Live. Love. Mom.

In August 2003, we had three little kids, ages 5, 2 and 13 months. We decided to take our first visit to Disney World in Florida. We were so excited to experience this wonderful place with our kids and see the wonderment in their little eyes. We stayed at the All-Star Movies Resort and went to all 4 parks, one water park and explored one of our favorite places, Downtown Disney. Our favorite ride during this trip was definitely the Kilimanjaro Safari Ride at Animal Kingdom.

In March 2006, our three little kids were growing and now 7, 5 and 3. We also brought my husband’s Mom along with us this time. We stayed at the Doubletree Lake Buena Vista and had a wonderful room with lots of space. Since the kids were older this time we were able to take in more shows and ride more rides. Their favorite from this trip was the Test Track ride at Epcot.

In August 2009, we had the Disney itch again and realized this was becoming a pattern for us. The kids were now 11, 8 and 7. We stayed at the Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista this time and it was a huge hit with the kids. They showed movies outside, over the pool and served snack and drinks too. If you choose not to stay on site with Disney I highly recommend this hotel for your family. Our favorite places to eat during this trip were Fulton’s Crab House at Downtown Disney and Chefs de France at Epcot World Showcase.

So, as I write this, February 2012, it has been 3 years since our last Disney visit and we have the itch to return and see that wonderful Mouse. We have visited in Spring and twice in summer, so this time we are going to visit the week after Christmas. I have heard so many wonderful things and seen such amazing photos of all of the beautiful lights and decorations during the Christmas holiday season. This has always been on our “travel list” and I am so excited that this is the year we will finally see it in person.

I was almost giddy inside when I called to make our reservation. We are staying at the Disney Port Orleans – Riverside resort and visiting the 4 parks of course and hanging out eating and shopping at Downtown Disney. We have driven to Florida the past 3 times but we are looking to fly this year. This has the kids very excited, not because of the long trip, but it would only be their second time flying. I am anxious to get our dinner reservations made and plan where we will be each day.

So now I must go and get busy working to save for all of those turkey legs, Mickey ice creams and must-have souvenirs. I’ll start a countdown soon to our Merry Mickey Christmas trip!!

~Amy

I wanted to continue some writing about Direct Sales and share more tips and ideas for those thinking about this for themselves. Recently I wrote two other posts “Is this the right fit for me?” and “Which company is right for me?” that talked about whether direct sales is a good fit for you and which company would you like to join. For this post I am going to talk about an important piece that you should start thinking about once you have signed on to sell something. Building your support system is going to help you through the ups and downs of direct sales.

This team or group can consist of many different people. Your spouse, if married, is a big part of this decision to join a direct sales company and it’s amazing to have their support and know that they will be there for you. Your children can also be a big part as well. Talk with them about what you are going to be doing, share with them your dreams and plans and let them help you. Allowing your children to be a part of this will be beneficial to both of you. You can have them do little things like labeling your catalogs, letters, etc. or you can have them help you carry things to and from your car, help pack your bag for a show. All of these things will allow you to include them in this adventure and make them feel positive about you being away for shows. Feeling guilty for being away from them for evening or weekend shows will happen, but you just need to remind yourself that this is okay because you are doing this for you, your family, your future. This plays into you finding out what your “Why” is for being in this business. I will write more about that topic later.

Share this new adventure with friends and family. Having an open house to kick off your business is a great idea because this will give you the opportunity to show everyone how excited you are and what you plan to do. Talk about your business and what is going on with it, goals you have or awards you are trying to achieve or earn. This will let them know again that this is important to you and that you are accepting of their support and encouragement.

Normally, when you sign on to do direct sales you will be a part of a cluster, team, etc. Your director or up-line will usually have monthly meetings and these are wonderful, especially when first starting out. You will not only get to know your group and make new friends but this allows you to share ideas and tips and most importantly struggles you might be having. By doing so you will learn so much through one another and feel so much better knowing that you are part of something great, a group of people doing exactly what you are doing by running your own business and striving to make a better way for yourself.

