Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar are not to blame for Josh Duggar's actions!

I swear I'm about to blow if I see one more article blaming Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar for Josh's disgusting behavior. Really? Because I'm pretty certain there are hundreds of people sitting in sex rehabilitation centers right this very second that were not raised equal to Josh Duggar. As a matter of fact, I'll go out on a limb here & say that probably 95% of them were not raised like Josh Duggar. They were not "sheltered"; not to the extent he was, anyway. Most were probably raised open & free & free to explore, with 'typical' limitations. So, who's to blame for their choices? Their parents, too? No. Josh Duggar is not the first person to commit such inexcusable acts. Religion, upbringing, society, etc. does not make grown adults make poor choices. Grown adults make poor choices. One person alone is responsible for this humiliating, painful mess (poor Anna) & that's the 27 year old man - Josh Duggar. He obviously needs serious, professional help. Blaming his parents is just another avenue for people to belittle them & they have already endured so much. They don't deserve it.

Reading the bible every day, not watching tv/movies, not hanging with girls who dress like tramps, attending religious conventions, being home schooled, attending church, traveling to speaking engagements, performing musically for others, being on television, not going to the lakes or beaches, giving side hugs, not listening to rap/hip hop/current music, being chaperoned, getting to know someone before contact/marriage - NONE of these things caused Josh Duggar to do what he did. Not one. The children were not homebound their entire lives. They went out in public & they went out a lot. They have eyes, they saw. They have ears, they heard. There are certain things they were sheltered from & they weren't permitted to participate in, but they went out in society, so they knew about them. Have you seen their cousin Amy? Oh yeah, they knew, heard & saw lots of things. She was often in their home & she is anything but classy. As a matter of fact, I can't stand the girl. The fact remains that lots of children are raised like the Duggar children are & I think it's safe to say the majority are mature, responsible, honest, loving, Christian adults. That, too, is a choice. They chose the right choice - to live their lives with integrity. If the things I listed above truly, truly caused harm, there'd be a lot more Josh Duggars in the group of people raised like he was. You cannot argue that there is not.

I supported him after the first scandal in May. No one had any way of knowing this trash was going on behind the scenes - thank God he was exposed!! - so many of us supported him because he had had no other incidents since that young age & we thought (based on what we knew, saw & read) that he had turned his life around. The whole thing is just so heartbreaking, so unnecessary & I pray for Anna, as I cannot image how devastated she must be. I pray for his parents, I pray for his siblings. They didn't ask for any of this & to blame them for raising children in a positive, loving home is just almost unforgivable. They may not have done everything right but by george, neither have we. There is no perfect parent. You love your kids & do what you think is right - you do the best you can do. Growns adults are responsible for their own choices & it's time Josh Duggar is held responsible for his choices, not his parents or family.

Josh Duggar knew what he was doing was wrong. He chose to do it anyway.

I hope you'll join me in praying for his wife & family.

*I just read on TMZ that Josh Duggar also had a profile on OK Cupid - a dating site? So that's in addition to nasty internet viewing (without saying the word), Ashley Madison & now OK Cupid? How much more can there be? OMG his poor wife!

Here's another article re: the OK Cupid profile. Click here.

Grand update on MckMama, including a fourth house foreclosure!

Our good friend Tracy Coenen, fraud investigator, did it again! Tracy is a professional, thorough & knows her stuff. I look forward to her information & so many appreciate her updates on MckMama (Jennifer McKinney) & her (MckMama's) consistent, deceitful, irresponsible life. And btw, after being separated for approximately one year, her husband, Israel McKinney, has allegedly moved back into the home. Read more on MckFacts.

Ok, back to Tracy's update. Easy peasy - just click the link below to read her updated information on MckMama.

http://www.sequenceinc.com/fraudfiles/2015/05/jennifer-mckinney-fraud-update/#respond

The only thing I disagree with is her comment about Network Marketing. Tracy does not believe in Network Marketing & that's ok - not everyone does. Personally, I fully support Network Marketing! Network Marketing is a true, legit business that offers so many an incredible financial opportunity, as well as amazing products. Network Marketing is just like any other business - it's up to the individual whether they work their business ethically or not. Network Marketing is just the 'type', it doesn't guarantee the person representing the company will be honest.

It's gorgeous in North Texas! Happy Monday! :)

Want an adorable Jacaranda doll that MckMama is selling?

These dolls are SO adorable! But oh my goodness, DO NOT ORDER FROM MCKMAMA! Order directly from the organization that offers/sells them - your purchase is considered a charitable donation AND helps provide income for the women in Nairobi! You can support these women from the comfort of your own home - no travel to Africa necessary or required! ;o) This incredible, generous organization actually posted their own link on MckMama's Instagram so people can order & help support this in-need village & MCKMAMA DELETED THEIR LINK! As a matter of fact, she continues to delete every single comment that links to the organization's site. So shady! She wants EVERYONE buying a doll through her & not the reputable organization that offers them! Hmm!! What does that tell you? Why would she do that if she truly wants to help these people? Exactly! Now you know why you need to order directly through them (www.jacarandacommunity.com) & not MckMama!



Here is a direct link to these precious dolls:

http://jacarandacommunity.com/collections/frontpage/products/sarah-doll-large

And they have more precious, precious, handmade creations! Click below!

http://jacarandacommunity.com/collections/shop-creations

Go read more about this amazing organization - very interesting!

http://jacarandacommunity.com

Get your latest MckMama information at MckFacts.com. 4th house foreclosure information, court documents, current, unedited photos of her). Click on Discussion, at the top. Fraud Investigator, Tracy Coenen, is also adding updates occasionally. :)

Make it a beautiful day! :)

My word of the year.

I wasn't going to choose a 'word of the year'. I don't do New Year resolutions or any of that. In my opinion, if you want to do something, change something, then do it. You don't need a specific date, or reason, to do so. Several years ago, I hopped on the bandwagon with everyone else & I did choose a word of the year. I believe it was TRUE. Loved it! And promptly forgot about it by January 10th. Well, it was good while it lasted.

Earlier, I was thinking about something I wanted to do & the word ACTION just popped in my head. I mean, really. How many things do you want to do? Whether it be pay bills, dust the top of the cabinet, paint furniture, find a new career, travel the world - big, small, whatever. We all have our desires & lists. But without action, those wants are going to stay wants. Those lists are going to remain long. Those bucket lists ain't gonna be completed. Everything takes action. I want to lose some more weight. Well, I better get back on my low-carb'ing if I want that to happen. Better take action. I want to start walking again & lifting some weights. Well, I better take action if I want that to happen. I want to get my family a piano. Well, I better take action, because God's not going to drop one down on my doorstep. And so on.

Though I don't really participate in this word thing, I think I will. Because I'm the type of person who constantly needs a kick in the butt. A nice, hefty, visual reminder. Not only that, ACTION is a great word for my kids, too! They need to be reminded that results take action. #winning

Here's to 2015 & a year full of ACTION! I got this. Do you? :)

MckMama's house is in foreclosure! AGAIN!

Foreclosure number FOUR! Can you believe it? Who does that? Better yet, what financial institution(s) continue to loan to someone who has multiple home foreclosures? The best news is kids typically love new things, new houses, so they'll handle & adjust to another move just fine. Poor little souls. Have no clue mom mismanages her thousands & all of their homes are being taken away.

Can't wait to see where their next home is! Will she be capable of scoring a new financial lender for financing? Will someone owner finance for her? (Which is how the red (ok, pink) barn started out - owner finance.) Will she rent, with 5 kids & 2 labrador dogs? We'll have to sit tight for 6 months or so to find out.

