My new adventure

Ok, I know its been a while since I've posted anything on here, but what can I say... I've been off the rails busy!! Yes, Ryan is my main focus and he does keep me hopping - but I also have another new baby... my new business as an Arbonne Consultant. Actually, since I started this in August, I am now an Arbonne District Manager!! I've only been doing this for a short while now and business is BOOMING! If you've never heard of Arbonne let me give you a brief description of what we offer...

Arbonne is committed to the development of unparalleled products free of harmful ingredients, using a combination of botanical principles and scientific discovery. Our commitment begins with research and testing to ensure that each of our ingredients meets or exceeds industry standards for purity. Arbonne products are Vegan certified: Our formulas are never tested on animals and do not contain animal derived ingredients or animal by-products. We firmly believe that consumers have a fundamental right to know every ingredient in our products, and we will continue to offer full disclosure through our published materials.

So with that said, you can see why people are loving these products. I know for my family we have stopped using products that are full of harmful chemicals. Every little bit helps. I know too many people fighting that awful "C" word and if by making these types changes to our lifestyle helps us avoid that in the future then I'm willing to do it!

Also Arbonne has an amazing anti-ageing line called RE9 Advanced. WOW is all I can say. This stuff works!!! I've seen the results myself and it is incredible!! https://www.arbonne.ca/RE9Advanced/

Advanced https://secure.myarbonne.ca/arbonne/shanarecker.nsf/p1/1?OpenDocument&shoppingcart=1

Anyway, I really do love my new job and yes it keeps me busy, but Ryan is still my main focus and the biggest reason I am doing this. As an Arbonne consultant I make my own work hours. I don't have a boss to answer to or ask for a day off to attend a school trip. I am my boss! That is the best part - always being able to be there for my kids. ♥

If you want to know more about becoming an Arbonne Consultant yourself, please email me at shanarecker@myarbonne.ca. I'd be happy to share this amazing opportunity with you. :)

Time... sweet time...

Just a quick note to say that I haven't given up on my blog - I actually have a bunch of things I want to write about I just need some blocks of time and a clear head. With very little sleep these past three weeks I'd have to say my head is far from clear. And time... well I no longer get to plan when I get my chunks of time, nope I have a 3 week old (pictured above) who has kindly taken on that job. :) Not too mention I have Jack and Dylan who I frequently get called into action for. They are home with me this week - no camps. This is their last week here before school starts so I thought it would be nice to have them home and spend some time with their new little brother. So far so good, but it does get exhausting trying to keep them fed, busy (and not just by plunking them down in front of the TV) and from fighting with each other. :) I will admit, as much as I love them, I am looking forward to getting them back to school. It truly is the "most wonderful time of the year".

Stay tuned for my return... I have lots to share, just need more time!!!

Today is D day!

So today is babies due date!!!! The day we've been preparing for, for the last 9 months, and well here it is. I must admit it's a bit less exciting then I thought it would be! Baby is living comfortably in my belly with no sign of wanting out. I think I've tried every wives tale in the book to get baby to head toward the light. Everything from drinking raspberry leaf tea, walking walking and more walking, a few yoga moves, some down and dirty moves with daddy ;) even spicy foods. My Midwife even did a trick or two of her own and still nothing! I guess the moral of this story is that no matter what you do, baby will not come out until he/she is ready! I didn't think Leo's were a stubborn sign, but was I wrong... Here is the first thing I found on characteristics of a Leo...

"Being a fixed sign gives Leo the special right of being stubborn, obstinate and bull-headed. Being a fire sign gives Leo the special right of being hot tempered, quick tempered, hasty and explosive. Being a positive masculine sign gives Leo the special right to be independent, self-reliant, and opinionated. Culminate all these special rights bestowed on a special Leo and you will automatically get all the special Leo sign qualities. The sun sign of Leo is equipped with all the necessary characteristics that make good leadership. Indeed, Leos are at their best as leaders, for they are visionary, they are hard working, they delegate well and most of all, they stick around till the end..."

Being a Leo myself I should have known better, I've never thought of myself as stubborn. So I've decided after reading this that I just need to let go and let him or her take the lead. Time to let go Momma, baby Leo is calling the shots!!!

Waiting impatiently...

So I'm one week away from my due date and I guess you could say I am very much hoping I go early. Actually if I had my way I would go into labour in the next 24 hrs. Believe me I'm trying everything I can to get this baby to start on its descent to the outside. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed being pregnant, but at this point (38wks 5 days) the usual complaints do start to wear a girl down. But for the most part, I really really really cannot wait to meet this little person who has been kicking and squirming inside me for the last nine months. I want to know if it's a he or a she, what their face looks like, what their fingers and toes look like, and most of all I want to start this next phase of our lives with baby Recker. I keep going back in my mind to what it was like when Jack and Dylan were born and all the things we did over their first few years. I am so excited that I have the opportunity to do it all over again and to share every waking moment with Jason. I'm just as excited to see him interact with his first son or daughter. He's been such a great parent to Jack and Dylan and now he gets to do it from the very beginning with one of his own. I can't wait to watch the two of them bond. He's going to be an amazing baby daddy!!!

Anyway, off I go to wait some more....

"Poppies" by Shana Recker - SOLD

I had intentions on blogging about something completely different tonight, but this just in... OrangeBus on Etsy had its first sale!!!! And I couldn't be more thrilled!!! All those days of labouring in my homemade studio down in the basement have finally started to pay off. Today's sale was particularly great because it was a piece I had just started this morning and well it has been my favorite one to date! Just like that, its gone. :) It's a weird feeling having someone pay you money for something that you do as a hobby - rather then as a job. In some aspects it doesn't feel right, but in others it does!! My husband Jason has to remind me that people are paying for the talent, and years of experience not just the supplies. He's right. I've always loved painting and experimenting with different techniques and I think I'm actually getting somewhere. Finally feeling like an artist rather then someone who just does it for fun.

Looking forward to my next artistic adventure and hopefully another sale!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/OrangeBus

Not going to quit my day job...

Yesterday I had my first real photo session with a photographer... I must say it's hard work being a model!! I think I'll stick to graphic design!! Trying to look natural when you are totally posed and contorted! Have yet to see all the final pics but the few I did get a preview to look nice. It's really weird looking at posed pictures of yourself. I found lots of things to hate about the way I look very quickly! All in all though, they look great, the kids and hubby look super cute in them and my baby belly has really never looked better. Looking forward to seeing the full selection of images and picking out some gems to add to our photo wall.

The dream

I never thought I would ever start a blog... reason one being that I don't think that many people would want to read it. Who cares what I'm doing right?! But last night I had a dream - a dream that lasted ALL night and the premis of the dream was about blogging. In my dream I had a blog and all night long I kept adding posts to it. I can't exactly remember what I was writing about, but I'm sure it had to do with our upcoming baby. Actually now that I think about it, that was what I was blogging about. So, here I am 9:03 on a Tuesday night starting a blog. I'm not exactly sure what will come of this, but I can say this we will live, laugh and love... starting with the expansion of our family. Baby Recker is due on July 30th. So for the next while you can expect a lot of what I babble on about here to be about our adventures with having a new baby in the house and all the joys that come with it.