Bargain Time!

This event is for you, IF:

• You like to find high quality items at low prices
• You're pregnant
• You know someone who is pregnant
• You have kids/grandkids (up to the teen years)
• You know someone who has kids/grandkids
• Did I cover everyone?!

The Broken Arrow Spring/Summer Rhea Lana's Children's Consignment sale is coming April 6th-12th. I seriously LOVE this event both as a Buyer and as a Seller. This will be my sixth time to consign with RL of BA and I can't stress enough how simple the process is! If you're new to RL and you would like to consign with them, then please click Here to learn more. If you've consigned in the past, then you probably already know that the database is open, but just in case you missed the news, you can click Here to start entering your items. 

What sets RL apart from other Consignment Sales?

• Consignors make a minimum of 70% (up to 80% with Referrals)
• When you refer three new consignors, who each consign at least 25 items, you will receive 75% of your total sales!
• When you refer five or more new consignors, who each consign at least 25 items, you will receive 80% of your total sales!
• Your items are guaranteed! Meaning, if you show up on Pick-Up day and they don't have an item that they should have, then you get paid as if the item sold!
• The average consignor makes around $280 per event!
• Personally, I made in the $300-$400 range last Fall!
• You can watch your sales LIVE throughout the day
• Online or on your Smart phone App
• The consignor fee is only $9.00
• Admission to the sale is always FREE, so tons of shoppers come through the door 
• Consignors/Volunteers are invited to the Pre-Sale on April 5th (before the doors open to the public)
• Your check is ready on Pick-Up Day, April 13th

What items could you Buy/Sell at this event?

• Easter dresses, sundresses, tank tops, shorts, capris, pajamas, swimwear, sandals, flip-flops, indoor/outdoor toys, baby equipment, furniture, DVD's, books, shoes, nursing items, teen clothing, maternity clothing, and much more. They will also accept lightweight jackets (no coats), lightweight pants, khaki pants, jeans, and long-sleeved shirts that are "spring like" in fabric and look.

New Location:

• This event has changed BA locations multiple times over the years, and that's a GOOD thing because they move every time that they outgrow a location! I'm excited to say that the new location for the Spring/Summer event is in the old Wal-Mart at 71st & County Line (193rd). 
• This location has a TON of parking and every item will be located in the same building. 

This blog is just a small bit of information about the sale, so please click Here to learn more about volunteering, marketing, donations, etc. 

Also, feel free to contact me with questions, or you can contact the owners of the BA event, Debbie (debbiew@rhealana.com) or Kristin (kristin@rhealana.com). Debbie and Kristin are amazing and they treat everyone like family. So, why not join the family and consign today?! 

I'll see you there!

Product Review: Flat Hair-itis

Flat Hair-itis is defined as "flat or lifeless hair that hangs straight and without body."

I suffer from this condition. There, I said it. I have Flat Hair-itis. It has plagued me my whole life. Maybe you or someone you know also suffers from this condition. Yes?! Anybody?! Please say I'm not alone.

Over the years, I have tried lots of haircuts and lots of products, but nothing has worked well for my flat hair. As I was reading through my Arbonne catalog, I noticed that they make a Pure Vibrance Texturizing Mousse. And, part of the description says that it is "specially formulated to build natural volume and manageability." I wanted to try it, but I'll be honest, I wasn't getting my hopes up. After all, I've heard these promises before.

So, I ordered the mousse and I've been using it for the past three days. Let me tell you ... it's awesome! No joke. I could tell a difference the first day. The mousse passed the test when my hair still had volume at 8pm the first day that I used it. The description says to use two pumps of the mousse, but on day three, I just used one pump and I still felt like I had more volume than I had before using this product. I'll admit it. I'm sold!

My Friends - if you suffer from Flat Hair-itis, I would like to recommend that you try this product. It retails for $28 and I can place an order for you anytime. I'm a believer!

And I Quote ... (Part 2)

Our girls are at it again! Here is a new list of quotes that we've heard over the past few months. If you missed the first post "And I Quote..." then you can read it Here.