The scoop:

Our lovely, professional Tracy Coenen did another little website post & you can read all about it here.

You can catch up on all the extras (& have many laughs!) on MckFacts, here.

Merry Christmas!

Why I chose Network Marketing.

First things first -

If Network Marketing didn't work, it wouldn't exist. Note: Network Marketing is also known as 'MLM', which stands for Multilevel Marketing.

Network Marketing has been around for years. Why? Because it works.

It's that simple.

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Definition: Network marketing is a type of business opportunity that is very popular with people looking for part-time, flexible businesses. Some of the best-known companies in America, including Avon, Mary Kay Cosmetics and Tupperware, fall under the network marketing umbrella.

**********

Second, let's very quickly address this pesky "pyramid scheme" reputation MLMs typically have. It's silly & I don't even entertain the idea. But this is what I'll say. "Pyramid Schemes" involve no product. The company I partner with has products (amazing, to boot). Most do. Most of the people who scream "pyramid scheme" are possibly the ones who tried it & failed. Network Marketing is not a free ride. It takes work. Many give up & quit before finding success. Or, possibly it's those who have always heard Network Marketing are pyramid schemes & they just go with the flow. A lot of people don't really understand how Network Marketing works, though they think they do. So many people have incorrect information - they are either misinformed and/or uninformed. I don't really know. What I do know is that I absolutely love it.

Moving on.

I've never been involved in Network Marketing before. I worked in my father's business from age 11, I worked at the movie theater at age 15, I worked at the bank at age 18 & I got into the apartment industry at age 21 or so. I was a manager of multiple apartment communities by age 24. I'm in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area & we had a massive hail storm in 1995. I was still at work, alone, & thought I was going to die that night. I already had two distressed properties & when that storm hit & knocked out the majority of residents' windows & tore up my properties further - I was overworked & overstressed. When my husband & I got married, I gave my notice & never looked back. A few years later, I did work briefly for a man who owned numerous commercial & residential properties, but I was part time & he wanted me full time & he kept pressuring me to work full time, so that was the end of that. Soon after, I began researching adoption & spent every waking hour building our family. 11 years later, I found Shaklee. I was a Shaklee customer for months before I became a Distributor. I loved the products that much, I believed in the products & company that much, that I wanted to be a part of it. So I am. And I always will be.

Network Marketing is a tier'd business. But think about it - all businesses are tier'd, unless you're the owner. Do you work? Do you have a boss? Your boss makes more money than you do. Does your boss have a boss? His boss makes more than your boss. And so on & so forth. Network Marketing works the same way. The difference is, we office out of our home(s). And our investment to become self-employed to market the best products available is low. And we make our own hours. And we call all the shots. And we are in control. And we decide how much money we make. Network Marketing is residual income.

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Definition: Residual income (also called passive, or recurring income) is income that continues to be generated after the initial effort has been expended. Compare this to what most people focus on earning: linear income, which is "one-shot" compensation or payment in the form of a fee, wage, commission or salary.

Linear income is directly proportional to the number of hours invested in it (40 hrs. of pay for 40 hrs. of work), but one of the great advantages of residual income is that once things are set in motion, you continue making money from your initial efforts, while gaining time to devote to other things... such as generating more streams of residual income.

**********

Network Marketing involves two things: selling product(s) & building teams. Network Marketing is not for everyone & does not interest everyone. And that's totally ok! But for those of us who love it & thrive at it, it works successfully & beautifully. And when one partners with a company as dynamic as Shaklee, well, it just doesn't get any better than that.

Every month, Distributors purchase our own products. These are products we all purchase monthly anyway - we just redirect our spending to purchase Shaklee's phenomenal products, whichever products we desire, instead of at a store. And we have members who purchase & we have retail purchases. This gives ourselves, as well as our upline, points. Our Distributors below us also give us points. We get paid off of points. That's just a quick rundown of how it works.

Ultimately it's this - the more products you sell & the more Distributors you have under you, the more money you make. And can I say - I know a lot of Distributors that make a LOT of money. Again, it works!



I'll end with this:

Shaklee has been in business now 57 years. If Shaklee's products weren't incredible, Shaklee wouldn't be around for 57 years. If Network Marketing didn't work, there would be no such thing. It would have fizzled out years ago. It didn't. It's not going to. Quite honestly with the economy in the shape it's in, it's booming better than ever. Shaklee is, anyway. I am so fortunate I'm along for the ride.

If you're going to invest in Network Marketing, I encourage you to do your homework. There are hundreds of Network Marketing companies. A lot of them are new. A lot of them won't be around for long. A lot of them are scams. I recommend you invest in one that is mature, experienced, ethical, reputable, trustworthy, fair & one that appreciates & treats their Distributors with respect. Do your homework. Do your research. Is the company you're considering just a fad? Will it be gone in a few years? Is it sustainable? Do they offer products you're proud to represent? Everyone, everywhere is looking to get healthier. Whether it be big changes or small, that's not going to change. Everyone wants to live longer! I chose a company that offers products everyone, everywhere uses every single day & always will. A company that won't be gone in a few years. Well, there's 57 years of hard evidence to prove that. Don't just jump in with the first company because chances are, it's highly likely you'll be switching to another MLM company soon.

And when you're ready to join Shaklee? Email me: adoringthesimple@gmail.com or call me! I'm always happy to talk Shaklee - I love it that much! 817.300.7755.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook - click here!

When good isn't good enough.

I've been attempting to lose weight for quite a while now. And a lot of times, I did really good! I still do pretty good. Guess what? Good isn't good enough.

I'm almost 47 years sophisticated. Good isn't good enough, so it's time to play hard ball.

I love to dance. I've tried other dance videos in the past, but decided to buy Tracy Anderson's "Dance + Cardio" a few weeks ago:



The first thing I noticed is - there's no dancing. Not the kind of dancing, per say, I want to do. This video is more of what I call…cardio with moves. Not only that, but there's really no routine. It appears that she's just doing whatever pops into her head & then repeats certain moves when she draws a blank. Which is fine, I guess, but again, not really what I'm looking for. However, though 'messy', it is a good cardio workout.

After I did the first 30 minute 'routine', I kicked Tracy to the curb & put in Richard Simmons' "Groovin' in the House":



Ha! I picked this up several years ago, at Goodwill I believe, but never tried it. Today, I did. Oh boy! I think this was made in the 1970's or so! So funny! And I actually enjoyed it! And it is dancing, which is what I want.

The main difference I found between the two workouts? When I did Tracy's, I didn't smile. When I did Richard's? I smiled the entire time. It's just too funny not to. And I don't know about you, but I gotta have fun. Moving is moving. Getting one's heart rate up is the ultimate goal. If I need to vamp up Richard's? I'll intensify it to suit my needs. More dramatic dance moves. I can add weights. Easy peasy. I don't currently have the budget to keep trying new work out videos, so for now, I'll make these work!

Why do I need to lose weight? Several reasons.

1.) To be healthy. I'm not at an age where I can screw around & be irresponsible with my health any longer.
2.) A good example for my kids. My kids are being raised on Shaklee. Why not go further with diet & exercise?
3.) To feel good. Being overweight makes one tired. I want to have the energy to live out loud, every single day!
3.) Cute clothes! I want to wear cute clothes. I visualize myself buying what I want, in a smaller size. Whatever works. :)
4.) I want to look good. Bottom line. I used to be very small. Maybe not all that healthy, but small. Fact: everyone, everywhere looks better when not overweight. Truth hurts.

And after I work out? Damn I feel good. It's so worth it just to feel amazing!

