Simple Secret Santa!

Listen up! Who is interested in participating in a Simple Secret Santa this year? Who doesn't like a sweet little something in the mail? I think this could be really fun! Nothing elaborate, just something to make someone else smile. To bring some happy to the holiday season. I'm thinking, possibly, of a $10-$15 limit, including shipping. There would be stipulations, of course, because it wouldn't be fair if someone commits & then doesn't participate. So, I'm making a list! First, I need to know if you're interested. If so, then, we spread the word! I'd love to have a huge Simple Secret Santa! How fun would that be?! So, step one - please go to my Facebook page (easier keeping all the comments in one place) & leave a comment if you are interested!

Click here to go to my Facebook page!

Lets spread some happy!!

Project Dream International!

You've talked about it, you've thought about it, you've tossed it back & forth - are you ready? Take advantage of this amazing special! Do it now & make some extra Christmas money! I'll walk with you every step of the way! It's simple! :)

Do you desire: more opportunity, more recognition, more freedom, more flexibility, better health, more income, wants to help others, wants more time with their kids, wants to travel, wants to live better & wants to become the best person they were designed to be? Then Project Dream is for you! You deserve it & you are worth more! Set your standards high! Maybe you know someone who is searching for these very things - please pass this on to them! You never know whose life you could change!

Life Can Be Better!

Email me now! adoringthesimple@gmail.com

My partners!

Project Dream International!

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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."

If I could, I would give my kids the world.

On Facebook recently, we've all read the article written by the mom who basically told teenage girls to stop dressing & acting like tramps. While she, on the other hand, had a photo up of her shirtless teenage sons on the beach, baring their badass muscles. Btw, where is that photo? She removed it? Here's the image she did have up, while slamming others for not wearing clothes & for posing inappropriately.

Then, we read the article about the mom who says don't worry, none of us can do it all & we're all normal. If we have kids, we live like pigs. Totally normal.

And though I don't necessarily dispute this one, we all read the article about not judging out of control children, because we don't know circumstances.

I decided to write my own 'parenting' article.

I grew up with the mindset, honestly after hearing lecture after lecture, of how we should never allow our children everything they want. Even if it can be afforded. I can't afford to give my children their heart's desire, so it's never been an issue. But lately, I've been thinking about it. And my opinion has changed. My pocketbook hasn't, but my mind has. And I'll tell you what got me thinking. A few of you know this story, or some of it.

I have had the same Gynecologist for over 20 years. I've never carried a baby, so typically, other than my breast cancer journey a few years ago, I just see her yearly. Or every year & a half. I cheat.

My Gynecologist is 7 years older than me. I got lucky when I found her - she's one of the sweetest, calmest, most mild mannered physicians I've ever met. She has a delightful, peaceful disposition & I really love her dearly. Over the years, she always kept up with our adoption journey, & every time I go see her, I take photos of my kids. Because she's interested. And she lets it be known. Oddly, we sort of have an acquaintance friendship. I guess that happens when you continue to go to the same dr. for so many years. She's the type of person, the type of friend, that no matter how much time passes between visits, it's like we just saw each other yesterday. I remember years ago when she was pregnant. I found it so strange. I thought 'she's supposed to deliver babies, not make them!' Ha! She's one of the most popular & sought out OB/Gynecolgists in my area.

At the time, her children were all boys. But she always wanted a girl. As her boys grew, she & her husband adopted a precious baby girl from China. My dr. waited a long time for her daughter & treasured & adored every ounce of that little girl. When I would go in for my appointment, I showed her the photos of my kids & she showed me hers. She carries her photos in her lab coat pocket. It's just the sweetest thing. I remember going in for my appointment a few years ago, & was dealt a devestating blow, when her nurse informed me that my dr.'s little girl had passed away in a horrible accident. She was 5 or 6 when she died. I did not ask any details, but found out later her daughter passed away while in the care of her nanny. She drowned. I will never forget that day I found out. I never mentioned it to my dr. - I never told her I knew. I didn't want to bring up any painful memories. I shared in her excitement when she told me they were adopting another little girl from China, a special needs little girl. My dr. has the money to help those babies in need & she knows it & she acts on it. It's just her heart. She brought home her 2nd little girl from China when the baby was about 2 years old. She's several years older now, cute as a bug & her special needs repaired. She has the most loving, fabulous life any little girl could ask for. My dr. told me that she wanted to adopt another, but her husband was hesitant, due to their ages. She was working on him. I had to laugh when she told me "I love him, he's a great guy, but he's kind of boring! We have enough love to offer another child."

