I am a Scentsy Consultant

Well for those of you who don't know...I just became a Scentsy consultant. This is the first time that I have ever tried anything at all in dealing with direct sales. I've wanted to try some things before, but either never had enough money, drive, or knew enough people to even start thinking about doing something like this. I have friends that are consultants with other companies and see how well they are doing, and I just had my first Scentsy party...it did so well, that I thought - hey why not become a consultant. My party allowed me to get $140 worth of free product and 4- 1/2 price items!! Whoa! And I like Scentsy (this is candles, by the way), because it's easy. They practically sell themselves, and there is not a ton of information that I have to remember about each product. Pretty self explanatory.

So my starter kit arrived on Monday. I've got some business cards, catalogs, and order forms ready to go. I've got all of the scents and my handbook, and the even better news is that I've already done one party, have another on the books, and yet another one that we're trying to get scheduled!! Yippee! So, my short term goal was to see how this whole thing played out and to at least get back (money), what I put in. And so far, it looks like I'm going to get that.

Not sure if it's going to bring in any major cash, but a little here a little there will help with a few bills - ie my student loan! But if it doesn't work out, then it doesn't work out. I'm just going to see how it goes...so wish me luck!

Josh's 1st Day of Preschool

Grrr. These keep posting backwards, and I keep forgetting about it.

Maddie wanted her picture taken too.

Goofy face.

He wanted me to take a picture of his backpack!

All set for preschool!

Well another school year has started and Josh was as excited as ever. This year he will be going Monday through Thursday from 8:45am-11:25pm. Last school year he only went on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-12pm. So you wouldn't think that it would be too much of a change, but boy has it ever been.

He was so excited to start school, as you can tell by his pictures! I had a meeting with his teacher a week before school started, and he had an orientation the Wednesday before so that he could get used to the classroom and meet his teacher. Brad took that day off so that we could all take Josh to school. It was so great for that to all happen.

And now that we've got the first week under our belts - hopefully we'll be more on time this week! I always felt like I was running late, and Josh wasn't getting settled before class actually started - because the classroom opens at 8:30 but class doesn't start until 8:45. Well I had been bringing him at 8:45, but all of the other kids were already there - so I talked with the teacher, and she said if I wanted to bring him earlier I could. So today, we got there a little after 8:30, and that seemed like it worked a little better. Plus, I think Josh is getting used to the routine and knows what to do now.

So we'll see how this week goes! And I'm trying to get more involved with Josh's school as well. Tomorrow night is the Preschool Policy Council meeting, so hopefully I will be able to attend that. I just know from here on out we're just going to keep getting busier and busier!!

Debt Paid

Well I probably shouldn't be saying this, but I'm just so proud of my husband for working so hard and one small thing that we've accomplished. As some of you might remember, Brad worked over 48 hours straight over Labor Day weekend. Well we've been wanting to pay down some of our debt so that Brad can buy a truck and we can maybe get a camping trailer next year. Well...that has finally happened (the paying down our debt part).

The debts that we've been wanting to pay off are our credit card (which didn't have a lot of meaningless charges on there, but charges nonetheless), my student loan and our couch (which still has no interest or payments until next year). So the biggest one with the highest interest was our credit card, and I am proud to say that we have finally paid that off!!!!

It feels great and like a weight has been lifted and it feels like a real accomplishment! So there it is. We did it, now only 2 more to go! Woohoo!

Labor Day Weekend

So our Labor Day weekend was pretty uneventful – and when I think of Labor Day, I think of the last weekend to have a BBQ with lots of friends and/or family and just hanging out. You know, the real last weekend of the summer type of thing. Well, that did not happen for us. Long story short – Brad got called out to work at 2pm on Saturday and we didn’t see him again until 3pm on Monday! He worked 49.5 hours straight. I’m so glad that my sister, her boyfriend, and my niece came up on Sunday – because I probably would have gone insane. That was the only thing that saved me that weekend. The kids didn’t sleep well – which usually always happens to me, and I was pretty much at the end of my rope. And I know there are plenty of moms out there that do this exact same thing and even some yet, that have way worse than I do – but it’s hard just the same. And for those moms out there that don’t know what it’s like to have your hubby away – the ones that their husbands come home every night at the same time and leave the same time every morning, with no overtime, etc. Cut us moms a little slack, it’s hard work, and call us to make sure that we’re doing ok, and if there is a little stress to our voices – tell us to come on over! It really makes a difference. So this is my shout out to all those single moms out there and to the ones who do this type of thing all the time – YOU’RE AWESOME AND YOU DESERVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE!!! Keep up the good work.

