Because I Don't Have Enough to Do

So when I went digging through my purse the other day, I found that I haven't cleaned it out since our mini-vacation a couple weeks ago. I still have an extra phone charger, the iPad charger, and camera batteries rechargeable, along with who knows what else? See, I'm afraid I only uncovered the tip of the iceberg while searching for a dry cleaning receipt from right before our trip.

Are you missing anything that might be in my purse? Unfortunately, if it's a receipt of some sort, it'll just go in the pile in my office for now. I can fit in digging the big stuff out of my bag, but sorting all the little scraps of paper will have to wait for another day.

36 Weeks

(Almost) Off the Hook

I've been reading other folk's posts and status updates and such about getting ready for school. I didn't really give them much thought, since my daughter's new preschool has just asked for wipes to help clean kids' hands. No problem - I can pick those up on the way to orientation! It's not like archery equipment or something, right?

But today after I narrowed her selections for what she could pick to wear, I realized that the dress I had presented as an option barely covers Maggie's bottom. Really? You had to have a growth spurt in the month between your birthday party (when I could have said big school clothes, if I'd thought she was going to need them) and when school is starting?

Luckily I did notice an ad for a resale shop in our new town. I need to drag my big preggo butt out to do some very low-budget shopping so my darling daughter doesn't show up at preschool looking like some hootchie with her booty hanging out! That'll be the easy part - then I need to convince her to part with the dresses she loves (and no, getting her to wear pants/shorts/leggings with said dresses isn't any less of a challenge :( (.

Calling All Direct Sellers!!

Something I've failed to mention lately (although you know if you've been reading for more than a few years) is that Dove Chocolate Discoveries is not my first direct sales venture. From roughly 1997 until 2007 or so (with a couple years off in the middle), I was an independent consultant with PartyLite Gifts. Yeah, go figure!

People ask why I 'switched,' but that isn't really how I did it. I honestly got away form PartyLite because I said I was done with direct sales. Ha! Famous last words, right? I got married in 2006, and had back surgery, and was tired of carrying stuff, being shy around strangers (really!), and surprisingly, getting headaches from some of the stronger scents that I carried anyway to share with people! Direct sales really is a business where you can be very successful if you're willing to work for it. I was tired of working and happy to just bring home my paycheck from my (then) full-time job.

I can still tell you the first day I heard of Dove. I was reading a friend's blog on my birthday in June, 2007 and saw a comment from someone saying she was a chocolatier and did in-home chocolate tastings. I was intrigued, but busy with my newborn and not sure I really wanted to get back into direct sales. I let it simmer in my brain for a bit, and actually signed up in August on the night before my own scheduled chocolate tasting. I had never seen a show or met the woman who was now my 'sponsor' in this new adventure.

Now? I can't imagine my life without the sense of self that my own business brings me. I get recognition (besides stickers stuck to my back ;)), new friends, lots of people happy to work with me, and time with adults. I think most of these are rewards that are applicable to any direct selling business!

My point is this - I'd love to talk about your business too! Let me know if you're a direct seller with a blog, and if you'd like to swap posts to promote each other's products, or if you'd like to swap orders to try some fabulous chocolates and share what you're offering!

What Got Me Here??

How on earth does someone end up with such a sweet job as sharing chocolate for a living?? My job history has been somewhat colorful. In my email each day, I still get announcements about risk management training and collections agencies careers on a regular basis. See, my last full-time job outside of my home was as a collection agent. I loved my job (probably mostly because of my employer). I always say it was a low-stress job in that I wasn't expected to make anyone happy!

I think I enjoyed collections in the same way that I enjoy sales or other production-oriented jobs - my goals are clear. While my mind is relatively creative, I have a hard time finishing something, if the finish line isn't clear.

Another job I really, really liked was data entry. In that position, I was entering medical research information from doctor's or researcher's notes into the computer. I had to know a bunch of disgusting diseases, symptoms and drugs, with their correct spellings. And my progress was judged by how much I got done in each eight- or ten- hour shift. Again, it was black and white and I knew when I was finished, or how I was tracking so far at any point during my work day (or in that case - my work night, since it was a third-shift job from 11PM - 7AM).

