Heroes' Artwork Auction

Visit http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/auction/ to cast your bid on original artwork from Heroes. You could personally own the iconic image of "the cheerleader" running up the stairs as she's being chased by the evil man out to kill her, which we of course all know now is Sylar. Or better yet you could buy one of the pieces to give to me for my birthday. The proceeds go to the Epilepsy Foundation.

Darth Vader is taking over the postal service

I just read an article on Yahoo news that the USPS is going to release Star Wars stamps near the end of May. You can go to www.uspsjedimaster.com to cast your vote for your favorite SW stamp. I'm sad there isn't one with ewoks on it.

Latest book review

I've been following network marketing guru Michael Clouse's advice and reading 30 minutes a day. I know in order to build my Arbonne business and live life with an attitude of gratitude, I must read and motivate myself. I just finished reading Clouse's book "First Choice" which I purchased at the training I attended a couple weeks ago. I highly recommend this book to everyone interested in gaining control of his/her life. It's a simple read with many great nuggets of advice on owning your own business. There were so many times I caught myself while reading this book saying to myself, "Oh my gosh, that's what I want from my life." The more reading I do the more I can confirm I have chosen the right path for my future. I'd love to loan this book out to anybody interested in reading it. I'd like to end with this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." That honestly says it all!

Sick of Anna and Britney

Anna Nicole is dead. Why do we have to hear about her every day? I am so sick of seeing her name in headlines on every online news outlet. Does anybody really care where she's buried or who the real father of her child is? Is it really news worthy to let us know that Britney was seen out and about this weekend at a salon and a dentist office? It's pathetic to hear that the police actually had to put up a blockade because of the hordes of reports that gathered to see what she was doing in the salon. Again, who cares? Don't the police have more important things to do than block off the street for Brit? And why are photogs scrambling to get her picture? I guarantee there are more newsworthy events going on that deserve their and our attention. Why not police the streets taking photos of drug deals so that the police can actually do some good for the community of LA? How about trailing politicians to make sure they are not shaking hands and taking money from big business evildoers? I can't stand celebrity tabloid crap! I think I'm going to lose it if I hear the names Anna Nicole or Britney once more, so watch out world!

Little ways I drive Shawn crazy

I figured it was time for a baby update. I am about 14 weeks into my pregnancy. Friday I go for my second doctor visit when we will get to hear the baby's heart beat. Shawn is taking the day off because he doesn't want to miss any of the big appointments as he calls them. Of course, I can't stop thinking about baby stuff, so last night I decided to go through the baby name book I borrowed from Kristi. I've already got a couple girls' names I like but I'm struggling with boys' names. I'm all about unique names considering I grew up with a name nobody else had in school. As I was reading the book, I started a list of favorites. Shawn thought I was crazy. He said why don't we wait until we know if we're having a boy or a girl before we start thinking about names that way we cut the list in half. I said what's wrong with looking at names now. He knew he was going to lose the fight, so he simply gave in and walked away.

I am so proud of our house cleaning efforts the past couple weeks. I am excited to say that I have two dresser drawers and about 1/3 of a closet cleared out for baby stuff already. We are having what will be the biggest Tomlinson Family Garage Sale this Saturday at Thane and Kristi's house in Los Al. Right now, we have our garage packed with boxes to take over for the sale. We are getting rid of so much stuff. Shawn was shocked when we stood and looked at all the stuff. My response was well at least we won't have to move all this to Colorado. But then again we will be replacing it all with baby stuff, so it's not like we're cutting down on the moving. At least the new stuff will all be things we use for the baby though, right? Plus, we don't have tons of extra space in the apartment, so it's not like we can buy every baby gadget out there. We will keep it simple. The next big step will be getting a small storage unit for things like our guest bed and boxes to clear out more closet space for baby. I just figured let's get this stuff done now because I really don't want to be cleaning out the place when I'm 8 months pregnant and it's bloody hot in the apartment. Yes, that's the planner/organizer in me.

Why I'm mucus

At Shawn's work, they refer to most people as mucus (most users can't understand s**t). I can be so bad at technology at times, which is why I haven't written a blog in awhile. For some reason, I couldn't log into my blog account, but by some odd occurence today, I figured it out. So now I can finally update my blog.

Things have been crazy busy around here. First off, pregnancy is going great now. My queasiness is gone and I'm only taking maybe 3 Tums a week. This is probably due to the fact that I'm about 13 weeks now. Yay! I haven't gained any weight really (or so the scale says), but I have noticed a few pairs of pants have gotten tight around my tummy. It's also because I hate anything putting pressure on my stomach now. It's really super uncomfy. Otherwise, I don't have many other signs of being pregnant. I go for my next doctor appointment on the 30th. I called on Monday to find out what would transpire at this appointment and was so excited to find out that we will hear the baby's heart beat next. Shawn is taking the day off work again because he doesn't want to miss any of the big moments as we like to call them.

