Monday, April 30, 2007
Milk Toast
So I just got the most hilarious compliment. My Arbonne sponsor just told me, "You are NOT milk toast!" Ha! That just cracked me up. She means that I am no weenie. I just thought that was hilarious.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Arbonne's National Training Celebration!!
So this past weekend, I attended Arbonne's National Training Celebration in Las Vegas! We basically took over the MGM Grand. I love that we have such awesome people in Arbonne--some of the employees were telling us that this is the best conference they have ever had at their hotel. I think when you get a lot of generous, good-natured, positive people together, you can't help but be nice and treat other people well.
Among all the great trainings, there were two MAJOR announcements at NTC:
1. THE NEW PRODUCTS! Arbonne replaced their concealers and liquid foundations with something amazing. Their new foundations and concealers have cutting-edge technologies that make you look truly radiant, they make your wrinkles much less visible because of some light-reflecting properties, and they have--get this--a patented ingredient called GABA that is basically like a topical Botox. Ha! I am ordering mine today, and I absolutely cannot wait to get it. They also came out with Hybrid nutritional supplements for kids (a powder that you mix with water to make a punch!) and for teens (a chew that has, among other things, an ingredient that helps your body adapt to stress!). Speaking of teens, we also now have a HUGE line called FYI, or For Young Individuals. It includes makeup and aromatherapy. You can check out all the products at www.arbonne.com.
2. We are going to AUSTRALIA!!! That's right, Arbonne Australia opens this July. I will be looking to start a team there, so if you know anyone in Australia, let me know! This will be a huge opportunity for anyone in Australia, because it is a completely untapped market. What happened in Canada over the last two years (about 500% growth) will start to happen down under, which means that it is a great income opportunity for people there. In June, Arbonne Australia corporate will be putting on recruiting events in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. The Aussies will love us! Nobody wants to look daggy! (Great word Nathan and I learned from our Aussie friends--it means sloppy or not put together.) I cannot wait to build a huge team there. What a great excuse for a vacation!
Here are some pictures with my awesome team:
Me and my NVP, Ashley Carpenter, at the Grand Awards Dinner.
RVP Leschon Serrano and me. Leschon reminds me of a flighty bird. She is a joy to be around.
Me and wonderful Darlene Tracy, who lives in CT--I can't wait to work with her more.
Me, RVP Kat Armstrong, and one my awesome sidelines, Ashley Tracy
NVP Roxanne Melker, Cons. Pamela Valentine, AM April Drolet, and mewith the awesome Arbonne cheesecake
Pamela, April, and me
Me with my new goodies!
Me and AM April, my Arbonne Ace!
Being silly with my friend
Birds and Breezes
We opened the windows when the weather was nice, and the kitties loved it! They jumped right up there to watch the birds and feel the breeze and swat at the spider on the screen. They love spring as much as we do.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
How to Climb a Tree
While we were in Lexington last weekend, we ran across this great tree. Nathan started climbing it, and I started snapping. I think this is so great, because climbing a tree is just Nathan in a nutshell: outdoors, physical, and boyish.
I like this picture. :)
Monday, April 23, 2007
Bea-u-ti-ful
So this weekend was beautiful (enough to add an extra syllable and make it bea-u-ti-ful). Ah, a sunny 70 degrees is heaven after several weeks in the 40's! And today it is supposed to get up to 82! I am in a short-sleeved shirt today!!
Now we are having to start thinking about buying an air conditioning. Cool!
(No pun intended. Well, actually, pun intended.)
We have been leaving the windows open, and the whole place just smells fresh. I love it. The flowers are blooming, and the breeze is blowing, and the sun is shining, and kids are outside playing, and it just makes you happy!
This weekend Jeremy, Nathan, and I took a drive up to Lexington, where we went and found the battle green and just looked around town. It was really neat! And we stopped into a roadside farm that was just fabulous. I want to go there and stock up on fresh produce. And fresh bread. And dessert. And about 15 other things. Everything in there looked amazing.
I will go take pictures of snowless, blooming Boston sometime soon, but I won't have time to do it today because tomorrow I go to VEGAS! Yep, you'll get to see pictures for that, too. I'm going to Arbonne's National Training Celebration. Can't wait!
Now we are having to start thinking about buying an air conditioning. Cool!
(No pun intended. Well, actually, pun intended.)
We have been leaving the windows open, and the whole place just smells fresh. I love it. The flowers are blooming, and the breeze is blowing, and the sun is shining, and kids are outside playing, and it just makes you happy!
