Missing...1 child

So Spencer is sleeping at Grandma and Papa's house tonight. It surprises me how freaking much I miss the butt head when he is gone. Bella is driving us crazy. She misses him too. I did not realize how much he kept her busy. It is almost her bed time, so soon it will be quiet.

Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. We are going to the gym (first time in over a week), then we are going to pick up Spencer and head to the mall to finish school shopping. He needs some shoes, a first day outfit, and a hair cut. I am sure he will end up getting some more shirts, but he is good on pants. I have done really good with my spending on school cloths. I have only spent like $60.

So I am disappointed. No I am quite sad. I did not sell any of my ebay items. Now what. I have stolen to many ideas to sell them on Etsy, I don't want to take any sales from the women that have worked so hard on their stuff. I am worried. Is there a market for decorations in this economy? Have I spent hundreds of dollars for nothing? Where do I go now. I guess just keep trying Ebay, and put the original ideas on Etsy. I am still going to have a garage sale and hopefully I can sell some of my items there. I don't know why I thought all my stuff would sell. If it was that easy, every one with a creative bone would be millionaires, right? I don't want to make millions, I just want to make $100-200 a month. I reall did not think that was asking too much, but it looks like I was wrong. I have sent away for some Halloween stencils, and I am going to start doing fall and Halloween decorations. According to everyone I ask, I should focus on that now, and Christmas in a few weeks. I will still try to sell the things I have already made, but I think Tuesday I will make some Halloween items and stick them on Ebay for poops and giggles. I cant give up after 2 weeks, I wont give up after 2 weeks.

Just doing nothing today...

I have been so busy for the last week and a half, I just wanted to sit around today. The only problem is if I don't get anything done today, I can not work again until Sunday afternoon. I made a really cute reindeer sign yesterday, but I did not finish it. I should be doing that right now. Bella decided to wake up at 6 something this morning, and I did not go to bed until 1 something, so I never really got to get any good sleep. Spencer kept waking up last night too, he had a dream about a bug being on him. So here I am, need to make a decision... sleep now while the baby is in bed, and work when I get home tonight... or... sleep tonight when I get home and make things now. The problem with working now, I will be sleepy at work tonight, and that could be bad. I think I will nap now and see if I have any time left before getting ready for work to make something. John has a 3 day weekend this weekend and it could come in handy on making allot of things all at once. For some reason I feel like he has plans for the weekend, I hope he doesn't get too mad when I tell him I will be cutting and painting all weekend.

Ok, I cant do it, I am going to nap now.

I did it...

I am on Ebay!!! I have put some of the things I have made up for sale on Ebay. I am super excited, but it made me realize how much freaking work I have to do tomorrow. I want to make more more more!! I will be making the real reason I got into this... my signs. I will post them when they are done. I think you will love them.

Ok, I have a 30 minutes

So, why have I been so busy? Well, I have started my little business venture. I purchased all the tools I could possibly need, and have been working for a week. It is so much fun. I have made a few things, and frankly they are all tooooo cute. I am will be getting allot of things finished this weekend and will be putting them up on Ebay by Tuesday. I am going to be honest. I have copied allot of my ideas. I figure all ideas come from someone elses ideas. Of course they are not identical, but close enough. What is the difference if I purchase and resell, or make and sell. I am making things that I love, I have pretty good taste, so if I would buy it then I figure it will sell.
I have not told very many people about be working on these projects. As a matter of fact, I have not even told my parents. Talk about hard. I am going over to their house tomorrow so dad can teach me how to use Ebay. I told a few of my friends at work, but I am just afraid of people being negative about it, and I wanted to make sure I could do it before I told people about it. I am very confident in the fact that my stuff will sell. I have been working very hard this week to see how much I can make with the little amount of time I have. I go down in the basement while Bella is napping, and cut every thing I need to cut, then I bring it up and paint it while she is awake. It seems to be working out just fine. I will be spending more time in the basement while John is home, that way he can keep his eye on the baby. Spencer is pretty much self sufficient, so he has been hanging out in the basement with me. I love the company, and he love to play down there. I am nervous about telling my parents tomorrow. I know I am doing the right thing, I just hope they think so too. Yes I have had to put allot of money into this, but I see the return being large enough that this is worth the effort. Here is my selling plan. I am going to use Ebay and Aunt Debbie's site, Etsy. I will also be having some garage/craft sales (Plan on putting all the money I make at the garage sale part of it back into my crafts). I will also be driving out to Yelm and have a garage/craft sale out there. My BFF Jessie lives there, and she has plenty of crap to throw into a garage sale. I would love to have one in Olympia too, but I don't know anyone there that would want to have a garage sale. I have ordered a book that has all the information on bazaars and craft sales in Oregon and Washington for August 2008-July 2009, just waiting on it to get here. I DO NOT have nearly enough stuff for doing that yet. I still need to make more more more. The plan is to start some time in Febuary'ish on the bazaar and craft sale circuit. I will also put together some sort of catalog, perhaps come up with some sort of web site, but again, not for a while.
I am super stoked about this. I am loving the craft making, I just hope I don't get tired of doing it. I hope doing crafts does not get old, because I love doing it so much. Ok, I want to hear all your positive comments on what I am doing, I have put some pictures of all the things I have made in the last 5 days, tell me what you think.





