tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77228518557023007272024-02-19T00:31:24.087-08:00Army Wife, Mom, EntrepreneurSuper witty blog description goes hereSenecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-44016966161129259012014-03-22T12:46:00.002-07:002014-03-22T12:46:12.195-07:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">In case anyone happens upon this little corner of the inter webs, we've long since moved- join us over there! Thanks all :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;" /><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://yellowribbonloft.com/lofty-thoughts/">http://yellowribbonloft.com/lofty-thoughts/</a></div>
Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-14659488817990904232011-02-17T19:01:00.000-08:002011-02-17T20:13:13.130-08:00A Few of My Favorite Things...<div style="text-align: center;">So my blog isn't entirely made up of posts where I recap my to do lists and how much I haven't gotten done, here's some mindless fodder for you :)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Some really cool things:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwLFibwxyQYexnFXpVh8D_qAOW_KSlsLCpc4ksKBlzMHjxzii8Yui0Mrhwt6Q9JaTH63Wrn7RdfgsOYXZnLlKfY_y_0Uh_uO7JY6HVZBru-_Yol0LInv4R00Mtwce9Jme626Zk8a1uYY/s1600/logitech.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwLFibwxyQYexnFXpVh8D_qAOW_KSlsLCpc4ksKBlzMHjxzii8Yui0Mrhwt6Q9JaTH63Wrn7RdfgsOYXZnLlKfY_y_0Uh_uO7JY6HVZBru-_Yol0LInv4R00Mtwce9Jme626Zk8a1uYY/s320/logitech.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574866636798853122" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Companion-Google-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B0040QE98O/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top">Logitech Revue, </a>I got this for Christmas. It turns my tv into a computer, so I can check emails on my tv. The girls can also visit spoutonline.com on the tv. Totally frivolous, but totally cool.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_HDyhqHLfC8Mel5etkYK7gY05YNTUVhJM1T_Da8INpd_GLuucYlhi0ufRw39l-Nwt2wkcfPVzzJka0kmG3xFxFbbtCEH8Bp9CVsU3hsesX4jekTedYR6kCzWpDRSHGWcN_rh-ODX8iM/s1600/Keurig-Platinum-B70.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_HDyhqHLfC8Mel5etkYK7gY05YNTUVhJM1T_Da8INpd_GLuucYlhi0ufRw39l-Nwt2wkcfPVzzJka0kmG3xFxFbbtCEH8Bp9CVsU3hsesX4jekTedYR6kCzWpDRSHGWcN_rh-ODX8iM/s320/Keurig-Platinum-B70.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574869905397090354" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-B-70-Platinum-Single-Cup-Brewing/dp/B000GTR2F6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1298000770&sr=8-5">Keurig Single Serve Coffee Brewer</a>- Another fabulous Christmas present. Instead of the disposable K cups, I have one of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keurig-K-Cup-Reusable-Coffee-Filter/dp/B000DLB2FI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298000770&sr=8-1">these</a>, so you can use regular ground coffee. Saves money and tastes yummy.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bD3U2RcZW9j7zEUeXPNnMmVbccDBmPtsIRUQVxufacwQrvuAtgHZ0IZjfnWO9ZGXUDraYGwdK_ziYIlRWGWLsLa_6uHHhRxk_PgnijNc2kPzPCcB5dF2eja5N3fHvL3eiIFWTrxNsKI/s1600/starbucks.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bD3U2RcZW9j7zEUeXPNnMmVbccDBmPtsIRUQVxufacwQrvuAtgHZ0IZjfnWO9ZGXUDraYGwdK_ziYIlRWGWLsLa_6uHHhRxk_PgnijNc2kPzPCcB5dF2eja5N3fHvL3eiIFWTrxNsKI/s320/starbucks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574866946898418002" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Jonathan-Adler-Limited-Ceramic/dp/B004EWTF6A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1298000957&sr=8-1">Starbucks Ceramic Coffee Mug by Jonathan Adler</a>- This one was my Valentine's present. Gotta have something to put all that coffee in. Whenever I see it, it makes me smile.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4AM-pozYa0-k78wTgSGiM-WXcXb9cVIHbemBTJNCKjFH5wZNL1D0t4TEuAVV140M_pLgmU83eVQbGqJeseGCBA-2sAIo4mUo9jSJjpV16lvFo6iqauJ59gii6qvNQ5z6Iy6pE5LjEHg/s1600/ipad.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4AM-pozYa0-k78wTgSGiM-WXcXb9cVIHbemBTJNCKjFH5wZNL1D0t4TEuAVV140M_pLgmU83eVQbGqJeseGCBA-2sAIo4mUo9jSJjpV16lvFo6iqauJ59gii6qvNQ5z6Iy6pE5LjEHg/s320/ipad.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574867177233100402" border="0" /></a><a href="http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad?afid=p219%7CGOUS&cid=OAS-US-KWG-iPad-US">ipad</a>- I am seriously lusting after one of these. I've had 2 generations of iphones, but moving to Alabama and suffering through AT&T and a non-existent 3G network were just too much, and I sold my iphone to someone named Boris in Russia on eBay (seriously, I did!), and now I carry around a non-smart phone and a laptop. When the next generation of ipad comes out I will be seriously tempted, especially if it happens to come out around my birthday.<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAcOWF9vFOZ8mOCupF5edHE35I7oK9vGpW9gMnzrBQali_ItOrvqpHudoSwaoWZ0YlUrHUd0tvrjfU0YBWpqdzrI9SWUJ0irc4jzaU6ZXmlZiEydLGkiZFnyzSNNcrxuUHAfMYiXaKFc/s1600/destin.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAcOWF9vFOZ8mOCupF5edHE35I7oK9vGpW9gMnzrBQali_ItOrvqpHudoSwaoWZ0YlUrHUd0tvrjfU0YBWpqdzrI9SWUJ0irc4jzaU6ZXmlZiEydLGkiZFnyzSNNcrxuUHAfMYiXaKFc/s320/destin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574867378844908434" border="0" /></a><br />white sand beaches- We live 90 miles from these beaches and haven't been once in the 3 years we've lived here. Isn't that sad? Planning a short trip for spring break this year.<br /><br />Well, there you go, a few things that brighten my day, hope yours is a little lighter, too!<br /><br /><br /></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-18189226144879217062011-02-11T18:42:00.000-08:002011-02-11T19:35:11.838-08:00Ups and Downs...<div style="text-align: center;">What a year 2011 has been already! So I thought I was headed in one direction with the business, but now a tiny clause in a lease contract has me back tracking a bit. So I guess I'm back where I started, you could say. Problem is, where I started was at a crossroads, lol. I need a new path to trod down, and my GPS seems to malfunctioning, lol.<br /><br />Geesh, is that cryptic enough for you? Sorry, don't mean for it to be, honest. Basically, I was subletting space that it turns out, can't be subletted. It was an honest mistake, but it sucks. I can't sign a long term lease somewhere because we <span style="font-style: italic;">still </span>don't know what the Army is going to do with us for sure. Its a viscous circle, and I'm smack dab in the middle of it.<br /><br />{Small side rant on the definition of Army Wife Entrepreneur- I'll write this rant another day, and link it back here}<br /><br />Weird thing is, I'm not panicking or having a breakdown (yet), just trying to think through all my options. More carefully this time. Any angel investors or millionaires reading this? No? Yeah, didn't think so. Its okay, I'll figure it out!<br /><br />Aside from that, I actually had good news. There was a business program I wanted to participate in last year, but it was 1200 miles away, and logistically, I just couldn't make it work. Turns out they are going to be offering again in 11 months, and this one? Only 110 miles away from me!!! Its a ways off still, but I couldn't be more thrilled.<br /><br />Tomorrow I indulge in a little retail therapy. Our small town 30 minutes away from the smaller town where I live just opened a Hobby Lobby, so I am heading that way, 40% off coupon in hand. I will also be trading in one of the girls old car seats at the <a href="http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=4346706">BRU great trade in event</a> to get JD this<a href="http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=4346706"> new ride</a> and pick up a baby shower gift. And since I am still wearing all my maternity clothes (even though they don't fit and the baby is 9 months old), I have promised my husband I will look for some new clothes, too. Oh, and Starbucks, there will definitely be some Starbucks in there, too.<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fMHoEv7jj_U" allowfullscreen="" width="480" frameborder="0" height="390"></iframe></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-12866072932499740292011-02-03T21:31:00.000-08:002011-02-03T22:02:04.304-08:00January in Review/February's To Do List<div style="font-family: trebuchet ms; text-align: center;">Here was my To Do List for January:<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Start Couch to 5K (again) on the 10th</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I tried this once before, and I think I made it two days, but I'm going to try again. Really, I am.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Um, what the heck was I thinking? It's January! This really wasn't realistic <span style="font-style: italic;">at all</span>. I'm moving this to March, when its warmer, lol.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Sunday Clean Up (<del>9th- laundry and guest bath, 16th-kitchen, 23rd-living room,</del> 30-dining room) </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Since it looks like we will be staying in Alabama awhile longer (knock on wood) I've decided I will go through the house, room by room. Not so much <span style="font-style: italic;">cleaning</span>, </span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >cause I <span style="font-weight: bold;">hate</span> cleaning, and I'm not really good at it anyway, but re-organizing/de-cluttering/redecorating</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: trebuchet ms;">I actually did 3 of the 4 rooms I had planned! I will have to make posts for each room showing what I did, but progress!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);"><del>Order 200 yards interfacing</del></span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Not as easy as it sounds, trust me, its rather an ordeal, but I need to do it :(</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: trebuchet ms;">Done! Of coarse it hasn't arrived yet, because of the super blizzard, lol. Even better, the price went down since the last time I ordered.