I.am.exhausted

So I know I haven't blogged in like, forever. But I have a good reason, I promise.

Remember how I decided to sell jewelry so I "had something to do..."? Well, I got my wish. Since I became a "jeweler" (fancy, schmancy, huh?) I have done nothing but deal w/ jewelry. I had my training show last Tuesday & it was a great success. Between then & now there's been something going on every single day.

I will not bore you w/ all the gruesome details, but the last week has been crazy! Whether it's going to buy something that I need for my shows, tagging the jewelry that came in my starter kit (which took about 2 hours...I got a ton of stuff!), working on invitations for the 2 home shows I have next Friday & Saturday, downloading Premier's software to place my orders, placing my training show order, setting up an account to accept credit cards, setting up a bank account...you get the drift. I haven't been to bed before 11:30 (& ya'll know Miss Cranky Pants needs her rest...)

And since I know ya'll care SO much, I will try to document better the madness that is Premier Jewelry for me. Tomorrow I will be tagging all the new pieces I got from my home show & figuring out where to put everything in my case. I have also been working on a cheat sheet, er, I mean index cards to keep my mind on track when I'm nervous as all get out at the shows. I have to finish those up tomorrow as well. My goal is to have everything ready to go for my 1st show Tuesday (thanks, Alicia!) because Sunday is Track Day & we won't be home.

I'm really excited about it all, but kinda nervous too. While for the most part, I'm a pretty confident chick, I am worried that no one will wanna book a show w/ me & then what am I gonna do?! The "leadership" people have given us a challenge that if we have 9 shows in 45 days, we get to go on a "girls day out" w/ them. Complete w/ lunch & mani's & pedi's & I really wanna go! So, no pressure anyone... :) I have until Sep. 3rd to have 5 more shows because I booked 4 from my training show (which is like hella awesome! I have THE.best.friends.period!) (I will also interject that if ya don't wanna have a "home show", there is something that we in the biz like to call "you & 2". You take books around & get orders & then I meet w/ you & a couple of friends & we show a bit of jewelry & visit & have fun & you get the hostess benefits.) OK-enough of the plugs...

So the moral of the story is, I'm really tired. But I know when I get through all this preliminary stuff, it will be much easier. I just gotta find my "niche".

Motorcycle gang thingie

The motorcycle gang had a "suspension clinic" at S & S in Clarksville last night. There's a dude in the gang who is from England & he used to race there too. He is like the motorcycle whisperer. He knows everything about motorcycles so he told all the gang members he would do a clinic to adjust their suspensions. Now, I dunno what all is involved in adjusting these suspensions. I just know that he pushes down on their bikes & then they take measurements. He makes adjustments & then pushes down on their bikes again, like a gazillion times. He has..."the gift".

And I am tellin' ya, I think we have rain magnets on us. Because they sky turned a very ugly shade of black. And then it rained. For 3 hours straight. And Brad had ridden his bike in there. Oopsie!
Huddled under the canopy to stay dry!

Perkins fam picnic

My cousin, Amber, organized a family picnic today at Hayswood Park in Corydon. Our cousin, Tracie, wanted to take a picture w/ Jeremy. Then she gave him bunny ears. I love the look on her face!
Brad & I

Me, mom & Jeremy

The little girl on the left is my cousins daughter. Jeremy was talking to her. And talked & talked to her. Like she was an adult. And she just sat there. And looked at him & never spoke a word.

The weather was nice at first. Then the wind started blowing & it rained.

After the rain moved out, Jeremy & Brad played cornhole...

against Hannah & our cousin, Jimmy.

Mom & her 2 sisters.

It was good to see everyone. There was a lot of family I hadn't seen in a long time!

Road trip

Last night Brad & I had to go to Cincinnati to pick up some parts for his motorcycle. We had to go up through Scottsburg to pick up tickets to the MotoGP race Brad's going to at the end of August. Since we had to go that way, we traveled to Cincinnati "the back way", going through Hanover & Madison, IN & Carrollton, KY. I was bored & I knew I hadn't blogged in a while, so I tried to find fascinating things to share w/ you. Unfortunately I missed a lot of cool stuff because I didn't realize it was there until we were buzzing past it. And there was no way Brad was gonna slow down or go back for me just to take pictures.

