Countdown to Wave 2: 72 Days Left - Get Ready, Chicago!"

[Bren706]

Today is Monday, June 16, 2008.

Days until Wave 2: 28

Today's Conference tip (Thanks Rae!):

"Don't forget to put your Chef Success button on your packing list. We want to be able to pick you out of the crowd.

Speaking of which, you might want to start practicing with the Where's Waldo? books to get ready to spot those Chef Success buttons at NC.

Don't have a Chef Success button? Look at chefann's signature. Click on the link for Chef Success Stuff. You'll find them there."

 

[lacychef]

Ha! I like the "where's Waldo" comparison!

 

[MissChef]

Okay, I'm here now! I might come into this thread and take it over, not cause I'm that way, but because now I'm really excited! I've avoided this thread up until this now so that I wouldn't cry!!!:cry: I didn't think I could go because money has been tight!!! But my hubby gave me a "father's day" present and gave me the okay to go!!! So I registered last night and I'll be there!
And for those of you that remember last year, I went crazy on the countdown thread! Sooooo..... I'M BACK!!! GET READY!! LOL!

 

[lacychef]

Boy Cathy, now you're jumping on all the wave 2 threads!

 

[pamperedalf]

Beware, I'm back.................So of course I came back right to this thread first!

Oh it was so relaxing, and too short. A little stressful though. We blew a trailer tire on the way up, then almost blew a truck tire, and then to top it off dh thinks that my transmission is going out. Good thing it happened on the small trip and not our big trip in 2 weeks to the Oregon dunes.

Yeah Cathy is going!! I am so excited it is getting closer!!!! Wahoo. I am all about vacations this summer, I can't get enough of them.

 

[lacychef]

Yeah Amanda! Glad you had a good trip; bummer about the truck problems...another vacation---plus conference? Lucky girl

 

[pamperedalf]

Today is Tuesday, June 17, 2008.

Days until Wave 2: 27

I can't believe how close we are getting. Yes Lacy another trip (we are lucky) we go camping every 4th of July for a week in the Oregon Sand Dunes w/ our quads. It's a lot of fun, and my husband's cousin and I go shopping in town, get all the holiday sales & since it's Oregon it's tax free.

Thanks Brenda for a wonderful Job!!


Another great tip from RAE (thought it was appropriate from my weekend troubles)
Seriously, if you're driving any distance, be sure to do a quick tune-up on your vehicle. Check the fluids, tire pressure, and anything else that needs routine maintenance. It will save you on fuel (which is imperative right now ), and make it much less likely that you'll have car trouble.


Where is your suitcase? If you're like me, it's packed away in some deep, dark corner of your attic. You might want to think about getting it out sometime soon. I'll be airing mine out so it doesn't make my clothes smell, like, well, a hot, stuffy attic.

 

[kisrae]

OH MY GOSH!!!! IT'S DOWN TO THE 20's
I can't wait. But DH is a little worried because we close on the house on the 31st

 

[heather223]

I can't believe how close we are getting, I can't wait!!

 

[Koolotus]

WOOHOO!! I am so excited and Cathy's going. Geez, it is getting goodf! LOL
Can't wait!!

 

[momoftwins]

Today is Tuesday, June 17, 2008.

Days until Wave 2: 27

I can't believe how close we are getting. Yes Lacy another trip (we are lucky) we go camping every 4th of July for a week in the Oregon Sand Dunes w/ our quads. It's a lot of fun, and my husband's cousin and I go shopping in town, get all the holiday sales & since it's Oregon it's tax free.

Thanks Brenda for a wonderful Job!!


Another great tip from RAE (thought it was appropriate from my weekend troubles)
Seriously, if you're driving any distance, be sure to do a quick tune-up on your vehicle. Check the fluids, tire pressure, and anything else that needs routine maintenance. It will save you on fuel (which is imperative right now ), and make it much less likely that you'll have car trouble.


Where is your suitcase? If you're like me, it's packed away in some deep, dark corner of your attic. You might want to think about getting it out sometime soon. I'll be airing mine out so it doesn't make my clothes smell, like, well, a hot, stuffy attic.

