Thank Youuuuuuuuuu, Duluth!
So… wow, I mean, really… wow. Coie and I just finished up our very first Rosetta Stone show. We like this gig. When we wrapped things up, our boss let us know that we broke a record for sales. And Coie and I ended up making as much in two days than what she makes in three months at Home Depot. Yep, I’ll say it again… wow. So not only was that marvelously astonishing and stunning, but we also had entirely enormous portions of fun. We got there two hours earlier than our Rosetta Stone ‘boss’, so we decided to jump right in to see if we could figure out how to set up the booth all by our selves – because after this show, we are pretty much on our own. We started by pulling a bunch of foreign stuff out of boxes and trunks. And one thing we pulled out was a total stumper. We spent about a quarter of an hour trying to fathom what in the world we were looking at. Finally I snagged a pair very brainy looking 14 year olds (who had accidentally strayed into grabbing distance) and asked them to figure it out. It ended up being the display backdrop (pictured here behind Co), which took them about 4 seconds to figure out and set up. Once that was up, we began hanging the banners. And when I say “we”, naturally, what I mean is, “Coie” The next morning the show was underway bright and early. We jumped right in explaining and giving demos of the most excellent new Rosetta Stone Version 3 program. And when I say "we", I mean "we". Yeah, there were about a billion people at our booth almost the entire time, so I had to actually do stuff. One of the highlights during the show was meeting fellow bloggers, PlainJane and BetweenTheLines (at least I thought she said her blog was called BetweenTheLines, but I can’t seem to pull it up or find it again). Anyways, they were so nice and I was excited that they stopped by. I was bummed I did *not* get to see DandelionSeeds (Amy… where were you??!!) And to top off the whole trip, we got to meet my son’s hero, Mr. Chuck Black, the author of The Kingdom Series (you can see the set of books right there to the left in my sidebar). I love this family. His wife is absolutely beautiful and so magnificently delightful; I sure wish we would have had more time to visit with them. They were so great, and they were so nice not to show *any* fear when Coie and I mobbed them. I couldn’t stop grinning like a big goofy pumpkin. I had “GROUPIE” written all over me. So now I have a photo to show my son. See the armor in the background? So cool. I wish Bobo could have been there. Although it was probably safer for Mr. Black that he wasn’t. Anyways, thanks for all the well wishes and so forth. I feel so entirely happy and blessed; it was all so great, but I am glad we will be home tomorrow at noon so I can lock the rest of my family into a strangle hold. My daughter, Ryann, is just unbelievable and has done a stupendous job holding down the fort with her daddems over the weekend. And my sister was so awesome to call and check on them constantly during the hours when Geoff was at work. Hip Hip Hoooray! What a perfect weekend. |
April 19th, 2008 - Posted in Uncategorized | | 0 Comments No Responses to ' Thank Youuuuuuuuuu, Duluth! 'Leave a reply |
on April 19th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
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So I am crying after reading your post… things just didn't work out and I'm beyond bummed. We are going through many changes, and it came down to buying gas or buying curriculum. Sometimes choices are hard… I really wanted to FINALLY meet you! When I came and saw your post… I felt even worse. I'm glad you had a good "show" though and I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to be there. We really left the decision to the last minute…
Love ya,
Amy
on April 19th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Wow…
That booth backdrop looks kinda like a puzzle.
How do you know if you got the three big yellow squares in the right order?
on April 19th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
WOW!
How great is that! I would love to be able to travel and do some great stuff like that with my girls. This gives me an idea to maybe start praying for something like this…
My oldest isn't really sure what she wants to do when she gets done with school.. maybe she would like to do something like this..
Are they hiring.. LOL 🙂
on April 19th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
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i'm so glad it was so successful for you!!
i've been thinking about foreign language curriculum. i may email you with questions at some point.
on April 19th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
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I am so glad that it went so well for you and Coie!!! That is AWESOME!!!
And the more I look at the RS3, the more promising it seems… I may have to trade my RS for the newer version…
Anyhoo, stop by for my Birthday Bash this week, okay?
Love,
Marshie
on April 20th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Yeah!
Sounds like y'all had so much fun! I am soooo bummed that you two won't be coming to Texas. It would be absolutely wonderful to get to meet you.
on April 20th, 2008 at 1:42 am
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I am SO excited that everything went so well for you guys! Praise God! 🙂 We were praying! You and Coie are incredible and I knew you'd do awesome! Ryann was a wonderful babysitter and I loved calling and chatting with her while you were gone- although, I don't know that it was actually a 'help' as much as a distraction (for the both of us). I called her up while they were all watching a movie today and she chatted with me while I was shopping at the mall. It was like I had a girlfriend to go shopping with me! I told her it was just annoying that I had to carry her around on my ear the whole time. It would have been *so* much easier had she been there with me to walk by herself. But whatever- maybe someday, I told her, she could come visit us for a few days.
