Archive for the ‘Friday: Random’ Category
10 Tips to Stay Motivated
It’s almost the end of January and can I have a show of hands from all of the people who are still sticking to their New Years Resolutions? Hmmm… Ok, well on that note, I thought I would blog about staying motivated. The one thing that I have learned in this kids belts business is that anything that is worth it, takes hard work, dedication and motivation. “If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it.”
10 Tips to Stay Motivated
- Make sure the goal is yours. I know that sounds silly, “But, Chelle, who else’s goal would it be?” There are so many times that we set a goal based on someone else’s ideas. “You should be a doctor.” “You should lose weight.” “You should open your own business.” Granted all of those things might be nice, but if you don’t want them, your goal is doomed to fail from the get go.
- Be clear about the payoff. Don’t just set a generic goal, “I want to run a 5K.” Make it a specific goal, if it’s to run a 5K, search out the 5K’s in your area and pick one. Sign up for it and make your goal to run that specific 5K.
- Make a list. Whatever the goal you have set for yourself is, I’m pretty sure that there are steps you need to take to get there. Make a list of those steps so it’s all laid out there for you.
- Set small milestone goals. Is your goal to get a new iPad, but money doesn’t permit? Set small goals, saving $10 a week is easier than coming up with a few hundred or worse putting it on a credit card and then paying interest. If your goal is losing weight, don’t focus on the big number, take pound by pound. Trying to lose a pound a week seems easier than saying “I want to lose 50lbs”.
- Focus on the good. Don’t bury yourself in the set backs. I read something the other day that put that into perspective, “Saying oh, I already ruined my good eating today so I’ll just eat junk is like saying, oh, I just dropped my phone on the floor I’ll just smash it until it breaks.” Funny, but true. Don’t let one setback trip you up.
- Make it fun. I know that I am more apt to do something if it’s fun. Whatever your goal is, find a way to make that the best part of your day. If your goal is to learn a new language, check with your friends, they may be interested and you guys can make it more of a game.
- Take a different approach. If what you are doing doesn’t seem to be working, change it up. You have heard the saying, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” while that is a bit gruesome, it’s true. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting something different. If your goal is learning to cook and all you are doing is messing up recipes from a cookbook, try something different. Sign up for a cooking class in your area, check out online tutorials, get a friend who can cook to show you some techniques.
- Reward yourself. When you hit your small milestones, be sure to reward yourself. When you lose that first 5lbs, treat yourself to something (non food related) you like to do (manicure, massage, shopping, going to see a new movie, etc).
- Have an accountability partner. Let’s face it, when we tell someone we are going to do something, the guilt from that alone makes us more likely to stick to it, but also a good friend will be your cheering section. They will pick you up when you struggle, they will motivate you when you need it and they will celebrate with you when you have made it!
- Make a list. Wait… didn’t we already do this one? “Is she just checking to see if I am paying attention?” No, I’m not. This is a different kind of list. Make a list of the consequences of not completing your goal. That’s right, all the bad stuff. Now I know that the world won’t end and it won’t cause a zombie apocalypse, but there will be consequences for not completing your goal. Weight loss goals, if not completed, have a negative effect on your health: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc. You never know, seeing what NOT FINISHING your goals looks like in black and white might be all the motivation you need.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of ways to stay motivated, but hopefully some of them will trigger something for you and keep you motivated. I’d love to see what motivates you. Please feel free to share!
Blessings,
SALE!
As our present to you, we are offering a couple of
GREAT Specials on our kids belts!
SPECIAL #1
$10 off ANY Dapper Snappers 3-Packs!
What a great deal!! Our 3-Packs are awesome because they give you variety with your Toddler’s outfits!
No more switching that one Dapper Snapper out on every pair of pants!
Here’s your $10 off coupon code, AFTERXMAS, just put that in the coupon code box!
This offer can’t be combined with any other coupon codes. Coupon code is good starting on Dec. 25, 2011and ends Dec. 27, 2011.
____________________________________________________________________________
SPECIAL #2
FREE Add-On Clips!
Who says nothing is free anymore? Not us!
You will get one set of Add-On Clips for EVERY “Single Dapper Snappers Toddler Belt” you purchase! That means, if you order 6 Singles, you get 6 sets of Add-On Clips for FREE!! YAY!
