Birthday Recap

34, wow really? Am I really this old? My 30's have been vastly different than what I thought they would be. First I have this amazing man in my life, my kids are great (for the most part!) and I am finally back in college. Tumultuous, crazy hectic life but yeah it is ours and it is good!

Yesterday started out great and ended up great! Got the boys off to school and then watched some shows off the DVR snuggled with Belle, and then we got up and got ready went to lunch with Shawn and his Mom at On The Border, and then from there we went to the 6th Floor Museum in Downtown Dallas. This is one of those places I have always wanted to go to but didn't want to drag boys if they were going to be bored. I was surprised to find out they don't allow photography inside the museum.

Fast forward to back at the house, checking in with kiddo's and review before exam, headed to class and took exam now out till Spring!!!

Then the kids and Shawn and I went to dinner at our favorite neighborhood pizza place! yummy!

I have great friends who gave me many blessings for a Happy Birthday and I am so thankful! Thank you all!


This is a note Elijah wrote me and wrapped around a bag of candy that was my present from him, Too Sweet!
Happy Birthday Mom!

For 12 years I have seen you, but I still haven’t seen enough! – (you can put that on Fall Book)
p.s. sorry for last year but let’s focus on this year and I love you so much. While I am at school people ask me if I’d rather be anywhere else. I say “yeah I would” But in my head I want to be at your side- Love Elijah Sanchez (your second son)

Every year I dread Halloween to New Years. I am not a scrooge I just know that from mid October to January it is non stop, fun filled, action packed. I think it is a combination of dreary weather, being pulled into many different directions at once and the dreaded birthday.

Not the kids birthdays though E has his in October and at times when he was younger had H-ween lumped into his birthday celebrations. Now that he is older he doesn't seem to mind so much and would occasionally use his birthday money to buy his costumes. B has that issue being Springtime as he is and that Easter interferes with his. But the worst thing for kids is to have a before Christmas birthday. Mine is at the beginning of December so not as forgotten as say some right before Christmas like Christmas Eve.

Whining? maybe! but growing up I always had fun filled expectations of birthdays and they just never really panned out they way that I imagined. Of course most things in life don't but... Now that I have gotten older my Dad throws what he calls a Reunion and the rest of us call a car show and a good time. All of dad's friends bring their hot rods or dragsters to a location, we visit, hang out and then they cackle the cars. It is pretty cool! Of course I tell everyone my dad throws me a car show for my birthday every year. The coolest one yet for a few reasons- number one I was YOUNGER!, and the other well I got to be in V while they were firing it off, wearing the gas mask and all!



I have no idea what Dad has in store for all of us this year and am excited for the day to get here. And excited because this will be the last year for the Reunion at it's current location and next year it will be in another location.

With all of that being said we also have to accommodate 3 family Christmas's and Inventory, numerous other birthdays and Christmas parties. It is a non stop whirl. Of course my favorite thing! I get to take a final on my birthday, oh lucky I am! I think that I am going to skip wintermester and take a break until Spring classes and then take 3 classes then. Mainly due to scheduling conflicts.

I have also been warning customers for the last two weeks that I am playing hooky on my birthday. We no longer do the small intimate Birthday celebrations we once did due to a new regime and there is no reason to be there all day.

Written but not Sent

A few weeks ago in class we had a professional mediator come in and talk to us and one of the things he said was that when President Lincoln was killed and they were going through his office they found a locked chest with WBNS which translates to Written but not Sent.

I find this an interesting concept because there are many times I would like to say something I find myself biting my tongue and not wanting to rock the boat. So that is why this idea interests me. If I could write my feelings down and lock them away, I will still be able to express them but not at the expense of everyone else or their feelings or at the worst offend everyone around me.

It seems there are so many subjects lately that are taboo I feel that I will have to employ this habit.

Lunch

Where to go to lunch is always a challenge. The area I work in doesn't lend itself to great places to eat, and then there are other people there. I don't want to be hit on, talked to or be social. I spend 9 hrs a day on the phone I don't want to talk to you for that hour. Take my order go away and don't come back.

This is what I require for lunch:

1- table
2- electric plug
3- wifi if I can get it
4- something on the menu that is not fried to 9th degree
5- Leave me alone

Yes I know I am very picky and this hit me today as I was playing the what restaurant am I not sick of game in my head as I tried to find somewhere to eat, that I could also finish my paper that is due tonight, that I should have done over the weekend or last night at the latest. But I didn't do it last night I went to bed, so I had to do it today. Now. So... there it is.