Bailey, Age 5:

• "Parker, what in the earth did you push?"
• "I wonder what a jelly bean bag is full of when it's empty?"
• "I like school, but I don't like how you have to follow the rules there."
• "I need to go home and pick out a smile for picture day tomorrow. I have lots of cheesy smiles to choose from."
• We told Bailey that we needed to trim her nails. Her response was, "No thanks. I'm going to use them to saw wood."
• "I don't want Lou to put her nose boogers on these."
• "G-Lightening" - aka Gatorade

Lou, Age 3 1/2:

• "You can't tell anyone at church that you got underwears on. You got it?"
• "We have to squeeze that cows teetee (utters) to get the water (milk) out."
• "I don't have wacky (wax) in my ears!"
• "Every little swallow, Every chicken feet" - aka chick-a-dee from the song Rockin' Robin
• "Jesus has a big castle with breakfast and a couch."
• "Where's my stolascape? Stelescope?" - aka Telescope
• "I'll take good care of it because Santa gave it to me. I mean Jesus. I get mixed up sometimes."
• "Can I warm my food in the magic heater?" - aka microwave
• "Daddy, you have big boobies and I have little boobies."
• "We haven't been this way since I was a baby with no teeth."

Parker, Age 1 1/2:

• "Pinnocchi - okie" - aka Pinocchio

"Out of the mouth of babes comes great wisdom" ... or just something really, really funny!

It's Rhea Lana Time!

It's Rhea Lana time and that means three glorious things:

1. It's time to make money selling our kids outgrown clothes, toys, shoes, etc.
2. It's time to save money buying other mom's clothes, toys, shoes, etc.
3. I get my closet space back!

Today is the first of two days of Consignor Drop-Off. If you ever wanted to know what this day looks like then keep reading. Last night, I switched cars with my husband so we could load up his truck and have it ready to go this morning. Here is how you pack up 195 items...

 

Did you look closely at the second picture? The clothes in the floor were secure, but I buckled the clothes up that were in the seat. Safety first?! No, I buckled them to keep them in order. I spent to much time hanging, pinning, labeling, and putting them in size order for them to be a messy pile in the floor when I got to the store.

Thankfully, my dad was able to help me unload the items while my mom watched my two youngest girls at her house. Upon arrival, the owners of RL provide you with a rolling clothes rack and hamper to help you get your items from the car to the sales floor. By the way, the table that you see in the corner of the picture is loaded with my items ... along with the table next to it. This is my biggest sale so far.

It took me just under two hours to have all of my items looked over, tagged, and put in their proper place for the sale. Consignor Tip: If your items are tagged in the store, then they're guaranteed against loss. Meaning, if you come to pick up your unsold items after the sale and one or more of your items are missing then you get paid for those items. As in, Paid In Full!

Well, there you have it! It's that simple to sell your items at RL! If you like to wait until the last minute then you still have until 8pm tomorrow to get your items turned in. If your a shopper, then get over there and support your local moms/dads.

The Sale Hours are as follows:

• Sunday, Sept 8th: 11am-7pm
• Monday, Sept 9th: 9am-8pm
• Tuesday, Sept 10th: 9am-8pm
• Wednesday, Sept 11th: 9am-8pm
• Thursday, Sept 12th: 9am-4pm * Many items are 25% off!
• Friday,Sept 13th: 9am-8pm * Many items are 50% off!
• Saturday, Sept 14th: 9am-4pm * Many items are 50% off!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

 

 

Great Deals Coming Soon!

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE saving money? Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE making money? Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE Rhea Lana? Well, I do I do I do!

You can read my first Rhea Lana (RL) blog post Here. Since that time, I've been hanging, pinning, and tagging lots of little girl clothes. The below picture is one of three sets of clothing that I've prepped to sell. I can't wait to get these items dropped off so I can regain my closet space. Speaking of, the Drop-Off dates are only two weeks away (Sept 4th-5th).
Consignor Tip: Plastic hangers are required and they can be purchased in sets of 10 at Wal-Mart for $1.

