Various updates...

In case you're wondering about Allie & Ms. Joan, Allie continues to ask to call Ms. Joan on the phone but still won't talk to her at MOPS or church...

I took Alexis for a haircut. And I don't really like how it turned out. : ( However, I was getting really tired of her sticky tangles caused by yogurt, lollipops, etc. And I'm sure she was, too... I've tried putting hair accessories in her hair, but she pulls everything right out, so there was really no other way to keep her hair out of her food! Until now. NOW that her hair is too short for ponytails, she wants them in. Why couldn't she have started this a week earlier?!!! At least one of us likes her haircut, though. This morning, I asked Alexis if she likes her hair & she said 'yes'. Well, I guess that's what really counts, doesn't it?

You know what makes me happy? My girls talking about salvation & heaven. On the way to choir & Awanas last night, Morgan & Allie had a lengthy discussion about heaven & how to get there. Hearing Morgan witness to Allie brings tears to my eyes. And hearing Allie tell God that she loves Him makes me weepy, too. I just feel so thankful that they are coming to know Him at such young ages. I pray that their love for Him just grows & grows. And Alexis doesn't talk too much yet (at least not in English! I'm pretty sure she speaks Chinese...), but I know that she listens to her sisters and is absorbing everything. The other day, Alexis was "singing" Sunday school songs with Allie. I LOVE that!!

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

I'd really like to know who the beauty consultant in our family is! At one point I thought it was me, but now I'm thinking it must be Morgan & Allie. I've been trying out some new cosmetic looks & colors on my eyes lately & yesterday, I thought they looked pretty cool. Well, here is how my conversation with Morgan & Allie went yesterday afternoon:

Allie: Mommy, what's that purple on you?
Me: It's eyeshadow. Do you like it?
Allie: You look like an animal - like a creature!
Me: Really? (I'm thinking I'd better get a 2nd opinion...) Morgan! Can you come here please? (she heard nothing of Allie's & my conversation) Morgan walks in the bathroom and looks at my face.
Me: Do you like it?
Morgan: You look like a witch! I don't want you to be a witch, but I like how you look - especially the purple...

Maybe I'll have to try that look again! Next year for Halloween, that is...

A Mystery...

Here's another "Allie" story. As you may or may not know, Allie is extremely shy. So shy, in fact, that she absolutely refuses to speak to any adult or child when she is at MOPS, choir, or Sunday School. And she tries very hard not to make eye contact with, or smile at, anyone. The strange thing is that she really likes the workers who take care of her! She talks about them & mentions whatever event she'll be attending next in her prayers at night. Needless to say, I'm a bit baffled by it all.

However! Allie has a favorite caretaker at MOPS - her name is Ms. Joan (who she also won't speak to, but talks about all of the time). And Allie REALLY wanted to call her on the phone. She wanted to talk to Ms. Joan so badly, I got sweet Ms. Joan's phone number and her blessing to let Allie call her. So, Allie calls Ms. Joan on the phone and talks her ear off!!! It was hysterical! I think it pretty much blew Joan away because I'm not sure she had even heard Allie's voice before!

Well, Allie is quite anxious to talk to Ms. Joan on the phone again (she asked me numerous times today, but I don't to overload Joan!!). Now we'll have to see if Allie will talk to her in person...

Heaven

Today, on our way home from MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), Allie started asking about heaven. So I told her how we would have new bodies and that we would never get sick. She then asked if there would be any crying - to which I answered that nobody would cry. Not Allie, not Alexis, no one. She was pretty excited about that (& I was too, actually!). Then I asked her if she thought it would be neat that we would get to talk to Jesus when we're there. She said, "Jesus?! The real Jesus? Not a fake one?!" I assured her that the real Jesus would be there and so I was blessed with a prime opportunity to talk about having Jesus in our hearts. Allie doesn't quite understand everything about sin & salvation, but she does know that she loves Jesus & God and loves to sing about them. I can't imagine that God thinks that there are many things better than hearing a child sing to Him in love. I know it melts my heart...

Our Very First Yard Sale!!

Today was monumental - we had our very first yard sale ever. We girls, that is - lucky (?) Terry had to work today. Two of our neighbors joined us & we did pretty well, I think. Although, I'm surprised that more clothes didn't sell! I'm afraid nice, cheap clothes would have been a BIG weak point for me (maybe that's why I don't go to yard sales!). But the icing on the cake was The Blom Girls' Stand. They sold lemonade & Rice Krispy Treats and Morgan did a fantastic job asking customers if they'd like to buy some. They made nearly $20!! And some very sweet friends also came by to show their support, which the girls loved.

I have to tell you - we didn't sell any toys. And the reason why is because the girls didn't want to. Instead, they REALLY want to give their toys away to children who don't have any. Isn't that sweet?! If you can think of a good place to bring them, let me know.

Well, my sit-down break is over. Now I have to put away all of those little girls' clothes - again - until I come up with a way to sell them!! Ugh...

Halloween

We had such fun on Halloween! Morgan was Sleeping Beauty, Allie was Tinkerbell & Alexis was a pumpkin. First, we went to our friends' house for a little Halloween party (complete with "brains" & "eyeballs" for dinner!!) - they took pictures (my digital camera is broken!) so hopefully I'll have some to email soon. Then, as it started to get a little bit dark, the group of friends took off for some major trick-or-treating! Morgan literally ran from house to house with her buddies! One very thoughtful mom offered to take Morgan home after they were done trick-or-treating (she didn't have two little kids in tow!!) - so Allie, Alexis & I could take our own sweet time. We skipped half of the houses and had such fun visiting the neighbors we know. Terry stayed home & passed out candy (we had a lot of trick-or-treaters - the streets were lined with cars from non-neighbors!). We had some pretty groovy jack-o-lanterns that Terry carved out with the girls. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of those. :( And what a haul of candy we got! We have Tupperware after Tupperware FULL of candy!! It's going to take a year to finish it off. Probably just in time for next Halloween...

I need your opinion...

As many of you know, I have been a beauty consultant with Mary Kay for about 10 years now. I love being a stay-at-home mom & I have an increasing desire to build my Mary Kay business. I don't care for recruiting, I'd just like to have a strong customer base of people that I can take excellent care of. But because I dislike asking people to have facials and hostess skin care classes, I have come up with a different idea - The Loaded Look Book - a Mary Kay catalog that I've filled with samples so that women can have a facial at home at their leisure. Mary Kay has excellent products and these books give women the opportunity to try the product in an unpressured way - then they can contact me if they like what they use. My hope is that if people are impressed, they will be willing to give The Loaded Look Book to their friends more willingly than if I asked them to hostess a skin care class.

A couple more "perks" I offer are free shipping for clients I can't deliver to, free gifts with purchase, discounts for clients who bring me new sales, & quarterly mailings of The Look (at which time I contact my clients for orders). I also now have a website - www.marykay.com/jenniferblom - where you can have a free virtual makeover, learn beauty tips, shop, & so much more.

So, tell me, what do you think of my marketing idea? I'd greatly appreciate any feedback. I'd also be happy to send you The Loaded Look Book if you'd like to check it out.