Lastly, be proud of yourself for taking this step to try something new or return to direct sales because you need to supplement income for your family. By doing this people that care about you will surround you with hope, love and encouragement to succeed. Have fun and don’t try to do it all by yourself. Lean on those in your support system and allow them to help you.

Deciding to join a direct sales company can be a bit overwhelming. One of the most important questions is what type of product do you want to sell? There are a lot of choices from jewelry to kitchen products and so on. Think about your favorite products. We’ve all been invited and attended direct sales parties. What types of parties are you most excited about going to? Being excited about the products you sell is a huge help in your success of running your own business.

When choosing your company you will want to ask these questions:

*Do you have to purchase a kit? How much is it? What does it include? Is there a way to earn a discount on your kit?

*What are the sales requirements? Number of show requirements?What happens if you don’t meet those requirements?

*Do you have to keep an inventory?

*How much commission will you make? Are you paid via direct deposit or will they mail you a check? Do you keep your commission out of your sales and send show due amount in to the company or have withdrawn from your account?

*What type of support system is in place from the company? Will you have meetings with your team or training events?

You will want to sit down with your potential recruiter and ask these questions and more. Bring along a tablet with your questions so you can make notes. You will go over a lot of information and you will want to have all of that available when you discuss this with your spouse or family.

Another great idea is to shadow or attend a show with your potential recruiter to what a show in action from that side of the show. Make notes and discuss any questions you have after the show. This will help in giving you an idea about how to run your show, help customers and so on.

I would love to hear from you direct sales readers about other information you have concerning how you chose the company you sell or sold for. Thanks for reading and I look forward to your feedback and ideas. We can always learn new things and this is a great way to share those ideas.

~Amy

On January 19th, we celebrated 11 years in our house. We had just the two boys, ages 4 months and 2 years when we moved in. This was an exciting time in our lives. One of my dreams in life was to have a house that my children could grow up in.

The house has changed a lot over these 11 years. When we first moved in it was all white walls and cream carpet. Everything was so new and perfect. We didn’t have a lot of furniture but we had just what we needed at that time. The boys were little so they had lots of space to play and run around. Coming from a 2 bedroom town home apartment made us really appreciate all of this space. And we went from one bathroom to now having 2 and a half…well, that was like heaven! The kitchen was and still is my favorite room in the house. It’s open and has great cabinet space and room for my table to be by the bay window. I love an eat-in kitchen…to me this is the heart of the home.

We have now painted and changed things and re-decorated and finished part of the basement. We added a nice patio on the back which is our favorite place to be all summer. We love to entertain friends and family and host birthday parties and barbecues. The kids swing set has come and gone. We’ve added a small garden area too.

Our family has grown over the years too. In 2002, we welcomed our baby girl. My life felt complete at this point, my dreams had come true to have a wonderful husband, three beautiful children and our home to raise them in. We can’t forget our sweet Jackson, our lab retriever that we got in 1999. We loved him like a child and he was a perfect pet for our children to grow up with. We lost him in November 2010 and we still miss him very much.We currently have two dogs, Sammie (4 years) and Mara (7 months). Sammie is a black lab and Mara is a chocolate lab. These girls add so much love and fun to our family.

I look towards the future with so much hope and excitement for continued good health and lots of love and wonderful memories. We are very blessed and thankful for our lives and family. Thank you for letting me share this with you all. I must say, as I was looking through old pictures to find ones of the house from back then I came across many photos of the kids as babies and toddlers. This of course caused me to pause and reflect and realize that they are growing so fast and becoming such wonderful little people. With many tears I went through them remembering different memories and wonderful times in this house.

Our house is a wonderful place to raise our family and share in those moments, my Home will always be where ever my family is.

Hello. I wanted to share with you some thoughts that I have about the world of direct sales. I know that there are a lot of opinions about this line of work out there and this sometimes can detour someone from taking a leap of faith and trying this on for themselves.

