Win a Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer

Check this out...I am all about food and free stuff. This will look great in the HGTV house that I am going to win as well.

A Cowboy’s Wife is having a contest on her food blog! You can win a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer and she’ll ship anywhere so everyone is eligible!

The winner will receive a brand new Hamilton Beach 4.5-qt. Electric Stand Mixer, Pineapple Yellow!!

Sunday PMS Check

Wow....it's been a while since I have done a PMS check. So here goes...the first check of 2008!

• Pysically-Um...yeah...nothing has changed on that aspect of my life. I really really really want to lost 30 pounds. Have you ever noticed that successful people are successful because they work so hard at being successful....no matter what it is they are trying to accomplish? So when I am whining to myself about my jiggly butt, flabby arms and my 30 pounds....I ask myself why am I not losing any weight? Well the real question is....am I working hard at being successful at losing those 30 pounds and the answer is a big FAT no to match my big FAT butt!!! I resolve to work hard this week and my first stop is going to be a visit at this FREE diet journal that calculates it all. Feel free to join me on this adventure.


• Mentally- I have to cut back on over extending myself...I hate to say no because I am really a people pleaser. However, I need to put me first because I really am stressing myself out to the point of heart palpatations. I will be delegating more to others and letting go....yes letting go is a good thing.


• Spiritually-I have been listening to lots of podcasts regarding The Secret. Each person on the podcast has something specific that they focus on as their prime reason on why the Law of Attraction works for them. This point struck me and has stuck with me.....Anyone can be grateful after the fact....but being grateful for all that you have and enjoy right now before attracting more into your life is key to the success is gaining more of what you want in your life. Hmmmmm....that makes so much sense to me. So I have been making it a point to just take a few moments each day (in the shower where I get my only "alone" time) and just saying thank you and taking in all that I am blessed with in my life.

So there ya have it. Anyone care to join me in the quest of losing 30 pounds? Warning....we gotta work HARD at it but in the end it will be worth it.

**Gratitude** I am grateful that I was given the chance to go to the Oprah show with my friend Vicki. I am thankful for all the gifts we were given that day too. BTW, the pic above is me with Vicki before we left her house for the show.

Snowflakes and Men

**Stampin Stuff (there is none on this card)** So let me get to the good part of this post....the snowflakes! I love this card and it was totally inspired by a post on Gina K's blog. She mentioned that Target had glittered snowflake ornaments on clearance and they made great embellishments.

Tonight I was taking down the tree and in the bottom of my ornament box I found a pack of snowflakes from last year. Score!!! So tonight Sarah (my daughter) and I decided to get crafty. I was attempting to make Valentine's Day cards (I made one and Sarah made 6) and then I thought the paper looked better with the snowflakes. Here is the end result of my "getting crafty" session. I was so inspired by the card I made a matching scrapbook page too.

**Random Blogging About Men (mine in particular)** So today it was warm outside and the snow was melting away. I stayed in my PJ's all day and emptied my Google Reader...there were over 1000 posts....I mostly just scanned through the pics and added things to my favs.

Then all of the sudden I hear the snowmobile and the kids yelling so I just figure Bill is giving rides again....and I continue with my Google Reading. Later, after Bill parks himself on the couch I get up for some coffee and happen to catch a glimpse of the back yard. HOLY CRAP....scant traces of snow and a mud track from the snowmobile is what I see!!! I looked over at him and said "did you happen to see what you did to the backyard?" and he responds "it will be ok".

Then I stroll over to the front window and HOLY CRAP the front is worse than the back!!! So I say "Um now I know why Cody does stupid stuff all the time....he inherited the stupid gene from you" and he replies "what? it will be ok".

This comes from the man that has a COW if someone (that someone usually being the mailman) clips the edge of yard while driving down the street. This coming from the man that obsessed over bald spots in the yard all summer, planted grass seed and tended to it daily. The man basically gave us a lawn job in the front yard, side yard and back yard and thinks....IT WILL BE OK!!! All I could do was walk away before I had a huge temper tantrum in the living room.

Later in the day, he washed some Martini glasses for me before I put them in the cabinet. I was starting dinner and leaned across the sink to get some water in my pot and he says "hey don't be dripping water on the glasses...you will leave spots on them" and I reply "hmmmm, it will be ok....just like the grass will be ok from the lawn job you gave us".

**If you really knew me, you would know** I love my husband dearly even though he is carrying the stupid gene and passed it along to our son. I am so blessed.

Job Update

I love this Christmas card that Allison from Stampin When I Can sent me. The colors remind of when it snows at night it is so peaceful looking. She used the Cuttlebug snowflake folder on the blue background layer and the chalk pefectly matches the paper color. The snow drifts have sparkles on them too. So pretty.

