Whew...

I am relieved to be back to a somewhat normal schedule for a couple days, anyway. I disappeared last week because I ended up with several jobs (got called to work on an internet project, as well as still on an ongoing project, and had two chocolate shows on top of, well, life), while still acting as a single mom until hubby came home Sunday night. It was a lot going on all of a sudden! So I probably could have updated you last night, but the same time hubby got home, a project wrapped up and I had a date with my mattress!

Now I'm back to the ongoing project and the chocolate biz, but mostly trying to have all my loose ends wrapped up tomorrow so I'll be ready for my heart procedure on Wednesday. I have to spend Wednesday night at the hospital for observation, but then I'm free for the rest of the weekend! (Well, except there's a meeting I really want to go to on Thursday night..hahaha) Apparently being busy is an addictive habit!

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Is it really only Tuesday? 24 last night was awesome...again. Sometimes I feel guilty for how hard I try to get Maggie to sleep before it starts so I can watch 'my show.' But really? I see other peoples' lists of shows and decide I'm not doing too bad. And it doesn't actually start til an hour after Maggie's bedtime anyway.

I don't remember being nearly as concerned about my back surgery in 2006 as I am about my heart procedure now. Aging is apparently not doing good things for my anxiety levels.

Maggie threw an all-out tantrum at 9:00 tonight when I wouldn't let her finish watching The Princess and the Frog. I finally let her go to bed without brushing her teeth as my part of negotiations. Which really doesn't make much sense, since she usually likes brushing her teeth (translation: sucking all the water and bubble gum flavored toothpaste off her toothbrush).

There's something each day that just makes me shake my head and laugh at Maggie. Tonight it was as we were leaving our playdate. She took her cup of cheerios from snack and headed upstairs to go without me. When I caught up a couple minutes later, she was sitting on the couch watching tv in their living room. She had the cup of cheerios in her lap and had just finished waving hello to the kid's dad who was working on his laptop at the other end of the couch. Make yourself at home, Maggie. Really.

A Memory for a Monday

Imagine a woman who acknowledges the past's influence on the present.
A woman who has walked through her past.
Who has healed into the present.

Imagine a woman who authors her own life.
A woman who exerts, initiates, and moves on her own behalf.
Who refuses to surrender except to her truest self and wisest voice.

This is just part of this poem by Patricia Lynn Reilly which we read in our class yesterday. How very moving. The key, of course, is imagining yourself as this woman. Imagine having that confidence in yourself and your place in the world. Powerful, indeed!

I just had to share that, first of all.


On another note, I remember a particular occasion where I don't think my mom thought I was getting the treatment I deserved when I was a young girl. I was invited to a birthday party, at the last minute. Obviously my school friend had invited someone else who couldn't make it, and I was invited the day of the party. Although I realized all of this, I didn't really care that I wasn't the first pick.

I wasn't a particularly popular girl in school, so it wasn't the first time, or the last, when my selection was probably just an afterthought. While I was book-smart, that very seldom endears kids to each other. I wasn't athletic, either, and isn't gym class when the most exclusionary 'dividing into teams' occurs?

I went to the party, with a card containing cash as a gift (and even that felt cold and impersonal - cash as a gift for another child?). This is where the memory ends for me. I went to the party, happy to be included, even as an afterthought. No one was cruel once I was there, and I was easily welcomed and included in the party's activities.

Not everyone can be the first pick, obviously. I think it bothered my mom knowing that I was a last minute invite, as well as dishing out cash for a gift to a child I must not have been very close with. But I wonder sometimes if she realized that I knew the undercurrents as well and just didn't care. It can be nice just to be included and be there, even if you know your attendance doesn't really change the event either way.

Weekend in Review!

Friday: Luckily it was a beautiful day weather wise - I spent most of it on the road! Maggie and I got up in time to go drop her off with Papa so I could go to my cardiology appointment. While none of it is super far, I was in the car for an hour and a half so far to get to my appointment. After my appointment, I had the afternoon more or less free, so I drove another 40 minutes to pick up my niece before driving just over an hour to take her back to Papa for the afternoon/evening.
Once I got back to Mimi and Papa's, we stopped to show off the girls at Mimi's office for a few, then Mimi and I headed to a Sashay jewelry party while Papa and the cousins stayed home to play. The girls had a ball (and Papa too, of course, except for a couple 'gifts' Maggie made for him in her diaper...).