I choose not to eat at the break-room at work because of the 4 things they require there are 2 out of 5 and they are not the most important ones. I have many reasons for wanting to do good in my classes and eating at work is not conducive to any of them. Strange that a crowded McDonald's, Wendy's, SBUX etc is a better environment for getting homework done for class.

Wieght loss

After my last consult with both of my doctors and red flags were raised over my current weight, a goal was reached. I don’t think it is unobtainable it will just take some work. Yuck! More work. I currently am at my highest weight ever. Ever… so my doctors are both agreed that it has to come off, I agree of course and we ruled out anything medical that could be causing it, all blood labs are good, normal etc. So the goal is 20 lbs by December 1 of this year.

I am sure there are many things that have caused me to get to this point: age, lifestyle, stress, hormones, and children. I am sure the stress and the lifestyle are the most likely culprits, there are days at work when I do not budge from my desk and there are others when I am running crazy all over. The tension and stress level are very high at our work environment with not a lot being done to resolve it. No one wants to acknowledge the elephant in the room but that is another story for another day. The hormones are probably not as big of a factor as they could be due to the lab work and what their results were. Our lifestyle is hectic with extra busy thrown in, we seem to constantly be on the go and with class two nights a week and preparing dinner in between there is not time to bike, work out etc in between work and class.

June was especially busy for our household as we bought a house and moved and spent most of that month either at baseball, or going to baseball or eating out. That is the biggest culprit of all for us I am sure. Needing to grab something on the go and it is just so darn easy to go and grab a burger and be done with it. Of course then you need a shake to go with it. July was fast paced, it seems like I blinked and then we were getting ready to take kids back to school. Now remember we were on vacation for a week in July but vacation calories do not count, and though we did eat out a lot while in Florida it was not as bad as it could have been.

Before both of the doctor’s appointments I implemented several changes. The daily Starbucks habit had to go, as did the two to three Dr Pepper’s a day and raiding the vending machine at 3 pm when I would absolutely kill someone for sugar or chocolate. At home we are eating dinner together at home, and the boys and I are drinking milk or water with meals. We still keep iced tea on hand but I haven’t been drinking as much of it. Making a conscious effort to eat breakfast is helping I haven’t lost any weight but haven’t’ gained any either, inches are leaving as my clothes fit better than they did before vacation but not a noticeable difference yet.

It should make me feel better that I am not the only one of my buddies that struggles with this, but it does not. I know the lack of motivation when the couch looks so tempting instead of strapping on the Nike's and going around the block. It is too tempting to say oh it looks like rain, snow, sleet, sunshine whatever to avoid getting out there.

The daily food journal has also been implemented and I am trying to go to bed earlier than before, because new studies released recently show that people who get 8-10 hours of sleep at night are better equipped to deal with stress, maintain healthier weight and are generally happier. It is a slow process, I have to force myself to log off the computer and step back. But I am happier than ever we don’t have a TV in the bedroom anymore; removing that temptation also helps me to go to sleep earlier. We will keep you posted. I did not put it on overnight so it won’t come off overnight…

Hiatus

I think mine is over, I haven't posted anything- there was too much drama at home, work, and with family that I didn't want to live it much less write about it. I believe the majority of the drama inducing idiots have been kicked to the curb but only time will tell and I am not going to dwell on it anymore.

So- New post has been written but not actually posted yet... Might be something to do with being incredibly busy or it just might be procrastination. I am going with busy... But you can decide for yourself.

E-isms from tonight

E and I walked from the house to the park and around the lake and back, took about an hour and it felt good :) Of course we had to battle all of the gnats and mosquitoes but it was well worth it.

1- Ew what is that smell? It smells like crap - My response that is nature to which he replies so it is natural crap?
2- In all my 11 years I cannot believe how far technology has come.
3- Why are girls so difficult? (oh son if you only knew)
4- Let's take our albertson's bag to Walmart and tell them we bought them off of Ebay
5- Well I did want to play on the playground but it is full of little kids
6- And I know I am not supposed to watch Adult Swim but there was this funny show on and let me tell you about it....

And on the way home the most perfect one of all using me as a human shield from the sprinklers and saying hahaha It is awesome to be the youngest! Then gave me a hug and made sure to plaster my wet t shirt to my back. Nice

Joys of owning a home

Apparently I had forgotten the joys of home ownership in the last Nine months while we renting the Money Pit, we have seemingly traded $400 plus electric bills for yard mowing in July when grass is knee high, trying to fit all of our crap into our garage and still find room for honey's cars and last but not least un-childproofing this house to a comfortable level.

