Almost there!

Got a call today from my Unit Leader with Creative Memories! Just found out I'm only $230 away from qualifying as a Unit Leader myself. YEHAW! This is so cool. Creative Memories is such a great company, with great products, and they really spoil their consultants. The even cooler thing about hitting this goal is that I will get to go to an incredible training next month. Training is such a great way to get motivated and get excited about my business. It is so much fun.

The best thing about working from home though is being able to set my own hours and do my own thing. Which is why at 2:30 in the afternoon I can choose to do yard work, and other jobs I want to get done, and finish making phone calls later. It's up to ME! I love my job!

Can't wait to see what the month totals end up at....this is cool!

Flat Stanley Goes Down Under

Flat Stanley has been all over the world! This time he traveled to Australia. He was visiting with his new friend Kaye.

Flat Stanley first spent time with Kaye at her work.Kaye said:
Flat Stanley had his photo taken today (13th May, 2008) on the advertising Bill Board for Capricorn Liquorice, at Betta Foods Manufacturing Plant in Melbourne, Australia.

Capricorn Liquorice is Betta Foods Brand Name and is advertised at International Trade Shows. Betta Foods Australia Manufacture for local and export market a great range of soft eating liquorice and chocolate coated liquorice logs,

Betta Foods Australia currently export their great product into Canada, United Kingdom and soon into USA.

Hope Flat Stanley enjoyed his visit at Betta Foods Manufacturing Plant in Melbourne, Australia.

Next he visited with Kaye's son Frankie. He took him to work at one of Australia's most popular television stations- Channel 9.

Here Flat was on the set of a very famous show called 'The Footy Show' which airs in Australia every Thursday night. The link for the show is http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/afl/footyshow/

After visiting with Frankie he went on to visit with Frankie's sisters house. She has 4 young children who Flat Stanley got to play with all the time.

Andrea said:

Well here are some photos!!! Flat Stanley had an awesome day. He visited all the Kinders and Kalani's school. He is pretty knackered and looking forward to his trip home!

Wow! He had a wonderful time. Tired...but otherwise in excellent condition he returned home to Middleburg Heights, Ohio. Today, Zach took him and his travel log up to school to tell all of his friends about his journey.

What did we learn from his travels? In a world where people seem to be out for themselves so often we've learned that their are wonderful people still in all parts of the world. People that have great hearts. People that would take time from their busy lives to hold on to Flat Stanley, take his picture and send a message back to our family. Flat's travels taught us to look at the world a bit differently. While we're glad to have him back home I can't help but wonder if this was a project with no deadline where would he have gone to next?

To all of you who helped with this project THANK YOU! Your kindness to our family, and your careful handling of Flat Stanley are greatly appreciated.

What a month!

It seems hard to believe that it has been 10 days since I last had a minute to post. Honestly, don't know if I have a minute now but... how can I avoid posting with all that has gone on.

Let's see there has been so much happening, where to start...

Flat Stanley! He has been spotted in Australia and is on his way home. Keep a watch for his latest letter and information. He has had quite the adventure and a full recap will be coming soon.

Zach, hockey season is over for the year. It's been a fun and interesting season. They lost the championship game for the Spring League but played hard. We're actually on break until camp the end of July. Guess that's why we went golfing yesterday since it's his off season.

Katie, took her hamster to school today. She is almost done with her first year of school. Seems so hard to believe. 9 more days left, boy do I need to get some things done before that gets here.

Me, well Creative Memories is a blast. I'm in Unit Leader qualifications and will just have to wait and see if we make the sales goals as a team this month. If you need anything, or just simply want to help me make my sales goals...www.mycmsite.com/kropwithkathy

WINGS!!! Wow! Even the VS reporters were saying they were doing well and dominating the game. Once the reporters turn that corner you know good things are coming. It will be fun to see how the rest of the playoffs go. We may even have to plan a quick trip up to Detroit next week!

