Lessons Learned

Since moving home to work I have been busy! Most of what I did when working at the salon was waxing but since I came home it has been mostly facials. 6 in 2 weeks! I think I did 3 in the whole 3 months I worked at the salon. I love facials because it is so relaxing and even I feel like curling up and going to sleep when I'm done. It's therapeutic for me and equally so for my clients (I hope!).

I also did my first makeup job! My friends were getting married last weekend and as their wedding gift I did her makeup. She was an amazingly beautiful bride and their wedding was very precious! Many blessings to the Steele's! So how did this job go down I started with having the bride come for a "consultation". I asked her all about her regular skin care regimen and grilled her about her makeup practices. She brought along her own makeup so I could use what she was already used to.

I think this has to be the hardest part for a bride who gets their makeup done, using products they aren't used to and not liking the results because of it. Or maybe it was my inexperience as a makeup artist that i was more comfortable using her stuff because I knew she was used to the way it looked. Either way it really helped a lot because she knew what to expect as far as foundation etc. But I used my own eye shadows and gave her a look she wasn't used to but grew to love! When she came for the consultation we talked about skin care and agreed she needed a series of facials to get her skin in tip top wedding condition. Then we played with makeup! Felt just like high school days having a sleep over with friends! We actually ended up doing her eye makeup 4 times. Her poor little eyes were so tired of being played with by the time we were done, but she decided on a fun green look that enhanced her green eyes.

Over the next 3 weeks we did a facial a week; two Ultra-Purifying Facials and then a Pumice Peel to smooth things out for the big day! On the morning of the wedding we began at 10:00 with the wedding 5 hours away. I started off with a thorough cleansing and a Gel Therapy hydrating mask. I wanted to prevent the flakes that are inevitable when your skin is dehydrated. We followed up with a good moisturizer but I skipped the sunscreen because we were using Bare Minerals makeup so I knew she was well protected.

Then the application began. I used extra concealer around the eyes to combat some darkness that I fought with during the consultation but other than that excess everything else was straight forward. Concealer first, then eyes, then foundation, blush and lipstick. I used Nyx Cosmetics and Revlon 12 hour eye shadows, Kryolan concealer, Bare Minerals foundation, blush and mineral veil, and a Cover Girl all day lipstick of which the actual name is escaping me. I also used Kryolan Concealer and Translucent powder to conceal a couple of trouble spots that the bride was worried about on her chest and arm.

For the remainder of the day I was at the brides beck and call. I ran errands around the church, helped her into her dress, and touched up her makeup at important intervals, right before the wedding, right before pictures etc... All in all a wonderful day!

The look I did for this beautiful bride I call "The Chandra" after the amazingly talented Chandra V., she is an Esthetician and Makeup Artist in Charlotte, N.C. I went to beauty school with Chandra and she did this amazing look on me one day in class. It has become my anytime, all the time, all around favorite look. Thanks Chandra! Visit her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/idoface

If you'd like to see a pic of the bride and the beautiful wedding, as well as some amazing work from a very talented photographer, visit Meagan Conley at: http://capturedimagesbymeg.blogspot.com/2010/03/first-wedding-of-season.html

I'd like to give a shout out to an amazing makeup artist, Debi DeMarco. When I first told this bride I would do her makeup i kind of panicked out of sheer newbie nervousness, then I hit up miss DeMarco for some advice. I needed advice because I had never had the joy of working with a redhead and I had no clue where to begin. Debi blessed me with some links to visit to check out some great shots of makeup for redheads. You can visit Debi on Facebook, and see some of her amazing makeup skills: http://www.facebook.com/#!/MUAinTheMaking?ref=nf

I also want to say thanks to all my amazing friends who are supporting me through this struggle with my health and all the changes coming with it. I love you guys!

A new experience. A new challenge. I don't know what this will bring, but I am excited!

