Goosfraba moment

So, I know I blogged this morning but I need a moment for goosfraba. LOL! Someone sent me an email this morning about the fact that they feel I send out to many emails and they wanted to be eliminated from my list. LOL! Out of respect I took her out of my contacts. I do send out a lot of emails and that is why I try to keep the weekly newsletter my main means of communication. Besides a lot of emails are out of excitement about my growing and successful business. What is funny is that EVERYONE sends me emails telling me how much they enjoy reading my emails. These are the positive people that I want to attract to my store anyway. So a big hug to all those wonderful people who share in my excitement and continue to be inspirations to me. It is because of you that negative people do not get me down and keep my chin up. I know I will run into this from time to time and that is totally ok. It comes with owning a business. Contacting me about taking her out of my contact list was one thing but the comment about sending out too many emails, was just uncalled for. It isn't going to make me stop sending out emails because I know that people enjoy them. I love the word Goosfraba because I was taken back from her email at first....all I needed to do was say the word...and I was over it. LOL!

I am grateful for Goosfraba, my friends, and all of my wonderful customers. I am also thankful for this lady for keeping me in check with the positive people I have in my life. I believe sometimes we all need that! Hugs all around!!

Tears, Jammies and Gratefulness

So, I am finally in bed. My day was absolutely wonderful.....the last few minutes however have me feeling very sad. I got an email from Sally. Sally missed the layout team meeting tonight. It has not been a good week for her. One of her and my customers delivered her baby boy 3 months early. Unfortunately it doesn't look good for the baby. I have no details other than that. My heart sank as I read the email. I need to get past this because I want to be positive for the mother and the baby and I want to pray. Right now I have to get past my own personal feelings. Knowing what it is like to lose a baby, this situation is very close to home. Never, ever do I want anyone to feel that pain. Once I can get past this sadness that I feel, I can move onto positive thoughts. First I have got to get the tears out......


Ya know, you think you are through situations until something like this happens. It is like re-opening a wound. So here is my prayer..

Lord, please hear my prayer. Please be with this family, keep them strong. Hold the baby's heart in your hand. Comfort this family, wipe their tears, and help them pull through this difficult time. May the baby feel the comfort of your presence. May the family lean on you to guide them. God, bless this family.


Ok, after that....and a bunch of tissues.....I need to focus. My heart just feels very heavy.


Today, I had a wonderful day at our Pajama Crop. I absolutely love Pajama Crops. We have so much fun in our jammies, eating pop-corn and brownies.....other goodies too. The massages ROCK....need I say more? I actually scrapbooked one layout to add to my Disney scrapbook. I used our new Love Shack paper....LOVE IT! I think my problem with scrapbooking at my store is that I feel like I should be working. Scrapbooking is my leisure activity so I have this thing about doing it at work. However, I am the boss....and I am going to get over it. Now, I just need some pictures to scrapbook... {This was all written on Sunday night}

Today, Monday is my day off. Makenna and I are going to spend the day together. I am also going to get some laundry done and cleaning. Gavin cleaned his room all weekend and it looks amazing! I was so proud of him for doing an awesome job. He was so thrilled with himself! In fact, he had trouble sleeping last night since he was so excited. We put a TV stand in his room and bought him a dresser. His closet was getting too small for his stuff and there were toys in his room that he has outgrown. I know that Gavin feels a great sense of accomplishment getting rid of things, making room and now having a big boy room with a TV and his game systems. Once a kid that hated to get rid of things, he really got over that. Thankfully! Makenna 'helped' the entire time. She was just as excited as Gavin when the room was finished. My kids are the best. I missed them a lot this weekend.

Today I am thankful for:
My children
accomplishments
healing
prayers
massages....and massage therapists
time with my children
bonds between family and between friends
PJ Crops!!
The gift of gab
my day off
my life

What I Want

It is stated in The Secret that you need to specifically ask the universe for what you want, You need to only ask once, be thankful, act as though you are receiving and give. Act as though everyday you have already received what it is that you have asked for. Turn every thought into a positive one and relax. This is a list of what I want in my life, for my life, and in my future. I thought that blogging about what I want would give people an idea of what they could have. It does not need to be a material thing. Too many people feel that asking for something that brings them joy is being selfish. I believe that it is only selfish when you are only ever thinking of yourself and no body else. Besides, in The Secret we are told that you must fill yourself up first in order to be an inspiration to anyone else. So, here is what I had asked for...maybe not all of it but it is some....





Love
Forgiveness
Peace
More quiet time, alone
Money
To lose weight
Jeep Cherokee Laredo
Log Cabin
A successful business
To be healthy
To be an inspiration
To be inspired
New clothes
To go to Bermuda
To go to Discovery Cove in Florida
Happy and healthy children
A long life
Continued creativity
To stay safe
A bed and breakfast for my business
A Great Prynees
A King Charles Cavalier Spaniel
A Rag Doll
A king sized bed
A new washer and dryer
To be best friends with my children as they enter adulthood.