This past weekend was apartment cleaning weekend. We are having a Tomlinson family garage sale at the end of the month, so Shawn and I started tearing this place apart. On Saturday when Shawn and I started strategizing, he was kind of grumpy because he hates cleaning house, but I told him instead of thinking of it as cleaning think of it as making room for baby. He said that sounded much more fun, and then we went crazy all day Sunday. We still have a bit more to finish up this Saturday and we'll be all prepared for the big sale day. It'll be refreshing to finally have some extra space in this place, especially in the closets.

In other great news, Arbonne is AWESOME! I have been so busy with parties and networking events that I haven't had much time to watch TV but that's a good thing. Kristi and I went to the largest OC Mixer a week ago. It was good to have her see me in action as she said. I've been going to a lot of Chamber of Commerce and networking events lately. I actually passed out 6 sample packs yesterday, a new record for me. Work it girl! I'm making my numbers this month and reaching new goals actively searching for my next business builder. After reading Kiyosaki and Trump's Why We Want You to be Rich, I understand it will be tough because I have to get somebody to see the vision after being taught the employee mindset all through school. It's scary for people to imagine owning their lives rather than following orders from a boss, but I know those people are out there. I just haven't found the right ones yet, but I know I will. (If you or someone you know is starting to get interested, please lets talk.)

Plus with baby on the way, I am even more determined to get my business booming. I have 100% faith that Arbonne is the future for my family because I have seen how it has changed so many families already. With this company, I will be able to provide so much more than I ever would have imagined teaching. I don't want to have to pay somebody else to watch my kids every day while I go to work. I just can't imagine that. It's awesome seeing Kristi stay at home with Avery and how much Avery has learned with mom there to teach her. (I swear that kid has a bigger vocabulary than some of my students do.) See for me I'll still be a teacher but it will be with my own kids instead of with bratty teens that could care less what I have to offer. (More about my horrible students another time. All I'll say right now is my class this semester confirms 100% that I have made the right decision to leave teaching. Otherwise, you may see me on the 6 o'clock news for strangling a student.)

As for Arbonne, I can honestly say I would have never expected this business to change me as much as it has, and it may have taken awhile and persistence from Kristi and Shawn, but I now see how far I've come and am proud of everything I have accomplished. I can't wait to see where Arbonne will take my life in the next 5 years. At our trainings we always ask that question: if you continue doing what you are doing today, where will your life be in 5 years? I know if I continue teaching, my life is going to be the same, but with Arbonne, my life will change beyond my imagination. I will be able to take care of my kids and Shawn, who I plan to retire well before he is 40, take care of my parents when they need my help, and have more freedom to donate and help those less fortunate. Now that sounds like a much better life to me than the one I was facing with my 50+hrs/week, $30K teaching salary. Gosh, this feels sooooo good. I now understand what our President Rita means when she says, "I hate to brag but I work with Arbonne." Life is awesome!

Why I hate regular broadcast TV?

When are the big 3 (CBS, NBS, ABC) going to learn from HBO and the other cable channels with their own programs? I am sick and tired of having to wait 6 weeks in between new episodes of my favorite shows. 24 finally got it right by starting at the beginning of the year and running all new shows back to back with no breaks. I am so ticked off that I have to wait forever to see a new Heroes. What's going to happen to HRG? Is Mohinder going to be saved? What will happen to Claire? Oh wait, I will find out April 23rd. That's damn ridiculous! I hate TV!

Which movie character are you?

Check out this game on Oscar.com to find out which movie character you are more like. Here's the link http://www.oscar.com/games/page?pn=whichcharacterareyou. I ended up being Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs, which is weird because I love that character actually. Post which character you end up with.

Final Greener Living Tip #50: A Green Ending

Green funerals don't just mean a woodland burial. Very few people actually know about the green alternatives to steel or hardwood coffins. Many private funeral homes present green alternatives to traditional coffins, including wicker caskets and shrouds. Currently, 89% of coffins sold are made of chipboard that is manufactured using formaldehyde. When chipboard coffins are cremated, they can release toxic gases. If buried, they disrupt local ecosystems; as the chipboard decays, the formaldehyde and glue leach into the soil and groundwater. Finally, most people opting for a green good-bye will choose a meadow or woodland burial, with only a memorial tree marking the grave. For more information, visit fullcirclecare.org/endoflife/funeral.htm.