On Feb. 12 Dan and I went to San Francisco for my appointment with the Retina Specialist. This has been a long journey to try to find out what is happening with my eyes but by the time we walked out of there I knew my life was changing. At the request of the Dr. I am only driving once a week now, to church. Dr. said not to drive at night at all and only during the day if I have to, and to me church is a have to. So my driving restrictions have forced me to come home to work. This is the new experience and new challenge I speak of.

One of my instructors in school worked from her home and really enjoyed it. I'm so excited and can't wait for my facial bed to arrive so I can really get down to business! Now for the challenging part!!! Maintaining my home in such a way that I can invite clients into my home and not be scared they will call the health code enforcement guys on me because I have a little floor under my toys. :) Or call CPS because my kids are pulling each others hair out and screaming at each other in the living room as I try to exit them out the front door. Hmmmm. . . challengeing is putting it lightly I think.

Scheduling is going to be a challenge, since Dan's schedule is up in the air at times due to unpredictable overtime. I'll just have to schedule each appointment with the attitude, "Lord willing"!

Keeping the house picked up and in decent order for clients will be a challenge. I just need to be on my kids about putting their things away, and if all else fails

Keeping the kids in check will be necessary when scheduling conflicts with their schedules, which won't really be a problem until school gets out in June.

Keeping my bathroom counters decluttered and all my unecessaties out of sight will be a challenge. I just have to learn to pick up after myself I suppose. Darn-it!

Advertising won't be a challenge as I won't be doing any. My plan is to really just work for friends right now. That's not a challenge at all! I love my friends, and I love blessing them!

My own desire for social activity will be a challenge. I tend to spend my days sulking in my pajamas when I have no place to go. That was very common the first 2 weeks after my Dr. visit. This last week was much better when my friend came over Monday and then picked my up on Thursday for a day out of the house. I mostly sat in the car while she ran some errands but it was heavenly to be out of the house and having the most meaningful, meaningless conversations with someone. I believe that was an oxymoron, but it's so true that just spending time with a friend, chatting away about nothing and everything and you can't remember much about what was said, just that it fed your hunger for relationship. Then Friday I spent the day with Dan grocery shopping and store browsing and I was so happy to just be out! It was great!

With all the challenges that come my way through this new exciting experience of working from home there will be blessings. I am looking for them and I am expecting them! Thank you God for this opportunity and thank you for my wonderful husband who does not complain about all the extra stuff he has to do now. He really is amazing!

At least this month. Just wanting to be transparent today. I have had one client all month. She was awesome!!! I did brows for one of the girls at the shop and a special back tretment for my husband. Other than that I have been sitting at the shop almsot 4 days a week every week for 2 months and I am not sure how long God wants me to keep doing this.

That said, I do have some advertising coming up on the horizon. If you listen to KUBA 1600 on am radio you might just hear my new commercial! That is exciting to me. I can't wait to hear it myself. I also have a little newspaper that I will have a small ad in coming up in March. Not sure what else I can do but I am open to ideas.

Sorry this wean't as funny as usual. It is late and I am wiped out! I also hope to keep up with my blog better. Pray I get a good camera sometime soon, or new phone with a good camera, so I can start taking mpictures again. It is way more fun to post when you can post pics too.

HOPE THIS VIDEO WORKS!



OPERATION BEAUTIFUL:

I want each girl and young woman to feel like they are beautiful JUST THE WAY GOD MADE THEM!

So....
1. Check out the video
2. Load up your purse with a stack of post it notes.
3. Go to town on the mirrors in the bathrooms when you are Christmas Shopping. Hit those slimfast aisles, and bathroom scale displays. Maybe post something on the door of the local gym!
4. If you snap a picture of it, send it into OPERATION BEAUTIFUL!!! They would love to see it!