That's about it in the quick recap of what is going on. There of course is laundry, dishes, cleaning, bills etc as well. Somethings just never end.

Feeling Sick?

It has been a crazy week. I know everyone has their own busy lives and things going on all the time. I'm not alone in that, and yes I also know that we tend to do that to ourselves by filling up the calendar. This week though has just made me feel SICK!

First, it started with a hideous game on Saturday for my son's hockey team. You can read about that on a previous post. Than Mother's Day came and went. Now I'm all for spending time with family, but it would be so nice someday to have a holiday/celebration with just our family. It's certainly not that I wouldn't like to see family on the special day, but it's hard when we've never had a Christmas morning or any other special holiday morning to ourselves. Ok, I'm whining, sorry it's my blog!

Then the school week started. Now it's Staff Appreciation week up at our school, and while I don't have a role in it really, I've still been involved taking pictures, delivering drinks, and baking for it.

Of course the highlight of our week was suppose to be Wednesday...our youngest 6th birthday. I believe she still had a nice day, but what started out fun for me turned into craziness with Zach needing to go to the Dr. So between breakfast and lunch I ran to the pediatricians, came home long enough to get picture cards basically done for the school, ran up to take Katie to lunch, home to check on Zach and then back to school to pick up Katie. By then Zach felt better which was good. We finished celebrating her birthday with dinner out. At which she started to not feel good. Got everyone put to bed, and sat down to relax and watch the Wings play.

Talk about feeling sick! I know I need new glasses but obviously the Refs need to get them first! I can see the goal in the first game being contested for Homer being in the crease but HELLO OUT THERE! This time he was CLEARLY not in the crease. But ok, fine if Dallas needs to win a game on bad calls and called off goals they can have it. The series still belongs to us. And while on the subject Brian Engbloom needs to get a life! Firsts he is all supportive of the Wings, when they are up 3-0, but the SECOND they have a goal called against them, he jumps sides. You Brian are a commentator, suppose to report the story and not be a one sided anyone but the Wings person. So GET A LIFE!

So, now it's Friday. Finally, all are off to school as they both were home sick yesterday and life is onto the next rush of getting ready for a birthday party and then my National Scrapbook Day Event.

Ahh...time for a nap, maybe in a few years.

At least, cough, cough, sneeze...I'm only feeling partially sick. Nothing a good game on Saturday can't cure!

Crazy Hair Day

Have you ever had a day where you just want to pull your hair out? Things aren't going well, and you have just had it. Maybe you've had a day where life just is too crazy? Today at my children's school they are having Crazy Hair Day! Not because they want to pull their hair out, but rather because the students thought it would be funny. So, being the Mom that I try to be I suggested to our son, who currently is growing his hair long to be just like his cousin, that maybe we could do a crazy hairdo. Zach was all for it...so with rubber bands and hair gel in hand we began working on his hair. It certainly got crazy!

Of course we had to do Katie's too! Her's was more crazy, messy instead of crazy fun.

So the next time you are having a bad hair day...remember it could always look like this!

Does it change your view?

Been watching A LOT of hockey lately. Professional and Mite level. The conclusion is always the same in terms of hockey is a full contact sport. The problem with that is at the Mite Level it is not suppose to be. Just the same this weekend Parma proved they don't care about that. Instead they watched their Mites take hits, and check players into the boards. Now some of that while not what is allowed at the Mite level could be overlooked some. BUT when you allow a player to check another into the boards and then follow it up with jabs to the helmet with a stick you have a serious problem.

One of the Parma parents as we were yelling for the refs to do something said "they're just kids". That's right, they are just kids. Kids who now think it's ok to be a thug. It's ok to give the whole team a bad name because you can't control yourself. Kids who are too busy being thugs to improve their skills. Kids that are giving the entire Parma program a bad name.