This weekend Jeremy, Nathan, and I took a drive up to Lexington, where we went and found the battle green and just looked around town. It was really neat! And we stopped into a roadside farm that was just fabulous. I want to go there and stock up on fresh produce. And fresh bread. And dessert. And about 15 other things. Everything in there looked amazing.
I will go take pictures of snowless, blooming Boston sometime soon, but I won't have time to do it today because tomorrow I go to VEGAS! Yep, you'll get to see pictures for that, too. I'm going to Arbonne's National Training Celebration. Can't wait!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Snob
I have a confession.
I am a snob about certain types of food. The more interested I get in cooking and food, the more picky I get about certain things, particularly certain kinds of vegetables.
For example, I am a cucumber snob. I do not like regular cucumbers and will usually avoid them. Instead, I like the seedless English cucumbers that you find shrink wrapped in the produce section. Ahhh, if you haven't had those, you don't know what you're missing. There is just something about them that tastes better. Of course, they're about $2 each, too. I discovered seedless cucumbers when I made cucumber sandwiches for my mom's surprise birthday tea one year. There are few things in the world as good as a nice cucumber sandwich on white bread with a little fresh dill. Mmmm, it just tastes like freshness.
I am also a lettuce snob. I do not like to eat iceberg lettuce. I get annoyed when the only kind of salad on the menu is made with iceberg. I also got annoyed when I realized in college that Wendy's salads are really a bowl of iceberg with some greener greens on top. Dave Thomas, you con artist, you!
And if any of you has been able to avoid canned asparagus your whole life, you are one lucky fellow. Canned asparagus is awful. It's mushy and barely resembles fresh asparagus at all. I didn't know that I liked asparagus at all until I had it steamed one time.
That's all I can think of right now. What kind of snob are you?
I am a snob about certain types of food. The more interested I get in cooking and food, the more picky I get about certain things, particularly certain kinds of vegetables.
For example, I am a cucumber snob. I do not like regular cucumbers and will usually avoid them. Instead, I like the seedless English cucumbers that you find shrink wrapped in the produce section. Ahhh, if you haven't had those, you don't know what you're missing. There is just something about them that tastes better. Of course, they're about $2 each, too. I discovered seedless cucumbers when I made cucumber sandwiches for my mom's surprise birthday tea one year. There are few things in the world as good as a nice cucumber sandwich on white bread with a little fresh dill. Mmmm, it just tastes like freshness.
I am also a lettuce snob. I do not like to eat iceberg lettuce. I get annoyed when the only kind of salad on the menu is made with iceberg. I also got annoyed when I realized in college that Wendy's salads are really a bowl of iceberg with some greener greens on top. Dave Thomas, you con artist, you!
And if any of you has been able to avoid canned asparagus your whole life, you are one lucky fellow. Canned asparagus is awful. It's mushy and barely resembles fresh asparagus at all. I didn't know that I liked asparagus at all until I had it steamed one time.
That's all I can think of right now. What kind of snob are you?
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Marathon Ruminations
So I was just reading some stories about racers in yesterday's marathon, and they got me to thinking about this whole marathon concept.
From time to time in Arbonne, someone says, "This business is a marathon, not a sprint." Boy, is that true. My Arbonne experience has definitely been like that. This is not a get-rich-quick, and I knew that from the beginning. I guess what I did not realize when I started was that it does take so much persistent activity--one step after another, plodding along, knowing that there is a finish line that is so very worth all the effort. It's one thing to be told; it's another to live the reality.
But life is like that, too, right? To get anything worth having, you have to set a goal, create a plan, and consistently work to achieve that goal. In other words, see the finish line, know the route, and run for a while--sometimes a long while. Nothing that is really worth having (a great marriage, a job you love, even a great retirement fund) can be achieved quickly or without much effort or discipline or a goal.
So that's what I've learned from my business: that sometimes things don't come as easily as you expect. What matters is whether or not you have a goal and a vision for where you're going, whether or not you can devise a plan to get there, and whether or not you have a great work ethic. And whether or not you get up again after you fall.
I love the story of the Nigerian, Cheruiyot, who won the Boston Marathon for the 3rd time this year. He fell at the finish line of the Chicago Marathon last year, cracked his skull, and suffered bleeding in his brain, but here he is running and winning (with a headache, no less!). I just find him completely inspiring. Here's a part of the article about the race:
---
The defending champion and the novice pretender raced shoulder to shoulder from [mile] 23 to almost 25, at which point Cheruiyot upped the ante to a level that Kwambai could not reach. It was a question of commitment and reserves and strength and courage; and Cheruiyot held all of those attributes in abundance.