This is a garland, about 4'5". The detailed pictures follow it.



This is a wall hanging. It is the first one I made, and I like it, but I don't think it is good enough to sell for very much. I have gotten much better. Like the painting, but the cutting sucks.
These are for hanging stockings.

These are "hat boxes", but together it is just a bit bigger than a big coffee cup. I really this one.
Another wall hanging. It has glitter on it, but it is hard to see in the picture.
I am not finished with this. Not sure how I am going to connect them. There is black glitter on the black paint. TTTOOOOOO cute!! Get it, it is Santa's belt.
I cut every piece of wood out my self, sanded it all and painted them. I made my own stencils too. Damn I am good.

All out of time...

Just wanted to drop in and say I have been super busy getting my stuff together and have not blogged. Sorry. I will make a point to come back in the next few days and tell you all about everything. I now am working Saturday 2-11 and Sunday 6:30 (am)-3 (as well as Wed-Fri 6:30-11 pm), so I will probably be on Monday. Love you all, love Cori.

Pacific Science Center

Here are some pictures of our trip to the Pacific Science Center this last weekend. Let me tell you, that place is expensive. It cost us $10 to park, $42 to get in and $20 to eat. I have been there once before, when I was a kid, and it looked the same. Sure there were a few new things, but all together it was the same. You would think with all the money they are making, they could add some more new things.

Here is a picture of Spencer climbing the rock wall.

I don't think she really cared about this, she was just happy to get out of the stroller.
Looks like John and Spencer are going into space, better shut the door.

Us waiting for the lazier light show. I was in a bad mood, and did not want my picture taken. Bella handled the show like a champ. She actually fell asleep for most of it. So did John and I.

Too cute.

We did a maze, it was sort of hard. Spencer and John got it the first time, but the second time John had a hard time finding the way out. I caught them cheating. Cheaters!!

Normally we don't use the leash, but when she wants to walk around in a busy place, it is the best option. She tends to break free and run.
Here is John being eaten by a ugly dinosaur.
We had not planned on going to the Space needle, but it was so close we thought we would go check it out. Turns out it would have cost $40 for all of us to go up. We passed on that. Then we thought we could go on the monorail, but as usual it was broken. Go figure.

At this point, everything was closing down. We sort of did not want to go yet, so we went down to the water front and walked around for a while. It was a fun day, and I am glad we went, I just wish Seattle did not cost so freaking much. We had to pay $11 for parking for 1 & 1/2 hours down town. DAMN!!!!

Time to blog

I am sitting here watching Ghost Hunters International. I am afraid, but I will make it through, I hope. Today was my Monday, and it went well.

I have so much to say, but I am having such a hard time bloging about it. I want to keep it to myself until I start. I have already said too much. I know you all would be supportive of it, but I am super afraid and feel stupid. I don't know why I can not just talk about it (no I am not pregnant, or trying to get pregnant). I have a feeling it will be ok, I just will worry for a while. I am just glad I have such a supportive husband. If he thinks I can do it, then I CAN do it.

I have started my Christmas projects (aka presents, so I can not get into it too much) and they are going really well. I am just glad I started in August, it is going to take me a bit to get it just right. I will have to start my other projects (Christmas gifts) sooner than later too, I just have to gather more parts. I just hope the old saying about putting thought into a present goes over, or I am in trouble.

We have been slacking on the gym thing. We took like 3 weeks off. We went back yesterday and today. I think we are back on track. We have decided to lay off the weights for a while, and just do cardio. I am frustrated with my efforts and lack of definition, so I will work on the fat loss, then continue to build muscle after that. My internal goal is to loose 10-15 more pounds, then start lifting weights again. I think that would look really good on me. I feel like I have gained all my weight back, but I have really only gained 3 or 4 pounds back. I am still down 15 pounds total, and 4 inches off my waist. At one point I was down 6 inches, so that is disappointing. We have been eating so much and it all has been bad. I was too the point where I did not even feel bad about eating the crap again. That is a bad place to be. I have mentally started over. I am keeping points in the back of my head. I really should start righting them down, that is the key to keeping on track. Ok, it is to be, tomorrow I will wright them down. I will give it a week of cardio and points and see what happens, if I don't loose at least 1 pound, then I will lift some weights. I don't want to lose all my muscle!! I was quite buff!! It would only take me a week or two to get back there, but like I said I am going to give that a break for a few weeks and work on the fat.