What jobs have you loved having? Are you doing the same thing now, or something that may appear completely different?

Chocolate, Anyone?

Tomorrow I'm having another chocolate party at my house, to give my new neighbors and lots of friends the chance to get a few items that will be leaving our catalog for 10% off, and sample a couple of the new items that will be in our line starting September 1.

If any of these sound exceptionally appealing to you, speak up quick! I can get them for you until August 31 (and I can ship anywhere in the continental U.S.).

Retiring items:

• Aztec Sipping Chocolate
  
• Vanilla Dusting Powder & Cinnamon Dusting Powder
• Dessert Decorator
• Oval Magnetic Mold
• Single Origin Baking Bits

(all of these items are viewable on my website at http://www.dove-chocolate-discoveries.com/sites/becki/productcatalog until August 31)

Want to know about the new stuff? Here's a list of our incoming products that I can order for you starting September 1:

• Saigon Swirl Cinnamon Roll Mix
• Sugar-Free Dark Chocolates & Caramels
• White-Chocolate Pear-Flavored Cider
• Choco-Caramel Crunch (one of my new favorites!!)
• Artisan Butter Almond Toffee (sorry - this fantastic treat is available to hostesses only!)

Returning favorites (these were in our fall/holiday catalog last year, but gone from the spring/summer catalog);

• Spiced White Sipping Chocolate
• Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Mix

How much fun is my job?? Let me know if you're interested in getting any of these great products (or anything else you see in the catalog). We'll have online ordering within a couple months, but for now I'd love to personally take care of getting you what you need.

Thinking Back

What things to you remember using, or seeing used, that just to seem to be as prominent anymore?

I used to love watches. Now, it seems like they're still around, but since nearly everyone always has a cell phone on them, watches just don't seem as vital. I suppose I really don't see too many people on a regular basis either, so maybe I'm completely wrong!

I also remember seeing my dad's money clip come out of his pocket and into the coin dish each night. I couldn't tell you what his wallet looked like, but that m clip was there every day when he got home from work. Apparently guys still carry them, to hold credit cards even, but I just don't see them. I realize this one sounds like a relatively unfair observation, since I only live with one guy, and I'm not working retail or something else where I'd see how other men handle their money....

What else is just falling out of use? Not because of changing fashion, but because of changing functionality?

My Heart Beats...Red & Purple?

Your Heart is Red and Purple

Your heart is strong and powerful. You are dominant, competent, and brave. You bring order and support to relationships. You're good at being the one in control.

What Are the Colors of Your Heart?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

Counting Down!

Ugh. I'm hoping I can get some nesting urges this time. My mental list of stuff I should get done keeps growing, and of course all bets are off once the baby makes his appearance. I'm due September 20. Maggie was born exactly two weeks after her due date. I literally had no intention of going on or near my due date with her.

Now? I'm so tired from doing everything I do around here every day (instead of sitting at a desk like last time), plus chasing Maggie that I practically need casters on my bottom to get from place to place. Urges to move furniture and clean thoroughly? Doubtful. I didn't nest at all with Maggie (hubby jokes he's still waiting for nesting to start, and she just turned four!).

The best part of this being the count down is that I'm past 36 weeks. At this point, I can walk into the birth center for the natural birth I want again. Their cutoff is 36 weeks. If I go into labor naturally, it's time! No worries, be pregnant!

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Why doesn't an unwarranted freaked-out feeling go away? About an hour ago, hubby's phone rang downstairs. Which wouldn't deserve a freak out, but hubby has been gone since before we got home. So I went and called the person he's supposed to be with. Everything is fine, he just forgot his phone. Which has NEVER happened. Now I still am just sitting in one place waiting for him to get home, even though I have a rational explanation for everything.

I finally cut my nails. It feels so wrong to do, since I'm continually trying to grow them, but all these prenatal vitamins are turning them into talons! So today was the day I finally cut them and filed them to a nice, non-lethal shape :)

Are we headed into another heat wave? It's awfully toasty in my office tonight...

Yummo!!