Inside Allison included a thank you note for visiting her blog. Let me just say that she has a lot of visitors and I am amazed and blessed that she included me on her card list. It's been so long since I have RAK'd her and I am happy she remembered me! Thanks Allison.

**Job Update** So many of you have asked for a job update and I keep forgeting to do it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job. The hours are perfect and flexible enough for me to drop off my kids at school and pick them up. I get the responsibility of steering the decisions made by the entire Marketing Committee.

For example, once the committee agrees upon a Marketing initiative then it is up to me to implement the plan and bring back a progress report each week. Right now I am working on our new WEB site and working with a company that does the creating of it and I get to say what I like and don't like and have them tweek it along the way. I am also going to start the same process for our Comcast TV commercial in March.

On a daily basis, I submit ad requests to the advertiser and give my two cents on what I want changed. These are ads that will run in three newspapers including the Chicago Tribune. (My rep for the Tribune is Fabio....every time he comes to visit me all the girls in the office get giddy...including our 80 year old receptionist. Get the typical Fabio image out of your head...my Fabio looks more like Tom Cruise.)

Then I am responsible for tracking new and closed accounts. I mail out letters almost daily and attempt to "track" why people left or how they heard about us which will help determine if the money being spent on Marketing is being used in the right areas; newspapers, TV, community support, etc.

I am also responsible for all donation requests from the local community. If the donation is approved by the committee then I am responsible for making it happen. I just finished up a Charity Drive where the bank donates $100 to a Chicagoland Charity chosen by new customers in the months of Nov and Dec. That was a nice project to do...it's always nice to give away money...esp when it's someone else's money. LOL

I work in the executive office area of the bank and I have two bosses. The main person I answer to on a daily basis is the Executive Vice President who happens to be an alumni of the school my kids attend. My other boss is the Chairman of the Board who happens to be a woman that is three years younger than me. I just found out that she graduated with my brother and knows him well....to say the least. Small world...really.

So what have I learned about working in the real world? Basically, it
cost me $5 if I want to wear a dress or skirt. Every single time I wear a
dress or skirt I ruin my panty hose. Therefore, I usually wear pants or a suit on a daily basis. LOL

Honestly, I LOVE my job and was floored to receive a Christmas bonus after only being on the job for three months. The Chairman of the Board pushed it through (part time employees don't get bonuses) and when I called her to thank her she thanked me and then said "just so you know, retirement age at the bank is 83 so don't plan on going anywhere". Let me tell you...they are going to have to push me out the door kicking and screaming.

So there is the job update for those enquiring minds. See ya on the blog!

Easy Monogram Cards

Thanks for the emails and comments about your New Years Resolution. I really am going to check up on you...so go ahead and drop me a comment about your resolution.

**Stampin Stuff** I made these easy monogram cards for a customer requested Christmas gift. She wanted cards for her girls for Christmas and this was one of the designs I used. She emailed me today and asked I would make her 32 of the monogram cards for her personal use. Pretty cool.

Anyway, I varied the design and made up several basic cards using white cardstock as the base and stamped the background swirl in Versafine Black ink...love that stuff. Pretty basic card...less is more in this case.

**Random Blogging** Today was a prime example of how procrastination costs me time and money. I had a broken tooth in May 2006 which required an expensive crown lengthening and root canal. Shortly after the root canal the tooth broke more before I got a permanent crown. I have basically been going around for almost two years with a broken tooth that could have been repaired and saved...until today!

It broke right down the middle and I had to have it pulled. Now I will have to invest in a SUPER expensive implant. Nice. Needless to say, I have pain, swelling and bruising already. Not to mention lots of money out of my pocket all because I didn't follow up and take care of this problem a long time ago. I procrastinated for no reason other than I hate and fear going to the dentist.

However, while I was there I made a cleaning and exam appointment for me and all four kids. No more procrastinating!!!

**If you really knew me, you would know** I had braces for 4 years and had to visit the orthodontist once a month which equates to someone poking and proding in my mouth and causing me discomfort and pain 48 times (not including the times I broke brackets or wires inbetween visits). Hence the reason I loath going to the dentist.

A New Year - A New Resolution

Hope you all had a safe and festive New Year's Eve. I had my annual party with friends and was so thankful that the 7 inches of snow didn't deter anyone from coming out. Beth got sick, Jen had to work and Mary went out of town so that put a damper on my evening. But in the end it all worked out and after a few Cosmos all went well.

