So...what have I been up to?

Well...I am going to try to get back to more "personal" writing on the blog.
Anymore...it seems I'm only posting events, holidays, activities, or gripes, LOL!
But I really used to enjoy just "writing"...from my heart.
Things I enjoy, things that inspire me, what I am doing with my life, etc.

I've been a "BIT" busy.
I know...you say.
We're all busy.
But REALLY.
I've been REALLY busy.
Still am as a matter of fact.

Things have actually been "out of hand " busy.
Not only am I working 55+ hours a week running my childcare/preschool business.
That wasn't enough for this super-mom!
NO!
Not me!
I had to add more!

I have since added a part-time on the side baking business.
It's tiny.
But enough to stress me out when I have a project due.
Even though I LOVE LOVE LOVE it.
I'm a perfectionist and I stress until it's done.
Sweet Ivy Confections is the name.
We have a website, blog, Facebook page, and Twitter.
I've been doing birthday and holiday cakes, decorated cookies, cake pops, and other petite treats.
I love it.
It brings me complete bliss.
And I pray I can get into it full time some day!

Secondly...
I haven't told many people or really made it public.
Mostly because I have this fear.
I am taking classes again.
Correspondance/online classes.
I am going to be a certified medical transcriptionist.
My goal is to work from home full time doing this.
(And continue to build the baking job.)
I am halfway through the course.
And I am killing myself trying to get done.
It is a "work-at-your-own-pace" program.
But...
Because the instructor told me that it "COULD" be done in five months...
(if one were to go at it full time)
I thought I had to get done in five months.
I expected no less of myself.
Of course, I didn't factor in raising a family, running a childcare business full time, and baking part-time.
So...
I've blown my five month goal.
My new goal is to finish by the end of the school year.
I am putting WAY too much pressure on myself and it's killing me.
I mentioned that I had fear of making it public knowlege.
WHY?...you may ask.
Because a couple years ago, I went back to school for dental assisting and graduated from dental assisting school.
Well, I never found work in the field and I felt like all my time and money on the certification was a complete waste and I looked at myself as a failure.
Not that it really WAS me failing.
I graduated with high honors!
But the fact that there were no jobs when I graduated.
That made me feel like a failure.
And now...
I am having doubts with this program.
I worry.
Will there be jobs in this field when I graduate?
We were pretty much assured there would be.
The last phase of the program is pretty much geared toward helping you find a job.
Of course, there are no guarantees in life.
But they were pretty adament that their program was successful and their students did find work.
So...
I guess I really just need to quit worrying.
What will be will be.
God has the master plan.
I fail to remember that at times.

So those are some of the things I've been working on.
Just a little busy, eh?

I am also trying to lose a few pounds.
A few pounds found me over the holidays...
So they really need to SCRAM, GET LOST, and BEAT IT!
Jamie and I are doing The Food Lover's Diet.
I am trying to lose 10-15 pounds.
My fitness ball is back in my life.
I'm doing my crunches daily.
We are thinking of rejoining Snap Fitness.
So we have some goals we're working on there in our life too.

Hmmm...
Anything else?
Well...I think that's about it for tonight.
It's getting late.
I promise I'm going to try to write more personal posts.
I started this blog to not only share my family...
But to share my feelings.
And just to have some kind of record of our life to look back on over the years.

So with that...
I'll close for tonight.
Sweet dreams my friends!
xoxox

Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I kinda miss it!

Winter in Michigan has been almost non-existant this year.
We've had a few light snows.
And then it melts.
Don't get me wrong...
The dry roads have been AWESOME to drive on.
But somehow...
It just doesn't feel right.
It is Michigan, afterall.
We're SUPPOSED to have snow in the winter.
And...don't tell anyone I said so...
(Because I'll deny it if you do.)
But...
I kind of miss it!

P.S.
Update...
We have a Winter Storm Watch for Thursday.
Possibly 6 inches of snow coming!
Oooooh!

Who knew?

So I've always gone my whole life thinking I had straight as a board hair.

I've always hated it.

Then one day I casually mentioned this to my hair stylist, who said...

"You don't have straight hair at all!  You have LOTS of natural wave!"

So I decided one day to just put some gel (Short Sexy Hair) in it and blow dry and scrunch it.

VOILA!

She was right!

Curly hair!

I guess I had been straightening it all my life and not realizing it!

Who knew?

Did you know it's illegal in Michigan...

There is something that has been really bothering me lately.
It's in regards to the law here in Michigan.

I don't think people MEAN to break this law on purpose.
Many people don't even know.
But as they always say, "Ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law".

So...here goes.

I am a licensed childcare provider.
I work really hard to maintain a clean, safe, educational, and fun environment for the children I have in my care.
All of the parents of the children in my care constantly tell me that having their children in my care, makes them feel better about having to go to work and leave them...knowing they are safe, well-cared for, loved, having fun, and learning with me.
I appreciate that!

I go through all the steps to maintain my license.
I do all of the paperwork.
I pay all of the fees.
I keep up on all the safety and home maintenance required.
I take classes on early childhood development and business administration, First Aid, CPR.
I participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
It's a lot of work.

HERE'S WHAT BOTHERS ME...

