Savannah Went To Work Today!

[Blancaej]

Here are some pictures of Savannah at our store for the first time today! Things are going well. She seems pretty relaxed. She is in her old cage and it needs work but it will do for now. With people coming in and out she doesn't have time to get bored and chew on it anymore! I've also included pics of Quincy here today as well. He's been in my store a lot in the past, so this is old news for him!

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[Momto3boys]

:th_omg: Do you own a candy store?????

Birds AND candy?!?!?!?! :th_faint:

[Debra]

Looks like everyone had a fun time!

[Blancaej]

Brandy - Loved the reaction! LOL! :th_loltears: Yes, I do own a candy store. The largest candy store in Vermont! I love my job! It's :awesome-smiley-emot

Debra - They both seem to be enjoying the day. They are both preening as we speak. Hopefully the ride home will go well!

[Momto3boys]

I can imagine you do, I would too....you should hire me, you can feed me in candy :th_LOL:

[Blancaej]

:th_hehe: Too funny!

[jtbirds]

oo send some dark chocolate this way please;)... they look so happy hanging out in the candy store! thanks for sharing blanca.:)

[ShellyBorg]

The best store in Vermont! I bet the kids love coming and seeing the birds!

[Blancaej]

JT - I make my own chocolates, too! How can you not be happy in a candy store, even if you are a bird. LOL!

Shelly - The kids love seeing the birds. It is so exciting for them. Adults, too, for that matter! And if Quincy starts talking, then they are in for a real treat! We are hoping to move the cages so they are more directly behind the register counter so little ones can see them better. Still safely behind our big counter but in better view. Little ones have a hard time seeing them without being lifted up at the moment!

[roxynoodle]

I have to say that's pretty awesome! I couldn't make and work with chocolate without eating all the profit, lol!

[Pinkbirdy]

Love Savannah [shes always tilting her head in pictures] glad it went well . This will help socialize her .:)

[jtbirds]

I agree with Audrey! You can keep the white chocolate all I'd want would be the dark lol!

[Mare]

I BET you love your job!! How nice for you and your birds that you all get to hang out all day, together! Wonderful!

[Blancaej]

Audrey - People ask me all the time if I get sick of candy. I always tell them, "Nope, I wish!" My husband and I have always had weight issues. We both lost about 80 lbs each before we met. We slowly gained our weight back as we got married, had kids and life just got in the way. Well after making our candy store the largest in VT we new that we would really need to be careful now that we owned a candy store. We've had this large candy store for just over 2 years. Anyway, we both started trying to lose weight in Jan 2012. I've lost 53 lbs and my husband 60lbs since then! If we can do it, anyone can! LOL! I think the thought of eating up our profits, helps me stick to it most of the time. Believe me, I have my days and even months! LOL! :th_biggrin: We still have some weight to lose but we're glad we are getting smaller and not bigger owning a candy store!

Terri - I agree, I think this will be great to help socialize Savannah. She is so cute when she tilts her little head like that!

Justin - I sell some chocolate that is up to 80% Cacoa!! That is some bitter stuff. Do you like the bitter stuff or just good ole basic dark chocolate?

Mare - I do love my job. Happiest I've ever been. I am in my element! I've been making chocolate for a little over 2 years and love it! I know, I love that I can bring them to work with me. I feel very lucky and fortunate to have that kind of flexibility!

[Pinkbirdy]

What did you guys do before this ? Did you both have a thing for making candy ?

[jtbirds]

Blanca I like somewhat bitter but 80% sounds crude:p, I'd stick with the normal or Alittle higher then the norm:). I just prefer dark in generally I can't see how people don't like it lol!

[Blancaej]

Actually, no. I worked in customer service in various companies most of my life. My husband was a UHAUL dealer for 7 years and decided to quit and go on his own. In 1998 he bought the property where we are now and opened up a self storage facility and became an independent UHAUL dealer. I had a very small gift basket service when I lived in Virginia back in 1993. It was home based. I lost that when my home there burnt down and I didn't have enough insurance to cover my losses. One of the things I sold was Jelly Belly products and I remembers how fun it was to sell candy.

