The Hot mama's club

Last nite the had the priviledge of dining with three amazing women. Rebecca, Jamie and Tiffiny are great girls, they are kind souls, funny as all get out and truly great pals. We ate Fazzari's drank diet coke and chewed the fat. These girls have small children thus they tell the most hilarious stories. You should check out Becky's blog and Matt's sticker experience. She's on my list under Rebecca. Jamie tells great stories about her kids but more times they are her husband and his time with his friends. They recently went camping and the trailer came unhooked and passed them going down the highway. (thankfully no one was seriously hurt, but Jamie tells it so funny I did blow diet coke out my nose the first time). Tiff tells it like it is, she has two tweens, a hubby who works mostly out of town and a 2 year old dolly named Maggie. They just spent since March getting their historic home painted. Tiff is a lot nicer than I would have been with her painter and his schedule... or lack thereof.

Best part of having dinner with these pals is that we can be ouselves, we can tell the good, the bad and the ugly. Sometimes it is ugly and they still are full of love and grace and hold us up when we don't think we can go on.

Enough sap.. Cori is gone this week to the Oregon coast (yes we hate her for being gone and having so much fun) Tami and I are thinking of babysitting her blog, be sure to check it every so often... teehee.... Tami is busy creating. We're hosting a crop at the store soon. A Shriner's fund raiser on the 18th. We're going to have silent auction. Tami is busy creating projects to sell that day. She rocks I tell ya! Watch out for the flyer on that event later this week. You won't want to miss out on the 18th!

We received the new Sceneic Route paper and 2 Daisies today. Its to die for. RUN, RUN FAST and bring your checkbook to the store. If you missed our Cricut class last nite you really missed it. Kelly is an amazing teacher. Those that were there learned so much. Kelly is an expert at that little machine. I hope I can do what she does someday.

SUPER STORE SATURDAY

I know its late but I just had to tell you that we had a GREAT day at the store. The ladies in Wendy's Denami class had a great time making gorgeous cards Wendy keeps the class moving and even cleans every stamp. She is a great girl, we are so lucky to have someone like her in our studio a few times a year.

Then we moved right into our crop. It was great having Patti O and Melissa there. I haven't gotten to see them much this summer and they are just GREAT all around girls. They love their kids, they are passionate about what they do and just a lot of fun. My table was a hoot, with Jean, Breada, Traci and Holly. Brenda and Jean took Traci under their wing and helped her make a darling picture frame and mini albums. My mom's table was Erin and Bethany and Tami Sue. What a crew, ask my mom about the new product we got from Beacon...she has a whole new use in mind for it. :)

Kelly and Gina spent the day with me and Kelly bought a new puppy, hopefully the new doxie will come home this week and take her appointed role as princess. Elvis got a girl friend. He is going to love it!

Shawna and her daughter Katrina rounded out the evening. I think the world of Katrina, she is intuitive, and makes a mean mini album. Shawna has more creativity in her pinkie than I have in my whole being. I hope these Moscow girls had a great time at their first crop with us.

Mom made a mean Taco Salad/Taco Bar, and we had ice cream to end out the nite.

More to come tomorrow. I just wanted to say Thanks ladies for making my Saturday GREAT.

It's Friday..... the weekend!

This afternoon I was at work in a long legged training I was thinking "gosh, why are these people babbling so much, talking about nothing..." then I remembered, "oh yeah, I am the tired one." Poor people at work having to deal with me when I have been travelling. You see I am not smart enough to take a vacation day to rest after we arrive back home. Then I bet you are thinking that I am just whining, I should be rested, it is Friday after all and I have been home since late Monday nite. I think that I took this whole week processing what we ordered, when it would bill and be scheduled to arrive. I am already thinking about the fantastic retreat we have booked for September and our booth the following week at the Nez Perce Fair.

Tomorrow we have a rockin' class with Wendy from Denami and then a Crop. Its going to be a long day but it means I get to spend sometime with some of my favorite people like Angie Meyer, Wendi and her mom Carmen, Brenda and Jean, Kelly and Gina, Holly and Tracie, they are all live giving people. People who just by talking and laughing with, you feel better. Then my creative pals (not that the others aren't creative) but you know what I mean, Erin and Bethany are joining our crop. They oooze with great ideas and fun! If you are going to be sitting home bored jump in your buggy and come spend a few hours with you. Your family will thank you later for returning home happier!