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Left over pre-made inventory</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I think I have this figured out what to do with most of the pre-made inventory left over from the holiday craft show season, I just need to do it, lol. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: trebuchet ms;">Not so much...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);"><del>Catch up on sales rep stuff</del></span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Seriously, if my sales reps don't mutiny on me. Its a lot of tedious little things, missing key chains, some of them moved, etc. But instead of doing it one by one, I've let it pile up into this mass of to do's labeled "reps". Ugh, not looking forward to this one, but very much looking forward to crossing it off my list and having happy reps for 2011 :)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: trebuchet ms;">I hired a new rep coordinator and she's taking over much of these responsibilities for me! I'm very excited for this new direction the business is taking, although a little sad, as I forward all the emails from potential sales reps to Jennifer, thinking, as I hire more people, it creates more layers, and I might not get to know the new reps as well as I have some of the current ones (who are awesome, by the way, and some of the best people, who keep me going everyday). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Scraps</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Not a huge bunch of them this time, but enough to work with. I'd like to go through them and test out some new designs, make a few things.</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">{Ducks and hides} under a much larger pile of scraps that keeps growing...</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">New purses</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I have 3 new things that I want to get into the pipeline this month- a clutch, a child's purse, and a version of the scoop bag we had pre-mades of this holiday.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: trebuchet ms;">Nope :(</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Taxes</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Must. Do. Taxes. Business taxes,<del> get everyone's 1099s out to them </del>, file business taxes and our personal taxes.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: trebuchet ms;">Haven't done my taxes, but I did get everyone's 1099s done, and January's commissions done as well.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: trebuchet ms;">Sadly, this is where I stopped :( I got none of the other things below done on my list.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Skin Cancer Screening</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Cause I'm paranoid. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Blog </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Gonna work on the bells and whistles- changing fonts, sidebars, widgets, the whole shebang. Then actually "promote" this little bloggy of mine, see if anybody's interested in reading it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Labels</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Need to revisit the purse labels, see if its time to change them up, or keep them the same, and just order more.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Signature tag for emails</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Totally embarrassed to say, I don't have one. How sad is that? I just need to make one, will probably take 10 minutes. Been on the to do list for-ev-uh.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Form Emails</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Gonna revisit these to, just see if they need any spiffing up.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Website Updates</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Nothing major this time, just a few things I've noticed, like the lining fabric jpgs are out of order, wanna add the shipping discount codes to the description of each item, instead just in the headers, etc.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">So February's To Do List looks like this:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Post Information for new rep sign ups </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">File Taxes</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Premade Inventory</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Scraps</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">New Purses</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Skin Cancer Screening</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Blog</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Labels</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Signature Tag</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Form Emails</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Website Updates</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >I actually do have new stuff to add to the list, but to save myself some embarrassment, I'm not going to post it, yet, lol. I'm not going to beat myself up about not getting more done though, I am just going to try harder for this month! Hope you all reading this have a fabulous, fun and productive February- that's my goal :) </span><br /></div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);"><br /><br /></span></span></span>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-87950314443406846512011-02-03T21:14:00.000-08:002011-02-03T21:29:46.479-08:00Random, I know...<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nLBgmbXBOb8" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Heard this on the radio today. Its been a rough few days, the seriousness and melancholy sort of fit my mood, sadly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">However, not to be a complete downer, I'll post this as well:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ii2JsVSD1ELlADRwQrOljwO_3e-udouPLr9biuFSnDnseUO4YvPb_8U-ArWNCgayegeLl4q_d5B6gvdaBCzWCptAylT7ABRxN3ZJdgbBRGIaCWu9D4qL6DATHpXYiwg4Z-lRziOSJC0/s1600/snow.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ii2JsVSD1ELlADRwQrOljwO_3e-udouPLr9biuFSnDnseUO4YvPb_8U-ArWNCgayegeLl4q_d5B6gvdaBCzWCptAylT7ABRxN3ZJdgbBRGIaCWu9D4qL6DATHpXYiwg4Z-lRziOSJC0/s320/snow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569701755864949634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">This pretty much sums up the Facebook coomments of all my Texas and Oklahoma friends this past week :)</span><br /><br /><br /></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-25886356678100799622011-01-20T18:51:00.000-08:002011-01-20T19:04:31.651-08:00Blaaaahhhh.....<object width="512" height="288"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/Iqr47aMtVknMgzWGd2GBhw"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/Iqr47aMtVknMgzWGd2GBhw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="512" height="288"></embed></object><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Still not 100% better, pretty much everyone else has been sick or is sick. What can you do? Trudge on. I'm feeling very determined though, lots to do, like always, but this time I know I will get it all done. Ironically, it was being let down by someone (yet again) that's given me this burst of energy and determination. At first I just wanted to cry, then I wanted to yell, now, I am just ready to move on, and get things accomplished in spite of it all.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I will always be the thing that you can put off doing, I'll never be your priority, I get that now, and its okay. The check's in the mail, right? No, it isn't and it never was and it never will be. But its okay- I'm okay.</span><br /><br />Update on Sunday with all the things I accomplished this weekend :)</div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-3677063488374426362011-01-14T20:49:00.001-08:002011-01-14T21:20:26.325-08:00Off to rough start...<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6I7RhM-_XgZa4_Bi5tVzHaGVJCyN9zm_h3QLFELK3lYCLuFc1F7Y7XOsNqcDNKjtC_C3g00Hq7iNjjvC_AMqDMAY57vDYIA-WFUIcJi84O53NBSJ4r1ZkmhFN6OZu3rH7lPXuVKOeJe8/s1600/jd.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6I7RhM-_XgZa4_Bi5tVzHaGVJCyN9zm_h3QLFELK3lYCLuFc1F7Y7XOsNqcDNKjtC_C3g00Hq7iNjjvC_AMqDMAY57vDYIA-WFUIcJi84O53NBSJ4r1ZkmhFN6OZu3rH7lPXuVKOeJe8/s320/jd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562270406766387186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />Well, it hasn't been pretty, folks. We caught some sort of bug/germ/flu thing-y and have been passing it back and forth for a solid week now. It started last Saturday with JD, and by Monday I was ready to take all three kiddos in to the doctor, but when I called to make them an appointment, the receptionist told me the office was closed until Wednesday. Wanna guess why? All the doctors went to watch Auburn play in the National Championship game- duh! That's important right? To close your practice and leave your patients with nothing more than a 1800 nurse line. Since no one was gravely ill, a trip to Urgent Care or the ER wasn't really warranted, so we just sucked it up. By Wednesday, everyone seemed to be doing better, but here it is Friday, and we all still have an ugly little cough, and Sophie has started running a fever again. Ugh! I just want my kiddos all better!!! <br /><br />The highlight of the week was probably the 4 of us trudging through Walgreens (which was plastered with CDC signs warning of flu pandemic breaking out in Alabama), buying cold medicine, a new thermometer, ice cream and Valentine's peeps, sniffling and coughing, to the sounds of <span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Don't Cry For Me Argentina</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> playing on the sound system</span>. I was so out of it, I wasn't even singing along- now that says </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">a lot</span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> about how sick I was!