Ethan's Bedroom

Ethan's bedroom has a new look!  We painted over the light yellow walls and gave him "big boy" colors of brown and blue.  He is doing great with saying blue, but he keeps asking where the yellow went?

All the activity!

Oh the crazy days with kids, dogs, fish... and a husband! ;-) Cory was out of town for the past couple days and finally got back late last night. Managing the house without him seemed really difficult this time. Normally I do fine on my own, but this time was different. I don't know what made it different... the only thing that changed was that we have fish now. Really all I have to do is turn on their lights in the morning and feed them, but for some reason that was a bit too much to add to my early morning schedule; however, I managed!

This weekend I have two Pampered Chef parties! The first one is on Friday night and the second one is on Saturday morning. I am looking forward to the back-to-back shows and hope that they are both very successful parties! I also have two catalog parties going on right now and I just closed a large show this past Monday night. I am really loving selling PC. I wish I had more time to focus on it, but for now I am managing.

I haven't been completely happy with my day job lately. I was very frustrated for a while and ready to transfer in to a different position. Well, I've had two wonderful opportunities to transfer within the past month but I decided to pass on them both. I am at a point where I am learning to focus on the positive with my job. I will no longer let this job defeat me and get me down. I am looking at it as a challenge and doing the best that I can. I am pushing the negativity aside and running with my head held high. I began this new positive focus about a week ago and so far so good!

I also joined the Wellness Center that is two buildings down from my workplace. I adjusted my work hours to 6:30am - 3:30pm which allows me to take a 1 hour lunch for hitting the gym! I have my fitness assessment today and I am sure I will fail with flying colors! LOL I have gained so much weight this past year and am so out of shape. I really hope that this lunch hour work out is exactly what I need to help lift my spirits and get my back in shape! Your prayers would be greatly appreciated! :-)

I could go on and on with my posts today, but I will end it here. More from me later!
Kelly

Trick-or-Treat

Trick-or-treating started out as a family adventure this year, but quickly changed to an adventure with Mariah, her friends, and myself. Ethan was fighting a nasty cold and after about 15 minutes out in the cold air, we decided that Cory should take him back home. Hopefully next year we will all be healthy and able to share the experience as a family!

Active little MONSTER

So last night Cory, Ethan, and I went to the fish store to buy some gravel, salt, and a heater. We were there for about 10 minutes. Ethan goes crazy in the pet store because he loves animals and there are two cats that live in the store. Well we went and got the fish stuff we needed and set it on the counter. Then Cory went to look at heaters (for about 5 minutes) and I followed Ethan around... here is what happened... no touch, no touch, nice, no touch Ethan, careful please, gentle, okay, how about we play over here, oh... Ethan get down from the cat tree, yes... kitty... pet nice, good job Ethan, oh, don't rip kitty's tail off, okay no touch Ethan, put the glass fish bowl down, yes look at the kitty on the kitty tree (oh, dog collars... how much are these) SMASH.. oh crap... Ethan just broke a fish toy.... (I am picking up the fish toy now) Ethan, get down from the cat tree.... that was about 2 minutes of the 10 minutes that we were in the store!! WOW, boys are A-C-T-I-V-E!!!!
Then we stop over at my friend Jeni's house. Ethan was being very good and Cory and I were talking to Jeni and her new adorable baby, Giana. Before we knew it Ethan was walking on Jeni's picture frame which had glass on it. I snatched him up quick and handed him to Cory. Seriously... I looked away for a split second and he is trying to be destructive! Thank goodness he didn't break the glass... that could have been a really expensive evening.

My First PC Party

I had my first Pampered Chef party this past Friday night at my sister's house. There was a wonderful turn out and a lot of orders. I had a lot of fun with this party, but also learned a lot of things that I want and need to do differently. Lots to prepare and organize before my next party this coming Friday! One a week should be perfect for my schedule. Now I need to figure out what I want to use this extra money for... I am thinking a new bedroom set, new living room furniture, new TV for our bedroom and for the kitchen... there is always so much to buy! :-) I have a feeling I will be selling PC for a loooooooooong time!

Awww and HA!

Awww:
This weekend I looked at Ethan and put my finger by my eye and said "I"
Then I put my hand by my heart and said "LOVE"
Then HE pointed his finger at me and said "YOU"
ADORABLE!!!!

