Category Archives: Friends

Thirty-One…partay! Online style..

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My dear friend, Amanda, is a Thirty One consultant (but that’s NOT her in the picture!) and if you are a bag, tote, purse, organizer lover like me….you’ll LOVE this stuff.  I’ve already sent out a mass email to friends and family who (I think) will benefit from these products either for themselves or for Christmas, birthday, teacher gifts, etc.  There is a HUGE variety to choose from, great prices and you can check her website for the monthly deals (spend $31 and get a product super-duper cheap-o) and contact her for any questions, BUT….THIS post is to show you a few things actually IN ACTION.

Now you know how the parties go, you order, I order, there are perks for hosting, etc, etc.  You can become a consultant or a hostess.  The consultant price is incredibly low (certainly one of the lowest I’ve come across in direct sales home based businesses, so if you are looking for some cash for the holidays, the groceries or vacation, maybe this is for you).  Maybe you just want to get an ever BETTER price on the products and would like to host a party.  Either way.  My friend’s goal is to provide home school supplies for her kiddos (6 of them), extracurricular activities (swimming and piano) and to supplement her family’s income (real estate has been tough in case you haven’t heard….), so check it out and if you want to order…get it in before the 29th of October; each month the specials change and my “party” is over the 29th!  So hurry, hurry, don’t be a procrastinator like me!!  Without further ado…..here’s some proof these bags rock!

We use this utility tote as our go-to beach bag

6 towels AND toys, sunscreen and umbrella screw!

Toys, etc under the towels and it’s a nice wipe off material!

My everyday purse. Love this print!

Plenty of room for my “mess”

My organizer…matches my purse 😉

Ta-DA! Look how nice that Kindle Fire fits in the middle for travel…..

This is my friend Mary’s…she had hers monogrammed…you can, too!
This is an organizer

She carries EVERYTHING she needs for the day…and then some. Best thing is, it stands upright and doesn’t flip over in the car!!

So there are a few true-life pics of Thirty-One in action.  Check out Amanda’s website HERE and order before October 29.  Or book a party.  Or become a consultant.  Thanks!!  I appreciate your checking it out and I know she will, too!

Teacher duty day…1/4 of the school year: DONE!

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And this Friday finds our lovely children home with Hubby (as he actually tries to work with them around…good luck with that, babe!) as their teachers put together report cards wrapping up the first 9 week period of the school year.  And you’ll find me…..at work.  Whatever.  At least I’m not waking/dragging kids out of bed, to the breakfast table and then herding them through general hygiene and dress to the car.  A little break, if you will.  I’ll take it.  You’ll also find me “groupie-style” with Jennifer Fulwiler and peeps throwing down some Quick takes…7 to be exact.

1)  I’ve lost my way this week.  Eating healthy that is.  It started with my sister and nephews in town for the weekend (I always like to blame my sister….it feels comfortable…), then rolled into a potluck lunch at work and now here it is Friday and I’m wondering where in the HECK did my mojo go???    Fortunately, I’m still moving.  Each day I seem to pull it together a little more, however, it’s KOOKOO (for cocoa puffs) KRAZAY what sugar does to you….it’s like a drug.  Serious.  C’mon, just a taste.  Everyone’s doing it.  Before you know it…it’s Friday and your body is all kinds of confused and begging you to just.  walk.  away.

2)  We let our oldest stay home from school one day.  End of the semester.  The older grades were doing PSAT testing and the 9th graders were stuck in home room all day.  Not to fear though….I left him a list.  *finish driving permit practice test *laundry.  all of it. *dishwasher *vacuum house*mow lawn. front and back.  and neighbors.  front and back. It was sooooo nice to come home to a clean and tidy house.  We should keep him home more often…

3)  I had to make a difficult decision in the best interest of someone else this week.  Sadly this resulted in cutting out a treasured annual trip.  However, in doing so, and receiving affirmation from a friend in my decision, it was an incredibly FAST and certain answer to prayer.  I’m not sure what God has in store for ME that weekend, but I know He’ll be busy and I’m happy to not be an obstacle, but rather an intercessor, and that’s OK.  The most important work ALWAYS happens behind the scenes.

4)  Our girl has her cheer competition this weekend and each practice I’m more amazed at how these girls have put so much effort in over these past few weeks and to see this routine come together.  Tonight, I actually got a lump in my throat as they practiced in front of the older and younger cheer groups.  Pathetic, I know.  What can I say?  I’m a sap.  Her first year cheering and of this I am sure:  Sunday will be quite the experience that is a certainty.  Which also means the season is almost over.  Can I get an AMEN?!??!  **note to self, grab earplugs from MRI tomorrow….