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I haven't really accomplished much on my list yet, but I still have high hopes for the month, so I haven't given up yet on that. I guess we'll see where I'm at this time next week.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I did find a great <a href="http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/the-world/article/top-10-new-years-resolutions-for-your-brand-guy-kawasaki">article</a> of new year's resolutions for your small business:<br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1. Dare to be different</b>. </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Be daring and take steps to ensure your company and your products stand out from the crowd. Look at what you did well in 2010 and what you could have been different. Take bold steps to help your brand stand out in 2011.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>2. Have a clear purpose</b>. </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Make sure you go into the New Year with a clear and compelling mission and ask if you were living it in 2010. Make sure everyone on your team knows what it is, what business you’re in and what is expected of them. Look for creative ways to bring it to life with your team.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>3. Listen and have something compelling to say</b>. </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Make a commitment to be a better listener in 2011. Commit to listen and then formulate your response. Actively seek your team’s input and feedback for new ideas. Listen to your consumers and understand what makes them tick. Listen to what they have to say and build a relevant and compelling conversation with them. Remember, if you’re not interesting or relevant, people will ignore you.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>4. Pick a fight</b>. </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When you’ve got an opponent to beat, it increases your motivation to win, so choose an enemy to fight and rally your team around this battle. Make the enemy a competitor, a trend or an element of your internal culture, and put it up on the wall so your team can find motivation and focus in it.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>5. Set a big goal</b>. </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Set at least one wild and audacious goal for 2011 -- something you’ve never tried before. Outline the goal, share it with your team and challenge them to play their part in achieving it. Make sure you celebrate the small victories and successes along the journey.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p style="margin: 0px; font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: medium; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>6. Inspire your team</b>.</span></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There’s nothing more important than your people, and there’s nothing more engaging than a team who feels acknowledged. Inspire them with your own attention and regular updates on the business. Also bring in relevant speakers and articles to keep them challenged.</span></p> </span><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>7. Laugh a lot</b>. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the best motivators for your team is a great work environment, and one of the best elements of a vibrant team environment is laughter. Next year do small things that make your employees smile. Along with laughter and a light-hearted environment, small gestures or events can make a big difference. And the benefits won’t just stop with your team -- they will show through everything that your brand does.</span></p> </span><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>8. Plan the plan</b>. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Commit to setting time aside to plan your year next year ahead. Set two days aside at the end of November every year to plan for the following year. Then take a day out every quarter to review how you’re doing against the plan and revise it where necessary. Every brand needs a plan. Make a commitment to write one.</span></p> </span><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>9. Make friends</b>. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Chart a “circle of love” and identify brands with similar values that you’d like to partner with in 2011. Assign someone to explore potential relationships and collaborations. You’ll be surprised by the results, even just the initial conversations you’ll have about your own brand.</span></p> </span><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; min-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>10. Show your appreciation</b>. </span></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Do what your mother told you! Thanking people goes a long way to create valued and appreciated fans -- internally and externally. This year, find new ways to show you appreciate your team, your customers and your partners, in ways that truly make a difference in their lives. You’ll be surprised and delighted by the results. <br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I like all of these except #4. I think that deserves a post all its own, so I'll have to do that next week, I have some thoughts rattling around in my head about competitors and competition in general, oh, and depending on the seller's reply, maybe even a funny post about scrabble tiles... we'll see, lol.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Good night world, send get well vibes my way please!!!<br /></span></p></span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></span><br /></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-2643588140203687732011-01-02T19:31:00.000-08:002011-01-02T20:13:20.907-08:00Hello 2011 :)<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I gave up on this blog when JD was born, it just seemed like there wasn't enough time. He is 8 months old now (crazy how time flies), and while I'm certainly not twiddling my thumbs here, bored to death or anything, I feel like its important to make time to blog again. This isn't meant to be an overly personal blog (i.e. not sharing my deepest, darkest secrets here), but instead, an insight into what its like, trying to run a business and a household, with the Army thrown in, ya know, to keep things interesting. I'd also like to use it to hold myself accountable, as far as my "to do" list goes. And if people are actually reading, lol, use it for feedback as the business continues to grow.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So starting off 2011, my to do list is already packed, but I'm very excited. My new planner is already full of what I intend to accomplish this year, all the way up through July. So here's January:</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Start Couch to 5K (again) on the 10th</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I tried this once before, and I think I made it two days, but I'm going to try again. Really, I am.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Sunday Clean Up (9th- laundry and guest bath, 16th-kitchen, 23rd-living room, 30-dining room) </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Since it looks like we will be staying in Alabama awhile longer (knock on wood) I've decided I will go through the house, room by room. Not so much <span style="font-style: italic;">cleaning</span>, </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">cause I <span style="font-weight: bold;">hate</span> cleaning, and I'm not really good at it anyway, but re-organizing/de-cluttering/redecorating</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Order 200 yards interfacing</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not as easy as it sounds, trust me, its rather an ordeal, but I need to do it :(</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Left over pre-made inventory</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I think I have this figured out what to do with most of the pre-made inventory left over from the holiday craft show season, I just need to do it, lol. </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Catch up on sales rep stuff</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Seriously, if my sales reps don't mutiny on me. Its a lot of tedious little things, missing key chains, some of them moved, etc. But instead of doing it one by one, I've let it pile up into this mass of to do's labeled "reps". Ugh, not looking forward to this one, but very much looking forward to crossing it off my list and having happy reps for 2011 :)<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Scraps</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not a huge bunch of them this time, but enough to work with. I'd like to go through them and test out some new designs, make a few things.<br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">New purses</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have 3 new things that I want to get into the pipeline this month- a clutch, a child's purse, and a version of the scoop bag we had pre-mades of this holiday.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Taxes</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Must. Do. Taxes. Business taxes, get everyone's 1099s out to them, file business taxes and our personal taxes.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Skin Cancer Screening</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Cause I'm paranoid. </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Blog </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Gonna work on the bells and whistles- changing fonts, sidebars, widgets, the whole shebang. Then actually "promote" this little bloggy of mine, see if anybody's interested in reading it.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Labels</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Need to revisit the purse labels, see if its time to change them up, or keep them the same, and just order more.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Signature tag for emails</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Totally embarrassed to say, I don't have one. How sad is that? I just need to make one, will probably take 10 minutes. Been on the to do list for-ev-uh.