Pampered Christmas

So since I started selling Pampered Chef, of course that is what everyone (that I am going to see) is getting for Christmas! I feel slightly safe in showing these because I have a belief that no one actually watches this blog. Hahaha... Anyway, I needed something to give to co-workers and friends...and this is what I came up with!

I am extremely proud of my little creations. I love them so much that I am tempted to keep them for myself (with the bows forever attached). But then again, that doesn't make much sense. And how many bamboo spoons wrapped in bows does a person really need anyhow...

I bought this ribbon a few Christmases ago and it's perfect! I hope people are impressed. Afterall, it is a quality product!

Bonus: Did you notice the big Pampered Chef logo on each one? Shouldn't every Christmas gift double as advertising?

I love this bouqet!

Note: if you are reading this and end up getting one of these amazing creations, act surprised! Haha.

My New Exciting Career

At the beginning of November I was invited to my very first Pampered Chef party being hosted by my co-worker Anja. I had a great time and ordered a few items. I kept thinking about how much fun I had and how I wanted so many more items. (BTW, I had been dreaming of rebuilding my kitchen from scratch and had already created some wish lists for my future). On the last page of the catalog it showed what the new consultant starter kit included, which happened to include a few major items I had ordered and some that I really wanted. I called the lady (Nancy) who had done the show to see what it would take to become a consultant and if I could cancel my order and join instead. By that night I had signed up and was on my way.

While my parents were out of town I had my first party...It was really great and I've done well so far. My director, Nancy, keeps saying how impressed she is by me. I'm really excited and feel that this is exactly what I've been looking for. I like my job, but I'm not completely fulfilled by it either. This is my new hobby, new income (maybe), I'm building my kitchen and learning new recipes and cooking knowledge/experience. I already have two more parties planned and other tentative ones. I think I can create a niche in the wedding registry/bridal shower area. Heck, I know plenty of single people and Eric already said he'd refer engaged couples to me when they come to him for DJ services. Maybe my B.S. in management and certificate in Event and Meeting planning will come in handy now.

I really am excited! It's great to be excited about something. You wanna have a party? I'll come and cook...lol!

Thanksgiving 2008

This year I went to Karina's parents new house in Corona. As Jonas says, "This house is HUGE!" There was a ton of space and lots of yummy food. I made sweet potatos with mashmellows, millionaire pie, and quacamole. Brent & Karina bought some special desserts that we enjoyed, and Ofelia's (Karina's Mom's) turkey was super yummy. After dinner we played boardgames and Rock band. Jonas joined us the next morning for more Rock band. It was a great day.

Super-Jonas

A while back (maybe more than a year ago) Brent & Karina got Jonas a Superman costume that blows up for muscles. (BTW, he thinks muscles are in your shoulders).

Just thought I'd share my little man who often confides in us that he can save the world.

Fun-doh

Have you ever played with Fun-doh? It's like play-doh but really sugar cookie dough. It comes in round containers like play-doh and in four colors (red, green, blue, and yellow). A few days before Thanksgiving Karina, Jonas and I pulled it out and started our creations. We had a great time and Karina came up with mixing colors. Look carefully and you'll be surprised what you find...

What is Equal?

Jonas plays a Reader Rabbit computer game that goes over the basics of Kindergarten curriculum. He was having difficulty understanding the concept of "Equal". So I got out the Halloween candy and pulled out a pack of mini-M&Ms.

We worked on making small piles (1-5 candies) and making them equal and un-equal. We used pink post-it-notes to show clear separation of piles. He caught on pretty quickly after that.

Then insisted on doing it himself and poured out the whole bag. I let him play...he put a few in each pile at a time and when he had used the whole bag he said, "Mom, they're equal!" Of course I was doubtful and proceeded to count. 1, 2, 3,... 25 in the first pile...1, 2, 3, ???What??? 25 in the second pile!!! I was impressed! He wasn't even putting them in the piles at the same interval.

The birth of T-Rex Flash Dino

On November 1st Brent & Karina, Eric & Heather and Jonas & I went to Downtown Disney for dinner. I wanted to take Jonas to the Rainforest Cafe because he loves animals and I had never been. When we got there it was a two hour wait so we walked around first.

Long story short, we went into Build-A-Bear and were watching them make the stuffed animals. Jonas was interested in the process and when he saw the dinosaur one he fell in love. *Side note: I don't take my child into stores like this unless I understand the possibility of walking out with one. I had been thinking about it for a while (all his cousins have one) and we were feeling it out.* Anyway, there are different sounds that you can put into the animals. They had one that roared three times. I had a better idea. We got one that you can record onto and had Jonas do his best roar. It took a while, but we got a great recording and it will live forever (until the battery dies) in the dino. He got to name it; he came up with T-Rex Flash Dino. We call him Flash for short.

Jonas loves the box/holder Flash came in and he calls it his house. At the Rainforest Cafe there are storms every 22 minutes. Jonas was pretty scared each time and said that Flash was scared in his house. Dinner was good, but do to some mishaps, we ended up getting a free Volcano dessert. Yummy! It took 6 people to eat it and had a little left over. It was a really good night and Jonas re-told the story of Flash's creation the next day for Grandma. Some other cool things: A birth certificate was printed with all of Flash's info. There is also a paper scan bar inside so if it is ever lost and then returned to Build-A-Bear, they will be able to get it back to us. I'm more impressed than I thought I'd be, plus Jonas loves it!