Once the move was made - and it was dramatic - there was never any question as to whom the winner would be. The defending champ opened daylight with every stride and never had cause to look back. At the line - which one might have assumed he approached with trepidation, given his fall in Chicago - his time of 2:14:13 gave him a 20 second advantage over Kwambai.
"Boston is not so easy," Cheruiyot stated. "It is very tough. It was very cold." Asked about the headaches from which he had been suffering, he explained, "There was a little pain, but it was just something small."
As he received the celebrated Boston laurel wreath with the Kenyan National Anthem playing, Cheruiyot was clearly moved. "Our National Anthem reminds me of a lot of things," he stated. "It reminds me of missing my home and that there are a lot of people - my family - looking at me. And it makes you feel like crying."
The post-event analyses of this race will show it to have been one of affirmation that a thrilling race can evolve from one in which the times become a virtual irrelevance. Additionally, it affirmed that Robert K. Cheruiyot is a man who can overcome adverse conditions, troublesome tactics and personal ailments and prove, without question, that he is, at present, the finest marathoner in the world.
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/2007Story.asp
---
How inspiring is that?! He had physical and mental reserves, which he drew on and made it happen. I especially love that they recognized the internal battle: "It was a question of commitment and reserves and strength and courage; and Cheruiyot held all of those attributes in abundance." I also love that because of the mental courage of the athletes in this race, "the times [were] a virtual irrelevance" (of course, they ran in a headwind the whole way, too). The most thrilling part was the runners' own personal ability to draw on their courage and committment, attributes that you don't always think of when you think about running.
From time to time in Arbonne, someone says, "This business is a marathon, not a sprint." Boy, is that true. My Arbonne experience has definitely been like that. This is not a get-rich-quick, and I knew that from the beginning. I guess what I did not realize when I started was that it does take so much persistent activity--one step after another, plodding along, knowing that there is a finish line that is so very worth all the effort. It's one thing to be told; it's another to live the reality.
But life is like that, too, right? To get anything worth having, you have to set a goal, create a plan, and consistently work to achieve that goal. In other words, see the finish line, know the route, and run for a while--sometimes a long while. Nothing that is really worth having (a great marriage, a job you love, even a great retirement fund) can be achieved quickly or without much effort or discipline or a goal.
So that's what I've learned from my business: that sometimes things don't come as easily as you expect. What matters is whether or not you have a goal and a vision for where you're going, whether or not you can devise a plan to get there, and whether or not you have a great work ethic. And whether or not you get up again after you fall.
I love the story of the Nigerian, Cheruiyot, who won the Boston Marathon for the 3rd time this year. He fell at the finish line of the Chicago Marathon last year, cracked his skull, and suffered bleeding in his brain, but here he is running and winning (with a headache, no less!). I just find him completely inspiring. Here's a part of the article about the race:
---
The defending champion and the novice pretender raced shoulder to shoulder from [mile] 23 to almost 25, at which point Cheruiyot upped the ante to a level that Kwambai could not reach. It was a question of commitment and reserves and strength and courage; and Cheruiyot held all of those attributes in abundance.
Once the move was made - and it was dramatic - there was never any question as to whom the winner would be. The defending champ opened daylight with every stride and never had cause to look back. At the line - which one might have assumed he approached with trepidation, given his fall in Chicago - his time of 2:14:13 gave him a 20 second advantage over Kwambai.
"Boston is not so easy," Cheruiyot stated. "It is very tough. It was very cold." Asked about the headaches from which he had been suffering, he explained, "There was a little pain, but it was just something small."
As he received the celebrated Boston laurel wreath with the Kenyan National Anthem playing, Cheruiyot was clearly moved. "Our National Anthem reminds me of a lot of things," he stated. "It reminds me of missing my home and that there are a lot of people - my family - looking at me. And it makes you feel like crying."
The post-event analyses of this race will show it to have been one of affirmation that a thrilling race can evolve from one in which the times become a virtual irrelevance. Additionally, it affirmed that Robert K. Cheruiyot is a man who can overcome adverse conditions, troublesome tactics and personal ailments and prove, without question, that he is, at present, the finest marathoner in the world.