My appetite certainly doesn't seem to have decreased much so far! The weirdness? I've been wanting salads, or fruit, or chocolate (yes, I know I'm a chocolate lady, but I've never actually been a chocoholic!).

I just found some awesome Sharis Berries coupons online. Have you seen this stuff? Dipped berries, dipped cookies, even cupcakes! This could have really been a lifesaver my first few weeks in this new house! I knew all of my 'suppliers' on the other side of town, but it looks like I could get this deliciousness anywhere!

Weekend in Review

Wow, if my last Weekend in Review was somewhat anti-climactic, this one is non-stop action!

The weekend actually started a bit early for us. We hit the road for our weekend trip on Thursday night. The ultimate goal for our trip was a friend's wedding just outside Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday night, but with a pregnant lady and a four-year-old in the car, we figured scheduling frequent stops would be a better idea than being surprised by how often we had to stop ;)

We only drove a few hours before stopping at a Rodeway Inn just past the Wisconsin border. Maggie was thrilled to sleep in a motel, but we really just picked this one for the price. Maggie's first comment in the morning was that they had given her her own pillow. Yes, a king-sized bed - even at the Rodeway Inn - comes with three regular-sized pillows.

Friday the real fun started. By early afternoon we crossed the border to Minnesota and reached our first destination - the Mall of America. The first sign we saw when we went in the door was for the aquarium and Maggie's mind was made up. She loved touching the starfish, and walking in the tunnel surrounded by sharks. She named all the sharks Bruce after the shark in Finding Nemo ;). After a second trip halfway through the aquarium to touch the starfish one more time, we set out for the middle of the mall where the Nickelodeon amusement park was. Apparently preggos can't ride anything. at. all, so daddy got to chaperone while Maggie rode the cars and the train. She was almost talked into the hot air balloon ride, until she saw them go up in the air. The bouncer was another favorite (luckily mom had the required socks in her purse from a mall trip the week before).

Friday night we hopefully improved Maggie's impression on hotels even more with a stay at the Hyatt using credit card points - yay! We were happy to be there to enjoy a leisurely Saturday morning. The wedding we were aiming for didn't start til 2PM, and it was less than a half hour away.

We still had time for other stuff after check out and before the wedding on Saturday. Maggie loves big buildings, so we spent a bit of time walking around downtown Minneapolis. There really wasn't much going on, or even much we found to see, but Maggie kept things exciting by riding her imaginary horse down by the river until they fell down and someone ended up with a skinned knee. Mommy's monstrously gigantic purse to the rescue again, with Dora bandaids at the ready.

The wedding on Saturday was actually expecting 30 - 40 little kids (yikes!) so they had some bubbles, coloring stuff and a giant bouncer at the ready (the jumping kind, not the kind to throw the drunks out, luckily for the lady in the white and tan striped shirt...). Maggie handled her disappointment well when she was told that the 'marrying lady' wouldn't be throwing her flowers. She was having enough fun with lots of new friends, and even got to spend a few minutes of dance party time with mom.

Sunday morning we headed out early to take the car on a boat! We caught the 2PM ferry from Manitowoc, Wisconsin to Ludington, Michigan. It was a nice change from spending the day in the car. Although it didn't save any time or money, it was a great experience that Maggie had looked forward to all weekend.

Green & Yellow, Anyone?

Well, we're home safe and sound (Weekend in Review post to follow :) ).

While the wedding we attended was feeling a little bit like a college reunion (which makes sense since the groom is one of hubby's old college pals), I don't think I saw any college flags all weekend. But since we drove through Wisconsin getting there and back, you can probably guess what sports team I did see paraphernalia for.

Yes, folks. We saw more than a couple of those nifty green circles with the yellow 'G' inside. Hubby told me that part of the reason the public is so supportive of their team is that the Packers are the only non-profit, community-owned franchise in American professional sports major leagues. Crazy, huh?

