It's almost 2 a.m.???

It's almost 2:00 a.m.   

What am I still doing UP? 

After dropping off the kids, last time I looked and it was 4:10 pm and I had one hour to straighten the house, hide the unfolded laundry, clean the counters, try to close all drawers (even w/clothing sticking out), mix a bev filled with mostly water and a lil' bit of juice for Oli, start dinner, fill sink with water to look like I was "soaking dishes" (oh.... I'm good), and pack some "awesome-OMG" type snack for Gabby, I brushed my teeth with Oliver's "Got to be Glued" hair gel this morning.  eh hem.... had to re-brush teeth (which had a mohawk since 8:00a.m).           Need I say more? 

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I think I need a little "Me Time" or another Date Night Out with Carlos.  I'm feeling lost yet I have the best resources I could ever wish for.  Girls that will babysit for me at the drop of a hat, a semi-clean house (so I won't have to pre-clean before the babysitter arrives), money in the bank for a nice dinner out where I can actually wear a dress...dress....   dictionary.com )...dance cool amongst the youngins'.........     don't mind being "Elane".   (Seinfeld reference)

My Birthday Gift

This was gift from my very dear friend.

The beginning!

The completed!

Thank you so much Lisa you are awesome!!

 

Last week I volunteered to chaperon Gabby's class (Princeton Elementary) to Sea World and I genuinely had a great time.  This is one of the greatest benefits of owning your own company,SeekingSitters.com    (shameless plug) I carried my cell phone with me just in case someone needed a sitter or someone called in sick (not that I could sub, but I could find someone to fill in if needed), but it was time well spent. My daughter was so excited to have me riding on the bus, walking to the gate, showing me off to her friends.  She made me feel like I was her superstar.  At the very start (9:15), I was (and I'm not kidding) SURROUNDED in the back of the bus by at least 20 children.  There was room for 9. "Hey, everybody, my mom's here!!!!"   I never knew she felt that way about me.   So as time goes by, I realized I had turned into Roger Dangerfield... loosening my shirt at the neck line, bla bla bla....  "Mom, do the thing where you tuck your lip so it looks like you have no lip!!!"   What????   I can't do that on command!  It's strictly for shock value. I almost felt pressured as if I was going up on stage.  Plus... there were other, more mature parents around.  (alright, I did it anyway).  I ROCK!  The point is, there are multiple benefits to volunteering at your children’s school, but here are some to get you thinking about it for next year: 1. It shows your kids and their teachers that you care about being involved. 2. It gives you insight into the the environment your kids are in every day. 3. You get face time with people that make important decisions about your child's education. ( Should your child be in the gifted program? Should your child work with a tutor to develop a particular skill?) 4. Allows you to network with other parents, which is a great way of learning about problems in the school, resources you might not know about (carpooling, among other things). 5. It gives you the opportunity to personally thank your child's teachers and other school personnel for their hard work.  Plus, it takes the pressure off of them a bit.  Could you imagine if no one volunteered and 5 teachers had to escort 100 children around a theme park?  I would simply lie in the fetal position; anywhere...shaded. 6. If you approach the experience with patience and a sense of humor, you will have a blast. (Liptuck) 7. If you're lucky, you might get to pet a Stingray or two (or forty). That was MY favorite part.  They're so soft and smooth and sweet...  I want one!  "Daddy, I want an Umpa... " I mean, "Daddy, I want a Stingray, NOW!"    (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Reference). 8. It allows you to see the true dynamics between your child and the others that she/he talks to you about on the car ride home. 9. If one of the children in her class is mean to him/her, you can make them fall in love with you...thus, fall in love with your child.  (or, when no one is looking, you can....   jk)       Get it?!

What a day! Sweew!

I just spent 8 hours with my daughter at the Lake Eola Children's Festival.  We coupled with Little Green Money Machine.  Gabby had her own "lemonade stand" (only it was all decked out with SeekingSitters banners). 

She sold all sorts of toys and games, catchable bubbles, crafts.... you name it, all for the ASPCA :o)  Not only that, but we handed out free helium filled SeekingSitters balloons and gave out cards with organic lollipops attached (shows we care about what their children consume). 

We're finally being recognized as a premier babysitting service that provides child care for Maitland, Altamonte Springs, Longwood, Lake Mary, Heathrow, Oviedo, Winter Park, Winter Springs....  The interest we we received went beyond my expectations!  My elevator speech is no longer such...  As I believe so much in this wonderful concept and my Professional Sitter Team. 

I am amazed at how many parents told me that they have been looking for certified sitters and had no one to turn to.  I feel good... Na na na na na na na.... I knew that I would....  :O)  

Moments like these...

I've been stuggling a bit with my new business... Good months - bad months.  I have to say, however, for someone who knows very little about SEO, I'm doing quite well compared to my competition (pay per click) :o)  I pay no one to write blogs about my child care providers and how wonderful each and every one of them are.  
As a mother of two young children, I grew tired of using Papa & Nana to watch them for an OCCASIONAL date night with my hubby or a "Girl's Night Out".  Arriving home to a messy house and m&m filled tummies at 1:00 a.m. was not worth the date night.  Now, I utilize as many babysitters on my team as possible.  --->I pulled them in looking through a parent's eye...not a business owner.  Would I want this young lady (or man) to come to my house to care for my children?  Absobestolutely!  My Professional Sitters are cpr and first aid certifed, EXTREMEMLY background checked, have years of experience, come to my house with age appropriate toys/crafts for my children, and leave my home in the condition of, or better than, when I left. 
I no longer worry about who is taking care of my children.  I know more about them than their parents do, I'M SURE (we dig deep during the reference check and background screening).  I know who they're dating (we screen them as well), I know what pictures they post, I know how they drive, their credit (if they're babysitting just for money instead of enjoying their "down time" with children), best of all, I know them personally. I read their initial, on-line application,  I call within a day and if they pass the phone screening, I personally interviewed each one.  After I check all references provided, I send all the information I've gathered to the private investigator, who then, after 2 or 3 days, can tell me, in great detail, what he/she has found out about the prospective professional sitter, their parents, boyfriend, court records, sex offender registries... you name it. 

In saying that... Out of over 150 interviews, I have 27 professional sitters on my team in Orlando (serving all of Central Florida, Windermere, Celebration, etc).  I have 3 more pending background checks, but I have no doubt that they will pass.  I have a pretty good eye when it comes down to the interview process.  Most times, I can tell, over our 1st telephone conversation, that they're not the perfect fit for my SeekingSitters team.  If they happen to pass thru the phone interview and make it to the "face to face" and I get a bad feeling, I won't even call the references.  I shred their information because if I wouldn't want this person taking care of my children, then why would I send them to one of my Member's home to babysit for them?

So... it's 2:00 a.m. and I'm babysitting for a member who is visiting from Atlanta (our membership is valid nationwide).  I would normally send a sitter, but this was a true last minute request and I had no time to look at schedules and calendars.  Plus, my husband is wonderful and supportive about me leaving him with the kiddos to babysit for a member who requested ME!!!  I'm flattered!!!  Tired, but flattered and so happy to be a part of such a great service!  SeekingSitters Rocks!!!!  :o)