The previous owners did a fine job of child proofing - almost too good as we don't have small ones running around and won't likely anytime soon. With my boys being 11 and 15 there is not much need to have the drawer locks on every single drawer and opening in the house. But I do have to wonder why on earth they let the children run rampant through the house? I have scraped (literally) pieces of food off of the back door while attempting to clean the glass, and gone through one box of magic erasers in a vain attempt to take the pint sized Picasso's off of the walls. We plan on painting at some point but not ready to do it as of yet.

We are also having a fine time trying to mix our styles with the existing fixtures in the house and our furniture and decor. With the exception of the grownup living room it is pretty mixed as of right now and there is no flow.

Major projects that are most pressing- the gap under the front door, the back windows, and changing two light fixtures one for ugliness and the other because we broke it on purpose when we moved in. But it probably would have gotten broken on purpose for ugly too. I can't stand bright brass; too much time spent in the lighting business.

Little project are fixing a closet door, completing the switch of the light bulbs from incandescent to CFL and hanging to doors correctly. Really not to bad if you think of it. Of all the homes we previewed before choosing this one this home needed the least amount of work.

Furniture wise I have a few pieces I would love to get- the wicker chest that is going to block off the fireplace in lieu of the TV box that is blocking it now from the fuzzies playing in it. And my Papasan chair that will go in the grown up living room next to the bar. Then once that is done I can add the curtains, and recover the ottoman, dining room chairs, and the window seat.

However the greatest thing of all is thus- This home is ours and not a rental and that makes it all the more fun :)

Disjointed thoughts

Not a conscious subject this time- a word to the wise to those who do not read what I write - which is just as well as I write for myself more than anything else.

Why do my boys insist on fighting over anything and everything and at their ages I still have to consistently intervene, which for that matter why am I always the referrer? Why does my son insist on jacking with the radio as soon as we get in the car? Why do they make things as difficult as possible? Why do I eat when I am happy, sad, anxious, mad, bored etc? It is no wonder I have put on the weight I have in the past few years- it is not for any certain reason it is just there...

Why oh why do people insist they want to work and then look at you in aversion when you tell them to do their job as you tired of doing it for them? and why cant' supervisors follow through with actions when they say they are going to?

Why do I feel the need to get my household in order by any means necessary including cutting off all ties from friends and family and isolating us to where there are no outside influences in our bubble to fix what ever is wrong with my child that makes him so combative?

Why must certain people call you and then lie to you? Why is there such a thing as dead beat dads? Why does the Child Support system consistently fail?

Why is there never enough time in the day? And why am I on here when I should be doing any number of things including studying for the test on Saturday that I am going to bomb... Why are there letters AND numbers in Math? English I am great, I might not write fantastically but since this is freehand (typing) and I am really the only one who reads it - what does it matter???

Why do your best friends in the world have the power to hurt and maim more than anyone else and not realize they do it? And why has the most rousing game of phone tag been playing since Monday ? So far I am winning by the way!

Why do people feel the need to pass judgment when they don't walk in your shoes and deal with everything on a daily basis, they only see a snapshot and then make decisions off of that ?

Why do I always have to be the one in charge? Why do I have to make all the hard decisions? I don't want to be the mediator, the peace maker and the one to blame when it all goes South quickly?


And why oh why do the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally not ever love you unconditionally? Why must there always be strings, terms, conditions, and if you F it all up the devil to pay later, I want a do over...

School's Out

It finally hit me- this is my baby's last year of Elementary School and Blake is going to be in High School next year - Holy crap!

This year has been a revelation for us with school- First of all Elijah's teachers have finally realized that he is BORED! Yes he is that is why he acts up and is loud etc, so instead of getting himself into trouble he landed in the PACE program, which is our Gifted and Talented. How he managed this I don't know- he didn't get it from me and if he got it from the dark side I am impressed. The biggest problem we have had is keeping him from reading during other classes- that is such an improvement! and He loves his art teacher! She is amazing and really channels his energy in that class and thinks the world of him! With all of that said I have an incredible connection with his teachers and I am really going to miss them next year when his teachers only have him for an 1 hr and then he goes to someone else- I worry it is so easy to get lost in the shuffle.

Blake has had his struggles this year most of it is being a 15 yr old boy, that is too be expected, but he seems to honestly be getting it now. Next year will be a challenge for him as it will be a new school and new friends and learning his teachers all over again but I am confident that he will pull it off. He is still active in choir and art and will be working on his pin-striping this summer with the kit Dad got him for his birthday.

So... we are going to be busy this summer, first the move to the new house, then Blake will be working most of the summer for his Aunt and for his grandfather, Elijah will be going to a friends house so that he is kept busy and not eating Cheetos playing x box all summer, and then we gear up for next year...

One of these is not like the other

It has always boggled my mind how two children raised in the same house with the same rules, parents and opportunities can be so exceptionally different.