My husband and I met in 2003. It was always my dream to be self-employed. I was briefly self employed in Virginia but we know what happened there. I moved to Vermont in 1995 after I could not recover financially from the fire. My sister lived in VT at the time. Anyway, I was still working for the corporate world but in 2006 when I was 2 weeks away from my due date of my daughter I was laid off. So my husband and I decided to build another building on our property to add more self storage and a retail space for me to open my own store. I opened up a scrapbook store (another thing I love to do) and a small candy store within the scrapbook store. Our local downtown candy store had closed a year earlier. Sorry, this is a long story! :D The recession hit my scrapbook store pretty hard but the candy store continued to do well. So we got to talkin' and decided we would make our space all candy and get rid of the scrapbook supplies over a years time. I love to be creative so I decided I would also try candy making. So over the last 2 1/2 years we've grown the store to be the largest in VT, so it makes a great tourist attraction and I've discovered I'm pretty good at making chocolates and I love to do it. So I kind of fell into it. I have collected M&M dispensers and other candy related items for the last 15 years so I think it was my destiny. LOL! I am pretty goofy and love to keep life fun so it fits my personality pretty well. Sorry for the long story. Hard to make it short. Thanks for asking Terri! :)

[Blancaej]

JT - I don't like the strong stuff either. I've tried it but had to spit it out. The normal dark is good for me, although, I really prefer milk. But I do enjoy a good 54% dark chocolate! Ok, are we making everyone crave chocolate now or what?? :th_biggrin:

[jtbirds]

That is amazing Blanca! Great story I love hearing about someone that has came from the bottum up:). Now if only I lived in Vermont I'd defiantly be there rotting my teeth on chocolate.

[Pinkbirdy]

Maybe she ships :)

[jtbirds]

Lol pinky I don't need to find out:p Although now I'm interested :danceelmo:

[Blancaej]

Thanks JT! I've seen hard times in my life, but it taught me to appreciate life and that hard work pays off! If at first you don't succeed, try try again! :) I actually was born and raised in SF. I only lived in VA for 2 years. My mom was originally from there so we thought we would try moving her back. Well that didn't work out. I've loved VT every since I got here 18 years ago! Geez, now I feel old. LOL!

Dentists love my store! LOL! :th_biggrin:

[Blancaej]

Yes I do ship! :th_dancing:

[jtbirds]

Old psh your like 21 right?

Yea I am sure dentist just looove you they probably pay you off to feed kids more candy>:)

P.s I found that random Elmo in the smilies and thought it was odd we have an Elmo on the forum:p

[alnoble89]

Great now I want candy and I don't have any. They do look like they enjoy working with momma.

[Blancaej]

:th_toofunny: OMG that is too funny. I do have a few dentists that shop and my shop! I would take bribes. :th_biggrin: Just kidding of course! 21...yeah I wish. :th_LOL: Actually I take that back. I am in a very happy place in my life right now. I like my 40's! :) Yeah, I found the Elmo strange, too! Hhhmmmm. Maybe the truth is, we are all just a bunch of kids! :) Oh, and if you didn't see my second post. I do ship! ;) I can always send you some free samples first. :th_biggrin:

Amanda - I knew we were making everyone hungry for candy!

[alnoble89]

Yeah not to mention the birdies are rolling in m&m's in the signature.

[ShellyBorg]

Can you pm me a link to the candy shop? I have been looking for some where to ge my candy from as there are NO shops in my area.

[Turquoise]

Oh Blanca!! I love those photos of Savannah & Quincy at work with you. :th_hug8: You are so lucky to get to take them with you. I would love to take mine to work, but that will never happen where I work!

Savannah looks so content on her cage surrounded by all that candy! I could never own or work in a candy store, my hubby would eat all the profits up. He loves fudge & chocolate candy way too much. :th_hehe: I am not a fan of dark chocolate at all, I can't stand the bitter taste. Give me milk chocolate or don't give me any!! I much prefer my chocolate to be an accent flavor with something else anyway.:th_LOL:

I loved your story about your life, except the fire destroying everything. I can relate, but mine was a flood that we had to rebuild the interior of our house & replace everything. I am so glad you were able to own your own store again & you are working at what you love best. :thanks4sharingthumb

[Blancaej]

Amanda - I had to have candy in my signature! :th_biggrin:

Shelly - Will do!