Don't forget about Halloween! RL is a great place to buy and sell your gently used Halloween costumes. I will definitely be shopping for my girls' costumes at RL.

Shoes, shoes, and more shoes! It seems like our kids grow out of that brand new pair of shoes we bought them before they even step out the front door, right?! RL is a great place to buy and sell those shoes.

Did You Know?

• The Average Consignor made $280 at the Spring 2013 RL event!
• Consignors earn a minimum of 70% of their sales ... or more!
• Consignors are invited to the Private Pre-Sale on Saturday, Sept 7th!
• Consignors pick up their checks the day after the sale ends (Sept 15th)!
• RL guarantees items against loss. Meaning, if you show up on Pick-Up Day and one of your items that didn't sell is missing then they will pay you for the lost item. That's amazing!
• Each volunteer and consignor receives a set of passes which includes 2 Guest Passes (a Guest pass allows friends/family/co-workers to shop the Pre-Sale at 6pm on Saturday, Sept 7th!) Write your first and last name on the back of your Guest Passes and hand them out! All Guest Passes received at the Pre-Sale on Sept 7th will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 RL Gift Certificate! That's a BIG deal! $50 goes a long way at RL! Win-Win-Win for Consignors, Volunteers, and Shoppers!

Facebook Contest: Click Here to "Like" the Rhea Lana's of Broken Arrow facebook page. Then "Share" the below picture (must be a public share to count!), and comment that you have done so and your name will be placed in a drawing for a $25 RL Gift Certificate! It is that easy to get some free money for our event!!!

 

 

Like I said in my first blog, feel free to ask me any questions that you may have about buying and selling at RL. Whether you would like to be a consignor or a shopper, I'm here to help. Or you can email the owners of the BA Rhea Lana, Debbie (debbiew@rhealana.com) and Kristin (kristin@rhealana.com). They are wonderful ladies!

 

 

Buy Low, Sell High

One of my favorite events of the year is just around the corner ... It's the Rhea Lana of Broken Arrow children's consignment sale! If you don't know about RL, then you can check out the entire site at http://brokenarrow.rhealana.com/. The Fall event will be held at 121st & Elm in BA (near Wal-Mart) from Sept 8th-14th. Questions? Just ask me! This is my fifth sale to participate in as a seller/buyer. You can also email the owners (Debbie & Kristin). These ladies are phenomenal!

Buyers:  RL has it all - clothes, toys, strollers, books, shoes, high chairs, etc. You name it, they have it. All of the items sold at RL are brought in by mom's/dad's just like you that are willing to sell their gently used items to a new home.

Sellers: RL is a GREAT place to make some money. Just look around your house. I'm sure that you can see toys that don't get played with, or you know of clothes that don't get worn. Maybe there are unused items in your childs closet? Maybe they are in tubs in the attic? RL is looking to sell those items ... and plenty of local moms are looking to buy them. Sellers also get extra perks for volunteering their time, helping to advertise, etc. If this is your first year to sign up, please tell them I sent you.

I've been collecting items for this sale ever since my youngest started growing out of her Fall/Winter clothes. Besides clothing, I will also put the following items in the sale: two high chairs, a large outdoor play item, toys, lots of shoes, socks, bibs, rattles, books, DVD's, etc. I just started sorting and tagging my items over the weekend so I have a lot of work ahead of me. Honestly, it takes work, but it's one of the easiest processes to go through. You know I'm serious when I say that since it's coming from a mom of three small kids with a part time job and NO free time. Trust me, it's EASY and WORTH it!

This is just a tiny sample of what I'm preparing to sale. Speaking of, I've got to get off of here because I have more sorting and tagging to do. Come to think of it, you might need to start doing the same!

And I Quote...

Our girls are hilarious! After sharing some of their quotes with family and friends, my brother suggested that we start writing them down. So, for your reading pleasure, here are some of the things our girls have said (mostly from Bailey since she's the oldest) ...