Saturday: The morning was pretty laid back. After her crazy party night, Maggie slept til 9 AM, then we got going at a nice leisurely pace. I got some laundry done and got ready for my chocolate show that night.
Early in the afternoon Mimi and Papa came over and we went Easter dress and shoe shopping. It was a successful trip - we found a perfect dress for Easter, and Maggie also found another dress she needed. From there we went on to find pink glitter shoes to go with her dresses, and silver glitter tennis shoes. What else could a two-year-old girl need?!

Sunday: Today we were happy to have daddy back home for the day! Once we finished breakfast at Denny's, we headed out so I could go to my class while Maggie and daddy had their standing date at the mall play pit. When I was done we headed to the Hands-On museum. I was excited because I hadn't been yet. And Maggie was thrilled because it was her choice of activity. Daddy had asked her in the morning what she wanted to do with him and she said, "Go to the moooseeeum." So we did :) It was a fun trip for all of us.
This evening I'm catching up on some chocolate paperwork and hubby is packing for his next trip (pleasure instead of business this time). I'm eagerly looking forward to having my heart procedure definitively scheduled tomorrow so I can get on with planning the rest of my spring for business and pleasure!

Last Day...

So this should be my last day of this term of topsy-turvy inability to plan. Tomorrow I really want to get my procedure scheduled, so I can finally book things around that (and a few days after that...).

Tomorrow I'd rather do my job as our home budgeting software and send hubby's paycheck out to the people waiting for it, but that'll wait until probably Monday. Since he's paid every other week anyway, we're getting further ahead each check. I have our budget set up for twice a month, and we'll get three checks in April - yay!

Once my appointment with the cardiology team is done tomorrow, I'll be ready to get the party started. I'm hoping to stop by the chiropractor's office, since I'll be nearby, and then going to a party with mom while Maggie and her cousin stay with Papa.

With tomorrow all booked up, I feel like today is the last day of the week. It is the last day of the week with any free time for me!

What the Hell Wednesday

In the words of Stacy and Elle:

Wednesdays are great for Wordless and Wordful posts, but we decided to go a different route and create our own Wednesday fun. We figured what the hell. That’s how we started What The Hell Wednesday. Who are we kidding? That’s pretty much how we decide on almost everything.

To play along, drop by and visit them at Blue Monkey Butt. There's a MckLinky and everything. (And they pretend they're not organized...)


This is my very first What the Hell Wednesday, and I was given the idea to join in and post because of dead lightbulbs. Two of them in our kitchen light fixture. The catch? They're those 'wonderful for the environment and your electricity bills' CFL bulbs that are supposed to last so much longer....There are three bulbs in this particular fixture. The standard bulb has been there the longest, and is still working. The two CFL bulbs have been there a few months, then up and died. I'll stick with the old, reliable ones, thank-you-very-much!

The Dairy Queen by my house is MOVING! No one checked with my family before making this momentous decision! The lady I overheard at the planning meeting at DQ today said, "It's only moving a half mile or so." Lady, I WALK to the Dairy Queen while either pushing a stroller or encouraging a toddler to walk alongside me. Have you tried that lately? I'm guessing she hasn't. The new location is also a ways down a busy road instead of the neighborhood I walk through now. I heard them throwing around April dates, but I also heard talk about a drive-thru and city approvals, so maybe it's for next year? A girl can hope...

And although I've covered it before, I'm sick to death of waiting for my heart procedure to be scheduled. Try living your life without looking more than a week out, because you have no idea if you'll be available. It's like my calendar ends this Friday. Very, very depressing. I don't even know who to direct this WTH to, since I actually like my cardiologist and feel he really is trying to move things along as quickly as possible...

To-Do List (the rest of whatever week this is...)