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Form Emails</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Gonna revisit these to, just see if they need any spiffing up.<br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 0, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Website Updates</span> </span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nothing major this time, just a few things I've noticed, like the lining fabric jpgs are out of order, wanna add the shipping discount codes to the description of each item, instead just in the headers, etc.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Geesh, that's a lot, Wish me luck!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">PS- anybody reading? leave me a comment and introduce yourself, please :)</span><br /></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-60161502682468361202010-09-28T05:55:00.000-07:002010-09-28T06:37:21.606-07:00But I found it on Google...<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I know that I had semi-retired this blog, but I need to say a few things, business related, so this seemed like the best place to put them. Call this my public service announcement about copyrights, intellectual property and just plain common sense (with a bit of conducting business with integrity thrown in). I assume most people already know what I am about to say, but every time I see someone commit this type of theft, they always say the same thing:</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >"Oh, I didn't know that I couldn't use that image, I found it on Google"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Just because you find an image on Google or elsewhere on the Internet does not mean you are automatically able to use it. Google has even released a new tool that allows you to search specifically for images that are cleared for commercial use. Go to Google Images and use the drop down menu corresponding to "Usage Rights" to select "labeled for commercial re-use". Then enter your search term.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When you find an image on Google, it tells you where the image came from! So the idea that "you didn't know" is insulting. As an example, every single one of my images that appear on Google also include my website:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLLbPzWxL3NRCq7xUspmkr0PmrA7plY2TNuEOC7fSw5yCyHTwOZuqyP9Dl4iO5czdW-xIf1G5wXa4yBUIYQoc_I8r356CMYt_9JFaIHYgaMZHTZIzvp55Ujq9rfu_PkboGjUK7ghVs80/s1600/Picture+4.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLLbPzWxL3NRCq7xUspmkr0PmrA7plY2TNuEOC7fSw5yCyHTwOZuqyP9Dl4iO5czdW-xIf1G5wXa4yBUIYQoc_I8r356CMYt_9JFaIHYgaMZHTZIzvp55Ujq9rfu_PkboGjUK7ghVs80/s320/Picture+4.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521951804535528882" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">See, right there in GREEN, plain as day:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">heroonmyarm.com</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And if you go to heroonmyarm.com, you'll find this:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >The name HERO ON MY ARM, stylized cartoon logo, all text and <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">images</span> appearing on this website are property of Polka dot Door Boutique, LLC. They may not be used elsewhere without permission.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(Funny thing is, the image in question is outdated, I know. Its missing several camo patterns! I'm in the middle of a major website update, and this image was on its way out the door anyway, lol.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As business owners, we all work very hard at what we do. Putting together a website is tedious, and time consuming. The shortcut of stealing work others have already done is just plain wrong. Feigning ignorance about it is just as wrong. Its YOUR responsibility as a business owner to educate yourself and not infringe on the rights of others. That you didn't know isn't an excuse. Neither is that you are a really nice person (which, by the way, the Facebook message I received this morning wasn't nice at all, it was condescending and rude).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So there it is, I'm putting it out there. I'm not a bully, and I'm not a bitch. I am military spouse, wife to a wounded warrior, mom to three beautiful kiddos, and small business owner who believes in playing fair and by the rules, and who runs her business with integrity and expects others to do the same. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >{Steps down off soapbox, and washes hands of this whole frustrating ordeal, new day, lots of productive things to get done!}</span><br /><br /></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-26934815424665545202010-05-09T14:12:00.000-07:002010-05-09T14:43:55.277-07:00Priorities...<div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This will be my last post here for awhile. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I just have too much going on to be a good blogger. I haven't given up on the idea of blogging altogether, I'll probably (eventually) be back. But for now, the time has come to officially give this one up.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You can still follow what's up with me, on the business blog:</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.heroonmyarm.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">www.heroonmyarm.blogspot.com</span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That one isn't going any where!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In the meantime, this is what I've been up to for the last 9 months:</span></div><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nt6cECMwtv11yi0buRPLDIg3jTARNjHn7SPWqhqaxADizyHenUne_MLnT61TeXB2LB8e0ehBTLEyp2JPxZhRPWHYpmkjPXyBMKvXyNjAVfNaWXvQyw7A2srP-KiCdk0tEYna4P5FlGY/s1600/jdannouncement.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469381541281867154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 235px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nt6cECMwtv11yi0buRPLDIg3jTARNjHn7SPWqhqaxADizyHenUne_MLnT61TeXB2LB8e0ehBTLEyp2JPxZhRPWHYpmkjPXyBMKvXyNjAVfNaWXvQyw7A2srP-KiCdk0tEYna4P5FlGY/s320/jdannouncement.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And what will be taking up most of my free time for the foreseeable future, lol!</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Business is still incredibly busy, seamstresses are forever in short supply (ugh), the girls are incredibly happy to be big sisters to baby J.D. and life in general is very blessed. </span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Army continues to challenge/frustrate/exasperate us, but that's to be expected. We hope that the summer brings us some resolution to the limbo we've been in as far as the Army is concerned. (And maybe a change of scenery!)</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So, that's all from me for a while. Oh, and Happy Mother's Day!</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">-Seneca<br /></p></span><div align="center"></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-21068229469840975142010-04-04T20:27:00.000-07:002010-04-04T20:28:34.273-07:00Still Here...<div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Just so no one thinks I've given up on blogging...</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I am still here!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Just incredibly busy.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That's all for now, lol.</span></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-51040335555012504132009-11-09T18:06:00.000-08:002009-11-09T18:29:43.933-08:00Poof! There went October...<div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">That was fast! Can't believe October is over already. We attended two fall festivals, baked pumpkin cupcakes, 2 pumpkin shaped cakes (we even got a thank you note from one of the people that won one of them at the cake walk, letting us know how good it was, lol!), took a field trip to a pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins and sunflowers:</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyW-jsRRxTsIl0u3Dym67aZeGXQNQ2cDBvgnkw-o6qt94gSWjvhG0vAjwRAe2qMh_yyj74QpK4fP71xRL1chLvfvKC5bSqqOA0enV7Un2-K9MbhtNcN-rs_NVcGGVgGAZGSaRQSX8Xjk/s1600-h/sunflower.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402291237033900178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 259px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyW-jsRRxTsIl0u3Dym67aZeGXQNQ2cDBvgnkw-o6qt94gSWjvhG0vAjwRAe2qMh_yyj74QpK4fP71xRL1chLvfvKC5bSqqOA0enV7Un2-K9MbhtNcN-rs_NVcGGVgGAZGSaRQSX8Xjk/s320/sunflower.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And enjoyed a fun night of trick or treating, too!</span></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-rZlLqHlaYpGW9IkH5qXDsSZmlkag9a7cXTF91lIlSXEjYUCLB95eAh8JDVZrHLT5Q3tnyk5X5aWsHQwP8NPZZfqNMxlleOftmXpk5y97c7dPunzKAdxv0LinFOWUFu3FFcQ8vQZ-SM/s1600-h/halloween.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402291361971550066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-rZlLqHlaYpGW9IkH5qXDsSZmlkag9a7cXTF91lIlSXEjYUCLB95eAh8JDVZrHLT5Q3tnyk5X5aWsHQwP8NPZZfqNMxlleOftmXpk5y97c7dPunzKAdxv0LinFOWUFu3FFcQ8vQZ-SM/s320/halloween.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Work has kept me super busy- too busy, really, but we are finally at the point where we are able to bring in more staff to help! We have a full time embroidery gal, which is helping a ton, and after my last round of help wanted ads for seamstresses, I am feeling incredibly blessed to have found FIVE new seamstresses, all of them wonderful. There's still a bottleneck with emails and also with cutting here at the studio, but one crisis at a time, I guess. Actually, the email issue should get resolved this week, *crosses fingers*</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I am still sick, coughing like a lunatic, but luckily I'm the only one here that caught the bug- go me, lol. Also feeling a lot of sadness about last week's tragedy at Fort Hood. There really aren't words for it, or at least nothing that probably hasn't been said, and said better, but suffice it to say, my heart truly aches right now.