I spent the day today just hanging out with the family. Bill took the girls for a snowmobile ride. I stamped....I know I can hardly believe it myself. I read the new SU catty and made a wish list. Watched High School Musical 2 for the millionth time...why? Watched Hairspray and laugh every time I think of John Travolta as the mother....cracks me up....hon. LOL

Tried to determine what my New Year's Resolution is going to be this year. Last year you may recall it was my Sunday PMS check....PMS standing for Physical, Mental and Spritual well being. I maintained that for about 6 months and then life changed and I let it slip.

So this year I am going to re-focus on the PMS and focus more on the "Mental" aspect of my life. So the question I have been pondering all day today is what causes me so much stress in my life? The root of that evil would have to be......PROCRASTINATION!!!! Yes, that ugly 14 letter word should really be simplified to STRESS.....Mental stress for me. I am constantly thinking of things that I have to do...things that I have put off til the last minute....things that are easily taken care of but for some reason I have just kept putting it off until I am under the wire.

Procrastination causes me to lose money, time, and sleep. Why wouldn't that be stressful for anyone? My goal for 2008 is to get a grip on procrastination which should in turn make the Physical and Spiritual areas of my life so much more managable. I see a trickle down effect happening here....at least that is my hope.

Please leave me a comment and tell me about your New Year's Resolution! I'll be sure to keep you accountable if you do the same for me.

**Stampin Stuff** I made this card today and realized that I miss stamping and being creative....not that this is a spectacular card but got my creative juices flowing again.

I tested out my $10 sewing machine that I picked up at Target for card making purposes. It worked pretty good...you can see it on the bashful blue paper edge. I also faux sewed around the edge of the red card base. I used the Office Accoutrement stamp set....for the second time since I purchased it. Used my new SU scallop punch finally!

**If you really knew me, you would know** that I start reading books and rarely finish them. Remember the book Happiness Now I was so excited about last year...um yeah....found it in my nighstand drawer.

I got this idea from the Oprah show today. It was a show about teenagers at a high school and one of the lessons had them in a circle and they had to start the sentance with....If you really knew me you would know...and then finish the sentance. So I am going to use it for my blog....if you care to know me any more than you already do.

OK....off to take care of some procrastination....sorting through the growing pile of magazines on the floor next to my bed. {It is a HUGE pile...about 6 months worth of magazines....three or four different subscriptions! Yikes} See ya on the blog!

No Oprah yet!

So I left you haning on day three of my Oprah adventure. Needless to say.....the show has still not aired and it's been over a month since the taping!!!! I was trying to drag out what we got for free because I wanted you to see it on TV but who knows when that will happen. So to refresh your memory, the name of our show is The Faces Behind the Names. We were introduced to famous makers of products or companies that we all use and know.


Everything that Oprah showed she gave us....well almost everything. There was some guy there pushing a cookbook and we didn't get the cookbook therefore I can't remember his name because I don't know who he is. However, he did feed us his grilled cheese sandwich made on the panini maker she gave away at the My Favorite Things show....and no we didn't get the panini maker either...but the grilled cheese sandwich was yummy!

Ok...onto the free stuff. Below is everything that we recieved at the show and yes we got it right there after the show. As we left we received two bags of goodies to take home.

1. $35 gift card to Cold Stone Creamery. We saw a demonstration on how they make up a sundae and we all got to eat ice cream while Oprah made her own ice cream concoction and talked to the owners.


2. $150 gift card to the Container Store. They turned the whole stage into a mini Container Store and the two guys that created the Container Store gave us gift ideas and the history behind the store.


3. 4 year supply of Carmex Lip Balm. We met the sons of the man that invented Carmex along with a history of the company. By the way, a 4 year supply of lip balm is a variety of 14 different types of lip balm....mini pots, chapstick form and squeeze jelly kind. Of course, they came in a variety of flavors. Who knew...I always thought that Carmex came in one flavor....Medicince flavor!!


4. 3 items from Williams and Sonoma. We met the 90 year old man (Chuck Williams) who created the store Williams and Sonoma. His name is Williams and the first store was in Sonoma California. He gave us his three favorite items from the store which were a souffle pan, cow creamer and lemon juicer.


5. We met the man from 3M (the Post It Note people) that is responsible for researching new product ideas. He showed us a pen and highlighter with built in mini post it note flags. Oprah showed us how she uses it to highlight things in her book club books as she is reading them. We got 4 packages of the pens and highlighters.

So there you have it! That was my big Oprah adventure back on November 19th and still hasn't shown yet!!! Hellllooooo Oprah...what happened to my show. I really thought it would be shown before Christmas because they kept saying that the items would make great gifts or stocking stuffers. Who knows if we will ever see our show but it was still fun and and experience of a lifetime.