Wordless Wednesday...Are you ready for some Football!!!!

Wordless Wednesday...Natures Beauty.

OUTSOURCED....its not as scary as I thought it would be!

You know a few months ago that was a word that scared the crap out of me. Not only did it scare me but it outright pissed me off.  

Times are tuff and I understand small business having to cut back and lay off employees, its a tuff call and one that business owners don't like to do, but in these times it seems to be what is the norm. It seemed like everyone I knew was getting laid off and then it happend to me!  Not that I didn't see it coming, because I did. I knew that I was the first to go if times got tuff and I was working on the budget and my boss wanted to cut $20,0000 and when I joked about me working for free I knew by how the jerk reacted with a "Thats a great idea" that my days were numbered! 

For about a year before that dreadful day, I had been trying to break into the Social Media Scene.  I had been sucked into social media with the start of Facebook and when the SITS Girls started the 30 day blog challenge it skyrocketed from there.  My background in website design and small business helped me pull from what I like to do and created a new career path for myself.  

I'm now a Freelance Marketing Contractor.  I currently have 4 clients.  Two of which are Marketing Agencies, one is a Art Studio and the other is a Coffee Shop.  My responsibility's range from Social Media, Updating, Reporting and Training on the different Social Media Platforms, to Full Blown Marketing Plans, Small Graphic Ads and Logos.  Let me tell you I have never been so happy.  I know have the freedom to work the hours that I wish (as long as I get my projects done) and spend time with my family when they are home.  Most of my time is spent in my home office but I do spend some time at the different clients offices.  

Did I mention that I LOVE my new gig!!! Because I have never been happier!  Not only does it allow me to work around my son and husband, it gives me variety and constantly uses my creative side! A side that has been hidden for the last 10 years.  I hated numbers but was really good at balancing budgets and bookkeeping, so I did what paid the bills, though unhappy, now I get to do what I love!!!

So I guess I want to tell all of you that have been OUT SOURCED that there is hope and not all is lost.  Be creative in your job search, pull from the things you love and have faith.  For when one door closes, another opens.

Wordless Wednesday...Family!

Baseline Impact testing.....a mom's football worries.

I try not to worry about the "What-If's" because if I did I would never, ever sleep let alone let my son out of my line of sight.  


I hear mom's all the time talk about how scary it is to watch their child play football.  And yes I agree it is scary but so is letting your child ride their bike for the first time, or letting them sleep over at a friends house for the first time.  I guess the more you watch them play football the easier it gets.  Now don't get me wrong I worry about my son getting hurt.  The first time I saw him get smashed by a kid bigger then him, I held my breathe, I think my heart stopped beating and I didn't breathe again until he popped back up and went back into play.  Being a mom is hard, especially when you have to sit in the bleacher and watch your son get hit. I do a good job of ignoring that fact that he could get hit or hurt and try to focus on him getting 5 yards or making a touch down!!!! 


But there are times when it gets put in your face and are forced to see exactly what could happen.


My husbands cousins son got hit hard last year on a late out of bonds play.  He got up and walked to the side lines.  A few plays later his father ran past us and later his mom went down on the field. He got hit pretty hard and could not remember allot of thing.  You can read all about it here http://www.herald-journal.com/health/pages/2011/concussions.html.  Anyways it really hit home and made our entire family a little more aware of what can happen.  


This year one of my fellow Football Mom's (Jen) was telling us about a Baseline Impact test.  Gillette Children Hospital offers an online test so if your son ever gets a concussion you will have something to compair it to instead of just guessing.  Basically its my new piece of mind and insurance plan that only cost $4.00!  Its not going to save your child but it will give you something to compair your child's brain injury to if anything ever would happen.


So my suggestion to you would be to go and spend the $4.00.  For me its the most well spent money I will ever spend on football.  Its my piece of mind and security that if my baby gets hurt I will have something to compair his injury too. 

Hoese in the NFL!!!!

I have been scoring the internet to find a picture of Local Favorite Jon Hoese drafted by the Green Bay Packers.  Well I finally found one!  Its the coolest thing to see your last name on a NFL jersey!  


We are so very proud of Jon!  

Wordless Wednesday...Marit Anual Family Renion!

This is my extended Family.  I married my Friend Megan in Civic's Class in High School and ever sense we have been George and Martha Marit!  

You Decide....a note from my son's facebook page.

My son wrote a great note today on his Facebook page.  I would like to share it with you.  Please do not comment on his bad spelling, read between and over the words, deep down you know you feel the same, and if a 15 year old feels like this and wants to change the world, why can't it inspire the older much wiser politicians? 