Didn't I tell you I'm already too busy this week? I'm forgetting things left and right. Besides being busy, I'm stressed out and can't accomplish a lot of the things I'd like to until after my cardiology appointment on Friday (when they'll HOPEFULLY schedule my heart procedure). For the rest of this week, though.. I need to:

• Mail thank-you card to last weekend's chocolate party hostess
• Make thank-you postcards for last weekend's chocolate party guests who I have addresses for (which really isn't very many - most of them just gave me their name and cash...)
• Mail extra invite postcards to next weekend's chocolate party hostess
• Apply best wrinkle cream frequently. Maggie climbed up on my lap yesterday to see the dry, flaky skin under my eyes when I wasn't wearing makeup and said, "Mommy has a boo-boo." Thanks, kid.
• Prepare chocolate show folders for this Saturday's chocolate party.
• Pack samples and cash-n-carry chocolate items for jewelry party I'm going to Friday, where I was invited to set up a small chocolate display.
• Call MIL and confirm that she's coming over to go to swim class with Maggie.

I think that hits all the high points....

Random Tuesday Thoughts

What a hectic week already! I totally forgot to take (or post, obviously) a picture of the day for my 365 Blog! Only the third day I've missed so far this year, with the first two being due to me being miserably sick after medical procedures. Darn :(

We bought The Princess and the Frog today. I love it, and so does Maggie! We were supposed to have a play date this evening, and I reminded her of it right before her nap. Unfortunately the hostess' daughter has strep throat, and we found out during Maggie's nap. The first words from Maggie's mouth when she woke up were, "Play date?" Umm....no. So I bought her off with the movie :) I hope Mimi and Papa enjoy watching it this weekend too!

Maggie's new activity to ask for is a 'walk at the mall.' Oh, yes. I have no idea where she picked that up :D

Maggie is now in bed and keeps yelling things at me. I just started to print a document and when she heard the printer she yelled, "What are you doing?" When I told her I was working and she should go to sleep please, she said, "Okay!" I'm not sure how sleepy she may be when she keeps yelling like that :P

If the weather is so nice again tomorrow I'm thinking we may walk to Walgreen's to get the swim diapers we need for swim class tomorrow night. We'll see. But we have no other plans during the day, so it's definitely an option.

As the awesome picture shows, we had gymnastics class this morning. Maggie is listening much better now that she's not confusing open gym with gymnastics class (I've decided to stop taking her to open gym as long as we're in gymnastics class). This picture (and a bunch of others) was taken by the mom of another student in her class. She said next week she'll bring her 'real' camera instead of her little point and shoot. Some of the pictures may eventually make it to the website the gymnastics center is currently making. The teacher helping Maggie in the picture is Ms Val.

What Works for You?

I was talking to a friend over lunch about diets that work - or trying to find them, anyway! Her husband just did the South Beach diet, but she said she doesn't like all the meat it wants you to eat. We figured out that our idea of a 'diet' is usually trying to eat the right things, especially since our kids are watching! If my daughter knew how much I really prefer junk food, we'd be in trouble! I think everything in moderation is usually okay, but the moderation is so hard to maintain sometimes....

If you could have anything to eat tonight, what would it be? I'll be having the last of my leftover Funky Shrimp Stir Fry from Saturday night's dinner at the Mongolian BBQ place. Last night was leftover steak. It sounds like this week I'm eating well!

Weekend in Review

Friday night: We just stayed home and had garlic chicken that I hadn't made for a while. Don't know why I quit making it - it's yummy! Maggie and daddy snuggled up and watched some Snow White afterward. Maggie really wanted to wear her new animal PJs, but I've got to wash them first...

Saturday: We woke up to rain. Hubby knows how fond I am of driving in the rain (not at all...), so he offered to drive me about an hour away for my chocolate party in the afternoon. While I partied (and made about $125!), he and Maggie headed to the Imagination Station in town. This is the second 'hands on' type museum they've been to - I'm getting tired of missing out! I loved the pictures and videos he took of her in the room with the mirrors and black-light best. The dress she was wearing really showed it off!
Once we got back from 'mommy's chocolate work' (as Maggie calls it), Grandpa and Grammy came over. They brought a new fall jacket for Maggie, and we all went out to a local Mongolian bbq place for dinner.

Sunday: The morning passed way too quickly once we adjusted to the time change! We were able to make it out of the house a few minutes early so I could go shopping at one of my favorite resale shops in Ann Arbor before my church class. I got Maggie a spring jacket, a dress, a skirt, a pair of PJs and a shirt for just $23 and change!
After my class we headed back to town to stop at Target and pick up a few travel things for hubby, and new tights for Maggie (since I was unable to find any at the resale shop). Then we went home to meet up with more company! Aunt Sarah and Pete came over for a visit, then we went to Logan's for steak dinner. Yum!!