Wow- totally got off the subject there. CAn't wait for you to get home so i can call you and hear all about your splendid weekend. love you!!
on April 20th, 2008 at 6:59 am
Whoo Hoo!!!!
Way to go! I'm so glad it was successful for you guys and it looks like you had a blast too! Our second 'show' was yesterday and a total of 15 people showed up to the entire event!!!!! Seriously! I think we would have done better if we had dragged people in off the street who didn't even know that home schooling is legal!!! We only made two sales totaling less than £100. We barely covered our petrol, not to mention our respite costs, food, etc. At least it wasn't just us, all the vedors said the same thing – bad day! On the up side I finally got to meet Mamasmurf!! Chrissy was great to spend the day with! And I got to send my hubby to a Krispy Kreme shop about 1/2 hour from where we had the show, so I've now satisfied my craving for Krispy Kremes! LOL! So at least the day wasn't a complete loss!!!
on April 20th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Yippee!!! Yippee!!!
Hip Hip Hooray!!!! What a blessing!!!
Love you!
on April 20th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
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Well, even though I would have loved to see you and Coie, and Rosetta Stone IS on my wishlist, I'm glad I didn't go to that conferece, or you might have talked me out of $300! LOL. Glad you had fun, and if you ever make it to NC, let us know 🙂 Veronica
on April 20th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Within the Lines
Sorry — I got completely flustered all of a sudden when talking to you!! After I bowled you over with my greeting of "I just lo-o-o-ve your blog" (which I do, by the way, think you're wonderfully deep and hilarious all at the same time), suddenly all I could think was that I'd never said such a groupie-like statement in my life, and then I got all flustered, and my mind went completely blank on how to follow that up. And then I had to spend the next 10 minutes after I walked away, kicking myself (which you can imagine was quite a trick in that crazy, crowded vendor hall) for not just enjoying the chance to talk with you. So, anyway, I am Angela from homesteadblogger.com/withinthelines and I really enjoyed meeting you. Glad, too, to hear that you did so well at the conference!
ang
on April 21st, 2008 at 5:21 am
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WOW! What a great weekend!!
So glad it was so very blessed!
Love,
Maria
on April 21st, 2008 at 7:44 am
WooHoo on the Record Sales!!!!
Jen, It was such a pleasure meeting you!!! You are such a sweetheart – and pretty too!!! I can attest to your busy booth – I passed three times before you were free enough from the throng to get to meet you! Sorry I didn't buy anything from you – I'm still working on English myself. 🙂 I would love to have a booth there too – maybe I should write a curriculum just so I can have a booth next to you – maybe your admirers will spill over to my booth. Rejoicing with You!!!
PlainJane
on April 21st, 2008 at 11:55 am
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I am so excited for you!! Yippee!!! I loved seeing all the pictures and so glad you got to meet Mr. Black. Wow! I'm so totally jealous!!
You go girl – you and Coie are doing so great!! Good for you!!
God bless you ~ Julie
on April 21st, 2008 at 1:08 pm
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It looks like total fun….except the setting up part…and I suspect the tearing down part. Are you all doing a conference in Nashville?
on April 21st, 2008 at 1:08 pm
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Wow is right! I want a gig like that 🙂 So glad all worked out well for you!
Denise
on April 21st, 2008 at 2:54 pm
:+)
I am rejoicing with you!! We have been enjoying the taped versions of Mr. Black's books and they are quite possibly the best audio books we have ever listened to. Your little man would *love* them. :+)
I miss you friend, and rejoice in your blessings!
Love,
Kate
on April 21st, 2008 at 6:45 pm
So I figured it out.
You are to Rosetta Stone what Oprah is to Book clubs. She mentions a book: everybody buys. You and Coie sell a curriculum: everybody buys. Who knew?!
Congrats! What a great way to start the summer 🙂
on April 21st, 2008 at 8:12 pm
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BestSister, you crack me up. Here's the true-to-life comparison…
I am to Rosetta Stone what Beuford Spiegler was to Oreo cookies. "Beuford who????" yep, that's my whole point.
on April 21st, 2008 at 10:13 pm
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that's so awesome about your good gig. God is a great daddy. Isn't like a good dad to hook his kid up with such a great job?
and meeting Chuck Black. You lucky!
Emily
thelearningneverstops.blogspot.com
on April 22nd, 2008 at 6:29 am
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Looks like fun (said with an envious tone =P)!
Glad you did well! And here's to hoping that it just keeps getting better!
I don't suppose you'll hit really tiny, rural, poverty-stricken areas, eh?
on April 22nd, 2008 at 3:33 pm
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Man, I wish y'all were comin' to Texas. We could have a good 'ol time.
on April 26th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
sigh…
Oooh- I so wish I would've made it!! I'm ony about an hour and a half away, and Duluth is one of my absolute favorite Minnesota cities, but it just didn't work out this year- bummer. But so cool that you guys did so well!
Maybe I'll catch you next time around-
ali