I have two girlfriends who have younger brothers who prove this without a shadow of a doubt. Both of my friends are hard working, law abiding, religious, family oriented females… Both of their brothers are often in trouble with the law, women, their own mothers, irresponsible and consistently make bad decisions – whether it be smoking potpourri or leaving the scene of an accident they caused. It doesn’t have to be that extreme there are brothers who work with me that one is highly intelligent and fluent in Spanish and English, while his brother is not fluent in English at all and requires constant supervision.

With all of this being said and if you are wondering I do have a point- how does this transfer to my boys? The oldest is now 15 and it has been a wild ride up to this point. He is sarcastic, more attitude that you can think one person can have, definitely a member of the ‘entitled generation’ and is solely out for number 1. He has no interest in school, groups, and sports, anything that remotely involves anything we suggest and yet turns around and says we do not offer anything to him that he wants to do. Now keep in mind the child has adamantly stated he doesn’t want to go to Orlando in July, for vacation- why because he doesn’t want to fly. That is the only reason. Now I have done the drive to San Antonio with both of them and it was a whipping so there will be no driving to Orlando.

The youngest is full of energy, caring, wants to be as involved in school as possible has about five different career paths laid out. This is not to say that the oldest doesn’t care about things he does just in his own way. Meaning I have to figure out how to bend it towards him. Sometimes I succeed mostly I don’t.

Right now we are learning the consequences at home they have always been there but for some reason they seem to be grasping the concept that I am not playing around. The house is cleaner as they are picking up after themselves, chores are being done more and when they are supposed to be done. Rooms are more picked up than normal. Something that I have said or done somewhere has finally sunk in. Oh wait go back and cross that last line out because I am afraid I just jinxed myself.

All my Children - sigh...

Well yesterday Jazz decided to take his stupidity to another level. Yes I can say this because A) I live with him and B) he gives new meaning to the word SPECIAL. Shawn was off for the day and I get an email while at work that says:

Jazz is retarded; he popped out the screen upstairs and jumped out, or fell out. Either way, he's ok, and was more than ready to come inside when I realized the screen had been popped out and went looking for him.

So goofball falls out of a second story window and can’t figure out how to get back in? Wow that is classic! I think he knew he was in trouble because he spent all night being very sweet, which is totally out of character for him. I am still in shock that he somehow didn’t take off running since he is my adventurous fuzzy child.

The other fuzzies are just the same as always Simon sleeps the day away and was snoring at me while Shawn was in the bedroom on the phone last night… So not fair since I wanted to go to bed myself but as I had TPC stuff to do could not quite manage it yet and it was also only 8:30. Belle somehow managed again to come into our room without the dynamic duo pouncing on her and she insisted on sleeping on my pillow again. It used to be my two legged children who didn’t sleep at night and now it is the four legged ones…

And more fun...

Today is our one Year Anniversary! All in all a very good year and I feel blessed everyday. I however thought I was going to spend it lounging around and maybe going to get my toes done, something along those lines.

Not so much I got up this morning went and ran errands, stopped at Starbucks for some much needed coffee, and came home and hit the ground running. So far laundry including rugs is going, E's room is clean and vacuumed (by him we just directed), lunch has been cooked and eaten, and I have been painting thanks to Shawn who goes before me and tapes off because he is so much better at it than I am and I don't have the patience. The boys bathroom is three quarters painted and the window sills in the living room have been painted also. Now I am sitting here trying to figure out if I am out of energy or want to? Not sure gonna finish my tea and think about it...

Since your the man....

I have a longstanding rule in my house- any male type person has to kill the bugs. Whether it be a fly, an ant or a spider I don't kill bugs. Any bugs. In fact my boys have known from an early age if there is a cup overturned on the counter there is a bug under t here and they are to kill it. And you would think with three cats in the house bugs should not be a problem. Not quite, so this morning while in the shower I looked up and to my horror was a HUGE spider! I called Shawn in and he told me to drown it, um no... You are the man you kill the bugs, that is not that much to ask right? Well neither of us are morning people so you can imagine he was thrilled to come and assist me, especially since it was not his day to get up early. However my honey did come in and save the day after informing me that I could have grabbed the sprayer on the shower head and do it myself... No thanks you are the man and bugs are your job...

The Week in Review

Well we survived the week with Shawn being in South Texas all week, it wasn't fun but we got through it. This week was busy but not busy enough to not get on here, I just could not order my thoughts well enough and I didn't want to whine about being all alone all week.