(In addition, I'm not taking measurements. I just don't need or want one more thing to do or keep up with. Honestly, I don't even care. If I lose weight, I'll lose inches. My goal is to lose weight & I don't want to veer off or lose focus of that. I also don't care how long it takes. If it takes until the day I die, bring it!)

Follow me on Facebook - click here!

Visit my Shaklee store for healthy products - click here!

Join my amazing, fun team - click here! Click on Partner with Us for more information. Be sure to put Adoring the Simple as your referral.

Jennifer McKinney went to JAIL! And regarding her "sponsored child"...

Yes, yes indeed. Jennifer McKinney done got herself hauled off to jail on January 25, 2014. Israel got a break this round! All the details can be found here: www.mckfacts.com From what I understand, the audio 911 call, as well as the written police report(s), have already been requested & should arrive soon.



I have one hope - I hope someone is watching out for those five children before one of them gets caught in the crossfire. Thanks to public records, it appears that Domestic Disturbances (with either mom or dad being carted to jail) are becoming quite frequent in the McKinney household. This is number 4 total, I think. Her current arrest violations - 1.) Criminal Damage to Property, 2.) Disorderly Conduct & then on another report, 3.) Domestic Abuse is reported with the first two offenses.

More interesting (dishonest) information:

In a couple of weeks, Jennifer McKinney & her eldest son are (were?) heading to Africa. While there, she's been claiming they will be visiting with their Compassion International sponsored child, Frankline. She even bought a t-shirt for him! See?



Her hashtag on that Instagram photo, which was posted 3 days ago: "#forKieranandFrankline" 3 days ago = Wednesday, February 5, 2014. But on MckFacts.com, there is a response from Mr. Shaun Groves, a representative of Compassion International, stating:

FROM SHAUN:
I am unaware of McKinney's trip to Africa. She has been barred from
sponsoring a child through Compassion and does not partner with or
represent Compassion in any way.

If she is claiming to be taking a trip with Compassion to Africa I would appreciate you sharing those details with me.

I read the mugshot comments and see where the misunderstanding came
from. Someone mentioned Jennifer will be traveling to Africa with
another organization. Then someone else wondered if she'd be visiting
her Compassion sponsored child. In short, no. I personally canceled her
sponsorship. We would not arrange a visit between Jennifer and her
FORMER sponsored child. She will not be traveling with or partnering
with Compassion in any way now or ever.

This conversation transpired today, Saturday, February 8, 2014. But she just posted 3 days ago that she will be visiting with Frankline…? Hmm. More dishonesty.

Now click the link at the top to get all the juicy details. And pray for the McKinney children. They need it.

My home-based business!

Success! That is what's happening with my home-based business. Huge success!

My blogging has become a bit scattered, as I make some changes for my growing business. I'll be back to blogging soon & in the meantime, I will be adding some information & videos regarding my brand partner, Shaklee. The team I am on (Project Dream International) continues to grow by leaps & bounds. Which is fantastic! My personal team is also growing & will continue to do so, so I'm changing up just a few things on my blog.

Here's an interesting fact:



I've been a Shaklee Business Developer for almost two years now. I already knew, without a doubt, the career choice I made was perfect. I was not searching for employment or a career opportunity at the time. It just fell into my lap. And it's just the most perfect career for me. But after seeing this most recent statistic? Hello?! Who can argue with that? Shaklee is amazing & so many are taking notice & jumping on this awesome journey.

I partner with Shaklee & market their healthy products. I invite anyone, everyone, anywhere, everywhere - if you are searching for a career change, if you are unhappy in your current position, if you are tired of trading hours for dollars, if you are tired of being told what to do, etc., etc., etc. - then check us out! You have absolutely nothing to lose. This opportunity could be perfect for you, too! Obviously, people are having great success with Shaklee or there certainly wouldn't have been 100,000 Shaklee businesses started last month. Last month!! Maybe it's for you & maybe it's not - why not find out?

Shaklee is the #1 Natural Nutrition Company in the United States. Here are some pretty impressive facts about Shaklee:

*Who We Are

At Shaklee, we believe nature holds the answers to a long, healthy, and productive life.

Our story started almost 60 years ago with Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee, whose philosophy of Living in Harmony with Nature® fueled an ongoing movement to help people live happier and healthier.

Today, we are the number one natural nutrition company in the U.S., with offices worldwide, and the foremost experts in nutrition research. We go above and beyond industry standards every day to ensure that our products are Always Safe, Always Work, and are Always Green.

In addition to testing every new ingredient for over 350 harmful contaminants, we conduct over 100,000 quality tests a year to ensure the greatest purity possible. We've also invested over $250 million in clinical testing, research, and development and are backed by over 100 scientific papers—including the first-ever 20-year Landmark Study, published in Nutrition Journal And more, we've helped fuel seven of Time-Life® ‡Books' 25 Greatest Adventures of All Time.

Beyond that, we offer an opportunity for anyone to earn extra income by sharing our products. To date, we've paid over $6 billion in commissions to our Distributors, and we invite you to experience the benefits of owning your own Shaklee business.

*Founded in 1956, shaklee is the first company in the world to obtain climate neutral certification and totally offset its co2 emissions, resulting in a net zero impact on the environment.

*Shaklee has taken consistent steps to reduce our climate impacts and help find solutions to the climate crisis. It’s one of the ways we work toward a better future.

*Shaklee Corporation is the first certified Climate Neutral Company in the world, having earned that distinction back in the relative “dark ages” of voluntary corporate climate action in 2000. In our ongoing efforts to minimize our negative impacts and maximize our positive impacts, Shaklee purchases 100% renewable energy, renewable energy credits, and greenhouse gas emissions offsets for worldwide activities.

*Shaklee is carbon neutral. The greenhouse gas inventory for 2011 covering all Shaklee operations worldwide including the US, Canada, Japan, China, Mexico, Malaysia and Taiwan, was reviewed by a third party, WSP Environment & Energy, in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol for all six Kyoto-defined greenhouse gases. Shaklee set operational boundaries for the inventory of its worldwide greenhouse gas emissions and calculated the carbon footprint from Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The total amount of Shaklee’s greenhouse gas emissions from worldwide operations in 2011 was measured and converted to metric tons of CO2 equivalent. Shaklee has partnered with Sterling Planet to offset its small carbon footprint in North America and Asia with funding for alternative energy projects. The projects include Green-e certified renewable energy credits (Iowa wind projects) and a landfill gas utilization project in Massachusetts.

*“ When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and the seeds of hope. We also secure the future of our children. ”
Dr. Wangari Maathai

At Shaklee, we’re part of a movement to make people and the planet healthier. Inspired by the visionary works of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai and her Green Belt Movement, Shaklee began a tree-planting campaign across the United States and Canada on Earth Day 2006, encouraging the company’s 750,000 Members and Distributors to organize tree-planting events at the grassroots level in their respective communities.

Earth Day 2009, Dr. Wangari Maathai, Global Ambassador for the Shaklee A Million Trees, A Million Dreams™ campaign, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and CEO Roger Barnett plant the 1 millionth tree at the Shaklee World Headquarters in Pleasanton, California.

“Shaklee led the way in achieving carbon neutrality in 2000 and has mobilized its networks to plant a million trees for the planet, which is not only a great achievement, but an inspiration to all of us—especially in the corporate sector”

Dr. Wangari Maathai, 2004 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, founder of the Green Belt Movement, and Global Ambassador for the Shaklee A Million Trees. A Million Dreams.™ campaign

*At Shaklee, we've partnered with some of the most dedicated and accomplished earth advocates in the world and are continually forging new relationships to help improve the health of our planet.

