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Richard Darrah with Self Made Beauty

Avon Independent Sales Representative

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Campaign 9
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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Roasted Okra

This is a hit at our house!  I pre-heat the oven at 425 degrees. I line a pan with foil and spray it with pam. I slice our okra just like we were going to fry it.  In about 1/3" slices.  I put them in a bowl and sprinkle olive oil over them (just enough to coat the okra when stirred).  I then season the okra with whatever I'd like.  This time I used salt, pepper, garlic powder with parsley and onion powder.  However , you can use whatever seasoning you desire...cajun  is even really good too!  

I stir the okra to make sure is is coated with the mixture.  I put the okra on the pan in a single layer.  I added fresh cherry tomatoes from our garden in this photo.  (I simply put the cherry tomatoes in the bowl after putting the okra on the pan and coated them with the seasoned oil leftover then placed them throughout the pan.) 

I cook the okra for 10-15 minutes until some of the okra is crispy.

I think I'll try doing this on the grill next time with whole okra instead of sliced.  I'll post the results and update the blog post when I do.  

The photo is pre-cooked.  I couldn't get a photo of the finished product due to us eating it up so fast!  Enjoy the idea!  YUMMY!

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Earnings update

I know I haven't posted our leadership earnings in a while...here is our latest leadership numbers from campaign 14.  We had 30 representatives in Campaign 14 with 19 of them submitting orders.  That means 11 didn't place an order for various reasons.  This is only leadership earnings....it does not include all the ways we are earning with AVON such as bonuses, etc...

Below is our customer numbers.  This is the amount of customers we have registered on our system.  This includes all of our customers both online across the country and our local customers that we have as of today, July 18, 2013.....We had $2265 in sales for Campaign 14.  Campaigns last about 2 weeks.

If you're interested in becoming an AVON Independent Sales Representative sign up using our reference code: donnadarrah at startavon.com.   for more information visit our website at www.youravon.com/donnadarrah.  The opportunity tab has even more information than the home page.

If you're on our AVON Team CROSS COUNTRY and are interested in leadership contact Richard or myself.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Sautéed Tilapia

Sautéed Tilapia

4  filets of Tilapia (thawed if frozen)
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. parsley
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. butter or oil


Mix all but Tilapia in a flat bottom container such as a pie plate.
Dredging Tilapia in flour mixture.
Set a skillet to medium high heat Melt butter in pan. Dredge the tilapia through the flour mixture, coating each side. Place the coated tilapia filets in the pan in the pan and cook them on each side.  You can tell when sautéed tilapia is done when the flesh flakes easily with a fork. 

Sautéing tilapia in pan.

I hope everyone enjoys this one.  It's an easy recipe and very quick too, so make sure that your sides are prepared ahead of time.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

COYOTE Drive-In Review

Coyote Drive-In, Fort Worth, TX

I was able to go to the brand new Coyote Drive-In near downtown Fort Worth last night.  I went with my husband and our two small girls ages 2 and 4.  We met our friends there who actually called us up early on Saturday to invite us with their 4 year old daughter.  They had went last weekend and actually only knew about it due to Brian seeing it from his pharmacy tech school located in downtown Fort Worth.

It was perfect.  All of us had been looking into going to a drive-in for a while now but the drive to Grandbury, Texas, to the Brazos Drive-In or others were all over an hour away.  That was just not going to happen without having to rent a hotel room to stay the night after attending the movies.  

Drive-Ins seem to be making a come back.  Maybe its because our generation remembers going to them regularly as children.  I remember going to one in Oklahoma City as a teenager occasionally.


I forgot how much fun going to a Drive-In was!  This one has three screens. All three were showing different double features.  The Coyote Drive-In was founded in 2011. They charge only per person in the car and not per carload.  This does add up.  The pricing last night was $8 for adults and $6 for children 3-6.  They have no military, student nor senior discounts yet so that cost our family $22.  We were told that they were working on the discounts and they will be coming soon.  They do take cash or credit/debit cards for entrance fees and concessions. They open the gates during the summertime at 6pm.  No outside food or drinks are allowed.