No Coupon Code for this offer, your clips will ship with your order automatically!!
This offer is good only with the purchase of single Dapper Snappers (not with 3-Packs or any other items) and can not be combined with any other offer or coupon code. Offer valid starting on Dec. 25, 2011 and ends Dec. 27, 2011.
Blessings,
Sammy the Terrible
Just when I thought I had the whole dog training thing down, something new comes up. Chewing…
Ugh… I think she’s bored (because she is in her dog crate for a few hours a day while I’m at the kids belts office) and is taking it out on us, the kids’ toys, random household objects…
When I get home from work, which isn’t late mind you because I head home after getting the kids from school, I let her out of her crate and she immediately goes to the kids rooms and finds the tastiest looking toys and begins to munch away. You would think that Nerf Gun was peanut butter flavored or something.
It’s beginning to get a bit depressing seeing the massacre laid out on Bugs dolls, chewed hands, feet, heads. Poor Bug, I hope she’s not scarred for life. 
Here is the latest victim to fall prey to Sammy’s reign:
In case you can’t tell, that’s a thermometer. My very new thermometer that I had only had for about a week.
Here’s my question, how do I stop this from happening? She’s now 7 months old and I’m wondering if this is still the “puppy” faze or will she always be a chewer? I’m not sure we can afford to keep replacing the things that she is destroying.
I buy her chew bones (she DEVOURS them in minutes). I buy her stuffed chew tpys (they torn to shreds in no time). She chews on sticks in the yard, chair legs, pretty much anything she can get her mouth around! If she was a toddler, I’d swear she was teething. At what point to dogs have all of their teeth? Could that be the problem?
I’m not quite at my wits end, but it’s getting close. We would never get rid of Sam-a-lam-a-ding-dong-doggie, but geesh, my wallet would sure appreciate a reprieve from replacing things!
Any suggestions?
Traditions…
It’s December. Seriously, how did that happen? Weren’t we just ringing in 2011? Geesh… It’s holiday time, not like I really have to tell you, I mean there has been a deluge of holiday decorations out since before Halloween. (Halloween? Ahhh seems like only yesterday…) We don’t even get to celebrate one holiday before we are being pushed to the next… Maybe that’s why time flies by…
Anyway, I’m starting to think of holiday traditions. We all have them, whether we like them or not, whether they are forced upon us or we have created our own, we all have some sort of traditions.
A fairly new tradition we have started is the kids belts shop Christmas Party. We have done it every year… well, at least, since we have had employees! So this will be our second year, yay! I bring the turkey and our employees bring side dishes and desserts. I can’t wait!
Family traditions are another story. Hubby and I try to really play up the Santa thing, so on Christmas Eve, we let the kids set out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa and a few carrots for the reindeer. Then we put them to bed early and hubby and I get to work.
I do the really hard stuff like eating the cookies and drinking the milk while hubby gets the presents from Santa and puts them under the tree. Then, he takes the carrots and chews up some and spits them out on the driveway (gross, I know, what we do for our kids) so the kids see that the reindeer were munching, too. This year we may add some “Santa” footprints or something like that. Super Dude is starting to question the whole Santa thing. He wants to speak to Santa to prove that he’s real. I would like him to still believe and to stay a kid for a little longer! It makes me sad to think he’s getting so old (or at least he thinks he is).
I’ve decided that I am going to go to this site, I Caught Santa, and “catch” Santa in the act. Maybe that will be enough to keep him believing for another year. This site is really cool because you upload a picture of your living room/Christmas tree/etc and then pick the picture of Santa you want to use and ta da! you have Santa caught in the act in your house. Too cool! Here’s a sample:
I hope you all have fantastic holidays with your families! What are some of you traditions? I’d love to hear about them!
Blessings,
Fine Print
Have you ever been seduced by a product or service only to find out that the fine print is ridiculous and negates any good qualities the product or service may have had? The only fine print that our kids belts have is “Dapper Snappers are cool, you know you’ll love them,” and I’m pretty sure a truer statement has never been written.