Ok, I think that is all I have to say for now. Good night Y'all!!

Little ol' me

It sucks having fertility issues, but having them and not even trying to conceive sucks too. I have PCOS ( don't want to get into the details on that one ), and have know about it for a while now. I had to take fertility meds to have Bella (best drugs I have ever taken, just look at the out come!!! Who said drugs are bad?), not hardcore ones, but the bottom of the line kind. I had to take them for 3, or was it 4, months before they kicked in, but just look at her, man did they kick in!! Any way, my point to this is, I may not be trying to get pregnant, but I still suffer from the side effects of PCOS. My period is ALWAYS late. Stressful!!!! I have a premonition... it took so much work, money and time to have Bella. I see my self getting pregnant accidentally. I see us not being careful ONE time, and here comes baby number 3, right. You see it too now!! So, every month when I am late, it is all I can think about. (Not that another baby would suck, I just want the best for my kids, and we are not financially equip for 3 children, maybe later we can think about it, but not right now.)

So aside from being late every month (anywhere from 3 days to 6 weeks), I also PMS hardcore. I start PMSing when I should (aka if I am due for my period on August 1st, I will still PMS the week before like a normal person), but I will PMS all the way until I actually start my period!!! Let me tell you, that is so hard on me (and John) (and Spencer). Ever since I started working out, my periods are less and less late. They have gone from weeks late, to days late. I think my latest period has only been a week. This time I was due on Thursday, and started on Wednesday (the following week). So, that's not bad. It gives me hope that if I should choose to have any more children, I will be able to conceive easier, or quicker. Another down side to starting late every month, zits!! I always get big zits while PMSing, so until I get my period, I get zits. Nice huh? I can complain about the cramps, but I only really have cramps bad enough to complain about for 2 days. It could be worse. My number one complaint for PMSing for weeks... bloating!! The gym experience sucks when your PMSing and retaining water. The scale can not tell it is day 28!! Any way, here we are, a few days into my cycle for the week, and I am almost through the cramps, have to finish today and I should feel better. Wish John (and all the cashiers at the Poe!!!!) good luck. He will need it!!

Let me define stress...

Stress is something I am faced with all the time. Usually I can figure a way out of it, or I just get over it. I am currently faced with a new problem that I don't know how to deal with. My stress is a new stress. One created by not knowing. An entirely new feeling. I can not sleep, my tummy hurts and it is all I can think about. I almost wonder if this is my bodies way of telling me that what I am doing is wrong? Or is it that it is right, and I am just scared of success? I am still going to go threw with it, but I am sure there are many more stress filled sleepless night to come. It is me doing this, it is on my shoulders. Either I do it and they will buy it, or I fail and am stuck with the items I have purchased for it. I guess, when all is said and done, it will only cost me a few hundred dollars to fail. It could be worse. I am a hard worker (when I want to be), and this I want to work hard at. It will work, it will be fun and fine.

No more working from home, thank God!!

Ok, I am not going to lie. I am super happy about not doing the "pink card" job anymore!!! I feel freedom right now. I am so excited that my days will not be filled with time lines. It is going to give me so much free time to work on my crafts. John is with me on this one, I think. I think his only concern is... will she follow through?. Well, if I am not making any money from my second job, this will be my way to make up for that. It is almost like this came to us as a blessing, I would not have has the time to decade to my projects if I was still working both jobs. Plus, if I hear Spencer say one more time "can't you just quit that job, I want to play with you", I will freak out. I am in the room, yet I am a world away when I am working. Not good parenting. Even with picking up the extra hours, I will still have more time for my kids. Plus this way, they get a permanent play date with the coolest babysitter ever. So many thoughts so little time. Well, I just emailed my "pink card" boss, told him that if I had my choice, I would like to finish out the week. Just waiting to hear back from him. He is super cool, and I am sure he will not have an issue with that. I am sort of sad that it is ending, sort of!!!

