Wisconsin Training

Y’all—I’m at my second full weekend of SeneSister time in two weeks!

Yes, I went outside my comfort zone AGAIN and am attended a Wisconsin team training (at a stunning mansion right on Lake Michigan) with a bunch of ladies (none of whom I’d met before)! The main event is a personal training from Joni (again, the second time in two weeks!).

I felt very awkward (of course) because everyone knew everyone else, but we played some games and got to know each other and I tried to not be anxious.

I did have a roommate this time, so that helped!

Wisconsin Training Day 2

Ready for Joni in our SeneGence blue!

Afternoon group training—we were each responsible for a 15-minute training on any topic we wanted. I talked about Shout, the customer retention management and communication system I use.

Then I got to try a new release in advance of it being released! (The Wisconsin leader had received it earlier in the week at a Leaders event.) It’s totally my color!

After some relaxation, it was time for the main Saturday night event — and the thing I was MOST not looking forward to — a murder mystery dinner party. We were told we could dress up but didn’t have to — and from how many were concerned and anxious about it, I was sure I wouldn’t be the only one not dressing up.

I was wrong. Everyone had a costume (most really involved) and my roommate had two extra pieces she gave me that worked for my character…so at least I wasn’t a total fail.

Her secret scrub was to keep stealing everyone’s drinks.

It ended up to be much less worrisome than I predicted. It helped that we spent so much time together before the event. I still didn’t love it and felt very out of place but at least I did it!

Fab Squad Retreat Day 4: Heading home

Since Lin only lives an hour away, she came and picked me up so we could hang out before heading to the airport! We went to Disney Springs where we wandered, shopped, and had lunch!

They were closed the first time we walked by and then the line was too long on our way out…but I got a pic anyway!

Then I ran into a SeneSister at the airport!

And it was good to get home to everyone…

Fab Squad Retreat Day 3

Group training today…

After lunch it was out to the pool for the next session! We each had to write down the thing(s) that were in our life that if we could just get rid of, our life would be better.

And then they were mixed up and redistributed and we each read someone else’s card out loud. Lesson? Every single person has something stressful/heart breaking/anxiety-inducing going on even when it looks like we have our lives together and we are not alone. It was really eye-opening and emotional.

Then we had small group sessions in which we had to all say something nice about everyone else in our group. Lesson? It’s easy to discuss all the bad things about ourselves but it’s much harder to talk about and hear about the good things about ourselves. And it was hard hearing people tell us how awesome we were.

Compilation of ladies enjoying the waterslide:

Impromptu training by Abby!

And what Joni posted on Facebook…

Fab Squad Retreat Day 2

Showered, made up, and ready for a few hours of training from our CEO!! My Twister room is crazy, y’all!

Training with Joni started bright and early at 9!

At lunch, it was time for a surprise 40th birthday party for Jenna…

and margaritas!

And two of my SeneBesties.

And then group photo time!

And my first photo with Joni!!

And then finally pool time!

A bunch of ladies did karaoke. They had a blast…

But it’s not really my jam so I watched for a bit and then ended up grabbing a friend and chatting/brainstorming in my room for like two hours!

Fab Squad Retreat!

I earned my spot at 50%! I would have made 75% if that was an option!
Travel makeup!
At my gate!

Our Airbnb was INSANE. Check out their promo video:

This is what you see when you walk in—Owen would have loved it!

This is Jenna, the one who adopted me into her group. I love her so, so much.

My Twister-themed room:

I had to FaceTime Katie to show her. She was totally jealous!

Here’s a great pic of the room with Jenna!
A random cool chair.
Funhouse mirror in the stairwell.

If you were a hidden lottery ticket, where would you be? (We never found it.)

Did someone say charcuterie dinner for 45?

I was honestly overwhelmed once everyone arrived. There were like 45 of us staying in the house, and I had only met like 15 of them previously (and really only knew less than a handful of them) so I was a bit anxious…but I’m apparently good at faking it. I did tend to stick to the people I knew better but did go outside my comfort zone a bit.

I normally would have been sharing a bedroom with someone, but as it happened to work out, I was by myself. That was good because I don’t mind being by myself and having a place to escape, but it was bad because having a roommate helps get me out of my box and gives me someone else to talk to and get to know.

Getting to know each other

The end of a loooong day that started at 5:30am cst and ended at 11:30pm est.

Friday Fave: Mexican french fries supreme

Y’all. I love Mexican food and I love fries, so when Taco Pros opened and I saw they had Mexican fries supreme I WAS IN. And holy crap were they delicious!

The serving is plenty for lunch for two. And with the addition of steak it’s only $9! In other words it’s a perfect lunch date (which we had this week)!

