A new day

What a whirlwind of a few weeks! To sum it all up, I am rejoining the engineering field on Monday and we are preparing to sell our home. We've been cleaning, decluttering, painting, and repairing, all while I've been signing and faxing and calling and emailing to get things ready for Monday. Add to all this chaos that my darling daughter turns 3 years old on Saturday. How did that happen? They really are correct in saying life is what happens while you are busy making other plans - it is amazing.

However, while all this craziness is going on, I made sure I took some time to spend with Ruby. And here is the proof:

I'm all in - who is with me?

I'm going all in. All in with Scentsy. I am setting my goals and making my plans, and I fully believe it is all possible. Spending the past few days at Scentsy's Fort Worth Stampede convention was inspiring, motivating, and made me realize just how lucky I am to be involved with such an amazing company with incredible products. Between the introductions of the new products, the recognition of top performers, and the great speakers (not to mention all the free give-aways!), I am ready! Ready to host, ready to sponsor, ready to buy, and ready to sell. It is not every day you get to be part of something you truly believe in, so yet one more reason I feel blessed. Between the incentive trip to the Dominican Republic, the leadership retreat in Riveria Maya Mexico, and next year's convention in Las Vegas, I am ready to build my team and help everyone earn some great trips!

So for those of you that don't know, here is a little more information about Scentsy as a company. It has a foundation of Simplicity, Authenticity, and Generosity. It is about real people leading busy lives willing to help one another. It started with a few simple ceramic warmers that use a light bulb to melt wax and release wonderful aromas - no wick, no fire, no soot, no smoke, and no worries of getting burned. Consultants are encourage to be themselves, sell in their own style, no need to try and be someone else. It is also a company that focuses on generosity, helping others - for example they raised $50,000 for the Tarrant Food Bank in the 3 days during convention. Add to that the money they've raised for various other causes and you can't help but realize how much the entire company cares about the community. Are you intrigued yet?

Finally, it is FUN being a consultant! I love the social aspect of helping host parties, witnessing great friends enjoying each other and seeing all the excitement as everyone helps the hostess pick out all her free items. I am eager to answer questions about our products, scents, and specials, as well as questions about how people can be a hostess or even join as a consultant. Add to that how much the company invests in their consultants, from company-wide training calls and on-line material to support we receive from our up-line or even other consultants. I've never felt so supported by another company before and to me, that means a lot.

With all that said, I am always looking for new hostesses and new recruits to join in. Joining is simple, click here, select the Join my Team link at the bottom right and follow the directions. It is $99 for the starter kit, which includes everything you need to run your Scentsy business from the testers and sample products, to catalogs and business cards. What makes this a slam-dunk is how fast most people earn back this initial investment, many with their first party! For those of you who are local, I will even be willing to help you with your first party to help secure more bookings AND earn back your $99 or more. You can't lose in the end. Ready to join?


If you still aren't sure, then lets make a deal: just host a party. Pick a date, invite your friends, earn all the free and half price credits. If at the end of the party you want to sign up, I'll give you the party. All the commission, the bookings, and you can use the free and half price credits as well. You are guaranteed to come out ahead. And what is even better - you can join me in Las Vegas, Mexico, AND the Dominican Republic! Let's go!

AUGUST SPECIAL: 10% off almost everything in the Spring / Summer 2011 catalog

The new catalog comes out in September, contact me for a list of the items that will be discontinued so you can stock up now!

Who wants money?

I do I do!!! And I would bet you do too. The best part? Its simple. Scentsy. Think about it, if you have to buy a gift and you're not sure what to get someone, how often do you buy some sort of candle or lotion or other scented item for them? Look around your house, how many candles or Scentsy items do you have? How many have you received for a gift? How often do you see cars with air fresheners hanging in them (I bet your car has one right now)? How often do you see parents using antibacterial gel? How often do you see children with stuffed animals or give stuffed animals as a gift? The are EVERYWHERE! Why not take advantage of it and make a little extra spending cash while doing it?