Amanda - you mean quads as in kids or quads as in 4 wheelers???

 

[pamperedalf]

Amanda - you mean quads as in kids or quads as in 4 wheelers???

I mean 4 wheelers, I have only been blessed w/ one child. Don't think it's in the books to have anymore.

That's our thing, we go camping about 6 times a year and 2 of them are week trips.

 

[momoftwins]

I kind of thought that was what you meant! How fun though!!! Our twins will be 3 in September - maybe next year we will attempt a camping vacation!

 

[jbdowd0798]

GOOD MORNING WAVE 2 goers!!!!!!!!!!! Did I beat Amanda on here??? hee hee

Oh well, Just saying Good morning!

 

[pamperedalf]

GOOD MORNING WAVE 2 goers!!!!!!!!!!! Did I beat Amanda on here??? hee hee

Oh well, Just saying Good morning!

Okay I am guilty of trying to sleep in today, it doesn't happen very often.

 

[pamperedalf]

So On w/ today's countdown..........Today is Wednesday, June 18, 2008.

Days until Wave 2: 26


9 days before my next camping trip, my ds is going to drive me insane. When do we get to go to the big sand?

RAE is so good:

If you haven't started a packing list, start it soon. It's probably best to make sure it's portable so you can jot things down as you think of them. Don't over-pack, though. How to strike a balance? Why not talk with your roommates? You can probably share some things like . . .

* Hair Dryer
* Night Light (to find your way to the loo in the night)
* Outlet Strip (for charging all those cell phones)

This is so funny:

Rooming with people you don't know? Be sure to have The Talk.

No, I'm not talking about sex. I'm talking about snoring. It can be really uncomfortable to tell someone you barely know that their buzzsaw impression that first night kept you up. Here's what I tell new roommates:

I sometimes snore. I also sometimes talk in my sleep. If I'm disturbing your sleep, don't be shy. Nudge me. Shake me. Wake me. Smother me with a pillow. Do whatever you need to do. I won't be offended. Heck, I probably won't even remember.

 

[MissChef]

Today is Wednesday, June 18, 2008.

Days until Wave 2: 26


9 days before my next camping trip, my ds is going to drive me insane. When do we get to go to the big sand?

RAE is so good:

If you haven't started a packing list, start it soon. It's probably best to make sure it's portable so you can jot things down as you think of them. Don't over-pack, though. How to strike a balance? Why not talk with your roommates? You can probably share some things like . . .

* Hair Dryer
* Night Light (to find your way to the loo in the night)
* Outlet Strip (for charging all those cell phones)

This is so funny:

Rooming with people you don't know? Be sure to have The Talk.

No, I'm not talking about sex. I'm talking about snoring. It can be really uncomfortable to tell someone you barely know that their buzzsaw impression that first night kept you up. Here's what I tell new roommates:

I sometimes snore. I also sometimes talk in my sleep. If I'm disturbing your sleep, don't be shy. Nudge me. Shake me. Wake me. Smother me with a pillow. Do whatever you need to do. I won't be offended. Heck, I probably won't even remember.

Amanda,
When I first came on this thread the other day, I said I would take it over, but then I realized that I have no clue where you get all these great tips from Rae.... so I decided not to take your official "counterdowner" title away! LOL!!! Because your daily posts are so educational!!! and I love reading them!:thumbup: :balloon:

The funny part about Rae's tip is that I do snore.... I have huge tonsils, allergies that mess up my nose and I'm not as thin as I'd like to be so, that makes it hard sometimes to be a quiet sleeper! :blushing: So every year I buy a thing of ear plugs and leave them on the night stand and make an announcement that they WILL need to wear a pair when they go to sleep!!! I also buy the "breathe right" strips for me! I only use one ear plug because I have pretty bad hearing in my right ear, so I don't hear if I'm on my left side!!!
Anyway, that is how I handle my snoring!!! At home my hubby and I keep each other company with our snoring! LOL! We know we both do it so we don't get upset with each other, but it literally mortifies me when it's conference time so I buy ear plugs at Walmart and last year everyone said they didn't hear me! So that is a good thing! My plan worked and I will continue it this year and every year from now!!!

