School has started!

School has officially began! I'm so excited to finally be in the nail program and I can't wait to finish!

I'm excited to learn and excited to be able to do nails once I'm done. It has been a passion and a desire of mine since I was in high school!

It has taken some time to get going but I know it is going to pay off and be an amazing experience!

The first night of school was canceled due to the weather and then the 3rd day was as well. So out of 5 days I've only been able to go for 3. I hope the snow doesn't keep me from going any more!!

Managing work, school and family time has definitely been interesting. I know with more time and as I get further in the program it will be even more interesting.

My buddy (a nail student that has been there longer than myself) got me a few things to get started!

Take a look at all the glitter, acrylic brushes and nail art stuff!

The money is play money. It is what I can use at the school store to purchase more product, a higher score for a test, one on one time with an instructor and even services performed by instructors.

New Years Eve 2012

Well, it is the LAST Monday of the year! How crazy is that?! Time sure has flown by for me this year and I'm thinking that next year it might just do the same.

Yes, I'm aware that there is the same amount of time year to year. However, there are some years that for me seem to drag on, I can't be the only one, can I?! While other years just FLY on by!

I don't know exactly what makes it happen but it does. I think this year for me it was because of all the changes that took place in my life.

In April I moved with my two children from Oregon to Idaho and went from being a WAHM to a full time student.

June we moved out of my Aunt and Uncle's house and into our own house. At the end of the month my husband joined us after what seemed to be forever apart but was really only a few months.

August I finished school and in September I became a licensed esthetician. The beginning of October I started working outside of the home three days a week.

In November I became a certified medical laser technician and started doing laser services for clients. Of course there was Thanksgiving in there.

December, well its the last day!!! With the open house of the skin spa, continuing to work, figuring out Christmas and if I would start school in January after all, it didn't take long for it to be over!

Did 2012 fly by or drag on for you? Do you think 2013 will do the same?

I'm definitely looking forward to 2013 and all that is going to take place for myself and my family! I couldn't be more excited!!!

Happy New Year to you and yours. Hope you all are safe tonight and remember, don't drink and drive. It isn't worth it!

Juggling work, the kids and everything else!

How did you juggle everything?!

I'm finding this adjusting period a little exhausting and difficult. I've not yet found the "perfect" solution but am hoping with some time and patience it will be a smoother process soon!

I went from being a SAHM to basically a single parent and going to school. Then my husband joined the kids and I in Idaho. It made things a little easier.

I completed school and got my Esthetics license. Started work and am trying to juggle home life and working.

Recently I became a certified medical laser technician. So I'm now trying to juggle that with my Esthetics and everything going on at home.

I'm finding that the little time I had for myself is even less. I'm not sure if that's what is making it so exhausting or if it is that I'm not used to going out of the house 3-4 days a week. Yes, some times it is more than that, but not always.

I have used some great products in the last few months that I would love to share with you all, but there isn't time. I even did some freezer cooking and I took photos, but haven't had the time to upload. It could be a little bit of a time management issue, but for the most part, I don't think it really is that.

Vista Print savings!

Do you remember seeing this photo on my Facebook page?! 

I saved over $99.00 and only spent a little over $33.00! 

Would YOU like to know HOW?! Good, I'd be happy to tell you! 

Every once in a while (I'm not sure exactly how often), Vista Print puts out a Living Social advertisement. Its a FANTASTIC deal really! You pay $10 and get $50 worth of Vista Print materials. 

What makes it EVEN BETTER is that you are then given a personal link to share how you wish. It doesn't matter if you write it down and give it to someone, put it on your Facebook or even email it to people. 

If a total of 3 people purchase the same deal using YOUR link, yours is FREE! That's right, they'll refund your $10.00. You of course still get the $50.00 worth of materials. 

I shared my link and 3 people purchased from it. I had my initial investment refunded to me. I logged into my Vista Print account of course and went to selecting items I wanted and needed and customized them to how I wanted them to be. 

I noticed at the top of the page that there was some "writing" in red. It read something along the lines of, "Spend $25 over your $50 purchase and get FREE shipping.". Well, that was a no brainer for me! 

Shipping on the items I had chosen for my $50 was around $25. So why not spend the money on something rather than spending it on shipping?! I mean these items don't expire, they don't go bad and I could always use them. 

So that's exactly what I did. I went and added more items to my cart, which is how I got my order total to the $33.92 and FREE shipping was automatically put in place. 

In case you can't see exactly what the photo shows:

                       Original price                                 You pay

Product total:                                         115.93                                          33.92

Shipping & Handling (14 days):            17.32                                            FREE

Total:                                                    133.25                                           33.92

I love saving money, even more so when I save MORE than what I spent! Thank you Vista Print and Living Social! And thank you to those that ordered from my link! 

Halloween 2012

What a night!

A few days before Halloween we helped some friends of ours move from one side of town to the other. While driving between the houses, I remember seeing a sign that said something about a Halloween Festival. I knew nothing else other than what the sign showed, which I had to read quickly as I was driving down the road at the time.

Fast forward a few days and Halloween is here! Kids are all dressed up as is my husband and myself. We were off to go trick or treating for a little bit and check out the festival to see what it was about.

We went to my Aunt Gwen's house first as we weren't sure how long we would be elsewhere and my cousin Stacie wanted to see the kids before she went out to a Halloween party. The kids of course went for the king sized candy that was in the candy bucket. HAHA

Off we went to the festival to check it out. It was FREE. I was surprised. There was horses, inflatable bounce houses, food, treats, and more. It was fabulous to see something like that where you could go as a family and have a good time. The kids had a blast and they even rode the horses. It was their FIRST time ever riding a horse.

We were there for a little bit and then decided to go trick or treating down Harrison Blvd. OMGOSH, let me tell you, it was CRAZY. If you've seen the movies/shows that have thousands of people, that's what it was like. I'm not kidding. There were lines down the sidewalk up to the doors of the houses. It was like rush hour traffic, stop and go, stop and go.

Once we went up the street a couple blocks we headed back down to the car. It was about 7:45pm when we had arrived and almost 9pm when we left due to how many people were there. The kids had a blast though, they enjoyed it. One house had 130 pumpkins, CARVED, on their front porch. I wish we had my phone or camera at the time, but due to the mass amount of people and not having a purse, I opted not to take either.

Our final stop was at our friend's house. The ones that we helped move a few days prior. They only had two trick or treaters... so the kids made out like bandits. They got so much candy from Rik and Gillian, they were so happy. Little do they know, there's a candy tax for us taking them out. HAHA

This year's Halloween was by far one of the best Halloween's ever! I think if they continue the festival we'll go year after year and we'll most likely go to Harrison Blvd. again as well.

Our little Vampire and Simba the Lion. 

This was Boo @ the Zoo! 

Halloween: First stop Aunt Gwen's. 

The whole family!