The boys had a good and bad week, seeing more attitude and trying to get away with things from B now that they have their doors back, but we kind of expected this. E gets his cable back in his room as he got all 80's plus on his report card for this six weeks. Of course we know the girl child got all A's on her report card because that is just what she does. Picked up a littlest Pet shop critter for her yesterday. Not bribery she would do the same with out us doing anything for her.

I had my first actual show this week and got a few bookings out of it so I guess this means that I get to continue doing TPC, which thrills me it is so much fun and I am really enjoying cooking everything and it being new and exciting and quick- and not standing in front of the fridge and the pantry going what is for dinner? Of course if the boys would quit eating everything I bring home I would not spend half as much time at the grocery store!

We picked up the motor and the hoist using my dad's truck yesterday and got it home so with the boys mostly gone for the week as it is Spring break I expect to see Shawn in the garage till it is done. There are worse things.

So I am sure that there are tons more noteworthy things that happened this week but... trying not to write like I talk and go on for miles- have a fantastic week all!

Sunday Sunday

Yesterday was busy as well - played with the new sewing machine, Cars and Coffee in the early AM, got a pedi, dinner at Chuy's with the oldest kid and the honey. However Sunday was the main focus of our weekend, getting Shawn ready to fly out, laundry kids ready for school, etc...


Well I was all geared up and ready to go, my first cooking show was today. And then my host got sick, really sick, Migraine and other issues, so we had to reschedule, totally bummed out. I was excited, nervous all the above! I found out this am as I was going to get myself ready for the show as I had spent the morning getting my tools ready to take with me. It took all morning to get everything together as apparently the dishwasher (machine and child) were not as diligent as they should have been in getting things cleaned before they got put up.

The nerves thing is new as it is the talking in front of people that was the catch for me, I can talk to anyone, about anything usually... I am in Sales by day, I talk on the phone and by email all day, Facebook most days and live for text and email. So why on earth did I not look forward to talking in front of all these people? Not sure but we will find out Thursday at my next show and see how tongue tied I get!

Went and got the kid and came home and snuggled with my honey since he is going to be gone for a whole week, this will be our first separation since we have moved in together and I am not looking forward to it but since we are grown ups, supposedly I will try and take it in stride.

Dinner was a quick and laid back affair Sloppy Joes made in my fabulous Deep Covered Baker, and White Chocolate mousse for dessert- total time (starting with frozen hamburger meat) was 40 min. I used to hate this pot could not stand it, I have moved it from one house to another and it just sat there- until in December my director said- you are spending to much time in the kitchen, we have to get you cooking quicker. Bless her!

here is my rendition of Sloppy joes- can be doubled as needed

1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup bbq sauce
1/4 cup chopped onion
hamburger buns

cook ground beef in microwave in Deep dish baker for 3 min to defrost, use TPC Mix and Chop to break up meat, stir in onions and return to microwave for about 3 more min until no longer pink, if still pink pop it back in for a few minutes. Drain, add bbq sauce, put back into microwave for 3-5 min to warm up sauce and mingle everything, serve with warmed hamburger buns.


There were no leftovers so that is always a good thing! Yall have a great week and I hope to be cooking and taking pictures this week!

TPC Parade of Recipes recap

Well it is official I am a Consultant, why now? Well I have 2 meetings and have closed my first show! It was a catalog show so that is not as fabulous as it could be but a show is a show is a show! I have made progress in the organizational aspect of keeping all my stuff together, and no longer have to hunt and rearrange every time I need something.

Last night was Parade of Recipes, which is a basically a huge pot luck of all the new TPC recipes, it was all very yummy! We had the Bacon Linguine toss, and 3 different types of desserts including the Kiwi Lime dessert cups which were oh so good! I will have to make every thing that we had last night because they were to yummy!

i also got my first little achievement, it is interesting since I do sales by day and then TPC weekends and evenings that this little piece of paper printed like Monopoly money is a great incentive but it is.

Today I get my sewing machine! So excited about that, I have an antique one that I cannot use but as it was my grandmothers it is not going anywhere, plus I get the material today for a friends baby blanket so I have two to work on this week, and hope to get them both done by Sunday.

Well I am off to finish getting ready for the day job and putting out fires and such!

Shuffling it all around

There are times I wonder why we do it all and there are times when I wonder how we get it all done.

This weekend was a lot of moving stuff- Kitchen table and chairs for a friend, her old table came to my house for a work station, new cabinet for the Showroomfx product because it wasn't working where it was. The old dryer leaving and the new one being delivered. The boys doors went on Saturday and then I cleaned their bathroom from top to bottom while they weren't here and rearranged vanity cabinet.

Mostly I was trying to get as much cleaning done so that A) I would not have to do it during this week since I have two meetings, one at the school and one for TPC (more on this below) and we have Cars and Coffee Saturday AM, and Sunday I have my very first cooking show! I am so excited!