Being an Inspiration

Often I have sat and thought about how we can bring happiness into someones life. Obviously there is the power of prayer, offering help, giving a smile, sending a card, etc. However, if it is not helping them...how do we continue to be supportive and not end up giving up on the person? It is a frustration that I feel often when I feel that I have given all I can give and yet the person still chooses to go down the negative spiral of life.

Well in The Secret there is a quote that I am so glad I remember: We are each creating our lives through our thoughts and feelings, and so you cannot hold yourself responsible for someone else’s happiness. It is impossible for you to be responsible for anybody else, because you cannot jump inside someone else and think and feel for them. Focus on your joy, and be an inspiration to everyone around you.

I am so thankful that I read that. I feel that I am being a inspiration to everyone around me especially since people tell me that all the time lately. They can tell that The Secret is working for me. It has helped me break even at my store in only my 3rd month of business. It has enabled me to start losing weight. I am finding that all positive people are flowing into my life. My ideas are pouring out and enabling me to create some awesome things for my business and my life. My children are happier, I handle stressful situations better, and everything I want is coming to me without any effort. On the other side of this, I am noticing that the negative people are no longer around. I would love to be an inspiration to everyone..especially those negative people since they need it. However, I am learning that sometimes those people that are in a dark shadow of their lives cannot stand people who are positive. Is it jealousy, is it envy? Whatever the case it is once again negative. So, I am not going to complain because.......

In The Secret it states: If you are complaining, the law of attraction will powerfully bring into your life more situations for you to complain about. If you are listening to someone else complain and focusing on that, sympathizing with them, agreeing with them, in that moment, you are attracting more complaining situations to yourself!

Instead I am going to try this....

It also states:Most people feel powerless to help others, when in fact every single human being has a power within them that, when directed properly, will help beyond anything else. You can direct this power by focusing on people in difficult situations being in joy, by imagining them in joy right now. Hold to the outcome of joy for them. By doing this, you will cause the unfathomable Creative Power to move through you to bring them joy.

Maybe even in thought I can create positivity in these people's lives without them even knowing it. It will fill me up instead of feeling helpless and hopefully bring them into a lighter easier path. Because of The Secret I am happy that negative people do not fill my life since they are the reasons that positive people start to feel negative feelings. We need to stay as positive as possible to keep all good coming into our lives. When a negative thought pops into our head we need to immediately direct our thoughts to something positive. I know it works....because it has worked for me, my sister-in-law and a few of my friends. All I can do now is keep spreading the word in hopes that others can experience the life they want for themselves. If they chose to stay in their negative down hill spiral then I will pray for them in hopes that they come to me if they have hit rock bottom. And, I will keep thinking about them being in joy the entire time in hopes that only the best will come to them. Although people live by.... misery loves company and some love to stay in their current situation because it becomes comfortable and easier than changing....no matter what, I will still be here for them. I will still continue to try and be an inspiration. I feel it is the least I can do.

I am thankful for:
The Secret

my friends

Goosfraba

Positive thoughts

Spring

the sunshine

the warmer weather today

the wonderful positive people I have been meeting

my success

my continued success

my blog

music

money

the power of prayer

Flight Angel

Last night I went to get a hair cut from Melinda at her salon. Afterwards we went to Quakertown Family Restaurant to chat and share a dessert. Melinda just came back from Texas. She shared a story with me that I just needed to share. I am so lucky to have a person like her in my life.

One one of Melinda's joining flights, a girl got on the plane who was in tears. Actually Melinda said this girl was sobbing. She was alone, and struggling with her bags since there was no room left for hers. So, Melinda told her to sit down and she would get her bags. This girl ended up sitting behind Melinda. Melinda said it was breaking her heart to see this girl so upset. Something was egging her to do something about this. First Melinda started saying a prayer for this girl. She then took a piece of paper and wrote on it something to the effect of " I didn't know what to for you, so I wanted you to know that I said a prayer for you." Alyssa handed it back to her. After reading this note, the girl started crying harder. Melinda was thinking, "I didn't mean to make her cry more!" When Melinda received a note in return it stated that she was told that she had to get on this plane when she was supposed to be getting on a different plane that was to leave an hour later. She said that she was unable to say good-bye to her family who was still parking the car. And, her boyfriend who has Spinal Bifida had an attack on the way to the airport. She was worried about her boyfriend, upset that she was unable to say good-bye as well as her family not knowing that she was on this plane. She then wrote that there had to be a reason she was forced onto this plane and that she was so thankful for Melinda being her flight angel.