• "Food makes me dance!"
• After being bit in the eyelid by a mosquito and her eye turning blue and swelling, I asked Bailey if she wanted meds for her eye. She said, "Yes, but let's put meds in my mouth and they'll go up to my eye."
• Parker started grunting in the car and Bailey said, "You're not going to shoot poop on me are you? Because that would be terrible!"
• Parker, Bailey, and I were in the recliner when 3 year old Bailey said, "Ow mom. Your elbow is on my booby."
• After sleeping with a hard plastic doll, Bailey said, "I can't sleep with this doll anymore. Her nails are scratching my knees."
• "My heart is beeping really fast." Aka - beating
• "Mom, you should have seen how big my poop was. It was bigger than dads!"
• Bailey asked if we could get Gypsy Ice (sno cones) after dinner, and I said no because her sisters didn't eat very much dinner. She said, "next time make a better dinner!"
• "That's the bestest thing I never did and now Lou's ruining it!"
• While driving, Lou said, "There's Taco Blano." Bailey said, "It's not Blano. It's Blanco."
• "I want cereal with full grain fiver." Aka - Whole grain fiber
• Lou said, "I have a bologna bottom." Aka - Bony bottom
• "Where's the Speed Lemon sign?"
• "Who wants cake? You want funella?" Aka - vanilla
• "That toot brought some pee-pee with it."

And that my friends, is a pretty accurate description of our everyday lives. We wouldn't change it for the world!

Dinner For Dummies

My parents surprised Greg and I with an early anniversary present last night. They treated us to dinner at McGill's on the 19th floor of the Hard Rock Casino. We're pretty sure that this is the fanciest dinner we've ever had. Wow. The restaurant view was stunning and the waitstaff was superb. The waiter even had an assistant waiter. We felt a little out of place, but we played it off nicely ... at least we think we did.

We were seated, and asked for our drink order. Did we want wine, champagne ... no, we just ordered water. We're boring like that. We were then served something on a fancy triangle plate. It was compliments of the chef, and it was good. The base was cucumber, there was something pink in the middle, and a tiny tomato slice on top.

The complimentary bread arrived next. It was zucchini muffins and sour dough bread. I felt the need to shovel it all down, like a hoarder, so that they wouldn't think we were done and carry it off. Both breads were fabulous, and Greg asked me to stuff what we didn't eat in my purse. For the record, I did not put any bread in my purse.

Salad time. I'm not even sure what salad I ordered since I hadn't planned on ordering one until Greg did so I threw it in at the last minute. When the salads arrived, Greg sat there looking at the forks, not knowing which one to use. I told him to use the smaller one on the outside and work your way in. I learned that on the movie Pretty Woman or, maybe, The Little Mermaid. There were at least two things in my salad that I ate, but still don't know what they were. There was a circular white thing sitting next to what we think was an artichoke. Both mystery items were good.

We were then served a lime sherbet looking ice ball thing. I really have no idea how to describe it, but my mom had told Greg that its purpose was to cleanse your pallet so we ate it. It was great! If entered in a contest, it would be a good front runner to Gypsy Ice (the sno cone place by our house) as one of our favorite icee things.

As we wait for dinner, looking at the view and wanting to put our elbows on the table, the couple across from us finished dinner. The waiter brought them a plate with two rolled up wash cloths, two lemons, and two chocolate sticks. Greg and I both watched intently to see what they did with the items. Apparently the rolled up wash cloths were to clean your hands and face. They didn't use the lemons (and neither did we) so we're still not sure what they were for. Greg and I then made eye contact, realizing we were both watching the same couple to see what they would do with those items so that we would know what to do with them when they were put on our table. We grinned at each other because we realized that we are both geniuses. Spy geniuses.

Dinner was served. Greg had the prime filet, garlic mashed potatoes, and fresh veggies. I had the coconut shrimp, sweet potato, and fresh veggies. Both were amazing! On my plate, but not on Greg's, was another mystery item. I had seen it on one other table, but it didn't look used when the waiter carried off their plates. What was this round thing wrapped in yellow mesh cloth and tied with a blue ribbon? Hmm. I ignored it for a bit, but then curiosity got the best of me so I had to explore. It ended up being half of a lemon wedge for my shrimp. Fancy. I used it.

