I abandoned Matt and Penny last night and went to a Pampered Chef show.

The first one of these I ever went to was just before Penny was born, and it was a bridal shower for a friend. Otherwise, I don't know that I would have gone. The whole idea of having a party so you can ask people to buy things just seems... awkward, to me.

But it turned out to be a lot of fun, and I actually liked the products quite a bit. Of course, I was eight months pregnant, and Matt and I didn't really cook at all - mostly we ate frozen pizza, or we ate out. So I bought a couple of little things, and chipped in on the gifts for my friend, and that was it.

I've been to other sales parties since. (In the business, they're called "direct sales," but let's not split hairs, shall we?) I've been to a couple of Creative Memories events, and one jewelry show that I can never remember the name of. And I went to Kris's debut Mary Kay show last weekend.

I don't know that I'll be going to another jewelry show; I don't wear enough to really make it worth my time. But I love scrapbooking, and I've found through simple experience that I like Creative Memories' products better than the cheaper alternatives. (Though they really need to get with the program, online - their website doesn't even give prices, much less offer their consultants a free email address or website.) And since I went on a diet last year, I'm cooking at home a lot more than I was when I went to my first Pampered Chef show.

So I sold my soul to Satan, or as near as makes no difference: I signed up to host a Pampered Chef show at the end of February. I don't expect it to be a huge show, really, but I'm still looking forward to it, actually. I still feel a little weird about asking people to come over to my house to buy things, but these kind of parties seem to be really spiking in popularity lately.

We'll see how it goes. I could be hooked.

Oh, and Penny update: We left the hall light on last night, and she slept soundly through the night. YAY!

But she woke up at 5:20 this morning and was the Most Saddest Baby Ever until Matt got up at 5:45. Alas.

Two steps forward...

--Liz