Watched the Wings and the Stars go at it on Saturday night, checks, hits, intense hockey... funny didn't see anyone take their stick and pummel another guy with it. Amazing...after all Parma will tell you hockey is a rough sport!

Watched another intense mite game on Sunday. Full energy, back and forth action. Ended in a 6-5 win for us. And it was clean fun game for all involved. Funny how when a game is played right it is more fun for all involved.

Go Mustangs! Play your game and thank you coaches for teaching our boys to play while conducting themselves correctly. I know they won't always make the right choices, but thank you for being coaches that will correct them when they do the wrong thing, and not just let it go.

Go Wings! Thank you for being role models even when the game gets intense, and while fights break out, thank you for not going after someone unprovoked just to be a thug!

It's a tough sport, but with rules it can also be fun!

Happy Birthday to Phil!

Today is my wonderful husbands birthday. The morning started for me at 6:20 am as I could hear the kids waking up and then in the kitchen trying to convince Grandma that Daddy needed breakfast in bed. While it was a great thought I decided to at least rescue him from the 6:30 hour and let him sleep for another hour.

The kids waited reluctantly. At 7:30 when they couldn't wait a minute longer they rushed up with toast and a glass of milk for him. It was a nice thought, and he really enjoyed that they cared so much about doing it. Then after a breakfast of eggs and bacon and chocolate chip bread, we gave him his gifts. The kids gave him each a gift certificate for money towards an I Phone, and then the big gift came out. The Wii Mario Carts game. Not sure who liked it more, the kids or Phil. We all took turns playing it, and then off we went on a shopping trip for Katie's birthday.

Well, hope he enjoyed his time during the morning because...we ended up getting Katie her dream present of a hamster. We bought a pink castle cage, and a little hamster which she named Emily Elizabeth. The rest of the day will be about the hamster and then the birthday cake that Grandma and Grandpa brought to celebrate Katie's birthday. Then off to baseball practice and a hockey game. Then finally back to Phil's birthday as we go out to dinner to celebrate one more time.

Of course tomorrow is Mother's Day so Have a Quick Happy Birthday!

Go Wings!

4-1! What a game it was. The Stars played well, but they were out skated, and out shot. It will be a good series, but if the Stars blame this loss on the fact that several days ago they played a 4 overtime game, then they need to give up and walk on back to Texas!

Go Wings! This could be your year!!!!

Did you know?!

I've spent the last 2 days volunteering up at my children's school. They were doing a program called COSI on wheels, What's Wild! It was a really neat program, that the kids really liked. They came in for an assembly where the leader spoke to them about animals in the wild, and what they need to survive, and how we control population by fishing, and animal rescue. Then the students broke up into groups and travelled down to the various stations throughout the room set up to explore. I sat for most of the time at the antler and horn table. I know things about deer now that I never knew before.

Did you know that the volunteers that were up at the program were the same ones I see at almost every event the school needs help with. Why is that? We have 975 students at our elementary school. Why is it that the same 20 parents show up for everything?! It baffles me how parents talk about being a part of their children's lives, but then are too busy to get involved. I know the majority work full time, but what about the ones that aren't working. Or the ones like me who work from home and certainly could find a way to come up for an hour.

I will continue to help whether the others do or not. It's nice to be a part of what is going on up at school. It's fun to know who is in your child's class and for them to recognize you as so and so's Mom. The look on my children's faces when they see me helping out is another reason I won't stop doing so. Just the same, there will always be the wonder of why so few others seem to be available for anything.

Rough Play

I really don't get why some hockey teams feel the need to play rough. Actually, it's really just one team that we've found likes to play that way. We've run into it in 3 on 3 play, and then throughout the regular season and now spring league.

I do realize that hockey is a rough sport, BUT at the Mite level the boys are not suppose to be checking, slashing and certainly not cross checking or punching someone once they've gone in the net. Apparently, the PARMA team that we keep playing hasn't got the message. It's not all the boys, but it is certainly some of them. Our son has played for their head coach during an All Star game and has said how nice he is...so what's the deal?