We arrived at 5:50pm and were in a line waiting to get in.  We were in one of three lines on different streets merging to the one entrance.  We were probably over the 30th car through the entrance gate.  They had traffic directors with hand cones to direct us into one of four gate lanes once through the main entrance gate.  I was impressed with the fact that they had two employees working each lane.  They were actually leap frogging the cars for the entrance fees so the line was moving pretty quick.  Once in we found the Murphy's at Screen 3.  We were going to see the double feature of Monster U and Now You See Me.  All 6 Movies playing were new movies at the regular indoor theaters.  I was quite impressed.  I would advise getting there early like we did.  It seemed like all three screens filled up pretty fast.
Coyote Canteen
My oldest daughter (center) at playground

We parked the car and walked over to the large outdoor partially covered Canteen.  We had a blast.  The shows weren't starting until around 8:30pm and we had almost 2 1/2 hours to kill.  Not a problem to do that here.  Their Canteen had several picnic tables and benches under the Canteen and out and around the grassy sections of the fenced in area. It was quite nice.  The Coyote Canteen had another fenced off Playground area in it, made out of boulders from the local area.  The bathrooms were located in the Canteen area and they had many stalls. The bathroom sinks were outdoor metal sinks located outside of the stall areas.   They were VERY Clean.

The concessions consisted of a large concessions area built into the Canteen with several options and checkout lines.  They do serve beer ($3) and wines too.  The wine is purchased by the bottle.
They also had 3 outdoor vendor truck stands set up around the outside areas of the covered Canteen area.  One sold food items, the other one was beverages and the third sold novelty items such as t-shirts, etc... 
Fun Social Environment before and during the shows.
I was also impressed with the fact that they had a mini-stage set-up with live music playing.  It was a nice environment to be in for everyone and we had a blast.  Again, I suggest you get to the Drive-In early, lock up your vehicle and head over to the Canteen.  Not only did all three screen areas fill up fast but so did the Canteen area.  There is no movie ticket required to enter the Canteen from 6pm-Close and there is free parking outside of the entrance area for those that choose to simply be patrons of the Canteen.

Overall, I was very impressed and can't wait to do it again! I would recommend going to the Coyote Drive-In.  We had a great time!  The large moon rising over the screen while it was playing, seeing shooting stars and the beautiful Fort Worth lit up skyline so close while watching the movies on a wonderful Texas summer night was priceless!  We along with several people actually got to see fireworks in the distance from the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra's 1812 Overture and Russian Sparklers concert playing at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. This is from their Concerts in the Garden Summer concert series. What a night!

The Coyote Drive-In is located at 223 NE 4th Street, Fort Worth, TX 76164.  Their contact number is 817-717-7767.  Click here for their website.  Click here for their Facebook page.

Coyote Drive-In sent our blog photos for approved publishing.  They also authorized usage of their logo on our blog. Thank you Coyote Drive-In!

Additional notation by author:  Although the Coyote Drive-In was founded in 2011, it has only recently opened its doors on May 10, 2013.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Donna's Easy Pea Salad


Ingredients
  • 1 Package of Frozen Peas (12 oz)
  • 1/3 c. light mayonnaise or less for preference
  • 1 dollop to 1/4 cup of light sour cream (preference to taste)
  • 1/2 cup of diced mild cheddar cheese (approx. 4 oz.)
  • 1 green chopped green onion
  • 4 oz precooked diced ham
  • 1 diced hard boiled egg

Directions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Peas must be frozen when mixed with ingredients to avoid mashing of the peas. Keep refrigerated until served.

Footnotes
  • Peas must be frozen when mixed with ingredients to avoid mashing of the peas. I use an egg slicer to dice the egg for a faster process. I find that small diced ham and cheese work better. I buy the block cheese and use about 1/4 of a 16 oz block. I also use precooked diced ham. I prefer the green onion over a white, yellow or sweet onion. ENJOY!