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Really do wish I was more prolific at blogging, the new year is going to filled with lots of stuff (good and bad) that I want to be able to talk about, but I know no one's reading if I can't manage to post more than once a month, so I will be working on that.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Happy November everyone!</span></p>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-47940986309175499842009-10-04T13:35:00.000-07:002009-10-04T19:43:14.751-07:00Fall is in the Air!<div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I just love that it is getting cooler. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are my FAVORITE holidays, so this is my favorite time of the year! </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebhvaIoxRtVmsvPElX9_IlDtZNIrp7PkED5Xa3PDF86VWb-mJ0zhie5r_5X0a1AhUJWHPrlX8DQ0eLtIDx9YXrldETASVgUDm83yqS25vyQkaWSmyIW5BaNhmssykI5pSCwB3kYFJZGg/s1600-h/fall.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388847119953059890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgebhvaIoxRtVmsvPElX9_IlDtZNIrp7PkED5Xa3PDF86VWb-mJ0zhie5r_5X0a1AhUJWHPrlX8DQ0eLtIDx9YXrldETASVgUDm83yqS25vyQkaWSmyIW5BaNhmssykI5pSCwB3kYFJZGg/s320/fall.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We also celebrated Sophie's 3rd birthday!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi6mhwUn7yfsCs4aboycRL7ihMOUPt5kl0UVRldVIO0Bh0sX9jxRfgwceCZWFmL536yDjURLybYICu0atiAuFV89dY1g9mK59RYmBC6QnmjxarfxwICEP15h67tleZbjv9Sl53N3OV9s/s1600-h/big+3-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbi6mhwUn7yfsCs4aboycRL7ihMOUPt5kl0UVRldVIO0Bh0sX9jxRfgwceCZWFmL536yDjURLybYICu0atiAuFV89dY1g9mK59RYmBC6QnmjxarfxwICEP15h67tleZbjv9Sl53N3OV9s/s320/big+3-1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388940764640389586" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We are booked solid this entire month with "fall" activities. There's a pumpkin decorating contest, a fall party (must make fall themed refreshments), a fall festival (where Sydney's class is charge of the cake walk, so we must make a fall themed cake), a fall class field trip to pick pumpkins and sunflowers, and the Moonlit Hayride at the Equestrian Center. Oh, and then the actual trick or treating, too!</span></div><div align="center"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There is a slight problem. Everything is "fall" themed at school, and not Halloween themed, I guess so as not to offend anyone, but Halloween is so much fun! And the best part- Halloween costumes, yes? Uh, no. There are to be no Halloween costumes. :( </span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm one of those mom's that goes WAY overboard with Halloween costumes, case in point:</span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388847298888686274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 296px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HLWTpqqTBR7RBkqNRjHakO9_VkKKBzfStfakYF81hZERqWQcxRk7t7i3HngF4XJ3MPG3ArkFngVFv5Hx8WP8mBMuugQbZFR8LztLKkcEGnqvpCKyj25jg4u6y0o_wOXW_K3Z6TYvZVw/s320/costume.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So this is a huge bummer. Instead, October 30th is "50's Day" at school. Well, at least Sydney's going to have the poofiest poodle skirt in all of K5!</span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388847943891656114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILGdwY6qbRQ8-AZQUNGjZiSHPWYKHsYUtrtNJNmbwHdIPnDPprreJZ6yaOk8DFeWN2C7TqLu18fmvqlGyADu-HRk_FtrD8uAN9s5bsmYHv41vV92NOBIU6xDrxv5USKCNV988sbL2GPU/s320/poodle.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not much else going on here, but hop on over to the other <a href="http://heroonmyarm.blogspot.com/">blog</a>, actually got several new posts over there, too.</span><br /></p><div align="center"><br /></div><br /><p align="center"></p>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-50821121748820965522009-09-08T19:14:00.000-07:002009-09-08T19:17:33.611-07:00Funny Things...<div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">...that my children (ages 5 and 2) say:</span> </div><div align="center"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4YBHVoeicbDrWBA4JqRotB0tUKEZEckfnKbjM3BemQnyYbMSD1u0v-QLzJmqcR0fEPp7mVTeReT-L6nWGKHmiuEzV43igE_swgxg9iYO_1WcU_1IsiUTvtl65TocaL0x5IgFoIDYY8P2/s1600-h/Syd.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379282514439299954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 276px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4YBHVoeicbDrWBA4JqRotB0tUKEZEckfnKbjM3BemQnyYbMSD1u0v-QLzJmqcR0fEPp7mVTeReT-L6nWGKHmiuEzV43igE_swgxg9iYO_1WcU_1IsiUTvtl65TocaL0x5IgFoIDYY8P2/s320/Syd.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sydney: Mama, what's for dinner?</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Me: Steak</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sydney: What kinda steak?</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Me: Sugar steak (the marinade has brown sugar in it)</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sydney: Okay, well, just don't burn it this time.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">***</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Me: Hold still, Sydney, you have an eyelash on your cheek. Okay, there, got it! Now make a wish and blow.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sydney: I wish Mama would just let me do my own thang. (Blows away eyelash)</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">***</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sophie: Knock, knock</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Me: Who's there?</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sophie: Banana pie</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Me: Banana pie who?</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sophie: Banana pie POOH POOH! (Laughs hysterically)</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">***</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sydney: I don't wanna go to that restaurant, mama lost my balloon.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Daddy: That's right, mama let your balloon fly away last time, but you can get a new balloon today, and just hold onto it tightly, okay?</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sydney: Okay</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(after dinner)</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Daddy: What does that sign say?</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Me: I don't know, its raining, roll down my window so I can see.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sydney: Dada, Dada, roll down my window too!</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">(Daddy rolls down Sydney's window, Sydney's balloon promptly flies out the window, Sydney breaks down, balling)</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sydney: See, I told you I didn't wanna go to that restaurant!!!!</span> </p>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-12878112423453896052009-08-13T20:45:00.000-07:002009-08-13T21:22:56.885-07:00Random-ness...<div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have grand illusions (delusions) about being a blogger, but I just haven't gotten into the groove of yet, ya know, posting something every three weeks and all...Oh well, to those of you reading, my apologies for the sparce-ness of posts, and here's one to catch you up! (in no particular order)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Sophie's hair is now long enough for pig tails:</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369661008021037730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 290px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uzGxlTszLB4GjgoITkl46Mbku8DvtRwXRe1p_-CusXkXVAYD52UTAnDCXfROCFgaiybCiTquAF7icD98ByySJ3TRVkE_ZoW6OisJpVT2UKgyLcEsWLQW4DKLAbiG9ziPBsfISe7vocQ/s320/Sophie.jpg" border="0" /> </div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We did a custom order this week for paperback book covers (a la Vera Bradley). I think that they turned out great:</span><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4aS3_VuSibrWPafFm7R_VxAwLa7NGKC163ZVQ7jWZyvfDKknO-Ka4_M2g7r1ipyt2yNjagy_00n6at4XeG_smZ6q4eUs43ty_HKFXedSc87l-Lr5eCoIUPWPS7-2xY2-1Akxn4h8sbk/s1600-h/log+book.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369661309898538818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 207px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4aS3_VuSibrWPafFm7R_VxAwLa7NGKC163ZVQ7jWZyvfDKknO-Ka4_M2g7r1ipyt2yNjagy_00n6at4XeG_smZ6q4eUs43ty_HKFXedSc87l-Lr5eCoIUPWPS7-2xY2-1Akxn4h8sbk/s320/log+book.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">However, this lead to the conversation about how I just don't "get" the whole Vera Bradley trend (when my Mom first pointed them out to me in Ohio, in all seriousness, I thought it was an Amish thing). Is it just a southern thing? Because here, they are EXTREMELY popular, and I mean with everybody- grade schoolers through Grandma. So I went to the local store to try and wrap my brain around the whole vibe:</span><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYtfYpWg20J12MtkB8n9qv8KDKBk0Fvkzj_Dv6eAyrL85v9-r0KaYzAVm5_ijV85YOwtwo_7hfUHH-PtdjM1QjCI3xREG3FVLzuu0MwxsI4F2x5dMXtzTFjbJD9O0ku49NqXad1yWnXc/s1600-h/vb.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369661138994792962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYtfYpWg20J12MtkB8n9qv8KDKBk0Fvkzj_Dv6eAyrL85v9-r0KaYzAVm5_ijV85YOwtwo_7hfUHH-PtdjM1QjCI3xREG3FVLzuu0MwxsI4F2x5dMXtzTFjbJD9O0ku49NqXad1yWnXc/s320/vb.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Then it started raining, ya know, because no one ever tells you, but it rains in Alabama like it does in a rainforest. So I'm stuck in the this store, surrounded by all these bags, and I'm just still not getting it. So someone, please help me out here- explain it too me, or at least tell me that I'm not alone in not feeling the whole quilted paisly look.