doctor delivering my boy. I was not having any of it. So we skipped last year. First time in ages I didn't go.

So I was super jazzed this year because I knew Marshal would be old enough to have some fun. And he did! :) He barely made a peep the entire time - he was so busy taking everything in. I don't think his head could spin fast enough to see everything at once.

The draft horses really threw him for a loop. But he especially loved the John Deer tent, which was the only "stuff" other than food that we bought the whole time were there.

My first tractor!

Aflaaaaaccccc!!!!

Whoa.

Big horses.

It's the great Pumpkin.

Needless to say, we had a great time even though it was raining most of the time and I was kind of miserable by the end of it. I hate being wet. And, being true Washingtonians, we did not have an umbrella with us. We even sat out in the rain to eat our food! :)

The one thing I wished we had visited was the petting zoo. We went through the barns but you're not allowed to pet the horses or cows. We didn't see the petting zoo until we were leaving and by that point we were done. Maybe next year.

Cell Phone Issues

2010-09-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boost Mobile. All opinions are 100% mine.

Way back when hubby and I were reviewing our cell phone plan we signed up for 700 minutes and unlimited texting. That was when I worked full time, sitting at a desk all day, and mostly used my phone to call hubby and let him know I was leaving work.

Now, I'm full time out and about on my phone a LOT. Well, guess what? I totally spaced about only having 700 minutes - between the TWO of us! Yeah. When the bill came I was a little shocked. It was $134 more than normal. Ouch.

Yes, it was my fault. I should have paid more attention or had something like Boost Mobile and their Re-Boost program. I wouldn't be in such a pickle.

Re-Boost allows you to add funds to your phone anytime. You can even set up a payment plan where you only pay for the minutes you use - which means no going over your minutes. How nice would that be? You can pay on-line, in-person, or pay by phone. It's simple to sign up for the Reboost program if you're already with Boost Mobile - just go into "My Account", enter your phone number and pin, and then just "add money"...so easy. And if you aren't with them yet, it's just as easy to sign up - pick your plan, activate it, and done.

I am seriously tempted to switch to Boost Mobile...$60 for unlimited text, talking, and web even with the Blackberry phone like the one I have. That is a lot less than what I pay now. If I did switch, I'd probably move from the blackberry to the Motorola i1 Android type phone. It looks sweet with a touch screen and 5MP camera. Plus there are a ton of accessories you can get to go with it - from a Scan disc memory card to supr cool over the ear head phones.

I use my phone for so much more than talking. I check e-mails and love to know when I have a response on Facebook. I'm not a huge Twitter-er but that is something I know a lot of people do from their phones. And I so wish my Blackberry had a better camera, but I do love the full keyboard. The touch screen keyboard isn't my favorite.

So if you're in the market for a new phone, and possibly a new carrier, take a look at Boost Mobile and their options. They will keep you in touch with friends on Facebook and Twitter while still giving you the minutes you need to work. :)

My Baby Isn't a Baby Anymore

2010-09-13T05:25:00.000-07:00

He's not even a year old yet and he is entering toddler-ville. He's defiant. He's curious. And he's walking! I still am in awe of this little guy. His intelligence is frightening sometimes.

I'm starting to TRY to wean him off of certain things...like being rocked to sleep. The last couple of nights I've rocked him as usual for a few minutes, letting him have his bottle. And then when he's done with the bottle I rock a few minutes more but when he gets squirmy I move him into the crib.

Of course, all hell breaks loose. But two nights in a row he's actually EVENTUALLY gone to sleep on his own.

And in less than a month he'll be going to regular daycare. I'm terrified. I love that he gets one on one attention from his sitter every day. And she's completely flexible. Now he'll be going to "school" twice a week and back to his nanny's three times. I am worried it will screw up his schedule and make him ... I don't even know. Upset his routine somehow.

Crazy right? I just want him to be healthy, safe, and happy. The school we've chosen isn't bad. I'm just anxious.

My baby is growing up...much too quickly.

One Benefit of Not Blogging

2010-09-10T19:10:00.001-07:00

Less Spam!!!!

My rankings must have plummetted over the last few weeks because my spam comments have gone way way down. So there's that. :)

I'm Such a Slacker

2010-09-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

No, really. I haven't fallen off the face of the planet. I keep thinking of things to blog about but by the end of the day I'm exhausted and my brain shuts down.

It's not just blogging. Our house has gotten systematically messier since I left my old job. How that's possible I'm not quite sure, but it has. I figured I'd actually get to make my own schedule, and include house cleaning in that. Not so much.

We did at LEAST eight loads of laundry in one day last weekend. I did two more during the week. It had piled up so high we had to walk ON it to get to the washer. *sigh*

It's probably not hard to imagine that our eating habits haven't exactly been superb. Eating out is one of my pet peves. It drives me crazy and I do way too much of it during the day, let alone in the evenings. But we're both so tired after work that it's snuck back into our way of life and I'm tired of it. Not only is it expensive but it's not healthy (especially since we both like things like pizza or chinese food).

So I think we're going to go back to Dinners Done Right. We did this several years ago and loved the food. You actually go in and prepare it yourself...all the ingredients are there for you to put together. I realize it's lazy - yes I could go find the ingredients in the grocery store, buy them, and make them at home. But I think we've established at this point that I WON'T do that.

By default, it's worth the (a little less than) $10 a meal that it works out to be for the two of us. It's less than $5 a person per meal if we get the 12 meal package and prepare it ourselves. It's more if they prepare it for us, plus I like to leave some stuff out of the mix.

We still have to do sides, but for the most part that's not a big issue. We always have pasta or potatoes and I think I can manage to start getting some veggies on the plate. I think.

Other than the craziness, life really is wonderful. I've never been so busy and so happy at the same time. I absolutely love my job - it's challenging, fulfilling, and has actually gotten me out meeting people in my community. Have I made much money? Um...no. But I expect that will come with time. It's only been a little over 4 months. Believing in the programs and services and having a great company stand behind me helps a lot though.

For now we are going to have to try to economize...which I realize sounds funny considering we're going to do the Dinners Done Right thing again. But in reality, it's a lot cheaper than spending $20-$30 for take out/delivery every night. We are trying to cut the budget and this is just going to have to be one small step.

The Crazy Life Has Taken Over

2010-08-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

I had this great idea...I'll be my own boss, work at home, set my schedule, and spend more time with my family and maybe even clean my house a little better (or at all).

Yeah...reality. Wall.

We missed Marshal's swimming lessons last Thursday because he was being a stinker...he's learned how to throw fits. Real, loud, messy, annoying fits. He's too young to know how to throw a fit. I thought I had at least another 6 months.

If he does not get his way - whether it's going into the kitchen or trying to use us as a walking partner - he screams from the very deepest part of his throat. Once we figured out WHAT he was doing, we breathed a sigh of releif. We thought something was wrong with him.

So now we're ignoring it...while trying not to laugh. It's cute right now. I'm sure as he gets older it will become less cute.

We missed his swimming lessons on Tuesday because I had a training class and hubby had to work late. And now we might miss this Thursday's due to scheduling conflicts. Luckily his nanny has a hot tub so he's gotten to start playing in that now. So at least he's getting swim time, even if it's not with daddy or mommy.

But that's depressing to me. I want to have more time with my boy. And this week it feels like I'm working more than full time. That needs to stop. I'm my own boss. I do not have to work 40 hours a week if I don't want to...which I don't. Yes, I need to build my business and that requires work - and time. But it should not have to come at the expense of my little boy and hubby.

It might take longer for me to build up my business...but that is just going to have be the way I work. Slower. And perhaps more deliberately.

Make It Stop!

2010-08-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

Miserable.

Hot.

Sticky.

Sweaty.

These all describe my family right now. I'm not made for this kind of weather. I was born and raised here and a nice day is light clouds at around 70 degrees and a slight breeze. That's shots and tank top weather. That's heat up the car too much to take the dogs anywhere weather.

This is insane, boil my ever-luvin brains weather. My mom's car temp gauge said 104. 104!!! WTH?!? Tomorrow is supposed to be as hot, if not hotter.

Poor little Marshal man doesn't love this weather any more than I do. Saturday he was in tears - so tired and needing a nap but too hot to actually sleep. :(

Sun, Sun, Go AWAY!!! I'm ready for a nice cold snowy winter. Who's with me?

Got An Event?

2010-08-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes our lives get a little crazy...or a lot crazy. I have a hard time relying on others to help me though.

As Marshal gets older I can't imagine that I'll get more busy, so if I ever have to plan a big event why would I try to do it on my own?

There is another Megan out there who could help me - although she spells her name wrong. :)

Meghan Swanlund Event Design and Management can do all sorts of things to help plan a big or small event. Check out her blog here and add her as a friend on Facebook.

Another Plug for an Online Degree

2010-08-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

I know I've mentioned it before (although it's been a few months), but I earned my Bachelor's degree online and loved the experience. Life is crazy and hectic so attending classes in person for me was not realistic. I worked full time, was planning our wedding, and had several hobbies. Now I'd have no other option than online since we have a little guy in the picture.

In fact, when I was studying for my insurance license I did everything online - studying, taking practice exams, and registering for the test.

USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC is offering Masters of Arts in Teaching program that you can study and earn online! Head to their site for more program information.

There are some big advantages to getting a degree online, other than the flexibility, and USC offers quite a few benefits with their program:

Highly interactive online learning combined with field-based experiences
Groundbreaking tuition reimbursement program
Accelerated program you can complete in as little as 12 months
Learning from the #22 ranked Teaching School in the United States, and #9 among all private universities by US News and World Report
Tuition reimbursement and scholarships
MAT@USC Student Blog, hear insights about the program from actual students
Technology video that introduces the interactivity of the program

"Attending" USC gives you the opportunity to earn your Masters of Arts in Teaching from an internationally known school with a 100 year history of educating the educators - from faculty recognized for their contributions to modern education. You know they're good in the technology side of things since they were awarded by AACTE for innovative use of technology in education - an important thing for an online program.

With a highly interactive experience-driven program, taught by USC faculty recognized for their contributions to modern education, you will be proud to call yourself a Trojan!

The Great Diaper Free Experiment of 2010

2010-08-09T18:45:00.000-07:00

It's officially over. It lasted approximately 30 minutes.

Little guy has a weird looking rash on his private area. It does not look like a normal diaper rash so I took him to the doctor...who told me it was diaper rash. *sigh*

New mom jitters.

She suggested letting him round around naked. Sounded simple enough. When we got home we stripped his diaper off, but left his little onesie hanging loose around him.

Bad idea. Let's just say that if he'd been completely naked it would have been easier to clean up.

First Swimming Lessons

2010-08-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

What a joy! I was a little nervous about Marshal's first swimming lesson. What if he got scared and cried? After all, he had no nap today.

No such thing as scared with this little man. He was laughing and splashing and having a great time. We were a little bit late but daddy and he dove in and got in the swing of things very quickly.

I Love My Daddy!

Splish Splash!

Hi Mommy!

I stayed on the side to take pictures and video. I'm hoping this Thursday I'll be able to go in with him, but if my swim suit hasn't been delivered I may be taking more pictures. :)

Isn't he cute!?!?! Yes, I am a very proud mama. Is that wrong?

Perception Shift

2010-07-28T04:48:00.000-07:00

I think I've been a Trooper's wifei for too long now...when hubby says he'll be late because there's been a fatality, all I can think about is how it affects my evening. Kind of sad.

Someone just DIED and I'm stressed because I'll be home alone longer.

Hello?!? Priorities.

And it isn't like a drunk driver or anything in this case. It was kind of a sad one (it's hard to take every single one to heart - especially if self induced from alcohol or drugs).