...Curious as a Cat

1) What if George Washington were running for president today? Write his Twitter announcement (140 characters or fewer). It can be serious, humorous, or somewhere in between. Hmm...as much as I'd like to get behind the old guy, I really don't get into politics much. Or tweet much, for that matter. Hopefully he wouldn't actually hire me to be his Twitter ambassador ;)

2) What is more terrifying to you personally: thunderstorms, blizzards, or hurricanes? Blizzards. I hate the cold. Thunderstorms don't bother me much. From what I hear of hurricanes, a lot of people hold themselves up in resorts and drink a lot. I think I could stand that...

3) What's your ideal home? Apparently the newness hasn't worn off - I really like the house we've got :)

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

Public Domain Photo
Looks cold. The gazebo thingy is probably pretty peaceful to hang out in, but that's a lot of snow to walk through to get that far...

So Many Options!

Poor hubby and I are at cross-purposes again. We're about to take a little family weekend away (to go to a friend's wedding). Luckily that should mean lots of restaurant eating to help us both out in our new quests.

I found out at my midwife appointment yesterday that I've lost one pound in the last two weeks. It's not a big deal, and I've overall gained almost 30 pounds (which is good), but I don't want to lose anymore. So I get to eat anything that looks good - anytime!

Hubby, on the other hand, is worried about gaining too much pregnancy/sympathy weight. He's been working long hours, so he doesn't have the time he used to spend with visits to the gym. Unfortunately, that leaves his diet as the area with the most room to make the changes he wants to see. That's unfortunate, of course, because he's spending all his time with someone eating anything at will (me!). His mission would be much more convenient if I were dedicating time and energy to yoga or hcg shots for weight loss.

Wish us both luck this weekend - that he can focus on not gaining any weight, and I can try to gain any he has to spare ;)

Wordless Wednesday

Crisis Averted!

Hubby and I had a very nervous situation a few weeks ago. He had just left town, and when I logged into our accounts to see what was clearing/outstanding/owing, I noticed two charges with his debit card totaling almost $250 - at Staples Center in California! He was only a few hours away from home in Michigan, so I quickly called him to make sure this wasn't something legitimate that I just didn't know about.

My mind was racing through all the radio ads and other promotions I'd heard talking about how IdentityHawk offers a comprehensive identity theft solution. Had we waited too long to take identity theft protection seriously? Sure, we were slowly but surely getting settled into our new house, so we knew our credit reports had looked fine a couple months earlier, but had havoc been wreaked since then?

Luckily, I was able to get a hold of hubby (no small feat when he's traveling anyway!), but he didn't recognize the charges. He promptly called the bank who had issued the card and reported the fraud. They informed him of the tedious process we had to go through next - signing affidavits in person about the fraud, of course while using another card and waiting for a new, non-compromised one for hubby to use.

It seems funny in light of all the actual hoops I had to jump through to get life back on track, but we were actually very fortunate that those were the only two fraudulent charges! It's definitely got us thinking more seriously about taking steps to prevent identity theft. Two charges were bad enough, and we had to wait only a couple weeks to get our money back. What if our credit scores and ability to keep our budget stay afloat had been seriously threatened by someone maliciously using more than just our debit card? It's a scary proposition!

Weekend in Review

Sometimes a weekend without tons of highlights is just what we need, right?

Friday night I think we just chilled out...Oh, wait! Hubby met up with some friends who were in town for the evening as part of a bachelor weekend of sorts. After hanging out at a pub for a while, he headed home before they got to the 'steamy' part of the evening since he knew he had to work again Saturday morning.

Saturday morning hubby went to work while Maggie and I go ready for Mommy's chocolate work in the evening. Hubby came home in time to head out with us, and he and Maggie played at a nearby mall while I worked. After my show, we took advantage of a free entree coupon we'd gotten at Border Cantina.

Sunday morning found hubby heading into the office again. While he was gone, Maggie got a bath and I worked on some tidying up around the house. Once hubby got home, he found that the grass had not cut itself, so he worked on that while Maggie and I cleaned the basement playroom. I thought we'd done it after her birthday party a couple weeks ago, but I now doubt it. I found half-chewed candies, candy-wrappers, and toys that outright don't belong to us. I can only hope I would have seen these things if I'd cleaned the playroom in the past two weeks...
Once all of our cleaning efforts were expended for the day, we headed to the mall to get some more work clothes for hubby using some credit card rewards gift cards he had. Unfortunately they didn't stock anything in his sizes, but I was able to get a cute pair of pants and another maternity top that seems to actually stay covering my cleavage and my belly at the same time - yay!
Sunday evening one of hubby's friends arrived in town for an interview Monday, so he joined us for dinner and we visited for a bit.