 




Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Honored by AVON

Today I have the honor of attending an AVON division President Club's Luncheon due to my sales success with AVON.  My husband and I have also have the distinct honor of being asked to speak about our success while there.

I'm so honored and very frightened.  Public speaking on stage is one of my greatest fears.  This is a hurdle that I need to cross.  Once I have done it....look out world!  I will conquer this fear.  My husband will be on stage with me for my support.  I am excited and hope that I do well today.  Besides, it's only 3-5 minutes, right?

We have only been with AVON for eight months and we have become the top sellers in our district.  We acknowledge that our success is through gaining knowledge wherever we can, marketing our business and having great customer service.  If you're interested in joining our team and learning how to succeed simply click here and enter reference code: donnadarrah.  We'll lead you to the knowledge of success but you must act upon that knowledge to succeed!
Best New Performer Award in District
Sales Level Advancement-We not only made President Club Level but Honor's Society too!

UPDATE:  Richard and I won the Best New Performer Award for our district!  Woohoo!  Our projected sales numbers that the Division Sales Manager posted were amazing!  We'll see if we can even can even get close to that $100K+ amount she was talking about.  Phew!  That will be a LOT more work!

Receiving our Best New Performer In District Award
#1 Sales Increase under my Upline's Unit
Mrs. Albee Award for being a PC member



Sunday, June 2, 2013

AVON Collects Donations to Support Oklahoma

This is another reason that I love AVON. Avon is promoting this at checkout on my online store. It is only available to those that submit direct delivery orders from anywhere in the country. Yes, the donation is tax deductible and exempt taxes as indicated in the small print. OK is due for more tornado activity with storms starting tomorrow night. They just can't catch a break. Please donate to the Okies anyway you can. www.youravon.com/donnadarrah


Memorial Day Weekend in Austin

Our family had a wonderful time in Austin this past Memorial Day weekend. We started out leaving immediately after I got off work on Friday for the drive to Austin from the DFW area.  Richard picked me up from work and we headed south around 5:30 pm Friday night.  We thought we were making great time using the new toll road cutting south through the middle of the metro plex until we  were about to get onto I-35W down by Burleson after stopping at a drive thru window to get the girls some oh-so-healthy McDonald's for dinner.  BAM!  Lightening, high winds, dark skies and oh, did I mention the tornado watch?  Yes, I discovered we were in a tornado watch when I scrambled to the weather app on my iPhone.  Great.  We were loaded down with our whole family and hauling a U-haul trailer full of baby stuff down to Austin in a severe thunderstorm.

We managed to make it to our hotel in Austin around 11:30pm after the packed commute down I-35. Still not bad considering much of the I-35 commute was between 10-45 miles per hour.  We made up some serious time when we hit the new toll road around Austin.  The rain had lightened up and did I metion that the speed limit on this new road was 80 mph?  YES!  

After checking in and carrying the girls up to our room at the Staybridge Suites we needed to pull out the sleeper sofa for the girls.  I was using points for the three nights at Staybridge Suites so we could only get a studio suite.  Of course as soon as we start pulling out the sleeper both of our girls became wide awake and bouncing off of the walls.  Besides, they had had a good rest and nap in the Acadia.  Ugh.  Well, after settling in for the night we were able to finally get to sleep (Richard on the sleeper sofa with Brie and I on the bed with our oldest, Abby) around 12:30 am. 

Brie managed to wake us around 6:30am on Saturday morning all happy and energitic to start the day.  We managed to access the free breakfast and slowly get moving.  We made it to his brother's home in Kyle around 10:30am with the trailer full of baby stuff for them.  Their new baby girl is due at the end of August.  Richard and his brother Allen took the trailer to a U-Haul drop off to turn it in after unloading it.  We then decided to hang out around their home and visit while the  girls played with their cousins.  It was a rainy day after all.  