Life as I know it..... defined by Diet Coke

I have been thinking a lot about my life lately. Mainly because I just flew 6000 miles and you know how much I love to fly. I have decided that life can be defined quite well by how many diet cokes or additional beverages it takes to make it thru a day.

I think I will start from worse case scenario and progress to normal...

a full 6 pack- now thats not good. That means you had a diet coke about every 2 hours. It means that you probably went to Starbucks and got a double grande white mocha w/whip and chased it with a diet coke. Then at 10am you opened another to make it thru a horribly uninteresting meeting. At lunch you order a medium diet coke with lots of ice and eat while you drive, this way you can buy dog food and other essentials so your family will allow you to re enter the house that evening. More diet coke for dinner, after all two fast food meals in one day breaks a rule somewhere and a diet coke around 9pm while you watch a few fast forwarded shows on DVR. ( it might come down to the fact that you wake up in the nite and take a few drinks too, its been known to happen)

4 sodies and a starbucks iced tea- there are days where Starbucks iced tea sounds like a great way to start off the day but it is almost always chased by a diet coke. By 10am you have had most people's full allotment of caffeine but you aren't even headed to lunch yet. You might be good and have iced tea with your lunch but there will be a diet coke at 2pm and one at 5pm so the changing of the jobs goes smoothly. Lastly end the nite with diet coke, some email, some blogs and hopefully a great episode of Grey's Anatomy or Amazing Race. Not a bad day just a day that had to have some extra coping skills and diet coke fills those shoes well.

3 cans and a fountain sody- This is a fairly ordinary day. Start with a can, for breakfast, answer some not so fun phone calls, drink a mid morning water 'cause you are feeling bad for your 4 and 6 sody days in the past, a fountain sody with your lunch and errand time and then your late afternoon transition drink. Some people change their clothes when they transition, I drink a soda, its a pick me up that is essential. If you have travelled with me like Deb and Mom they know I need diet coke. Lastly the evening soda with friends. you know for me this is like my "nitecap" I don't drink alcohol I just drink Diet Coke. Its my relaxing time, my cigarette if you will. Its my comfort "drink/food" it stops me from feeling nervous, anxious and sometimes nauseous. Hey I can think of a lot worse drinks/vices.

2 diet cokes and some random drink- this sounds a bit stressful to me in that maybe I couldn't get to my diet coke or was too busy. Heaven forbid I would have to hunt one down or that diet pepsi was only available (sorry J I know you love your diet pepsi) The reality is, I can make my Starbucks venti iced tea last all morning if I am not busy, stressed or talking on the phone a lot, if I am just doing busy work I can get by.... then there will definitely be diet coke with my lunch and one in the evening. If I am teaching a class at the store there will almost always be sodas served, that's why we have our own diet coke machine. (I am still working on getting our own fountain soda machine)

1 diet coke.... oh my, this would be considered a great day to most, it might be out of character like I am sick or not on my game so I don't even think I can comment. If I am having a one diet coke day I am not here....... it just doesn't happen.

Now for all you 64 ounce water drinking fools, you go for it. I drink my water, who doesn't I just don't make it a race, brag about it or really even care, as long as there is diet coke, I am going to survive. Don't tell me that I am going to get cancer, or some freakin' weird disease, I know I am going to die one day, I don't know when or how, I hope you know you are going to die too, (its just part of life) you might die from drinking too pure of water (there is a study out right now about this) but I will die happy with my diet coke in one hand!

WOW, I am alive again! I got some rest, thankfully the dogs decided to sleep out on the couch and I was able to sleep till about 5am! Work was actually manageble today with just one diet coke. I am excited that Scenic route paper company, Paper Trunk, Quick Quotes and a few others are going to ship our orders from Chicago this week. That means we are going to have some great new paper lines and projects in the store by Monday. When we returned from Chicago we realized that in less than 60 days we will be hosting our 2nd retreat this year. We have 60 ladies who are going to spend 4 days cropping, remembering their favorite moments with their kids and loved ones. We have some amazing projects planned and even a special event Saturday nite. The ladies who are going to come are going to get totally blessed!