During our small talk, we discuss whether we were suppose to tip the main waiter, or both waiters. We never figured it out so we just left a good tip and called it good. While waiting on our check, I told Greg that I was going to get a hand shake or a high five from our waiter. He asked me not to. The waiter was a really nice guy and he did a great job, but he seemed a bit nervous when we first arrived. So, while waiting for him to return, I decided that a high five would do. He accepted my high five and I'm certain that the smile on his face showed that it was the only high five he received that day. A job well done deserves some recognition and we are just a high fiving type of family.

After dinner, we headed down to the casino to waste some money (aka play the slots). We didn't win big, but we had fun. After about an hour of breathing in second hand smoke we called it a night.

Our fancy date made us step out of our comfort zones and we really had a good time trying new things. Here is what happens when two dorks get a night out on the town with no kids...

We'd like to take a moment to thank our sponsors for this night O'fun! Thank you mom and dad! We love you more, and we loved celebrating our 11th anniversary at the Hard Rock Casino and McGill's!

Computer Problems

 

The above picture perfectly describes our thoughts the past two years about our computer. No joke. It has been running so slowly that we were at the point of literally throwing it out the window. If they weren't so expensive, we would have bought another one by now. I've taken it to an unnamed computer repair place twice with no results. Both times I paid for a service that made no changes to my computer. Thanks for nothing. We give up.

 

UNTIL ... a guy I play soccer with posted on Facebook that he can fix almost any computer problem at a fraction of the price of the unnamed guys ... and you only have to pay if he actually fixes the problem. What?! I'll be honest, I was skeptical. I know my friend is a "computer genius" and I'm clearly a "tech tard," but was he really up for the challenge? This has been going on for two years. He accepted the challenge. You know what? He looked over our computer and had it running perfectly with one visit that took less than one hour. He's a genius! The below picture is how I look now while I'm working on our computer. I literally wrote this blog in 15 minutes as opposed to an hour of having to pause, restart, pause, restart, raise blood pressure, restart. You get the point.

 

So, if you live in the Tulsa/BA area and you need some computer repairs, please give our friend Keith a call. Message me on Facebook or email me (morrison25@cox.net) for his info. I support him 100%! Thanks for bringing back our sanity, Keith!

 



It's All About Perspective

Tonight, we got wild and crazy!We left an event with panties in the trash, puke on the floor, and people passed out on the drive home. It was unforgettable!

What really happened:

We went to dinner at a friends house and they have two little girls. One of our girls (who will be left unnamed) was too busy playing to go potty and she got a little mess in her panties so we threw them away. Parker spit up on the floor, and two of our three girls fell asleep on the way home. This all happened between the hours of 5:30-8:00pm.

Who says parenting isn't wild and crazy?!

Buy & Sell Name Brand Kids Clothes

Sept. 16 - Sept. 20
81st & 145th
Behind Bank of Oklahoma

I heard about Rhea Lana of Broken Arrow one year ago. My mom saw a flier about the sale so I stopped by to check it out, and of course, I purchased some adorable things for the girls. Rhea Lana is a consignment sale for gently used children's clothes, toys, games, shoes, maternity clothes, etc. It's held twice a year (in the Spring and Fall) and they only accept items that are in really good condition. You can tag and sale items yourself, or you can opt for the VIP Consignment. Last Spring (and this Fall) I signed up for the VIP Consignment. Meaning, I box all of my items and one of the owners stops by my house to pick everything up and label, price, and sale the items for me. All I have to do is pick up a check the day after the sale ends. This is a Godsend for someone with three kids under the age of 4 and a part time job. Sure, I make a little less (50% instead of 70%), but it's worth it to me when I would have just donated these items to Goodwill in the past. And, if an item sales for $1.00 (for the sake of this example) then I'm ok with making $0.50 instead of $0.70 especially when I didn't have to do any of the work. I'm usually pretty stingy, but this time I see everything that I make as a bonus so I can afford to get $0.20 less for less work on my part. :) And yes, I still donate everything that doesn't sale. They will donate the items for you, or you can pick them up after the sale and donate them to the place of your choice.