I have been in and out of direct sales over the past 12 years or so and I am currently a consultant for Pampered Chef. I really enjoy selling and sharing a good product and company when I find one. To me, this is the first step in deciding to take this path for yourself.

Here are a few things that you will want to think about:

*Research and pick a company that you like, use their products or feel passionate about. This is one of the most important questions to ask yourself. Explore lots of companies before you decide on one.

*Talk to your spouse or family about starting this new adventure. Having their support is a main key to being successful. Tell them how you feel about wanting to do this, what your goals are, etc.

*Make a plan and set goals for yourself. Decide what you want to gain from this new job and how you would like it to improve your life, finances, etc. This will also help you to decide if you are going to do this part-time or full-time or maybe just as a hobby to allow you to have some me time or earn some fun money.

*Have fun! The more fun your guests and clients see you having the more successful your shows and business will be.

I will be writing more on these different areas over the next few weeks. Sharing ideas and tips on starting and running a business for yourself could be very useful to many people. I would love to have feedback from you also, what you like or don’t like about direct sales, if you sell or have sold in the past and how your business helped your family and life.

To be continued…

One of my favorite things to do with the kids is to take them to see a Disney on Ice show. In true Disney fashion, it never disappoints and is a lot of fun for all ages. So, I am excited to say that I have been given the opportunity once again to share this amazing experience with one of my lucky reader’s and their family.

The Disney on Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic and this celebration is coming to Nationwide Arena February 1-5, 2012. This captivating production features the largest cast ever of lovable Disney stars on ice – Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, Stitch, Nemo and the Incredibles – and exciting moments from Disney’s Mulan and The Lion King.

Tickets for 100 Years of Magic are available at the Nationwide Arena Box Office, at all Ticketmaster locations, select Kroger stores, online here or by calling 1.800.745.3000. Tickets are available at Chiller Dublin, Chiller Easton and Chiller North. All tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees. Ticket prices range from $12-$45.

Here is a great opportunity to help the community and earn a free voucher to the show too!

The YWCA Family Center is in critical need of pull-up diapers in size four, five and six. The Center will hold a diaper drive on Saturday, January 14, 2012 from 10 am to noon at Nationwide Arena’s box office lobby.

Families who bring an unopened package of disposable diapers to the box office lobby of Nationwide Arena (the southwest corner of the Arena) during this time will receive a free ticket voucher good for either the Wednesday, February 1 or Thursday, February 2 performance of Disney on Ice presents 100 Years of Magic at Nationwide Arena. There will be a limit of 500 ticket vouchers available – and a limit of two ticket vouchers per donating family.

**Giveaway Details**

What am I giving away?

1 – Family Four Pack of tickets to one lucky winner/reader of my blog to see Disney on Ice presents 100 Years of Magic at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH.

Here’s how you can enter:

Leave a comment below and tell me who you favorite Disney character is and why. Also be sure to leave your name and email so that I can contact you if you are chosen as the winner.

If you do not already subscribe to my blog, you can do so here. And if you do, THANK YOU!

Who is eligible for this giveaway?

Central Ohio readers/or anyone willing to drive to Columbus Ohio for the show.

When does this giveaway end?

Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 11 am.

The winner will be chosen via the random number generator at random.org. The winner will be notified via email and will need to respond to me within 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

Thank you for reading and as always, GOOD LUCK!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Irvin PR. View my disclosure policy here.

So the kids are out of school for the next 2 weeks in most places and you may be thinking of ways to keep them entertained. This is perfect for just that! COSI in Columbus has a lot of great things going on right now and I have 3 sets of tickets to giveaway to 3 lucky families that read my blog! And since this is the “giving” season I think it is a perfect time to help you win some free tickets to a day of family fun.

Here are a few things that you can explore and learn about while at COSI…

The Dora & Diego “Let’s Explore’ exhibit will be at COSI until Jan. 8, 2012. And, you can meet Diego if you visit on December 31, 2011. The general public Meet and Greet is from 12:30 pm until 4 pm.