Around 2pm we all decided to take the kids out to CiCi's Pizza to get them out of the house.  Let me remind everyone that my 4 year old has a severe dislike to Pizza.  She absolutely detests it.  I don't know why but she thinks it is gross and won't touch it.  We have to feed her before and after birthday parties that have pizza to avoid the pizza drama.  Ok, well, I was delighted to see that CiCi's has more than just pizza.  Abby was happy with the salad bar and the pasta bar area.  She even went after a brownie.  Great!  Brie was very happy.  She absolutely loves pizza!  She loved shaking the parmazon cheese all over the four slices of pizza that she had.  The weather was starting to clear up and Allen's family had to go to a Boy Scout planning gathering at 5pm so we headed back to our hotel.  Yes, I'm still in disbelief that they had a planning meeting on Memorial Day weekend....

We had fun when we got back to the hotel.  The weather had broken for  the rest of the afternoon and the girls wanted to hit the pool.  We were the only patrons brave enought to hit the outdoor pool first. Let's just say that the pool was very cool, lol.  But parents do crazy things for their children and ours needed to burn some energy off to be able to sleep for a big day on Sunday.  Keep in mind that the naptime is usually to the wayside when our girls are excited about activities.

Everything was fine until Brie climbed out of the pool's edge and backed away slowly with that concentrated look on her face...."Brie, do you need to go to the potty?" I cautiously ask.  "I poop", was her response.  Ugh!  Poop in the bathing suit is the worst!  I couldn't believe it.  I had just asked her if she need to go to the potty a minute earlier before helping her to the edge of the pool.  She smiles and slowly heads towards the chair with the towel.  As she turns I see the turtle head like structure protruding in her swim bottoms.  I'm thankful she at least waited until after she got out of the water.....off to the room we go for clean up while daddy and Abby continue their fun adventures in the pool.

The next day we rode the Duck Tour Adventures from 6th street in downtown Austin.  It was fun.  The girls loved it when the pirate ship painted tour bus turned into a boat and we entered lake Austin.  I had no idea that so many movie stars were starting to call Austin home now either.  Wow!  We decided not to go see the bats afterwards due to the rainy and overcast weather.  There will always be another trip to go see the largest urban bat colony in the world come out at dusk for their nightly feedings.  We figured that the grassy areas for viewing would have been too muddy.  We opted for a Mexican dinner with all eight of our family party down on 6th street. We headed back to the hotel for a little rest prior to heading over to our family's home for movie night.  The girls absolutely had a blast playing and visiting with their cousins.

We headed back home on Monday morning and I was happy to say we beat most of the holiday traffic and rain on the trip back.  We love visiting Austin.  Next time we'll have to go see the bats and I want to take a trip to the farmer's market on Saturday morning.  There's so much to do there that we'll just have to visit more often to get it all in.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Make Your Multi-level Marketing Business Grow Faster


Dipping your toes into multilevel marketing may be the smartest business move you make. You can't just harvest money from the multilevel marketing tree, though; it requires hard work. It is understandable to be curious about how to get started, and begin reaping the rewards.
You could build your own website for your network marketing plan. You could also use social networking sites as a quick, easy way to get started. A compelling, well-maintained blog can even serve in a pinch. A presence on the social networking sites makes a nice complement to your multilevel marketing website. Think of the internet as a community you have to establish a presence in. A frequently updated, attractive and interesting blog will also help.
A good rule of thumb for calculating an emergency fund is to multiply your monthly expenses by nine. You can get that money through multilevel marketing.
Whatever success you see being achieved around you, seek to copy it. Learn from the people who have been working in MLM much longer than you have. Try to adopt a similar approach and attitude, while following their success. Imitating the best of the best can quickly turn you into one of them. We can learn from our own mistakes, as well as from the success of others.
You can outsource work to another company while you are engaged in multilevel marketing. This will save you money as you may not have the skills necessary at this stage. Hiring someone to conduct your advertising campaign ensures you receive a quality product and can concentrate on running your business.
Try to recruit business professionals from other areas into your network. These types of people, who have worked in sales or on commission tend to have good self motivation and are already used to having the effort put forth coincide with the amount of success they achieve. These businessmen and women are also the ones who will be more perceptive to your recruitment drive.
Structure your multilevel marketing site as a tutorial. A tutorial is an effective way to boost your site traffic, and have your visitors spend more time with your content as well. When you have more traffic and people spending more time on your site, the chance that you will pick up some new members in your network will rise, and this will work to increase your advertising revenue.
When you are writing on your website or writing for a seminar, be unique! Leave no stone unturned.
Before you begin a MLM campaign, you should decide what your budget is, and how tightly it should be stuck to. If you stick to your budget you'll ensure that you have money in both the good and bad times, as well as have some to put back into your business. Once you have finalized your budget, you will have a clear idea as to how much money you can spend.
You can see from this article that there is a great deal of research and work involved in multilevel marketing in order to get results and profits. A good campaign will require you to keep developing it constantly. This article provides a good jumping off point for anyone hoping to grow their business through multi-level marketing.