*Wild Dolphin Project - A nonprofit organization dedicated to the study and preservation of dolphins.

Shaklee products have been aboard numerous missions to the open seas in an effort to support researchers' ongoing studies of dolphin behavior in their natural habitats.

*Ocean Alliance - Global leader in whale research and conservation.

For over 10 years, Shaklee has been supporting the Ocean Alliance in their efforts to raise awareness about the effects of pollution on marine life.

*Green Belt Movement

Shaklee is honored to have had the opportunity to work with the late Dr. Wangari Maathai, a tireless pioneer and advocate for freedom who empowered women in Africa to become economically independent through her organization, The Green Belt Movement. She was the first woman from Central and East Africa to earn a doctorate degree and the first person to win a Nobel Peace Prize for helping to improve the environment. Together, we successfully completed a worldwide effort to plant a million trees, as part of our A Million Trees. A Million Dreams.™ campaign.

Impressive, huh? Shaklee & their products are impressive!

If you are interested in finding out if partnering with Shaklee & PDI may be for you, here's what you do: go to www.projectdreamintl.com & click on
'Partner With Us'. This does not commit you! This merely allows you to have access to the opportunity webinar & other pertinent information, so you can determine if this is for you. Be sure to put my name & last initial - MELISSA B. - as your referral and/or how you found out about PDI. We literally have hundreds of individuals visiting our site & this helps keep everyone straight. It can get confusing very quickly, so thank you for listing my name!

I am not a coach. I am solely a work-at-home mom, a Business Developer, who has found success marketing the best, non-toxic products on the market, while making a very comfortable monthly income. I market the products & I will show you how I do it, while I do it. Let me add - Shaklee does provide training. Project Dream International provides additional, step-by-step training & equips you with the tools you need to grow you own business. The training alone is priceless. This work is not easy! But it is simple. The more you work your fanny off, the more money you make - it's that simple. Income potential is limitless!

If you have any further questions, call me! My business number is: 817.300.7755. Partner with me! We have what people want! Lets do this!

MckMama Truths & MckMama.

It's been a while since I've blogged about MckMama. Truth is I'm really busy, but I do check in with MWoP every now & then. Rest assured, MckMama's still at it - being deceitful, manipulative & being so dishonest it's sickening. And equally important, blowing ungodly amounts of money (& bragging about it) while judgements are still being filed against her left & right. The most recent? $50,000 (fifty thousand!) filed by her MOTHER-IN-LAW! LOL Now if that doesn't take the cake!?

Anja made the decision to turn off all comments on MWoP (www.mckmamatruths.com) effective sometime in January, 2014. You gotta give the girl props - MWoP is not an easy site to administer & control & she's done a fabulous job for a very long time. Thank you Anja for all your time, effort & dedication to keeping the site informative.

MckMama is still scamming & I think until justice is served (haha, right?), a site such as MWoP needs to & will always, exist. The purpose is to hopefully prevent more innocent people from falling into her trap & spending their money on untruths, as well as calling her out & holding her accountable for all her false claims.

The only site I know of currently that will be open to comments is: www.mckfacts.com. This site has brought over a lot of MckMama's history (& photos - she ain't skinny like she claims!) & Disqus is active on that site.

I may begin to blog about MckMama more frequently, as her crazy antics continue & she continues to get away with it. If nothing more, she is entertaining. I guess there is one thing she's good at.

Happy Thursday!

Update! Jennifer McKinney was arrested & taken to jail on January 24, 2014! Read about it here, including a link to all details!

So what exactly is 'clean eating'?

We've all heard this. "Eat clean". Focus on "clean eating". But what, exactly, does that mean? I've been doing some research. Here's my take on this subject.

The conclusion I have come to is that 'eat clean' basically means = cut the crap. Plain & simple. Stop eating crap. Fresh foods, organic when possible. None to very limited processed foods. It's not a diet. Clean eating is truly changing your mindset & the way you eat. In my opinion, changing/improving the way you eat 90% of the time. I don't say 100%, because I believe life is short, food is yummy & everyone needs to indulge every now & then. That said, only 10% of every now & then. Enough to fill that void, but not enough to ruin one's health. So, for me, 90/10. I can do that. The bottom line is clean eating makes everyone healthier, in more ways than one. There truly is nothing negative about it, other than it might sting the pocket book every now & then if you buy organic & honestly, it takes more time to eat clean. Cutting, chopping & cooking 'clean' takes a lot of time. But health-wise? Priceless. All that to say - it's anything but easy. I'm sure the longer you eat clean the less time it takes, because you fall into a routine or pattern & it becomes the norm. But just starting out? Wow. Purchasing & cleaning & prepping & cutting & cooking - holy cow. No wonder the world is obese. Eating clean is inconvenient! Truthfully, we all know it's much simpler to just buy the processed. Much simpler to just hit a drive through. I guess this is where one has a decision to make: health over convenience. I have chosen health. Why? Simple. Because if you ain't got your health, you ain't got nothin'. And opting for convenient has gotten me to where I am today - a little unhealthy with substantial weight to lose.

Have you ever noticed how everyone loves Grandma's cooking? It's because she learned to cook clean. They mostly grew their own food & cooked their own food. There weren't preservatives, additives, dyes & all the fake stuff. It was fresh & it was good. Even Grandma's high-fat fried chicken? It was fresh. Her food wasn't loaded with high fructose corn syrup. In addition, there wasn't cardio or yoga or boot camp - a lot of them harvested their food & worked out doing it. If they didn't harvest their food, they cleaned their house & kept busy. Ever notice Grandma's house was clean? And they didn't have a lot of the (unnecessary) modern convenience tools that we all have access to today. They did it the old fashioned way. Most of our ancestors weren't fat. They did it right. Our society is fat. Most of us are do it wrong.

Here's a great article I found on Fitday.com - click here. There is a lot of great information via Google re: clean eating. As a matter of fact, I'm still researching, myself.

Some important changes I personally am making - more protein & less carbs & sugar.

Example: Nightly, I am incorporating greek yogurt (keep in mind I am a very picky eater, so when I find something I like, I don't venture from that). I only eat the Fage brand, 0%, with one tablespoon Chia seeds. I go to sleep with yogurt & water. (This was actually recommended by my dr. a few years ago. Eat protein before going to bed. And one super duper side effect, for me? Every time I do, the scale is lower in the morning.) Oh, & protein? Necessary for beautiful hair!!



Breakfast, lunch or dinner:

Fried eggs, with celtic sea salt, black pepper, Lawry's seasoning & topped with shredded cheese. Sometimes, with a side of Mrs. Baird's white whole grain bread. Just as healthy as whole wheat, but without the red wheat. Whole grain is white, softer & I think, tastes better. I was just introduced to this bread a few weeks ago & my entire family loves it. Winning! No more margarine for us, Though we've been eating real butter for quite some time now, I now buy Land O'Lakes butter. I do use the butter with Canola, simply because it's spreadable. I love the non-Canola, but with a busy family of six, it's challenging to remember to set it out 20+ minutes in advance of a meal, in order for it to soften. So I switched. I am so not happy about that, but nonetheless, it only contains 3 ingredients & I consider it way healthier than margarine. Butter is a good fat & totally ok to have in moderation. Our bodies need some good fat.



