www.tutuboutique.com

Phew!

2007-03-06T10:06:00.000-05:00

Things seem to be back to normal at The Tutu Boutique. Thank goodness and thanks to the people at Prosper for getting it back on line. While I have your attention head over and buy your princess a tutu.

S.O.S

2007-03-05T22:05:00.000-05:00

There are problems at the web hosting company!

We are aware as is the hosting company the site is down. We can not access the business end of the site either.

The company assures me that they are doing everything they can to get the site back up and running smoothly as soon as possible.

I was not the first person to call them, it seems that something bad has happened to their entire deal.

I hope things will be back to normal tomorrow. Wish them luck. This is the first time this has happened and I feel a bit helpless.

What A Great Deal!! :) Arbonne

2006-07-07T20:10:00.000-05:00

Go to www.heidiwonson.myarbonne.com to:

Receive a FREE Product when you sign up as an Arbonne Wholesaler and receive a minimum of 35% off all Arbonne products!!!!

35% DISCOUNT on Arbonne & FREE Product :)

Sign on as a wholesaler and you will be able to purchase Arbonne products at a 35% discount. When you purchase a $100.00 worth of product for $65.00 using your wholesalers discount you will have your choice af any one of Arbonne's top quality products for free. For a $29.00 sign up fee you will receive up to $100.00 in savings on your first order.

Just Click to the right where it says:
(Start Now, Become and Arbonne Independent Consultant today)

You don't have to "sell Arbonne" to save on your favorite Arbonne products. You can order as little or as much as you like, whenever you decide. It's a perfect way to redirect the money you're already spending at department stores, grocery stores and drug stores on products you consume every day.

Why not use pure, safe, beneficial products and get them at an incredible savings of 35-80 percent discount? No strings attached! Whether you want to purchase your favorite products at great savings, or you decide to do the business, by opening an Arbonne account as an Independent Consultant for only $29, it's a win-win situation for you.

Watch Your Shopping Cart!

When you are shopping, make sure to to keep an eye on the bottom of your shopping cart. You will find many specials, such as, Bonus Products, Purchase with Purchase, and much, much more!

My New Venture - Arbonne

2006-06-18T21:04:00.000-05:00

I would like to get the word out that I am now an Arbonne consultant. I am very excited about this. If any of you have heard or use the Arbonne products you know the quality is phenomenal. I am working in the business building end. Yes, this is multi-level marketing. There is no risk in my new business venture. The products sell themselves and the worse case scenario is I will lose $29 for the sign up fee and am stuck with phenomenal products. There is only a lot to gain!! A lot of money that is. You just can't be scared. So many people say "no way" to multi-level marketing because they don't believe they can sell themselves. These products do all the selling. If anyone is interested in the potential to make a lot of money, or simply wants to buy these amazing products at wholesale, and be affiliated with a great all natural company please email or call me as soon as possible to find out how.

VISIT my Personal Arbonne site at:

www.heidiwonson.myarbonne.com

I have to tell everyone this story:

Yesterday I was at a Country Club Pool and got sunscreen in my baby's eyes. He was freaking out! I started ranting to another mother there about disliking sunscreen out of pure frustration. She then tells me I need to try this great sunscreen from Arbonne. It is the ONLY sunscreen that does not make her daughter break out. She went on to tell me that their anti-aging products are out of this world. She and her friends swear by them and call them Miracle Gold. She says she was never a "products" lady until being introduced to Arbonne. I couldn't believe it. I finally told her, after about 5 minutes of her talking, that I signed up as a consultant yesterday! She went onto to tell me that her girlfriend started as a Consultant about 5 months ago and is already putting in for the WHITE MERCEDES. I am totally serious! She told me she would be happy to start buying her products from me and I gave her my Arbonne website address. One day into this business and it is already selling itself. I have already made my $29 sign-up fee back. There is really nothing to lose. She is considering becoming a consultant but right now she is simply happy buying the products at wholesale through me.

By the way, mine and my husbands first venture, www.tutuboutique.com, is doing great. Thank Goodness we took that huge risk. Thank you for your support.

My Family is Complete

2006-05-02T17:28:00.000-05:00

I finally got the picture of my children on all 3 swings at our park around the corner. When I was pregnant with my third I would push Merry and David on 2 of the three swings and think, soon, soon, I will be able to completely hog all the swings!! What a picture it will be!