HA!:
I was asking Ethan to repeat the words that I was saying because we are trying to get him to talk more. Well randomly I said Ethan, can you say hippopotamus... and Ethan said "DADA". HAHAHA!!! Cory didn't think it was as funny as I thought it was! ;-)

Tired

I am getting tired. I have so many commitments all the time. Cory and I are always working on our house, at our jobs, at side jobs... We are missing out. Why do we keep doing this? We want so much in life and have so many goals. We are always trying to get more for less so we continue doing so much ourselves. We are pretty good at burning ourselves out, but I am not sure how happy we would be if we didn't do this. With that said.. I just needed to post this to say that I am tired. I feel like I don't have enought time for the kids, for myself, for my house... I am working full time, selling Pampered Chef party time, and still doing hair on the side for a handful of people. The extra money is nice and the time with friends is also great, but when is enough... enough?

Interesting Week...

My week started out wonderfully. I signed up as a consultant for The Pampered Chef on Sunday morning, then hung out and relaxed all day Sunday. Work has been nice all week long... not too busy, but busy enought to keep the day moving along. In the evenings I have been taking online classes for pampered chef and learning all about the company (I can't believe how organized that company is!). I have been trying new recipes from my PC cookbooks and loving everything that I have made so far! Overall my week started out wonderfully. Then as the week went on... things started to go down hill. I had a discussion with an old friend that brough up a lot of burried away hurt feelings... I totally bombed weight watchers for the week... and I tried to have the discussion again with Cory about having another baby. God how I wish he was on board... So, now it's Friday and I am actually wishing it was Monday again. Well... I wish I was back in Monday's mood anyways. Ugh... hopefully the weekend will be better.

Pampered Chef

I am now a consultant for The Pampered Chef! I am very excited about this and would love to have a show in your home!! If you would like to host a party please email me at kel.bartlett@yahoo.com. I will eventually have a Pampered Chef website, but don't have everything put together yet. I am looking for two more October bookings if anyone is interested! This is a great way to have a "ladies night" "family night" or just to get friends together. Significant others and children are always welcome, but I will let you make the final call. I would love for you to host a theme party or just a simple cooking show! October is a great month for asking your friends to arrive in costume! November would be a great month for "comfort food"... and there is always the option of "death by chocolate"!

Also, if you are looking to earn some extra income, reduce your full time working hours, become a SAHM, or even get out of the house 1+ nights per week... please talk to me about become an independent sales consultant. This is a great way to make money and stay connected with your friends and family!

Happy Baking!
Kelly ;-)

Dining room

Let the laughing and jokes begin... I am painting the dining room AGAIN. ;-) This time I am painting it red to match the kitchen. I love red! I will post pics on flickr when I am done.

Ethan's Vocabulary

Shoe or shoes
Mommy
Dada
Puppy or puppppeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyy
vroom (in a low and scary voice)
beep beep (he tries to drive everything)
rarrrrrrr (he thinks he's very scary)
WaWa (Mariah)
All Done
The End
Meow (cat)
Hat
Hair
Nose
Eyes (he says this very clearly)
Ears
Belly button (some times he points a little to low...)
Baby (he craddles his arms and rocks them when he says this and it sounds like Beebee)
Uh-oh
Mine
Mwahh (loves to give kisses)
Mmmmm (usually means he's hungry)
NO (usually yelling at the dogs)
He also makes monkey and elephant noises.
He is learning new words and sounds every day and everything he says is getting clearer and easier to understand. It is amazing watching him grow and develop.

The Fish Tank Returns!

Cory and I used to love spending time setting up our fish tank, picking out new fish and just watching them swim around. It is a very relaxing hobby and is supposed to lower stress levels. Well, with that being said... the fish tank is back! We tend to run a very busy and fast paced household and simple things that reduce stress are greatly needed. Over the past couple nights we moved around the furniture in Cory's office and brought the 75 gallon fish tank up from the basement. We took the kids to the pet store and looked at some pretty colorful salt water fish. Mariah and Cory found some great fish (that we will buy soon) and Ethan enjoyed running up to the tanks and "rarring" at the fish. ;-) I will post some pictures on flickr once everything is set up.