All in all, I now think we did more than it felt like, but nothing really earth-shattering. And I'm perfectly okay with that!

Yay for New Clothes!

Hubby lucked out. We used his credit card points to get some free shopping cards. Originally the plan was for me to get some maternity stuff (obviously) to wear to the conference I attended last weekend. The lucky part for him is that they're from a store that also has tall mens' clothes, and the cards didn't show up in time for me to use them! I wasn't really sure if I'd be able to use them all anyway, since finding maternity clothes I like seems to be nearly as specialized as finding The Equestrian Corner clothes (or so I'd imagine).

We spent a bit of cash a couple weeks ago getting me a couple outfits in lieu of the stuff I'd been looking at for using the gift cards. The clearance maternity store in the mall got me close, and a couple clearance camisoles at other stores made the tops fit okay. Hubby will be a new man in the pants and things he needs with the gift cards finally in hand!

Saturday 9

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight

1. Have you ever lost a lover and spent way too much time wondering what they were doing? Umm...."way too much time"? Nah. Too busy, usually!

2. What was your favorite vacation ever? Tough call. Probably visiting friends in the Bahamas when Maggie was little.

3. Do you like surprises? If yes, what kinds? Or are you one of those people who absolutely has to know what's going on before it happens? I don't think I get too many surprises. I think I've liked the ones I've gotten, but none have been too over the top.

4. Have you ever written a poem? Feel free to share one. Or even a dirty limerick is OK. I've taken creative writing classes and written poems, but none worth sharing here :)

5. Did anything interesting show up in your mail lately besides the bills? Chocolate, today!

6. How many of your friendships have lasted more than ten years? Which of your current friends do you feel will still be important to you ten years from now? Family members don't count. Wow. I can think of one close friend I've known that long. I think I'll still be in touch with more of my current friends ten years from now, since our kids are also friends.

7. Do you own a pet? If so, do you buy them presents for holidays? Do you consider your pet(s) spoiled? If you don't own one, do you think you will one day? We own a cat. She doesn't frequently get presents. I don't think she's spoiled...

8. It's Friday afternoon and you're planning your weekend. What's on your agenda on a hot August night? Maybe a chocolate show. Probably surfing the internet. Perhaps watching a Netflix movie? We're animals!

9. What's your worst nervous habit? Hmm...Nothing particular comes to mind.

It Never Ends

I saw something on Pinterest the other day that totally caught my eye. When I got to watch the home decorating shows back in the day, I was always drawn to the half built-in dining area. You know, sort of like restaurant furniture, where the bench seat is built into a corner, and then there's chairs on the other side of the table? Anyway, it would have fit into the old house, but there's really no 'corner' to start from in our dining area now. I suppose we could still do the bench along one side, and then chairs on the other?

10 Random Things for Friday

1. My nails are wet. Trying to type with the pads of my fingers is tricky.
2. I was almost comfortable for a couple days, but now I'm sweating just sitting at the computer again.
3. I sort of miss cable TV on these nights home without hubby. I could get into a good cheezy makeover show, you know?
4. I started buying diapers again today. I'm sure they'll get used :)
5. I'm almost ready to admit to myself that it will probably be autumn before I get these last few boxes in my office unpacked. It's just to hot to move up here. Most of it is scrapbooking stuff at this point, and we were planning to put shelves in the other half of my closet for it.
6. Well, my nails aren't tacky anymore, but I doubt they're dry all the way through. Wish I'd thought to put my PJs on first...
7. Maggie has a bit of a pet fixation lately. This morning she told me how to pet her fish, Dorothy Nerthy. Then, she said she wanted a pet bunny (which was convenient, since there was a baby bunny hanging out on our front porch...). Tonight we watched a dolphin documentary, so she decided she wanted a pet dolphin. She said she'll keep it in our 'lake' (translate: marsh) on the other side of the trees behind our house. Hmm.....
8. I finally made an appointment with a pediatrician for Maggie's preschool check-up. We go in next week. Luckily, the same pediatrician can look in on Jack after his delivery and okay us to go home :) Yay for consolidating doctor's appointments!
9. My biggest excitement today was finding out about MORE chocolate training available in October. The company is even paying for my hotel room. And when I called to check, they said it would be okay to bring Jack! (Cuz I'm not leaving him when he's less than a month old...)
10. Geee...ten things already (it's taken me like an hour to get this far!). I think my nails just may be dry enough to go read my book and eat some chocolate downstairs, where it's a bit cooler...
    