Scentsy is an amazing company to be part of and in all honesty, their products sell themselves. Scentsy offers a variety of training and various incentives - they just had a huge group earn free trips to Disney including spending money. Are you even slightly interested yet? Everyone seems to have their own Scentsy story - I know one of the Directors I've talked to even won a car. They do incentive trips every year as well as conventions (this year is in Ft Worth).

How do you join? What is involved? Any other things to know? Well, here you go:


Signing up is EASY - click on my website, select the "Join my team" link and follow the instructions. The starter kit is $99 and includes everything you'll need to get started. What's even better - commission starts at 20% meaning you'll earn this cost back with your first $500 in sales, and a $500 party is pretty average so it happens quickly, at which point you are already ahead of where you started! If you quit now, you would not be out any money PLUS have a bunch of Scentsy stuff you could still use or give to another consultant - so whats to lose?

Another wonderful thing about Scentsy - how may of you have ever bought a full size Yankee candle? How much did you spend? Now, what do you have left once you've used the wax? Nothing. Your whole investment goes into the trash. Not the same with Scentsy - you purchase the beautiful warmers and then for $5 or less, you get the wax, which can be used over and over and over again and the scents are extremely simple to change. If and when you have exhausted all the scent from the wax, you through it away but keep the warmer. It turns into a much better investment this way. The same goes for the car fresheners Scentsy offers - buy the hanger and the matching scent spray, then just respray your hanger anytime you need it refreshed instead of having to buy a new hanger every few weeks. Again, a much better deal.

Are you ready yet? Let me know if you have any questions and when you are ready to start. I'll even help you host your first party if you'd like and will offer all the support I can. I love what I do and I know you will too.

Happy Smelling!!!

All new 101 in 1,001

It was time. I finished my list a while back and while I did not complete all my items, I sure made progress on a lot of items. So here I am, in a mind where I have lots of things to change and/or strive for, and I am actually motivated. So here goes nothing. I've created a new list of things to achieve and posted it to the right for everyone to see - and for me to keep track of my progress.

As we know from past experiences, some of the items may change during the 1001 days to accommodate for life, but I have somewhere to start. If you can think of something that is more important that the items I have, let me know and I can adjust. Otherwise, here we go!

And another...

She is a swimmer!

Baked Beans for a Crowd

This recipe comes from my amazing mother-in-law, who I believe got it from someone else as well. Honestly, I don't care about the origin, I just care about them being ready to eat! I love these and as far as I can tell, everyone else who has tried them loves them as well. We usually do half this recipe since there are only a few of us, but if you need a dish for a potluck, picnic, or holiday, you could do the full recipe.

INGREDIENTS

5 cans pork and beans
5 cans Ranch style beans
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 C mustard
1 C brown sugar
2 C ketchup
4 chopped onions

DIRECTIONS

Brown ground beef and onions; drain. Combine all ingredients and bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes - or cook in a crock pot. Enjoy!

These beans freeze well, so make a batch and save some for later!

Where would you go?

Paradise, that is where I want to go. To live. To spend the rest of my life. Seriously. You?

I got in contact with a college friend a little while back and I found out she just happens to live in St Croix. Yes, LIVES there. Wow. You always hear about people moving there and very rarely do you think it is something YOU can do. After a short conversation with my husband, we figured why not make it one of our goals. We are starting to do some research to see exactly what it takes and where we would want to go. We know we'll need to find a job that can maintain the lifestyle we want AND that we are willing and qualified to do. We also need to worry about schooling for Ruby. What is the cost of living? What are the houses like? What items are available and what is the lifestyle like? These are all things that need to be looked at with the reality of moving and not just the dream of living in paradise.

So that is it. Our goal is to eventually relocate to somewhere we see as paradise. We don't know when it will happen, but we know that it WILL happen.

With that said - we want your input to add to our growing research. Where would you go? Why would you go there? What do you know about living there? What job would you do and what industries do they have there? Who knows, we might pick yours and then you can come visit any time you want!