My darling daughter is leaving on a youth group trip tomorrow. She is travelling to Seattle for a ropes course/camping trip. I don't think she knows what a "ropes" course is.... to me it means going up high in the air, about 30 feet with this little rope and harness around your waist just in case you "slip". Then you walk across this tight rope or take the zip line down. Now, why on earth would you decide to partake in this type of event? I know that its more about going with some girls on a trip and having fun camping. BUT the reality is, she is going to have to play the "ropes"game. I wonder if she is brave enough. What will she do, will she react, will she cry, will she just do it and laugh? I would love to be there and to be with her while she grows and explores but you couldn't pay me enough to play the "ropes" game. Its good to go with kids on an adventure and the youth group leaders are great people! I pray God will take good care of her. "hang on dearie"

On a funnier note, all the dogs in our home got baths today. They thought that was great fun. jump in, jump out, jump in, jump out. I don't know who was wetter, Mike or the dogs. I hope Savannah took some pictures of the circus. I am assuming there was a whole load of wet towels from that adventure. After their baths they run around the house as fast as they can knowing they smell pretty, showing everyone how "cool" they are. I tell ya having Boxers is a kick in the pants.

I had to laugh, Shauna at "Up in the night" makes me laugh. She is one cool mom. She writes priceless stories about her 3 kiddo's and their daily adventures. She doesn't know it but her and Becky are kindred sprits, Becky's 2 year old Matt is just like Shauna's Zach. Go check them out, their blogs are on the right.

Erin is coming to my CROP Saturday nite. I can't wait to show off all the loot we brought home from CHA. I hope you'all will come. I am going to give away some secret yet to be released items. HA! its going to be worth your while to come by.

Home sweet Home.....

I have to make a disclaimer, I have run out of words, I am spent, absolutely spent, , the nice part of me is gone, the gracious part of me will return when I have had some rest, the cooperative part of me and helpful part will be back hopefully tomorrow. For tonight I am thankful for those that shopped this weekend, for those that worked, I truly am grateful...... hopefully there will be more words tomorrow, words for the kids, and my family and customers for now.... nite nite.

HOME and CHA

We are at the Salt Lake Airport, we are almost home. I can't wait. I know that sounds crazy, yes I got to spend 4 days shopping on a grand scale but its always fun to come home. I miss my family, I miss my dogs and I actually miss the LC Valley.

We met some of the coolest new companies. You have to check out Prince Paper Kut company, they have amazing papers, great projects but most of all the best staff we met at the show. Mom hung out with them on Thursday and then we went and visited each and every day after. They were just fantastic. We hope they will come to Idaho.

We also hung out with the girls from DreamStreet and Luxe, how can you not love these companies. We had to order and had to take pictures. They were so fun and just a kick in the pants. You will love their products.

Mom found the greatest new tool on the market, its called the ez cutter and its cheap cheap cheap. its only $5.95 for the knife and its retractable. You won't want to miss out.

This week at the store will be fun. Saturday nite we're having a CROP! Come out, come on have fun! Next Monday we're having a cricut class, Tuesday a Scrapbooking on the wall class, but best of all this week Wendy is here from Denami designs with a card class. It is the highlight of the month. come on Sign up, you won't want to miss it. 10 cards in 3 hours for $35.00 I just might throw in Starbucks if we have 10 people for the class. Oh yeah!

I will download some pics from the show sometime this week, I hear Kevin has our computer duct taped fixed for awhile, so it will be back in the store this week.

Mom is so pumped up 'cause Trapper can come home from WSU tomorrow, she has really missed him.

I do have to tell you that when we travel we are so thankful for our store and for you'all. We recognize and are thankful that we have fantastic customers we love. You are kind, funny, and always willing to share a story and a smile. We didn't find that in the midwest.

So Tired, oh my gosh!

Okay, can you say Tired? That describes our group. Mom is not even seeing straight, Debbie is walking in slow motion, if you know Debbie that is REALLY bad. Tomorrow we sleep in for a bit 'cause we have an afternoon flight.

