Avon Happenings

Filed Under Avon, Being a Mom, This Rocks, Thoughts | 3 Comments

I think a while ago I might have posted that one of my customers was going to sign up to sell Avon. Which puts me into “leadership” if I want to be… which I do! Since that happened a few weeks ago, I now have four people signed up who are selling Avon. That’s exciting because it helps me to advance and eventually will help MY earnings too!

Last week our new division manager came in town. She came to my house with MY district manager for a meeting. Then after that, we went and had another meeting at a restaurant, so we ended up spending about four hours together. I felt like I got to know both of them a lot better and I am more comfortable asking my manager for help with different things. I also think she sees how hard I am working now… or at least I hope she does! I set a few new goals for myself, one of which I have ALMOST met and one of which I need to reach by February-ish.

I guess I am starting to see this as more of a career and not just a little side job. Not that it can be a full-time career right now (because I want to be a SAHM still and have my focus on Bailey) but I can develop it into a career for when the kids are in school. I like seeing potential in something since I struggle with feeling like “just a mom” some days. And I want Bailey to see me working hard toward something and making accomplishments, even if it is not in a 9 to 5 type job.

My Thursday

Filed Under Date Night, Money, Talking, This Rocks | 4 Comments

I feel like I need to update, but it’s going to be in little bullets and bits and pieces.

-Today my mom watched Bailey while I ran some errands. I went shopping (which now equals going to Kohls and Target). I also got my hair cut and it looks really cute! Thanks Ellen, if you read this!

-I spent a half an hour on the phone with Avon support in India trying to get something straightened out. I had to return a bunch of items that a new customer of mine bought from another rep. It was a pain.

-I found a winter coat for Bailey. I was going to try to find a picture of it to post, but the London Fog website sucks! (Also I did NOT pay full price for that coat. I’m cheap.) Her new coat is a few different shades of pink and its a little bit puffy. The only drawback is she won’t be able to wear it in her carseat, but it will be a great coat for playing outside in cool weather. I also got her the mittens with the string that connects through the sleeves of her coat.

-Bailey started saying people, purple, and pee pee yesterday. She also put two words together today- which is very rare for her. She said, “Hot hice” at dinner. Which translates to hot rice.

-Speaking of which, my baby is 18 months old today. That’s a whole year and a half. We’re not going to think about it for too long right now.

I can’t believe she is big enough to sit along in a chair, to wear a Disney Princess jammie shirt, to eat an apple by herself. And those legs? They are not chubby baby legs anymore. They are long, skinny, bruised kid legs. I love her.

-I went in our hot tub tonight after Bailey was in bed. For the first time in about 26 months. It was great. Jonathon sat outside and worked on his laptop, and I sat in the hot tub and read a book.

-Tomorrow night we are having a date night. I think we are going to go see the movie Fireproof. And out to dinner, but I’m not sure where. Nothing too fancy. I am wanting to go to Red Lobster sometime soon to take Jonathon to the all you can eat shrimp. We do that every fall. But if we do it before the movie, I will be stuffed and then I won’t be able to stay awake. I am bad about falling asleep during movies. I am also having a Melting Pot craving.

-Tomorrow during the day, we are going to a pumpkin patch with friends. I am looking forward to it. This is the first one Bailey will go to, ever. Lots of pictures.

-Our trash service changed. I am happy about that because the prices went way down, and now it all gets picked up on the same day. Before, our neighborhood had the choice of three services and so there were trash trucks every day, between the people who had all the different companies, and twice weekly pickup, and yard waste/recycle on different days. I hated it. Now? ONE DAY. No more stupid trucks rattling down the street several times each day.

-We got our tax return. Remember how I had to file an amended return because we didn’t get the credit for Bailey? That whole mess? Well the IRS paid US interest! I guess they felt like it was their fault since Bailey was on our paperwork and they didn’t catch it. I personally thought it would have been Turbotax’s fault for it not processing correctly, but whatevah. I’ll take it. Big fat refund and interest. And now we have $300 coming our way in the next few months for the rest of our stimulus check!

Things I Love Thursday- BirdsEye Steamfresh Veggies

Filed Under Food, This Rocks | 6 Comments

I know these aren’t anything new, but they have been a lifesaver around our house in the past month or so. Bailey is very picky about eating veggies (aren’t most kids?) and so I find myself searching for new things to try or ways to disguise them. She had a long running love affair with canned green beans, but that ended. In our search to find new ideas, I cam across Birdseye Steamfresh Vegetables. I always thought they were “lazy” before, but I tried them and they are SO GOOD. They are usually less than $1 more than other frozen vegetables, and they don’t have that soggy mush taste to them.

So far we have tried green beans, peas, and a veggie mix and Bailey has eaten all of them most of the times they have been offered to her. Jonathon will even eat his vegetables because he likes them still a little crunchy. You can adjust the cooking time to get them as squishy as you want. And they are so convenient. Much better than buying (super expensive) fresh veggies and then waiting for the steamer.

For more things people love, check out The Diaper Diaries.

Skin Care Product Reviews

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I finally decided to be an adult, and I have started actually washing my face at night, and using a night cream and an eye cream. I can already tell the difference in my skin. It kind of makes me wonder why I didn’t do this all along. The stuff I have been using, is the Avon Anew Retroactive line. The products are all very affordable, especially compared to other department store skincare products or other home sales companies such as Arb*nne and M@ry K@y.