I'm glad he comes home at all. If it has to be a little bit later than normal, that's just part of being a cop's wife.

My Son is Famous!

2010-07-26T05:01:00.000-07:00

Well, okay maybe not "famous" but he got to have his picture taken with someone famous ... locally famous. :) Cisco was at the Mushroom Festival and grandma LOVES Cisco. So she took her little grandson up during a commercial (he was doing his radio show live) to get some snapshots.

Who is this guy and why is he smiling?

We got a squishy baseball from the Liberty Mutual booth. He liked that.

And he CLIMBED up on his stroller with no help from me. I am truly terrified.

A Day at the Air Show

2010-07-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

What an amazing time we had on Saturday! Marshal, hubby, and I piled into the truck and headed to Joint Base Lewis McChord for the Air Show. We were a little later than we wanted to be...and apparently so was everyone else because the parking was hideous. Some of the military folks were getting seriously ticked at stupid people...not us of course. :)

About an hour before we left I put Marshal's new ear protection in his diaper bag. As we were leaving, hubby shows me the ear muffs and asks "Are these the ones we're taking?" ... *sigh* Timber had chewed one side and the padding was completely gone. I swear I am going to shoot that dog one of these days.

Nevertheless, the actual protective portion was okay and didn't seem to be too difficult to wear so we moved on.

I honestly wasn't sure how Marshal would react - there were a lot of people and some of the airplanes were so loud that they shook my chest so even with his ear muffs he felt the rumblings. I was impressed by how closely he tracked the planes as they flew. He and daddy had so much fun together - even though we spent the majority of time standing in line for food - at least we had lots to watch while we waited.

Mommy is protecting my ears.

Where'd the Plane go?!?

Ear Muff break. Some less noisy planes are flying.

I see you!

Hot Shot!

Marshal slept the whole way home and was out COLD. But that was the only recharge he needed apparently because then he was back to his active self - playing in everything he could find, including the laundry basket.

What the Heck?

2010-07-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

I'm walking into the house the other day and saw a leaf stuck to the side of the house.

Or so I thought.

Very sneaky little thing. I did a double take and had to take some phtos. It's been there for a couple of days now. It's not dead though...so what is going on with it?

It's definitely pretty thought - in a creepy bug sort of way. :)

What a Weekend

2010-07-12T05:48:00.000-07:00

What a GREAT weekend! And it really started on Friday with our Aflac regional picnic BBQ, which was AWESOME.

Marshal had so much fun that he fell asleep on the picnic table!

Then Saturday my mother in law, Marshal, and I went to two local Farmer's markets. She thinks I'm trying to kill her by getting her out and doing things. :) It was a ton of fun though. One market had a magician who was really funny and the other had this amazing band that Marshal enjoyed dancing to.

Sunday was the big event though. My grandpa turned 83 a few days ago and his official party was Sunday. There were so many people there, down at the river, that I didn't even know half of them. But my best friend from high school came with her daughter and I was SO excited to see her!!! And of course, I hardly saw Marshal the whole time...except when he needed a nap.

Otherwise, he was the life of the party!

Flying with Uncle Tony.

Playing with Cousin Tal.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend too. And here's hoping we all have a great week!

Gift Giving Made Simple

2010-07-07T06:14:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of FriendGiftr. All opinions are 100% mine.

How many of you have woken up one morning and realized..."OH crap! So and So has a birthday today!!!" You don't have time to run to the store for a present or maybe they live across the country and you forgot to send something. I'm not saying this has happened to us or anything ... *cough* ... um ... yeah.

Now you don't have to fret. I don't know about you, but I LOVE getting gift cards. And FriendGiftr has made it super easy, convenient, and friendly to send the perfect gift...even at the last minute. You can send real physical cards or even virtual ones!

There are over 120 vendors you can choose from, including one of our favorites, Cabela's. =) Of course, not everyone is going to love Cabela's...so if we picked a Cabela's card to send and our friend didn't love it - FriendGiftr actually lets them SWAP for a card they do want! How cool is that? No one wants a gift card to go to waste, but if you don't like a certain store what do you do? Swap it! The giver doesn't even have to know so no hurt feelings.

As if it wasn't already a great site, FriendGiftr also works with your iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and even Facebook. So if you're out at the grocery store and realize you need to send a gift fast - you're covered!

Oh...and if you want to send me a gift card I won't complain. :)

I Wish I Were Thinner

2010-07-06T05:29:00.000-07:00

Not because I care so much about being skinny, although it'd be nice. But because I want to be able to wear these gorgeous vintage clothing from REiNViNTAGE. The clothes, shoes, and accessories she's found are so adorable.

I always love when people do such an incredible job digging through vintage clothes and finding the gems. I bet my mom could make some cash selling some of her old prom dresses. When I was little I used them for dress up, but they're still in really good condition.

This beautiful yellow sundress is so cheerful!

I'd LOVE to be able to fit into this stunning red dress. Red is one of my favorite colors.

Fashion in the 30s and 40s was so awesome. I wish these shoes fit me!

What is even cooler...I sent her a message on Etsy to find out if she has larger sized shoes and I find out that she has a 10 month old! :) My boy is just over 9 months old. I love finding new moms like me!

Have a Fabulous 4th!

2010-07-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

I'm giving myself a four day weekend. It's nice to be your own boss sometimes. At least when it comes to deciding things like time off. :)

We have no major plans but thankfully hubby is off Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. We'll probably hang out around the house but I would like to take Marshal man to some sort of 4th event. Nothing with loud fireworks though. I don't think he'd like the loud noises. Although we are prepared to handle loud noises and protect his ears.

Aren't those the most adorable things ever!?!?!

I hope everyone has a fabulous, fun, and safe 4th of July. =)

Like Floating on a Cloud

2010-07-01T21:39:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl - before my dad died, so before I was 8 - we used to go visit his mom, my grandma. She wasn't remarried yet so it was just her in this big old house that had as much character as she did. You walked into the mud room - a cluttered screened in room with a big freezer that always had yummy desserts. Then the front door into the kitchen which was cramped and filled with all her cooking tools. She was an amazing cook.

For some reason she collected glass bottles - they were fascinating to look at in their various shapes and sizes. And all the colors of the rainbow. She had them lined up in every window.

And the hammock at the side of the house provided hours of entertainment for my brother and I. Not to mention the huge trees and forts we built. We didn't need video games or TV when we were there.

My memories at her house are priceless. She would put a bratwurst in the microwave for me and as picky as I was (and am) I loved them. I remember watching her make homemade pasta. And of course she always had candy of some sort available. I even liked helping her wash dishes, which is nothing I'd do anywhere else.

By far my favorite thing when visiting her was taking a nap. She had this big, fluffy, soft feather bed that just enveloped me in coziness. I'd snuggle in and listen as she'd tell these amazing stories. I wish I could remember them better or that she was able to tell them now. She'd make all the sounds and voices - the one I can recall the best was her chugga chugga choo choo train sounds.

She's over 90 now and can't hear well enough to talk on the phone. She can't walk without help and needs constant assistance. She's also too stubborn to have in a nursing home - she used to have a nurse who would come to her home but that didn't last too long.

I love her so much and wish I could communicate more regularly with her. Unfortunately I don't even always know where she's living (she rotates between two of her daughters). But I will always remember our visits there in her eclectic house filled with all sorts of amazing treasures.

Do You Take Checks?

2010-06-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

So I had an order from my Etsy shop (shocking I know!) and the woman wanted to pay by check. It's kind of a sad state of affairs when I'm hesitant to take an order because I'm skeptical of the payment method. I'm a generally trusting person ... or at least I have been in the past. I just know too many folks who have gotten burned.

Lo and behold, the check arrived. I did tell her that I would not ship her order until the check had cleared (I'm thinking at least 5 days from when I cash it). I feel kind of bad about it, although if I were a customer paying by check I'd understand. There are just so many dishonest people out there it ruins it for those of us who are honorable.

I'm happy to still be able to sell the jewelry that I have already made. Saturday I had a couple of friends come over to make jewelry (and sell some of my supplies) and it did make me kind of sad. Mostly because I do love making jewelry and I just do not have time to do it. Which I realize is okay...it's not like I am giving it up forever.

My poor mom is grieving though. :) I made her an Amethyst necklace and earring set to ease her pain.

Nine Months Ago

2010-06-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Wow...my son is nine months old. As of Saturday. It's so weird to think that nine months ago we were still in the hospital and he was in the ICU trying to get his blood sugar back to normal. I don't think I was walking yet since my strength was so gone and I'd lost so much blood.

Now my little angel is trying to walk and crawling like a speed demon. His laugh makes my heart soar. I never thought I could love someone so much.

As exhausted and overwhelmed as I am, I would not trade a single day for live without my little guy. I do enjoy alone time and his nap time though. :) I hope that I can be a good enough mom for him as he grows up.

What Is It About Pizza?

2010-06-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

Of all the politically charged posts I wrote on my other blog, none has gotten so much attention as the one I wrote about food stamps being accepted for pizza. I've published all comments, both good and bad because I'm not all that passionate about the issue. I don't really think people should use food stamps for Papa Murphy's, but it's just my opinion. Obviously the policy says they can.

I wrote this post nearly a year ago and it's STILL getting comments. I have no idea how people are still finding it. It's not like I write on that blog any more these days.

One poster called me ignorant, which I thought was kind of funny. How is it ignorant to want my tax dollars to be used properly? I see SO many people on food stamps at the grocery store with blinged out cell phones, cigarettes, and nice purses. Clearly they're not so hard up that they can't afford those things, but yet they are using food stamps to buy crap food. And they're allowed to use them to buy Papa Murphy's. I still think it's lame.

Feel free to disagree with me...as so many others have. Disagreements aren't bad things as long as they are polite. It kind of makes me laugh that of all the obnoxious posts I've written, this is the one that gets people all hot under the collar. :)

The Details Matter

2010-06-23T05:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend we wanted to go to an air show but Marshal needed ear protection. I ordered him these cute blue ones that he should be able to wear from now into the next few years. Just to make sure I got them on time I called the company on Friday morning to order instead of doing it online. I specifically told the woman on the phone that I wanted them by Saturday for an air show.

And I paid an extra $60 for that overnight air shipping.

Yes, I know. The ear protection on ly cost $15. But it was poor planning on my part and I wanted my son's hearing protected.

Can you guess where this is going?

We did not get the ear muffs. After I SPECIFICALLY told her that I wanted to get them Saturday and her working to make sure I would...not so much. I got back on their website and dug around a little deeper into their policies.

Yeah...their UPS account only delivers Monday through Friday. WTH?!?

So...you let me pay an extra $60 for overnight shipping that you knew wouldn't arrive for at least 3 days. Nice.

Not cool. They will be hearing from me and I do want my $60 back. If they're cool about it then great - I'll give them a decent review. If not...oh just wait.

A Big Week Ahead

2010-06-21T05:46:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a good Father's day. I don't celebrate it...or at least I haven't in the past. We would have today but hubby worked until nearly 6 a.m. and didn't get up until almost 3 p.m. I wanted us to go to the air show that was going on but no such luck. Maybe next year.

Looks like I'll have to start celebrating in the future though considering my hubby is now a father. :) I did get him a refurbished Garmin and he had a blast playing with it on the way to get groceries.

This week looks crazy on the calendar and I hope I'll be able to manage without entirely losing my mind. Tomorrow looks the craziest but the whole week is fairly booked. The problem is that when I'm swamped doing presentations and enrollments I can't work at finding new prospects, meaning my future week will be super slow. Although since the week after is near July 4 slow wouldn't be that bad.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to give myself a vacation though...it's not like I've earned any money! =) But things are slowly looking up. I'm learning more and more every day.