5)  We are one week into the Read the Catechism in a Year for the year of Faith.  I must say, I am truly enjoying it.  So is Hubby!  It’s in small bite size pieces (so far) and it’s a great Faith discussion for us to focus on TOGETHER during this year.

6)  It’s Biketoberfest here.  Thinking about taking my camera this weekend and shooting some frames.  An interesting mix.  Soccer. Football. Romney/Ryan. Cheer comp.  Bikes.  We live in an interesting and eclectic area.  Fo’ sho!

7)  Now that I’ve stayed up too late…it’s time to go to bed….and get a walk in before work.  Because I can.  Happy Friday, all and have a super weekend!!

**in reference to a portion of #6, I will NOT be attending…mainly due to time constraints and kid activities, also I really don’t enjoy getting stuck in traffic, etc.  I’m good, I’ve made up my mind….I completely agree with Calah Alexander on her article about Politics…I’m pretty sure she wrote it for ME…though with many more actual facts…I’m not really a detail person, so thanks, Calah!!

Mid-week JUMP!

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This week has been drastically different, in a good way, as far as exercise and food choices go. Of course, it’s only Wednesday…..however, one major change is that I’ve (so far) been able to wrap my brain around “One day at a time”.  Eating that elephant in small bites is a lot easier than tackling the entire thing.  Therefore, my planning for lunches has helped tremendously–especially at work when I hit the “hungries NOW” AND making it through the evening without that little “somethin’ somethin'”.

While I can’t say I’ve gone CLEAN EATING so far, I have absolutely cut a lot of junk and made some substitutions, i.e. brown rice with my sausage and spaghetti sauce instead of pasta.  Not quite the same, buuuuuuuuut, extremely filling and satisfying.  And I’m curious for those of you out there who have “cut the processed stuff” and gone clean….how long did it take you to lose the “craving” for sugar and junk?

This articleby Candace Cameron Bure via Peak313 was great, and my favorite “vision” in fighting against temptations is this excerpt:

In my book, Reshaping It All, I talk about “the eye covenant” found in Job 31:, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” Using Job as a role model, many committed husbands, like mine, have decided to make the same covenant with their eyes. If a beautiful woman walks by, a man may take notice, but if he gazes at her for a while, his mind will travel to places it shouldn’t. So rather than looking her way, he turns his eyes and his attention to something else.

If this covenant helped Job overcome lust of the flesh, it can also work for us in regard to food! Instead of fantasizing over lunch, or spending the evening meditating on what dessert we’ll have, let us turn our thoughts and attention to something else. Use this covenant of the eyes to avoid the snack isles while shopping, passing up free samples instead of stopping to consider them, replying “No, thank you,” the next time someone passes a brownie your way and to stay focused on the car ahead of you when you drive by a fast food chain.

Thankfully, this week’s challenge Scripture verse is ALL about cravings and I find God’s timing is once again perfect.

1 John 2:16

For everything in the world, the sinful cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does, comes not from the Father but from the world.

Lessons learned…wisdom earned? Time will tell….

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Friday, Friday and the kids have no school and yet…..yes, that’s right…..Mama and Papa have work.  Stinkers.  Whatev….Either way, I am wrapping up my week with a few lessons (in Quick Take, Conversion Diary form)  learned from this week.

Lesson 1.  Home with the youngest on Monday and I learned that I could do without HALF of my closet.  I mean really, how MANY pair of khaki capris and shorts does one need?  Between donating 5 bags (Publix size, not garbage!) to our church’s thrift store and then reorganizing by color, I feel refreshed, uncluttered and actually inspired to be a little more “fashionable”.  I’ll do it again once it’s cool enough to bring the winter-ish clothes down.  True fact.

Nice right? OK, not my closet, but you can find some great organizing ideas AND this picture HERE!

Lesson 2.  There is a need to revamp my social media.  Apparently.  Now I know why people are always face down in their phones.  They are updating tweets, RTs, MTs, statuses, blog reading, photo sharing, liking, commenting.  You HAVE to be face down 24/7 to keep up. Farm out the laundry, dinner, kid care, schooling, house chores, work for $$ job, because you cain’t do none of that if you’re doing the other. Serious. As for me,  I joined Twitter to be more abreast on the world.  Facebook to KIT with fam and friends.  Pinterest…..ah, I’m not sure on that one but I’ve gotten lost on there a few times and have really added to Hubby’s “to-do” list.  Instagram b/c I love photos, taking and looking.  However, the sad fact is that I don’t get paid to be social 24/7, so I am going to just chill.  Check in when necessary, disregard the numbers and try to relax on the house projects.  ‘Cuz it’s crazy yo!!!    True fact.