De'Andrea - Wow a flood. That ranks right up there as one of the most horrible things that can happen to your home. But we both know, you just have to get back up when you fall and start over! Savannah definitely seemed content. She was glad to be home, though. I much prefer milk chocolate, too. But my dark chocolate I enjoy now and then. I would say we sell much more milk over dark all in all. I feel very lucky to have the life I now have. I can bring my birds with me and I am doing what I love. Plus, my kids have never been in day care. We've always brought them with us to the shop. That can be challenging some days but it's been well worth it! What else can I possibly ask for! :th_biggrin: It goes to show hard work pays off! :)

[roxynoodle]

I like the Elmo :)

Balancing a candy store and weight would be really hard!

Boy am I ever wanting some nice milk chocolate haystacks right now!

[Carefree Birdee]

Oh...lucky you to have birds AND a candy store! Now that we are retired Hubby and I have been talking about taking some road trips. We have never been out East...but now I think we have a good reason to head up to Vermont!

Your parrots are beautiful. I have never owned anything larger than a Conure and Senegal. I don't know if I am brave enough to take on anything bigger....they would probably end up being the boss of me for sure.

[Blancaej]

Audrey - I've used the Elmo before, I like it too! :th_biggrin: Just funny to find on a bird forum. But it does add fun to our posts! Oooh, haystacks! Yummy! The weight is challenging but I just have to keep on top of it. I get easily distracted by all the yummy goodies I sell! I eat chocolate everyday in small amounts. But some days I just give in and enjoy!

Carrie - I would love to have visitors from the forum at my store! That would be so fun! Vermont has a lot to offer. Tourism is our #1 industry. You should definitely consider a visit to your state! Parrots are very clever and certainly think they are the boss. The key is letting them think that, but know in reality that you have the upper hand! :th_LOL:

[Robin]

That is awesome and yes a great way to socialize them. I would be terrible working at a candy store, I'd probably eat all the profits. :(

[josiesmom]

Looks lovely! My dream store...candy and birds. LOL

[Blancaej]

Robin - I eat enough chocolate, that is for sure! It's good for the soul! :th_biggrin: I like your siggy by the way!

Anita - Can't get any better then that! LOL!

[Momto3boys]

I keep coming back to this.....I want chocolate so bad right now. No dark for me, I will take white and milk...yuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmy.

I loved reading your story on how you started out, just amazing. :th_hug8:

[Blancaej]

Thanks Brandy! I think it is time you went out for some chocolate! :th_biggrin:

[roxynoodle]

Do you know what I did today? I bought a small cheesecake with 4 different types of chocolate pieces :th_embarassed:

[Mare]

You guys are KILLING me here! Now I'm craving chocolate!! Google "health benefits of dark chocolate for women", interesting and consoling at the same time! Dark chocolate has always been my preference. :)

[ShellyBorg]

Nerds....Nerds....I really need some Nerds.....I am 42 in that just wrong? Damn Willy Wonka!

[Blancaej]

Audrey - How was the cheesecake? :th_biggrin:

Mare - I do find people feel better when they buy dark chocolate. They can justify it! LOL :th_biggrin: As far as I'm concerned all chocolate is good for the soul! :th_dancing:

Shelly - I've got Nerds! :th_biggrin: I will find out which flavors! Be nice to Willy Wonka, he is my mentor! :th_LOL: I'm 43 and I'm a constant kid in a candy store. So don't feel bad!

[jtbirds]

Blanca I may take you up on the shipping thing sometime soon:)! Sorry for the late reply was a little busy yesterday:p

[Debra]

I love, love, love dark chocolate! I keep some around at all times.

[roxynoodle]

I've had one piece so far and it was divine :)

[Blancaej]

Justin - When you are ready, we will be here. :th_biggrin:

Debra - There are a lot of dark chocolate fans out there! My mom has some very night with a glass of wine! :th_dancing:

Audrey - Glad you enjoyed your cheesecake! :th_biggrin:

[Honesty]

I love, love, love dark chocolate! I keep some around at all times.

Did you know that eating 2 squares of dark chocolate per day is supposed to keep you looking young? :th_chickendance: I have been eating 3 :th_LOL:

[Blancaej]

I didn't know that! Now that is some good news! :th_biggrin:

[Debra]

Didn't know that. Good thing I stocked up today!

[Blancaej]

See, people need to buy more chocolate! :th_chickendance:

[Sue'n'Chops]

Mmmmm I want to be in Cornwall, Vermont and not Cornwall, UK....looks more fun haha :th_hehe:

[Blancaej]

We certainly try! ;)

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