One thing I learned last week is that I really really really want to help people...before they no longer qualify for help. I had an appointment where a guy wanted a policy but because he had some weird health incident earlier in the year he didn't qualify. He was NOT happy. And I felt horrible because Aflac was kind of his last hope for coverage (there were some other weird circumstances).

So many young people don't think about their future but I'm glad I did. Because I started saving for retirement at the age of 18 I have more invested than my mom who has less than 10 years until retirement. I've got a good 30 years left.

Similarly, if young peeps sign up for supplemental insurance like Aflac they lock in the awesome lower rates that come with being young. Not to mention they can avoid the pre-existing conditions that knock them out later in life. I don't even know if I can qualify for life insurance now because of various issues.

Here's to a crazy busy week!

He's A Ladies Man

2010-06-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

Marshal cracked me up today at church. Since I'm not a big fan of Father's day I went to church but stayed in the nursery. I'm SO glad I did! I would have just been crying out in the main service, and in the nursery I got to watch Marshal try to maul another little girl.

His buddy, 10 month old McKayla (not sure how to actually spell her name) got her fair share of kisses, pinches, and hair pulls. She's bigger than he is but he's more aggressive. The way he kisses is full open mouth right on the face. We were laughing so hard because he was following her around for a good five minutes trying to get her.

I kept close and tried to moderate his strength - didn't want him to pull her hair. Her cheek was still pink from where he pinched it - he moved too fast and I couldn't stop him in time when she first came in. I think they're going to get married someday. :)

How could the ladies resist?

What Do You Think?

2010-06-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

I made a new banner and changed the template of the blog. Thoughts? I kind of like it. I'm going to try to find time to clean up the other stuff.

This week is going to be crazy busy. I've got two days of training in Bellevue, a good hour and a half from home making for long commutes. Two employee presentations - one after a full day of training. Bible study on Thursday.

I had my first group enrollment finish up last week and I'm pretty excited about it. I had four people sign up, with five policies. It was more than an interesting experience - especially for my very first one. And aside from the initial employee presentation I was pretty much on my own due to timing issues with my trainer.

I've had the Aflac Accident plan for eight years now and for at least six of those years I haven't submitted any of the Wellness benefits. The Accident plan comes with a $60 per year wellness benefit ... so I submitted six year's worth and am looking forward to a nice little check to help with bills. Once hubby and I get our icky Colonoscopies we'll be getting another couple hundred dollars from our Hospital plan and our Cancer plan.

Aflac wants people to be proactive with their health and provides wellness benefits to encourage folks to get that preventative care and testing. Not that I'm really excited to have any of the exams I need...but you know. Better safe than sorry.

It's all for the little man after all.

Nothing More Precious

2010-06-11T06:19:00.000-07:00

Marshal was in rare form last night as I tried to get him to sleep. Generally he's a crier at night. He fights going to sleep with all of his will power and strength. I'm not sure where he gets his stubborn streek... oh wait. Yeah I do.

Anyway..last night was a weird one. He was laughing. Seriously full on laughing before he fell asleep. I was cracking up. He'd grab my nose and giggle. Then he'd "attack" with his version of a kiss - a fully open mouth slobbering on my face - and I'd start laughing and he'd think that was the funniest thing so he'd start laughing. Definitely not our typical bedtime routine. This went on for at least 20 minutes before he finally got tired enough to fall asleep.

Is there anything more precious than a child's laugh? I'm not sure I could think of anything.

Winding Down

2010-06-09T16:27:00.000-07:00

I always said that I'd never stop making my jewelry just because I had a baby. Then again I said a lot of things before I had a baby. :)

I've been hanging on to my past pre-baby life. This Sunday at church I realized that I needed to let go of that past and move forward. Sometimes God makes things really obvious.

So as soon as hubby makes room for me in the garage, my jewelry supplies are going to be packed up and moved out. It's very sad to me but my priorities have definitely shifted in the last 9 months. I'm reconnecting with church and God. My job requires a lot of time and energy right now.

My Etsy shop is still open with pieces that are already created but any made to order items are no longer listed. My mom is kind of bummed and is trying to get me to make some pieces for her before I put things away.

What will the future bring? No idea. Only God knows.

For now, I'll try to answer his calling to be the best mother that I can and to learn as much as I can about my new job. I'll still blog every once in awhile but even that needs to take a back seat. If there is anything that you like from the shop grab it now. Once things expire I'll probably wait to relist them for a long time.

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-31T06:58:00.000-07:00

We had a great service at church yesterday in honor of Memorial Day. I had to really bite my lip to not cry. I didn't know it was originally called Decoration day and meant to honor our civil war dead.

To all those who serve and served in honor of our country - thank you.

What Happened to Weekends?

2010-05-24T05:17:00.000-07:00

I remember, oh say about 8 months ago or so, when a weekend meant sleeping in late. When we could decide what to do or not do throughout the day. When I could clip coupons, make jewelry, or just nap.

Oh how I miss those days.

And yet I don't really. I was commenting to hubby on Saturday that we probably get more done now that we have our kiddo. We are forced to work when we can...when he naps or when he's occupied by something.

I definitely feel more exhausted than ever though, but I can't blame it ALL on Marshal man...it's definitely partly (mostly?) my diet. I've been eating so badly lately. I'm going to try to plan better to bring food while I'm out and about. Scheduling meetings near lunch time is killing me. One right after the other means swinging through a drive through somewhere. I've been trying to at least pick healthier items like baked potatoes or Subway sandwiches.

Not that I've ever eaten super healthily. But this crazy schedule is just making the obvious deficiencies more pronounced.

I'm *almost* looking forward to being away for two days of training. At least I can sleep in an hour or so. It's the little things in life.

Is It Just Me?

2010-05-21T07:58:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one who doesn't like certain layouts in blogs? The ones that bug me the most, and it's mostly due to my own laziness, are the ones that have a whole bunch of posts listed with headers and a few teaser sentences. But if I want to read the post I need to click another link.

Maybe it's my tendency to get distracted easily, but when I see a site like that I don't know what to do first. I might be interested in several different posts but feel paralized ... which one to read first?!?!

I know...kind of sad right? But it's just the way my brain works...it's easily overloaded apparently.

My blog might not be that fancy or sophisticated, but it's set up so if you aren't interested in the current post you can just scroll down. That's how I prefer to read blogs.

I also HATE with the passion of a thousand suns burning in the heavens forever blogs with music that starts automatically. SERIOUSLY!?!?! What if I'm in an office taking a break and all of a sudden Guns n Roses is blaring out of my computer? Not cool. If you want to have music, that's your choice since it's your blog, but believe me I cannot close the page fast enough when music starts. The only time I'll stick around is if I can stop the music within 2.5 seconds. If I have to search for the player ... I'm gone.

What about you? What are you blog pet peeves? I'm sure I'm guilty of offending folks but if you don't tell me what you hate how can I tell you that I don't care?

ha! Just kidding. I think my blog is pretty tame. I have no ads other than Entrecard. I've tried cleaning it up a bit and know I have more to do...I want it to load quickly. Of course, time is limited so this is pretty much one of my lower priorities.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Where Is Spring???

2010-05-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

The weather here lately has looked more like October than May...cold and stormy. Although I suppose in Washington this is technically typical. It's been really nutty. Last night was so windy that our nanny's wrought iron table outside got blown all the way across her deck. Insane!

It's supposed to be stormy for the next few days. I was hoping it would be nice this weekend since hubby needs to plant his dahlias.

The alternative plans for the weekend include moving my desk from the living room (not so productive) into hubby's office (our one spare room). It will take some maneuvering to get enough room in there but it would be good to have more space to file things. Plus it'll give us a more spacious living room.

Marshal is getting very close to walking. =) We are in SOOOOO much trouble with this kid. It's crazy. His teeth are coming in and he wants to walk. He gets in his little Jeep walker and just goes. It's so cute. He's going to be eight months old next week. How in the world did that happen!?!?! I love seeing things through his eyes - utter fascination!

Listening to him giggle is just the sweetest sound in the entire world. Papa is making him laugh hysterically right now and I just LOVE it. It's just so precious and makes my heart swell up. We are so blessed. Life isn't perfect and I'm certainly not doing all that great ... but in the grand scheme of things we have everything we need.

I Need a Moment

2010-05-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dove Ice Cream. All opinions are 100% mine.

Oh how I need a moment...in the worst and most desperate way. And somehow my favorite Ice Cream brand - Dove - has made it even more tempting to take some time to myself with their brand new Dove Ice Cream Miniatures. Oh Em Gee! As if I need another reason to eat ice cream.

These little dreamy bites of heaven only have 70 calories - yummy ice cream wrapped in Dove chocolate. I'm drooling right now. They have their decadent Café Collection which features Java Chip and Cappuccino Flavors. The problem I'd have is not stopping at just one! :)

Dove now has a “My Mini Moment” contest and everyone I know HAS to enter! :)

DOVE® Ice Cream is asking women to share their favorite mini moment of escape and since everyone's idea of luxury is different one lucky winner could win one of THREE different sensational mini-grand prizes:

A mini-getaway to Napa Valley
Spa services for a year
A mini-home makeover

To enter, all you need to do is submit a photo and short essay at DoveIceCream.com/myminimoment by June 7, 2010.

Easy peesy.

If you do enter you must, must, must let me know so I can go vote! =)

So Where's My Free Time?

2010-05-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

This new job is kicking my mother luvin butt. Replace key words in your mind as needed because I sure use stronger words in mine. :)

I'm learning tons but I'm such a perfectionist that I am also getting really frustrated when I don't do things just right - and I think I'm screwing up even if it's not a big deal. We had a meeting with a business owner yesterday and I get started with what I'm saying and my mind goes blank.

Hello? Anyone home?

I need to practice more with someone in front of me instead of just in my head or looking in the mirror. Hubby isn't super helpful ... he prefers to laugh and kind of makes fun of me. He means well and he wants me to succeed but it bores him to hear me do my little presentation. I may have to tie him down and make him sit still to listen.

Oh...and of course there's the boy who is STILL teething (does it ever end!?!?!) although he does officially have a REAL tooth showing and another one peeking through. Woohoo! Maybe one of these days they'll stop torturing his little gums.

QUACK!

Why Mess With Perfection?

2010-05-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

I'm a big Oreo Cookie fan, which is why I rarely buy them. If I start eating them I have a hard time stopping (although this is a common theme in my life).

So when I got a couple of coupons for the NEW and "improved" cookie from Oreo I was jazzed to try them. Oreo Fudge Cremes aren't exactly what I expected. I think I was expecting an Oreo Cookie covered in fudge - because, um, YUM.

These are more like crisps, with a little filling, covered in fudge. They're good. But they aren't oreo cookie good. At least for me.

There are only 21 cookies in a container, and they are not very big cookies. Smaller than regular oreos.

Not to mention the BEST part of an Oreo is seriously lacking - the filling.

See barely any of the delicious filling that defines Oreo. *sigh* I feel so jipped.

I also tried the mint variety, but they were even worse (as far as any cookie with chocolate and oreo filling can be "worse") than these regular ones. If I had to pick I'd pick the regular, non mint kind any day. They at least remind me of "real" Oreos. And the mint ones are a far cry from Girl Scout Thin Mints.

All in all, I give these a 3 out of 5 stars. They aren't my favorites but if there's nothing else in the house, with a nice cold glass of milk they will work. :)

Let's Go on a Field Trip!

2010-05-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Lunchables. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you remember field trips from school? I think most of us have fond (or not so fond) memories of our school field trips. Or "field" trips with our families. I can recall a few of mine...specifically the James and the Giant Peach field trip to the theater. Oh and we went and saw Peter Pan one year. Other than that, I don't remember a lot of field trips when I was in elementary school.