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We went school supply shopping:<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpEMGb0G3yXfqYw3Z2zvg2Cavqo8K6IfKM36YhzMEYQkhf4yIVzFtVJwVUZZL_3fexadgvPhY-61AVQmRTn6S2js66by3mWYNrpoeoDFKuXwxU59DAMViGtOSzm-6clociVUBQDmWii8/s1600-h/school+supplies.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369660903921245586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpEMGb0G3yXfqYw3Z2zvg2Cavqo8K6IfKM36YhzMEYQkhf4yIVzFtVJwVUZZL_3fexadgvPhY-61AVQmRTn6S2js66by3mWYNrpoeoDFKuXwxU59DAMViGtOSzm-6clociVUBQDmWii8/s320/school+supplies.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Slightly amused that they tell you what brands to buy (Play Dough NOT Rose art!), but its all right, we are all stocked up!<br /><br />Sydney started Kindergarten, and thinks it's "great":<br /></span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8YUrpaX6_4ynaY18SX6bRDL1UZgaqrJhQgsVm26s_V4omjzllYOZi5h-PntwfCyP30MKmMWzGdo15UzAA-NBy_HatXBNYArnLRSs8U8lxD6U9OR6-EPHD5YuxhHpAnYQeO1rynHzgxU/s1600-h/day4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369660810167039554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 201px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8YUrpaX6_4ynaY18SX6bRDL1UZgaqrJhQgsVm26s_V4omjzllYOZi5h-PntwfCyP30MKmMWzGdo15UzAA-NBy_HatXBNYArnLRSs8U8lxD6U9OR6-EPHD5YuxhHpAnYQeO1rynHzgxU/s320/day4.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I'm sad that she's growing up, but also happy that she's enjoying school and making new friends.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I also celebrated a birthday during my blogging hiatus. My present? New iphone 3G-S: </span></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369667604498157442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 270px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 254px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinb5o2BNaVc7Cn7968y_Sq8_H9VZvC0LlOHUbh421qUhuCltF8v4-6Ijo25P02z8V73eRNbBCWHNbnvuDPVaSUOWINJF4PUn7vWo5Pf4gr8Uo8J8ZkOHYm5EoTlCxdyjbMh85SknNAGr0/s320/iphone.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Anybody know what you do with your old iphone when you get a new one?</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I guess that's about it. Lots going on with Hero On My Arm, keeping me busy, but never fear, I have great blogging plans, I just have to get that far down on my to do list. Someday.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Happy August, with your suck-y birthstone and all!</span></div><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369667840209548146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 290px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllpImlbaft00qFr3oFDCWwuARFJgDiO-xLIkyQKr1GrBp_cX5Z6KUzY0MNb7K8pm5ZnuPYkTy6hgm7QwbxDod8x8I5PDdsgcBTFXlP1Jw7lVOyvHVM0cQ_IcmU15dBj_Sx8j5p8_hb9k/s320/Peridot%2520Top%2520Oval.jpg" border="0" /> </div></div><br /></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-60716299433214773422009-07-20T19:00:00.000-07:002009-07-20T19:06:47.429-07:00More pictures of my hometown for my one faithful blog reader...<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7b4B6bsj6oOQGgABTP6zMUILSPqcP_U-mGcD96k64B9bxvtgCNOzgRbf81wfwu65uec0yF1skzGPjL0MB5soPpobS7Edu0H7DU-BrByxcHLLxN9o_B1MueVBuiLUr-2utqCbMjrZsI68/s1600-h/mill.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360728865666734770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7b4B6bsj6oOQGgABTP6zMUILSPqcP_U-mGcD96k64B9bxvtgCNOzgRbf81wfwu65uec0yF1skzGPjL0MB5soPpobS7Edu0H7DU-BrByxcHLLxN9o_B1MueVBuiLUr-2utqCbMjrZsI68/s320/mill.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Better?</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">LOL.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Okay, just kidding, here you go:</span><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PbOnGrhc9jg2ssg2A6cAxl9dbpeVvjiwL1wAIHN5h48ZazjKWcaJI5aS_grqKwLGAD8tDokv0rm3L3T8dTLbA7aI5Mehdn_aUfaoLLpYrNlKdVF71XTuLUe0xWdQeA5o0A7NFGDbUTs/s1600-h/pretty+house+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360728678490634002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PbOnGrhc9jg2ssg2A6cAxl9dbpeVvjiwL1wAIHN5h48ZazjKWcaJI5aS_grqKwLGAD8tDokv0rm3L3T8dTLbA7aI5Mehdn_aUfaoLLpYrNlKdVF71XTuLUe0xWdQeA5o0A7NFGDbUTs/s320/pretty+house+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1j-JFaE5FETNI_gPBmKFxNeOSJDLdSZnYxZ45FLAHVNNS5fvKThJq_RIx1lU8GruFsmLyeSE-1GJpmSBksR5aS4gwOi63S-mSsKx0TVA1eDpzRLEim6v2x0zhUZXiu5YGY-zliasUyGQ/s1600-h/pretty+pic.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360728489718181810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1j-JFaE5FETNI_gPBmKFxNeOSJDLdSZnYxZ45FLAHVNNS5fvKThJq_RIx1lU8GruFsmLyeSE-1GJpmSBksR5aS4gwOi63S-mSsKx0TVA1eDpzRLEim6v2x0zhUZXiu5YGY-zliasUyGQ/s320/pretty+pic.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJGiFnw6hLJTNNjse2OLBypiVhUHEuBhF6cANNMaFz7PfhZomuV4hD-qk3TFbkmcfypPnow9ZTHWETqYjlDvbSPP8NaHp8IZQ68dS4LPWBhT5H6wEwMEu9N4B6MtgFGUTUH5M1sz1FR0/s1600-h/3349422121_c98bdd4bae_m.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360728306478578082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 163px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJGiFnw6hLJTNNjse2OLBypiVhUHEuBhF6cANNMaFz7PfhZomuV4hD-qk3TFbkmcfypPnow9ZTHWETqYjlDvbSPP8NaHp8IZQ68dS4LPWBhT5H6wEwMEu9N4B6MtgFGUTUH5M1sz1FR0/s320/3349422121_c98bdd4bae_m.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div></div><br /></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-61617748445500134202009-07-19T20:17:00.000-07:002009-07-19T20:44:10.436-07:00So many emails, so little time...<div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This post is more than anything, just to let you all know that I am still here, working, lol. I am actually <em>completely </em>caught up on orders, but unfortunately, not completely caught up on emails. I hope to remedy that in the morning though.</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In other news, we are t-minus 19 days and counting until Sydney starts Kindergarten!</span></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOApH4Bg0XUEbwp0yegwuR3ZvJ5_SHrW89q65O7Wwi7I7PpVPHJ5G3PwTFO3t8x3VgZFsOOglwOtwsjk8F50KiaxACnasYHTLLn3fLfL5mKT-pPTqP6mVvLL0_nmsU1XWseLU59ywx1CM/s1600-h/060901_kindergarten_wifi.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360378648549877842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOApH4Bg0XUEbwp0yegwuR3ZvJ5_SHrW89q65O7Wwi7I7PpVPHJ5G3PwTFO3t8x3VgZFsOOglwOtwsjk8F50KiaxACnasYHTLLn3fLfL5mKT-pPTqP6mVvLL0_nmsU1XWseLU59ywx1CM/s320/060901_kindergarten_wifi.gif" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I took her school shopping, and I would pick something out only to have her look at me, sigh, and say "But, momma, that's <em>so</em> boring". She has very colorful taste. (And I did, for the most part, let her pick out what she wanted.)</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">My mom is coming again next week to help me out, so I'm very excited to hopefully be able to actually be able to report on some new things we get done, instead of constantly reporting that I'm "almost caught up" with stuff that should have been done last week.</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And just in case any one was wondering, the song selections (other than the musicals) are usually just whatever I happen to have heard on the radio recently, lol, there's really not some deep meaning to the choice of song, nor is it meant to necessarily compliment the post. (I'm probably going to do away with the music altogether when "work on blog" comes up on my To Do list.)</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I heard "Small Town Saturday Night on the radio this weekend as I was out grocery shopping. I always loved the line:</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Lucy, you know, the world must be flat...</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">'cause when people leave town, they never come back."</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzV9Uzsp-baTj6yDOd6OeszYEaIsG_RjU0AgyZDqxMFSGX6pnS4vFbb-C_hFyA3k21N14dLzNZWHMhyphenhyphen0mDjwGopUdczpU6s3W6WAlw0UOSa1fD7wfWpmckgLui5bu9Xa4bafk1tDG-4w/s1600-h/Sherman.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360378553009923394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 176px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzV9Uzsp-baTj6yDOd6OeszYEaIsG_RjU0AgyZDqxMFSGX6pnS4vFbb-C_hFyA3k21N14dLzNZWHMhyphenhyphen0mDjwGopUdczpU6s3W6WAlw0UOSa1fD7wfWpmckgLui5bu9Xa4bafk1tDG-4w/s320/Sherman.jpg" border="0" /></a><em> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">(my hometown)</span></em></div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">LOL, life in small town, USA- gotta love it!</span> </div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-35913214000231781292009-07-01T18:45:00.001-07:002009-07-01T18:54:48.896-07:00Thanks, Mom...<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26pU-ym_DPc8QAg8WlSWOp6I0pHuBWn5sC91M93UBW1-6Axjy6AWI07d6uBy38Vdh_rsqZ2iRC6QF4F_doYX8-gB2nqLrur5PXN8P1L0ko9kNXfhrNSIInxRefTCTW4fYCI6WbPj0DJA/s1600-h/navydress.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353673154546916178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 301px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26pU-ym_DPc8QAg8WlSWOp6I0pHuBWn5sC91M93UBW1-6Axjy6AWI07d6uBy38Vdh_rsqZ2iRC6QF4F_doYX8-gB2nqLrur5PXN8P1L0ko9kNXfhrNSIInxRefTCTW4fYCI6WbPj0DJA/s320/navydress.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have to say a very big THANK YOU to my Mom, who traveled all the way from Louisiana to spend the entire week last week helping me get caught up on orders. By the time the week ended, my mom was a pro on the embroidery machine and over 150 orders were in the mail- it was a very productive week.<br /></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Oh, and the purse in the picture, that's the very last one we did for the week- its been on my "to-do" list for quite some time (see </span><a href="http://armywifemomentrepreneur.blogspot.com/2008/06/very-personal-project.html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">here</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">)- hopefully it was worth the wait!</span> </span></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-76362987826392257122009-06-12T14:06:00.000-07:002009-06-12T14:20:33.107-07:00Post-It Note Revelation...