Truth be told, I am a huge carb junky. I could live off of carbs. Like, the bad, overkill carbs. I'll take the rice, potatoes & pasta! Yum, yum, yum! Being that I'm high risk for Type II Diabetes, this is a problem for me. Carbs turn to sugar (figures - why can't veggies turn to sugar?). I am really hoping that making even more significant changes, I can kiss this 'high risk' crap to the curb, once & for all. I've been high risk for literally, years now. I don't want that burden anymore. I don't even want to have to think about it. These continued, improved changes should help with that.

I encourage you to give clean eating a try! What do you have to lose? Nothing! It's not easy, quick or convenient. It takes time to learn to read labels & rid the bad while introducing the good. For most of us, I doubt it's an overnight change. Baby steps! But remember - any change is better than no change at all!

We have been making positive changes for quite some time now. Nontoxic cleaners, nontoxic detergents, quality supplements daily, healthier food choices. However, there is always room for improvement. And it's never too late! Time to go that extra mile, if routines have gotten a little laxed or convenient, then it's time to pick up the pace. Improve here. Go the extra mile there. My family still has a ways to go. And, I've stated before, I will never take away all fun foods from my children. I believe treats & fun foods are a part of their childhood. That will not change. That said, we have made great strides. And for the most part, my children are right on board! And that makes me very happy.

Follow me on Facebook for more information & fun stuff! Click here!

Follow me on Instagram, where I'll be posting more recipes & food ideas, as I incorporate more of them into our own family meals. Click here!

From a blog I read years ago & I have never forgotten: "If it doesn't take very long to make it, then it's probably not very healthy."

Becki Crosby, DBA Whippy Cake. You owe me money!!

*Update - As of today, August 29, 2014, I still have not received my money. All the while watching others Instagram what a "fabulous" & "giving" person she is. Makes me sick. Totally makes me sick. "Fabulous" & "giving" people don't take money from others & lie about it. I mean come on - I sent stuff to HER home & SHE signed for it! Doesn't get any clearer than that.

*Update - As of today, February 6, 2014, I still have not received my money from Becki. Once I asked her to confirm her mailing address, I never heard from her again. She had begun to correspond with me again, up until that point. I sent a certified letter, asking very nicely for my money back, which was ignored. Very disheartening, very unprofessional. She knows she has my products & she knows they were delivered to her home, just like the certified letter receipt that SHE signed for. I don't believe in treating people wrong. I don't believe in dishonesty. I do deserve my money back & suffice to say, by now, that ain't gonna happen. I have considered small claims court & my husband wants me to pursue it. I have declined. I'll just chalk this up to lesson learned. Know this - no matter what one's reputation, you never know what goes on behind closed doors. Very few know she screwed me out of money. Good possibility I wasn't the first, good possibility I won't be the last.

In July 2012, I opened my own Shaklee business.  Often times, Distributors will partner with bloggers, who agree to do a product review for them, to help spread the word.  In October of 2012, I contacted Mrs. Becki Crosby, aka 'Whippy Cake', & asked if she would be interested in doing a Shaklee review for me.  My first review ever!  She agreed to do it.  Little did I know, our journey would result in dishonesty, disappointment & loss of money.   And that happened to me.  Mrs. Crosby, on the other hand, never put any effort to write the review for me, as she agreed to do, has over $50 in amazing Shaklee cleaners that will ultimately, probably last her over a year. And now, she will no longer communicate with me.  At this stage of the game, she refuses to return my products or refund my money.  You know what?  That ain't right.  And it doesn't need to happen to anyone else.  So I am disclosing all information I have, so this unprofessional, inexcusable incident doesn't happen to anyone else.

First, let me show you what I shipped to her.  I spent a lot of time putting this package together.  I even included 2 bags of chocolates!  No, never one time did she, or "Aimee", or "Kaitlyn" mention the chocolates.  Which I found odd.











I have copied all email correspondence between myself & Becki Crosby, and/or her 'coordinators'.

My emails have the pink text color.

Her emails have the blue text color.

Enjoy!

Oct. 8, 2012:

Good evening Becki! My name is Melissa (you probably figured that out from my email address, heh?) & I'm a 'somewhat new' follower of yours! I found you through Shelley Smith @ House of Smith's & oh goodness, you make me smile. You are so cute, your family is precious & with so much negativity & depressing news now-a-days - it's just so nice to find someone who makes others happy! You are truly a breath of fresh air. And can I just add, I love the name Whippy Cake!! :)

I am a Shaklee Independent Distributor & I'm emailing to inquire if you would be interested in doing a review on some of Shaklee's amazing, all-natural cleaning products. I'm new at this & I have no idea if you even participate in things such as this! So please forgive me if I'm intruding or if there are do's & don't's that I haven't followed. If you are interested, here's what I would do. In a week or so, I would send you a nice goodie package, containing some of the most popular cleaning products for you to try, & then ask you to blog (briefly - it wouldn't need to be elaborate) about your experience. All of the products would be yours to keep! The products are actually phenomenal; all-natural cleaning products that are proven effective, actually work & they're safe! And, much less expensive than store/commercial brands. Shaklee even has disinfectant, Basic G, that kills everything! Actually, Basic G kills 32 pathogens, while Lysol only kills 8 pathogens. If you desire more information, just let me know. I can get you whatever you need. Also, if you want to peek at my blog - http://www.adoringthesimple.com.

I truly love Shaklee & whether I market the products or not, I will always continue to use them. I want my children using them! They are just that great & so is the company! With all the toxins & pollution & junk in our world, I'm just trying to get the word out about these awesome, all-natural products. Please know, I'm fully aware of your busy schedule, so if you are not interested, please, I totally understand! You will not hurt my feelings at all! Just let me know.

Thank you for your time, & 'Whippy' on, girl! :)

Blessings,


Melissa 

**********

Oct. 27, 2012:

Melissa,
Thank you for your e-mail. So so sorry it has taken us so long to respond. Things for Becki have been very busy since the launch of her recent collection. Becki is interested in doing a review for you! She wants all those that she does reviews for know, that if she has a negative experience with the product, she will not review it on her blog. But, she said that rarely happens, and I'm sure it wont happen with you. We just like to let everyone know that there could be a possibility of that happening. Her address is : xxxx x xxxxx xx
Gilbert, AZ 85295-3418
Thank you so much for your time, and we look forward to hearing from you. Have a great day!

xoxo

**********

Oct. 27, 2012:

Hi there! Thank you so much for your response & for being so sweet to do a review for me! I completely understand, & totally agree with, the decision to not post about the products, if your experience is not a positive one. Honesty is always the best policy! I am more than ok with that! I will put together a cute little package for you & will mail it out in the next week or two, at the latest. Again, I am so honored & I thank you so much! Have a wonderful weekend! :)

**********

"Honesty is always the best policy" I wrote.  How ironic.

**********

Nov. 4, 2012:

Hi Becki! I am almost completely ready to mail my Shaklee products for you to review! I just have one little issue - in your email to me, you gave me your address, but you didn't include your last name. 😉 I did some googling & I think your last name is xxxxxxx, but I thought I would confirm before shipping the package. You should receive the package at the end of this coming week! Thanks so much! 😊

Melissa 

**********

Nov. 4, 2012:

Melissa,
Becki's last name is Crosby :)

**********

Nov. 4, 2012:

LOL Oh dear! Thank goodness I asked! Thank you! :)

**********

Notice from Nov. 4, 2012 - April 28, 2013, there is no correspondence between us.  I was giving her time.  Haha!

**********

April 28th:

Hi Becki! I sent this email to you a few days ago & then it dawned on me - you get so many emails, you probably didn't even read it yet! So I changed the subject line, hoping it would catch your attention. I cannot imagine how many emails you receive! Below is the original email.

..........