I feel so proud when people ask, "are they all yours??"
Which happens very often by the way. This is one thing that did surprise me after having my third. I often get that question, and the funny looks, and the heckling from men in eighteen wheelers. I feel like people think 2 is hard, and 3 is starting to get crazy, and 4 you are crazy! I have actually had 2 truck drivers yell out their windows as I am walking down the street, "Hey, why don ya have a notha!" I know I must look kind of funny, with one in the baby bjorn and pushing the other two, but to get heckled?

It is hard, but they are all so great. I can say this right now because my husband has all of them quiet in the other room. Honestly, it is the hardest job that makes me a little happier and consume more and more wine everyday.
Just look at these tub shots, their beautiful, their perfect, and I am so lucky!:

Transition from Nap to no Nap

2006-05-01T17:20:00.000-05:00

Here is David down for the count at 5:15 PM. He will be 3 years old in October. I have decided to bite the bullet and call the struggle to put David down for a nap quits! Ugh!! This makes the days VERY long, but less stressful. I no longer have to worry about the struggle until I confront it, and then spend an hour or two in the trenches to end with only frustration of defeat! But what to do on the days when he really needs one, but you have given up on the fight. Today, obviously, I probably would have won. But, isn't consistency key?? To fight or not to fight? I chose to give up the fight. Sooo, what do I do when he conks out at 5:15 at night, dirty, half dressed, not fed??? Never had to deal with this with my, perfect until the age of 3, daughter.

Well at least Thomas thinks it's funny!! Poor David gets no respect!!

P.S. Mom and Sis, what do you think of my new rug? A bargain at an antique store :)

Cocktail Party 101

2006-04-30T20:01:00.000-05:00

Well, it's all about the people!! Peter and I hosted a cocktail party last night and it was a success because of the wonderful people present. The guests of honor were a couple that Peter and I met in birthing class when I was pregnant with Merry over four years ago. They are embarking on a new venture and moving to Seattle. Bill was offered a job he could not refuse. Sarah is one of those people that everyone feels very fortunate to have met. She makes everyone feel very comfortable, she is very down to earth and accepting of all personalities. This family will be missed by many. As for the cocktails at the cocktail party, I had my share! I had a lot of fun and sure hope my guests did as well. Here is a list I found on the web that I used as a guide to plan for the party, underneath is my version, (a single mother of three, or at least until my husband is finished painting the house).

SUGGESTED
Two Weeks Before
* Buy your beer, wine, alcohol and mixers (preferably a quality mix like Schweppes)
One Week Before
* Buy all the main grocery items you’ll need except for fresh produce
* Clean the main part of the house
Two Days Before
* Any meat, poultry or pies can be prepared and cooked today and refrigerated. Do not add any sauces, gravies, or citrus to your foods until you serve them.
* Crudités and dips can be prepared today and stored in the fridge.
* Put your basket with the parting gifts, by the door
* Create a coat check. Use a guest bedroom or rent a coat rack. Clear an area away from the front door for winter boots.
One Day Before
* Pick up the ice (about 1/2 lb per person)
* Have all the rental items delivered and set up your holiday table with linens, cutlery, plates etc; if needed, arrange your furniture in the main party area.
* Have the florist deliver fresh flowers today, or buy fresh flowers in the evening and arrange them in vases in key spots throughout your home.
* If you’ve hired a barman, put everything he’s going to need in one spot and he’ll set it up the way he wants to.
* If you’re setting up a self-serve bar, put your alcohol, 2 bottles of wine, corkscrew, citrus, and a handful of highball and wine glasses, on your table. Make sure the mix and the rest of the glasses are easily visible, and accessible. Put your beer in the fridge.
* Salads or vegetables can be prepared, or cooked today and stored in large baggies. (Baggies take up less room in a fridge, than plastic containers). Do not add salad dressing to fresh produce until serving time. Other salads like bean, macaroni, rice, and potato can be ‘dressed’ the day before.
* Any seafood dishes can and should be prepared the night before. You don’t want your home smelling like ‘shrimps’ when your guests walk in. Again, store your seafood in baggies, until serving time. If you're serving whole fish, wrap carefully in foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge.

MY VERSION
Week of:
Realize you will not have time to make food, freak out, call and order all food to be picked up day of party.