And yes, they now have margaritas!! It wasn’t the best, but I had to try it at least once!

Friday Fave: Nutty Bars

Y’all. Nutty bars might be my most favorite snacks from my youth. And they still taste mostly the same (unlike other things).

I have memories of these going back to elementary school. Friends of ours gave me a special Halloween treat bag every year that had one in it. Very rarely my mom would buy them as a special treat. We could buy them in the high school lunch line (this and a Mountain Dew was often my unhealthy lunch – for $1.05).

I generally forget about them for long periods of time, but then I’ll buy a big box and eat them all (though my kids help me now) in a short time span. We’ll be finishing our second box shortly!

Do you like a Little Debbie Nutty Bar?

Friday Fave: my stepsisters

I was busy when my Friday reminder went off and I thought I snoozed it but here we are.

I grew up an only child so was thrilled when I gained three new stepsiblings when my mom remarried! We don’t get to see each other that often, so when we do, I love it!

Last week, these two were able to join us in Maine so we enjoyed some time on the beach at our cottage just catching up!

Friday Fave: fresh lobster

I’m in Maine so that means FRESH LOBSTER!

There’s a dock just a few miles from where we’re staying that we visit every other day. If you saw my reel yesterday, that’s the place.

Honestly if I had my choice I’d probably choose a lobster roll, but there’s something about cracking open your own personal lobster!

Friday Fave: rum punch

I always thought I didn’t like rum…but as it turns out I don’t like SPICED rum or coconut rum. So when we were on our family cruise in 2019 and our snorkeling with the turtles excursion came with unlimited rum punch, I learned that I actually quite liked rum punch. But it wasn’t really a drink we made ourselves.

Fast forward a bit to our friend David saying he made the best Trinidadian rum punch…and by golly he did. Wow. So every now and again he’d make a batch for us and we actually drank it so much we kinda tired of it. (It was even a favorite drink at the 2022 Hudson Summer Bash.)

But every once in awhile now we’ll have it again…but there’s no way the four of us can finish it these days, so that means we get leftovers! So I know what I’m drinking tonight!!

Are you a rum punch fan?

Friday Fave: Rum punch

I always thought I didn’t like rum…but as it turns out I don’t like SPICED rum or coconut rum. So when we were on our family cruise in 2019 and our snorkeling with the turtles excursion came with unlimited rum punch, I learned that I actually quite liked rum punch. But it wasn’t really a drink we made ourselves.

Fast forward a bit to our friend David saying he made the best Trinidadian rum punch…and by golly he did. Wow. So every now and again he’d make a batch for us and we actually drank it so much we kinda tired of it. (It was even a favorite drink at the 2022 Hudson Summer Bash.)

But every once in awhile now we’ll have it again…but there’s no way the four of us can finish it these days, so that means we get leftovers! So I know what I’m drinking tonight!!

Are you a rum punch fan?

Friday Fave: Goodwill memories

I love wandering Goodwill because I love finding something cool I didn’t expect. It’s especially neat when I find something I used to own that brings back memories!

I found this single bowl… that I received as part of a full set for our wedding from my Aunt Rose! I was tempted to get it…but didn’t.

Do you like shopping at Goodwill?

Friday Fave: Michigan jewelry

I was born and raised in Michigan…so when we moved away after college and Tom joined the Marines, I was all about the Michigan items. Birch trees, Petoskey stones, the Great Lakes, etc. And I accumulated a bunch of things over the years.

This is just one necklace I have (I also have it in silver). It’s just a small reminder of where I began and met my husband…and where most of my family still lives! And I just happen to think Michigan is the coolest-shaped state!

The single photo I took.

I just didn’t take any pics during the party this year!

Oops! And forgot a took a selfie with my frozen margarita!

But that’s it!

As it turned out, it was our least-attended party ever. Disappointing to say the least after all the work and money we put into it.

Everyone was cleared out by 8 and we had soooo much food and drink left over it was exhausting putting it all away at the end of the night.

We’re definitely rethinking the idea of the whole party—but we know for sure if we continue, the waterslide isn’t coming back since barely anyone used it and that’s a huge chunk of money.

Friday Fave: Crab Rangoon + Year 22 of Chinese

Our annual tradition of Chinese on our anniversary (we’re at 22 years!). Sometimes it’s dinner, sometimes it’s lunch. It’s usually Crab Rangoon and General Tsos chicken but today we went outside the box with coconut shrimp and it was super delish!

Today’s were the most unusual shape we’ve ever seen—cute little octopi!

BTW, if Crab Rangoon is on a menu I’m getting it. And especially if it’s our wedding anniversary—we randomly had Chinese after our wedding and then randomly had it on our anniversary for the first few years so now it’s obviously a tradition!