Today we ordered from Scenic Route and K&Co, I can't wait till the retreat girls see the amazing projects we are going to do. Debbie and mom bought some great kits from Quick Quotes as well! You are guys are going to be blown away. I hope that dad will give us some more space in the store, we are going to need it.

Hope you are all well. I came to the buyers booth to check email and to get a diet coke and all they have is coffee, what are these people thinking? Take care friends,

CHA, Shop Shop Shop

Mom has her feet up in the buyers lounge so I am taking a second or two. We have found some fun new lines. Mom has found a new tool that you will have all to have. It cuts any template and its only 5.95! oh my!! Today we have done some fun make n takes and are looking at the new K&CO. I have always wanted to order this line and haven't. Mom and Debbie ordered Quick Quotes new canvas and also the lines from Dream Street. The whole time we have been here we were on the look out for Paper Trunk, they were really hot in the sneak peaks on Ebb Creations but I couldn't seem to find them, while we were at One Heart One Mind they found us and they are based in Oregon of all places!!! We are going to have to order their whole line!!!!!

We have also finally been adopted by the best rep in the world. Julie Kelly from Mills Rep Co has taken us under her wing thanks to Lauri from Scrapbook Island. Julie reps everything under the sun!!! Thank God she introduced us to the best ribbon company ever, Creative Impressions, yes we bought a lot, make room ladies!!!

I happened upon Marah Johnson from CI, she is a hoot, she is going to check her calendar, she likes to come to Coeur d'alene quite often and loves the Mountains of Idaho, oh darn!!! TEEEHEEE! Mom had her picture taken with her. Mom took the Tim Holtz class and I took a great class or two myself. Go figure, I've been working the whole time I've been in the windy city.

Last nite we shared a fantastic Italian family meal with the girls from Glitz Designs. You have to go to their website. They have FROSTING. It rocks and replaces my not so favorite bling designer. Yep you got it ladies!!!

Hope you're all well, we have a few more hours and then off to dinner, and nite nite. I am spent! Mom can't walk and we've lost Marge altogether. Take care pals!

HELLO from CHA Chicago

Hello from Chicagoland. Don't ask how our flights were or about the weather, ask about all the cool new things we get to touch and see! Last nite we went to the Luxe party at Gibson's steakshouse, to SEI and to Stamping Station. They were so fun to be able see what was new before the doors opened. Today we have been playing at Heidi Grace, WE R Memory Keepers, My Minds Eye and everyone else nearby. Its fun being here. This is a much smaller show than Anaheim. We took some really fun classes and even made an entire album this morning at 7am. Wow just so you know that is 5am West coast time! holy cow. The downfall is that they only sell Diet Pepsi, but Die Cuts with a View had ice cream cones this afternoon.

I hope you have all been in the store to take advantage of the paper sale. We have make to room for some of this GREAT new product. You are going to love the Cosmo Cricket Christmas, and the new Daisy D's, holy cow, get a second job!!!!!!!!

Miss you all. Talk more tomorrow.

A Few questions for God

Many of you know that I believe in the bible, but I have just a few questions for God when I get a chance to talk with him in person... Afterall the bible says "Everything good and perfect gift from comes above.... and in another place it says that God created everything (paraphrased)

But I might have some issues? I am packing to go to Chicago and was checking weather.com It said 80 degrees thunder storms and 70% humidity. Now that sounds "steamy" to me. Why do we need humidity? To breed small icky bugs that bite and make people itch? To make people sweat? I am curious, just how does someone who lives in an arrid climate pack for 70% humidity? Doesn't sound fun to me?