July is THE month

I can NOT wait for July! CAN NOT!!! Anyone who knows me knows that July 4th is my favorite holiday, I mean, its summer, there's no school, we get a day off work, BBQs, picnics, friends and families, and, of course, FIREWORKS. Yup, I love 'em.

Add to all that how Scentsy is introducing this super cute cupcake warmer AND doing their Bring Back My Bar special in July, and I'm even happier. I don't care if this warmer doesn't match my decor. I don't care if I don't have a designated spot for it. It is way too cute for me NOT to buy, and it will be perfect to have out at all of Ruby's birthday parties ... and some of my own. Then there are all the Bring Back My Bar scents, I'm a sucker for special items, or limited-time only deals since last time I bought the Fresh Cut Grass an now I want more. So of course I already order the full bunch of scents so that I can smell them to see if I want more before they go away, and so I have them handy for Heather's July party. In case you're wondering, here is the list:

Banana Flower
Delightful combination of fresh, sweet banana mingled with soft florals.

Banana Nut Bread
Right from the oven with ripe bananas, nuts, and spices.

Cashmere
Sheer floral bouquet combines Moroccan jasmine, lily of the valley,
and bergamot.

Coconut Palm
A blend of tropical coconut and musky patchouli with subtle green notes.

Cutiepie Cupcake
Sweet clementine and yellow cake batter with vanilla and sugary icing.

Exotic Vanilla
/Velvet Spice
Spice up your home with a blend of vanilla bean, jasmine, patchouli,
and sandalwood.

Fresh Cut Cantaloupe
Vine-ripened melon with hints of
juicy orange.

Fried Ice Cream
Vanilla with a nutty touch along with cinnamon and caramel.

Grape Granita
Sun-warmed grape and pineapple with undertones of honeysuckle.

Irish Cream
Smooth and mellow, highlighted with hints of coffee and chocolate.

Lemon Lavender
Inviting blend of tangy lemon and sweet lavender flowers.

Luscious Lemon
Light, creamy lemon.

Orange Dreamsicle
A classic combination of fresh orange, swirled with vanilla cream.

Oxford
A masculine blend of ginger and frankincense with woody cedar and amber undertones.

Red Delicious
Crisp, juicy apples, fresh from
the orchard.

Root Beer Float
Concoction of old-fashioned root beer and creamy vanilla ice cream.

Spiced Orange Harvest
Strong, sweet oranges spiced with cloves and cinnamon.

Strawberry Sweetie
A fruity delight of strawberries sprinkled with sugar and vanilla.

Tuscan Garden
Mediterranean floral bouquet, enhanced by cassis, apples, berries, and rosemary.

Watermelon Patch
Sweet, vine-ripened watermelon.

And don't worry, I should have more pictures of Ruby to post here soon! She's currently outside swimming with Grandma - swimming on her own without her floaties. And she's not even 3 yet. Amazing.

Apple Walnut Gorgonzola Salad

This is the perfect salad for summer and rivals the one from Bucca di Bepo. I can eat this for a meal by adding some chicken or use it as a side among a variety of meals, either way, I love it. LOVE IT. It is another one of those pick and choose the amounts you want based on your tastes.

Lettuce - I like the mixed greens or romaine
Chopped apples - I use green apples, honey crisp, and/or pink lady
Honey glazed walnuts (or almonds, or pecans, or...)
Craisins
Gorgonzola cheese
Red onion (just a little)
Girard's Apple Poppyseed Dressing

Mix it all up and enjoy!

January Specials

Happy New Year everyone! Let's hope 2011 is wonderful year filled with family, friends, good health, and happiness. Keep up the positive thoughts and I'm sure some of our dreams can come true.

With that said, for all my Scentsy lovers out there, here is the latest news for the month of January. We have 2 different warmers available for 10% off this month, the Hugs and Kisses above and the Margot you see at the right. The scent of the month is called My Wish.