Our 8th grade class celebrated our "graduation" by going to a water amusement park. That was fun, but I don't really count that as a field trip. Nor do I count the senior trip from high school - we got to go on a "cruise" around the Sound with a Casino night and then to a sports bar that they closed down for the night where we played games. Again...not really a field trip.

I wish I had gone on more hands on field trips because trips when you're young can be huge learning opportunities, disguised as fun.

Lunchables wants more deserving kids across the country to have an opportunity to experience a hands-on inspiring educational experience...in the form of a field trip. They won't even realize they're learning!!!

Field Trips For All is the first effort from Lunchables new initiative called Project Potential. This program has the admirable goal of empowering kids with opportunities to help them reach their full potential. Project Potential will provide enriching experiences kids might otherwise not have. Because let's face it, schools aren't exactly throwing money at teachers to take kids outside the classroom for a wider education.

In 2009, a report from The American Association of School Administrators estimates that in this current school year the number of schools eliminating field trip budgets willi ncrease 56% - more than 30,000 schools. Lunchables Field Trips For All wants to help kids have those opportunities.

I'm not sure I love the idea of pretending that the aliens in this video are "real" but obviously they figure it out in the end. :) And what a cool field trip - they get to be in a commercial!

So how can a classroom win a chance at an awesome field trip? Easy...

Anyone 6 years or old can nominate a classroom by going to THIS website and filling out the nomination form. They're going to pick 50 classrooms!

And seriously, if you nominate a classroom let me know...and if your classroom gets nominated I MUST know about it so I can share the excitement. :)

Best Mother's Day Eva!

2010-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

I know it's been almost a week since Mother's day, but my week has been insane. And next week may be just as crazy, although I'm hoping to at least get some decent sleep.

So on Mother's day, hubby suggested skipping church...big surprise there. :) So we called the MIL and SIL and headed out to IHOP for breakfast.

Marshal did great. He reached for everything on the table - put everything in his mouth - and several times almost poured coffee, water, and juice on himself. But overall was fairly quiet and well behaved for a 7 1/2 month old!

Dropped him off at grandma's, ran and got groceries and doggy treats, then headed home. I've got a ton to do this week with training and meetings so I hadn't planned on any relaxing today. Hubby finally gave me my birthday present - washing and detailing my car. Woohoo! So Marshal and I headed outside to hang out. I tried pruning some roses but it was a little too hot for my delicate nature.

Marshal had a blast driving his little Jeep around the driveway.

My first outdoor Jeep trip!

Oh no! Fender Bender!

I'm stinkin' adorable!

After we got some sun, Marshal and I headed back inside for more chores, lunch, and a well earned nap. Well, he napped. I sat uncomfortably in a chair and held him ... and stare at his precious angel face. He's amazing. Even when he cries I just love him so much.

Did You Know?

2010-05-12T05:56:00.000-07:00

Aflac is the leading supplemental insurance provider in the world - a Fortune 500 Company - and a supremely Ethical company.

Aflac provides 1/4 of all Japanese households with supplemental insurance. I didn't even know that Aflac was in Japan before I started with them.

Dan Amos, Aflac's CEO and chairman, was recently named Most Respected Businessman by Georgia Trend.

"Amos is not an ordinary insurance man. This is the CEO and chairman of Aflac, the Fortune 500 Columbus firm that has set a standard for workplace satisfaction and ethical practices. This is the guy who runs the largest supplemental insurance seller in the world. This is the guy who fostered the duck. ...

In truth, Amos is one of the most respected business leaders in the country, recognized on different fronts for the way he balances business and social responsibilities, and it’s reflected in the way Aflac wins recognition year after year.

This year Amos was named to Institutional Investor magazine’s list of “Best CEOs in America” for the fifth time (best in the insurance sector two years running).

Fortune magazine has ranked Aflac one of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” for 12 straight years (and ranked Aflac No. 1 on its global list of “Most Admired Companies” in the life and health insurance category). Forbes magazine has given Aflac the nod as “America’s Best-Managed Company” (insurance category)."

I love the Duck. =) But I also love that I now work for a company with heart.

Did you know that since 1955 Aflac has never raised a policy holder's premium? How many insurance companies can say that? None. If you bought a cancer policy in 1955, and never changed to a newer policy, you are still paying that same rate. (Of course, your benefits are going to be the same too...but the point is that the rate has never gone up.)

"Under Amos’s guidance, the company that was a pioneer in the cancer insurance industry has anted up more than $50 million to the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

The company also supports the Child Life Therapy Program at the Morrell Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders in the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center (New York), and has established the Aflac Fund for Childhood Cancer Patients and Families at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The sale of stuffed toy ducks in Japan has raised more than $12 million to support parent housing near cancer centers in that country. "

While this job is all new to me and it's so far been a little bumpy, I am very happy to be able to represent an honest and ethical company. I'm not ashamed to say that I work for Aflac - QUACK!!!

Reward Customers and Keep Your Name Out There

2010-05-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

One of my new BNI friends is Joe with Site Impressions. So far I've collected several of his promotional items and let me tell you, they are awesome! I now have a couple of pens, a glasses cleaner (those soft cloth ones), spray antibacterial, a keychain, and even a portable plastic vase.

What do they all have in common?

Each and every item has his business name on it and they are all useful items that I WILL use (and am using!).

A great way to remind customers about you is to send them something they can keep and use. I like to send pens (I'm a total pen hog) for Casto Creations that have my business name on them. They're useful and remind people that I'm around if they need me.

Promotional items do not have to cost a lot - even when personalized. From pens to candy and even more off the wall things like promotional Gumball Machines, anything you can think of - Site Impressions can customize!

People love free goodies, so if you do spend money on personalized items be picky about when to hand them out. If you get something a little higher end hold a contest for it instead of just handing it out - and collect e-mails at the same time.

I'm a huge fan of promo items - luckily Aflac has a TON ... so I have to watch my own budget so I don't go overboard. :)

My Apologies!

2010-05-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

I want to apologize to some of my favorite online friends...with all the crazy training, setting meetings, calling businesses, and trying to make a new living I have hardly had time to think about anything other than breathing. Marshal's drawers are super empty...all his clothes are on the dining table! Sheesh.

My goal is to someday get the hang of all this and be able to manage my time and include my favorite blogs back in my schedule, but right now it's all about learning and trying to help businesses protect their employees. So many business owners think that Aflac is major medical insurance - or car insurance. :)

The marketing department did such a great job with the duck. Everyone knows the Duck! Unfortunately, the duck isn't what Aflac does. :) Aflac is supplemental insurance that has nothing to do with Major Medical insurance, and there's no car or home policies offered.

So when I call businesses some are immediately on defense - and I don't blame them. If I don't do my job then they think I'm trying to sell them something. Actually I don't sell anything to businesses and that's a tough thing to get past.

Did you know that if you sign up for an Aflac policy through your job you OWN it - it's all yours. And you can take it with you if you leave your job. This is a big deal because one of the policies we offer is Short Term Disability. Unfortunately you can't buy this policy directly - only through a group (your employer). So I'm out of luck because they didn't offer it as an option when I was signing up for my policies at my last job. Grrr!

Aflac also has Vision policies - but these also can't be purchased on a direct basis, only through a group sign up.

Thankfully the rest of the policies can be signed up on an individual basis and they're a lot more affordable than most people realize. Some policies start as low as $2 a week! Considering how outrageous insurance costs, and when you consider that health insurance policies are meant to pay the doctors, Aflac policies are a great deal. They pay YOU directly! Above and beyond any major medical coverage.

Anyway...things are so crazy trying to learn all of the policies. :) Not to mention my little man and his craziness. He's started pulling himself up to stand!!!!!

We are in SO much trouble! =D

Whine or Wine?

2010-05-09T05:57:00.000-07:00

Why not do both? Since joining the local BNI group I've met some great business people, including Stacy Brazington with Fine Wines at Home. She is super nice and is a personal wine consultant. I don't drink, but I may actually have a Wine party and if she can find me one that is nice and sweet I may start incorporating wine into my diet.

Why?

Well, wine is actually fairly good for you in moderation. Stacy shared some information about how wine can benefit your health, and even your waist line!

1. Feed your head - apparently wine can help with preserving your memory. And I need that! I have such a horrible memory, it's scary. "When researchers gave memory quizes to women in their 70s, those who drank one or more every day scored much better than those who drank less or not at all."

2. Keep the scale in your corner - apparently those who drink wine daily have lower body masses than those who only have an occasional drink. Moderate wine drinkers have "narrower waists and less abdominal fat than people who drink liquor." I should tell my hubby that - he likes his liquor.

3. Boost your body's defenses...Live Longer! - According to a British study, those who drank around a glass of wine a day reduced their risk of infection of the ulcer causing bacteria Helicobacter pylori by 11%. Even half a glass may reduce your risk of food poisoning!

4. Guard against ovarian woes - some Australian researchers compared wo men with ovarian cancer to cancer-free women and found that one glass of wine a day seemed to reduce the risk of the disease by "as much as 50 percent." Another study at the University of Hawaii came up with similar results.

5. Build better bones - women who drink moderately appear to have higher bone mass than abstainers and alcohol appears to boost estrogen levels.

6. Prevent blood sugar trouble - maybe this would have helped me with my gestational diabetes. It's generally okay to have a small glass of wine when you're pregnant. :) A Harvard study found that premenopausal women who drink one or two glasses of wine are 40% less likely to develope type 2 Diabetes than women who didn't.

7. Increase your "good cholesterol" level - A 1998 Finish study found that moderate drinking can reduce concentrations of lipoprotein in the blood, leading to fewer fat deposits in blood vessels.

So there you have it! Wine is good for you - in moderation of course. Now if I can find one that tastes like grape juice I'll be thrilled. And I'm curious to know if red grape juice gives some similar benefits. I know it's the red wines that have the great antibodies that are supposed to be so good for you.

If you're in Washington, head on over to Stacy's website and see about hosting a Wine Party at home. :)

Excerpts above from Debra Gordon, Health Magazine.

I was NOT paid or compensated in any way for this post. :) Just me and my opinions for the heck of it.

Yee Haw! I Lasted 20 Seconds!

2010-05-08T04:06:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I headed on out to a hoe down...technically a Barnyard Bash. It was an awards "ceremony" for Aflac and even though I hadn't even been there a week yet I sort of had to go. I'm glad I did...and even more glad we didn't stay a long time.

Somehow I got roped in (hahaha, get it!) to competing in the Hillbilly Olympics, as the female bull rider for our team. Each team had to have a woman and a man...and I was the lucky gal in jeans who wasn't pregnant or having back problems.

You know that you actually have to sign a WAVER to ride a mechanical bull!?! I was a little worried because my neck occasionally gives me problems but I did it anyway. I'm officially part of the team after this little display! =)

Crazy right? lol I have NO idea how I lasted 20 seconds, but that was more than any of the men on any of the teams lasted. There was one other woman who went 20 seconds as well so we had to have a ride-off. Yeah, I lost badly. My legs were shaking, I felt ill, and just walking on that bouncy stuff is exhausting.

Getting on those bulls is hard too...the first time I was like a beached whale, but the for the ride-off I was much more graceful. Didn't help my riding much. =)

There's ONE little rope you hold on to and it is brutal. The other gal's skin got ripped off on her finger and I had several red marks on my hand. It's not easy.

Increase Your Business - Join a Network Referral Group

2010-05-07T04:40:00.000-07:00

One thing that can be a challenge, among the many challenges, as a small business is finding customers. Online sites like Etsy helps average everyday folks like me sell to people across the country, but sometimes that stops me from seeing the opportunities in my own back yard.