Tyler Hoese for President!!!!!!

i pledge that when i and Blake Klaustermeier and Matt Alberts become president and higher ranks my first duty will be to provided Cash For Rice Burners ware i will pursnly pay you to bring your Honda Toyota Nissan and any thing else that is not a ford/chevy or dodge and i will take them to a ship load them up and dump them back in china my next movement as high ranks i will supply every single person behind township lines with a caterpillar diesel generator that is big enough for there needs i will then make Sara palin do i charity car wash for Jared alans home for wounded warriors i will then cut the salary of governors and and presidents and every one else buy 50,000 and with i combined total will some how make solders serving over seas get what they deserve pleasurably i will then make it easer for small buisneses to survive buy makeing compitition harder to come buy i will then make it easer for farmers buy protecting there investments buy creating a hole new world for crop insurance i will then do a program caled cash for spark plug running cars ware i will eather get you a new car ruining on diesel or re-power your car with a Cummings 4bt or a smaller caterpillar c4.4-2.2 any ways the reason for this is because if all we produse is diesel fule frome are refiners will will esentuly make more fule because it takes very little energy to make 1 gallon of diesel ware it takes a whole shit load of energy to make 1 gallon of gas and it elminates the mistake of greenhorns puting gas in a diesel of diesel in a gas it will make the world a better place i will then eliminate any middle men out there because no one wants to pay more then they should i will then launch Americana reclamation witch is a program to deport all citisins that are not of wite in color and will make people go to a dmv sora thing to even be able to look at a food stamp ware every one will go threw a series of piss tests financial tests and will only be avalable to people that have worked a real job in there life and are just falling on hard times so people fresh from behind boarder lines there going to have to live in fox holes if they wana stay because we will have our borders locked up tighter then socks on a rooster i will then make every person in big cittys (Minneapolis st pall Detroit what ever)drive a bike to work it will be ilegal to have any sort of car besides delivery trucks because really your just going around the block its not necessarily and the people that are in the citys now have to stay there we dont want you in the country then i will pass i bill to lower taxes because whats more disipounting then working 8 hour days then to see your pay stub and that the goverment has took almost a hole days of work from you i will then make horses pay to use state trales yes you will have to put a tag on your horses ass if i have to pay to drive my snomobile on it they should have to pay to let there horses shit on itthen i will bring all amaricn companys back to the us to get the reall made tn amarica quility  i will then continue seeing problomes and fix them because i will pay in full and you keep the change

Wordless Wednesday...Bad Ass Bikers!

Saturday, the Hubs and I became

Bad Ass Bikers!

Its a 2008 Victory Vegas Jackpot!

Do you know who has CHECKED IN or is the Mayor of your Business?

I can't help myself these days when I go to a business to ask them if they are taking advantage of 4Square.  Most times my question is responded to with a blank look on their face, with a what's that?


Well let me tell you it is the most overlooked "FREE" marketing tool.  I usually get their attention when I say the word "FREE".  


Just because your business is in a small town doesn't mean that you should not include yourself in the craze.  9 chances out of 10 at least one of your customers has tried to or has checked into your business on one or more platform.  Rather than loose customers or sales opportunities, get ahead of the game and claim your business.  


In my opinion there are 3 major app's  out there where you should claim your business.  (and yes you do need a smart phone to use these applications)

1. *Foursquare is a location-based mobile platform that makes cities easier to use and more interesting to explore. By “checking in” via a smartphone app or SMS, users share their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges. Foursquare guides real-world experiences by allowing users to bookmark information about venues that they want to visit and surfacing relevant suggestions about nearby venues. Merchants and brands leverage the foursquare platform by utilizing a wide set of tools to obtain, engage, and retain customers and audiences.               
2. Facebook Places- *Places is a Facebook feature that lets you share where you are and find friends nearby. You can check in to places you visit from your mobile phone, tag friends who are with you, and view comments your friends have made about places you visit.
3. Google Places-*A free business listing service offered by Google where business owners can submit or claim ownership of their business information. Formerly known as the Google Local Business Center until April 2010, “Places” is intended to represent a broader range of geographic points of interest–such as parks or historic sites–in addition to local businesses.

All these Mobile Marketing apps encourage more interaction then just a check-in. For instance, they also allow you to tag friends, add a photo or comment. Some customers even review the business while they check in.  FourSquare also lets you reward your customers with specials.  Newbies, Frequent Visitors and The Mayor can each receive a different special. 


So I suggest to "Jump on the Band Wagon" and set up your business. What do you have to loose?  With no upfront or monthly coast its a "No-Brainer"!