Then I would like to sit down and talk with the person who decided it was cheaper for me to fly 3020 miles tomorrow to get to Chicago for the least amt of money. We leave the Big Lew and go to Salt Lake, from there we sprint to our plane for a 23 minute connection to fly to Atlanta. From Atlanta we fly back to Chicago. I think someone was sick in the head the day they thought that was cheaper than, Lewiston-Salt Lake-Chicago. (Don't tell me its my fault I booked the ticket, I took what was suggested by the airline)

I will be roaming the convention center in Chicago for the next few days with Mom and Debbie. We will be at Summer CHA ordering product for Fall/Christmas. (Trapper is going to stay with his new friends at WSU in the hospital while we are gone so mom doesn't have to worry, btw, it was starvation that sent him there, 2 more hours at my folks and they said he would have died. Its not that mom wasn't feeding him correctly the people we purchased him failed to tell my mom he needed formula for 4 more months. He is doing well now although mom says his personality isn't great since he would rather we home than at the hospital)

If you think about it pray for us. Pray for safe travels, for our families while we are gone, and for us to make good business decisions. Our store is Rockin' and we want to keep up the momentum, if you have already talked to God about my questions feel free to reply, I am sure you have a million or so ponderings of your own.

Update on the "baby" Trapper

Update on Trapper- He is eating well at the WSU hospital and he is playing with some toys. Thats a huge improvement from the day before. My mom hasn't spoken with the doctors yet but the nurse who relayed the information said he was doing really well. He isn't coming home yet. Then she got home from the store and the little black dog is limping around. I think that one of us should have become a vet in our career choice.

Prayers Please

Last nite was such a great time. We got home late and fell into bed from so much fun!
BUT, this morning my mom woke up and the new "baby" Trapper was not doing well. He was on the bottom of his cage and was sick. Mom called the local vet and he was not available, so she and dad took him to WSU to the hospital. She called me at noon to tell me that he is really sick and she had to leave him. At this point there are not a lot of details. We have only had him a week, he was purchased from a very reliable store where we frequent at least once a month. The vets also suggested that our other birds could be sick from whatever Trapper has... that really scared mom.

He is at the hospital I am sure receiving the best care possible. But if you would pray for us. We really need it.

In case you don't know the story of our store, my mom and I run it together. My mom raises birds, she has a Cocktoo named Zooluy and a Macaw named Matilida, they are often regulars at the store. Last weekend we added another Macaw named Trapper, he is a Blue and Gold and he's just 5 months old. We lost our Amazon Alex while we were in California shopping at CHA in February and Trapper is sort of his replacement. We are scheduled to leave for Summer CHA Wednesday.

What a week, we had a class every nite! They were great fun. This morning we are altering a cursive "family" with paint and paper. Tonight is our "Smart Girls Crop" Its seems like I have been running in high gear all week but the it is a good thing, being around creative people, having classes and helping people realize that they are creative is such a great feeling. In just a few days Mom and I are off to Chicago. We fly all day Wednesday and then take classes Thursday. Thursday nite we have been invited to a few launch parties to take in new product lines from some of our favorite companies like SEI, LUXE and HEIDI GRACE. Friday, Saturday and Sunday we will shop all day. There is time to talk with designers, do make-n-takes and try to figure out what's hot.

We will be shopping for Fall and Christmas, I think that I am going to have to take some Christmas movies on the plane with me so I will be in the mood. Its been well over a 100 degrees here all week and the last thing I am thinking of is a White Christmas. We are sure when we return home we will be exhausted and excited!

While we are away there is a huge paper sale. We are putting WE R MEMORY KEEPERS and MY MINDS EYE 25% off. That is a big deal as these are our best selling lines. You won't want to miss out. There is also a sale table loaded with bargains. Stop by and say Hi to Debbie and enjoy the sale.

Crystal over at Mommy Macchiato tagged me with 6 random items about myself...
1- I hate to fly. I travel all the time and I think we are going to crash all the time. I have to do a ton of self talk the whole flight. Craziness, huh?
2- I love love love diet coke. In the summer I drink iced tea but diet coke is my comfort drink.
3- I have nite terrors if I watch bad tv or scary movies. I can't watch anything over PG. I know its insane but its true. I am a QVC and a ABC family girl
4- I hate hate hate housework. I have decided that some people are better at it than others, so I have a housekeeper twice a week
5- I love to scrapbook and to make cards. I don't often sit down. I am more a collector of paper and things, I hate to use the things I buy... I just like to have them. There is probably a 12 step program for this, but I am not interested... ha!
6- My kids are 14 and 16. I am officially old, but I love having teenagers. I truly do!