We are also offering a "Bring Back My Bar" special with 20 previous scents, including Always, Fresh Cut Grass, Sandalwood & Cranberries, and Carrot Cake.

Finally, for anyone wanting to host a party, you will earn double half price items, which is a wonderful deal!

If you haven't heard about Scentsy before, let me know!

Butterscotch Crunchies

The first batch of Christmas cookies are complete, and this is by far one of the easiest recipes you'll come across. There is something I love about the taste of butterscotch and then add in a little salt and crunch and I'm in heaven. Yum yum!!! I came across this recipe and while I can't pinpoint where I've had these, I know I've had them many, many times and each time, they are just as wonderful.

I hope the next few weeks will bring loads of many more cookies, cakes, and baked goods for me to taste and share, considering I've already been planning some almond spritz cookies and some chocolate peppermint cookies. Here's a good way to start the holiday cooking!!!

INGREDIENTS

1 Bag (11 oz) butterscotch chips
1/4 Cup creamy peanut butter
3 - 1/2 Cups corn flake cereal

DIRECTIONS

Melt butterscotch chips in a double boiler, stirring until melted. Add peanut butter and continue to stir (spray measuring cup with Pam first will help it release). Fold in corn flakes. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper to cool. Once set, enjoy!

Order by Dec 18th for Christmas delivery

Don't forget about the little ones! They can enjoy Scentsy too. And you have until December 18th to order and get delivery by Christmas. Check out the monthly special and close-out specials for even more deals.

Meanwhile, I'm heading back to my wonderful daughter who is suffering now from Strep Throat. New job means new center which also means new germs. Hopefully this is the worst of it. Poor thing, but we're now off until Monday. Guess it is going to be lots of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Dr. Seuss books for the next couple days.

And for the finale, here is a quick look at how much fun she has with her daddy! They would run down the hallway and dive into the pile of pillows. The pictures don't really do justice but you get the idea.

Sausage, Dried Cranberry, and Apple Stuffing

Growing up, I was never a big fan of stuffing (or dressing as you may call it). We always had Stovetop Stuffing that I remember and I avoided it at all cost. It wasn't until a few years ago that I tried it again, mixed it with some mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce - and quickly realized it had a place. Thanksgiving meals have never been the same! Being the stubborn cook I am, I had to find a homemade recipe since boxed mix just wouldn't do - and this one is my winner.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sage bulk breakfast sausage
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only, cleaned well (about 2 large leeks)
• 2 apples, cored and chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery with leaves
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1 cup dried cranberries, rehydrated in boiling water for 15 minutes and drained
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 6 cups boxed bread cubes
  
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 to 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Saute the sausage in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling coarsely with the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage and drippings to a large bowl. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning to the skillet and saute until the leeks are soft, about 8 minutes. Mix in the drained cranberries, sage and rosemary. Add the mixture to the sausage, then mix in the croutons and parsley. Next add the chicken stock a little at a time until the stuffing is very moist. Be sure not to overdo it; it shouldn't be mushy. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a casserole dish.

Bake in a 14-inch oval or 9 by 13-inch rectangular casserole dish and place, uncovered, in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is crispy and the center piping hot. Remove and serve immediately.

New adventures underway!

Lots of changes going on in my career life right now, and I'm loving it! I have decided to join the world of Scentsy as an independent consultant and will be selling these amazing warmers and scents through my website (click here). If you are not familiar with these, they are similar to candles, but so much more! The melt scented wax with a light bulb so you never have to be worried about open flames again. Plus, the wax cools quickly so that chance of getting burned is also very slim. They offer over 80 different scents, a variety of warmers from plug-ins to full size, as well as hanging fresheners, room sprays, travel tins, and Scentsy buddies. Check out the website and feel free to contact me with any questions - I am always looking for people who want to host parties or join my team.

Another big change is that yesterday was my last day as a teacher since Monday I am starting as an assistant director at a new center. I am extremely excited about the opportunity it offers, although I'm a little nervous since it is all brand new to me - new location, new staff, new teacher for Ruby.