Starting today at Cut Loose Salon! Here's my list of services:


Skin Care:

Refresher Facial $40 ~ All the essential elements of healthy skin care in a condensed session. Includes a double deep cleanse with steam, beneficial masque and moisturizer. (30 minutes)

De-Stressing Spa Facial $50 ~ Enjoy a deep steam cleansing, facial massage, exfoliation, beneficial masque and moisturizer to restore radiance to your face. Further enhance your relaxed state with a neck and shoulder massage. (60 Minutes)

Ultra Purifying Facial $55 ~ This perfect facial is customized especially to your skin type with a therapeutic combination of deep cleansing, light extraction of impurities, beneficial masque and hydration to leave your skin awake and perfectly balanced. (60 Minutes)

Glycolic Treatment $60 ~ Glycolic Acid derived from sugar cane smoothes skin to treat uneven texture and minimize fine lines, discoloration, and acne scars, leaving skin silky soft with a youthful glow. (45 Minutes) Predisposition test required. Series of 6 ~ $300

Body Care:


De-Stressing Spa Back Treatment $55 Treat your back to the same indulgent skin care that leaves your face aglow. Deep skin cleansing, minor extractions and exfoliation whisk away impurities and ease tension to prepare you for the soothing effects of a nurturing skin massage. (60 Minutes)

Body Polisher $65 ~ A raw sugar scrub blended with skin-smoothing oils is massaged into your skin, leaving skin feeling incredibly soft and silky. (60 Minutes)

Waxing:

Eyebrows $12
Lip $10
Chin$10
Cheek $12
Full face* $30
Underarms $20
Half arms $25
Full arms $35
Stomach $30
Bikini $30
Half legs $30
Full legs $50
Back $40
*Does not include eyebrows.

Located at 621 Plumas Street, Yuba City!

This is random.

I hate portion cups.

Not really.

Just when someone (not sure who) requires us to use them for our state board facial simulations.

Whoever you are, this is for you.

Do you really want me, butter fingers, to use tiny little 2 oz. portion cups for our timed drills? If so, I hope you are also the janitor, because I have no doubt that with my lack of dexterity there will be quite the mess of lotion, yellow tinted water (to simulate toner) and baby oil on the floor and I am not cleaning it up. Why, you ask? Because it is nonsense to expect one to hold those stupid little plastic cups in one hand, remove the lid, hold said lid in said hand, and remove product with the other hand without making a complete mess of things. Especially me. Granted, it works fine when your hands are clean but once the lotion goes on, the cups start flying. Seriously, someone could get hurt. If not by flying portion cups, then by flying me when the cup flies out of my hand and lotion, or oil hits the floor and my half blind self steps in it and I go flying. I can see it happening. Not to mention the retardedness of attempting to pour a tiny amount of water from a little plastic portion cup with an opening the size of Manhatten, while holding the lid in the same hand and a tiny cotton round in the other, and not spilling it on the floor. I know me, and I know that is nearly impossible to do this without it spilling on the floor. Therefore I choose to use pop-tops. Yep, 4 ounce bottles with a pop-top, filled to the top and not a bit comes out that I don't want to come out. It's pretty cool actually. And even better, pop-tops is what we will be using for our state board exams. I wonder what genius thought of that?

Last night my son Lorenzo (10) had a friend spend the night, while Samuel (8) spent the night at that friends house with his little brother. (Confused yet? I am!) Anyway, we got home from church about 9:00 and the boys began playing the Wii. By 10 lorenzo konked out, stone cold sleeping on the couch, while his buddy just kept right on playing. About 11 I decided I was too tired to think any more so I set a timer in the kitchen for 11:30 and told Lorenzo's friend he could shut the game off when the timer went off. I still don't know wether he did or not because when I got up at 7;30 he was still sitting in the same place playing the same game. Either he got up early and started playing again or he never went to sleep. I don't know, but I hope if he did stay up, his mom doesn't find out ;)!