So, if you have small kids to teenagers and you haven't given Rhea Lana a try, then I suggest that you check it out. Here is the official info below...

Rhea Lana's (pronounced Ree-Uh Lawn-Uh) of Broken Arrow is a community event that benefits families all over the Broken Arrow/Tulsa area! We LOVE what we do! Our mission is to add value to the lives of families by providing the highest quality consignment experience possible. We hold two consignment sale events each year! This upcoming event will feature HIGH QUALITY Fall/Winter children's clothes, shoes, toys, books, DVDs, furniture, baby equipment, teen and maternity clothes, and much more! Some of our favorite brands are Baby Nay, Old Navy, Mini Boden, Ralph Lauren, Janie & Jack, Gymboree, Gap, Justice, Hollister, Childrens Place, A Pea In the Pod, Motherhood, Potterybarn kids, and many others. Brands are not required but sell well because moms know and trust their quality and style. We accept all children's clothing in excellent condition so you know your items will be high quality.

Consignors:
* Prepare, tag, price and enter their items into our easy to use online system. Go to our website www.brokenarrow.rhealana.com for Merchandise Preparation tips and for a list of acceptable items
* Take prepared items to event location during 'Drop Off Days'
* Make 70% on sold items & up to 80% with referrals (see Incentives below)
* Review personal sales online and from your mobile phone in real time during the event
* Collect consigning check and unsold items at end of week on 'Pick-up Day'
* You may choose to leave unsold items and we will donate them to charitable organizations in our community
* All items are GUARANTEED against loss

CONSIGNOR REFERRAL INCENTIVE
EARN RHEA LANA SHOPPING BUCKS!

Special Consignor Incentive- (This sale only!)
Want to Earn RL Shopping Bucks?
Earn $5 RL Shopping Bucks for every new consignor you refer to Rhea Lana's of Broken Arrow! Tell your friends, family, co-workers, ANYONE about us and get them to consign at least 30 items and we'll give you $5 RL Bucks. No limit on referrals! Plus, as always, you will still earn 75% of your sales if you refer 3 consignors or 80% if you refer 5 consignors! You do not have to be a consignor to participate. Email Kristin@rhealana.com to let us know who you referred. Pick up your RL Bucks when you come to shop!

VIP Consigning - Too busy to consign but still want to earn extra cash while cleaning out your closets? We have the perfect solution, be a VIP Consignor! We do all the work and you still earn 50% of your sales! Deadline is August 29th. Contact Debbie at (918) 557-5008!

Volunteers: Want to Shop Early?
Volunteering is a fun way to earn the ability to be among the first shoppers, get out of the house, and have fun with other moms. The more hours you volunteer to work during or before the event, the earlier you get to shop at the Private Pre-Sale Event!

1 Marketing Effort/Volunteer Shift = Workers Pass
2 Marketing Efforts/Volunteer Shifts or Combination = Early Workers Pass

"Don't Be THAT Guy"

If you live in the Tulsa area and you have to drive on the BA Expressway every day to/from work, then you know exactly how the people feel in this photo. That's me, the girl in the back ... after I've sat there for 10 minutes and only moved two car lengths while watching other cars fly by me just to squeeze in line at the front ... therefore, causing me to sit there for 10 minutes and only move two car lengths. I've taken 5 different routes to work and 3 different routes home. I've come to the conclusion that there is no faster way because you either sit in bumper to bumper traffic or you take the small roads with everyone else trying to avoid the BA. My 20 minute commute now takes 45-60 minutes. It's very frustrating.

So, as I sit in bumper to bumper traffic (because I abide by the traffic laws and merge when I'm told to merge) my anger slowly rises with each car that flies by to squeeze in at the front because their time is obviously much more valuable than mine. So, I try to use this time to think about life, pray, be thankful for what I have, but my eyes always look back over to the cars flying by and I get more and more angry.

So, what will I do about it? I will become THAT guy. Just once. I did it. This morning. I flew by everyone waiting. I felt the stares, the anger, the jealousy. What? Jealousy? Yes, you know that sometimes you want to be THAT guy. You want to fly by everyone, squeeze in at the front, and get to your destination with minimal delay. So I did it.