Meanwhile, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Pink United

Join the fight to end breast cancer!

As the world's leading breast cancer organization, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is committed to ending breast cancer forever. On October 16, 2010, I will join thousands of others playing a part in the annual Komen Dallas Race for the Cure^®. It’s a 5k run/walk event to raise money for breast cancer.

My goal is to raise at least $200 this year. Please make a donation to help me reach that goal. Online donations are simple, and the donation page is secure. Please go to my fundraising page to make a tax-deductible donation. Or, you can join me and team Pink United for the 5K run/walk at North Park Mall.

The deadline to have my donations collected is by November 12, 2010. By making a donation on my behalf, you are supporting local breast cancer education, screening, treatment, and outreach along with international research that will someday lead us to a world without breast cancer.

Thank you for your support of this cause.

If you have questions or need help please don't hesitate to call the Komen Dallas Race for the Cure office at 214-750-RACE.

Midori Sushi

Here comes another restaraunt post! This is one of these places the my wonderful husband and I accidentally came across. Midori Sushi in Irving, near the Tom Thumb and Four Seasons. The prices are great and the sushi is delicious! The atmosphere is casual, which I think is what help keep the prices lower than many other places we've tried. The have a lunch buffet that is not bad, but of course it is mainly rolls and not as much variety as we pick ourselves. However, it includes salad, pot stickers, vegetable tempura, mini cheesecake bites, and a few other items - so for the price, we can't complain. At dinner however, we pick a variety of items from the salmon and stick crab, to ordering their Spicy Tuna Tower which is absolutely one of our favorites! Plus, you get a bowl of Miso soup and they bring each person a free "daily special" piece. And what makes it even better for us is we can go, enjoy dinner, AND watch the Rangers game all in one.

Finally, there is another location over off 360 that is nice as well, but I still prefer the original. Yum yum!

It is a shame they are not open on Sunday because I could definitely go for some sushi now!

OMG Cinnamon Toast Cupcakes

I've never been a huge cake person, as I prefer brownies, ice cream, cookies, and cheesecake, but these are freaking amazing - FREAKING AMAZING! Not only is the frosting moist and creamy, but so is the cupcake. They are sweet without being too sweet and it is almost impossible to eat just one. Consider yourself warned.

Recipe courtesy Cupcakes from the Cake Mix Doctor by Ann Byrn.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

1 pkg (18.25 oz) yellow cake mix
1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/4 C milk
3/4 C vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 Tbl + 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbl sugar

CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
4 Tbl butter, softened
3 C powdered sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Mix cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and 1 Tbl cinnamon. Fill lined muffin pan about 3/4 full. Bake 18-22 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool prior to frosting.

Mix cream cheese and butter in a large bowl, slowly add powdered sugar and cinnamon until completely combined.

Mix 1 Tbl sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon for sprinkling.

Use cinnamon cream cheese frosting and them top with cinnamon sugar mixture. Eat and enjoy!

Orange Julius

Alright, who remembers these? I know I sure do! We used to go to the mall and beg our parents to get one, they were always so yummy and refreshing. Then, my sister some how got a recipe when she was in high school and we would make them all the time - in orange, lemon, and any other flavors we could. Then for some reason, we stopped and the recipe was lost.

Until a few days ago anyhow. While watching Food Network (as is on so often in our house), Alton Brown was talking about them - and the craving hit me, so I searched high and low for a recipe, and came across this one. Yum! And now, thanks to blogger, I am going to immortalize it so I will never lose it again.

INGREDIENTS

6 oz Frozen OJ concentrate
1 C water

1 C milk

1/3 - 1/2 C powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)

1 tsp Vanilla extract
10-12 ice cubes (or more depending on their size)

DIRECTIONS

Blend all ingredients in a blender. My special trick was to then put the mixture in my ice cream maker and bring it to a much better consistency. Yum yum!

It's been a while, so here you go!