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/2007Story.asp
---
How inspiring is that?! He had physical and mental reserves, which he drew on and made it happen. I especially love that they recognized the internal battle: "It was a question of commitment and reserves and strength and courage; and Cheruiyot held all of those attributes in abundance." I also love that because of the mental courage of the athletes in this race, "the times [were] a virtual irrelevance" (of course, they ran in a headwind the whole way, too). The most thrilling part was the runners' own personal ability to draw on their courage and committment, attributes that you don't always think of when you think about running.
Double Dip Coupon Sale
I sent this out to my clients in an email a couple of days ago:
PLUS, BOOK A PARTY by 5/31/07 and receive an ADDITIONAL PRICE FREEZE coupon with NO EXPIRATION DATE!
As many of you know, April is always very exciting at Arbonne, and this year is no exception. Not only are new products being introduced on April 24th, but we are also expanding internationally! Our unprecedented growth continues, and we thank you for your loyalty and love for our great products.
I wanted to let you know in advance that Arbonne will be implementing a slight price increase on some of our products, including the RE9 lines, the ABC Baby Care line, and the Figure 8 Weight Loss line. This is the first increase in five years and is due to an increase in the cost of raw materials and the energy to produce and transport products.
However, . . .
Now is a great time to stock up on your favorite products before the price increase goes into effect on April 25th. Below is a coupon for my preferred clients. If you would like to take advantage of this special offer, please call or e-mail me right away.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wanted to let you know in advance that Arbonne will be implementing a slight price increase on some of our products, including the RE9 lines, the ABC Baby Care line, and the Figure 8 Weight Loss line. This is the first increase in five years and is due to an increase in the cost of raw materials and the energy to produce and transport products.
However, . . .
Now is a great time to stock up on your favorite products before the price increase goes into effect on April 25th. Below is a coupon for my preferred clients. If you would like to take advantage of this special offer, please call or e-mail me right away.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
** PRICE FREEZE ** DOUBLE DIP COUPON
Purchase any of the Figure 8 products, ABC Baby Care products, or RE9 products for Women or Men before the price increases on 4/25/07, and then DOUBLE DIP again by purchasing anything from the same product lines once more at the OLD prices before 7/31/07.
Purchase any of the Figure 8 products, ABC Baby Care products, or RE9 products for Women or Men before the price increases on 4/25/07, and then DOUBLE DIP again by purchasing anything from the same product lines once more at the OLD prices before 7/31/07.
PLUS, BOOK A PARTY by 5/31/07 and receive an ADDITIONAL PRICE FREEZE coupon with NO EXPIRATION DATE!
Coupon redeemable through Lauren Benesh, Independent Consultant
617-388-6419 or laurenbenesh@gmail.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Be sure to check out www.arbonne.com on April 25 to see our new products!
617-388-6419 or laurenbenesh@gmail.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Be sure to check out www.arbonne.com on April 25 to see our new products!
Monday, April 16, 2007
The British
So today was the Boston Marathon, and Reebok has been putting out a "Run Easy" ad campaign for running shoes lately. Today I saw a really funny one that said:
The British aren't coming!
The British aren't coming!
Run easy, Boston.
It just cracked me up. Nathan and I thought that one was much better than the ad on the T that shows someone throwing up, then says "Run Easy." What? Is that supposed to inspire me to get out there and run?
Actually, I recently found out that an old friend of mine from high school is training for a marathon. I got kind of inspired and went running on Saturday, and, well, it's not that I didn't get far; it's just that I didn't run far (I actually got lost in our neighborhood right when I was about to start wheezing and had to wander around until I found a major street back home, so I actually went a long way, just not very fast).
Speaking of the Marathon and other Patriots' Day activities, we didn't do any of them! Yes, I'm all talk. The weather was so stinky, though, that we really didn't relish the idea of standing in a crowd in the wind and chilly rain, watching a bunch of guys, miserable in their wet costumes, "shooting" at one another. There wouldn't have been any question if it had been a nice, sunny day. But since we had a nor'easter instead.... The rain also kept us away from the Boston Marathon. Instead, I rented a Zipcar for most of the day and did some major grocery/Target shopping, which was heavenly. (Don't laugh--whenever you have to carry heavy groceries half a mile home every time you need something, then you can have an opinion on whether having a car to grocery shop is heavenly or not.)
The British aren't coming!
The British aren't coming!
Run easy, Boston.