In Hanover, we went past a HUGE power plant. You don't realize how tall those stacks are until you are under them!

Madison was a really cute town. There were little shops for blocks & blocks. I thought this trolley was neat.
There were lots of people walking through the streets. It was kinda like 4th Street, but w/out the clubs. I didn't get any pictures of it because I didn't want to miss the courthouse that caught on fire a couple of months ago. You can see the dome on top is gone, & the top of the buildling is black from the fire.

This is where they hold the Madison Regatta. You know, that hella fast boat race?! (See the power plant in the background?!)

This is the little, teeny, tiny bridge we crossed from Madison into Kentucky. It was quite narrow & made me nervous.

In Kentucky, I saw this shiny looking thing. I couldn't figure out what it was. It was a tree made out of some sort of metal pieces. It was actually pretty cool.

We also went by the Kentucky Motor Speedway.

I worked on the invitations for my second jewelry party.

The dude we went to get the parts from lived on 8 Mile in Cincinnati. 8 Mile? Anyone? Eminem? Anyone?!

It's official

I have decided to be a Premier Designs Jeweler. It's been kind of a whirlwind, but for right now I think it's a good decision. I went to the training thingie last night in Scottsburg & it was a lot of fun.

They had the new line of jewelry there for us to see. They did this big unveiling thing. And if you think I'm gonna show it to you, you're dead wrong. This is where I use my stealthy sales skillz to get you to host a show! You could get 50% in free jewelry now through Aug. 24th w/ a $450 show. Ahem. 'Nuff said... This is my jewelry sponsor, Brenda. They call them your "Premier Mom". She would also like it noted she was wearing no bling 'cuz it was under the big red cloth.
Gerilee is like a big deal in the Premier World & she is my "Premier Grandma". She acts silly & we "woo hoo" a lot. Premier offers incentives w/ trips & different things. The big promo now for jewelers is a cruise next March. They played Beach Boy music & she dressed up...you get the drift.

Everyone was SO nice & welcoming. They have training the 3rd Monday of each month. And in August instead of training, we're going to a "round up" for the day w/ special speakers & stuff. Don't ask me what all is involved 'cuz I dunno yet. It went pretty long because they had just gotten back from "rally" & had stories to tell & jewelry to show. I didn't get home until 10:15. So today, I'm mucho tiredo. They keep saying "Jaime has such a good personality, she'll be great at this!"... they haven't seen NUTHIN' 'till they see Jaime tired & cranky. Just ask Brad.

Sunless weekend

We headed to Rough River this weekend. It was cloudy most the day Saturday. It was also unseasonably cool. We hung out at the dock most the day.

Brad fed turtles off the dock.

Then he put new radio in the boat. While Brady supervised.
Since it was going to be a cool night, Brian & Lora were going to take their houseboat out to camp & they invited us to go along.
Gathering sticks for a fire.

Brian & Lora's houseboat.

The sun finally came out around 7:00 that night.

So the boys decided to go out & ski for a bit.

Using accelerants to start the fire. Is there another way?!

Sitting around the fire. To keep warm. In July. In our sweatshirts.

Making s'mores! Yummy!

Setting marshmallows on fire just to put them out in the lake REALLY takes it out of ya.

Sunday morning we woke up & the sun was shining. And I was all, "Oh, yeah...time to work on my tan!" So I slathered myself up w/ sunscreen & we headed out on the ski boat.

And it was chilly. Cole covered up w/ a towel.

And the sun miraculously disappeared.

We decided that the sun doesn't like the McAfee's.

We packed everything up & came home. We won't be able to go to the lake again for a couple of weeks. If it is sunny both of those weekends, I am going to come to the conclusion that we are cursed & a tan this summer is not in my destiny.

I dunno if ya'll care or not...