The weekend has now come full circle and Maggie is happily asleep in her new animal PJs from Friday :)

10 Random Things for Friday

1. Whoa. I almost missed Friday there, didn't I?
2. I've got my paperwork mostly packed for tomorrow's chocolate show. I just need to pack my samples and giveaways tomorrow morning.
3. I'm rocking out to my Death Cab for Cutie channel on Pandora tonight. Go, me.
4. I went to my cardiologist appointment this morning to find out that I need to go see the next specialist next Friday to schedule my actual procedure. Oh, and instead of a large ASD, I now have a very large ASD. Go, me?
5. I believe I've lined up all the wonderful friends and family to watch Maggie (or in one case, do one of my non-favorite activities with her) while hubby's gone. There's one more I'm going to call, but it's not for almost three weeks, so I'm waiting til after this weekend to call her.
6. One nice thing about not trying to get pregnant right now is chilling out with a Southern Comfort and Coke. Yum, me.
7. Don't forget Sunday, March 14 is Steak and BJ Day (adults only - refers to a sex act...). Just putting that out there.
8. Last night and tonight, when we've tried to get Maggie ready for bed she wants to wear her animal pjs. Unfortunately I just bought them yesterday at Target and still need to wash them. I can't wait to see her in them, and she'll be so excited!
9. Maggie and I almost got to go to the new bounce house in the mall today, but their credit card machine was down, and I was planning to use my debit card to pay the whomping $5 fee. A good move on their part would have been to have us in 'on-the-house' and this would now be a glowing post about them. Instead we walked around the mall since I didn't want to use the nearby ATM to draw out $20 and pay a fee. Maybe I'll go back there another time. Maybe I'll just keep going to the Jungle Java a few miles away.
10. I'm getting ready to send a bunch of postcards to folks who have considered becoming chocolatiers in the past. Dove brought back the special introductory kit that's only $79! You'll make that back within one average show, with change leftover! Talk about a risk-free trial ;)
    

Ladies Who Laugh...

I'm so excited! I was selected as a House Party hostess for the Ladies Who Laugh party from Poise. Never mind the fact that I'd rather not discuss light bladder leakage on my blog - we get to make a funny video and submit to win a trip! If you're not a House Party member yet, get over there! I've had several parties, as well as attending parties friends have had. It's always a good time!

So far I've even found another fun blog through reading other hostess comments on the party site. Check out Stinky Flowers. Very funny reading! Sometimes I feel like my life is funny, but when it's in swing I usually don't have much time to blog the details, you know?

Blogger's block has been hitting me a lot lately. I used to think reading blogs I really loved would help move me out of it, but I'm beginning to suspect they mostly just intimidate me. See? I just sat here for a couple minutes thinking about what to write next. The thoughts that come to my mind are too personal to share with strangers, or too personal to share with the people I know in real life who read this blog, or not at all personal, and just boring. Where is the happy medium?

Forget about that last paragraph - back to laughing! What makes you laugh? Let me know - I'm planning a party that's sure to be full of laughs :D

Random Tuesday Thoughts

I am having an entirely blah week so far. I know it's only Tuesday, but these blahs are pretty excessive already. I can't handle any resistance at all, and I keep stumbling across stuff I didn't realize I use so much, that isn't yet installed on the computer (since it's all cleaned up like a shiny new penny now). And I feel like such a moron as I stumble around trying to get it to work.

I'm so glad it's finally warming up and the snow is going away. So. Glad. Course now that means I keep being overly optimistic and trying to leave the house without a coat. Until I realize I'm freezing and hurry back for at least my light jacket. I bit back my fury the other evening when the guys said it was nice out and Maggie didn't need any more than her sweatsuit jacket. Then her wittle fingers started turning blue. Lesson learned. Mom decides who needs a coat and gloves.

I still need to bake chocolate cookies for my party on Saturday. Don't let me forget.

I'm quite annoyed that PBS has re-done their schedule. We used to watch Maya and Miguel, and then it was naptime. Now the kids' programming stops at like 12:30 - well before our 3PM naptime.

We go see the cardiologist again this Friday for the referral to the pediatric cardiologist who will fix me up once and for all. I'm in a hurry to get the procedure done because I'm really, really hoping it will give me more energy. I need more energy.