Day Before:
Buy alcohol and set up bar & hordeuvres station
Clean House

Day Of:
7:30 Wake Up.
Nurse the baby
Feed kids breakfast
Clean from Breakfast
Get kids dressed

9:30 Nurse baby again and put down for nap
Put kids in front of TV so I can
Shower, do my hair & makeup (have to get in done early)
Get Dressed & wait for baby to wake from nap

11:00 Nurse baby
Pack a lunch and bring kids to park (run them hard so they will be a sleep by the time the guests arrive)

2:30 Nurse baby and put down for nap
Make Grampy take the 4 year old for a few hours
Mom and 2.5 year old go get ice, flowers, cheese & crackers

5:00 Make husband stop painting & take a shower
Arrange Flowers

5:30 Have husband pick up hordeuvres
Wake up baby & Nurse him

6:00 Feed baby and 2.5 year old
Clean from dinner and make sure house is perfect

6:30 Put kids pajamas on

6:45 Clean upstairs bathroom & get dressed

7:00 Have husband put 2.5 year old to bed
Nurse baby

7:15 Four year old shows up with pajamas on but not fed
Heat food

7:30 Put food out
Guests Arrive!!
Put Chicken fingers in oven for 4 year old

7:45 Have husband put baby to bed & set up a kids movie for the four year old upstairs in our bed

Suck down a glass of wine & Enjoy Great Company

My Reunion

2006-04-21T21:54:00.000-05:00

Wow, I did not know I missed David as much as I did! When I saw him at the airport I was overcome with emotion. Peter was holding David and my mother was walking along side of them , and I swear the only face I saw was Davids'. I could not hold him fast enough or tight enough. I was then very happy to see my handsome husband and loving mother. I was even more happy to have my whole family together again, and be able to know we were all just beginning to enjoy a week of fun in the sun together. It was so cute, after about 10 minutes of Davey in my arms, he finally looks down at Meredith (his big sister) and says, "Merry!," and then notices Thomas (his little brother). To say the least, it was a great way to start our family vacation. We had a wonderful time. The weather was perfect everyday and we got to play and rest. I can not wait to go back.

2006-03-29T11:34:00.000-05:00

I am in Atlanta visiting my sister this week. I am here with my oldest child (Meredith - 4 years) and my youngest child (Thomas - 9 months). I left my middle child (David - 2.5 years) home with Peter. I have really been enjoying spending time with my sister and my 2 beautiful nieces (Ayden and Addisson). Addisson is doing much better and has been having a lot of fun playing with Thomas. She still has the visiting nurse come everyday to change her bandages and will continue to until the burns are completely healed. Meredith and Ayden have been having a GREAT time and playing non-stop. Meredith went to bed last night saying she wishes Ayden was her neighbor and her cousin. We leave tomorrow for Florida for a family vacation. Peter and David will be meeting up with us at the airport. I have had dreams of seeing Davey for the last 2 nights. I do miss that little guy! He has been having a great time with his cousins and Auntie and, his Daddy has been loving spending one on one time with him. This is the very first time that I have ever been without one of my children even for one night. I will write more later of our meeting at the airport. So long for now.

Four Year Old Logic

2006-03-16T18:35:00.000-05:00

I was rushing to get my oldest off to pre-school today, as every Tuesday and Thursday. I got all 3 in the car. Merry, my oldest, now has a booster seat which makes it very easy for her to escape. Well, like every morning after finally getting them all dressed, fed, etc, and into the car, I had to go back into the house for things. Like my ATM, lunch for pre-school, milk for the kids, etc. It was a 40 degreee day and so I had the car running. As I was in the house getting the last minute things I noticed Meredith approaching the front seat!!! I stopped everything and started running!!

"MEREDITH DREW!!"

I made it very clear she was not to ever get in the drivers side of a car or out of her booster seat.

I asked her, "Why, Meredith, did you do that? What were you planning to do?"

She responds, "WELL Mommy, that is what happens when you leave a kid in a car all alone!"

I told her that it was her decision and asked her why she made it.

She responded, "Nope, wasn't me"

I asked, "then who was it?"

She said, "My brain," "You know Mommy, my brain tells me bad things sometimes, that's just what happens to kids."

I just said, "OK, Thanks, I will keep that in mind."

