Thirty-One

As most of you know, I sell Thirty-One in my spare time.  It really has become second nature and just sort of part of my off time, sort of just a hobby.  What I love about Thirty-One are the products.  Tia is all pimped out with Thirty-One products from her diaper bag to her overnight bags to just bags to carry her stuff around.  It really has made my life as a mom that much easier. PLUS, the money is pretty good. When I started, I had no intention of selling. I just wanted to the stuff. I signed up as a consultant because it was only $99 and you got about $300 worth of stuff, so I figured why not go that route. But soon after, I found out that really no one had ever heard of it and most who saw it, just loved it. I asked a few friends to host some parties so I would get these incentive kits, but after that I was just going to be done with it.  Then people I didn't know wanted to have parties so I figured, if I can make an extra $100 or $200 a month doing this, why not. It was a great outlet and it was Angie time.  A year has passed since I started and Thirty-One has organically blossomed into what it is for me today. My paycheck this month was $1800, I have several girls on my team and I'm a Director.  I told myself I'd ride it out as long as it took me for some extra 'crib' money and so it continues to just go.  I really only have 2 to 3 parties a month and I have the presentation down pat. I really don't spend too much extra time on it and it just seems to continue on.  In fact, Thirty-One has a waiting list for the past 4 months so new consultants can't sign up just yet.  They let girls get on a waiting list and in order of their date, they can sign up starting today. I have 5 girls on my wait list. I love that they've improved so much at the home office because my orders lately have been perfect and quick to receive.  So Thirty-One as  a hobby has been nice and I've met so many wonderful girls out of it as well. In fact, I found our church because of a girl I met through Thirty-One.  Of course, I love my real job, so Thirty-One is really only a hobby/part-time thing for me, but I don't mind the extra cashola for a few hours a month of work :)  I am receiving a $2000 gift card to best buy in a few weeks and Chris and I are both excited about that...Yay! So Tia can benefit from all the cute Thirty-One stuff just as I do.

She's Getting So Big

These pictures over at "Aunt" Liza's house are just so beautiful of Tia. She is getting so big!

Getting My Master's

This has been a super busy week for me. I started my Master's program through Franklin University. They are located in Columbus, OH and offer an in-class or online Master's of Science Degree in Marketing & Communication.  Up to this point, I really had no desire to ever go back to school. In fact, I really could not imagine myself being a student again. However, with the changing of times with baby boomers exiting the workplace and Generation Y exiting college to find they can't get jobs so they just stay in school to get their Master's degree, it has had me thinking. Plus, I have been doing Marketing and Communications for well over 10 years now, but I would like more education on trends of today and how we can apply them to the company I work for. The online aspect is attractive to me and it was more reasonably priced than other programs.  Not to mention is is in the area of study that I'm interested in.  An MBA seems so nebulous to me because at my age, I don't need to take courses in Accounting or Economics...I need more Marketing and Communications classes.  So this is a perfect fit.  The hardest part for me is that I've never been a great test taker unless it was math. I can write poetically and in the style I like, but if I have to write in APA style, I tend to get a little more self conscious about my writing.  I have read so much the past week and completed two papers yesterday.  The writing was easy, it was knowing the style that was hard for me. I think as I write more, I'll get the hang of it.  This program is definitely going to take a lot of my time, but if I work hard, I should complete it within 16 months. My goal is to complete it before Tia is older and into sports and after school activities.  So I'm back to being a student again. Crazy!

She's a Clean Freak

I have to admit, I'm not a clean freak.  I love having our house as clean as it possibly can be, however I'm more of 'everything has its place'. I'm more OCD about tidy-ness and having a hazard free place.  I wish I loved to clean, but I think I had to do it so much growing up that I just hate it now.  My mom, however, loves to clean. I'm not just talking because she needs to. She cleans because she loves to clean. In fact, she was a house cleaner for some Rams players, some big ritzy houses in Ladue, and even cleans some of my coworker's and friends' houses. I have to give her a lot of props to do this for other people.  I'm thinking that Tia is more like my mom in that she seems to have a thing for cleaning.  Most of you know that Chris and I both have a super analytical demeanor and she also has a hyper sense of analyzing things.  If she sees something on the ground, no matter how small, she will pick it up and hand it to me.  She also cleans her high chair tray when she is done by handing me all the excess food or pieces of food on it. Lately, she has discovered our Swiffer mop in the closet and every chance she gets, she runs to grab it and actually starts to sweep the floor. She actually gets upset if you take it from her.  I also clean up food on the floor with a hand broom, the best $1 investment ever, and she always wants to do it herself.  I think she is going to be a clean freak when she gets older. I'm glad because like I said, I love clean, but I'm not a clean freak. I'd be happy if someone else cleaned for me the rest of my life.  Now, leave the organizing to  me though - I am OCD about organization! 

Rid the Binkie?

So Tia LOVES her binkie and has to have it when she sleeps, rides in the car, and when she is feeling blue.  But when is a good time to start weening her off of it. We've started to only give it to her at bed time and of course since she is so groggy in the morning, I let her have it on the car ride. I can tell that she is at that point where it may be a good time to not have it as much. I know at daycare they put it away except for nap time.  During the weekends at home, she seldom even needs it.  So we are going to start getting to the point where it is a bed time thing only and see how it goes.  Hopefully by the time she hits 2 years old, she won't even think about it anymore. I know a lot of kids who are older than 2 who still have theirs and honestly, I don't mind it....but I do know that it gets harder the older they get. So I'm getting on board with it and going to do my best to help ween her off.  Chris seems to be better at it, although he did try to get her to stop it cold turkey. Boy was he in for surprise.  He put her to bed with no binkie and she just wailed and wailed. Finally, I begged him to give her the binkie, he did and she went right out.  I think we both agreed it has to be baby steps. Think about it, she has had that every day of her entire life so it has to be a process to get her off of it, but gradually. I think starting now is a great time. We'll see how it goes.

Swimming at Daycare

I loved that yesterday at Tia's school they had a swimming day where all the parents brought in swimsuits, towels, and shoes for the kids and they got to splash and play in the mini pools.  I know Tia LOVES the water and what I also love is that she is getting quite the olive tan going.  I'm sure there will be many days over at Aunt Liza's pool splashing and a playing.  She definitely loves water! 

Daddy Gets a Hug

After not seeing Tia for a couple days, we were eager to see her. Chris had the luxury of getting her yesterday and he was telling me how she started kicking her legs when she saw him and how she gave him a big ole hug too.  He always complains that I get all the hugs and she gives him half hugs. I do have to admit that I have been spoiled with her hugs. He always complains I get them all and I can't say that I am upset about it (hee hee), but I do have to say that I'd be jealous if Chris were to get all the good hugs from Tia.  So daddy was especially happy when he got the tight embrace of sweet Tia!  She is such a doll baby!