The boys had a grand time this weekend since they went to my best friends house and stayed til today, then we went and visited with my dad while mom was at work (we were picking up the cabinet from their house) and looked at his computer, got some ideas on how to improve the Scorpion I page, and I showed him some weights that I have that were my Grandmothers. I cannot fathom what they are used for and Dad had never seen them before either.

Dinner was great will upload pictures later- we had Teriyaki Meatballs and Lo Mien, it was quick, tasted fantastic and will be a sure let's do this again.

As always during this crazyness and even though he didn't feel good Shawn was helping me with the loading/ unloading of furniture, and being a willing guinea pig. I am glad he is already in bed and didn't see that the cake that I made while looking good enough to eat was sadly very dry- I cooked it in the microwave just like the one last week but used oil instead of apple sauce as I ran out. Hmmm maybe different cakes take different cooking times? well duh.... :)

Saturday no day of rest!

Well it has been a busy week here, new recipe every night and the boys and the man have loved most of them. Most of the items we have been trying are out of the Weekday Dinners DONE set of recipe cards and are start to finish in 30 minutes.

Day work is crazy as ever and there is still not much happening in the political part of it. Bummer... But that is the way it goes. Happy to be employed I would go nuts if I wasn't.

TPC business is up and running nicely have about 10 shows booked right now lots of interest. My fan page is up to 47 fans which is so awesome!

As usual we have no kids and that is pretty cool but I do miss them. But taking advantage of it before Baseball starts up for E. For the first time this school year both kids are passing all classes, and if E keeps it up he gets cable back in his room. The bedroom doors are also going back on this weekend as I think they have both learned when not to push!

As for the furry children they are rotten as ever- the boys are still picking on Belle and get hosed down with the water bottle about 4 times per day. Sigh....

Our new dryer is being delivered today, gave the old one to a couple that didn't' have one and had two kids, it worked I was just ready for a newer one. I remember being in that position and it was hard, hoping that they get lots of use out of it.

So now we are off and running some more, today I have gone and picked up AF, to the bank, Starbucks, bought the gift card for my CPA, got Shawn donuts and caffeine, cleaned out my trunk. Now we are off to swap vehicles with my mom and go pick up a table and chairs that I found on Craig's List for my best friend because hers is falling apart. Then back here to meet the guys with the dryer and then I get to start in on laundry. Somewhere in between this I am going to go vacuum my car and enjoy the sunshine! Love yall have a great day!

Been busy busy!

Well this is still playing catch up from this weekend, when I started this I had planned on writing daily, but with everything going on time has gotten away from me. The weekend was pretty involved with TPC stuff, a meeting with my director, the glorious arrival of my kit, and getting everything washed and trying to find a home for everything in my limited cabinet space.

Sunday night we tried a new recipe after I got back from Scentsy party in Wylie ( see picture of new warmer it is so cute! It totally matches my living room that we are never in! ) I also just painted the mantel Saturday and it goes great!


Such as right now the boys and Belle are watching G force up here in the loft as I write this. We had awesome Easy Pork Fried Rice for dinner tonight and it was very yummy! Showing it in my Bamboo bowl as the Bamboo is the special for the next month, which is fabulous since they are so eco friendly and easy to care for. I have the large platter also and I am trying to decide what I am going to make that I can display on there... hmmmm might have to bake and take to work.




My fan page for TPC is up to 40 fans as of last count and that just thrills me, as with taking on any new venture it is definatley a little scary but so far so good on this one!

Catalog shows seem to be very popular with my set right now and that is great but I am thinking of adding a bake and take aspect- Preparing something the night before that just requires heating/ or display and letting the hostage take it with her to work, school, meeting etc... Just a thought and something I am kicking around...

Change? Or Progress?

It strikes me every time I drive through Wylie how much it has changed in the last 10 yrs or so. The biggest change is turning down the road by the High School of off 544 and there is a building where their used to be a road! I have driven that road so often for the last thirteen years I know where the old road was and if you take it now there is a building you will drive into. Sunday I was in Wylie and left my best friends' house to go to her Mom's for a Scentsy party. I drove the long way winding around to look at my old neighborhood, the day care the boys used to go to, and the school where they both went to Elementary (which seems so long ago with B). The largest impact I can see is all the strip shopping centers down 1378. The road is horrible still 2 lanes full of pot holes and they are lining both sides with businesses you cannot get to now and once they get up and moving the same problem that the other two elementary schools of that road have, two lane road and everyone trying to get in and out and get past at all the same time. I feel for the people who will have to drive that road.