I am now tagging Cori & Erin. Go for it ladies!!!

My Michael

This week at the store we're doing Christmas in July. Tami taught the decor board calendar class from Junkitz. It was a hit. Tomorrow nite is Just Add Chocolate where we are doing 24 layouts in 6 weeks. Thursday is Erin's class making 5 Christmas cards. Knowing I was busy and going to be out late my hubby made me dinner, hand delivered it and brought my flowers. Tami had her camera to capture this scrapbooking moment. What a great guy I married too.

You see, he grocery shops and does all the cooking. He loves it! He is creative and tries to make meals that we all enjoy. At times he will do loads of laundry and make sure the garbage is out to the curb on Thursday's. To many these are normal things, I just want it known I don't take it for granted. We've been married almost 9 years and I don't take one day for granted!

Family Rules for a GREAT Summer

A few rules to make life easier (okay my life easier but really it will work)

1. if the phone rings answer it, I don't care if you don't think its for you, it just might be important but at any rate ANSWER IT!
2. if you are on the phone and it rings, place your caller on hold and answer it. This is why we pay a small fee for call waiting, again might be an emergency or someone important
3. put the cordless on the charger at nite, don't leave it in the basement in that scary, off limits place filled with clothes all over the floor, please please please put it where someone can find it when you are asleep.
4. if I don't answer at work its 99% due to the fact that I am WORKING, or with a client, it doesn't not mean that I am somewhere else and you need to keep calling my cell phone or just hitting redial on my desk phone. I take calls all day and there is a good chance I am already on the phone and can't answer. I will call you back. Hitting redail just to say Hi is not going to score any points or get you a ride to wherever you want to go right now.
5. Summer is short, be thankful you are home sleeping till noon, eating whatever you wish and not outside working. Worse than that you could be like the kids on the East coast and be at camp all summer. You are living the Easy life at this time, be grateful!
6.I will do my best to have fun with you and play but I still have to work and bring home money, so don't make me feel guilty that you are home and bored. I am think of 101 things for you to do, don't tempt me.

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SMART GIRLS GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!

I was inspired today by Shauna over at Up in the Night (see her link listed on the right sidebar) She blogged today about how we lose ourselves when we are mom's and put all our attention to raising amazing kids. We don't take time to do what we need too. For instance, how often do we haul all the kids to get their haircut or for shoes while we settle for a trim every other time and Old Navy Flip Flops (not knockin' 'em, I have my fair share but the reality is there are some great sandals out there). How often does Hubby grab a game of Golf or spend time with the "boys" while we keep the homefires burning. Hence at our store we host "SMART GIRLS CROP" once a month. This is a time for "YOU" We bring in Fazzari's and chocolate. We have a room full of tables and lots of chatter to help you keep going. This is a time to pack it up and escape the house. Leave the dishes, laundry and the child attached to your hip. Its a time to make a project, scrapbook a page or sometimes just sort pictures. Many have commented that they don't take time for themselves, let alone just walk away for a few hours.

I have found that after a late nite with 20 close friends...teehee... I am more thankful for my witty daughter and compassionate son. I have spent the nite bragging about them on my scrapbook pages, or laughing about how funny our dogs are... I have taken time to be thankful that I have great kids who are NOT dealing drugs or living on the streets. By the time I turn off the lights I am ready to go home. I am thankful I have a home to go too and friends that reminded me just have good I have it.

I learned long ago that I needed some "Me" time and I imagine that if my family were honest they are grateful for sometime without me.

I hope you will join us. This month it is on the 14th from 5-11pm. If you can't make then then plan a nite with a few friends and run away for dinner. Do something for you. Call me and we can get a pedicure or just get out and get a Starbucks. You will be thankful you did.

Thanks Shauna for the reminder.

Can we say HOT?

Okay, I am all about summer but this is ridiculous. Last nite when I left the store it was 108 at 8:00. Now there is something seriously out of whack with those numbers. This morning as I was coming to work they were recommending people stay indoors. I wondered at that moment what I was doing driving?