We got up early to head out the door so Brittnie could go for her work to ride lesson; then we were going to my friend's house for me to get some girl time over lunch. I got together evcerything we needed for lunch and I handed both bags to Lorenzo and said, "Put this in the car." That's pretty specific. Apparently though in 10 year old terms, "Put this in the car", can, and will be understood as, "Take this somewhere. I don't know where, just somewhere other than here, and make sure where you put it makes no sense to me, whatsoever." Needless to say we had to cut the girl time short because we didn't have a lunch. *Sigh*

While we were waiting for Brittnie's lesson to be done the boys picked some lemons, and I told them we could make some lemonade. When we got to my friend's house, we did just that. It was great! Here's the recipe I used:

1 C. Sugar
1 C. Water

Bring to boil on the stove to make a simple syrup.

1 C. Lemon Juice
6 C. Water

Mix simple syrup, Lemon Juice and water in large pitcher. Add ice and Enjoy!

So after a nice morning out we came home ate a quick lunch and the kids and I headed to nap time. What a beautiful thing to be able to take a nap in the middle of the day! I have missed that!

Dan headed to work about 4:30 and I sat down with my books to get ready for my test tomorrow on makeup. How hard can that be right? Well I knew that on Friday we were supposed to finish up our notes and we all wanted to do makeup, so the teacher flew through the notes while we played with our makeup. So when I sat down to study I looked at my study guide to see how much I needed to finish in the way of notes. It was 12 pages. That's right. 12 pages of notes on makeup. Face shapes and the way to contour them to make them appear more flattering, and eye shapes and how to apply the shadow to enhance the different eyes, then lip shapes and how to correct the lip line, and then foundation, concealer, eyeshadow, eyeliner, eyebrow color, and every other type of makeup you have heard of. Yeah 12 pages. I sat there until 11:30 typing notes. Not exactly the way I wanted my evening to go. I didn't even study. I just took notes.

*Sigh*

Labels: beauty school, Boys, esthetician, Lemonade Recipe, makeup, Monday, skin care, studying

Makeup!!!! All day, we did nothing but creative makeup design. Here are some pics from the day. Thanks Kate for being the photog for the day, since my phone was dead! Remember these makeup designs are creative, not regular day time or evening makeup.

Here we have my Suoper Heroine look. She's sporting red, gold and blue shadow with blue eyeliner and red contouring to give her a heart shape. The lips are pointy at the top and bright red.

Labels: beauty school, esthetician, makeup

Airbrush Tanning Lessons

1. Watch the video. Repeatedly. I didn't get to. We watched it once. Apparently that's enough????

2. Pick your partner. Early on. Enough said.

3. It takes awhile to get supplies at the dispensary. Something I will have to get used to. If you have ever driven in front of me on a 2 lane road with no passing and you happen to not be going the speed limit, then you probably know I am not a patient person, and waiting is not my specialty. This is probably why God orchestrates my grocery shopping day so that I ALWAYS end up in the long line. Even if there is one person in front of me and 10 in the next lane, my lane is always the longest. You are jealous of my gift aren't you? Well if standing in the longest line at the grocery store is one of your favorite pass-times, then you are welcome to stand behind me.

4. They will give you slippers to wear for your airbrush tanning. Don't wear them. You will have tanned toes and ankles but not the tops of your feet, and the lines are very obvious until you take a cheap, rough, wash rag and exfoliate aggressively to either a.) fade the tan lines, or b.) take your first 2 layers of skin off. Whichever comes first.

5 They will give you a disposable bra to wear. It is not supportive so wear your own with the disposable over it; unless you want to go sans bra, then well, be my guest, I promise not to take pictures and post them on my blog, bra or not ;).

6. Don't be worried about the inside of your arms not getting tanned, thus forcing you to turn the inside of your arms toward the sprayer. This will result in tanned inside of the arms and untanned outside of the arms. And the line will be just as obvious as above with the feet and you WILL exfoliate just as aggressively!

7. It was definitely a learning experience. But I am far from comfortable doing it. My partner and I did okay. I missed the inside of her legs, and my arms were a little blotchy and my mid section not as dark as the rest of me. I am praying that I get more training before I have to do this for someone other than a classmate.