Recently I was invited to a visitor's day to BNI, a networking group that has charters all around the world. A local group was just chartered last week and I had such a great time that I applied to be part of it - and was accepted!

The great thing about groups like BNI, they only allow one of each profession as a representative in each group. So, in my new group, I am the only Aflac representative. There is only one auto mechanic, one roofer, one Mary Kay consultant, etc. Some networking groups end up being a bunch of Avon ladies, Pampered Chef sales people, or Partylite Consultants (not that there's ANYTHING wrong with these, but when that's all there is it's a little harder to have a functional group) but BNI is much more oriented toward brick and mortar businesses.

Something there aren't a lot of, at least in this local group, is independent artisans. But it seems to me that it would be a fabulous opportunity for people who design and create for a living. The whole purpose of BNI groups is to help one another grow business through referrals.

And it's not some loose group of people getting together every week - it's quite structured and there are certain rules, as well as an annual membership fee, that are required. I love this!

The energy in my new group is contagious! I hope that it will be a huge boon to my new business and I am excited to provide referrals to the other members' businesses as well. If you're looking for a BNI group in your area head over to their website - they are all over the world. Remember, if you join as a jeweler - you will be the only jewelery allowed in the group!

Training, Training, Training

2010-05-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

Monday and Tuesday were training days for me...away from home. Poor hubby had to be responsible for our boy Monday night and Tuesday morning, but really he gets off pretty easy. My mother in law came over Tuesday morning to get Marshal ready for the nanny and then the nanny came over to pick him up for the day. Basically hubby just had to get him on Monday, feed him, clothe/change him, and put him to bed.

But it's still kind of a big deal because I've never been away from my son overnight. I'm actually SURPRISED by how much I missed him - even trying to get him to bed at night. Sure, I got to sleep in with no crying and no dog jumping up on the bed. But it wasn't all that great. I actually got food poisoning Monday night so my night and Tuesday morning were pretty lame. I did feel a little better thankfully by the time my class started on Tuesday.

There is SO much to learn. It's exhausting and overwhelming. And kind of scary. Will I be able to do this? Will I be able to convey this information to others and share what I'm learning in a way that will help them see the value of Aflac in their lives? I've known the valu of Aflac in our lives for 8 years, but even I wasn't aware of some of the awesome products they offer that I actually need to sign up for.

I need to sign us up for the Hospital Protection plan in the next week or two. And I'm hoping to get my little brother signed up for the Cancer policy - he needs it. We have a history of cancer in our family and since he's under 30 his rates will be way lower than if he waits a few years.

I wish young folks thought more about their future - I know I did. I signed up for the Accident Policy when I was in my early 20s. My rates are just about as low as they can get for the policies we have. Age 35 is the cutoff for rate increases.

How do I help others protect themselves and their families and their assets...without sounding like a dorky sales person?

Jewelry Party!

2010-05-05T06:32:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited!!! I'm going to be having two ladies over to my house in a couple of weeks and we're going to make jewelry. I'm SO jazzed because I have so much jewelry I want to make...and so many supplies that it'll be nice to share them with others. :)

I'll have to try to take lots of pictures. There might be wine (for them, not me...I'm not a big drinker) so it should be really fun. hee hee

Whether I make anything that ends up in my Etsy shop is debateable...I'm guessing anything I make will be for me and my new business wardrobe.

I've never had a jewelry "party" before. Hubby will be in charge of the boy and the girls are going to play!!!

Hidden Gems

2010-05-04T06:17:00.000-07:00

While over at my mother's house the other day I went on back to my old room to ~~snoop~~ see if I'd left anything. :) My mom is overcoming pack-rat-itis and going through things to give to Goodwill and to sell at our neighborhood garage sale in June.

I found a nice sized basket to use to put Marshal's toys in (we're finally accumulating a nice amount) and some things she had to see and not give away but sell at the garage sale (some gorgeous tiny Japanese plates...like the kind they put soy sauce in for dipping...they are from our trip to Japan years ago)...and right before I was going to leave I spied a mostly empty clear storage container that had something bright and colorful in it. It almost looked like...BEADS!

And sure enough. VINTAGE beads no less. They were my great grandmothers (aka Granny) and while they probably have no monetary value, they do have memories attached. I can totally see my great grandma wearing these when they were strung. I've started going through them and finding the ones I think I can use in my own designs. There are some really beautiful ones in great condition.

There are some funky beaded earrings and then this set that looks like resin with lots of sparkles in it. She only wore clip earrings.

She was such a great lady. Living through the Great Depression (and what was so great about it again?) gave her some fascinating stories and funny quirks. I wish I could find my old high school report where I interviewed her and my two grandmas about their experiences. My Granny still had her grocery logs showing how much she paid for things like eggs and milk!!! Talk about a pack rat. We obviously come by it naturally.

Both her and my grandma (her daughter) talked about how sugar and marshmallows were rationed so it was always a treat to get them. And how they weren't allowed to turn lights on at night and if they drove they had to do it without lights or with the lights covered up except for a small slit.

They had Japanese neighbors who they used to trade food stuff with, but when WWII started they were afraid to eat anything their neighbors had - in case it was poisoned. I don't blame them, but it would have really sucked to be Japanese-American. One day they came and took the family to the intern camps (we had several in this area) and they never did come back - their land/home was sold. :(

My other grandma was a Rosie the Riveter with Boeing. Her husband at the time, my paternal grandfather, was in the Navy and she was home with two (I think...she had four total eventually) kids. She was essentially a single working mother.

I love history and it's amazing how something as simple as beads can link us back to our past.

Knowing Myself

2010-05-03T06:22:00.000-07:00

Starting a new career is definitely scary. It was nice to sort of ease into it the last few months but even with that lead in time the last week was stressful and nerve wracking.

Can I do this? My esteem certainly has gotten hit several times. I get frustrated when I screw something up. There's a lot to remember including certain phrases to say and ones not to say.

I know that one of my issues is that I get really excited. After all, I wouldn't be working for Aflac if I wasn't a huge fan of their services and believe in what the company offers. So when someone says that they've had agents contact them and they aren't interested, my instict is to ask "Really? Why not?" lol And that doesn't work.

So trying to tamp back that instinct is something I have to work on.

Cold calling is definitely not fun and I promise to be nice to people who call me from now on. *grin* I can't even imagine how lame it is to call people when you're working for minimum wage and selling something you aren't passionate about. I love Aflac and am doing this because I want to (because if we tried we could live on one income) and getting rejected is tough. Especially when someone is rude about it.

Several folks have been really nice about it and that does make it easier to hear "no".

This whole thing is requires a HUGE learning curve for me. Things used to come a lot easier to me but my memory just seems like swiss cheese. Just reading something doesn't automatically make me remember it...I need to hear it, see it, and then work with it to really get it memorized and understood.

I did get several meetings set up and I'm SO excited and kind of proud of myself. They're all businesses that we are customers of ... does that make it less exciting and scary? Not to me! I'm just thankful that they are giving me a chance to present...and practice! =) If they decide to sign up, all the better. But right now I really need to get a grasp of how to do this right.

Heading to the Party

2010-04-30T05:29:00.000-07:00

My first week at Aflac is done. It's been exhausting and fun and scary and did I mention exhausting? I'm kind of working 12 hours a day right now because I have so much to do. Next week I start attending my formal training classes and there are pre-requisites that I need to have done before I go. If I'd had last week off I probably would have taken more time to prepare ahead of time, but it is what it is.

I'm still amazed that there are some people out there (not that I'll name any names *grin*) who aren't really sure what Aflac does. But I suppose if you've never been a policy holder you wouldn't make it a priority to find out, right? :)

I've been a policy holder for 8 years since they first offered it at my last job. I started with the Accident policy and paid less than $15 a month. We definitely got our money's worth - hubby had to have surgery on his shoulder after an unsuccessful pull-up attempt. heh Our policy paid well over $1,000 (I just can't remember the exact amount). And then last year when my Trooper Bear bit my finger I got $190 - I didn't even need stitches, but the policy would have paid even more if stitchers had been required. All of this was cash directly to us, with no involvment of our health insurance company at all.

Last year after Marshal was born I signed us up for the Cancer policy, the Hospital Intensive Care policy, and of course the Accident policy...because we are a bit accident prone in this family and with a new baby I'm sure we'll have our fair share.

He just looks like trouble doesn't he? hee hee 7 months old!!!

So our premiums have obviously gone up - the Cancer policy is the most expensive, but also pays out a lot if any of us is diagnosed with cancer. My dad died at the age of 36 from colon cancer and my mother in law is still fighting Leukemia so for us it's definitely piece of mind.

I added the Hospital Intensive Care policy because it covers accidents and sick leave...and if I'm not mistaken the Accident policy will pay in addition to the Hospital I.C. plan. And if we'd had the Hospital plan a year before Marshal was born I believe that we would have been paid for his time spent in the NicU (live and learn I suppose). There's two other Hospital plans (Confinment and Confinment Sickness) but for us the I.C. plan seemed the most logical.

I'll probably write more about things as I'm learning all the details. If anything looks interesting I definitely encourage you to find an agent in your area - you can sign up as an individual/family or, if your company offers it, you can sign up during open enrollment. If your company doesn't, ask your HR department (or whoever makes those decisions) if they would consider it. =) And if you're in Washington - feel free to contact me. *grin*

In the meantime...I have to put on my cowboy boots and get to the big state meeting. It's theme is Barnyard Bash and I have to tell ya - I'm not THAT excited. It's only my first week and I'm expected to get up on stage with my 'team' and make a fool of myself. Oh yeah...can't wait! =)

Date Night Was Great!

2010-04-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

Hubby and I had a day to ourselves last Saturday. Marshal went to the nanny's to hang out with her grand daughter (he apparently has several girlfriends...she has several granddaughters). We took a nap late morning (and yes, we both actually SLEPT...we're exhausted...we almost wanted to keep sleeping and skip the movie but we'd already bought the tickets onl ine) and then headed to the movie theater. I was so excited to see this movie - one of the reasons I wrote the review the other day with the preview trailer.

I LOVED the movie. Hubby, not so much. He didn't hate it, but it definitely wasn't his favorite...although he did giggle a few times (I love it when he giggles). I laughed so hard in parts of it that I had tears in my eyes. I could relate SO much to the story of a married couple stuck in a rut.

Some of the scenes were not family friendly although compared to some movies pretty tame. One scene has Tina Fey dressing up as a Stripper, although she's a "mom" stripper so it's a modest outfit (you know, for strippers). It was a really funny scene though.

The plot isn't all that deep, but that's what makes it fun. There's no real deep thought required...just sit back and enjoy.

If you love Steve Carrel (I do!) and Tina Fey (she was great) I recommend seeing this movie. If I hadn't had gift cards, and a buy one get one free coupon, we probably would have waited for it to come out on video. See it at the matinee time or wait for the DVD. It's a great movie - and would be a great Saturday night with a big bowl of popcorn stay in the house movie. :)

Jewelry for Me!

2010-04-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

In between dealing with a cry baby boy and stressing about my new job, I've made myself a couple pieces of jewelry. [Oh, and repairing jewelry for others ... Kelly - I'm almost ready to ship out your jewelry!] =)

I bought these gorgeous stones at the Rings and Things show my mom and I went to the other weekend. I'm not really sure exactly what they are - the tag said "dyed Aqua" but that really means nothing to me. All I know is the moment I saw these stones I knew exactly what I wanted to design with them.

The strand came graduated, which was super helfpul, and I saved two of the smallest beads for earrings. I think the largest center stone is at least 15 mm if not bigger.