My 30th Birthday

So for my birthday, I really wanted to visit my friend Ashlee in Seattle. I thought it would be fun to have a girl’s weekend, and go shopping and just girly stuff. I left Friday around noon and got to her house in Bellingham around 3:30. Because Brad and I had to reschedule our anniversary trip – I was actually gone two weekends in a row from the kids! After I got there we chatted for a while and then headed off to get spa pedicures. Oh, so nice and Ashlee even treated me – I felt like a princess!! After that we got dinner and went back to her house to watch a movie. Then on Saturday we left for the outlet malls in Tulalip – it was like heaven opening their gates – pure bliss!! 110 stores, a Banana Republic outlet, a Coach outlet – anything that you could dream of was there. Brad told me to spend some money for my birthday, being that it was my 30^th and that I don’t normally spend money on myself – it is always going towards the kids. So all in all, I got 12 different pieces – lots of sweaters, shirts and a great pair of jeans! I can’t wait to go back!!!! Then we headed on down to Seattle, checked into our hotel downtown and got ready for dinner. Because surprisingly enough we shopped for over 4.5 hours – hard to believe, I know J We ate at PF Changs for dinner, and I had never been there before, so that was a great treat. Yummy! Then on Sunday we walked around at Pike Place market and around downtown and then it was time for me to leave. It was a great weekend.

And I have to add this part, because I haven’t really been able to complain about it to anyone – so I will do that here. On my actual birthday – I got a lot of people wishing me happy birthday – which was great and my dad and sister (and you, Jill) sent me a card – but other than that, no one really did anything for me. Well, I shouldn’t say that – Brad took me out to dinner, and yes, that does count for something. But he didn’t get me a card, and didn’t get me a cake (which is what I had really wanted, because I LOVE cake). And my own mother didn’t even get my card to me in time, and on top of that my mother in law forgot my birthday. My 30^th birthday – I mean, yeah it’s a birthday and most years that’s what I think – but it was my 30^th! That’s a milestone, if you ask me. My sister in law didn’t call and no card from her either – I guess it was just a little disappointing to think that the people that are the closest to me didn’t even bother to do anything. So it’s a really good thing that I did go to Seattle!

My pretty pink toes after the pedicures!

Dinner at PF Changs.

Walking around Pike Place Market.

Our Anniversary Trip

Brad and I were finally able to go on our anniversary trip to Coeur d’Alene on the 22^nd of August. It was so much fun and a much needed vacation. This is the first time that we’d ever been on a trip without the kids since before they were born. And now that I’m thinking about it, we never really took a vacation since our honeymoon – so it was only fitting to go back to Coeur d’Alene for our trip!

We dropped the kids off with Brad’s parents on Saturday morning (which that’s an entirely different story in itself) and left for Spokane, which was our first stop. It was so great to be back in Spokane (for those of you who don’t know, I lived there for 2 ½ years while I was going to nursing school). We stopped by Riverfront park and walked around – which is where Brad proposed to me and ate lunch while we were there.

Then, it was off to Coeur d’Alene. We got there at about 3pm and we checked into our room at the Resort – pure beauty!! When we made reservations, we were able to get a spa package and a dinner cruise package. So right after we arrived, it was time for our spa services. We both decided to have the hot stone massage done – and if you are ever thinking about doing this, I highly recommend it! It was so relaxing and I could have gone for another hour! When we got back to our room they had champagne and chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us because they knew it was for our anniversary – sweet! After that we got ready for dinner and ate at a Mexican restaurant. We were so exhausted from the night before (the kids didn’t sleep well), driving and being completely relaxed from the massage – we ended up heading to bed at 9:30.

Sunday, we were supposed to rent jet skis and lay out by the lake – but of course, the weather didn’t cooperate and it was really windy and the water was super choppy. So we had to change our plans a little. We walked around the pier on the lake, and ended up going to a movie – The Ti.me Tra.veler’s Wife – it was awesome. Then that night, we went on our dinner cruise – and I would suggest that to anyone as well! Overall, we had a great time – wishing that we would have stayed just one more night. But it was great to reconnect again and have some alone time!

This is the resort and this stupid picture won't post the correct way - this is like the 5th time I've tried to load this picture - so there it is!

The view of the lake

Our dinner cruise