 

[pamperedalf]

Amanda,
When I first came on this thread the other day, I said I would take it over, but then I realized that I have no clue where you get all these great tips from Rae.... so I decided not to take your official "counterdowner" title away! LOL!!! Because your daily posts are so educational!!! and I love reading them!:thumbup: :balloon:

The funny part about Rae's tip is that I do snore.... I have huge tonsils, allergies that mess up my nose and I'm not as thin as I'd like to be so, that makes it hard sometimes to be a quiet sleeper! :blushing: So every year I buy a thing of ear plugs and leave them on the night stand and make an announcement that they WILL need to wear a pair when they go to sleep!!! I also buy the "breathe right" strips for me! I only use one ear plug because I have pretty bad hearing in my right ear, so I don't hear if I'm on my left side!!!
Anyway, that is how I handle my snoring!!! At home my hubby and I keep each other company with our snoring! LOL! We know we both do it so we don't get upset with each other, but it literally mortifies me when it's conference time so I buy ear plugs at Walmart and last year everyone said they didn't hear me! So that is a good thing! My plan worked and I will continue it this year and every year from now!!!

Cathy I steal from the wave 1 countdown. Why reinvent the wheel when RAEBATES is already doing it for me. So I go steel away.

 

[jbdowd0798]

I woke up earlier than normal today so thats the only reason why I was on, usually you beat me!

 

[lacychef]

Oh, that is so funny from Rae! "the talk", LOL! Funny, last year my friend that I shared a bed with; her dh & mine both said that we snore a lot...but neither of us noticed each other snoring....hmmm, maybe we were snoring too loud to notice?

 

[momoftwins]

I love "the talk" and Cathy's response! I too am a snorer and also have allergies so I admit it always!! I also sometimes talk in my sleep!

 

[jbdowd0798]

I'm with yall about snoring and such. I chose to stay with other first timers in hopes we are all so tired that no one hears me!

 

[pamperedalf]

I know that I can snore and talk in my sleep, but no one at conference has said it was loud. I just loved the talk part, ds couldn't figure out what I was laughing at this morning.

 

[jbdowd0798]

I'm sure the hotels will be shaking this summer- from all our snoring!

 

[pamperedalf]

I got up early just for you guys...LOLToday is Thursday, June 19, 2008.

Days until Wave 2: 25


8 days before my next camping trip, and they fixed my truck! Yeah, and I bought my IPOD FM transmitter, so I can listen to tunes in the truck.

Off to the beach today, see you guys later.


Oh RAE is a kick in the pants, too bad she is wave one...Thanks again to RAEBATES

I may make a "Rae's Roommate Survival Kit" for those sharing my room. I could include:

Breath mints (to offer to me when I need one)
TMI Sign (for when I start to overshare)
One really good chocolate (just because it's a necessity of life)
Earplugs (for when I snore, though you may want to leave them out in case I'm talking in my sleep--I'm frequently really entertaining when I'm unconscious!)


8 Mistakes that Can Spoil Any Trip

1. Winging it. Know where you're going to stay for at least the first night, especially after a long flight. (NC specific: Of course you have a reservation. Make sure you have that confirmation information with you, especially if it wasn't you who booked the room.)

2. Packing too much. Limit yourself to one suitcase and one carry-on. Put a change of clothes and your daily medication in the carry-on in case your luggage gets lost. (Not flying? Packing light is still important. You're just in less danger of losing your luggage.)

3. Forgetting essential items. Make a list of things you frequently forget, and put it in your empty suitcase.

4. Trying to do too much. Limit the number of activities you plan into each day. Schedule free days for long trips. (NC specific: I know there are lots of fun things to do after the evening sessions. Just don't try to do everything!)

5. Trying to get too much work done at the last minute. Spread things out. you'll never have enough time to finish everything the day before you leave.