IN MICHIGAN, IT IS ILLEGAL TO WATCH UNRELATED CHILDREN IN YOUR HOME AND BE PAID FOR IT WITHOUT A LICENSE.
In other words...if you are babysitting in your home, for someone else's children and you take money from them...and you are doing so without a license...YOU ARE BREAKING THE LAW.  (You may watch relatives in your home.  Or you may watch non-related children in their own home.)
But you CAN NOT...watch NON-RELATED CHILDREN in YOUR HOME and be PAID for it.
It is ILLEGAL.

A Department of Human Services Licensing Consultant COULD COME TO YOUR HOUSE.
Action could be taken against you.

I see this all the time.
And I don't think a lot of people even know any better.
They don't know it's the law.
I see neighbors doing it.
I know friends who do it.
I have even had FAMILY members do it.

But it is VERY FRUSTRATING to me...as a licensed provider to see this.
I go through all the steps to maintain a license.
And let me tell you...it is NO JOY...to keep up with all of these rules.
Not to mention, having the licensing consultants come into your home each year for inspections.
It is VERY INTIMIDATING.

But I do it because it's the LAW.
And that's the right thing to do.

I am not saying these people who are "babysitting" in unlicensed homes are bad people.
I'm not saying they aren't doing a good job.
I'm not saying their homes aren't safe.

I AM SAYING...IT'S ILLEGAL.

And it just really irks me, that I go to all the trouble, hassle, fees, classes, inspections, etc...and others simply don't.

Technically...I COULD (and SHOULD) report it to licensing...because licensing says that we as licensed providers SHOULD turn in those who are not licensed.

But...
I simply look the other way.
I am not one to make trouble.

I guess in the end...
I can just go to bed knowing...
That I am following the laws of Michigan.

I have a safe, clean, loving, educational, fun environment with a preschool curriculum for my kiddos.  Their parents know that they have found a dependable provider who loves their children.

Sometimes...
I guess we just grin (or not) and bear it.
(sigh)

"The Death Of Pretty..."

A Facebook friend of mine recently posted this article:
http://www.ncregister.com/blog/the-death-of-pretty
It is so well written and something we should all take to heart.
It is something each of us as women should remember.
It is something we should teach our young girls.
It is something men should read as well.
Take time to read and reflect on it.
It's good stuff.

This and that in December...

We had a busy December.  I already posted about some of it...but there was much more to come.  On the first Saturday of December, we went down to mom and dad's for our annual cookie baking day (for the grandkids).  This top photo of me and my sister, we were modeling the flowers in our hair that mom made us.

Geeg and all the grandkids ready to bake and decorate!  Geeg always has a station set up for each of the kids for rolling, cutting, and icing.

Me and my momma.

Pretty pretty cookies!

Me and my Pops!

Later that night, we went to mom and dad's church for an evening of ourdoor activities.

It was FREEZING...but FUN!

Here's Evan at the petting zoo.

Nate and I loved this little baby!

They had horse drawn carriage rides, petting zoo, caroling, and a warming station inside with popcorn, cotton candy, and hot cocoa.

Later in December, Nate's school had spirit week.  This particular day was "Wrapping Paper And Bow Day".  I thought we did pretty good.

This was the Christmas gift Nate made us at school.  He gave us a reindeer card, a Christmas tree photo ornament, and a reigndeer photo ornament of himself!  Cute!

Next came Christmas celebration at Geeg and Papa's house!  We had this on the 23rd.

Here's Geeg, Evan, and Logan prepping our munchies!

The guys chilling in the living room.

Me and my sissy...

Me and my honey...

My aunt who lives in Illinois, sent all of us some of these silly glasses for Christmas.

We had to take photos.

Geeg and Papa got "Coke bottle" glasses, LOL!

Jess, mom, and me...thumbs up!

We had so much food...artichoke dip, spinach dip, cheese ball, bbq kielbasa, meatballs, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, veggie platter, ham/pickle/cream cheese wraps, and desserts galore!  I'm sure I'm leaving out some things...but those were some highlights.

Then we all exchanged gifts.

Jammies are always appreciated.

Playing around with my honey.

Mom and dad had gotten a new Keurig for Christmas...so we got them a stackable storage drawer to store all their coffee...

...and a fall sampler pack of coffee, cider, and cocoa.

Geeg, Papa, and all the grandkids.

Jam was totally happy...mom and dad got him a Detroit Lions Pillow Pet, LOL!

Me and Jess...

My silly Evan.

On Christmas Eve...the boys and I made gingerbread sleighs.

We had never done anything like this...it was fun (and a little frustrating, LOL!)...

Some of the decor...

The finished product!

Up close!

Then...

Santa came to our house!

Looks like the James boys were good this year!

Proof he was here!

Time for stockings!

What did we get?

Evan got the surprise of his life for Christmas...

He loves old vintage collectible guns...

This was a 1938 World War 2 Russian gun of some sort...he'd have to tell you more about it.  He knows EVERYTHING about them.

He loves history.  He's all up on that.

Nate with some of his Legos.

Nate's big ticket item this year was a keyboard!

I think everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

We would like to wish you and yours a very blessed holiday season and a fabulous 2012!

If you bake...

If you bake...
Don't forget to check out my baking blog!
Sweet Ivy Confections
There is a link on the side of this blog.
We also have a Facebook page and a Twitter account!
FOLLOW US!
Yesterday I delivered a cake I made for a sweet friend's birthday and I just have to share it with you...
Check it out:
http://sweetivyconfections.blogspot.com/2011/12/polka-dotspiralbow-birthday-cake.html