Labels: beauty school, esthetician, patience, tanning

1. "I'm alive, I'm alive, that's what I said! I'm alive, I'm alive and I'm gonna live that way!" And I couldn't have been anymore alive listening to Superchick on the way to school this morning. Superchick, TobyMac! My commute is bumpin'! Oh yeah! Any suggestions for good wake me up music for in the morning?





2. Homerooms are a little awkward. So the idea is that every student in the school comes to homeroom and we all hear announcements pertaining to our education at the school so no one person has to make the same announcement numerous times. Which would be great except there are less than 30 Esthetics students and the other 120 people are Cosmetology students. NO biggie except (I feel so Jr. High-ish saying this!) they don't seem to like us that much. We get glares and stare downs and "You are in my seat, you need to move." (Even though the person brought their own seat in from the hallway, go figure that one out!) They don't talk to us, won't acknowledge us. It's weird. And today the announcements were mostly general with some specifically for Cosmetology. Nothing for us. My class of 8 just sat there wishing we were back in class so we could study for our test in peace and quiet. Whatever.





3. Study buddies aren't just great, they are awesome, and essential especially when you get a 100% on your test! The test was on Skin Diseases and Disorders. You try remembering the difference between hyperhidrosis and bromidrosis, and what is a fungal infection that is found on the legs and arms characterized by red rash and itching? Did you know there are 4 Grades of Acne? Which one is considered mild? 1, 2, 3, or 4? How is a papule different than a pustule? And what is a highly contagious viral infection that forms blister-like clusters? Which topical acne treatment produces oxygen and promotes drying and exfoliation? Yeah, now you know why my head was spinning.



4. I bet you want to know the answers to those questions! Don't you? If not, then skip to number 5! Hyperhidrosis is a sudoriferous gland disorder characterized by excessive perspiration caused by excessive heat or general body weakness. Bromidrosis is also a sudoriferous gland (or sweat gland) disorder characterized by a foul-smelling perspiration caused by a mixture of sweat and bacteria. The fungal infection is called Tinea Corporis, not to be confused with Tinea which is a fungal disease also known as ringworm. But don't confuse it with Tinea Versicolor either, which is a condition caused by yeast that leaves hypopigmented (lack of pigment) spots on your skin. Acne is labeled from Mild to Severe and the scale progresses from 1 to 4, 1 being Mild. Papule is a pimple that has no buildup of pus in it, where a pustule has pus and is a papule progressed. Highly contagious viral infection is Herpes Simplex, and the topical acne treatment is Benzoyl Peroxide.



5. Makeup is fun! Here is the makeup I did today for a girl in class.







6. My life is full right now, and very exhausting but I am loving every minute of it! Thank you God for such and amazing life right now!

Labels: beauty school, esthetician, makeup, skin care, skin diseases

Lessons Learned


1. There are nice truck drivers out there. Well my dad used to be a truck driver and he is a nice guy, and my Father-in Law is a truck driver now and he's a pretty nice guy too. What I mean though is, on my 35 minute commute there are some pretty nice guys out there driving truck. All those big rigs on the road don't just want to run the little cars over. Many of them are nice enough to let my little speed demon blue Jetta right on by at the stop lights with the merge lanes. They are so stinking nice that they will sit there and let a few cars go. It's great to know that not every truck on the road is hoping you will not pass him and have to suck his exhaust all the way to your exit!

2. It takes an average of 37 minutes to get to school. Not bad, but I leave the house at 8:30. With getting in the car, and out I get clocked in by 9:30 with just a few minutes to spare.Now why is that? Hmmmm. . . . . could it be my luggage I have to drag to and fro every single day, along with my backpack of books and supplies and everything I might need just in case (i.e. 5 pairs of disposable contacts, for "just in case") and my lunch bag, and my clean towels bag and my soiled towels bag? No it couldn't be that! Could it???? :s All I know is my biceps will be rock hard before I finish school!