While watching some recorded TV the other day, we paused it to take a snack break and when I came back, this is what I saw…
It was one of those shampoo commercials for Garnier Fructis. You know the ones I am talking about, they claim that their products will take your hair from a frizz ball to super sleek and shiny. They also claim it’s the best stuff compared to all other hair products… blah blah blah.
Then, something caught my eye while I was waiting for hubby to rejoin me from his snack procuring mission. I got a little closer to the TV and actually read the fine print on the bottom of the screen.
Do you see that? It says “In a frizz test using Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine System of Shampoo Conditioner and Anti-Frizz Serum vs. a non-conditioning shampoo.” Uhhhh…. ok…. Does that make sense? Shouldn’t they be comparing like products? That’s kind of like putting an average Joe off the street in the ring with a prize winning MMA fighter and when the MMA fighter wins, bragging about it. I mean really did the average Joe have a chance to begin with?
I’m pretty sure I could shampoo with just about ANY conditioning shampoo out there and have my hair look better than if I used a non-conditioning shampoo. I guess they do it so they can say that did a trial and it worked regardless of what they are comparing it too and we (as the general consuming public) would never know the difference. Mainly because the “fine print” is so fine, but also because of the length of time it’s on the screen. Yes, curiosity got the better of me and I timed it.
3.8 seconds… That’s it. I think it would take me about that long to read it if it was normal size print but the fine print? Come on…
I guess I get disgruntled because we pride ourselves on having a quality product that we know is great and we don’t have to resort to slight of hand to get people to purchase it. It speaks for itself.
Here’s to reading the fine print!
PS. Speaking of fine print, did you realize that the fine print on a can of tuna has an allergy warning that says “May contain fish”, ummm, I hope so? That’s kind of why I bought it. Also, a can of honey roasted peanuts has an allergy warning that it contains peanuts. Wow… that’s it, just wow…
Blessings,
Return to the Darkside
That’s right… I am headed back to the dark side. I’m not going willingly, mind you, but I am going none the less. I am going back, kicking and screaming and clutching my Mac for dear life. I’m going back to PC life after about 6 years with my Mac.
As much as I hate to admit it, it’s time. Like I said the Mac is about 6 or 7 years old and it served me well while I got the kids belts business up and running, but I think it’s ready to be replaced with a newer model. So, it’s packing up it’s cane and denture cream and headed off to retire in Palm Springs. Farewell Mac, I’m sorry we didn’t get you a gold watch….
In my computer replacement search, the suggestion of getting another Mac came up, but honestly as much as I loved my Mac, I ccouldn’t justify the price tag. I could get a super fast PC with a huge screen for a fraction of the cost of a dinky little Mac laptop. So I chose to go with a desk top PC. I did this for two reasons, the first being that if it’s a desk top, I can’t take it home with me. Therefore, work stays at work (for the most part). The second reason being I could get a much bigger screen for a desk top computer than I could for a laptop and that makes me happy. With as much detail work as I do with our patterns and designing, the big screen is necessary and let me just say, wow, what a difference! My Mac had about a 15″ screen and now I am working with a 24″ screen. It’s like working with a TV screen!
So far it’s been an easy transition because most of the programs I use on the Mac were window versions, because that’s what we already had.
Don’t tell anyone, but I haven’t gone totally to the dark side… I mean I do still have my iPhone…
Blessings,
Dapper Snappers – The Musical
I know I am not the only one who wishes that my life was a musical, right? Right? Oh, come on, I know I’m not. You just don’t want to admit it. You know that you would love to have back up singers and dancers every time something great happens, or slow dramatic music and a spotlight every time you need to really reflect on a poignant moment.
I am often times creating a soundtrack in my head, especially while working on my kids belts which sometimes gets me in trouble because I start singing out loud whiles others are trying to concentrate and they give me dirty looks…. But, in my opinion, “Pants on the Ground” is the perfect song to sing while making Dapper Snappers… But I digress…
I grew up watching and loving musicals and no I’m not talking about Grease (have you heard some of the lyrics in this “innocent” little musical, you should Google it, you may be surprised), I’m talking about the Sound of Music and such. I loved singing when I was little. In fact, my brother’s favorite story to tell people about me is how I used to sing to the ants. Yes, ants, not aunts. I am talking about the bugs not the relatives.
