Summer Is Flying By!

We received, in the mail yesterday, Luke's pre-school registration packet. It had his orientation day information and even a calendar for the year. Summer is just flying by! I started thinking about how weird it'll be to have Jack in the 1st grade, and Luke in pre-school. I know it's just two mornings a week for Luke, but he's getting so big! Ty won't know what to do without all of the chaos that is around when his brothers are home. He'll be bored with me. With Ty being just a year behind Luke, he'll be in school next year. It's a weird feeling. I love my boys, but I'm so happy for them to be able to start spreading their wings. I love to see them interacting with friends and learning how to work things out on their own. Soon I'll just be their chauffeur and they won't need me like they do today. Bittersweet, isn't it?

Reviews Are Great!

I found this great web-site, www.momsfavoritestuff.com, and submitted a sample OnTray to them. I just received the review and wanted to share it.

http://momsfavoritestuff.com/blog/2007/07/17/make-shopping-with-kids-an-easier-experience/

OnTray in The Columbus Dispatch

This was in The Columbus Dispatch today. I have received many phone calls and e-mails from people saying they saw it. Thanks everyone!


http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/business/stories/2007/07/19/MOM-vent.ART_ART_07-19-07_C8_I07ANKO.html

Anthing Such As Chance Meetings?

Do you believe in chance meetings? How about coincidences? I used to, but now I'm not sure I do. I have really been in awe at how, when and why we meet the people in our life. I meet my husband in High School. He dated a lot of my friends(well maybe not A LOT, but you get the picture), but I never thought anything of him. I mean he was cute, but that was about it. We didn't start dating until we were Juniors and Sophomores in College. We met and instantly we were inseparable. I'll tell you what, if I would have known I was going to end up with such a gem of a guy, it would've saved me a lot of heartache in High School. Oh well, such is life.

I have meet some wonderful people throughout the whole "invention process". It's funny, my Accountant put me in touch with my Patent Attorney. My Attorney put me in touch with my Designer, and my Designer put me in touch with my manufacturer. It all has just flowed nicely together. That's when you know it's meant to be. When things seem to be meant to be; serendipitous. Maybe I do believe, huh?

Living in Westerville

I live in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio named Westerville. I've lived here all of my life. Well, for the most part. I spent a short time of my life in Foster City, CA and one year in Huntington, WV while attending Marshall University (if I had attended it a little more, I would have graduated from there). Anyway, Chad sent me this link today. Westerville, Ohio is listed as #46 out of 100 great places to live. Who knew? I guess I could claim I did.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0707/gallery.BPTL_top_100.moneymag/46.html

Monthly (sort of) Newsletter

Well, like every other Web site I visit nowadays, I am taking the plunge. I've decided to write a Monthly (or whenever I get around to it) Newsletter. I'm excited at the opportunity to give my readers (I do have a few already:) updates on OnTray, me and maybe just a few tidbits I think might be of interest to them. I think it'll be fun. It's not going to be one of those e-zines that comes to your in-box every week like some. How in the world do these people have enough to talk about anyway?
If you would like to sign up and receive my "whenever" newsletter, click on this link http://visitor.constantcontact.com/optin.jsp?m=1101697827959&ea= .

Plateau

I never stuck with Weight Watchers very long because once I hit a plateau, I became easily frustrated and quit. I'm sure it's my personality. I usually quit if something is too hard. Isn't that awful? If I feel that a relationship is more work that it should be, I retreat and pull away from that person. I'm finding that starting a business is turning out to be that way too. I had a great first couple of weeks and now it has just hit a plateau. I get a few orders trickling in here and there, but nothing like the beginning. Ok, the voice inside my head is saying, "Are you kidding me? You launched your site June 1st. Did you think this would be an over night success?" Uh, yeah I did! What's wrong with me? A friend said to me the other day that starting a business is a marathon not a sprint. I'm not a runner I told her.

OnTray's First News Story!