Not Because I'm a Horseman...

Yes, I know my head was cut off in the last picture. It wasn't hiding scars from an unfortunate incident with ATV Wheels or anything - I just don't need my puffy, tired face showing up for you to get the full effect of my belly. ;) Hubby always takes my belly pics for me at bedtime. I've usually long-since ditched any headbands or other attempts to keep my hair out of my eyes, and if there was nothing on my agenda, I never bothered with make-up either. The pictures aren't about me - they're about the new baby!

I think the last picture I posted of me was also a belly shot, so perhaps it's time for a face shot of Maggie and I. Maybe. My to-do list is always long; we'll see if I'm actually brave enough to add something else on the end of it.

Just Catching Up...

Well, there's me, and my favorite pants, and my belly at 33 weeks. 'Nuff said :)

Maggie is cracking me up lately on a pretty regular basis. Today she said, "Can you drop me off somewhere to do something?" She had nowhere particular in mind, so I told her, "No! I want to keep you with me." She responded quickly that, "Well, I'm sorry. Only for a short while." While? Really? You're four, kid - quit the thesaurus thing!

I'm having a hard time appreciating the more normal climate now. The actual weather has cooled off a bit, but my hormones have heated up to cover the difference! I'm still really warm most of the time...

Beach Trip

Contribution by Stevie Kirby

We got to the beach almost every summer and this one’s no different. We’ve already planned out the whole week and I found us a great place at the Outer Banks to stay at where we can be sort of off the grid but still close enough to restaurants and things that the kids won’t get antsy. Somehow every year when we plan a vacation it ends up being a whole nother job for me – who would have guessed the mom would have to do all the work, huh? This year my husband made me a list trying to be helpful and it had things on it like “call ALLhomesecurity.com” and “cancel the newspaper delivery.” It’s like he thinks I don’t plan our vacation every single year! Anyway, I’m excited to get out there and leave all the stress here behind. I just started a new job and that’s been a lot on top of the already big responsibility of being a mom and wife! Vacation is calling my name and it’s coming up soon…

Chocolatey Fun Weekend!

What a fun weekend!! I just got back from Baltimore, MD, where I attended the Dove Chocolate Discoveries National Conference. I met up with a friend in the area (our annual girls' weekend!) and had a blast both at the conference and away!

Some highlights of the conference included being named #10 in the WHOLE COMPANY for my number of shows held last year (from July 1, 2010 until June 30, 2011). I did 63 shows, and was awarded a beautiful custom bracelet on stage at our banquet on Friday night. I was shaking when they announced my name - I was so excited!!

I also got a special tote bag containing a key ring and some of our new products for maintaining consistency of at least $1000 each month in sales. This was my original goal for the year and I feel great to have reached it!

The part that can be most exciting for anyone reading is all of our new products and promotions! We're planning a trip that can be earned by all chocolatiers - it's an all-inclusive vacation to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic next May and you can bet I'll be there!
We also announced some new products, including:

• Coco-Caramel Crunch,
• Sugar-Free Dark Chocolates with Caramel,
• White-Chocolate Pear Flavored Cider,
• Saigon Swirl Cinnamon Roll Mix, and the return of two favorites from last fall -
• Spiced White Sipping Chocolate, and
• Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Baking Mix.

Please feel free to contact me with questions about any of this - it's my job and I love it! We have no territories, so I can help anyone in the 48 contiguous states get the products they'll love, or start a Dove chocolate business for an additional stream of income.