There are two Giant Screen movies to check out too, these are included in your family pack also! They are, African Adventure: Safari in the Okavango and Thomas and Friends: Day of the Diesels.

COSI is celebrating Holiday 2011 with lots of great activities too…check them out here? You won’t want to miss out.

So let’s get to it…here is how you enter to win. Good Luck and have an amazing time celebrating the holidays with your family this year!

What am I giving away?

3 – Family 4 packs of tickets to COSI and for the Giant Screen Movie to 3 lucky families (3 winners will be chosen)

How do I enter?

Leave a comment below and share with me what your favorite holiday family tradition is. Please leave name and email so that I can contact you if you are chosen to be a winner.

Who is eligible for this giveaway?

Central Ohio residents or anyone traveling or willing to travel to Columbus. These tickets expire on March 31, 2012.

When does this giveaway end?

This giveaway will end on Friday, December 23 at 10 am EST.

Winner will be randomly chosen via the random number generator at random.org and will be notified via email. Winners will need to respond within 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen. Tickets will be mailed to you.

Thanks again for entering and Good Luck! I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year to come.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by COSI Columbus. View my disclosure policy here.

Advanced Auto’s Monster Jam is returning to the Nationwide Arena in Columbus for two days, Jan. 6 and 7, 2012. The 2012 show will feature some of the most popular monster trucks ever assembled to compete at Nationwide Arena, including Grave Digger, Tasmanian Devil, Advance Auto Parts Grinder, Superman, Bad Habit and Samson.

Approximately 12 feet tall and about 12 feet wide, monster trucks are custom-designed machines that sit atop 66-inch-tall tires and weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds. Built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, monster trucks generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and are capable of speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Monster trucks can fly up to 125 to 130 feet (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 35 feet in the air.

There will be a Party in the Pits on Saturday, Jan. 7th from 11:30 am to 1 pm. Fans will have the opportunity to get a view of the trucks up-close and meet the drivers. Pit Passes are FREE at Participating Taco Bell locations or can be purchased for $10 online, at the Nationwide Arena box office or by phone at 800.745.3000. A ticket for the Jan. 7th, 2:00 pm show is required with a Pit Pass for entry.

For more ticket information please visit Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, or online with Ticketmaster or by phone at 800.745.3000. Tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees.

Now, on to the fun…I have been given a Family 4 Pack of tickets to award to one lucky reader of my blog. Follow the steps below to enter and win. Good Luck and Thanks for reading!

Here’s the details for the giveaway:

What am I giving away?

1-Family 4 pack of tickets to the Advanced Auto Part’s Monster Jam at Nationwide Arena, in Columbus OH

Winner will get to choose whether they want to attend on Friday at 7:30 pm or Saturday, either 2 pm or 7:30 pm.

How do I enter?

Leave a comment below and let me know why you would like to win these tickets? And who would you take if you did?

Who is eligible for this giveaway?

Anyone in the Central Ohio area or willing to travel to Columbus for this show in January.

When does the giveaway end?

This giveaway will end on Thurs., December 22nd at 10 am EST.

Winner will be randomly chosen via the random number generator at random.org and will be notified via email. Winner will need to respond within 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

Thanks for entering and Good Luck!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Irvin PR. View disclosure policy here.

Looking for something fun to do this Fall with the family? I have a wonderful package to give away to one lucky reader of this blog to do just that. The Dora and Diego “Let’s Explore”  exhibit is visiting until Jan. 8, 2012. COSI Columbus has a lot to offer to families this Fall. There are two Giant Screen Movies available; The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D and Spookley, The Square Pumpkin (available until Oct. 30).

Spooky Science is a fun day filled with (gently) spooky fun for the kids on Oct. 29th. They will have a professional pumpkin carver, storyteller, and lots of activities in the atrium. They also have a Pumpkin Patch Show going on right now on the Gadgets stage which explores the science of Fall like a fire breathing pumpkin! This event will be from 11 am until 2 pm on the 29th.