About the Author

If you're a network marketer, and looking for a way to build a 6 to 7 figure business, all without picking up the phone, holding home meetings or bugging friends and family, check out these 3 'secret' MLM Recruiting Tips.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Important Things To Keep In Mind When Looking for a DJ by Che Dar



Shopping for the services of a disc jockey or DJ is one task that should get your full attention. If you want to host a memorable party that features the vibe you are looking for and pulsating music, then it pays to work with only the best armed with the right skills. To make this happen, you need to screen all applicants and select only the best. You can do this by paying attention to some important things and issues when looking for a DJ.

Experience matters- experience matters when it comes to providing the best entertainment. This is true as well when it comes to hiring the services of a DJ. When it comes to experience, it doesn't only refer to experience and years spent in using the skills and talent. Experience can also refer to the time spent in using the latest gadgets and equipments in the industry. The number of events and weddings attended is an indication of expertise and dedication to the craft.
Networking is the best approach in looking for prospects- It is recommended to network first with friends and officemates before paying attention to advertisements and promotional materials. The referrals and personal feedbacks and comments of past clients can also help you decide on who to hire as the DJ for the event.
A written contract should be in order- Just like other professional services, it pays to have an active contract that will cover the details of the services. The contract should specific the important details of the event including the time and date, duration, cost and special requests like the songs that should be played and the genre that should be covered. The presence of a written contract is an indication that the disc jockey is for real and will provide professional services. The presentation of the contract will also help prevent misunderstandings and can help set the standard for the services that will be rendered.
A personal meeting before the actual event is necessary- Most of the top-rated DJs right now maintain their own websites where they can publish their portfolio and meet new clients. The online arrangement is good for both parties and can even simplify your search. But don't let the transactions end online. It is also recommended that you first meet with the DJ before the actual event. Though you can swap e-mails with the DJ, still a face-to-face interaction is best. The great thing about this meeting is that you can personally inform the DJ about your requests and other requirements for the event. The meeting before the actual event is also a chance for you to learn more about his other skills. For example, you will know his special skills on how to motivate the crowd and sustain the fun.

About the Author

When it comes to great and memorable parties, music plays a central role. To use music to your advantage, you need to work with a top DJ from your area that can bring and sustain the fun. For more information, just visitpartysound.com.au.
About the Blog Owner:
Donna Darrah has a brother-in-law that has been in the DJ business for a couple of decades.  Visit http://www.ultimatesoundandkaraoke.com for more information if you're in the Austin, Texas area.


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Learn Spanish Effectively-How Can You Learn Spanish by Ranny