3. Bikini waxing is quite modest. We watched a demo today that was very interesting and although the model was worried things were showing that shouldn't be showing, I thought things were rather modest considering it was the bikini area. Our model was just concerned because everyone was watching, it probably didn't help that when the teacher slathered on the green wax for the first time we all leaned over the edges of the table to get a closer look. Poor girl! Nothing like 7 people leaning into your personal business to get a closer look! We were all thankful for her offer to be the demo. Most thankful though that none of us were asked to do it! I do need practice doing it though so if anyone is game, let me know! I PROMISE I will NOT discuss any of my dealings with clients, ever, for any reason. That is unprofessional and totally wrong. So if you need some maintenance in the nether regions (women only please! I am a married woman with high prudish morals, and would prefer to not have to explain to you why I won't, can't and most certainly shouldn't be doing that for you!)

4. Study buddies are great, and I just want to say thanks Kate for helping me study! It was fun and sooooo beneficial!

Labels: beauty school, esthetician, Jetta, skin care, studying, waxing

So my week was hectic! How was yours? It seems I had no down time at all; which equals no blogging time at all. So here's a synopsis of my week!

Tuesday -

It was Brittnie's 13th Birthday. Since I had procrastinated Monday on making the cake I ended up having to decorate it Tuesday Morning before I left for school. Here's the finished product!!!

As for the rest of my day I can't remember much except we learned about eyebrow waxing and I spent the whole time wishing someone would do my redwood tree bark looking legs. While some people (mostly loggers and hippies) prefer this look and feel for a woman's legs I do not and really could deal with the eyebrows for another day or two, if someone would just do my legs again! I had them done last Friday after my brows and my tough little redwood tree bark didn't want to submit to being ripped out at the roots, so only about half of it came off. Which would have been fine had it not been every other hair and just, oh let's say, just the front. See, if it had been just the front then I could have at least worn a skirt to church. Not too many people check out my backside at church, and if they are they deserve an eye full of tree bark!





After school I came home and we had dinner and got presents together for Brittnie for her birthday. This is where my bonehead move of the day comes in. I had to get Brittnie's big present out of the car, which I had left in there from Monday because I didn't want her to see it. It was a Boom Pod for her room. A chair that you can hook up to your cd player or MP3 player and listen to music from it. Anyway I go to the car unlock the trunk with the button, didn't have a place to set the keys and no pockets in my clothes, so I set them in the trunk telling myself I needed to get them out before I shut the trunk.





I didn't.





I called AAA.





It took them 30 minutes to get there.





I was just glad I had gotten the present and we were able to continue with the party since it was already nearly 8 o'clock.

Thursday -

First day of make-up!

After a morning of writing notes on Skin Physiology, and doing review to prepare for the test Friday (and much groveling to the teacher to get her to postpone the test to Tuesday, with no luck) we started our afternoon with State Board make-up drills. These are practice runs for how we will do our State Board exam when we go to get out license. Very good basics for how to do makeup but not really the way we will do it in the real world. This picture is my mannequin after I was done with her. In real life we would use more colors and the lipstick would actually match but it was a great launchpad for this newbie make-up artist!

Friday -

Is freshest in my memory because it was just yesterday! LOL!

I headed out the door a half hour ealry so I could get to school and study. The whole way there I kept thinking I wanted to do something for my class. Something special. Something so they would feel special. So I swung into Safeway and got a dozen doughnuts for the while class! I knew we had a test forst thing int he morning and we would all be stressed out (at least everyone else would be, Jesus has my back so no serious stress here! Okay, so after initial stress freakout I remember that I am doing it all for Him and I can move forward!). SO I told everyone about the doughnouts and that we would have them at our first break. Test went great for me, I got a 96% then we headed off to the cafe to stuff our faces with fattening doughnuts. Everyone loved and began calling me the class mom!

Back in class I was going over my test and noticed one of my answers I got wrong, was actually right. So I pointed it out to my teacher and she gave me the point! My 96% became a 97%!!!! Hurray for me! We finished out the morning with a lecture on Skin Diseases and Disorders.