Second Update

2006-02-26T17:50:00.000-05:00

I have been asked by many close friends, family, acquaintances, and even people I don't know that have heard my sisters story, for continuous updates. So here it is, my niece Addy and brother-in-law Mark are home from the hospital and are still healing. The doctors can't believe how well Mark is doing He has been drinking a ton of Aloe juice, and wearing healing magnets on his burns which seems to be helping. Addy has a visiting nurse come to the house every day to bath her and take all the bad skin off of her. It is called debreeding. This is definitely the worst part of the day for anyone participating in or even witnessing. My sister and Mark have to help pin her down so that the nurse can scrape the skin off of her. She is given some codeine before this ordeal but it does not seem to help. Nobody can tell how much longer this will need to be done. She is looking better everyday but also seems to be bleeding more. They say this is o.k.

She is only 8 months old!! This could be considered a good thing. She will not remember this, or will she? The memory won't be there, but will there be some deep seeded pain left in her sub-conscious?? She is not sleeping at night like she used to. She was a perfectly perfect baby before all this. Now, my sister is up all night with her, standing by her crib with her hand on her tummy singing songs to her. If she stops, Addy starts screaming again. The doctor, when asked if the non-sleeping could be from the codeine, just looked at Mark and said, "how well have you been sleeping?" His response was "not well." Addy does not know why this has happened to her and does not understand why (does anyone?). She wakes to feel comforted by her Mommy and to make sure she is o.k. It will take awhile for her to feel safe and secure again. She will be o.k. and life will go on. It's amazing!! I have never felt so much emotion in my entire life and I am just her Aunt, and life goes on. We can be considered LUCKY, yipee!! But why did this have to happen in the first place??? My sister does not need to learn any lessons. She is a wonderful mother. She is appreciateive, compassionate, etc. It could have been a lot worse, they could have died, they could have been burned even worse, but why, why, why?? We may never know. I assume this is a stage in the healing process, asking the why's. Hopefully, once we get past it we can start looking forward with happiness. However, I think a feeling of grief will somehow always linger within. Will this in some way change little Addy's personality? I know it will change my sister, and her family, hopefully make us all stronger, more greatful and unfortunately MORE cautious.

Thanks to all for your prayers, concern, and compassion.

2006-02-26T13:35:00.000-05:00

www.tutuboutique.com

Can you relate?

2006-02-23T11:28:00.000-05:00

My husband has asked me to blog about something that will get all the mothers out there something to vent about. OK, I think this is easily done. How about we discuss the "mothers do everything better so why do we fathers need to even try" mentalility. My girlfriend called me the oher day. She needed to vent. She had been dealing with a sick and very miserable little girl all day. She got little Olivia into her nighttime bath and needed to run to the drug store for some medicine. She simply needed her hubby, father of her child, to watch Olivia for all of about 15 minutes. His reponse, "wait, can you just help me get her out of the tub and dressed before you run off." My response to this story, "WHAT!!" Meanwhile my husband is listening in on my phone call and yells in, "Give him a break, he probably doesn't know where the pajamas are." Are you Kidding me!! Olivia is almost 2. She has one bureau. Who doesn't put the pajamas in the top drawer? Peter does the same thing to me:

God forbid, if I am going out for all of about 2 hours with my girlfriends for dinner. I will have to get all the kids fed, dressed, and ready for bed. Why is this? Why can't they take charge? This kind of response would be nice, "honey, just go I can take care of our children, have a nice well deserved time to breath." Nope, instead I need to make everything as easy as possible for him, so he can relax and watch TV. When he goes out, there is not one thought of helping with the kids. He simply gives me a kiss, a big huge grin, and says bye, I love you, as he is skipping out the door.

Update

2006-02-19T16:19:00.000-05:00

It is one week after the accident. My niece and brother-in-law are still in the hospital. Mark may be realeased as soon as tomorrow. Addy has about another week. I am feeling better about their recovery. They have improved a lot and continue to. I am very proud of my sister and Mark. They are being so strong. Right now, the hardest thing for Jen and Mark to bear is witnessing and participating in the debreeding of Addy's skin. They need to scrape all the dead skin off so she does not get infected. As you can imagine, this is excrutiatingly painful for her. Mark knows, he has to go through it everyday as well. His hands are the worst. They have lived a nightmare and continue to. However, there is also so much to be thankful for. They can actually be considered lucky. They are living and will eventually be fine. We are all hoping for minimal scarring on Addy. She is such a beautiful, happy, and strong little baby girl! Thank you Mark for saving her.