I made the mistake of reading the paper as soon as I got to work. There was a local article about a woman leaving an infant in the car for well over 6 hours, while she visited and fell asleep at a friends home. I not only was outraged but completely sick to my stomach. I am not going to rant and rave about this blog, and I pray for the parents of the child as he was with a caregiver. With the current weather we barely let our dogs out to wee wee let alone take the kids for a ride. Come on people!

<> I am getting a much needed pedicure tomorrow. I cannot wait. I don't know if you are like me but this is the optimum way to relax. I am off to CHA in Chicago in a few weeks and I have to get my feet under control so I can walk the floor everyday. We are talking priorites here. We will be shopping for the holiday season and from the sneakpeaks I have been its going to be a great time!

Heidi Grace has some darling new Halloween, there are some great Autumn lines and I am sure I will get wowed with all the Christmas. I hope they play Christmas music to get us into the spirit. Its going to be 90 degrees while we are there will about 100% humidity. American Crafts has their blog updated... http://americancrafts.typepad.com/studio/2007/06/sneak_peak_1.html
The best site to keep up to date on what's coming....
http://www.ebbcreations.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=39

Check it out and then tell me what you think. We will see what we can do when we are shopping...

Deleted? Cancelled? Yeah right

Mike returned from Texas, tired hot and with high high blood pressure. Sparing all the fun details Mike has had some heart trouble in the last few months and has under gone a series of tests and medication changes. Obviously one of the changes we made didn't really help his blood pressure at all. I won't mention numbers or my family will have him admitted to the ER. But they were HIGH! I made him an appointment with his PA but she was out till Tuesday. In the meantime his cardiologist from Spokane called just to check and see how he was doing. What perfect timing. He was able to call in a prescription into our local pharmacy. (This is where the fun begins)

Mike drive the two blocks to our local drug pusher "The Owl" I like going there, they know us by name. He told them two scripts and they told him no worries. SURE!! The nice girl told Mike that it would be over $300.00 as our insurance had been cancelled. Needless to say he was not impressed. You see we renewed on July 1st, but Mike didn't know that as he drove away muttering really nice words under his breath. The Pharmacy tech knowing she was top on his list called me at work to let me know of the problem. I quickly looked online to see that we were still covered then I ventured where no man has successfully gone before... I dialed customer service at our insurance company. I took two tylenol as it rang knowing it was not going to be fun.

Amanda the nice rep asked me all the questions including where we were married and how many pets we had, okay not really but it feels that way at times... and then she cheerfully announced "yes there were having a problem and they were aware that my large group of 55,000 members was showing cancelled, if I would like to pay for the drugs they would be happy to reimburse me." Then she asked if there was anything more she could do for me. I paused drank some diet coke and asked her how long we might apper to be cancelled.... not much longer she assured me. In the meantime just go ahead and go about our shopping. YEAH right, Mike is lucky to have a checkbook let alone $300.00 laying around since he is LAID OFF! I asked if there was anyway she could do an override for these two scripts, she said sure! Now I wondered why she didn't offer this to me orginally so I wouldn't have had to have a mild heart attack while being told I could just pay for the drugs. Does she know what these drugs cost?

I sent Mike back in his buggy to the Pharmacy two hours later with the assurance that Amanda had taken care of him and the drugs would be ready for his normal co-pay. 10 mins later one of our assistants was banging on the door stating a Pharmacy was on the phone with my husband. I am assuming his passed out from high blood pressure or the 110 degree heat we are having today. I could only have hoped. Nope the computer still shows cancelled. But they are willing to charge the drugs to our house account till its resolved.

I know I am supposed to be grateful that we have insurance and its good insurance. But its times like this I wonder why on earth our insurance company would allow 55000 of us to not have benefits today. geesh.... evidently we pissed off some insurance god in some world....

YUMMY!

Savannah and I made the great escape tonight and went to one of our favorites haunts, Tomato Bros. This is almost as good as going to mom and dad's for dinner, they know us by name, and are willing to share a good story or just chat as we are seated. The owner stopped by to chat, he lost his best friend last week. George was a character and well known to the Happy Day family. He was not just the maintenance man he was like a brother from a different mother. When my mom worked for this organization years ago she joked a lot with George. He had a heart the size of Alabama. His service was Monday. I am sure it was filled with many great tales of the antics working with so many restaurants. George had a great dog, who never left his side. He passed before George and I am sure he was waiting at the gates of Heaven for George to arrive.