When I was in for my most recent appointment, she told me she was indeed adopting another little girl from China. This one around 4 years old. She was so happy. So at ease. She hoped they would be traveling to China in September (last month) to bring her home. Knowing all she/they have endured, I was just thrilled for her. I whispered "I'm so glad your husband got on board!" as I headed to another area to have some tests run. She just looked at me & smiled. After she read my test results, I wished her the best of luck & went on my way. I haven't checked back in, but I hope she brought her third little girl home. I hope all went well because honestly, she deserves nothing less.

You can imagine my shock, a few days after my appointment, when a friend informed me my dr.'s husband had passed away prior. What? How could that be? My dr. had just told me she was adopting another child. I did my research & discovered her husband had passed away a year or so earlier (just happened to be right in between my annuals). I sat in disbelief & distraught all evening. I told my husband how I had had no idea when I was in there for my visit & she never said a word. No wonder she just looked at me & smiled when I made the comment about her "husband being on board". She didn't know I didn't know. I just couldn't believe it. Last I knew, she was adopting another another child & now suddenly, I find out her husband is deceased. Imagine my horror when I learned her husband drowned in a accident while they were on vacation. He drowned! The same, horrible tragedy that she lost her oldest daughter to a few years earlier. All I could mutter is "my God, how much can one family take". Yet, there she was, at work. As dedicated, as calm, as sweet as ever. You would never know by seeing her that her life & her heart had been shattered multiple times. She was adopting her new little girl without her husband.

She doesn't blog anymore, but she used to, & she chronicled their adoption journey when they decided to adopt their second daughter from China. I loved her blog. She gave updates & always showed her quiet wit when she posted. She even included updates on her boys & mentioned how it was so hard to let them go off to college & watch them grow. She is an amazing mother, just another quality of hers that is so endearing & draws so many women in.

She made a comment on her blog one time that has stuck with me ever since I read it. She said that she always gave her children everything. She could afford to, she worked hard to, & she did. Although, I'm sure there were times they, too, got told no. She didn't hide the fact that her children had what they wanted & as a matter of fact, she obviously didn't care who knew. I admire her so much.

She raised good boys. Boys to this day who appear to have a deep, loving, adoring relationship with their mother. I'm not saying I believe her boys were or are perfect, as I'm sure they had their challenging days like everyone else. But I can tell you without a doubt, those are some fine young men. Money had nothing to do with her teaching them about Christ, about love, about giving, about helping, about loving others. Money had nothing to do with her teaching them about confidence, honesty, respect & responsibility. It doesn't take money to teach those things, whether you have an over abundance of it or you don't. It takes one thing. It takes a heart to do that. Her boys didn't end up plastered & in jail, even though their mother gave them everything she could. Her boys didn't end up liars, cheaters, losers or a detriment to society, even though their mother gave them everything she could. Her boys grew up knowing bountiful, pure love.

Life is short. I know I've said this a million times, but we have to live while we're alive. There are no second chances. My dr., of all people, can attest to that. There are no do-overs. This is it. It is what you make it. It is what I make it. It is what my dr. makes it. It doesn't matter what society thinks is right or wrong. It doesn't matter if 'old school' thinks it wrong to give our children much. None of that matters. Happiness matters. Happiness & love. Happiness & love matter.