Hi Becki! Gosh, you are SO busy, & now pregnant with your 4th baby (Congratulations! So exciting!) & not feeling well, I truly hate bothering you! But thought it was time I check in.

You agreed to do a Shaklee review for me back in November & I mailed you a big ol' box of yummy products! I know you run crazy, so I'm not even sure you have opened the box yet. Heck, maybe you changed your mind?!

There is certainly no time frame - I just thought I'd check in & see what your situation is or how you feel about doing the review. Please, if you have run out of time or changed your mind, just let me know! I totally understand. You are a (not feeling well) girl in high demand!

Hope you are somewhat feeling better! I've never carried a baby (my 4 are adopted), but I can't imagine feeling icky on a daily, or almost daily, basis. Holler back at me when you have a chance & have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings,

Melissa 

**********

Notice above, I am giving her an 'out'.  Change your mind?  Too busy?  All she had to do was be honest & it never would have escalated to this point.

**********

April 29th:

Hi Melissa!

We did use your products It's only been about 2 weeks since we have finished using all the products. Thanks for emailing me!

I wanted to run a few things by you, to make sure you wanted us to review Shaklee. It's up to you! We have plenty of good things to say about the germicide, and the Basic H2. Those products were lovely. They smelled nice and fresh, and we liked them very much. But I didn't have much luck with the dishwashing soap, and scrubbing paste. There was a lot of residue left behind in both cases, and I had to re-run the dishwasher to get the dishes clean, and the soap off of them.

Just checking with you. We can write a review for the products we like, if you want? Or do the whole thing?

Let me know!


Aimee
[coordinator]

**********

You see here, I'm beginning to be a tad confused & skeptical about who I'm really emailing with.

**********

April 29th:

Hi Becki! Or Aimee! Who am I talking to? LOL :)

Thank you for your response! I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience with all the products! That makes me sad. I was hoping you would just love them all! Can you give me any other details? Did you like the window cleaner? What about the degreaser, did you try that one? Or did you only use the all-purpose? The dishwasher concentrate leaves me totally baffled! In all my time marketing Shaklee, I have never heard of the soap remaining on dishes! I even conducted my own experiment, using 20 back to back washes, & I never ran across that problem! I'm so sorry that happened to you. Occasionally, it will get trapped in the little cup dispenser, if you don't let your hot water run for a few minutes before running the dishwasher, but other than that, no one has ever mentioned soap being on the dishes. I'm so sorry. What did you use the Scour Off on? There is always residue with that one, because it 'scrubs' & makes a good paste. You have to add lots of water to condense it & then rinse it all down thoroughly. The Basic H & the Basic G (disinfectant) are amazing & I'm so happy you liked those!!

You can just do a review on the products you like & ignore the rest. If you only liked the H & G, just do the review on those. If you've tried any of the others since & like them better, you can add those. Please just leave off any of the products you truly didn't like.

Again, thank you SO much for your time & for reviewing these products for me! I know how busy you are & I know you don't have a lot of time for 'extras'. So I thank you so very much for helping me!

Blessings,

Melissa 

**********

Notice in the below email, she answered none of my questions (in the above email) re: the products.  At this point, I doubted if any of the products were even used.

**********

May 6th:

Hi there! I responded to this email 7 days ago, but haven't heard back from you. Could you please check your spam folder (maybe it went in there?) & then holler back at me? Ready to get this show on the road! I know you are, too. Let me know our next step! Thank you!! :)

**********

May 13th:

I must have clicked it with out knowing because my inbox said it was received. So sorry! We will write the review this week. Becki and I both have little ones getting out of school for the summer this week and next, so there is a lot to do. It's on the calendar. It will just be a few more days.

Thanks!

Aimee
[coordinator]

**********

May 13th:

Thank you so much Aimee!! :)

**********

May 15th:

With everything going on, I am having trouble getting to your review. I think it would be safer to expect it next week. Whippy Cake has an event this Friday and it is taking more time than expected to put it together. I'm sorry. Just giving you a heads up.

Aimee
[coordinator]

**********

May 15th:

Thank you! Good luck & have fun! :)


**********

July 6th:

Hi Aimee! I wanted to run something by you & see if you can help.

Shaklee is currently running an amazing special, for the month of July only, where they are waiving the $19.95 membership fee. Anyone, who places ANY order/any amount can join for free! This is a lifetime membership & does not ever, ever need to be renewed. So anyone who orders will save $19.95! Shaklee does not run this special often, so it's a great time for those who want to join to do so for free. Special ends July 31st.

Is there any way you can get the review up? It does NOT have to be elaborate, it does not have to be long - just anything about the products you (and/or Becki) liked? It doesn't matter to me how long or short it is & you don't have to spend a lot of time on it - I know how busy you guys are! Just anything so those who may be interested can take advantage of the free membership.

Let me know & have a fantabulous weekend! :)

**********

The above email was pretty much it for me.  I was so completely disappointed my email went ignored (as you can see, she/they/whotheheckever only responded when she/they/whotheheckever wanted to.  I was so crushed that I was not able to offer the free membership special Shaklee was offering.  It truly was at this time that I knew I was wasting my time.  This is when I decided to call off the review.  Which honestly, was never 'on' to begin with.

**********

Aug. 18th:

Good evening! I hope my email finds you doing & feeling well!

Thought I'd send a quick email letting you know that I've come to the conclusion my Shaklee review is not going to be completed - so at this point, I'd like to just call the whole thing off. I was so excited that you - a popular, well thought of & admired blogger - offered to do a product(s) review for me! Not just to help me grow my new business, but to help others live healthier, as well. It's quite obvious, you are entirely too busy to follow through & quite honestly, I'm tired of thinking about it. When I contacted you last month, asking you to do a review, short & simple, just please, get something up so people could take advantage of the amazing free membership Shaklee was offering & you didn't even respond, I knew this was all just a waste of time.

I'd ask you return the products, but I'm sure you don't have time for that, either. Please know, honesty will always triumph not keeping your word. If you are too busy, heck, if you are uninterested, speak the truth. Just say so. $70 may not be a lot of money to you, but as a new business owner, that's a lot of money to me. If you had just been honest, I wouldn't have wasted the money & bothered you with all the products. And two bags of chocolates I thought you might enjoy.

Wishing all the best to you & your adorable family!

Blessings,

Melissa 

**********

Aug 29th:

Hi Melissa,
I'm very sorry that you are upset and unhappy about your review that you thought was supposed to be done, but Becki never received any product from you, and we are not sure who you sent your product to? What product did you send her, and when was it sent? Please let me know so we can hopefully get this cleared up. Thank you.

Kaitlyn
Coordinator

**********

Kaitlyn?  Where's Aimee?  What a convenient time for the need to change 'coordinators'.  You can see in the email below, that I really start to get upset & lose my professional tone.  I wish I hadn't done that, but I did.  I mean, really.  Nonetheless, I caught myself & reeled my professionalism back in.

**********

Aug. 29th:

Hi Kaitlyn! This is really quite comical! Becki most certainly did receive the products (they were mailed to her home & I have confirmation) but not just that - SHE TOLD ME SHE USED THEM! Haha! Please, at this point, just return my products. I'm assuming the box has never been opened, which totally makes sense as to why she didn't answer my questions regarding the products she claimed she didn't really like. I have all of our email exchanges - this is so embarrassing for her - please, just return my unopened products. Thank you so much!

Below is the email I received from Aimee -

Hi Melissa!

We did use your products It's only been about 2 weeks since we have finished using all the products. Thanks for emailing me!