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/iceprincess6/IMG_6481.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 227px; height: 319px;" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y13/iceprincess6/IMG_6481.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I figured out that if I put all my "to do's" on post-its, when I get behind, I can just peel and stick them on a later date! Pretty cool, eh? (yeah, I'm easily impressed).</span><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Several people in Hong Kong are still trying to give me money for free, too! What a lucky girl I am...</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><div style="text-align: center;">I am Mr. Patrick K. W. Chan Executive Director & Chief financial Officer of Hang Seng Bank Ltd, Hong Kong.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have a lucrative business proposal of mutual interest to share with you; it involves the transfer of a large<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">sum of money from my bank here in Hong Kong. I got your reference in my search for someone who suits my<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">proposed business relationship. If you are interested in working with me contact me through my private email<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">mrpatrick_chan202@yahoo.com.hk for further details.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kind Regards,<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mr. Patrick Chan <br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Back to work now, work, work, work...</span></div></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-30804496010428828902009-06-10T08:52:00.001-07:002009-06-10T09:38:19.759-07:00Emails, Scams, Books, Lack of time, and other bits of randomness...<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">WARNING- the song playing over there on the right is not g-rated! If you are easily offended or children can hear, please mute.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Emails will be the death of me! I just realized last night that I've lost several hundred emails over the last few weeks- the perils of having 4 emails and trying to juggle forwarding them when life interrupts business, and someone has to be out of the office. GRRR. I'm stuck emailing everyone with an order today, in the hopes that if they've emailed us, they don't think they are being ignored. Great way to have to waste the day, when I have so much to do in the studio and am *this* close to being all caught up. Ick.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Actual emails, those get lost in cyberspace, but what makes it through? Stuff like this:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Good Day I am MR.SONG LILE, I work with the Hang Seng Bank,I need your assistance in effecting a transaction worth $30.5m I intend to give 30% of the total funds as compensation for your assistance.respond to my private email: songli20@yahoo.com.hk 1. Full names 2. Private phone number 3. Current residential address Kind Regards, Mr Song Lile Email: songli20@yahoo.com.hk</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Really? People still fall for this scam? Its annoying that certain members of the human race can be so devoid of ...what? A conscience? A soul? Makes me sick.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">In other, unrelated news, I got a brief moment (during the girls gymnastics class) to start a new </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Man-Uniform-Memoir-Battles/dp/1602860831"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">book</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">.</span></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZ3amYFMmhRY0AtIR30i0gXZs-1FB9L-iVMCV69HIUWiH6ypzYXNKJeUrluZ-NMPbSLe76FQ53-Uns-YBXUmZAUMLYrDMzGvSPtfHGgmw_bWhg6VNTqgNlkpCWB49qfuG9HpyBAsXB5o/s1600-h/cover800-web.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZ3amYFMmhRY0AtIR30i0gXZs-1FB9L-iVMCV69HIUWiH6ypzYXNKJeUrluZ-NMPbSLe76FQ53-Uns-YBXUmZAUMLYrDMzGvSPtfHGgmw_bWhg6VNTqgNlkpCWB49qfuG9HpyBAsXB5o/s320/cover800-web.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345733114697470738" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">'d seen it mentioned somewhere on a milblog, then the ladies at Army WIfe Talk Radio had the author on their show, and I have to confess, the cover looked cool, so I decided to try and find time to read it. So far (and admittedly, I've only made it to page 60 so far) I'm very glad that I did.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">On page 15 you find out that the author used to work at the Life Cafe (hence the song playing, lol!)- she's an Army Officer's wife at West Point and she used to work in the Life Cafe- I mean, come on, you have to just </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">know</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> there's a great story there. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So far, its a fabulous read, and the author is incredibly funny, witty, succinct and dead on- her description of the catty way in which Army Wives can sometimes (too often, really) treat each other:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">"It's the classic judgment-go-round concealed in camouflage and wrapped in the flag."</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">I'll have to try and post a review of the entire book when I finish it (someday!). Oh well, back to the emails for me....</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-552363140457673932009-06-06T07:21:00.000-07:002009-06-06T11:16:11.763-07:00Visiting Normandy...<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Since today is the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day landings, I thought I'd write a post about visiting there. Especially if you are (or one day find yourself) stationed in Germany, it is a must see. It's just over 300 miles from Paris, so a pretty easy drive, and of coarse, very beautiful.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">We took a day trip there from Paris- and just to let you know, the pictures below are not mine, we took video of our trip, which I love, but I doubt you'd want to watch a few hours of it- other people's pics are much better suited for a blog post! <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Caution- the drive from Germany, via Paris, has LOTS of tolls.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpYWUIu2PJAGiT_Qj3IJ8xdAqHTSLGhIMYopljVOBnw_T4iqZMWAL2Eu1-uTIuELOMPk8k5vKO8bqQkAEfWGIvIWbRW5hxWL8GSDtZYC7zWiA3ULiZdL8zGa9e-vGUtMZtT4jjI-svLM/s1600-h/6a00d8341c82d353ef00e54f3012c88833-500wi.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></a></div><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpYWUIu2PJAGiT_Qj3IJ8xdAqHTSLGhIMYopljVOBnw_T4iqZMWAL2Eu1-uTIuELOMPk8k5vKO8bqQkAEfWGIvIWbRW5hxWL8GSDtZYC7zWiA3ULiZdL8zGa9e-vGUtMZtT4jjI-svLM/s320/6a00d8341c82d353ef00e54f3012c88833-500wi.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344224251334300802" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">We visited on December 26th, so it was cold, rainy and very overcast. It seemed strange to be at the beach in the dead of Winter. Even though so much time has passed, its amazing to see how much has not changed. </span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPR5KRyr3-Ou4uryJ6W7CowIAaQWkHqRuifS34WDK69oddhks3hNUHRlX9HP_pXKEmRgqsXTrGjE9E7Vx329PLaQlnbMmREnE2W_LHqQQp9LSemZu-PV3HlA4tyOxMiDR3eZMskw7FBPU/s1600-h/6a00d8341c82d353ef00e54f3012cb8833-500wi.jpg"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPR5KRyr3-Ou4uryJ6W7CowIAaQWkHqRuifS34WDK69oddhks3hNUHRlX9HP_pXKEmRgqsXTrGjE9E7Vx329PLaQlnbMmREnE2W_LHqQQp9LSemZu-PV3HlA4tyOxMiDR3eZMskw7FBPU/s320/6a00d8341c82d353ef00e54f3012cb8833-500wi.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344224152255309794" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">This is Pointe du Hoc, the craters in the ground were caused by the more than ten kilotons of high explosives that landed here (that's about the same explosive power as the atomic bomb that fell on Hiroshima). </span></div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 20.0px; font: 16.0px Trebuchet MS; color: #333333"><br /></p><p></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_DupTYf3HqKGhQZxeglnOHH2c6bUxu_rWPPoEk0f1neQYnZ_c_GpzoJyULEceHVpDQAeydRi4n28EV9rRw8ZPJ96ZlPWnVb8A396bOTjxmF3KLusYOuoxNQ8a80iUEnNqERv3BPUhhM/s1600-h/7.jpg"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_DupTYf3HqKGhQZxeglnOHH2c6bUxu_rWPPoEk0f1neQYnZ_c_GpzoJyULEceHVpDQAeydRi4n28EV9rRw8ZPJ96ZlPWnVb8A396bOTjxmF3KLusYOuoxNQ8a80iUEnNqERv3BPUhhM/s320/7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344224040488976034" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">At the end of the war, many of the German Atlantic Wall defenses were dismantled, but some remain, like the bunker above and the battery at Longues-sur-Mer. </span></div><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 19px; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcOaPhAQjqp1PWcQ_fhsyUWXOdoGEk8x3GIrp_LpA7RxFWXluzM89XcBVPoydB55PCTmQop-PcvM3QV-V9-g4nELMMDKaq1SAMN3jZth3HoTH6V7pknc_nEEA57cMnk8gztoBErALMM8/s1600-h/6a00d8341c8d9f53ef0112796bc2de28a4-800wi.jpg"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcOaPhAQjqp1PWcQ_fhsyUWXOdoGEk8x3GIrp_LpA7RxFWXluzM89XcBVPoydB55PCTmQop-PcvM3QV-V9-g4nELMMDKaq1SAMN3jZth3HoTH6V7pknc_nEEA57cMnk8gztoBErALMM8/s320/6a00d8341c8d9f53ef0112796bc2de28a4-800wi.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344223959321500642" /></a><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">In 2004, the French commissioned this sculpture, entitled "The Brave" by French sculptress Anilore Banon. It is a tribute to the Americans who landed on Omaha Beach, and the sculpture rises from the waves at St. Laurent-sur-Mer. </span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaunMQj2LcapPiN6Ue5M-7t1ltoV3mZZY3m25_dLv-X78GOar8mBs3FgkZNoNmVxUuOwYwNsnmtZ2B2101DOEFWln1BnJE4a_BJF71cSBEyNwLYPt0RVjUiQQ2Y9zX-3pGHRIhF-JkMw/s1600-h/Dday43.jpg"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaunMQj2LcapPiN6Ue5M-7t1ltoV3mZZY3m25_dLv-X78GOar8mBs3FgkZNoNmVxUuOwYwNsnmtZ2B2101DOEFWln1BnJE4a_BJF71cSBEyNwLYPt0RVjUiQQ2Y9zX-3pGHRIhF-JkMw/s320/Dday43.