6. Calling the office too much. This can be a sign of insecurity or trying too hard to control everything. Your boss and co-workers know how to reach you in an emergency, right?

7. Misplacing essential items. Keep boarding passes, identification, passports, trip itineraries, and other documents in one small, easy-to-get-to pouch or bag. Put a bright sticker or ribbon on your luggage to make it stand out.

8. Leaving town without making arrangements to have the mail and newspaper picked up.This is a sure sign to would-be thieves that your house is empty.

 

[jbdowd0798]

Thanks for getting up just for us! lol

 

[Koolotus]

Aha!
I am up early
24 Days to go!!
Yipee

Tips from Amanda-Rae????

 

[lacychef]

Aw Cheryl, you stole it from her, LOL!
I'm usually always on earlier, but I let her count down Hehe....good tips from Rae again.

 

[Flamingo]

About #4 in that list a few replys up..... "Howl at the Moon" and "A Bucket of Booze" I am sure to do that one evening...... Anyone game???????????????

 

[Bren706]

As Cheryl requested, here is the tip of the day, compliments of our friend Rae!:


"Traveling by plane? Photograph your luggage and its contents just before you leave. If your luggage is lost, you'll have a record for the airline. And, just being prepared may ward off this type of bad luck. You know, like carrying an umbrella almost guarantees it won't rain."

 

[kisrae]

HOLY MOLY! I'm sure glad that Amanda is my buddy. I would be SO behind on this trip. If it wasn't for her I'd have to stay with family again.

 

[pamperedalf]

Sun Burn & the beach does wonders.....You would think it's summer vacation or something. My ds is going to hate when I go back to work/school in the fall w/ everything we have planned for the summer. Thanks Cheryl and Brenda, at least you guys are on top of it. LOL

7 days before I leave for camping, wahoo and I won't have internet so I am leaving it in your hands but I will go find wireless and check in at least once I hope. Hehehe I can't stay away too long.

Another tip from Rae.....

Once you get to your hotel room, I know you'll be excited to talk with everyone and get started on the NC fun. Your stay will go much smoother, though, if you take just a few minutes to familiarize yourself with your surroundings. Where are the light switches, and which lights do they control? Where are the AC controls, and how do they work? Where is the emergency exit in relation to your room?

Oh, yeah, and from personal experience, make sure the room's clock radio isn't set to full volume on a mariachi station unless that's really how the people in your room prefer to be awakened. (Not Mine, but this funny. I have never thought to check the clock radio)

 

[raebates]

I thought I'd take a peek. Amanda told me she was sharing my tips. I'm glad everyone's enjoying them. I started doing the travel tips last year when I felt my countdown was getting boring. Don't give me too much credit, though. I did a bunch of internet searches for travel tips and made a little file. That's where most of the tips come from. (Of course, the smartalecky comments are all my own. )

 

[lacychef]

Love the tips Rae---& they wouldn't be the same without your smartelecky comments

 

[raebates]

Thanks, Lacy. Since I don't use that other word for donkey, smartalecky works well. I have a friend who says that that certain part of my anatomy is so smart I could tell what flavor the ice cream is just by sitting on it.

 

[pamperedalf]

Thanks, Lacy. Since I don't use that other word for donkey, smartalecky works well. I have a friend who says that that certain part of my anatomy is so smart I could tell what flavor the ice cream is just by sitting on it.

Rae it wouldn't be the same w/o your comments. I wanted to make sure credit is to you, since I am being non creative. The talk is still my favorite, LOL. My dh said you are adults, why would you be having the talk then I finished reading the tip and he laughed.

Thanks again Rae, you saved me a whole bunch of time.

 

[MissChef]

Say what??????? I'm the first to update this thread today and it's 3:00pm on the west coast!!! LOL!

23 days until conference!!!

I will go and try to find a tip from Rae..........

 

[MissChef]

Okay!!! As promised, here's is our daily tip from Rae!
Thanks Rae! You're the best!

Do your homework before you head out for NC. Take a few minutes to sit down and think about what you want to get out of NC.

• What are you hoping to learn?
• What questions do you want to ask?