More thoughts: The distance is killing me. I booked a ticket and Jen told me to cancel it. She says she does not need me right now. I am also still nursing my baby that does not take a bottle and is not allowed in the hospital. Jennifer and Mark are lucky to have Mark's family and my mother there to help. But, I am her sister, her only sibling, I want to help. Can't wait to give her a hug!

Life Changing Seconds

2006-02-13T20:17:00.000-05:00

I got a horrific call this morning!! My older sister, my only sibling, my best friend, told me that she was in the hospital with her husband and baby. She has two beautiful daughters. Ayden is almost 4 (5 weeks younger than my daughter) and Addison is 8 months (5 weeks older than my second son). Her husband, Mark, and Addisson were engulfed in flames during a family dinner at my sister's in-laws. Mark used his body to put the flames on his daughter out. They both have bad second degree burns all over there faces, hands, and arms. I feel sick, empty, useless, scared, worried, SAD! My sister and her family mean the world to me. This will hopefully be the worst event to ever take place in any of their lives. They will live, they will be ok. It will take days, months, then get easier, then take years, and it only took seconds to happen. Please pray, enjoy every second, and take nothing for granted!

Dinner

2006-02-08T14:57:00.000-05:00

Oh boy!! My husband and I have agreed on this topic to blog about. We will seperately share our views and then see how they match up. Well, I am a stay at home mother of 3 so I guess it is more my responsibilty than my husband's. But I really dislike having to deal with it. Many days I am so busy working on www.tutuboutique.com, changing diapers, doing the dishes, laundry, picking up the house, Pre-school arts and crafts, nursing, paying the bills, breaking up fights, soothing a crying baby, feeding, & clothing and the lists goes on, that I don't have time or energy or desire to even think about the dreaded task of dinner. All day I am a slave to 3 of the most important people in my life, but by the end of the day I am ready for some kind of payback.

I know that sounds harsh. Considering my husband would be the only one that could actually help grant me some servitude. I mean he has been working all day too, right. Oh, give me a break! I mean he did get to drive to and from work alone in his car listening to his new Sirius radio that he loves, and I am sure he gets take out or even gets to go out for an occassional lunch date. He even has time to blog every day. It has taken me all day to write this one and I have been interrrupted already three times. David has not stopped reminding me that he needs help finding his new bouncy ball and Merry has announced from the bathroom that she is almost ready for a wipe. (Please forgive me if this is full of grammatical errors, spelling, punctuation, and everything else.)

So, at night I am so spent that I am happy with whatever is easy and fast. Kraft Mac & Cheese is my favorite. As long as the kids are fed a fruit and veggie and some sort of protein throughout the day, why can't Peter be ok with whatever we can muster up. I think he expects more. I say I cook a good meal about 2 times a week and another 2 days we go over friends and family's house. That leaves 3 days that I don't have a clue what we will be eating. I want Peter to accept this and hope he does. Right now, I am very close to a nervous breakdown. Merry won't stop whining over and over again, that she wants her Grampy, while David tries to crawl on me as I type. I only have 5 minutes before I need to get the kids in the car to get to an appointment to refinance. So, those are my quick thoughts on supper. Now to see what Peter wrote. Hopefully I won't have to @#@$^%*^% him.

Boys in Tutus

2006-02-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

So, my 2 year old son David loves dresses in tutus, tiaras, and fancy girly shoes. Am I worried? Absolutely not!!! He is a boy through and through that is for sure. He has an older sister and loves to emulate her. It is interesting to me when I come across someone that thinks it is appauling to allow such behavior to occur. I mean, I truly believe that you are born with your own sexual identity and letting your boy dress in a tutu is not going change him into a homosexual. I actually think it may help nurture his feminie side, which all women love to see in a man. Let me just say that "tutus are not just for little girls anymore!!"

www.tutuboutique.com

2006-02-01T11:09:00.000-05:00

Hello,
My name is Heidi Wonson. I am a mother of three children under the age of 4 and co-owner of www.tutuboutique.com. Needless to say, I have my hands full. I intend to use this blog as a venue to express my feelings, concerns, thoughts, etc. about being a mother.My husband has his own blog as well. We are going to choose a topic to discuss weekly and would love to keep it going with help from all of you who reach us. The interesting part is once my husband and I agree on a topic to discuss that is all we have to agree on. We will then seperately share our views. All of you will be able to see how both sides of the fence see the same issue. Who needs therapy when we can just blog it!