Saturday

I woke up this morning around 8:30. None of my kids were awake yet and no children were in my bed. (Score!) By 9 everyone was up, and I was making pancakes, eggs, and bacon for breakfast. Then guess what happened. My son asked what he could do to help. (I think he was really hungry.) So he learned to make pancakes this morning.

I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon wandering from room to room reading my book. Guess why I kept moving. Kids kept following me. I finally finished my book though. Then I took a nap. Sadly it kept getting interrupted, and after an hour I got up to find toys everywhere. Yes they were probably there earlier, too, but I was reading so I didn't care. But because my book was done, it was time to clean up. It's amazing how much cleaner the house looks when the kids pick up all the stuff they have left in every room of the house.

That inspired me to sweep and that inspired to wash the dishes. I think this particular inspiration draws a line at cleaning the bathroom though. Another book is calling my name. So I think I will feed the children dinner, as they were on their own for lunch, and go find a quiet spot to read until they find me again.

Why didn't I think of that?

I should be in bed. I have been yelling for my kids to go to bed to over an hour. I still hear them whispering in bed. So while I wait for them to settle down, and not sneak downstairs for candy, I am up playing on Facebook and looking through some of the files other Usborne consultants nationwide have posted.

I am happy that other Uzzies (as we call ourselves) are so helpful and willing to share. I think it's one of the things that makes the culture of our company great. And because I have plenty of time to spend looking through the hundreds of files, as my kids are still whispering and planning a candy raid, I am bound to find a few gems.

Under the category of "why didn't I think of that," we have a lovely $100 challenge that I am gleefully borrowing/stealing. The gist: collect $100 in orders and receive $100 in free and discounted books. Yep! You and I can so do that, right?

The breakdown on the free/discounts:

$15 free (more for sales over $150)

$20 at 75% off

$25 at 65% off

$25 at 50% off

$15 at 25% off

I would love to have 4 people (anywhere in the U.S.) to try this out for me this month. What do you have to lose? That's right nothing to lose and free and discounted books to gain. And it would help me out because honestly with vacations and the like my business calendar for August looks pretty lame.

Who's in?