Image cred and social media organizing tips HERE

Lesson 3.  Walking near dusk with a gator in the lake, the podcast must be turned down, eyes must be watchful, legs must be ready to run and camera must be ready to shoot.  Sadly I missed the basketball versus gator wrestling match, I heard it was a doozy.  True fact.

Image cred…ME..on Instagram 🙂

Lesson 4.  If perhaps you are with a middle schooler for after school pick up and you see a fight going on with the amoeba crowd closing in and would by chance, I don’t know, lay on the horn like a crazy lady a few things would happen:  a) the amoeba crowd would scatter like ants and, b) the middle schooler in your vehicle would become like melted butter and sink to the floor of the vehicle.  Then, if you were to call the Rec center to report the fight and the coppers came and some kids almost got arrested, YOUR middle schooler would be the scapegoat the next day.  However, if you use The Jedi Mind Trick and remind him that cell phones are pretty popular and ANYONE could have called as well as blaming the honking on a mother– reminding him to remind his friends that their parents are embarrassing sometimes, too….suddenly the scapegoat is freed and the mob are again little kittens eating out of his hands.  And he wouldn’t be mad at his mother anymore either.  Hypothetically true fact.  Of course.

Lesson 5.  If you call your friend to chat and her 2 toddlers answer taking turns regaling you of tales of nausea and vomiting  and “Mama in the shower”…she probably isn’t going to get that message.  True fact.

Lesson 6.  If one is tempted off their healthy eating focus by a son’s birthday it most definitely is a force to be reckoned with to get back on track.  4 1/2 days later I think I broke the spell with a 40 minute power walk, abs and arms workout followed by a healthy dinner!  The fact is, “we can start our day over at any time….even if it’s 5:30 p.m.”  True fact.

Lesson 7.  Open house at the girls elementary school was eye-opening as our district introduces “standard based grading” and implementing all steps at the same time.  And…..it’s not fully ready yet.  All I can say is, holy crap.  These teachers are getting the shaft.  The tediousness in grading in this manner is ridic beyond words.  Not to mention I am going to need a ruler, reading glasses and a freakin’ LEGEND to interpret the grades when this thing is finally up and running.  I am seriously drafting a letter (sans text lingo and cussing) to the school board, because apparently someone with way too much alphabet soup behind their name decided a nice complicated system would make them look like they are earning their grotesque salaries!  Well, guess what…I have alphabet soup, too….(BS)(RT)(R)(CT).  This  IS putting a teacher’s day far beyond the 8 hours required for their job and I honestly believe… 3 months off for summer isn’t enough.  True fact.

That’s all folks.   Hope you learned a thing or two from my own experiences.  Have a great weekend!  Be sure to check in with the MANY awesome peeps @Conversion Diary with Jen (Reality star).  There’s a bunch so a beverage and snack come in handy when reading through…it’s a great Saturday morning distraction for me 🙂

When you can’t fix it….

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I came to a revelation of sorts yesterday while I was home with our sick kiddo.  First of all, I am not really a patient mother/wife/person when it comes to dealing with sick people,  perhaps it comes from dealing with sick people all day; I have no compassion.  It’s awful. I know.  I try to be kind, but it is forced.  The same thing happens if someone is going through a really difficult mental issue.  No compassion.  I try.  Again, it’s forced and impatient.  Last night, in talking with Hubby I realized that when it comes to my family and friends and their sickness and struggles I harden because I’m angry.  I’m not angry with THEM, I’m angry with the fact that there is NOTHING I can do to “fix it”.  I might be able to lessen the symptoms and make them more comfortable, however, for me…..that’s not enough, I want it fixed.  Over, done and move on. It is why I am calm in the middle of a crisis (mostly), I focus on the end, the solution and what I can do to get there.

I’m not sure what I’ll do with this information.  Mentally, I KNOW I can’t fix anything…and it is a work on growing my faith to do what I CAN do in loving on my friends and family during their times of sickness and struggle and to trust in Him, the Great Physician to take care of the rest.  So, I suppose now that I’ve identified my issue I can pray on it and listen for direction and perhaps maybe, just maybe, be a little more compassionate when those times come.

Mark 16:18 “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”