Feeling Guilty

Okay, so I am in a "mood" today and I am feeling a little guilty. I am becoming a crabby stressed out person. I hate that Cory and I work all the time (work away from our regular paid jobs). Yes, I like to complete projects, but I am over them... completely over projects. I don't even like changing room colors any more because I don't want to paint. I just want to play with the kids. Instead though Cory and I spent Friday night at Carpetland. Then Saturday morning I went to Mariah's soccer game with Ethan while Cory stayed home and worked. Then all day Saturday Cory, Ethan and I were at home depot and menards picking out deck lights and getting more supplies (after dropping Mariah off at Isabels). Then Saturday afternoon / evening we worked on the deck while trying to keep Ethan entertained and out of trouble. Then we put Ethan to bed and kept working on the deck. Then Sunday morning we worked on the deck and then went to Carpetland and signed the paperwork and then went to my mom's for lunch. Then went home and worked on the deck until 3ish. Then I took a nap and then we watched the game and hung out. I really don't want to do any more projects. I want to hang out with friends and family and drink around a campfire and relax. We must seem extremely boring to our kids. We really need less projects and more play time with the kids, but how do you do that? How do you finish the house (year 4) and work full time and take care of daily things and play with the kids? The kids (family and friends) are my top priority in life, but it seems as though playing and spending time with them are what I end up doing the least.

I really need a reorganization of my life!

My mom is officially retired

My mom's last day of work was Friday, September 18, 2009. That lucky lady! She is now retired and enjoying the "good life". She claims that she is really busy this first week... at least she is busy doing fun things like visiting her pa and step-mom and going to Chicago to see Jersey Boys... ;-) Have fun mom!

Rude...

Well, yesterday morning I went to Isabel's to pick up Mariah (because she stayed there Saturday night). I was in their back yard and Isabel says "you gaining weight... Kelly, you pregnant... you gaining weight" I said no. Isabel said " none of my business huh... you just look... " and she patted on her stomach. WTF?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!? The NERVE!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it. Ya know.... I know that I have gained weight over the past year, but... why do people have to say such rude things?!?!?

Cortisone Shot take Two...

Cory's first cortisone shot definitely helped him, but he said it hurt like H-E-.....! You get the idea... Unfortunately he needs at least one more shot. So, today we are going for shot number two! After this shot he will be starting physical therapy.

Cortisone Day

About a week ago Cory and I drove up to Milwaukee to see a neurosurgeon for Cory's back issues. We were told that surgery would more than likely fix Cory's back; however, we are going the route of cortisone first. Please say some prayers for Cory today. His injured disks are causing shooting pain and numbness in his right leg and foot. He has been in constant pain for about 3 weeks now and we are praying that he gets relief today. Cory will be going for a cortisone shot this afternoon. He is nervous about it, but very hopeful for some relief. Please pray that this works for him! I really want my happy "ogre-like" husband back!! ;-) Love you honey!

Pediped Shoes

I HEART pediped shoes. I recently bought Ethan FIVE new pairs!! They are the best shoes ever for little kids! He is wearing the flex soles now and they are so bendable and squishy and perfect for his developing feet and body. I was introduced to these shoes when Ethan was about 10 months old. I bough a couple pairs of the original soft bottom "crib" shoes and realized that these shoes DON'T FALL OFF!! Woot Woot! That is when my addiction started. Ethan is 19 months and has now owned a total of 11 pairs! :-) check out these shoes! http://www.pediped.com/

Rules

We all have rules to follow and when we don't follow them we have to face the consequences...
Yes, Mariah is grounded for one week. On Sunday afternoon we were over by the Thur's (Bailey's house - Mariah's BFF). Mariah asked to spend the night there and I said yes as long as you come home and do your chores and clean up your room. As soon as that is done I will bring you back to Bailey's house. So we went home and Mariah did her chores... or so I thought. After I took her to Bailey's house I went in Mariah's room to gather her laundry. I decided to open her closet door and yikes! out comes clothes that were shoved on her closet floor. So, I began to look under her bed - where I found a wet towel - looked in her entertainment center - more clothes - on the side of her entertainment center - yet more clothes! I let her stay at Bailey's house that night, but I kindly gathered all of her clothes that were not in their correct spots and I piled them in the middle of her bedroom floor. There they sat waiting for her to get home the next day. Needless to say, she is grounded from her TV in her bedroom and from friends for one week. Then yesterday I asked her to vacuum the bedrooms in addition to her regular daily chores... well she claims that she forgot... so I now have an I-pod in my possession until her memory comes back! happy preteening :-)

Addition Blog

Today I decided to create a blog - in addition to my current family blog - where I could share updates and funny stories about my kids! I will vent here, share my concerns, tell embarrassing stories, share my love for my kids, and remind you daily how entertaining the tasks of parenting can be.