However, in my defense, I wanted to sing and they had no choice but to listen. They are ants, after all. They were kind of a captive audience and in my humble opinion, I made their boring little day of gathering a little brighter. I was making their lives little musicals!
My love of singing has rubbed off on Bug. I catch her singing all the time and find myself just captivated with her because at that moment (albeit brief) she is my perfect little angel. The moment is then quickly replaced by her screaming at the dog for stealing her cheese stick and I am snapped back into reality.
How’s your musical coming along?
Blessings,
Watch your Planogram!
I was going through some old pictures on my computer and I came across a picture that I had taken quite a while ago (in fact, Bug was 2 and she is 4 now).
Being a small business owner and inventor of kids belts, and therefore the face of my company, I have to be careful what I say and how I express my opinions as well as what language I use and what my political and religious views are so as not to offend anyone. I tend to feel like I am being censored. There have been many-a-time, MANY-A-TIME I tell you, where I have been merely a thumb stroke away from tweeting my discontent about something and then all of the sudden, I remember that what I say is what my brand says, and I quickly delete aforementioned tweet. Therefore, I have debated on whether or not I would write about this incident. Ahhh…. oh well, here goes…
Travel back in time with me… 2 years ago I was shopping at a Rite Aid with Bug. We were getting the normal stuff you get at a pharmacy type place. I’m wrangling a two year so I’m not paying too much attention to my surroundings. Then, as I am in the check out lane something caught my eye (mainly because Bug picked something up and I needed to make sure she couldn’t sever a limb with whatever it was). What on earth???? Is that a lighter in her hand? Where did she get that?? And then I saw it…
Let’s take a look at this picture, after all it is worth a thousand words. Ok, we have batteries, film, baseball cards, toothpaste… all seem innocent enough, and then… lighters? Really? Is that appropriate placement? At eye-level with a 2 year old? I mentioned it to the cashier and the manager and they said something like “Well, we will look into it, but that’s how the planogram is set up so I’m not sure what we can do.” Uhh… how about move the lighters up and replace them with something less threatening? I wanted to call the company and complain and raise a fuss, not just for Bug, but all of the other little kids out there.
I was mad… but I left it at that because, alas, I am the face of Dapper Snappers and I must be cordial. Afterall, I may even sell to Rite Aid one day and I am fairly certain that they will place my product up on the top shelf so as to save room on those bottom shelves for lighters, razors and pesticides… Yeesh!
Blessings
Trip from H-E-Double Hockey Sticks
We had the best of intentions when we headed off to the ABC Kids show to display our kids belts…
Bear with me, this may be a lengthy one.
We packed up the U-Haul, so we wouldn’t have the added expense of shipping and plane tickets, and we piled in the car. Off we went with a twinkle in our eyes and nothing but optimism for the trade show.
I should have known it was going to be a bad trip when we had to turn around after only 20 miles because we forgot something. So, off we went (again) with a (tad smaller) twinkle in our eyes and mostly optimism for the trade show…
The beginning of the trip (once we really started) was smooth. We made it through Florida and into GA. My dear sweet husband was needing a break so we stopped for gas and to change places. I get in the car which is pulling the U-Haul trailer (my first time pulling a trailer, mind you) and we proceed to the interstate. I get on the road and start accelerating and merging and then… sirens and flashing lights? What? I wasn’t even up to speed, yet. I can’t imagine them pulling me over for doing 50 in a 70. Crud, the lights were for me.
I pulled over and the city police officer (yep, city cop, not state trooper) followed. As I am waiting for him to walk up to the car, I feel myself fuming inside. What could I have possibly done that warranted pulling me over? The officer comes up and asks “Do you know why I pulled you over, ma’am?” Uh… If I did, don’t you think I wouldn’t have done it so as not to be pulled over by an Adele, GA cop? “No, sir” I say, trying not to cry (not because I am sad or scared, because I am furious and when I am furious, I cry).
“Well, you failed to move over to the other lane when you passed the cop who had someone pulled over.” What?!? That’s a law? I don’t live in GA, I don’t know your silly laws. Ok, so we have a similar law in FL, but I was under the impression that it was move over OR slow down 20mph.