So yes, if I could, I would give my kids the world, while teaching them what's important. If I could afford to, I'd give them everything they wanted. Because love isn't based on material things. So what if they happen to have a lot. You show me their character. Show me their heart. Because that's what I care about. Not what kind of car they drive.

Shaklee! FREE shipping tomorrow, Thursday, 10.17th!!

Happy October! Can you believe it's October? I hope this email finds you comfy, cozy & chilly! It seems to me that summer is go, go, go & then once Labor Day comes, summer's over. Boom, it's gone! Do you want me to remind you of how many days until Christmas? Ok, I'll skip that part. :)

Shaklee is absolutely exploding right now! Not just product-wise, but business-wise, as well! Our team alone has over 140 members & literally, growing daily. It is such a thrilling & exciting time! I am so passionate about anything & everything Shaklee & I'm so happy you are included in my Shaklee journey. Thank you! And if you have yet to try Shaklee, please do! Try Shaklee's nontoxic, natural products. There is a 100% money back guarantee if you don't like them. But you will! Shaklee's return rate is only like .03%. That is fabulous! Not only that, the average Shaklee customer is a customer for approximately 17.6 years. Wow! Everyone loves our products!

I want to let you know about a free shipping special that is being offered tomorrow, Thursday, October 17th. Maybe you're running low & it's time for you to restock or maybe you are searching for the perfect Christmas gift. Thursday is your day where you don't have to pay shipping! The free shipping special runs midnight to midnight.



This special is for all new & existing Shaklee members! Any order, $100 or more, gets free shipping! Remember, as always, the shipping will show up at checkout, but will not show up on your email confirmation. Please share this post - if anyone joins as a member, not only do they get 15%-25% off all products, but they, too, will receive the free shipping on orders $100+.

Of course any Shaklee product would make a great Christmas gift (ok, truth - the Turnaround Kits may not be the best choice, unless you know for a fact someone really wants to shed some pounds ;o), but we do have 2 lines that are really popular for gifts. One is our Healthy Home line & the other Healthy Beauty. Remember, all of Shaklee's products are concentrated & last a very long time. They are so cost-efficient!! The Get Clean kits are awesome! You get a variety of cleaning/home products vs. just one or two products. The Healthy Beauty line has kits (i.e. 'systems'), as well. I have to say, truth be told, these two lines are my absolute favorites. I will never in my life use any other cleaning and/or laundry product(s) - I think they are phenomenal. And that says a lot, if you know how picky I am. I adore the Beauty line equally as much. The products are simply luxurious. I love these products so much, I always order in advance so I never run out. As a matter of fact, I recently started my 12 year old on the acne treatment. There are hair products, too! And, accessories, so be sure to look at those! I've included links to the two lines below, so be sure to check them out!

Healthy Home

Healthy Beauty

As always, if I can help in any way, please let me know. I'm happy to help! You can email: adoringthesimple@gmail.com or phone: 817.300.7755.

Oh, just one more thing! Many of you are considering the business opportunity (yay! Extra Christmas money!) Shaklee offers! Just want to let you know, this special does indeed apply to those purchasing the Gold Plus package! $850 worth of products delivered for free! That is a great savings, so just keep that in the back of your mind if you're ready to join our amazing team (our PDI website link is below!). We'd love to have you!!

Stay warm, enjoy getting ready for the holidays & have a wonderful rest of the week!

Blessings,

Melissa :)

Shaklee Independent Distributor
Safe, Powerful, Green, Smart!

My Shaklee store!
My Facebook page!

I LOVE being self-employed! Click here to see what I do & who I do it with! Project Dream International!

Have a happy day!

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 

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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

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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! :)

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

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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 

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Nov. 4, 2012:

Melissa,
Becki's last name is Crosby :)

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Nov. 4, 2012:

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

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

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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.

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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.

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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 

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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.

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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!! :)

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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]

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May 13th:

Thank you so much Aimee!! :)

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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]

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May 15th:

Thank you! Good luck & have fun! :)


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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. :)