Here is what I do at night:
1. I use the Anew Retroactive 2 in 1 Cleanser to wash my face.
2. I put the Anew Rejuvenate Eye Cream (night) on my eyes.
3. I put the Anew Retroactive Youth Extending Night Cream on the rest of my face.

In the morning, all I do is use the Anew Rejuvenate Eye Cream (day) on my eyes before my makeup. I don’t use a day cream on the rest of my face because I use a primer instead.

I never thought I would be a skin care junkie, but I enjoy using this stuff. It makes me feel great about my skin, and I like that i can actually tell the difference. So I know it’s not a waste of my time, or my money.

Another thing I discovered recently is Clearskin Immediate Response Spot Treatment. If you are looking for an acne treatment, this is a topical cream that you can use as prevention or after you feel a zit coming up. My friend Faith says that it works better than any other stuff she has tried. I also have to tell you, she used to use Arb*nne. The reason I am posting about it again right now is because it’s on sale for 99 cents with the purchase of any other Clearskin product.

Check out my website for more info, and use the code REPFS for free shipping!

Good news about taxes

Filed Under Money, This Rocks | 5 Comments

We are getting almost $2000 more back! There was an error with claiming Bailey as a dependent (as in, Turbotax politely did NOT accept her information and I didn’t realize it because it still showed her name on the “dependent list.” Fortunately, we figured out what went wrong and my 1040X amended form will be going in the mail on Monday. Cross your fingers that we get the money back soon. That would be a huge help in paying some of these bills that we always seem to have. Also, then we get the $300 economic stimulus for B too (that’s how we noticed something was amiss, we got no kid money with it).

Things I Love Thursday- Little People Books

Filed Under Books, This Rocks | 5 Comments

This isn’t a blog carnival that I always do, but sometimes I have something I really love that I want to share with my five readers. So, here’s my “thing” for Things I Love Thursday.

Fisher Price Little People Board Books. We have been lucky enough to get Bailey a decent collection of Little People stuff at yard sales. Well about two months ago my mom got B a Little People Our Town book at Sam’s.

She absolutely fell in love with it. There are so many little things to “find” on each page, like frogs and bunnies and trees and balloons. It is the greatest vocabulary builder. Bailey can point out so many things now after working on this book with her. She is now 15 months old but I think these books would be great for any baby/kid up to like age 2 or 3.

I decided to look for more of these books, and retail is around $10 each. There are a bunch of different titles, including Fuzzy Farm and Things That Go. I was lucky and found 3 books NEW on eB@y for $10 plus shipping. Each book has over 40 flaps to lift- and they are REALLY sturdy. Bailey hasn’t ripped or bent a single one yet. And you know how kids that age are with books, especially flappy books. She would rather read these books than anything else. If you have a kid around this age I seriously recommend these!

For more Things People Love, check out The Diaper Diaries.

Something I said I would never wear

Filed Under Avon, Pregnancy, This Rocks | Leave a Comment

Crocs. In fact, I wrote an entire post making fun of them a year or two ago. My friend Mutha swore with me that we would never own or wear them. She was the first to go back on that promise. Then, when I was pregnant my feet were this swollen:

I went shopping with my mom one day and we traded shoes because mine were so uncomfortable. Hers were Crocs, and they felt like foamy little cushions. But after that, I still swore they were ugly and I wouldn’t own any.

Enter Avon. They make some great faux Crocs and they are only $9.99. Plus for some reason, I can’t so no to a good Avon deal So I ordered the black ones with rhinestones… because if I am wearing Crocs, at least they are going to be sparkly! I still can’t believe I own them. But they are so comfortable. I know some fakey Crocs aren’t as comfy, but these things are awesome. They have become my slippers of choice around the house. Um, and I’ve worn them out of the house a few times now. Don’t tell.

I also just ordered these sandals, which were also $9.99. Last summer I was bumming that I didn’t have a cute pair of flip flops to wear with black capris and stuff like that, so I am excited to get these!

Just a quick brag

Filed Under Being a Mom, Daddy, Gifts, This Rocks | 7 Comments

This one’s about my husband. For Valentine’s Day, he gave me a new day planner. (I had actually been wanting one). When he gave it to me, he was like “What’s the date today?” I opened it to the 14th, and a piece of paper fell out. He had made four coupons for a DAY TO MYSELF where he will watch Bailey all day and I can sleep or read or leave the house all day and do whatever I want. He also said if I wanted a weekday he could take the day off work. He has like a million vacation days. I don’t think I would ask him to do that, but I am definitely going to take him up on this VERY SOON!

He gives me time to get stuff done and never minds watching Bailey. But I always feel like he is watching her so I can go get something done. I feel guilty just taking time away to relax. Like I am slacking and “sticking him” with the kid by himself. I shouldn’t feel that way; I know he loves here and it’s his responsibility too. The Mommy Guilt thing is just so hard sometimes. I feel the need to be there, all the time, making sure EVERYTHING gets done (my way).

Anyway, that was the best gift he could have given me. Well that and some hot lovin’ of course Um… yeah.