As it turns out, it doesn’t matter that I don’t know their laws. They gave me a ticket anyway. Phil asked what the fine was and the officer told him, “I can’t really give you that information.” Phil said “Can’t you just give us an idea?” The Officer said “Well the maximum fine is $500.” Yikes! Now I really hate this town of Adele, GA.
Anyway, back on the road. The rest of the drive up is relatively uneventful and we make it to Louisville safely.
The first day we unload and set up. We pile back into the car to head to the hotel and… nothing? The car won’t start. Seriously? It’s like 10pm. Phil checks it out and there is no water in the radiator. Great… we’ll have to worry about that later.
The next day comes and I get a text early in the morning from my assistant. She’s running late for the Expo because she spent the night in the ER with her son. I head down to the lobby to grab breakfast and run into her and her son. I ask how she is, and she becomes a blubbering mess. Poor thing! I tell her to go nap and to come over whenever she’s ready.
The show starts off dismal (but that’s for another blog post). My wonderful assistant shows up a round noon only to get a call a about an hour and a half later from her mom explaining that they are taking her grandmother to the ER. My word what a trip so far!
On the last day of the very disappointing show, Phil takes the car to get checked out since we were having problems. He waited patiently for their call to not get one. He decides to call them at about 3:30pm only to find out that they had just taken the car in to look at it. Ugh… the show ends at 4:00pm and we have to find someway to get the trailer her so we can pack up. Thank you U-Haul for renting us a truck with a tow hitch.
We woke up the next morning and called the mechanic. They hope to have it fixed by the afternoon. In the mean time, we are stranded in KY with no transportation, Phil’s asthma acting up and my allergies driving me crazy. We did find out that Kentucky’s motto is “I’ll get to it when I get to it” and Louisville’s is “It’s not my fault”.
Finally, we get the car back and can load up and head home to Bug and Super Dude. (I can’t tell you how much I missed my babies) We got on the road at about 5:00pm on Tuesday and stopped outside of Atlanta (only 8 hours from home) for the night at an amazing Holiday Inn Express.
At last! We got home around 6:00pm and our kids rushed out to greet us! That was the best hug ever!
PS: Remember those allergies I told you about? Yea, they were not so much allergies as they were a virus. Yay… Oh yea, and my assistant has it too. Turns out the girl in the booth behind us was sick for the whole show.
Blessings,
The Birds and the Bees…and the Lovebugs
We all have that ideal age we think would be a good time to tell our kids about the birds and the bees. For me, it’s some time in the beginning stages of puberty. This seems like the best time to talk to them about their bodies, what’s going on, and what’s going to happen. This opens me up to the question that so far, I have been successfully avoiding; “Mama, where do babies come from?” I think, when they actually get to the point of asking, I’ll pretend to be in the middle of making my kids belts and let daddy handle it!
Here in Florida we are plagued with a twice yearly occurrence of Lovebugs. They sound cute and like they should be ladybug-looking insects with smiles and kisses. They are not. They are ugly. They are everywhere. My kids, upon seeing two lovebugs attached and flying around together, wanted to know what they were doing. “Well, Sweetie,…they are kissing…with their butts…” Now you can imaging the giggles and fits of laughter this statement was met with.
At our most recent lovebug-palooza (at Disney World of all places), Super Dude asked again…no, more like stated, that the lovebugs “aren’t just kissing, right Mama? They are making eggs.” “Yes, son” I answered in shock. “They are making eggs. The eggs will turn into baby lovebugs and they will start all over again.”
Of course the biggest part of me is screaming that it’s way too soon, that I’m not ready. He’s all of 6 1/2 and in 1st grade. He’s very popular with everyone in his school, even the older kids, which I’m sure is how he comes up with some of the smart-mouthed answers he has for us on occasion. And I am also sure this is how he found out about the lovebugs making eggs. The tone in his voice was more of a “Mama, I already know the truth. You wouldn’t tell it to me but the big kids did.” Okay, maybe I’m reading too much into it. Maybe he was just tired.
I guess I’m just stuck in that weird place between not enough and too much information. At what age did you, or do you plan to, tell your kids about the Birds and the Bees (or the Lovebugs, as it were).
Blessings,