Next, think about what tips you have to share.

• Product Tip?
• Booking?
• Host Coaching?
• Recruiting?

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, take the time to really think about these things. NC will be a great experience whether you've done your homework or not. However, you're more likely to reach your goal if you've given it some thought beforehand.

 

[Koolotus]

Thanks Catthy!!
I just thought I had missed it

 

[momoftwins]

WOO HOO - I am getting excited!!!

 

[Koolotus]

HA HA!
Days until Conference
22

Yippee! I am first
Cathy
Anyhoo, what is cool is I am leaving 2 days earlier to drive out so it is only 20 for me!!!!

 

[lacychef]

Man, I was just going to post the countdown, LOL!
You're driving Cheryl? How long will it take you?

 

[Koolotus]

It is 11 and 1/2 hours, but we are doing it in 2 days, to spread the fun and hit all the Cracker Barrels between here and Chicago!!
Should be fun!

 

[pamperedalf]

You guys are too funny! I went to an amusement park yesterday, we are crazy.
We left at 6:30ish and got home at 2:30 this morning. So more sunburn for me and I applied and applied Sun block.But we went to San Jose and I can make it if the traffic's good in 2 and 1/2 hours. A lot shorter than I thought. So I have my route all planned out to the airport, since this is a new airport for me.I have to tell you guys I am really bummed though, a friend of mine said you have to go eat at bennehanna's when you are there it's right there next to all the airport hotels (a jappanese steak house, love these) and they are closed for rennovations. Ugh!

 

[pamperedalf]

Rae's tip for today......Traveling by plane? Make sure you pack anything you can't live without for a few days or easily replace (like medications) in your carry-on bag. You'll be in Chicago, so clothes, cosmetics, and toiletries will be somewhat easily available to you. Replacing prescription medications is a bit trickier.Now, once you get to Chicago, you're likely to decide to put your keys in your luggage so you'll have one less thing to carry around with you. Make yourself a note to put them back in your carry-on bag (or purse) before you leave the hotel. It's bad enough to lose your luggage. It's even worse to also lose your way home and/or into your house.

 

[MissChef]

HA HA!
Days until Conference
22

Yippee! I am first
Cathy
Anyhoo, what is cool is I am leaving 2 days earlier to drive out so it is only 20 for me!!!!

I kinda figured someone would beat me to it today! This is the first time on line today and with my post yesterday, I figured someone would beat me!
Today has been a hard day...... very emotional about our cat.

BUT! I am excited that it's only 22 days away, and technically we leave 21 days from today, at least people that are flying! Most of us anyway! I leave the Northwest at 7 am.... so vacation begins in 21 days for me, as soon as I arive in Chicago!

 

[pamperedalf]

Good Morning on the East Coast..........21 days to go..........Wahoo! I am packing the trailer. Friday Evening I am out of here.

Tips from RAE...............

I've said it before, but I think it bears repeating. Check over every item of clothing to make sure everything is clean and in good repair. Seriously. Shopping while at NC is fun. Frantically searching for a new top because there's a problem with one you brought to wear is not.

Travel can cause, um, digestive issues. While at NC, it would be easy to eat too little fiber and drink too little water. Plan ahead. Take some high-fiber snacks with you. Dried fruit, snack bars, and the like are portable and tasty. Make a conscious effort to drink lots of water. Take a refillable water bottle. There are water pitchers in each of the workshops, and you can fill up there. If you're picky about your water, take some of your favorite with you. You'll feel better.

 

[lacychef]

Wow, no one's been on since 1am today?! I wasn't able to be here this am since my dd had her sleep-over last night. I am exhausted:indif:
Getting so excited for Chicago! My mom's excited to watch my girls; she's been planning activities for them.

 

[pamperedalf]

Where is everyone???They are shopping for NC....I will shop next week in Oregon. I am supposed to be packing the trailer, oops.

 

[MissChef]

20 Days!!
I beat all of you!!!
I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to get on first today, or at all.... but look at me go! LOL!

Daily tip in next post!!