My motto... EVERY THING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. I have always said this, and always will. The other day, we were in the negative in our checking account (not because of lack of funds, but because we are lazy and forgot to go in and deposit some checks). That was the day we went to Costco. I was feeling guilty about spending all that money when our account was just so messed up. I sort of wanted to wait and let it settle down and make sure we were going to be ok. I was sitting in my car thinking this in the Costco parking lot waiting for John (took 2 cars, we got that much stuff!!). I looked down between the seats, and noticed some papers. Anal me could not stand the clutter, so I started cleaning them out. I opened an envelope, and inside was a $100 check. What the heck, it was from the end of June. JUNE!! You would think that I would have noticed we were missing $100?!?! This just makes my EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON point more solid. At that point, I was ok with the money we were spending on food. Everything was going to be ok. That leads me to my next point. Last month, John had the smallest check he has had as a service wrighter. It was stressful because we were also unsure about my second job. We paid our bills, and had gas and food, but there was no extra money. He found out yesterday that his next paycheck will literally be the biggest he has ever gotten in his entire life. We are talking huge. This is going to give me the chance to get my projects started without stressing about how much money we have left. I will also get the chance to get the one bill that is a bit behind, all caught up. NICE WITH A CAPITAL N!!! I am not a religious person, but things like this make me wonder who is looking out for us. I like to think we are good people, and that the universe will balance itself out for John and I. I am going Christmas shopping!!

I do not tell these stories to make myself look good, I tell them because we are family, and who else can you share stories like these with. Trust me, I am sure the month of December will be the sad side of funds, and you will have to read that stuff!!

This is the newest project I made. I made it for my Friend Amber, for her daughter Brooke. I made the box as a memory box of sorts. I filled it with candy too, she loves candy!!! I ate some if it, I am bad. I also got a just brown book for sketching, and painted it to match the box. The book is blank, so she can fill it with anything she wants. The best part is, the book was made of recycled paper!!
Inside it says "This book is made with the intent to be filled with loving thoughts, reminders and stories of Brooke while she is growing up".

I loved making this project. It cost way more than I could ever get for it at a bazaar, but it was not made with the thought of making money. I could have done it with less stickers, and cheaper letters.

August 4th already?!?!

Wow. I have so many things on my mind that I want to do before Christmas, and today is August 4th!! I kind of wish time could slow down just a smidge. Ok, here is my list of things to do. They all have different time lines, and will not be in any order.

I still need to finish getting school clothes for Spencer. Looks like I have until September 3rd.
Bella's birthday. Lots of decorations to make still.
Presents for Bella's birthday.
Christmas presents (stress stress stress).
Halloween decorations. Lots to make.

I think that is all that I have to do.

John just called. It looks like my second job is really ending after all. Wow, my tummy hurts. I am torn. I really am happy that I wont have the stress of getting all that work done, with the little time I have. But what will I do without that extra $400 a month. That is a big deal. I am already picking up more hours at work. The only thing I can think about is picking up 1.5 Wed and Thur. I have to wait until the first full week in November, that is when the hours at THD change. I will actually be loosing out on some hours, because we will close at 9 and not 10. Again that is a big deal. By picking up the 1.5 2 times a week, I will make up for the loss of closing early. Oh well. I really wish I could work more. I wish I did not have to pay someone to watch my kids, and I wish there were more hours for me at work. Why can't I have the best of both worlds.

I decided for Christmas I am going to redo Bella's room. I am going to paint it, and get her a new big girl bed. I want to get her new bedding for that new bed too. I was thinking of making her a head board, I have a really cute idea for it. It "shouldn't" cost too much to do it. It is just plywood and a few pieces of trim. Should be cute. I am thinking for her bed set, I will just convert the comforter I made for her crib set, into a full size comforter. I will do some sort of quilt thing with it. I have it all figured out. It should be cute. I have picked out the paint samples, but I have some pink paint left over from her first bedroom, I may just use that to save money. I will have to buy a gallon of the green. Maybe I will just repurchase the pink, or get a quart, for touch ups. I am thinking white ceiling, half pink (on top), white chair rail in the middle, and green bottom. Trim and doors will be white too. Her head board will be white, and I need to look for a used dresser that I can paint, or figure out how to paint her press board dresser. I also would love to get a rug, but that is not on my list of things to do in there. Now Bella and Spencer will have nice rooms. John and I however, will not. Oh well.

Let me ask this question. Do we use our tax return to buy the bed we so desperately need, or do I prepay for a year of school. I need to go to school so I can get my bakery started, but should I pay for it or finance it? There is always something to do, isn't there?!?!

For my mother-in-laws birthday, Spencer and I made this memory box. The point of this box is to fill it with things that remind you of someone. I will be placing some pictures of the kids in it, and Spencer is going to write her a letter and put it in. This was, when she misses the kids, all she as to do is open it and look at all the things she has collected (pictures, notes, birthday cards from them, ect...). It turned out really well, and I was thinking about adding it to my crafts I want to sell. I was just wondering what you guys would pay for it at a bazaar? Be honest, I need to know.




Grandma likes frogs, so we put a frog on the front, and inside on the walls.
We put baking item on the outside. Flower, rolling pin, cookies, oven mit, ect..
The have a house in Long Beach, and she always wears flip flops, so this is a no brainer.