Brad tells me the blog is boring because I haven't updated it since Sunday. That's because I've done nothing that I thought you guys would care about since the weekend. Then I decided maybe somebody might care about it. And if you don't care, I don't care that you don't care.

Sunday evening - from our weekend spent totally outdoors, I developed itchy bumps on my legs & waist line. I thought they were mosquito bites. Then they turned red & formed welps. Uh, not mosquito bites. So Brad thought they were turkey ticks. They itched so bad that I couldn't sleep. I had to self medicate/knock myself out w/ benadryl just to sleep. So I googled turkey ticks (God Bless the internet). I don't believe that's what I have. Then I googled chiggers. A-ha! Chiggers - that's what I've got. There's nothing I can do but wait it out... 7-10 days of waiting...& itching...& large red welps. I must also clarify something about chiggers. They do not burrow into your skin. They inject you w/ venom that liquifies your tissue (gag!) & then if they are still on you (taking a shower, etc. gets them off of you) they will suck the liquified tissue out (double gag!). The swelling & itching is from your bodies allergic reaction to them. That's why you just have to wait it out. http://www.mdc.mo.gov/nathis/arthopo/chiggers/ This will totally gross you out!

Monday - I came home & washed all the bedding to kill whatever critters we brought home from the outdoors.

Tuesday - I've been debating on whether or not I want to sell Premier Jewelry. I've had a couple of parties & I earned LOTS of free jewelry...that has since been stolen & is probably on some white trash chicks wrists, ears, necks, ankles & fingers. Anywho-I got roped into another party (-uh, I have to replace what I had) & subsequently they have been telling me I would "be great for it." I dunno why they think that. I'm painfully shy... So I've been milling it over. I asked my friends what they thought. Cuz I know my friends will tell me the cold hard truth...or at least, they better... Then I had lunch w/ the jewelry lady cuz I had lotsa questions about the whole thing. I was intrigued after lunch, so I went to her house after work to see their computer application for ordering, tracking, etc. & was even more intrigued. She is gone to Texas right now to get the new line of jewelry that's coming out tomorrow. Then there's a little "training" thingie they do in Scottsburg once a month where they all get together & do the happy dance for the Premier Jewelry Gods & that's Monday night. I'm going to go to that & get a feel for it & then I'll have to either piss or get off the pot cuz my party's Tuesday night.

Wednesday - Since I'm in all-out "try to get the most free jewelry I can" mode, I have been asking people to come to my party or look at books. After I walked (& was red & sweaty-which doesn't help the itching chiggers), I went to where I get my hair cut & left a book for them. Then I went to a friends house who is coming to the party, but has never really heard of Premier & gave her a book. Then I went home to start straigtening up my house because we will be at the lake this weekend. I have to come home kinda early Sunday to buy the food & cook since I will be at the happy dance training thingie Monday night.

Also-ya'll know I have no shame, right?. And if I start selling jewelry, I'll have to have parties. And I'll need some girl friends, blog readers, (whatever...I'm not picky) to be the hostesses w/ the mostesses at said parties. Um, do ya see where I'm going w/ this? I've already had 2 friends say they'd have parties for me...but it's gonna take more than 2. It takes a village, people... Don't make me go all sales lady on ya & tell ya how much jewerly you could earn. Or how much fun you'd have... Cuz I totally will...

Camping w/ the Bye's

Saturday evening after Madelyn's party, we went to our BFF's camp in Crawford County to stay the night. Brad rode his motorcycle because he had already made plans to ride the next day.
We sat around the fire & talked.

Then Carrie decided she wanted Brad to take her for a ride on the motorcycle. It has no back seat or back pegs, so getting on it & then riding it was a challenge.

Can ya feel the love?!

Getting ready for aggravation. I love how Matt looks SO happy in the pic!

Tending to the fire.

Brad had to get up early to leave to meet the gang members he was riding with.

After he left, we all got up & ate breakfast. I hung out w/ them for the rest of the day until it was time to pack up & come home. Thanks for having us! We can't wait to come again. Maybe next time Brad will be able to stay longer!