Anyways my meanderings took me down past downtown Wylie, and it struck me as how some of the older businesses in the little curve on Brown St have fallen into disrepair, and yet they are building new ones. The old frame houses on Brown and Ballard most are gone or they are changed into businesses. It is a rough time to open a small business and I am in favor of doing what you love and being able to get by in this economy, I just realized that the Small town homey feeling was gone. I noticed it even further at Brookshires. They were still friendly the store is still laid out the way it always has been. It just didn't feel the same.

But most of all I realized that the feeling that I realized was missing I realized I was not the only one. The employee who took my groceries out to my car said he had noticed the same thing and was thinking of moving back to Plano where he grew up because it was less expensive to live and he didn't like the missing homey feel either. His exact words were" I am going to live in a city that wants to be a big city I mine as well move to a bigger city that IS that way."

In 1997 when I moved to Wylie there was a big debate against the railroad, they voted them out and the Railroad came anyways. Then they fought against Walmart, ten years later it is there, with a hotel across the street. My point is, when we clear all the land for strip malls, shopping malls, stores, houses, and schools is it a good change, this so called progress? I am not so sure anymore.

Patience

Well we all I know I have absolutely no patience when it comes to anything. Even more so when it comes to something I am excited about - namely my Pampered Chef business getting off the ground. Tomorrow is the big day, the Fed ex gods of awesomeness will bring my packages of goodies, new products, catalogs, paperwork etc. For some reason it takes 5 days to ship from IL to TX 71#. Strangely enough I can ship something at work that ways more and has more pieces and it will get to IL, OH, etc in 3 days or less but that is because LTL. But I digress.

Tonight the boys and I relaxed and watched Simon pout because Shawn wasn't home, we had Chicken Fajita tacos and Vienetta ice cream (yes Shawn we saved you a piece) It was a nice night as it was but I am not used to this crazy schedule Shawn is on right now.

During dinner we watched The Proposal which both the boys thought was great, I knew this I laughed so hard I cried in the theater when me and the girls went and saw it. Side note- need a new girls night out that was too long ago.

I spent some more time working on my website for TPC, getting my host packets together and working on Quicken. I will have to admit I am horrible with money but I am getting better.

Earlier this evening I spoke to my Grandmother in CA, and she is doing worse than I hoped but is optimistic that the new doctors she is seeing for her eyes and her osteoporosis will do some good.

Well off to bed, Space Balls is over and I have an early meeting. Night all

Musings and the weekend

Every now and again I start thinking wow I am really strange... We all have our little hang ups, but the past few days mine had really been on my mind. Such as when we go out to eat I cannot have lemon in my tea- the thought of all those people touching the cut up lemons yuck! When I mentioned tonight at dinner (Chinese take out) that I thought I was overly phobic, the three boys of my life informed no more than anyone else. So good to know :)

Dinner was nice and relaxed and we poked fun at the idea of working at Google, Shawn and I decided it is a definite WIN for both of us because you can wear jeans, ride bikes in the hallways and take your pet to work with you. I of course turned and looked at Jazz who I am pretty sure was plotting something. Simon would make a great paperweight but Jazz would be my attack kitty he would stand at the edge of my cube and whenever people I didn't like tried to come in he would bite. There is a running joke in the house that Jazz has MPD so instead of the seven dwarfs he is just pissy, clawy, scratchy, etc...

E has read enough through the schools program to earn 2 free tickets to Six Flags so that will be put on the agenda for the summer, on top of Orlando. Might have to grab the GP kid and see if she wants to go as well since Six Flags is in her hood.

Tonight is the last night Shawn will be home for a while at a decent time due to work and it sucks. We will get through it good practice for when he starts traveling again which I am dreading (probably as much as Simon) but I am not used to not being able to talk him in the evenings when the kids have gone to bed etc. Not to mention that if the boys follow procedure they will both abandon me to their weekend homes again.

I do have a rep in town from Houston that I am dying to meet he is one of those that I have mentioned in a previous entry that make my job worth while.

B has been a little quiet about school and girls the last few days but is still talking as much about cars so I am figuring everything is fine for now, or he will talk to me this weekend when it is the two of us.

My TPC stuff won't be here till Saturday and I am so impatient to get started! So hoping to spend at least some time this weekend getting all of that together. And I have interest in shows and booked another show yesterday. Which is why I have to get my stuff together as I have to give her a host packet on Sunday.

Not the best and not the worst

Rough morning no one got out of the house on time, taking the boys to school wasn't as smooth as it could have been- it happens- I am curious to know why on earth it is hard for bus drivers to realize how large the vehicle they are steering is and try to pack them into a lane like sardines in a can- not to mention the whole can't see kid factor but what do I know. Thankfully this was at the middle school and you would hope the kids getting off of it would not be as B puts not the brightest. Coming from a teen that is really hitting below the belt as they have a different ideal than we do about intellect!