It just cracked me up. Nathan and I thought that one was much better than the ad on the T that shows someone throwing up, then says "Run Easy." What? Is that supposed to inspire me to get out there and run?
Actually, I recently found out that an old friend of mine from high school is training for a marathon. I got kind of inspired and went running on Saturday, and, well, it's not that I didn't get far; it's just that I didn't run far (I actually got lost in our neighborhood right when I was about to start wheezing and had to wander around until I found a major street back home, so I actually went a long way, just not very fast).
Speaking of the Marathon and other Patriots' Day activities, we didn't do any of them! Yes, I'm all talk. The weather was so stinky, though, that we really didn't relish the idea of standing in a crowd in the wind and chilly rain, watching a bunch of guys, miserable in their wet costumes, "shooting" at one another. There wouldn't have been any question if it had been a nice, sunny day. But since we had a nor'easter instead.... The rain also kept us away from the Boston Marathon. Instead, I rented a Zipcar for most of the day and did some major grocery/Target shopping, which was heavenly. (Don't laugh--whenever you have to carry heavy groceries half a mile home every time you need something, then you can have an opinion on whether having a car to grocery shop is heavenly or not.)
Sunday, April 15, 2007
It just won't die!
So this thing about ripping phone books in half just won't die!
My friend Julia said that she and her husband, Jeremy, were reading the blog today and got inspired to try ripping a phone book in half for themselves. To my great surprise (and Nathan's great chagrin), Julia did THIS:
That just made my day.
If anyone else has any phone-book-tearing stories or pictures, send them my way! I will reveal your greatness to the world (via the blog).
My friend Julia said that she and her husband, Jeremy, were reading the blog today and got inspired to try ripping a phone book in half for themselves. To my great surprise (and Nathan's great chagrin), Julia did THIS:
That just made my day.If anyone else has any phone-book-tearing stories or pictures, send them my way! I will reveal your greatness to the world (via the blog).
Friday, April 13, 2007
Please Don't Laugh at Me . . .
So my most excellent friend, Courtney, put up the most excellent blog post the other day, and I'm going to blatantly steal it.
So here's what we're going to do. We are going to get to know the REAL US. Post a comment that starts with, "Please don't laugh at me, but I . . ." Most likely, it'll be something that you really love to do (or have a quirky need to do) but haven't told your friends or family for fear of being made fun of. Will this be fun? Yes. Will it be slightly embarrassing? Yes. (The best ones are.) But if you're brave enough, you'll play along.
Here are some examples of awesome responses:
--"I came out of the NASCAR closet a few years ago. A bunch of us were sitting in a restaurant after high school camp, when the conversation among the guys turned to the race that was happening that afternoon. Someone asked if anyone knew about an incident in which several drivers got fined, suspended, etc. I blurted out what the NASCAR officials had decided, and I got this look--"Do you like NASCAR??" I had been a closet NASCAR fan for a while. No longer. This is the real me."
--"Please don't laugh at me, but when I go to the grocery store, I have to buy things in either 2's or 3's. For example, one week I may be 2 of everything...the next week I may be 3 of everything! About the only thing I don't buy in multiples is milk and prescription drugs!"
--"Please don't laugh at me, but after Jackson was born I went through a long phase of watching Days of Our Lives. My favorite characters from when I was in high school - Carrie and Austin - were back in the story after several years. The Lord made me stop watching, but I got to watch their final scene when they rode into the sunset and finally told off Sami once and for all. It was glorious."
--"Please don't laugh at me but.....I have...on occasion....ironed my dollar bills."
And for fairness' sake, here is mine:
Please don't laugh at me, but have you seen the movie "Stranger than Fiction" with Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson? Well, you know how he's a total accountant nerd whose nature it is to count his steps and measure every aspect of his life? Well, as a kid, I was like that. I counted steps, I counted seconds, I was methodical, I looked for patterns in raindrops on the car window, I got a secret kick out of discovering numerical coincidences, etc. I was always ticking things off in my head. That kind of went away in college, though, and has nearly completely disappeared at this point, although I do still unconsciously count the number of rings on the other end of the phone. (I also still eat around the edge of my hamburgers and cookies before eating the middle, but I think that has more to do with the fact that the middle is the best part, and you should always save the best for last.)
Get to posting! I'm waiting! Now you know the real me, and you OWE me a good one!