I wanted to run a few things by you, to make sure you wanted us to review Shaklee. It's up to you! We have plenty of good things to say about the germicide, and the Basic H2. Those products were lovely. They smelled nice and fresh, and we liked them very much. But I didn't have much luck with the dishwashing soap, and scrubbing paste. There was a lot of residue left behind in both cases, and I had to re-run the dishwasher to get the dishes clean, and the soap off of them.

Just checking with you. We can write a review for the products we like, if you want? Or do the whole thing?

Let me know!


Aimee
[coordinator]

Sincerely,

Melissa 

*********

Aug. 29th:

Melissa,
As you can see from the messages below, that those were not in fact from Becki herself, but her previous Assistant Aimee who no longer works for Becki. Becki was having some problems with her and has since let her go. Becki did not use your cleaning products, but it's quite obvious from the emails, that Aimee used them herself. To be quite honest, Becki would have never agreed to do a review on cleaning products. She is a Stylist and she blogs about clothes, hair, and makeup. Cleaning products would not be something her followers would would be interested in hearing about from her and from her blog anyway. I'm very sorry that you are upset, and I apologize for how this has turned out, but Becki herself does not have, nor did she use your products.

**********
Becki "does not have" the products?  But wait just a minute.  I shipped the products to the exact address that Aimee gave me!  (In the 2nd email above, in red.)  How is it possible Becki "does not have" the products?  Did she move?

**********

Aug. 29th:

Wow! Unbelievable! So, Becki's address is not: xxxx x xxxxx xx, Gilbert, AZ 85295? Because that is where the products were shipped & I have confirmation the delivery was made.

Thank you!

**********

As you can see, she was busted, so she never responded.  Again.  To anything.  As you can see below, I even tried again.

**********

Aug. 30th:

Checking in! Is xxxx x xxxxx xx, Gilbert, AZ 85295 not Becki's home? If I was given the wrong information, it's very important that I know. I spent a lot of time & a lot of money putting the large package together, as well as shipping it, & I want to try to recoup my losses. Please let me know promptly!

Thank you!

**********

And that was the end of that & that is where we stand today.

In my final attempt to receive reimbursement, I mailed a certified letter to the same address (which yes, most certainly IS Becki's address) -

**********

9.18.13

Mrs. Becki Crosby (aka 'Whippy Cake')

xxxx x xxxxx xx

Gilbert, AZ 85295-3418

Mrs. Crosby:

On 9.4.13, I sent an email requesting reimbursement for the Shaklee products I sent to you when you agreed to do a review for me.  I don't know what went on between you & "Aimee", & that's your business; all I know is a representative from your email address was in contact with me.  As I'm sure you are aware, you are responsible for your employees, just as I am mine.  Not only that, but your direct contact email address was used.

Below you will find that particular email, which also includes all products that were included in your package.  I also listed the prices.  To say I am disappointed would be an understatement & truly, it's very upsetting, as all of this could have been avoided.  I take my job very seriously, as I'm sure you do, too, & I spent a lot of time & money putting your package together.  As a new business owner, & mother of 4 young children, I'm sure you'll understand when I say $75 is a lot of money to me.  That $75 would provide shoes for one or two of my children.  I am sincerely asking for reimbursement.  I'm sure you would be doing the same if you were in my shoes.

As you are aware, I am mailing this certified letter to the very same address I mailed your package.  You received the package at your home & what happened to the package after that concerns me none.  We know it was opened, as "Aimee" mentioned exact products in the box.  And, of course, I have delivery confirmation.  Again, I'm sure you understand why I'm asking for a full refund.

My address for reimbursement is listed below.

Thank you for your time & I wish you & your family all the best!

Blessings,

Melissa  

**********

Email sent & disregarded 9.4.13:

Good morning!  At this time, I am requesting full reimbursement for the Shaklee products & shipping that I paid upon Becki Crosby's administration agreeing to provide a Shaklee review for me.  As we know, that review was never completed & the review will never be completed.

A list of all products & their prices (the prices I paid - not retail prices)

Basic H $10.35

Basic G $17.30

Dish Washer Concentrate $9.50

Scour Off $7.25

Set of 3 spray bottles $6.90

2 large bags of chocolates - no charge

Shipping to Gilbert, AZ $23.75

Total:  $75.05

Thank you for helping me resolve this matter promptly.  After ten long months, I am ready to put this issue behind me & move forward.  I'm sure you understand.

Please mail reimbursement to:

Melissa 

xxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxx

**********

The certified letter notice, which cost me $6.00 more dollars (ugh) to send, was left at their home on 9.26.13.  As of today, 10.2.13, the certified letter has never been claimed.  I think (not 100% positive) that on the notice the usps left, it has my zip code on it.  Which makes sense as to why it has not been claimed.  Becki knows my zip code, from the package itself & then also in one of the above emails.  So she has decided to ignore it, like she has the last few emails I sent her. And the review.

And for additional fun -

In the 2nd email above, notice how there is no name signed, but there is a " xoxo "?  Yet, towards the end of our coorespondence, whomever I'm emailing with tries to imply that Becki never knew a thing about any of this?  (Again, even I mailed the huge package to her house!)  Well, funny thing here.  Just the other day, Whippy did a little post on Instagram.  And guess how she signed her post?  Let me show you:

With some X's and an O's! Is that not the craziest thing? Wink, wink.

Oh, & just so we all understand that Becki does do reviews, I took a screen shot of the page on her website where it states she does provide this service:



So there you have it. I included absolutely everything in this blog post. I left out no information at all, & nothing was altered in any way, except for my personal information & her street address. (I did leave out one thing. I just noticed I forgot to post the photo of the delivery confirmation I received when the package was delivered to her home. If anyone desires to see it, I'll be happy to post it.)

What happened to me doesn't need to happen to anyone else. Like I said in my email, as a new business owner, $100 is a lot of money to me. But more importantly - this isn't how you to treat people! My God, just be honest! I gave her an out. All she had to do was be honest! I feel confident enough to say, she lied to me. Several times. And I'm pretty sure you came to the same conclusion.

All in all - with the products (after viewing the photos, I discovered I also sent her the Basic G bottle & I didn't have that included in the $75.05 total), paper, chocolates, ink, the certified letter = almost $100.00.

I just want my money. And seeing how dishonest she is, I think it's time to just write it off. Because we all know, I'll never see it.

No one deserves to be out $100 because of an unethical & unprofessional person.

And after it's all said & done -

I truly do wish her & her family all the best.

*Certified letter was delivered!

"On October 9, 2013 , 4:39 pm
Delivered
GILBERT, AZ 85296"

Whippy now has a new, precious baby girl & I hope once they are home & settled she will make this situation right & reimburse my money. That would make me very happy. :)

Target - offering a few inappropriate clothing choices for little girls.

And they really think these are appropriate for 4 & 5 year olds? Really? Who, exactly, is approving these clothes? Per-verts? Pedo-philes? This is 100% unacceptable, plain & simple. I'm not sure what's worse - that these are available or that there are almost no other options for little girl shorts. ‪#‎disgusting‬ ‪#‎truth‬ ‪#‎clothes‬ ‪#‎fashion‬ ‪#‎unacceptable‬

*I broke the icky words above so no one can find my blog by searching those particular words. Ew!

The above photo & statement is what I posted to Instagram (& my Facebook page) after stumbling across these doozies while shopping at Target. The pair in the photo is an XS, which means, they typically fit a 4-5 year old little girl. What. The. Heck. Gotta love the cheetah print next to them - s-exy kitten, anyone? Yuck! These articles of clothing for little girls is so wrong on so many levels. Why is Target even carrying such nonsense? And I'm kind of afraid to ask, but do parents actually purchase these trashy things for their little girls?