I decided to check the Web site for my local Suburban News Paper to see if Me, OnTray and Ty made the paper this week. Well....WE DID! I think the article turned out well. Click on the link to see the story. If you want, e-mail me and tell me what you think!

http://www.snponline.com/NEWS7-11/7-11_wemominvent.html

Going Green

When I logged on to the web today, I saw an ad at the top of the MSNBC Homepage, and I decided to check it out. It was from Philips. It said something like, "How many are you willing to change?" and it had their new energy efficient light bulbs as the icons you click. Anyway, I clicked four light bulbs and it took me to a site, www.asimpleswitch.com. You know with all of this talk about going green, it has me thinking. We all really take this planet for granted. Well, I should say we have a tendency too. Myself included. Something as simple as changing a light bulb can help make our air cleaner by not emitting so much fossil fuel. Shoot, if everyone did that can you imagine how much cleaner the air would be? Maybe my children's children won't have to take Singulair daily :)

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

Tomorrow morning, a reporter with The Dispatch is coming to interview me. I am so nervous. Chad asked me why I was nervous. Really? I have to sound like I'm interesting for one thing. I also have to sound like I know what I'm doing. Basically, I have to act. No, not really, but I have to be on my best behavior. I need to speak clearly and slowly (which for those of you who know me, being a slow talker is not how you'd describe me, huh?). My story also has to make people want to read about me. Throughout this process I've realized that you can have a great product, but people want to see who's behind the product too. I want to impress people. I want them to say, "Hey, I could see myself in her". Great, it's High School all over again. What have I gotten myself into?

BabyBoyBlog.com Review!

Wow, wow, wow! This review gave me goose bumps. I'm just thrilled at what www.babyboyblog.com had to say.


Peaceful Grocery Shopping a la OnTray

Thank you On Tray, thank you! Isn’t a picture worth 1000 words? We sure think so and this little gadget from On Tray is just what you need for all those trips to the grocery store, Target and Costco. We all know that our little guys inevitably want a new snack when we start shopping and getting one out for them at these places can be a real quite cumbersome at times. Let’s face it, we are there to shop, and shop fast, so we don’t have time to keep handing over the cheerios one at a time every aisle we turn down. We think this product is amazing and know you will to! Order one, make that two today >>

One Under My Belt

Thank goodness that's over! I had my first interview with the local paper today and man oh man was I nervous. I'm certain the reporter could feel that I was a bundle of nerves. I tried hard to remember what I had learned in my speech class years ago. Every time I wanted to say um, which was a bunch, I just paused and gathered my thoughts. He probably thought he lost me a couple of times. "So Laura, could you talk more about what motivated you to keep going with this process?" My response, long pause...."Sure", long pause.... I'm not even sure what I said. I can't wait to see the article. I'm curious to know if I even made sense!

Another Review!

I received an e-mail this morning telling me to check out a blog that someone had talked about OnTray on. Our Uncle sent it to me this morning and I just wanted to share it. I'm thrilled! Their baby must be something special. Check out, http://thebecks.ning.com

OnTray - Why Didn't I Think of That?
A friend of mine at work was telling me about how a relative of his came up with a nifty new device that she's taken to the Internet with. Named the OnTray, it's a plastic tray (with cover!) that can easily attach to the handle of your common, everyday, shopping cart. Filing the conversation away as, "I hope she does well!", I went on with my week thinking nothing more of it. But wait - there's more!
A few days later, the Postman left a package by our door, addressed to the most adorable baby girl in the world - Madeline Beck. Who would send a parcel to a newborn? Lisa and I quickly cut open the packing tape to reveal two brand spanking new OnTrays! Maddie is now the proud owner of a yellow and a pink one! Seems my good friend, Bill, thought it would be the perfect gift for our Maddie! Thanks Bill!!!
Since Maddie isn't quite ready to sit upright in a shopping cart, we have yet to try them out. But from what I can tell, these things are pretty sturdy! They're made out of a high grade plastic (think Tupperware, not Gladware), and come in four baby-friendly colors. They have a cover that you slide on and off, and it stores easy. I'd give it 4 outta 5 Maddie smiles (you have to walk on water to get 5 out of 5 - that's just the way it is!).
So, if you want to find out more about the OnTray, click on over to their official site here, and tell them Maddie sent ya!

Grocery Store Interest

I am thrilled, flattered, nervous, anxious, but mostly excited, about the interest a grocery chain has shown in my product. The VP had received a forward of my Family and Friends letter, read it and contacted me. He then had me speak with his buyer. I think it is a little ways away from being completed, but it has given me confidence. I underestimated that this product really would sell well and be a valuable product on stores shelves. I think this is the one thing I have struggled with all along. I thought OnTray was a good idea, but would everyone else? It's sort of like how you think your children are the most gorgeous children ever born, but does everyone else? To see my product on the shelves of a grocery store would be a defining moment in this venture. I have imagined it. I can't believe this is happening to me.