So here's what we're going to do. We are going to get to know the REAL US. Post a comment that starts with, "Please don't laugh at me, but I . . ." Most likely, it'll be something that you really love to do (or have a quirky need to do) but haven't told your friends or family for fear of being made fun of. Will this be fun? Yes. Will it be slightly embarrassing? Yes. (The best ones are.) But if you're brave enough, you'll play along.
Here are some examples of awesome responses:
--"I came out of the NASCAR closet a few years ago. A bunch of us were sitting in a restaurant after high school camp, when the conversation among the guys turned to the race that was happening that afternoon. Someone asked if anyone knew about an incident in which several drivers got fined, suspended, etc. I blurted out what the NASCAR officials had decided, and I got this look--"Do you like NASCAR??" I had been a closet NASCAR fan for a while. No longer. This is the real me."
--"Please don't laugh at me, but when I go to the grocery store, I have to buy things in either 2's or 3's. For example, one week I may be 2 of everything...the next week I may be 3 of everything! About the only thing I don't buy in multiples is milk and prescription drugs!"
--"Please don't laugh at me, but after Jackson was born I went through a long phase of watching Days of Our Lives. My favorite characters from when I was in high school - Carrie and Austin - were back in the story after several years. The Lord made me stop watching, but I got to watch their final scene when they rode into the sunset and finally told off Sami once and for all. It was glorious."
--"Please don't laugh at me but.....I have...on occasion....ironed my dollar bills."
And for fairness' sake, here is mine:
Please don't laugh at me, but have you seen the movie "Stranger than Fiction" with Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson? Well, you know how he's a total accountant nerd whose nature it is to count his steps and measure every aspect of his life? Well, as a kid, I was like that. I counted steps, I counted seconds, I was methodical, I looked for patterns in raindrops on the car window, I got a secret kick out of discovering numerical coincidences, etc. I was always ticking things off in my head. That kind of went away in college, though, and has nearly completely disappeared at this point, although I do still unconsciously count the number of rings on the other end of the phone. (I also still eat around the edge of my hamburgers and cookies before eating the middle, but I think that has more to do with the fact that the middle is the best part, and you should always save the best for last.)
Get to posting! I'm waiting! Now you know the real me, and you OWE me a good one!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Benz!
I am so pumped! I just found out that Mercedes has redesigned their C-class, and I LOVE the new sport version. Check it out:
http://www.mbusa.com/microsite/c-class/index.do
(For those of you who are confused about why I am checking out Mercedes, I'll explain. When you reach a certain point in Arbonne, they give you a free white Mercedes. Not too shabby!)
http://www.mbusa.com/microsite/c-class/index.do
(For those of you who are confused about why I am checking out Mercedes, I'll explain. When you reach a certain point in Arbonne, they give you a free white Mercedes. Not too shabby!)
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Prep for Patriots' Day
So I bet many of you have never heard of Patriots' Day. Well, neither had I, before my first April in Massachusetts.
It's basically a huge Massachusetts holiday, commemorating the battle of Lexington/Concord, which started the Revolutionary War. Most people in MA have the day off from work, but that's not one of Harvard's holidays, so Nathan and I have never done anything for Patriots' Day before. However, it is a pretty big deal up here. Sort of like the Rodeo in Houston. It's a big cultural event, in part because it's also the day the Boston Marathon is held, which is also a huge deal. I have the day off this year, and I'm so pumped! We're trying to decide how to spend it.
The Boston Marathon is truly an event. Since so many people have the day off, it's very well attended--there are huge crowds the whole way along it, from what I understand, especially near the finish line, which I think is in Copley Square (in the Back Bay). Also, not just anyone can run in the Boston Marathon. You actually have to qualify for it. You have to have run in other marathons, I think, and send in your times. My friend, Brittany, ran it with her twin sister a few years ago. And to win it is a huge deal. It's usually some African runner. :) Our friends the Preskenises used to have a Marathon Monday brunch at their house every year, but unfortunately they've moved to Texas. I bet they miss that tradition!
So Nathan and I have been trying to decide what we're going to do for the holiday, and we think we've decided to go to Lexington bright and early to see the reenactment! Ha! I'm actually really looking forward to it. We're going to borrow some friends' bikes and ride up the Minuteman Trail (a 7-8 mi. bike route that leads from near our house all the way to Lexington), then arrive (hopefully) in time for the reenactment, which begins at 6am. That is WAY early for us, but it sounds like a lot of fun! That is exactly the New Englandy type of thing we have not done yet but would like to. I mean, when is the next time we're going to attend a battle reenactment? Especially a 232 year old one?