I'm actually feeling quite random today, apparently, but it's time to go box up the orders I was trying to sort in the living room (unfortunately I'm unable to print the labels I need) and wake up Maggie so we can eat something before our 6:30 PM playdate.

What a Fun Weekend!

Busy, busy, busy and fun!

We started out yesterday morning by going to the Nursery School Olympics. What a great event! They had probably close to 20 different activities for toddlers and pre-schoolers. Every 'event,' like the Obstacle Course, the Marshmallow Shot-Put, the Big Wheel Race and the Pirate Tug-of-War had a special sticker to put on your sheet that listed the events (so you could be sure to do every one), and then everyone got prizes! There really wasn't any competition, and each of the activities we did were individual, not actually against anyone else. The last activity to complete was getting your medal and getting up on the podium to get your certificate. It was great for Maggie, if somewhat over-stimulating!

After the Nursery School Olympics, we headed over to MicroCenter to get a new laptop! Yay! Having a laptop will make it much easier for me to accept some computer jobs, since I'll have a reliable back-up machine, has made it easier for us (mostly hubby) to clear off my desktop and reformat, and I'll also be able to take a laptop with me to chocolate shows in different tax areas and charge the right amount for orders, since I can enter them on the spot. Very exciting! We also got the newest and best-est virus stuff, and a new ergonomic keyboard for me - it is super!!

Since we were already out and about, we then went to the mall to browse a bit and get some spring work clothes for hubby. Maggie was bribed to good behavior by knowings she'd get to play in the kids' area once we were done with mommy and daddy's stuff. She's having such a good time playing with other kids lately!

Today she got to play in another mall play area while mommy went to her Cakes for the Queen of Heaven class, then we all enjoyed a walk in the nearly 50 degree evening before dinner. We're winding it all up with two fixed up computers, a bit of progress on cleaning up the office, and some chillin time for mommy and daddy, since Maggie went right to bed tonight (as opposed to the last few nights...ahh, life with a toddler...).

Hope you had a super weekend as well!

Glowing

I'm glad I haven't had to worry too much about break-outs since high school. Now I get to spend my time and energy on other parts of my make-up instead of zit cream. Just this morning I found a lip combo I really like. I've got a cinnamon color lip stick that I got from Avon a while back, but it was almost too brown for me. When I put my pinky-rose from Victoria's Secret on my bottom lip and my cinnamon from Avon on my top lip then smush them together - perfection! Now we'll just have to see how long it lasts!

Should I Improve?

As I was looking online the other day at all of the things that people seem to consider as 'improvements' to themselves, I came across one I wasn't familiar with before. I've seen plenty of diet and exercise plans along the way, as well as lots of creams and vitamins intended to keep us younger for longer. One I hadn't heard before was a hgh supplement. Supposedly taking human growth hormones can reverse aging. Huh.

Sure, I'm as resistant as a lot of people when it comes to the idea of my skin wrinkling and losing its elasticity. And don't get me started on the aches and pains that seem to be creeping up as my body gets more worn out from carrying itself around. But reverse aging? I've earned my wrinkles, age spots and even a gray hair or two. I might try something to avoid the aches and pains, but I don't want an artificial body. I'm used to the one I've got.

What do you do to fight aging? Would you rather wear your age with pride (okay, to an extent, anyway), or leave this world looking like an airbrushed version of other friends your age? (Gee, hard to tell where I stand, eh?)

Surprising Enjoyment...

Some people may question my sanity when I tell you what I've been enjoying doing tonight.

Paperwork. I've been doing thank you postcards, and reminder cards, and the labels to go with all of them, and decorative stickers on them. It's satisfying for me. When I get caught up with the paper, I look forward to updating the database of newsletter subscribers and calls to make next week. Although part of it is procrastination (especially when I'm drawn to doing it when I'm supposed to be making calls), that's not the case tonight. No one would want to hear from me now, and I should be sleeping, which I would definitely enjoy. But I like what I'm doing.

I'm not sure if there's a support group, but I'm here to confess that I enjoy paperwork. Oh, and meetings too, if you're interested.

What do you enjoy doing that other people would consider weird?

On the Other Hand....

Remember that salad I was so anticipating all day? I had it, and it was delicious. And then it made headlines. Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad checks in at 1,430 calories in an article Yahoo! shared from Men's Health this afternoon. The title of the article? "The Unhealthiest Salads in America." Here I thought between my metabolism and decent choices I may be able to avoid the best weight loss supplements. Think again....