Our dinner was GREAT. I had this light pasta dish called Casalinga. It has sauteed mushrooms, olives, lemon, fresh tomato's, spinich and garlic shrimp. It was perfect for such a hot summer nite. Savannah ordered raviolli and when it arrived, it looked skimpy, but we wouldn't complain they are like family here. Quickly a server came with the right portion, apologizing for bringing a childs order (we felt bad she'd eaten the 6 noodles already) but she continued to eat her real order! HA!

Savannah is drawing on the table papers with the kids crayons, another fun feature of this haunt. If they would serve Diet Coke I might consider coming her daily. BUT, they changed to PEPSI earlier this year and I have seriously considered a sit in. Its just not the same.

I am sure tomorrow will be filled with all american fare, diet coke, hamburgers, potato salad and more. In the meantime we are off to see the "babies." That is what we call the dogs in our home. Duke, Sugar, Buster and Sister will be waiting near the door to tell us about their day. I am sure it was filled with some barking, lots of sleep and even some toliet water. What a life!

Hand me a DRINK!

Okay okay I don't drink and its a good thing because I would be passed out by now! What a short and fun filled morning its been. After a lovely phone call I can't mention in a blog..... 'cause its not nice... I can mention the next three. I work for in a job and let's just say that people have to pay us money and then we pay typically mom's thru a court order. (let's see if you can figure out who I work for...) the first caller calls daily. She pestered us for 90 days to suspend a dad's license for non payment but now has changed her mind 'cause her son is going to visit and she doesn't want him riding with his dad unlicenesed. GRRRRRRRRRR My next call was a mom who called to tell me that her ex is went from working full time to on call to avoid paying. She asked me if I knew how much she was going to be getting each month and when. I casually replied that if I was just informed he was going on call there would be no way I would be able to know when he was going to work or how much.... she couldn't understand why I didn't know this...... I wanted to reply my crystal ball was already on vacation. But that wouldn't be so nice. The last caller wanted to know if we have collected any money, I reminded her that she hadn't provided an address let alone as employer at her time of application but we would see what we could do. Where do these people come from?

Hope you day is much better than my morning. :) (working on my second diet coke and its not even 11am)

Work a little have a day off, work a little

Today I realized that we work 2 days and have a day off, then work two days and have two days off. I could get used to that! Sunday was a great day. I actually got some much needed rest. I try to not think that working two jobs gets to me, afterall owning a store is such a fantastic blessing and my mom really does work the days for me, but mentally I am constantly thinking about what we can do to make it better, what product do we need to need to move, how does it look, what advertising is working and not, what are we out of stock and worse than that, who needs what..... when I get a chance to sleep in, I take it. Sunday was one of those mornings. It was great not worrying about an alarm or jumping out of bed to head off to work.

Erin brought in some darling layouts and a monogram banner. I loved them! She is designing our kit of the month. We sold 20 the first month. It is so exciting! We added the add-on page this month for just $4, I think people are going to love the value of this program.

If you have dogs and are like me you are sick of the fireworks already. I want to muzzle the cute little dachsand everytime she is startled by a firecracker and barks, it gets the big dogs running amuck and its annnoying. I know its fun, and my son is the worst of them, lighting off the loudest ones as often as he can. I know its just a week out of our lives but its a long week when the dogs are going nuts every 20 mins.

Enough whining. I went to costco at lunch and downloaded a couple hundred pictures. I can't wait to load so for to see. Cori took some fun ones at the store. We are the featured store of the month at COSTCO and I hope we will have the display up this weekend! Check us out at the Clarkston store.

My blog recommendation for the day is: http://belknapkids.blogspot.com/2007/05/purse-party.html to me this is one of the funniest things I have read in a long time. Its all about how we pick out handbags. I recently had a great party at the store with my friend Jamie and her company, designsbyjamie... (her blog is listed on the right).... Enjoy friends!!!