I ran across this website the other day when I googled the reenactment and thought it was kind of fun: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/patriotsday/sfeature/sf_meet.html
Don't worry. I'm sure we'll take lots of pictures of these Revolutionary War fanatics if we go. :)
Actually, I wonder about the lives of these people after looking at that last website. I mean, it's a real committment to do such a thing. To be fitted for costumes, acquire all the right accessories, grow out your mustache, learn how to shoot a musket, rehearse where you're supposed to stand (and die) on the battlefield, practice acting dead, etc. ;) It must be quite a hobby. I think it'd be fun if you were really into history.
P.S. I'm having trouble getting the link to info on the reenactment to work. If you can't load the page, go to http://ci.lexington.ma.us/Selectmen/Documents/2007%20Patriots and click on "2007 Patriots' Day Schedule."
It's basically a huge Massachusetts holiday, commemorating the battle of Lexington/Concord, which started the Revolutionary War. Most people in MA have the day off from work, but that's not one of Harvard's holidays, so Nathan and I have never done anything for Patriots' Day before. However, it is a pretty big deal up here. Sort of like the Rodeo in Houston. It's a big cultural event, in part because it's also the day the Boston Marathon is held, which is also a huge deal. I have the day off this year, and I'm so pumped! We're trying to decide how to spend it.
The Boston Marathon is truly an event. Since so many people have the day off, it's very well attended--there are huge crowds the whole way along it, from what I understand, especially near the finish line, which I think is in Copley Square (in the Back Bay). Also, not just anyone can run in the Boston Marathon. You actually have to qualify for it. You have to have run in other marathons, I think, and send in your times. My friend, Brittany, ran it with her twin sister a few years ago. And to win it is a huge deal. It's usually some African runner. :) Our friends the Preskenises used to have a Marathon Monday brunch at their house every year, but unfortunately they've moved to Texas. I bet they miss that tradition!
So Nathan and I have been trying to decide what we're going to do for the holiday, and we think we've decided to go to Lexington bright and early to see the reenactment! Ha! I'm actually really looking forward to it. We're going to borrow some friends' bikes and ride up the Minuteman Trail (a 7-8 mi. bike route that leads from near our house all the way to Lexington), then arrive (hopefully) in time for the reenactment, which begins at 6am. That is WAY early for us, but it sounds like a lot of fun! That is exactly the New Englandy type of thing we have not done yet but would like to. I mean, when is the next time we're going to attend a battle reenactment? Especially a 232 year old one?
I ran across this website the other day when I googled the reenactment and thought it was kind of fun: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/patriotsday/sfeature/sf_meet.html
Don't worry. I'm sure we'll take lots of pictures of these Revolutionary War fanatics if we go. :)
Actually, I wonder about the lives of these people after looking at that last website. I mean, it's a real committment to do such a thing. To be fitted for costumes, acquire all the right accessories, grow out your mustache, learn how to shoot a musket, rehearse where you're supposed to stand (and die) on the battlefield, practice acting dead, etc. ;) It must be quite a hobby. I think it'd be fun if you were really into history.
P.S. I'm having trouble getting the link to info on the reenactment to work. If you can't load the page, go to http://ci.lexington.ma.us/Selectmen/Documents/2007%20Patriots and click on "2007 Patriots' Day Schedule."
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Brown/Spring/Easter
I was sick of the brown! So I updated the blog's template. Enjoy the color. It goes with spring, I think.
Speaking of spring, when is it coming??? We've had a few 60-degree days, but I could count them on one hand. This whole week it's not getting out of the 40's, and it's cloudy and drizzly. Stink!!
I think Easter Sunday will be sunnier, though. How appropriate!
Speaking of Easter, when I was a little girl, my mom always bought me an Easter dress to wear on Easter Sunday. Every Easter, I feel like I need to be wearing a new flowy, pastel, feminine dress, or else something is not right.
I'm interested in knowing which traditions you have like that - the ones you thought were insignificant but that you miss if they don't happen. Add a comment if you have one.
Speaking of spring, when is it coming??? We've had a few 60-degree days, but I could count them on one hand. This whole week it's not getting out of the 40's, and it's cloudy and drizzly. Stink!!
I think Easter Sunday will be sunnier, though. How appropriate!
Speaking of Easter, when I was a little girl, my mom always bought me an Easter dress to wear on Easter Sunday. Every Easter, I feel like I need to be wearing a new flowy, pastel, feminine dress, or else something is not right.