At work (which truly is a 4 letter word) we learned today that if you are the lowest on the totem pole and your boss is ambivalent you must take an hour and half lunch to recover, and that a Frosty from Wendy's will help most things. I also learned that if your reps and your customers still love you it is worth it at times. At times :)

All in all I was excited to get home today and reconnect with my kids and my honey and see what was what and how their days went. So far so good- it seems E had his Valentines party today since they were out of school on Friday (and yes I refuse to call them Friendship parties) and even though I dislike Valentines' day for the commercialization on it we participated and sent what was requested-it is also his last one as he is going to Middle school next year. As usual I got a non committal response from B so I am going to assume nothing earth shattering happened today. Shawn just got home so we will talk and discuss our days and then go downstairs for dinner- Beef Stroganoff today with Broccoli and something else that i haven't quite figured out yet.

On a side note I got my last goodies that I ordered from a girlfriend's TPC show in January and of course Jazz was overjoyed he got a bag!




And E brought me flowers too!

off and running!

Last night Shawn and I watched the movie “How to lose a guy in 10 days” I love that movie, he had never watched it before, but it was funny the boss keeps saying write about it, write about it! So why not, is what I am thinking. Will anyone read it? Maybe but that is ok too J

Right now there is all kinds of exciting things going on in this house, for our cars side of things, Cars and Coffee is about to start up again, for those who haven’t’ been it is a huge car meet at 8 ish one Saturday morning per month, way early for me but it is great to get out and see the huge variation of cars that are there. The boys are usually ok with it as we stop and get donuts on the way there (no eating in the STI please, thanks!) and then they get to wander a bit and see what is what. Did I mention it is held at a BMW dealership? Well it is and that makes it even better for the 2 bigger boys.

E is getting ready to go to Middle school next year and he is very excited – we are going to have to figure out his varied clubs he wants to join as there is 5 of them right now. He is also going to be in G&T which is a big step for him as usually I was told he is bored, needs to be challenged we don’t know how to do it! Baseball starts soon as well which I am glad because I have missed it and his Uncle Pepper got him all new equipment 2 seasons ago. He is also reading voraciously and I am generally trying to talk him into just a few choices at the book store because he will be done in a week with them.

B of course is excited the next “Big” birthday is coming up and he is gearing up for it (I would not be ready however but I don’t get a vote) this is his last year at middle school and then he goes to HS. Again so not ready for this! Also of course we have multitude of race things going on with Dad’s car (www.scorpiondragsters.com) there is the Auto Rama this weekend, next weekend is the Texas Thaw @ Denton. Then in April there is the Austin Garage Crawl. He is also going to be working soon on the weekends I am really not sure when we will see him.

So I guess that leaves the big people that live in this house- Shawn is going to be crazy busy till ummm March, I will see him sporadically till then. Yuck! And I am off to a running start on my Pampered Chef business. Still wondering how I will work it all in, but looking forward to the challenge. Tonight was busy which is about normal. I finished up my online training, cooked dinner, supervised laundry for the boys and rearranged E’s room with his new bed frame. So it is about time to shut it all down and fight the good fight again tomorrow.

Night All

C

Today I am trying my hand at Chicken Fajitas- Pampered Chef style of course- Check out the pictures along with this great tip about slicing bell peppers I picked up the other night at our Monthly Sales meeting. Slice the bell pepper from the bottom - about 3/4 of the way down on both sides then peel open- the seed cone stays together you loose less of the pepper and it is easier to slice!

So after I combined everything and popped in the micro I had enough time to go swap laundry, load & unload the dishwasher and cook leftover chicken in same spices for something later this week- just thaw, heat and serve... Btw while I am doing all of this one kid is at his other house, and the other is at my parents, cats are trying to figure out why I am not feeding them if I am in the kitchen and Shawn is in garage playing with the WRX... typical Sunday for us

Of course I am still on a high because yesterday after long and careful consideration I signed my commitment to be a Pampered Chef consultant - this is something that has been brewing in my head for a while but honestly- until my support system was in place I could not conceive even doing it... So expect to hear total joy until the buzz wears off hopefully it won't for a while. In the meantime today I have been doing my online training and downloading all my forms etc, and getting my calendar in shape.


The boys don't have school tomorrow which is so totally not fair since we had snow on Friday and they got a snow day, Shawn was on a much needed Vacation day and I had to get up and go to work because that is just what I do when the weather is icky... But now the boys got a 4 day weekend... I so miss being a kid!