Then I finally finished this Labradorite and Apatite stone necklace. Two different shapes of Labradorite and large round Apatite stones. This Apatite is not the best quality, but it has a gorgeous deep teal blue color and I think that it really brings out the blue in the Labradorite (wish my photos showed the Labradorite flash better).

I may have to make something similar for my mom...she really liked it when I showed it to her. :)

Hope you like these two pieces (well, four including earrings)...I plan to make myself several more sets of necklaces and earrings to wear to my new job. I think I need some thing red now.

I Think I'm a Voyuer

2010-04-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

I think I've figured out why I enjoy Facebook so much. I enjoy knowing what is going on in other people's lives. All my life I've enjoyed looking in other people's windows - and NO I don't mean like a sick peeping Tom kind of thing.

I just like seeing what is going on...how they decorate and set their house up...basic things like that. And Facebook is kind of voyueristic, although with people's permission and help in looking at their lives.

While running a bunch of errands last Wednesday I found myself updating my Facebook status with pretty mundane things while hanging out at the tire place, getting my hair cut, at the bank, etc. Who cares? I mean really who cares what I'm doing on my errands. Or when I am riding the bus home.

But...I care. I love reading about someone's new haircut or what they're having for dinner (yes, I posted about the Chicken Parm my hubby made...it was delicious!). I find it interesting. So I guess that sort of makes me a voyuer of sorts. :)

And it might explain why I love reality shows so much. heh

New Kid on the Block

2010-04-26T05:28:00.000-07:00

It's the big day...I start my brand new job. One where I will need to learn a whole new set of skills and not rely on my comfortable skills. Talk about going outside the box. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking when I made this decision but that's the beauty of God. He leads me to do things that I would never consider on my own...or that I would just not think about.

I'm going to be a sales person. Ew! I still can't fully comprehend it. But I'm thankful that the company I've joined is awesome and I can be proud to say that I sell Aflac!!!! =) It's my hope that the enthusiasm I have for the product comes through and makes me not so much a sales person but a business partner for people.

I remember a couple of years ago talking to one of my coworkers about our Aflac policy and she said I should sell it. I laughed them and never thought about it again. I just loved the product and we'd needed to use it (and used it again after that) so it didn't feel like 'selling' ... because I wasn't.

Does that make any sense whatsoever?

So as my first day begins I get to meet new coworkers, dress in business clothes (something I haven't done in at least 5 years), and learn new things. Scary...and exciting at the same time. =)

Discovering

2010-04-22T05:29:00.000-07:00

My son makes me see things with a whole new perspective. Simple things are fascinating. From pancake turners to Tupperware lids. He stares and turns things around and laughs.

Pure Happiness!

Springtime Earrings

2010-04-21T05:21:00.000-07:00

They took me over a week to make, even though they're very simple, but I'm happy with how they turned out.

What do you think? I got the sterling silver flowers at the Rings and Things bead show last weekend. And "found" the two different Rose Quartz beads in my supplies. I have so much stuff that finding things is typical. =)

I haven't posted them in my shop yet...I need to take actual photos. These are just quickies taken at my desk (on my Aflac folder hahaha).

Thoughts?

I Can't Believe I Won!

2010-04-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank all those who never gave up on me.

hahaha

Okay, seriously...I'm totally jazzed to have won this great contest over at Freaky Frugality. I'm SO excited!!! I've seen commercials and ads for it and it looks like a really great family movie. And miss Freaky herself gave it a great review. =)

Thank you SO much Rebecca for hosting a great contest and proving that the underdog CAN win!

hee hee hee

I Can See Clearly Now!

2010-04-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Incendia Health. All opinions are 100% mine.

If we could afford it, and I wasn't in the middle of changing jobs, I would seriously consider getting Lasiks eye surgery. I never would have thought about it before Marshal came. But the little stinker thinks my glasses are fascinating and likes to put his hand right smack dab in the middle of them. *sigh*

Imagine never having to fumble for my "eyes" in the morning. Being able to see where I'm walking in the middle of the night.

Don't get me wrong, I really love my glasses - how could I not? They're pink Coach with sparkly crystals on the sides. They're pure bling. But it sure would be nice to not HAVE to wear them.

I really hope that Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO), a global leader in laser vision correction, holds another "You Gotta See This" iLASIK Video Contest in the future. People made videos to show how improved vision could improve their lives for the chance to win some slammin' prizes, including a $5,000 Grand Prize. I missed out on this one, but here are the winners from this year's contest.

$5,000 Grand Prize
“You Gotta See This Music Video” by Alex

Category 1: My Contacts Are Getting In The Way Of My Good Time
First Prize: “You Gotta Be Kidding Me! A True Story” by Robbo (HDTV package — a $2,500 value)
Second Prize: “Contacts Stink” by windysail (Flip UltraHD™ camcorder — a $199.99 value)

Category 2: My Favorite Sport Or Activity Would Be So Much Cooler With Better Vision
First Prize: “iLASIK Would Make Surfing More Enjoyable” by jhbmw007 (HDTV package)
Second Prize: “Foggy Riding” by Snowman (Flip UltraHD camcorder)

Category 3: You Should See Life After The iLASIK® Procedure
First Prize: “Orbs Of Perfection” by Danny V (HDTV package)
Second Prize: “Army LASIK” by ahowalton (Flip UltraHD camcorder)

Hubby had Lasik before he became a Trooper, but I doubt he'd have entered a iLASIK Video Contest. He's just too shy. I'd totally do one, but I'm not super creative when it comes to things like that. Although I think I'd have to have the "I Can See Clearly Now" song in it...it's now stuck in my head!

Nearly There and Moving On

2010-04-15T04:32:00.000-07:00

Nearly one third of my life has been spent in the employment of my current job. Wow...that's so weird. When I started there, at the ripe old age of 21, it was one of the best places to work in the state (ranked by whoever ranks these things) and number 11 or 12 in the country of mid sized companies by Fortune 500. Somehow I don't think we made the list the last few years. I certainly didn't give it a good review the last time I was asked.

When I started it was just switching over from being entirely family owned to being sold to a large insurance company. The former owner/CEO was retiring and stepping down and the new CEO was a current employee who was awesome. A few years though and he too was stepping down as CEO and a new associate took the reigns. I didn't think he was so bad, but others weren't so pleased with his performance or decisions.

One of those decisions that he had been trying to push was moving the company's headquarters to Seattle. He left the company before that decision could be implemented, but last year it finally did come down from yet another new CEO ... moving to Seattle.

The commute from where I live now to Seattle would take at least 60 minutes and some days 90 to 120 minutes depending on traffic. That's one way by the way. Taking the train wouldn't make it much better since I would still have to drive halfway there and then the train had to make a couple more stops before dropping me off far enough from the new headquarters to require a hike or a bus.

After I was back from maternity leave last December I knew I wasn't long for the company. I met with our Aflac agent to sign up for a Cancer policy and update our Accident policies and the rest is history. I asked her how she liked her job ... and now I am an Aflac agent!!! I start officially with my new office, which is only 10 minutes from my house, on April 26. Woohoo!

In the meantime, my last day at my current job is this Friday and I'm sort of sad. I've had panic attacks when in the office this week. But I'm not yet sad. I will miss my coworkers who are absolutely wonderful. But the company itself has gone from one that I am proud to work for to one that I roll my eyes at ... I no longer believe their mission statement or their so called ethics claims (or their claim to put employees first). I see the new CEO as out for only a buck and no matter what his words are, his actions speak much louder.

It's sad really. In general it is still a good company filled with hard working, dedicated people who want it to succeed. I will miss them a ton.

But I had to do what's right for me and my family. Working for Aflac is going to allow me to truly be my own boss. Yes, selling jewelry allows me to be my own boss. But it's very much unsupported...working with Aflac there is an entire team and company behind you to help you succeed. It's all about how hard I work and how dedicated I am.

I'm terrified. I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm a little sick to my stomach. I'm definitley looking forward to the future. I believe that God has guided me to this point. It's not something I ever would have thought of before - especially since it is 100% commissions. But I believe that I can be successful, and being closer to home will give me the chance to see my son grow up as opposed to just kissing him goodnight when I get home after a 14 hour day.

He's getting so big! Only 6 1/2 months old though. :)

I've thought about not making jewelry for awhile and shutting down my Etsy shop, but I really hate to do that. I know that I'll be very busy and probably overwhelmed for awhile. But making jewelry helps me relax and get that creative part of my soul satisfied. So the jewelry will continue.

As will the blogging. I love to blog. And I love reading other people's blogs.

This is getting long...obviously I'm nervous about this whole change...I hate change. :)

I Need to Get Organized

2010-04-13T04:38:00.000-07:00

This is NOT a paid review. However there is an Amazon affiliate link if you're so inclined. :)

I love getting mail...especially when I get free samples! Most of these samples I sign up for online and are available to anyone who signs up.

Today I got a free sample from Smead...and I *think* I signed up for it but I honestly don't remember. Getting this sample in the mail only reminded me that I need to get organized. My new job is going to demand organization and better record keeping than I currently do with my jewelry business. Not that I'm horrible at it, but there is a lot of room for improvement.

Smead sent this really cool TUFF Hanging Folder with an Easy Slide Tab. You know how hanging file folders have those really obnoxious tabs that you have to bend and they don't always go into the little slots so you have to rip the file. Yeah, those. I hate those.

These are pretty spiffy. The tabs literally slide onto the folder. And the tabs themselves are really thick and sturdy. And getting that little piece of paper into the tab is a breeze because the back of the tab is actually open...so no more trying to stick a pencil or paperclip in to 'grab' the paper after it's been stuck for five years (yes, I've done that).

Oh, and you aren't limited to the little tabs...this sliding tab can b

The info that came with the sample says that these are 7 times stronger than ordinary hanging folders but I love the claim that the "specially designed, reinforced channel rods resist bending and paper tearing" because when I got this sample in the mail the rods were bent. lol So much for that claim. I was able to bend them back but if they can't survive a simple mailing how are they going to survive a rough and tough office environment (okay, okay I know...how tough can an office be really?).

All in all I really like the folder - I found them on Amazon for $14. Is that a good price? I'm not sure. How much are regular folders? I'm sure the store brand would be cheaper but they're also kind of ugly (at least the ones at my store) and flimsy.

I think I'd buy them if they were on sale or if I had coupons. And I'll definitely be using the one they sent me. :)

Finally!

2010-04-12T06:18:00.000-07:00

It's been weeks and weeks since I've made any new jewelry and it's been driving me bonkers. It might have something to do with the bead show my mom, cousin, Marshal, and I went to Saturday. So much fun and Marshal did SO great! I'm amazed at how great he did considering that he did not sleep well Friday night. His poor little teethies are just torturing him and Friday night was the worst so far.

But he was a trooper and was SO well behaved all day Saturday. We went to the bead store, a Vietnamese resteraunt (yummy Pho!), and Nordstrom Rack. He didn't have any meltdowns and was a doll nearly the whole time. Of course, if my little cousin hadn't come with us it would have been a little different, and less productive.

My mom can be a bad influence on me, but I think we did pretty well. I actually managed to not buy any supplies the entire time of Lent! Woohoo! And I did not go nuts on Saturday. I set a budget, and while I went over it, it's partly because I paid for items for my mom as well. So I spent less than $300 and got some incredibly gorgeous beads. My favorite find was lab created Citrine. OH EM GEE!

While lab created isn't my mom's favorite type of gemstone, the beauty of these stones won her over. We seemed to focus on reds and yellow/gold colored stones and glass. Not sure why. Although I do love red.

And since my little cousin was staying with us over the weekend, I managed to make three necklaces and three pairs of earrings. None of which will be for sale. hahaha I guess I should really make things to sell, but I want to make some things for me to wear. Two of the necklaces and earrings are for my mom.