I'm interested in knowing which traditions you have like that - the ones you thought were insignificant but that you miss if they don't happen. Add a comment if you have one.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
April Arbonne Specials
Miranda Burcham, an amazing mentor in my upline, reached the highest level in Arbonne recently. Check out her success story online: http://www.arbonne.com/company/opportunity/people/eoa.asp?vp=burcham_mnvp
Can you guess what the average monthly income is for a National Vice President? Try $31k! Is that nuts or what? The average amount of time it takes to reach that level is 4 years (avg taken across the company).
20% Off Figure 8 Vanish SetLose your dimples, and still have plenty to smile about!
Visibly smooth the appearance of cellulite with this advanced formula that visually tones and tightens the skin, and watch as your fitness goals take “shape.” Get the Figure 8 Vanish™ Vanishing Act Set (Pre-Shower Cellulite Scrub & Contouring Cellulite Cream), regularly $85, for only $68 all month in April.
https://www.arbonne.com/shop_online/showCatalog.asp?category=23
Awaken Sea Salt Scrub for $10.50 This is my clients' favorite aromatherapy product! If you've tried it, you know why! It smells lovely, like lemon and roses. I personally use it on my arms and legs in the shower almost every day, and not only does it smell wonderful, but it also exfoliates beautifully and moisturizes so well I don't need lotion. This product truly makes your skin glow.
This deeply-purifying formula exfoliates dead skin while exposing, bright, younger-looking skin. Purchase the Awaken Sea Salt Scrub, regularly $26, for only $10.50 in April with every $75 SRP purchase.
Item #7089P.
https://www.arbonne.com/shop_online/pwpSpecials.asp
New things coming in a few weeks!
Check out http://www.arbonne.com/ on April 25 for our brand new look! I will be in Las Vegas that week for Arbonne's National Training Conference, where they will unveil new products and a new look. You can also look for a new catalog in the mail in May.
Free Umbrella!Want a super cute umbrella? With a purchase of $500 SRP between now and April 15 (that's $325 after your 35% discount), Arbonne will send you this very cute umbrella.
--
Lauren Benesh
Independent Consultant
Executive Area Manager
Arbonne International
(617) 388-6419
laurenbenesh.myarbonne.com
http://www.arbonne.com/
Cat News
Well, so our cats have started doing some amusing--and some not-so-amusing--things.
First, Livvy figured out that drinking out of the bathroom faucet is a lot of fun and much more preferable than drinking out of the water bowl. So now every time we walk into the bathroom, Livvy comes scurrying in behind us and promptly jumps up onto the sink and sweetly waits for the faucet to turn on. It's really cute, except that she does it ALL the time now.
Secondly, our cats have started getting into a spot I'm not too thrilled about. It all started when we started seeing some odd little pieces of foam here and there with no clue as to where they came from. We also noticed that the cats must have a new hiding spot under the bed, because when we looked for them in the old places, we didn't see them. And I also wondered why when they were under there I could feel them "playing" or doing something--the bed would vibrate ever so slightly. Well, it turns out that they scratched their way through the bottom of the box spring mattress and have found a way in!!! Yes, our cats like to hang out INSIDE OUR MATTRESS. How weird is that?? Nathan doesn't think it's any big deal, because he says there's nothing inside a box spring except springs and wood slats, but I just have a problem with our cats crawling around inside the mattress. Is anybody else on my side?
First, Livvy figured out that drinking out of the bathroom faucet is a lot of fun and much more preferable than drinking out of the water bowl. So now every time we walk into the bathroom, Livvy comes scurrying in behind us and promptly jumps up onto the sink and sweetly waits for the faucet to turn on. It's really cute, except that she does it ALL the time now.
Secondly, our cats have started getting into a spot I'm not too thrilled about. It all started when we started seeing some odd little pieces of foam here and there with no clue as to where they came from. We also noticed that the cats must have a new hiding spot under the bed, because when we looked for them in the old places, we didn't see them. And I also wondered why when they were under there I could feel them "playing" or doing something--the bed would vibrate ever so slightly. Well, it turns out that they scratched their way through the bottom of the box spring mattress and have found a way in!!! Yes, our cats like to hang out INSIDE OUR MATTRESS. How weird is that?? Nathan doesn't think it's any big deal, because he says there's nothing inside a box spring except springs and wood slats, but I just have a problem with our cats crawling around inside the mattress. Is anybody else on my side?
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