One of the most amazing days of my life...kind of

I went for my first OB-GYN appointment yesterday. Shawn took the day off to go with me. First off, my appointment was at 9:45, but we of course had to wait in the lobby for about 45 minutes. (Why do doctors make you wait so long anyways?) I remembered reading in my pregnancy book that it's good to ask other moms waiting in the lobby what they think of the doctor, so I started talking to the mom I sat next to. She was super nice and I learned a lot about Dr. Cecilia Chu. Then another mom joined our conversation and simply raved about Dr. Chu as well. This made me feel really good to get two solid recommendations. We finally got called back and Shawn went in the room with me. After a short wait, the doctor came in, talked a bit, performed the pap smear which I was due for, and then started the ultrasound. There are not enough words to explain what I saw and felt. Dr. Chu said oh yeah, you are definitely pregnant as she found the baby immediately. She turned the monitor to face Shawn and I where we saw baby for the first time. I instantly felt a rush of emotion overcome me. Being the girl I am, I started crying. Seeing the baby on the monitor made it even more real. In the past I've had a hard time making out a baby in friends' ultrasounds, but this one I saw instantly. The head, arms, and legs were so prominent you couldn't miss it. The doctor pointed out the heart beat as well. From my reading, I knew that the baby's head would be really big compared to the rest of the body, but it was funny to see for myself. The doctor then said she'd try to get the baby to move for us, which was a piece of cake. That little one started twisting and turning in no time. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Shawn stood there glued to the monitor and kept saying wow! For the rest of the day, we walked around with this newfound glow. We are parents!!! The doctor then sent me to the lab to get some blood work done. I was shocked to see 7 vials sitting out on the table. They had to take 5 big vials and 2 small vials of blood for all these tests they need to run. I was excited that the lady was able to find my vein immediately since in the past I've had nurses stick me 4 or 5 times trying to find a vein. This woman got it on the first shot. Hallelujah. After giving that much blood though, I was starving, plus it was way past my lunch time. Shawn and I sat at lunch talking about the ultrasound and the baby and I again started to cry. Shawn of course sat there and laughed at me. Guys just don't get emotion. This is when I think women are so lucky that we get to experience what it feels like to have another human being growing inside of us. It truly is the most amazing feeling I've ever had and it reaffirms my belief that women rule!!

To cap the day off Shawn and I babysat our niece Avery so Thane and Kristi could go out for dinner and a movie to celebrate Thane's birthday. Happy Bday Thane! The night started off good with Avery, Shawn, and I taking a walk. Then we played in the backyard. I warmed up her dinner and she did great and ate all her food. The three of us played for a bit. As usual, I got to change a full stinky diaper. I swear that girl unloads when she knows Auntie Marisa is there. Then bedtime came and there was no mercy in sight. She fought going to sleep for well over an hour. She screamed and cried and didn't want anything to do with me. She only wanted Unk Sha. Finally after an hour of fighting, I took her from Shawn and told him to leave the room. She got pissed and screamed bloody murder, but I figured she just might cry herself to sleep and that would have to do since it was already 9:30. I rocked her in my arms and walked around the room pointing out all her stuffed animals. She finally stopped crying. I then pointed at the pictures on her wall and recalled that Kristi always does prayers with Avery before bedtime. I figured why not, so I said our prayers and blessed everyone we know plus all the animals I could list. Her eyes finally closed and she was out. The little one finally fell asleep at 9:45, an hour and fifteen minutes after her bedtime. This was a good end to the night to remind me of what journey I would be experiencing in the next 7 months when our little one arrives. Life as we know it will never be the same, but it's totally worth it in the end.

Greener Living #49 Re-Gift Gift Wrap

Help cut down on the consumption of paper and plastic by re-using wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, and gift bags. These items should be good for at least one more wrapping. If you are feeling creative, use old calendars, pages from magazines, or even newspaper to wrap gifts. (I find this tip funny for a couple of reasons. One, I used to yell at Barb for always wanting to recycle gift wrap. Of course, I now see how smart she is to recycle wrapping paper. My thinking used to be why store a bunch of old gift wrap. Then recently Erin and I started talking about what a real waste wrapping paper really is and how silly it is not to reuse it or to simply do away with gift wrap all together. She and I even talked about wrapping next year's Christmas gifts in newspapers or only using gift bags, which many people do reuse. I love the suggestion of using pages from magazines because we get a ton of magazines, which I do recycle, but figure I could use for gift wrap as well. I can even use brown bags from Trader Joe's, which are nice and thick. Plus, I could always add some stickers or doodles to decorate the brown paper. So this is obviously one tip I am going to start incorporating into my life.)

My big day tomorrow

Friday is a good baby day for me. It must be big because Shawn has even agreed to take the day off work. I am so excited to go to my first OB-GYN appointment tomorrow. I've been told that I will have an ultrasound done to make sure the baby is progessing as it should be, plus it will be my first chance to ask the doctor my list of questions. I've been doing my reading and I now have to start thinking about my birthing plan. It sounds so scary, but it's really not. I already know I am going to try my best to go natural with no epidural, but I'm not ruling it out completely. I know that some women experience numbness in their legs and I so don't like that idea. I'll just have to see how much pain I can take. Or better yet how much pain Shawn can take. Ha ha. I'll write about the doctor visit this weekend.

Greener Living #48 Green Grilling

If you have a charcoal barbecue grill, make sure your charcoal comes from a sustainable source. Enormous areas of tropical rainforest are destroyed each year to produce the 900,000 tons of charcoal burned annually in the US. Chimney starters are the most environmentally friendly solution to lighting charcoal. They use only a couple of pieces of newspaper, meaning you can avoid the gas-flavored meat that accompanies barbecues started with lighter fluid or fire starters. If you are replacing your grill, remember that using a gas, rather than charcoal, grill is the most environmentally friendly way to barbecue. It avoids forest destruction and doesn't add to local air pollution.