Red and gold foil glass with faceted citrine spacers. Sterling silver toggle clasp.

Matching Earrings. Sterling silver leverbacks.

Faceted lab created Citrine - rondells and rounds. It just looks so rich. The one above is for my mom and mine is below (she hates lobster clasps).

She gets the lobster clasps and I will wear the posts.

I really can't wait to find some time to create more goodies. I have all sorts of ideas in my mind and look forward to creating some more pieces for me to wear in my new job. Since I have to wear business clothes I've been shopping a lot the last few weeks...so of course I need new jewelry to wear with my new clothes!

And the Winner Is...

2010-04-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

So I put all the names in Excel, assigned them numbers, and used random.org to pick the winner. I wish I could share something with everyone.

But the winner is...

Kelly L!!!!

Congratulations Kelly.

I think it's funny that a Washington gal won this...and it's someone who is actually waiting for me to repair a piece of jewelry of mine that she has. LOL I even already have her address. I swear that was NOT planned.

Thank you to all who entered and those who became fans on Facebook.

Happy Friday!!!

Improving Yourself on the Cheap

2010-04-08T17:37:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to find a swimming lesson class for me and Marshal to join...there is one at the local Athletic club but I think it's going to be expensive. So I started trying to see if there was anything available at the local schools. I'd heard that there are red cross volunteers who sometimes hold classes on the weekends.

Well, I didn't have any luck finding a class, but I did discover that the local school district offers many different classes on all sorts of topics. I'm sure that a lot of school districts out there offer something similar.

Here are a few of the classes I found that seem like they'd be great to take, especially if you're looking to start or change careers:

BECOME A HOME-BASED TRAVEL AGENT

Love to travel, but expenses getting you down? Learn the benefits of becoming an independent travel agent in your free time. Earn commissions, be your own boss, and have fun and plan a Caribbean cruise.

CLASS FEE: $20.00

What a great idea...for $20 it's hard to pass up to at least learn about.

SUCCESSFUL LANDLORDING

This course is designed for people who own or would like to own rental property. It will cover finding and screening good tenants, lease terms, applicable laws, security deposits, tenant relations, rent collection, evictions, property maintenance, problem tenants and more.

CLASS FEE: $20.00

I bet there's a lot to learn about being a landlord. I don't think it's a passive source of income, and it's nothing I'd want to do. But it might be right for some people.

I want to take this one (in my "spare" time hahahaha)

WATERCOLOR (Beginning)

Learn watercolor techniques and applying paint with a brush, rag or sponge. Your own creative power will be guided through step-by-step procedures, from the first pale wash through detailed finishing touches. Students will purchase their own supplies ($20 - $40). Bring $5.00 to instructor for supplies for the first class.) Class will continue an additional 4 weeks if there is sufficient interest.

CLASS FEE: $40.00

I love painting but I have no talent. :)

There are dozens upon dozens of various classes from learning how to make your own jewelry to how to invest and even computer classes. I guess it just never occurred to me to check the school district for this kind of thing. It seems rather obvious that they would be a great source of information and activities.

We Are SO Going on A Date!

2010-04-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 20th Century Fox. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you seen the commercials for Date Night Movie with Steve Carell and Tina Fey? Hubby and I saw a preview when we saw Avatar and laughed so hard. We both love Steve Carell (The Office is one of our favorite shows). He is such a funny actor. And Tina Fey can hold her own as well.

It starts in theaters this Friday, April 9, 2010! If you haven't yet seen the trailer, you can watch it here:

The basics of the movie ... a bored suburban couple played by Steve Carell and Tina Fey go on their weekly dinner date and find themselves thrown into a night of intrigue: there’s breaking and entering, a car chase, a shootout and a showdown with an underworld boss at a strip club. Husband and wife come out of the adventure with some scratches and also with their ardor renewed.

Hubby and I cracked up at the scene in the preview where Tina Fey takes out her bite guard after Steve wants a little cuddling time. We said "THAT'S US!!!" hahahaha (Yes, I have a bite guard...I grind my teeth like nobody's business.)

Plus the "Kill Shot" scene (oh and the one where she talks about being "whacked off" *snort*) had us busting up. I'm hoping that the commercials are just a preview of the hilarity in this movie!

If hubby didn't work this weekend we would be seeing it opening night. And if you and your special one are anything like us, you'll find a lot to relate to in this movie. If you go see it please let me know how it is!

It Only Takes One

2010-04-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

It makes me so sad when I read about someone who has a negative experience with an independent artisan...especially with Etsy.

While doing my Entrecard drops I ran across a blogger who had a bad experience with a jeweler on Etsy (and of course trying to find that post is impossible now), which of course hits near and dear to my heart.

The one negative feedback I got made me cry, and I wrote about it here. I didn't blame the customer or try to push responsibility back on them...no. I contacted them and tried to make it right. The customer actually ended up apologizing for her quick feedback response, rather than taking the time to contact me directly.

If someone contacts me I generally will bend over backwards to make them happy. Even if it means accepting a return on something. Just recently I made a mistake in the description of one a piece I sold...I had the dimensions larger than actual size. TOTALLY my fault. And I accepted the piece back (and adjusted my listings for that piece). That's my responsibility.

Being rude to customers and trying to blame them for your jewelry falling apart is just not okay.

I have several clients waiting for me to do repairs right now. It's a little disheartening to me that a couple of pieces have broken over several years of wear...but really when I think about it statistically it's not a bad record. One of these pieces is a bracelet that the woman wears very nearly every day. Considering that it is made with Swarovski crystals and bead wire it's amazing that it lasts as long as it does (Swarovski beads are VERY hard on wire and rub it until it snaps). The other one is totally my fault but I'm still impressed that it lasted for so many years.

Would I EVER blame my customers for these issues? NO!!! Even if it were their fault I'd be hard pressed to extend the blame to them. If it's something I can help with then that is my duty as a jeweler and indie artisan (which I do consider myself to be).

If you ever have a bad experience with a designer, or for that matter a corporation, let them know. Try to resolve it first with them. And if they still treat you badly...let EVERYONE know about it!

And conversely...if you have a great experience, please let the person/company know. There is NOTHING better than getting a really great e-mail or card in the mail from a happy customer. =) Of course, tell everyone you know about your great experience too.

Don't Forget - Win Free Jewelry!

2010-04-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

Just one more day to enter to win free jewelry from my friend Dana. Go to the Post HERE to get info on how to get more than one entry.

Tomorrow is my birthday! And by 5 p.m. entries will be closed.

Good luck!!!

Squeak Squeak

2010-04-06T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Alvin and the Chipmunks. All opinions are 100% mine.

I remember the first Alvin and the Chipmunks...not because I saw it in theaters but because the commercials cracked me up every single time they were on! The part where one of the little guys (was it Theodore?) is in the dishwasher and Alvin opens and the chipmunk screams. It made me L.O.L every single time.

Now the second movie is out on DVD! You can buy it now on DVD, BluRay, and even digital download (I've never even heard of that before)! I think if Marshal was older he'd enjoy this movie (and the first one).

There's also a Double DVD Pack that includes "The Squeak Along" Bonus Disc, with more music, mayhem and all-new singalongs! It's twice the fun for the price of one (always better in my budget views)!

If you go to Munk Yourself - More Munk Mayhem - you can actually Munk yourself. I think it's kind of sad that I really enjoyed doing this!

I'm GORGEOUS! hee hee

Honestly, I wasn't into the Chipmunks as a kid, other than their Christmas songs. But every time I hear the Squequal songs I want to boogie...and even Marshal's ears perked up (and more importantly he stopped crying for a few seconds) when the theme song came on! "All the Single Ladies!" =)

Have you seen the Squeakqual? Or, more importantly, have your kiddies? Did they like it?

I Think We're Done with Pampers

2010-04-05T08:44:00.000-07:00

Another non-jewelry post. :) (Unpaid review)

I don't think of this as a review so much as a complaint. Some moms favor one brand of diapers over another and I never quite understood that until Marshal came along. I bought a lot of diapers ahead of time using coupons because I'm cheap like that. I got Huggies and Pamper, but for the smaller sizes I seemed to have bought a lot of Pampers.

One thing that I notice now that we're getting into bigger sizes (and therefore using more Huggies) is that there IS a difference!

The Pampers leave 'stuff' on him...like fibers and stuff. My son can wet down a diaper like nobody's business. It doesn't matter if I've changed him 30 minutes before...he can manage to weigh down a diaper with pee pee in seconds. And while both brands seem to work well at containing the liquid, Huggies actually seem to keep his skin dry and free of 'stuff'.

I noticed when he was littler, that the Pampers would leave fibers (string/cloth?) around his little private part. We'd have to pick and pull it off of him and he hated it. And now when I use the Pampers diapers I notice the same thing - as well as what look like little round pellets ??? on his skin when his diaper gets really wet. I'm pretty sure that those are from the diaper itself since he soaks it so much.

But the Huggies don't seem to do the same thing.

Plus, Huggies have had a kick butt coupon for $3 off any pack and using that with Diapers.com made for a slammin' deal on diapers. (Did you know that you can use manufacturer coupons with diapers.com!?! So flippin' awesome!)

So anyway...in my not so official review...Pampers don't work for us. I'm going to finish off the ones we have in stock but from there on out we're going to stick with Huggies brand.

Get $10 off

your first order of diapers
use code MEGS3088

$49 min. total order

pampers swaddlers
huggies snug & dry
seventh generation
luvs

Earn Your Degree Online

2010-03-31T12:05:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

Yes, another sponsored post. :) Since I don't have much jewelry stuff to chat about. I am being picky though in the opportunities I select for these types of posts. This one actually strikes home to me, because I actually earned my Bachelors degree online.

My experience with online school was wonderful. I was able to work full time while "going" to school and earning money to help me pay for my tuition (as well as my company providing tuition reimbursement...major bonus!). If I had to go back to school now I think the only way I'd be able to manage is by going online. I think it requires a certain personality to self motivate and work online, but schools are making it easier and more user friendly than ever before.

USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC is offering Masters of Arts in Teaching program that you can study and earn online! Head to their site for more program information.

You can earn your Masters of Arts in Teaching from an internationally known school with a 100 year history of educating the educators - from faculty recognized for their contributions to modern education. Their School of Education has been ranged #22 in the U.S., and #9 among all private universities by US News and World Report. Rossier and the MAT@USC were also awarded by AACTE for innovative use of technology in education - an important thing for an online program.

As a student online you will have access to a combination of highly interactive online learning with field-based experiences in your local area. USC has a groundbreaking tuition reimbursement program designed exclusively for MAT@USC graduates.

Not only that, you get full USC student status and benefits, participation in commencement ceremonies and free lifetime Alumni Associate memberships. All from the comfort of your home (or library...I sometimes went to the library to work when it was too distracting at work LOL).

If you have time right now, they even offer an accelerated 12 month program - you could have your Masters in less than a year!

Oh...and you can officially call yourself a TROJAN! =) How cool is that?

It's a Giveaway!

2010-03-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

And while I'm giving away jewelry, it isn't jewelry that I've made. Is that weird? hahahaha I'm weird that way.

My friend Dana of Dana's Jewelry Designs is an incredibly talented artisan who makes more than jewelry. She sews. She writes. She designs gem trees. She even knows how to play with Excel, making her a fellow geek. She is multi-faceted. We met at my soon to be old job and even though she got swept out with last year's icky layoffs, she has prospered and never slowed down. I still can't believe I know someone who wrote a book that is sold on Amazon!

She sent me some of her incredibly beautiful jewelry and one of her handmade jewelry pouches. I'm tempted to keep the pouch for myself...but I won't. I'll buy my own from her shop and let the winner of this giveaway have everything all in one adorably pretty little package.