Last night they tripped several times, ok we'll let a couple of those go. Then they were cross checking and pushing kids after the play was done. I'd say they were just frustrated over the score, but they do this regardless of the score. In all honesty maybe we should have cheered all 10 of our goals, but that is not the kind of team we are. We support our boys, encourage them to do the RIGHT thing and clapped for their goals...all of them, but not as loud as we did for the first 2. Why? Because it is the right thing to not make the other team feel bad about their not scoring any goals.

Here's the message you need to get though PARMA... First, your kids can skate, and they have good puck handling skills. We shut you down because you were too busy being goons to actually play. So maybe if you got your kids together and talked to them about waiting until they were in the peewees to hit and push and check you would actually be able to make a run at scoring some goals.

Good luck with that!

Taking a Break

The way this society is, we feel like we need to constantly work. There is always something to do, and always something waiting to do when the first thing is done. It is simply hard to relax. It doesn't matter whether you work full time, work from home or don't work. There is just to much to do.

We need to stop and give ourselves permission TO RELAX! I'm as guilty as anyone. The crazy thing is I work from home, part time. But still feel that I'm constantly working. The only time I really do manage to stop is at 9 or after when we sit down for an hour or so to unwind before going to bed. So, what can I do to stop that?

The biggest key for me is to take time to do something fun, in between all the work stuff. Put the laundry in, clean the bathrooms, make up menus and grocery lists and then actually work on my albums for a few minutes. GO outside and enjoy the day. It is too easy to stop in front of my computer and work all day long. Regardless of whether I sit at the computer all day or not, there will still be work to do on it later, so TODAY I'm going to take a few breaks and enjoy the fact that I am working from home Part Time and that I can enjoy life to the fullest!

Time with the Kids

It's hard to get things done some days. Maybe because we get so focused on the getting stuff done instead of the people we need to spend time with. This weekend has been no exception.
I decided to get back to blogging everyday, or at least attempting to do so BUT, then Friday came along.

Usually, I've found that working on my blog, or checking email or those kinds of activities work best right after the kids get on the bus for school. Friday though I drove the kids up to school so I could go on a field trip with my daughters class.

If I had to choose whether to blog or go on the field trip... the choice is obvious, the field trip. We headed off to Lake Farm Park in Kirkland, Ohio for a fun day of exploring life on a farm. We saw many animals, and the kids got to milk the cow. It was fun, and luckily we were able to avoid the majority of the rain. It was a good thing because by the evening the rain really was coming down.

So that took Friday, well that and teaching scrapbooking at Le Chaperone Rouse. Then Saturday came along. We had such a mess in the kids rooms from this past winter of being too busy to take care of it. So we spent the day attending Zach's hockey game and then off to the grand clean up. It took most of the day to sort and straighten. Truth is I really need to go back in their rooms now that they are reorganized and pull out the things that they are really done with. After working on rooms we made our own pizza and watched a movie together.

Yes there are still a lot of things that need to get done, but there always will be...the kids won't always be little enough to snuggle with to watch a movie or make pizza. SO, I think the choice was the right one.

Unbelievable!

Unbelievable! That is the only way to describe Creative Memories New Product Line for JUNE! Yes, I realize that it is only May 1st, but if you aren't in contact with a Creative Memories Consultant Now, you are going to really wish you were.

Diplomas to frame...no problem!
Anniversary present...got you covered!
New baby, ahh!...so sweet!
Wedding...pure bliss!

WAIT you forgot that you need a teacher gift, or a coach gift, or Mother's Day, Father's Day...not an issue any longer. Give a gift that will keep them talking about the event for years to come.

www.mycmsite.com/kropwithkathy amazing things are on the way.

In the meantime, how about getting those pictures organized. Did you know memory cards can erase themselves without warning? Don't be left unprotected.

I love my job!!!!