Finally!

I finally feel like I can go on and enjoy my weekend now. It took me all week to get around to watching 24 on hulu!
I have to say, I felt the first inkling of not hating the CTU director when he gave the president's guy what-for.
I don't want to throw in any spoilers here, but I will say that I feel bad for Cole because his girlfriend used to be a douchebag, and has caused a lot of trouble for them both. We'll see if they last. And Owen has lived longer than I expected him to - just sayin...
So now I can relax and enjoy my weekend, and I only have to wait two and a half days til the next episode! Don't worry, Jack, I've got your back!

Are you a 24 fan?

I'm Unique

As I do my regular internet and blog surfing while Maggie naps, I realize how much my interests don't really 'mesh' with what a lot of what I read. I read funny stuff about people working in offices, or recommending a diet pill that works while I work alone and eat my way through a box of peanut butter patties (I'm old-school - they aren't 'Tag-a-Longs' to me).

10 Random Things for a Friday

1. I'm thrilled it's supposed to be warming up this weekend. Thrilled, I say.
2. I'm going to Applebees for lunch today because I love their salad thingy that's on the two for $20 menu. I don't remember exactly what kind of salad it is, but I remember I like it. And I don't usually like salads all that much, so that's saying something.
3. I'm expecting some stickers and postcards for my chocolate job today (okay, maybe early next week) and my order from Alice.com today. I love getting stuff :)
4. I'm dreading and really looking forward to the repair of my heart defect at the same time. I've heard a couple stories of people very, very happy with how they felt afterward. I'd love to have more energy! How great to feel better when I didn't realize I was feeling bad, right?
5. I'm having another of those days where ten is a LOT of things....
6. Maggie's new phrase is, "I'll be right back." Then she walks away and expects me to stay where I'm at. Sometimes it's okay if I follow her, sometimes it's not. When it's not, it just sounds like trouble and I tell her so.
7. Did I mention that salad I'm craving for lunch??
8. Once I get caught up on some other stuff, I'm hoping to have time to work on my office before the 'other stuff' comes back again. Such is life.
9. I'd like to see Alice in Wonderland this weekend. With or without hubby, I told him. I'm just going to need so much help watching Maggie during the two weeks he'll be gone coming up that I hate to try and get someone to watch her so the two of us can go to the movies. And I really think I want to see it more than him. We'll see.
10. I feel like so much of my life is on hold waiting to get this heart thing taken care of. I plan to schedule an Essential Bodywear (bra) show and a wine show, but I need to straighten out all my procedure dates first. I'm the sort of person who loves having plans to look forward to, and right now I'm sort of stuck.
    

And After Lent?

I am not (by any stretch of the imagination) Catholic, and haven't given anything up for Lent in years. I used to only realize Lent had arrived because of the paczki showing up on a table in the office. Now that I'm not in an office? I didn't realize it was here until a hostess called to postpone her chocolate party until after Easter because of people dieting for Lent. Hopefully they'll be ready to really indulge and buy one of everything from the chocolate catalog after giving it up for weeks!

I wonder if sales of a diet pill that works go down during Lent also. You know, since people are supposedly avoiding something bad for them anyway. Are Weight Watchers meetings suddenly empty? How serious are people about Lent? I honestly didn't even realize any religious significance until after I'd given things up. I just gave things up because other people did - sort of like it gave me something to do. A New Years' resolution a couple months late, if you will.

What (if anything) are you giving up for Lent? Is it just to give something up, or is it really something with religious significance for you?

Maggie's New DVD

I sure do love winning! Who doesn't? Last week we received the new Juno Baby DVD that we won from Hip Mama's Place. Since it came the day after a Baby Einstein DVD from Netflix, it's taken us a few days to watch it. When I put it on this afternoon, Maggie was immediately sucked in. She loves it! It's puppets instead of animation, which is a switch from a lot of shows, but right up Maggie's alley.

The character of Juno is a real cutie. She's got black hair with pigtails like Pippi Longstocking (standing straight out). Maggie loves her pigtails, but won't let me put pigtails in her hair. She says they're just for the girl in the movie. The cat and the bumblebee are also favorite characters. I unfortunately haven't figured out what the other yellow guy is yet, so we just don't talk about him by name.