When I posted this photo to my Facebook page, it ended up being my most popular post yet. This Facebook post was seen by over 800 people. Which is a lot for my tiny page. And let me tell you, not one person had anything nice to say about these shorts!

If we desire to raise strong, successful, confident, young ladies who possess high standards & self-respect, then it starts with the adults. It starts when they are very little & it is an ongoing lesson. It starts at home, with responsible, caring parents & should be supported & encouraged by society. Selling inappropriate, suggestive clothing for such little girls is not the way to do it. Very disappointing, indeed.

Shame on you, Target. Shame on you for supporting, advertising & making inappropriate clothing available to such young, innocent, impressionable girls. Shame on you for sending the message that these are acceptable & that dressing in little to no clothing is ok. It is not ok. In all honesty, you provide some really cute clothing. Step up & stop offering unnecessary & inexcusable apparel. Keep your reputation for being one of the good guys & hopefully you won't take on the title of being one of the bad.

Kudos to all the stores that do not offer & do not support such derogatory and/or provocative clothing for little girls.

(I assume Target isn't the only store selling clothing like this for this age group, but Target is where I saw them, so it's Target I'm addressing.)

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Electrasol and/or Finish Dishwasher detergent RESIDUE!

Hello there! Happy mid-week! I thought I'd hop on here real quick & show you a drinking glass I discovered yesterday in my cabinet.

These photos have been altered in NO WAY. This right here is the REAL DEAL. I have a set of 20 or so of these glasses & the majority are now washed clean with/in Shaklee. Obviously, this one hasn't been used since I switched (thank God I switched!!) & I was just appalled when I saw it. YUCK. Who wants to drink that? That, my friends, is what Electrasol/Finish is leaving in your cups & on your dishes. There is absolutely no question that this residue is from Electrasol/Finish, because that is the only dishwasher detergent I used for 10 years. (I used to love it & thought it was the best! Haha!) I have never used...Cascade...? I don't even know the names of other brands. I have never used anything else. Look how thick that nasty residue is! Isn't that a pretty glass to pull out when guests come to visit?!



I snapped the photo & then quickly washed it clean with Shaklee's dish soap. I did it so quick, I didn't even use hot water, just cold. And it came this clean! Residue-free. Layer after layer of chemicals gone. I am SO thankful my family, my children especially, well heck, my husband & myself, too, are no longer eating & drinking that leftover residue with our foods & drinks.



It's so clean & clear, you can visually see the lights reflecting in the middle & down the sides. Yes, please!

For Shaklee's Dish Washer Automatic Concentrate - click here!

For Shaklee's Dish Wash Concentrate (dish soap) - click here!

To see all of Shaklee's Get Clean kits - click here! (I started with a $40 kit & LOVED it! ONE YEAR LATER, I'm still using most of the products!)

All of Shaklee's products are concentrated & last forever! LOVE!

Oh & if you want to see what I do & who I do it with - click here! This is our amazing Shaklee team! Love these girls! (This isn't everyone. We have over 100 distributors on our team alone!)

We are preparing for a garage sale on Saturday, so off I go! Selling things I've never considered selling before. We have too much stuff & we don't need it all! We are spoiled! Live simple! :)

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End of school & beginning of recital days.

I hate when busyness consumes life! I don't like being rushed, I don't like having (sometimes, multiple) commitments every single day - it sends me into a tailspin & I start to stress. And I certainly don't like that! I enjoy stress-free. I want to keep my glorious, young, wrinkle-free face & skin (ahem) looking it's best. Stress doesn't fit in that equation!

Last year, after our dance year had already begun, Merc's dance teachers suggested we bump her up a class because she dances so well. So we did, which is awesome! But that means she hasn't had as many classes as her classmates have & she's younger than they are. She does a great job with her steps & keeping up, but she has slightly struggled, because she hasn't had the opportunity to practice the routines as much & the dances are just a tad more sophisticated than her age-appropriate class. Yesterday was her first dance performance & I was just a little apprehensive!



This year she dances ballet, tap & jazz. Yesterday's performance was solely tap, so I worked with her on some of her steps. So much fun, since I'm a dancer at heart (I was a drill team girl & loved it!!). I have to say - Mercedes danced the best I've seen all year. I was so proud of her! She truly loves dancing & that just thrills me. I hope she continues to dance throughout her childhood & well into her teen years. And beyond!

I tried to get some photos afterwards, but for whatever reason, she wasn't having it. She was so grumpy! Usually she's my happy, posing dancer, but not yesterday. Maybe she was a little stressed from her first performance, I don't know. So I snapped a few & we went on our way. Her recital is in four weeks & I cannot wait! Merc dances at a very popular, very large studio (433 students this year!) & the recitals are simply amazing! They are very professionally done & the huge auditorium is always packed with family & friends. It is such a beautiful, exciting experience for all the dancers & so much fun! Memories they will treasure forever.



That aside, we have end of the school year. It just wipes me out every year (physically & financially). Bentley had a his first french horn competition, before judges, last weekend (he won the highest metal!) & has another one on Tuesday morning, & then an afternoon at the water park. Friday night he had his first 'spring fling', for kids only. We loaded up he & his friend & dropped them off & they had ball. His activities & schedule are getting busier the older he gets (he's 12 now). He just signed up for a few AP classes next year. We had decided he would attend private school next year & he was totally on board. Until recently, when he decided he does not want to change schools. I couldn't believe it. He loves band so much, he has made so many friends, he just doesn't want to leave. Reluctantly, I agreed he could stay. I want to be sure I always listen & validate my children's feelings, so for now, no private school. Granted, it will save us a ton of money, but I just wanted more for him. Nonetheless, we'll give public middle school a go. I never want him to be unhappy, so I'm sure it will be fine. Even though our district is huge, we are fortunate we haven't had many issues. We are in a great district. His book fair is this week, his field day is quickly approaching, his science fair/experiment is approaching, his '6th grade send off' is approaching, his end of the year concert is approaching - ack! He has band practice starting @ 7:15 a.m. on some days & practice after school on other days. So much all at one time! It almost takes a balancing act to juggle it all.

My two elementary kids had their spring fling last weekend, but we never participate (this year was the first year my oldest has ever attended). I just don't allow those types of things, because in my opinion, the school has my children long enough. When school is not in session, it's our time. But the school still wants money, they still want donations for the auction (in my son's class alone, they auctioned off a TWO HUNDRED dollar basket! I was appalled) & they want baked goods (which comes with restrictions/rules/guidelines) for the cake walk. My daughter had a costume performance a few weeks ago, their field day is tomorrow (for both of them) & now it's teacher appreciation week, so they want money/gifts/food, etc. x 3 teachers. My daughter has a huge project due this week, we still have dance weekly, homework, groceries, cleaning, blah, blah. And my work! My Shaklee has been pushed aside during all this & I hate that! So thankful I have a job that allows me to be home with my kids & work my own hours.

In the meantime, I had my oldest's adoption update that is due. This is our only birthmother that if she had to do it all over again, would not have placed her son for adoption. I love her dearly, & I stress so much over this update. I want it to be everything she is hoping for because I don't ever want her to be disappointed. Thankfully, it's done! I just have to stick it in the mail.

Whew! It's all just so crazy & I'm so ready for summer break! I have many blog posts lined up, so many projects I'm ready to dig in to & decorating to begin! Decorating on a budget, of course! I love cleaning, I love decorating - I'm ready! Cleaning & decorating are stress relievers for me, so I need them in abundance. :)