So...on to the giveaway!

She generously sent me several pieces of jewelry, and even though we're friends all opinions here are 100% mine...no bias whatsoever (okay...well, no one is entirely unbiased right?).

I'm not a huge fan of wearing copper jewelry. I lean almost exclusively to wearing silver - both fine and sterling. Therefore I rarely work in copper, although I have soldered a few brass and copper pieces in the past. Her copper makes me want to change my mind though!

She does an excellent job of tying all these pieces together. Crystals and glass in very subtle shades (a little bit of pink and a little brown in the ring...the earrings have a pale brown...all the rest are crystal clear with rainbow shimmer) that will go with everything you own.

The winner will receive everything pictured here...

Copper Bangle Bracelet
Spiral Pendant Necklace
Spiral Earrings
Spiral "chandelier" Ring
Handcrafted Jewelry Pouch

How to enter??? Easy. You will get one entry each for the following...

Leaving a comment here (you must either leave an e-mail address or have one easily accessible in your profile)
Following my Fan Page on Facebook (if you already do then you're entered once automatically!)
Write a post about this giveaway on your own blog and post a link here to let me know about it.

I'm not really sure how I'll pick the winner...probably put all the names into a spreadsheet, assign numbers, and use the random number generator to pick. That can be your comment...suggest how to pick the winner. ha!

::: Fine Print ::: For U.S. Residents ONLY. Sorry to my friends in Canada and other parts of the world. I luv ya but it's a pain to ship outside the U.S. and finding an extra 30-60 minutes to stand in line at the post office isn't high on my list of want to dos. :) ::::

UPDATE - Duh...I guess I should put an end date to this shouldn't I?!?! Just for fun let's make it my birthday...April 8! Get your comments, following, and blogs done by 5 p.m. Pacific that day. GOOD LUCK!!!

Where Were You Five Years Ago?

2010-03-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

This amazing blog post by my friend at Alterity is one that every artist and craft person needs to read! It would have helped me to know half of this stuff about taxes with a jewelry business. =)

If you're just starting out head over and read this post because it could save you some heart ache (and money) in the long run!

I actually have an accountant person who has been doing my family's taxes for years and years (my grandfather's and my mother's) so I just kept with him to do my business taxes as well. I still don't know if my taxes are correct but he seems to be able to figure out my notes.

Feeling A Little Off

2010-03-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

It's one of those days. The kind where my mind isn't functioning on all cylinders.

First, poor little baby boy got driven to the baby sitters without any straps! I just plunked him down into his car seat, put his blankets and hat on and off we went. When I was taking him out of the seat at said baby sitter's house I realized he was loose as a goose. He could have wiggled free...or worse if (God forbid) we'd been in an accident.

So that's mishap number one.

Mishap number two involves me being stupid at work so I won't be super specific. Needless to say, when I am this tired I get a little sensitive. And I tend to take things that are absolutely not even about me too personally. *sigh*

The whole daylight's savings time has thrown baby boy off his schedule and therefore thrown me off mine. We were doing okay with him going to bed around 7:30. It gave me an hour or so to get things done for the day and then go to bed. Now he's not going to bed until at least 8:30 so I'm not getting to sleep until after 9:30 (too late for me!). I still have to wake up at 5:30 to start getting ready, while he sleeps until I wake him up close to 6:30. So I'm getting less sleep. And it's starting to hurt. Hopefully he can transition back to at least an 8 p.m. bedtime.

And I have all these ideas for jewelry designs and have not one single second of time to sit down and create. Somehow I think the spare time fairy will not be visiting me anytime soon either. I do plan to work on a really super extra long freshwater pearl hand knotted necklace soon...at least it's something I can work on in pieces and use a tray to work on anywhere in the house.

I hope the rest of the day sorts itself out. I'm going to have Chef Boy R D for lunch. Is that wrong?

Randomness on Thursday

2010-03-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

Well, I passed. =) Anyone want to buy some AFLAC? (Just kidding, I passed the exam, but don't have my official license yet...so no selling for me until then! But after that...*grin*). I go in tomorrow morning to sign my paperwork with Aflac and then I'll start their training. SO excited!!!

I had a really strange dream last night, or this morning, or whenever. We were living in a trailer, but it must have been a huge trailer because we had two big screen TVs and all kinds of other toys. Several people kept coming to the door to try to sell me something and I finally got mad and rude since they were so pushy. At some point I left the trailer and when I came back all of our stuff was stolen...but for ransom! From the sales guy who had come to the door. Is my subconscious trying to tell me something??? Oh, but he'd left the baby's bouncer so I had some place to put him. ROFL

I have a "lot" of jewelry stuff to do...and by a lot I mean four things. A former coworker's bracelet needs to be restrung. A customer's bracelet that she wears every single day needs to be restrung (any suggestions for restringing a daily wear bracelet so the wire won't break???). A pair of earrings to finish and send out. And ... shoot. There's another thing and I can't remember what it is. It's all going to have to wait until this weekend though.

I'm interviewing someone for my current job today. I *think* she's the one my boss and other boss want to hire. My interviewing her is pretty much just a formality so she can ask questions about the position. Should I try to scare her? hee hee hee ... no, I wouldn't do that because I really need whoever they hire to start NOW so I can train them. I'm actually responsible for quite a bit of stuff in this position...way more than when I first started five years ago.

My ten year anniversary with this company was March 6. I think I get a small cash bonus (I've heard $150 to $250) and it's going into savings to help me pay for Aflac supplies. Plus I now officially qualify for my two month sabbatical, which I'll be cashing out when I leave. It's my own version of severance.

Marshal has discovered his feet. He can entertain himself with them for a half an hour. I wish I was as flexible as he is.

We're trying to teach him sign language and it seems like he's figured out the milk symbol. When we do that one he now opens his mouth. ROFL Now to get him to distinguish between "milk" and "eat" (which is the sign for his rice cereal) and we'll be rolling.

I really miss making jewelry...I haven't made any in weeks and my desk is even messier than it was when I blogged about it last.

So these are my random thoughts for the day (although I'm sure I'll have a lot more...I'll spare you the details). I'm just relieved that the state exam portion of my journey is over.

We Interrupt This Broadcast

2010-02-26T05:40:00.000-08:00

I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment. I tend to do a bit more than I should and I think adding the studying for a new job has thrown me for a loop.

So I'm taking a few days off from my current job to study and get it out of the way so that I can at least have my normal level of insanity instead of this even more hyped up version of my life.

I have several new things to write about here on this blog but I'm going to hold off for at least a week. One includes an AWESOME review that I am SO excited about. :)

And clearly I'm not making new jewelry right now so any new additions to my Etsy shop will be relistings of previous jewelry.

If you have something that you'd like me to address (I know I've gotten a couple of requests from people on Facebook) feel free to leave a comment. I'm looking forward to doing some more quality (I hope) writing in the next few weeks.

Wish me luck on my test!!!

Help Haiti and Your Child's Future

2010-02-25T05:39:00.000-08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Cryo-Cell International. All opinions are 100% mine.

I know...two sponsored posts in as many days. Crazy right? But I had to write about this one because it actually hits very close to home for me.

Hubby and I talked and prayed about whether or not to have Marshal's cord blood stored. It's very expensive and the science is far from settled.

However, we did decide to have his cord blood taken right after birth and sent off to a company (not the sponsor company) to store in case (God forbid!) he ever needed it someday. Why? Because my father died from cancer at the age of 36. And hubby's mom is dying from Leukemia right now. We also have a variety of diseases in our family like hypertension and diabetes. But it was the cancer issues (since it's on both sides of our family) that made us decide to do it.

While the science might not be settled, I have faith that science continues to make huge strides in the area of stem cells. The cells inside the cord blood are extremely special - they are a perfect match for Marshal. Stem cells can (potentially) benefit him in the event that he has to be treated for a disease like cancer. There is even talk of stem cells helping with Type 1 Diabetes and to regenerate heart cells:

"Stem cells from umbilical cord blood may provide the raw material to repair the hearts of thousands of babies born each year with defective heart valves, according to data presented at last week's American Heart Association annual meeting."

Obviously these things are not settled science, but with our history it just made sense to save Marshal's cord blood. You only have one chance to save this precious substance and it's something you need to plan ahead. If you are having a baby soon, or plan on having one someday, I recommend discussing this option with your partner (and your doctor) and doing research on the best option for you.

Cryo-Cell International is working with Save the Children...for every person who enrolls with them, Cryo-Cell Int'l will donate $25 to Save the Children and the relief efforts ongoing in Haiti. This is only through the end of February, but even if you don't enroll this month it's something to be considered and researched.

Not Your Grandmother's Skin Cream

2010-02-24T13:52:00.000-08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dermajuv Skin Care Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you use skin care products? I am horrible when it comes to taking care of my skin. Maybe it's because I had to do SO much with my skin as a teenager (I had TERRIBLE acne) and so I just got sick of it. I've tried all sorts of creams and lotions though.

For me, it's a matter of convenience and I think that the trend has been to provide this for consumers. I hate even having to wash my face, but if I don't my skin breaks out like I'm 16 years old again. And since I do have to wash my face, it dries out regularly and I *should* use some sort of cream or lotion. What I'd love to see is a combined face wash / lotion. =) That's the trend I want to see in the future.

My mom didn't really use a lot of facial products that I can remember, but my grandmother always had a drug store worth of products in her cabinets. I LOVED going through all the bottles and potions when I was young.

Have products changed a lot since my mom or grandma's time? Advertisers want you to think they have but I'm not a scientist and I don't know. I do know that there are a LOT more options now (and there seemed to be quite a few options back "then"). Do they really work? No idea. They sure do have pretty packaging though.

You can purchase from big manufacturers like Avon, Dermajuv, or Clinique...or from small independent shops who make their products in their homes (like those folks on Etsy). I like that in the last few years we've seen more and more independent shops selling all natural products, which I see as a major trend going forward.

It seems like there are an overwhelming number of skin care options out there. So how do you determine what to use?

For me, I think looking at ingredients is important - but it's definitely hard to sort through all the claims. I admit that I'm tempted by Dermajuv's Acne skin treatment cream. I like the idea of avoiding the side effects of Benzoyl Peroxide, which makes my face turn bright red and itchy. If their "Resveratrol" ingredient does work better than benzoyl peroxide then it might be worth the $70 price tag. (Ouch!)

Do you think that creams can reduce wrinkles? I think it's probably a temporary effect, but if you use it every day it will give you some sort of benefit. "Matrixyl" is the ingredient that is supposed to help in Dermajuv's anti-wrinkle cream, but for $70 they need to show me a lot more evidence.

For now I'll stick with my oncoming wrinkles. :)

What is your skin care routine?

What's So Funny?

2010-02-24T12:40:00.000-08:00

I don't often check my blog or website stats. I know I should and I know I should care more and try harder, but I just don't. Thems the facts.

But I was taking a look recently, just to see what is coming up.

I do not know how people find me other than Entrecard or my website (or maybe Facebook) so looking at some of the search terms that bring people here as stumped me.

"Funny Pictures", "Funny Pics", and "Funny Photos" are the top three search terms that land people here.

Huh?

What's so funny about any of the photos I've posted? I may need to go back through my blog and see what I'm missing.

Gorgeous Jewelry Giveaway

2010-02-23T05:53:00.000-08:00

My friend Dana is giving away some of her beautiful copper jewelry. Head on over to her blog to find out how to earn entries. She's so talented, and she's even written a book! Not only that, but she makes her own jewelry bags now! Good grief. She puts me to shame.

We need to get together for lunch. :) I'm always staring at all her jewelry...she's really good about wearing her products. I need to do better!