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344223869943340082" /></a><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 19px; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> Standing atop Arromanches, you can still see the remnants of "Mulberry B", one of two artificial harbors created for the invasion. It took 20,000 workers almost a year to build using over two million tons of steel and concrete. More than 500,000 tons of equipment were unloaded using the artificial harbor here during the summer of 1944. </span></div> <p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 19px; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; min-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJgWsDAGBFsw0pRnUv7z_X43r0syKBwaewzGPcY4SCQJEUY_wYYW7j3W9t4LNK89e3jqwxSdSrE1eNE6_U9GrZhbC1W53oqHnwO6zHx6CeF-xLb8dTmgXnlPsstyiYGEYcjlXGyOObb8/s1600-h/806924.jpg"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJgWsDAGBFsw0pRnUv7z_X43r0syKBwaewzGPcY4SCQJEUY_wYYW7j3W9t4LNK89e3jqwxSdSrE1eNE6_U9GrZhbC1W53oqHnwO6zHx6CeF-xLb8dTmgXnlPsstyiYGEYcjlXGyOObb8/s320/806924.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344223764559481778" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer: </span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MholPB4LsCCGM1VvDcXERD_DOynQflPbZDkNduTXEfwHKauapiVieGsvbrDZSnga7U1IyEnWTranET6CDKdthe7Go1LuJgPoWytX76Hjdl_ByEpVPFn6nYmS3j-odYyNbpGXitWGd4M/s1600-h/grim7.jpg"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MholPB4LsCCGM1VvDcXERD_DOynQflPbZDkNduTXEfwHKauapiVieGsvbrDZSnga7U1IyEnWTranET6CDKdthe7Go1LuJgPoWytX76Hjdl_ByEpVPFn6nYmS3j-odYyNbpGXitWGd4M/s320/grim7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344223065204053938" /></a><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 19px; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">At the center of the cemetery is a bronze statue, "The Spirit of American Youth Rising From The Waves", and on either side are two enormous maps of the European Theatre of Operations. </span></div><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 19px; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaBnntRYg67Q9ivVb6dFwIEkjSk2cjB_rLIZ_LKfkmPcp5bfm0RF49X6xVr0qqF4OpTEIdjfhdpHRc3c4sM2kGqAAxxUsyBUPI_lAS3HyqXEEhg3EWX4Sfcw__1aP8mj9Zq7vMOWvV-I/s1600-h/2550856573_faf835fd6b.jpg"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaBnntRYg67Q9ivVb6dFwIEkjSk2cjB_rLIZ_LKfkmPcp5bfm0RF49X6xVr0qqF4OpTEIdjfhdpHRc3c4sM2kGqAAxxUsyBUPI_lAS3HyqXEEhg3EWX4Sfcw__1aP8mj9Zq7vMOWvV-I/s320/2550856573_faf835fd6b.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344222869850216754" /></a><p style="text-align: center;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 19px; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The cemetery itself is 172 acres, French soil which has been granted in perpetuity to the United States. 9,386 brave American souls are at rest here. The grass is brilliantly green, the silence deafening, the rows upon rows of perfectly aligned white crosses, which, even if you have seen it before in pictures, will absolutely take your breath away and bring tears to your eyes when you see it in person. </span></div></div></div></div></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-37627078167928421072009-06-01T14:20:00.001-07:002009-06-01T14:36:20.673-07:00What happened to being nice?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3saaaVu_2R42em0Iyf77MgrXbaP3ivy12wymM9aXHBGE5C91TMJgh5TUXhEwI14n3GlRzwUuyLCDS4zWHOws9IAGqS8cA_oeoFmbrBZ9_8c5nuyDe7GWIlCGvjU6W9fucF-ANZ1VkAqQ/s1600-h/smiley-face.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 313px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3saaaVu_2R42em0Iyf77MgrXbaP3ivy12wymM9aXHBGE5C91TMJgh5TUXhEwI14n3GlRzwUuyLCDS4zWHOws9IAGqS8cA_oeoFmbrBZ9_8c5nuyDe7GWIlCGvjU6W9fucF-ANZ1VkAqQ/s320/smiley-face.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342472247246347842" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">First, let me say this has NOTHING to do with business, it's just a comment in general. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Okay, so, really, what happened to just being nice? Ya know, pay it forward, do unto others, etc. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">How is that hard? Why does everything have to be mean spirited, catty, snarky, condescending, I can't wait to blog about how pathetic you are and for all of my followers to chime in unanimously with how much they agree with me and how my view of things is right and you are wrong, and ha ha ha aren't we all just SO funny in the way that we mercilessly comment on the pathetic lives of others while we continually blog about how perfect we are in comparison to you and take judgmental to an entirely new level???</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Empathy- does no one have that anymore? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">If you haven't walked in someone else's shoes, how dare you judge them.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Be nice, please. That is all I have to say. For the love of everything that is beautiful and good, would it just kill you to be nice???</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Seriously, try it. Niceness. "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Garamond; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">nice, really nice, you know, on the scale of...</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">niceness"</span>. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It rocks</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-weight: normal; ">.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Oh, and OPSEC, OPSEC is good too!</span></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-63432781924303010272009-06-01T12:06:00.001-07:002009-06-01T12:10:02.607-07:00Seriously, June already?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0Wzm5VpEFhcTdrCgQB9R93g6NegkejzbQAmTVUvmwwTuyAE68EXkqK_tqsr5Esl_wAZJ6KLUo828xRdThD9h085lZwsXr7hvBQqQfYBfHZJUneNDT_hg-N7uGSc-IGRAc6cSz8w0yBY/s1600-h/overworked.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0Wzm5VpEFhcTdrCgQB9R93g6NegkejzbQAmTVUvmwwTuyAE68EXkqK_tqsr5Esl_wAZJ6KLUo828xRdThD9h085lZwsXr7hvBQqQfYBfHZJUneNDT_hg-N7uGSc-IGRAc6cSz8w0yBY/s320/overworked.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342437763830598850" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">Why am I always trying to get caught up???<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';">I think I will clear my entire calendar for this month and just use it to catch up on everything. I'd post my to do list, but then I'd just be horribly embarrassed with how much I'm not getting done. Suggestions?</span></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-53026252367044120472009-05-27T12:47:00.000-07:002009-05-27T13:02:09.225-07:00Randomness...<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Just so everyone knows that I'm still here and working, a random blog post for you. Have TONS going on at the moment, am I teeny bit behind (as always), but working hard to get caught up. First a few more pictures from our recent photo shoot:</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-zrT500N1bVRrCAU-fi1AS4aCGTSSM9hrMXUwNkyiT__GFGrGqqOWi-X_1BX82u9DzszwyK1Vz1clCmiEkkmxy1ngHv2mB1KcpL_C813teFoQwqBsxta9S_GUa86iXvjlCYjuYJnfcU/s1600-h/sh_web7.JPG"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-zrT500N1bVRrCAU-fi1AS4aCGTSSM9hrMXUwNkyiT__GFGrGqqOWi-X_1BX82u9DzszwyK1Vz1clCmiEkkmxy1ngHv2mB1KcpL_C813teFoQwqBsxta9S_GUa86iXvjlCYjuYJnfcU/s320/sh_web7.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340595030269546994" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">How cool, right?</span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4smlb8-TqG7KOl0_XEaETOiHtDxQlNaCFQOY_SvTkDXifan0F_PI_vofEE0AmJeBiN8Ik8hZ8e9pAkZ3xZiUpDRYJNzk1aD8XdQLs1CH5XU1Ed2ipGCFj-yFjeIf7UrAvdmbrLU4PJmA/s1600-h/sh_web4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4smlb8-TqG7KOl0_XEaETOiHtDxQlNaCFQOY_SvTkDXifan0F_PI_vofEE0AmJeBiN8Ik8hZ8e9pAkZ3xZiUpDRYJNzk1aD8XdQLs1CH5XU1Ed2ipGCFj-yFjeIf7UrAvdmbrLU4PJmA/s320/sh_web4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340594924352519794" /></a><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">And some pictures (finally) of the new design studio are coming soon, I promise!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJvbJX0HpMPYRunmvbOeAiKpskh-fIQRh4AYjPJo2pi4YMOumDXXKJWNLIQ14MU36AdLVy6p-m04mruN0-Nh0hAh2G-w7Ncd2SSsOkgbQebAqjbIVJhXTAGUPJThp-TvXNXBHuHdds0g/s1600-h/IMG_5844.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 262px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJvbJX0HpMPYRunmvbOeAiKpskh-fIQRh4AYjPJo2pi4YMOumDXXKJWNLIQ14MU36AdLVy6p-m04mruN0-Nh0hAh2G-w7Ncd2SSsOkgbQebAqjbIVJhXTAGUPJThp-TvXNXBHuHdds0g/s320/IMG_5844.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340594561299338642" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Hey, anybody know how to get your MAC router to get along with your still running Windows XP computer? Ahhh, if only I had all the answers...</span></div></div>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7722851855702300727.post-76861052871310458192009-05-22T06:46:00.000-07:002009-05-22T06:49:04.300-07:00Sometimes...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYv32F93s2BQsQ3X1Pqh_DEdUncHLA39OhR-bFI-Rcf_SCDXa0x30VWmh_XfJcz_W8Is-qiYzTH9RVADZJiolrrnjYhwtiCFfpD1wjPCpVbeqGNSf6Hf58wjQe3tazAEyBLwtILv2yVE/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYv32F93s2BQsQ3X1Pqh_DEdUncHLA39OhR-bFI-Rcf_SCDXa0x30VWmh_XfJcz_W8Is-qiYzTH9RVADZJiolrrnjYhwtiCFfpD1wjPCpVbeqGNSf6Hf58wjQe3tazAEyBLwtILv2yVE/s320/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338644517779439442" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms';"><div style="text-align: center;">...you just have a bad day, that's all. I'm over it now, back to work- more emails, a trip to the pattern maker's this afternoon, packing up orders all evening. It's Friday- its all good!<br /></div></span>Senecahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08315009495597969104noreply@blogger.com0