How can you learn Spanish? However, the other important question is "Why you want to learn Spanish?". Maybe you saw someone else learning Spanish and you feel jealousy at him/her, or you dream about visiting a Spanish-speaking country.
Firstly, you should know that learning Spanish is not possible overnight, but communication in Spanish will put you on the basic and the most important step to learn Spanish as fast as possible.
However, there is not just a better way to learn any language, including Spanish, of course. As we have seen it is personal preference, what you hope to learn, and when you want to learn. For example, someone who is mainly interested in the conversation must purchase a Spanish audio program. If someone else has more time to learn Spanish as a second language, he/she will probably have more luck with software.
Learning a language at your own pace is better than completing a course on a fixed period of time. It is difficult for you to go at their own pace if you're in a class, or learning a language in a group. Many people leave their countries to enter the nerve language and culture. In both cases, you must put a lot of effort, unlike if you use certain tools to help you learn Spanish at home.
The audio program in your car does not mean that it's the best method for you to learn Spanish. However, an audio course may be the perfect method for another person, while interactive lessons software can help you learn Spanish quickly.
Well! Let's see the best way to learn Spanish, I mean the easiest way which can also be considered "learn Spanish in your sleep".
The key to all this is to recognize that we all learn differently, and the time to determine the best method depends on you, only you.
Spanish audio lessons have worked for a long time, and now thanks to new technologies, it still works for you just to receive your course or even a CD in MP3 format.
It was not so long as the CD is just not available. Cassettes are countless in the music stores, and when you want to learn a new language, you should either get a private tutor or buy audio lessons on tapes.
What is the ideal size? Anyone who wants to learn on the go in the car or use an MP3 player should consider learning Spanish audio course is an effective way. You get a lot of content for the money because there are often hours and hours of vocabulary and pronunciation lessons.
Learn Spanish Software
Those who remember things they will work good with audio programs, but people are often pay more attention to interactive and video lessons that come with software such as Tell Me More In Spanish or Spanish Rosetta Stone.
Another advantage that the software offers more than audio one is the more technical course on reading and writing in Spanish. It is difficult to learn the verb in an audio lesson, while viewing it on a computer screen is much easier to remember.
Take time to consider your expectations for the learning of Spanish as how you enjoy learning as well as the amount of time you have to learn and practice. All these things together will lead you to answer the questions of Spanish courses at home, which will be the best way for you.
Learning Spanish is pretty easy when you have the right methods best suited to your learning preference. If you choose the wrong method of learning, it will take additional time to improve. It is always advisable to control each with a lesson instead of starting with a huge list of verbs and conjugations.
So what is the best method for you to learn Spanish?
Among the many books available on the market today, I believe, in fact, that any language can be learned by "listening" and "talking". Most of books focus on Spanish grammar and written language only and fill your day with exercises that you may not be able to do it at once and maybe you delay it for the next century.
Some argue that the most effective tool to learn Spanish is audio tools. This allows you to hear the language repeatedly and many people consider it as the more effective method than any other method. Such audios can be played in workplace, on the road, or at home. Audios are much more convenient to the efficiency as well as reducing your learning curve.
Learning Spanish in videos is much lower than any other format for the only reason that videos teach you through visibility, sound, and one-to-one talk. This is even better than attending a Spanish language course, since you have full control over the pace of the course.
Finally, I would like to give you some important tips to learn Spanish in an effective way. Below are those amazing tips.
Tips to talk in Spanish lips!
1. Listen to Spanish every day
Listen to Spanish radio.
Watch Spanish TV.
Watch Spanish movies.
Use online lessons; e.g. Youtube, etc..
2. Make a Spanish friend
Make up conversations.
Practice dialogues.
Use beginner textbooks.
3. Read Spanish stories and newspapers
Read storybooks,.
Read advertisements, signs, labels, magazines, newspapers.
4. Write down new words
Write down new words.
Write words in alphabetical order (A...B...C...).
Make sample sentences.
Always use a Spanish-Spanish dictionary first.
5. Keep a Spanish diary
Start with one sentence.
Write: How do you feel?
What is the weather like?
What did you do today?
6. Visit a Spanish speaking country
Learn Spanish more quickly.
Stay with a Spanish family.
Hear native speakers talk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfsTy0Wjv_M
Learn to Speak and Understand Spanish Like a Native, While Cutting Your Learning Time In HALF!http://LearnSpanishBook.info

About the Author

Learn to Speak and Understand Spanish Like a Native, While Cutting Your Learning Time In HALF!
http://LearnSpanishBook.info