What lessons did I learn:

• It worked.
• I squeezed in effortlessly in front of a truck pulling a trailer.
• I had no delay. No bumper to bumper traffic.
• No anger.
• I easily shaved 15-20 minutes off of my commute time.
• I got to work on time.

That was not the lesson I thought I would learn. Maybe it was just a fluke or maybe God knew that I needed just one easy commute to work or maybe the amount of cars were down because people took off work for the holiday. Either way, that was too easy.

So, now what? Do I wait in line or fly by and squeeze in. We'll see...

It's All About Me

I did something this afternoon that was very out of the ordinary. It was SELF indulgent, SELF centered, and SELFish ... and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I got a massage. I usually reserve this type of activity for when I'm on vacation, but I have been feeling a little stressed lately so it seemed like a good time to take advantage of a gift certificate that was given to me months ago.

Me stressed? Just a little bit. It always takes me a while to realize that I'm stressed. Probably because I spend so much of my time taking care of others (as most moms do) that I forget to focus on myself. It finally hit me last week when I took some time to think about my life at the moment: three young kids, back at work part time, full time mom, just had a baby, buying a new home, moving in less than one month, packing, needing to sell our current home, keeping the house clean everyday in case someone wants to see it, exhausted ... just to name a few.

So, today was my day ... well at least an hour of it was. My gift certificate was to Spa Lux at 91st and Memorial. I had never been there, but I promised myself that I will return. The staff was professional and the atmosphere was very relaxing. Once I got signed in, I was led down a dimly lit hallway and given a robe, and then I was shown to a dressing room. In the dressing room, you choose a locker to put your belongings in, and then you change into your robe and slippers. If you would like, they have a complimentary sauna and steam room that you can enjoy before or after your massage. I passed, but they did look nice. After I changed, I went out to the women's lounge where you sit on very nice furniture in a dimly lit room with a chandelier, waterfall, and calming music. Lets face it, I could have fallen asleep right there and no one had even laid a hand on me.

After about 5 minutes, my masseuse came to get me and led me to a private room. I chose the one hour Swedish (aka regular) massage and it was great. Had I paid for it, the cost would have been $75 so they are a little pricey, but well worth the money, especially if you take advantage of all of the extras that they provide (like the sauna and steam room).

When the hour was up, the girl started mumbling something to me. On second thought, she spoke very clearly, but it took me a few seconds to come out of my haze to hear that she was saying "your massage is over. Make sure you drink plenty of water in the next 24 hours." The real me told her thank you and that the massage was great, but the voice in my head was screaming "NO, NO. Just 5 more minutes. Just 5 more minutes of awesome massage. Just 5 more minutes of peaceful, calming music. Just 5 more minutes of no responsibility and no one saying mommy." Alas, it was over, but I shall return. After all, I made a promise to myself that I would go back and I don't break my promises.



If you are reading this and you're a man, then I would suggest that you get your wife/girlfriend a gift certificate to Spa Lux. Even if this means that you have to watch the kids for a few hours on a Saturday. I guarantee you that the woman who returns home will be very grateful!

If you are reading this and you're a women - STOP your busy life - and go get a massage. Make time for it and enjoy every moment of it. Or, feel free to print this blog and leave it laying around so that your husband/boyfriend will read this and possibly get you a gift certificate. :)

A Little Mace Goes A Long Way - Trust Me!

Greg and I took the girls on a walk yesterday evening. While returning home, we came across a stray dog that got pretty close to us and made me uncomfortable. He was barking and the hair on his back was standing up. We kept walking without acknowledging him so he stopped following us and went on his way.

After we got the girls in bed, I went on a run. Lucky me, that dog was still hanging around. As I turned a corner, he came up behind me barking with his hair standing up again. I was a little nervous, but I kept running and he backed off. Before coming home that same route (there was no other way for me to get back) I stopped to walk in case I needed to regain some energy if he decided to chase me. While walking, I opened the mace that I was carrying to make sure it worked. After all, I run with it in case I see a stray dog, but I never actually checked to make sure it worked. I sprayed it behind me, but I didn't factor in the wind and I inhaled a little bit of it. Let me just say, a little bit of mace goes a long way. After some coughing and sneezing, I was back on my run home. Yes, I felt like a moron. Come on, who sprays mace in their own face?!

