Entreprenuer

Okay so after a week of simple, but tedious online classes I decided I needed something else to help keep me busy (you would be surprised how even with four classes and two kids I am still bored a little too much to keep me at that optimal sanity level).

So I'm now your friendly and not so local for most of you, Pampered Chef consultant. Basically, when someone wants to host a Pampered Chef party they call me and I show up, with all my handy dandy kitchen gadgets and show them how to prepare a simple, but delicious meal. It has been a fairly successful endeavor so far. I have three cooking shows booked before Christmas, which is more than I was expecting. Not something to get rich off of, but it's fun and everyone knows how much I love Pampered Chef products anyway. Which is a GOOD thing because I'm not a good salesman, or should I say I have NO sales experience. But my Dad, who has been in sales my entire life, always told me that he doesn't sell products he doesn't believe in. If the product is good enough it will sell itself.

Obviously I can't travel to Pennsylvania or NORWAY (Corinne) to do a cooking show for all of you, but if you would still like to place an order or take advantage of the 30% discount that hosts receive, you can do a catalog show. I send you catalogs and order forms and you can give them out to family, friends, co-workers. At a minimum, you get a 30% discount on all of the products you order, and after a certain point, you start earning free products and half price products. Enough of my sales pitch though... :)

I think the boys are enjoying this new project of mine more than anyone since they get to be my food testers. Ethan and Conor will both gladly eat whatever you put in front of them, but now their menu has been expanded and Conor enjoys getting to help in the kitchen. He's going to be the next Emeril. ;) And I'm sure Chris will fully enjoy the benefits as well once he gets home.

Speaking of Chris... First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! We love you and miss you!

Chris got Thanksgiving leave approved from his "deployment" so he will be coming home the evening of the 25th and gets to stay all weekend! He'll fly back out to Tampa on the 30th in the late afternoon, but not before I drag him to the doctor's office with me for a baby checkup appointment. Sorry my dear, you're not getting out of ALL the fun stuff. ;)

Halloween

The boys had a wonderful time Trick or Treating, and did VERY well in the candy department this year. My brother Aaron came up from Tucson for the weekend, and was nice enough to carry empty grocery bags for the boys to dump their candy in as their buckets got too heavy or full. The end result: about 10 lbs of candy. We also took my friend Gege's daughter, Anala, with us because poor Gege is 9 months pregnant with twins and on bedrest!

Happy homemaker and online student

As I'm sure everyone has heard by now (or at least I hope so), Chris and I are expecting a baby in May. This compounded with a few other reasons, I decided to change my major to Management (standby for reasoning and new game plan), and take a majority of my classes online through Wayland Baptist University.

Ok so for all of you with a puzzled "whaaa???" look on your face as to how an Aerospace Engineering major switches to Management...

No the work itself is not too difficult, however, finding the time to complete all of said work with two kids, OB appointments, and physical therapy was driving me bonkers and I was completely unhappy. By switching to Management I will be able to graduate after the Summer 2010 term with my bachelors, and will be doing my masters degree in Accounting immediately after. So management is not the end goal here, but rather a stepping stone. By taking this route, no I won't be an engineer, or have the prestigious title of rocket scientist, but I will be able to finish my bachelors as well as graduate school in the same amount of time that I would take me to finish said engineering degree. This means my GI Bill will go much further, and pay for both degrees. :)

Since all of my classes except for a once a month Saturday class are online now, I was able to take the boys out of daycare which is saving us a LOT of money every month. (For those of you without children, daycare costs for two kids is equivalent to a monthly mortgage payment.) So far it is working out wonderfully. I get to spend the day with Ethan, and really enjoy seeing all of the small changes in him everyday. I am here to pick up Conor from the bus stop everyday, and there is plenty of time to work on homework and reading with him, and even enough time for him to play with neighborhood friends for a little bit before dinner.