After lunch we completed our Skin Diseases and Disorders then watched Neil do a demo on how to do make-up for an East Indian Wedding. This where I learned a huge lesson. Apparently in the real world sanitation goes out the window. Double dipping (using an implement, in this case make-up brushes and retreiving product from a container, in this case makeup, applying to client and then retreiving more product from the same container, thus contaminating the product in the container) is normal and disgusting in my book. Make-up artists believe it is possible to sanitize make-up, which may be so, however in the School world, and the State Board world you need to maintain the highest standards of sanity, I mean sanitation. Thus a misunderstanding ensued when the demo was supposed to be real world and the teacher wanted real world but using your sanitation techniques.

Example: Using makeup brushes and makeup on a client. Real world says: Use your makeup on your client and disinfect it later. State Board: The only way for make-up to remain uncontaminated is for you to scrape the product (i.e. eyeshadow) into a clean sanitary dish and dip your brushes there only and not in to the actual makeup itself if you have touched your client with that brush.

After protocol for sanitation was established (I actually left the room because I couldn't stand the tension) the demo resumed and it was a great learning time. The picture here is our model after and below is before. I apologize for the bad before picture. I didn't get close enough to her and ended up having to crop the picture and make it a little bigger so you could see it.

Labels: AAA, beauty school, Birthday, East Indian Wedding, esthetician, keys, Kindergarten, skin care, waxing

6:30 - Alarm on my phone goes off. Put it on vibrate so I don't throw it across the room when it goes off again in 5 minutes.

6:35 - Reluctantly drag myself out of bed even though the alarm has only been snoozed once. I feel like a better person now. (Note the dripping sarcasm?)

6:36 - Emerge from bedroom to see if all the kids are up who need to be up and see sad looking 10 year old boy (Lorenzo) on the landing. He says he's sick. Mom brain says 2 things here. Poor baby, and yeah right you just want your lazy day on the couch like everyone else got last week.

Thus began my Manic Mom-day.

I got Lorenzo settled on the couch still not quite sure if he was sick or not (I will regret this later, not the settling, the "still not quite sure"). Hubby gets home from work, kisses for the hubby and he's off to bed. Get the other 2 school kids off to the bus (after frantically getting all the things together for water play at school for Anabelle and making sure she had her sunglasses and oh yeah, can't forget the sunscreen, spray, spray, spray, rub, rub, rub!) lock the front door behind them, head to the kitchen for breakfast and the front door is trying to be opened, hold your horses, you're going to break the doorjamb! Whoops Anabelle forgot her sunglasses, and now she's in tears and about to miss the bus, oh yeah, Mom put them in her bag along with her headband, and bag is on her shoulder now run to the bus so I don't have to get dressed and take you!!!!

Ahhh, now relax with breakfast and a cup of Chai!

Nope not yet! Remembered the donation truck is coming today!

Run upstairs and gather the few items I can muster the strength to toss into the donation bag to set out on the curb. (I have a sad emotional attachment to clothing :( really sad!) Wait, Brittnie should have more stuff than this to get rid of in that room she has carpeted with her clothing.

Wake her up, nope she doesn't have anything else. Drat! Tell her to get up and get moving because we have to leave for Doc's house, for her to work and then get her riding lesson, in 45 minutes. But wait, "Mom, I don't feel good." Double drat! And what is that on the floor? Her glasses. Smashed. Triple drat! Good thing I was going to Sears for Lorenzo's glasses already.

Call Doc and cancel working and riding for this morning.

Text friend, "I have a couple of sick kiddos today, maybe I can stop by your house today instead of you coming here?"

Realize I need some supplies for school and to get these glasses fixed. Hmmm, remember when I said I wasn't sure if Lorenzo was really sick or not? So I tell the kids I am going to run my errands anyways. Dad's here, I will just go get some things, do the glasses and be back, I'll call if I need someone to run and get Anabelle from the bus.