There is so much more going on at COSI and you can see their calendar and event info here. You can sign up for the COSI e-News here and stay up-to-date with all of their news and events!

Now, let’s get to that fun giveaway!! Good Luck everyone…

What am I giving away?

1 – Family 4 pack of tickets to COSI, including admission to the Dora and Diego “Let’s Explore” exhibit, passes to a movie of their choose at COSI and a plush Dora doll

Here’s how you can enter to win:

Leave a comment below. Must include your name, email address for contacting a winner when the giveaway ends. Also, let me know what your favorite Fall activitiy is with your family.

Subscribe to my blog: If you already do, Thank You, you can leave me a comment letting me know for a second chance at winning too! If you do not, you can subscribe here.

Who is eligible for this giveaway?

Ohio/Central Ohio Residents

When does this giveaway end?

Sunday, October 23, 2011 at 1:00 pm EST.

The winner will be chosen via the random number generator at random.org and will be notified via email. Winner will need to respond within 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by COSI Columbus. View disclosure policy here.

I am a busy Mom of three great kids and wife to a very busy,  self-employed software developer working hard everyday to build and grow a company. I always chuckle a little inside when people ask me about what I do. This is because I have a list of things that I always rattle off. I am a Mom, first and foremost, of course. But I also substitute as a handicap aide in our school district, run my own Pampered Chef business, help my husband with whatever our business requires, work on my blog when I have time, volunteer as needed for PTO and my daughter’s Brownie troop, the list could go on and on. The thing is this, I could drop this or that from the list (and believe me, some things have been dropped recently) but I love all of these things and try my best to find balance everyday to continue doing them and be the Mom and Wife I strive to be.

Do you ever hear, “I don’t know how you do all of this”? or “You are a superwoman for taking all of that on”? And do you think to yourself, “Superwoman, No…Crazy, Yes”? Well then you are not alone. I think that most Moms feel this way. We try to be everything to everyone around us. Here’s a question for you, “How do you treat yourself to some “me time”? One of the way for me is about twice a year I will go and get my hair cut and highlighted. I go to a local salon’s training academy so it saves me money and allows me to still receive the same great service and use of their wonderful products. For this 2 hours I get to sit in a chair, have girl talk, read up on some magazines while waiting for the color to set and just relax. This is such a release for me. I feel like a new person when I get a new cut/color and I feel so refreshed and relaxed when I arrive home.

I am super excited that I have the opportunity to take part in Eversave’s Back-to-Beauty Promotion. They have given me a package of 3 save vouchers for one of my lucky readers and two friends to go to The Skin Spa at Powell for a mani-pedi each. Who wouldn’t want to win this? What a wonderful way to have some “me time” and get to spend it with your friends too!

Here’s a little tidbit for you: “Eversave surveyed over 700 moms and 35% said they find time for themselves once a month and their preferred way to spend that time is pampering themselves with manicures, pedicures, facials and other spa treatments.”

If you are not familiar with Eversave, you will want to check them out and join under Columbus to receive great deals for our local area everyday!

Here is how you can enter to win:

Leave a comment on this blog post with your name, email and tell me what your favorite way to have some “me time” is or would be if you had the opportunity. Email address is needed for contacting the winner.

You can also subscribe to this blog, if you do not already, and get a second entry for this contest. Subscribe here. When you subscribe to my blog you will stay up to date with the giveaways, deals, recipes, stories and info that I share.

What will you win?

One (1) lucky winner will receive a package of 3 save vouchers that will give the winner and 2 friends each a manicure and pedicure at The Skin Spa at Powell.

Who is eligible for this giveaway?

All Central Ohio readers.

When does this giveaway end?

Friday, September 16th at 3:30 pm, EST.

The winner will be chosen via the random number generator at random.org and will be notified via email. Winner will need to respond within 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen at that time.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Eversave Columbus. View my disclosure policy here.