I turned the last corner and I was in the home stretch ...  and there he was. The dog. Right in the middle of the street. As soon as he saw me, he came at me full speed barking aggressively so I did what any normal person would do in that situation ... I got my mace ready and I braced for the attack. No, I didn't. I jumped my neighbors chain link fence. With my adrenaline rushing, I cleared it like I had jumped hurdles in high school. Well, not exactly, but I did make it over on my second try. The dog came up to the fence and continued to bark. My neighbor had just gone inside, but her back door was still open so I hollered at her. She came out and I told her what happened. We talked briefly and she let me go through her house and out her front door to finish my run home since the dog had continued on in the opposite direction.

What are the morals of this story:

• Always run with mace
• Never test your mace on a windy day
• Don't go on a run when you know there is a stray dog in the neighborhood

Seven Minutes

I was seven minutes late to work today. Thankfully I have a very understanding boss that cuts me a LOT of slack. I'm pretty sure that I would have been fired ... two kids ago ... if I worked anywhere else.

I don't like being late. I try very hard to be on time, but it rarely seems to work out these days. I don't want to use the excuse that I have three kids three and under, but that's my reality. And, that's why I try that much harder to be on time. Maybe I just want to prove a point that I can have three young kids and still get somewhere on time.

This morning, we were making good time. I mean really good time. Like "going to make it to work early" on time. Until Parker decided to eat her bottle slower than molasses. After 35 minutes of feeding her, I finally had to pack up the bottle and get ready to leave. I pushed the limit trying to let her finish, but I knew that I could still make it on time. I packed everything up and did one last sweep of the house since it could be shown at anytime today. We got in the car ... ugh ... I forgot that I need gas. I stopped on the way home from work yesterday, but the gas station was packed, so I left with every intention of going back after the girls went to bed. I forgot. So, we got gas, I dropped the girls off at my parents, and I made it to work seven minutes late. On the bright side, I got to spend seven more minutes with my girls this morning.

And what about proving my point and being on time, well, there's always tomorrow!

Ode to Old Spice

Who can forget this entertaining commercial?

I graduated from OSU in 2002 with a degree in Marketing. I currently spend most of my time at work doing Online Sales and Accounting, but I still love having a marketing background. I've noticed over the years that numerous companies are switching to more modern marketing/advertising campaigns. The most recent company to catch my eye is Old Spice. Thanks to my couponing, I've been stocking Greg up on Old Spice products and we've been laughing at the wording on their products ever since.

 The first tip to consider when creating a Marketing Plan is to Know Your Customer. "This is the most important piece of data that every business needs to know. Too often companies will lose focus on who their customer is and will generalize a customer persona." In my personal opinion, I believe that Old Spice nailed it with their customer research and targeting. Here are a few of their more recent products. These pics were taken on my iPhone so I apologize in advance for their rough quality.



"Triple Action Formula. Cleans body, Shampoos hair, and Conditions hair. Thank goodness that the inside of your body cleans itself, or we would have had to make a hair and body and bones and guts and muscles wash."

"Smells like Palm Trees, Sunshine, and Freedom."

"Odor Blocker. You will win. Odor will lose. Guaranteed. In the shower, it banishes odor causing germs to the drain. It spends the rest of the day maiming pesky, yet unavoidable odor causing elements in sweat. After the carnage, all that remains is the FRESH smell of victory."

"Smells like Wilderness, Open Air, and Freedom"

My personal favorite -- "Contains odor-fighting atomic robots that shoot lasers at your stench monsters and replaces them with fresh, clean, masculine scent elves."

I love the modern marketing direction that Old Spice has taken and I felt the need to share it with you. I know this blog did not make you any smarter, but I appreciate that you read it anyway. Enjoy your day!