Fast forward a couple of leisurly hours of shopping and getting glasses fixed with Morgan (If shopping and stuff can be leisurly with a 2 year old, which I doubt!).

Lorenzo calls: "When are you going to be home? I got sick, what do I use to clean it up?" Thankfully it's just on the bathroom counter and only a tiny bit and not on the carpet. "Oh yeah and Sam's school called, he got wet at school today and he needs a towel and a change of clothes."

Call school: "I didn't know it was water play for the whole school." "Yes it is, we sent home a note." "Sam was sick Friday, we didn't get the note from him. Sorry, can he go use his sister's towel?." What number of drat am I on now? And I still never got my breakfast and Chai Tea. :(

By this point you are probably bored with my day so I will quickly tell you, I didn't go straight home because I realized that, much to my amazement, I was about to pull another forgotten birthday because Brittnie's is tomorrow and I still had not got her ANYTHING. Tons of ideas but no fruit for all my great ideas. So I spent the next hour regretting having left Lorenzo sick, but knowing I wouldn't have another chance to shop for Brittnie. Talk about pulled in two directions. *Sigh* What's amom to do there? I came home (Friend texted on the way: "Maybe next week." and Lorenzo went upstairs to sleep for a couple of hours. Poor guy! He didn't get sick again but he sure was miserable today.

So my day was long, but I got to 9 o'clock and thought, bedtime sounds like a great idea! So I headed upstairs feeling almost giddy that I, tired mother of 5, was going to get at least 9 hours of sleep in one fell swoop! But this tiny thought rumbled in my head: "You have forgotten something. Something important." Want to guess what it was?

Brittnie's cake!!!! So here I sit, an hour and a half later waiting for cake layers to cool so I can freeze them and go to bed! I guess I will settle for 7 1/2 hours of sleep. *Sigh*

Fact: Tests are stressful.

Fact: Good Grades make you feel great! (I said this yesterday, but I had to say it again!)

Fact: Justice will prevail when you are honest and have a darn good reason for requesting it.(We all got the wrong answer on a problem and I was able to argue our side as to why we could not have possibly known that answer. The teacher gave us all the point.)

Fact: Packing a lunch can be a chore.

Fact: Eating lunch is fun.

Fact: Buying lunch in the school cafe every day would be expensive.

Fact: Since eating lunch is fun, and buying it is expensive, packing a lunch is necessary. :(

Fact: Sometimes life hits you hard all at once. You really just have to keep going. (Like the kids getting sick one by one coupled with lack of sleep. Yuck!)

Fact: I cried at school today.

Fact: Underarm waxing hurts when it is not done correctly.

Fact: I cried because my underarm waxing was not done correctly (IMHO).

Fact: I had 5 babies, all naturally, I never cried from the pain.

Fact: I have been tattoed 7 times, I never cried from the pain.

Fact: I had my underarms waxed today and after the first strip, I cried from the pain.

Fact: Like a baby.

Fact: It was sad.

Fact: Everyone felt sorry for me.

Fact: After they laughed at me!

Fact: Beauty hurts. Ladies if you go through these rituals to make life easier, fine, but if you are doing it to look good, forget it! It's not worth that! And men, if your wife does these crazy things to look better for you give her a free pass. Tell her it doesn't matter to you. Except I really think (remember I am the hair removal genius now) it should have been done differently and it would not have hurt nearly that bad so honestly, if you can take it do it! It hurt at first, but it's fine now!

Fact: I am really enjoying my classes. I got to do an underarm wax on another girl and she didn't cry! And I got my legs waxed today. Not as smooth as I want but that is because my hairs weren't really long enough. Wait the full 2 weeks like recommended if you plan to get a wax. It had only been a week for me. So I will get it again in another 2 weeks. In the mean time be on the lookout for my wild and crazy hairs sticking out!

Fact: I am going to bed now! Goodnight!