What color is your parachute???

I chuckle when I remember this course in high school....

It's still going strong in 2011 and has branched off into retirement, recession-proof, workbooks, seminars, etc.!!

Looking back I recall after filling in all the bubbles being led down the path of {educator}... it didn't appeal to me. Granted, at the time, I was working in the Senior program childcare class, went to be a 6th grade camp counselor and spent many Saturday nights babysitting. But it didn't appeal to me!!!?? hhhmmm....

I think of it now and even with the budget cuts and teachers losing their jobs it's still only one of few paid positions where you could practically mirror your children's schedule and take all the same breaks & holidays!!

What was I thinking exactly??!!??

I know of many that have gone into teaching even after achieving a degree for another intended career path. And in the same amount of time I have been an administrative assistant, retail manager, waitress, bartender, graphic artist, wellness consultant & dispatch supervisor. None of which are conducive to raising children if you want to be more mommy and less zombie.

I've never ever had a serious desire or passion to do this one special pursuit or attain any certain level of achievement... am I the only one?

But my deadline has approached!! My dear BF and I were of the same mind that once Little A was a year old I would get back into a line of work that would be focused around the kids and so far I've narrowed compiled the list:

Massage Therapist

Phlebotomist

Medical Transcriber

Real Estate Agent

Unique Childcare Provider [Drop n Shop]

Or just go back to a supervisory part-time job with benefits at good ole UPS, waitress at my old stomping grounds in AG!?...or more recently was discussing Starbucks barista with  good friend! Yummm!! hehe I would drink my paychecks away there!! haha

I love all the input I get from friends, family & complete strangers about being "Martha Stewart" and the delightful sentiments about my ideas and the fun things I do with my kids! And a long term goal is to be like all the blog goddesses that I drool over each morning with my coffee... 3-4 digit followers, rows and rows of ad space, sponsored projects...aaahhhh... that is my dream job if I've ever had one! But until then...

Practical, logical reality rears its ugly head and says PAY THE BILLS WOMAN!!

So far I'm leaning way over towards my Drop n Shop idea and a little towards the massage field... your thoughts, love or ideas are greatly appreciated!! Or just tell me... What Color Is Your Parachute?

Thanks for stopping by!!

Tootles,

TJ

OMJ! Oh My Jello ;)

We made Banana Berry Jello yesterday! This is the pic before we put the bananas in our Berry Blast Jello...

About 20 minutes into chilling we put in sliced bananas then 4 hours later added whipped cream for the perfect "ice cream cone" of jello!

Yummmmm!

Tootles,
TJ

Slough off the winter with a little scrubba scrubba scrubba!!

The fam and I visited The Luffa Farm over the weekend in Nipomo.

If you haven't been there you really must go!! We were shocked to see what a luffa really is and how it grows.

We picked a luffa and a yummy scented soap from the store before we left (with our free geranium clippings to boot!!) Amazing the difference between a store bought and a natural luffa but I'll leave you to find all that out when you go.

As I was scrubbing away the day it reminded me that I used to make a killer body scrub!! Back in the day before I was chasing my sweet little beans I used to do a lot of things that I somehow forgot about. hehe Now that little A is getting older and M & W are much more independent I find I have time I didn't have before now!

I decided to give it a whirl and just used what I had laying around the house to make my first batch:

Here's my recipe:
1 C oil (your choice*)
1 C brown sugar
4 chai tea bags (break all of it out of the bag and finely ground - mine was from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf)
1 t cinnamon

I ground up the chai tea fine in my coffee grinder and combined all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl then added the oil until it got to a consistency that I liked. After mixing it all up I transferred it to a cute jar I had (I keep alllllll my jars, cups, bowls... between kids and crafts we find a use for any and everything. The cousins are over so just today the girls rummaged through my bin to find little bottles to make "face paint".. maybe I'll post on that one next!!)

I keep my jar in the fridge to last longer (usually about 4-6 weeks). These make awesome gifts or party favors!! And the mixture is great for quick at-home pedi's too!!!

I think the kids and I will mess around with some new fun recipes this week. I'll keep you posted!!

Hope you give it a try and then show me some comment love about how yours turned out!!

Tootles,
TJ

*Note about the oil you choose: Really any lightly scented oil will work. I've used olive, almond, grapeseed and apricot in the past. You can also get unscented body oils from a beauty supply.. whatever works.

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