Since it's only been one day, Maggie is still enjoying watching the movie, but I'm sure sometime next week she'll start mimicking all of their activities. That's when it starts getting even more entertaining for me :)

Thanks again to Hip Mama's Place and Juno Baby!

Adorable Maggie

Maggie and I went to the gymnastics open gym this morning. She just loves running around and playing on the equipment, and I can't complain about how much better my back feels standing or sitting on that squishy floor!

I kept trying to get a picture when Maggie would dive onto the cushion at the end of the trampoline. Her pants have a picture of a cat's face on the butt, but it was usually covered by her tutu. Until she dove. Then the cat had a little purple tutu hat on. It was adorable, and I only regret that I probably looked like some sort of perv repeatedly trying to take pictures of my daughter's butt.

Oh, to be a toddler again. No worrying about getting rid of belly fat - their little round bellies are exactly what they're supposed to be! And that energy - if we could bottle that up, eh?

The Skinny On....

I'm not sure if you've picked up on it here over the years, but I love direct sales. It makes sense to me and I usually enjoy doing it. What you put into your business is what you get out. Not much in life is that fair.

For anyone else you know who is in direct sales for whatever reason, I had to tell you about a book I just finished reading. I won it over on Best of Boards (a direct sales forum that I'm active on and also recommend). The book is called the skinny on direct sales - your first 100 days. Sure, it says your first 100 days, but if you pick up this book and actually apply the tips in it at any time in your business, you'll begin reaping more rewards! The tips about building your contact list, gaining referrals, and time management always apply. The book is also written in a very-to-read, almost graphic-novel style. It's about Beth, who is starting her direct sales journey, and it directly addresses the challenges in the first few months of her business. Beth (the mail character of the book) also has her own blog. Check it out here.

Although direct sales is my thing, The Skinny On has something for you on a variety of other topics as well including success, willpower, persuasion, real estate and time management. Check em out!

You're Gonna What??

Isn't it funny how two people can think something completely different is necessary in the same situation?
My computer is currently an old boat-anchor, and I'm pretty sure it's completely overrun with viruses and yuckiness that keeps it from performing as well as I remember it doing before.
Hubby's laptop was essentially dead when we got it (hand-me down...) and has only gotten more moody as time goes by. I'm not sure exactly what's wrong with it, I only know the end result isn't pretty. He said part of its performance has something to do with the house network stuff. The conversation could have ended here for me.
But he went on to talk about running CAT5 cable and maybe a KVM switch. I hope this has nothing to do with me personally, because I have no idea what any of it meant...Hopefully it will just make us more connected - to the internet, that is!

Wordless Wednesday - A Couple of my Favorite People

Mom's Night OUT?

Although Maggie is 2 1/2 years old, I just went to my first official 'mom's night out' with the mommies group we recently joined. I was a little nervous at first. Sure, it was just going to be pizza and a games night, but what if they had a bunch of crazy xbox games? I've never even played most game systems now-a-days!

Luckily, it was just old-fashioned board games. Okay, maybe not 'old-fashioned,' but not scary and electronical! First we played Cranium, which it turned out none of us were sure how to play. We figured we were supposed to roll the colored die at some point, but we were never sure if it was before or after we answered a question. No matter, it was fun anyway.
But my favorite (and I think everyone else's favorite too) was Catchphrase. You set up this frisbee looking thing to display a term, then you have to get your partner to guess the phrase. Once they get it, you pass the frisbee to the other team. The catch? There's a timer going the whole time. When the timer goes off, the team that isn't holding the frisbee gets the point. It was a lot of fun :)

What board games do your family or friends play and enjoy?

Entrecard February Top Droppers

Thank you so much to my top droppers for February, 2010!

These are the last top droppers I'll post. I'm leaving Entrecard within the week. No hard feelings to anyone, I will just be using a different method of visiting blogs I love and encouraging return traffic to my blog. I didn't thoroughly read many of the blogs I dropped on, and I know most droppers don't read my blog. I've added a lot of the blogs that I did start reading through Entrecard to my own bloglist and plan to read and comment regularly :)

My existing Entrecard credits will be given to a few friends I know in real life who are also on Entrecard.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hopefully you've gotten to know me a bit through my blog and will continue visiting. If not, I still wish you the very best in your endeavors.