When Melinda got off the plane, she waited for the girl. Melinda hugged her and told her that she hopes everything works out for her. Here is another story of someone getting that nagging feeling of helping out a complete stranger. It is sort of like my story about the inmate a few blogs back. I told Melinda that it is awesome that her and I get that feeling of knowing we are meant to help a person in need. There are people out there that probably get these feelings and just ignore them. I feel that even if you do not know what to do at the moment that a feeling comes about, wait a bit and it will come to you. It will be like a huge realization on what you need to do. Once you figure it out and do it, you get this amazing feeling of satisfaction and peace. It is painful to see people hurting and feeling helpless. And, there is no way that we can help everyone besides saying a prayer for them. I think we should all try to be more aware of situations like mine and Melinda's. The world would be a happier place if we all just gave a little more...even to a complete stranger. Today I am thankful for:

Melinda

angels

giving people

my classes tonight

the urge to help others

my health

love

peace

my dentist

Goosefraba News

I just wanted to announce the start of Jenn and my new blog called Goosefraba! This will be a blog where anyone can submit their positive, silly, and inspirational stories. Jenn and I will be choosing our favorite story and this is what you can all scrapbook. Both Jenn and I fell in love with Scrappin To The Music. If you are unfamiliar with it you must check it out. Every week they post a new song. To enter the contest you must choose a verse or lyric from the song and make a one page layout with that lyric as your title. You can check out my current submission to the left of my blog. I decided since I love to write and Goosefraba is a great saying in the movie Anger Management in which is used for controling your anger. Next time you are venting or stressing, say "Goosefraba" and breath.... On Goosfraba, you can submit your stories under our comments section. Once Jenn and I pick a story we like, you can take a line or get an inspiration from the story to create a one page layout. The layout will be entered into our contest. If you win, your layout will be featured on Goosefraba until the next contest is over.

We are still working on the details and will hopefully talk further about this tonight. We would like to have this up and running very soon! Anyone can join us, even people out of state and out of the country! We can use these scrapbooking layouts to get ideas for our own layouts! Remember that there is no law against scraplifting! LOL!

What I am thankful for today:
Goosefraba
Blogs
Contests
Inspirational stories
Creativity
Ideas
Laughter

We are all butterflies, free to fly

Call me crazy, insane, whatever you like. What I am about to type may shock you. Call it an urge from a higher power, an ache that I could not explain whatever the case may be, I had to do something about it. Right after the article about my store was put into The Morning Call back in December, I received a letter in the mail. At first I was disturbed by it a little, I will admit. However, I did not get the negative feeling that most people did when I read it to them. The outside of the envelope read Pa Department of Corrections. Yes, it came from a man who is serving 5 years in prison for theft, public drunkenness, and DUI's. In his letter he seemed to be an all around funny guy. He has a great sense of humor, an upbeat personality and very down to earth. His, what he called "complete crap shot" of writing to me and wanting a response was something he felt compelled to do when he saw the opening of what he called "unique and rare" business. This man has a passion for photography and needed to tell me that he loved my idea of my business and wanted to wish me great success. He also asked me to be his pen pal. He has ZERO intentions of ever meeting me in person and says that he is just incredibly bored and in need of a females opinion on some personal matters he has with his 16 year old daughter.

I am thinking, "God, you have got to let me know what I am to do with this letter." I put it in the drawer of my desk, waiting for an answer. We all know that when we pray, ask for an answer, miracle or whatever, it doesn't come right away. I was in no rush to throw this letter away or answer. It sat there from December until last week. Finally I opened it again and this time I read it to my mom. This time I really read in depth about this mans life. He wrote 8 pages of little here and there details of his upbringing, how he got to jail, etc. I firmly believe that we all make mistakes and sometimes we choose to have people in our lives that are negative influences...just as he had. In parts of his letter I was in shock over how him and I are very much alike. Of course we took different paths which ended us in two completely different places.

When I got to a part of the letter on how his grandmother was more like a mother to him, I lost it. I could not contain myself. He is writing something that I have always felt. When I could speak again, I finished the letter. It then hit me like a brick.....I knew exactly what to do for this lost soul. There is a reason why this man chose me and neither of us may ever know the answer to that.

I recently purchased these awesome butterfly chipboard albums. I love butterflies. On my left shoulder I have a butterfly tattoo. I like that butterflies change so much throughout their lives and become this beautiful creature. I always compare them to our own lives. Since I have just read The Secret, I decided that I needed to pass it along to this man. How do I do this without sending the book, and how do I incorporate this butterfly?

If you have checked out www.thesecret.tv/ there is a memory game that you can play. The game keeps track of how many tries it takes you to accomplish the game. When you have your number of tries at the end, you are to scroll down to that number. Listed are a bunch of quotes fro The Secret. It is stated that the quote you read WILL pertain to something in your life. I have played this game a number of times and found it to be very true. I decided to take quotes from The Secret and incorporate them into this chipboard album. Because there are so many quotes and only 5 pages in this album, I used the memory game to help me choose which quotes I was going to use. Each time I played the memory game, the quote it came up with was perfect.

With each quote I put a picture. One picture was a sunset, one was the beach, one was of a shadow of a man with his his arms in the air facing the sun. I am hoping that this man will read each quote and start using them. I feel that this is what I was supposed to for him. I mailed it out yesterday and feel a sense of satisfaction. I feel I did something wonderful...even though there are many who disagree. Obviously there was no information about myself or anything personal in this album. It was only an inspiration for him. I know with his love for photos and creativity, he will enjoy his gift. I am not sure what will come of it all I know is that it is something I had to do.

What I am thankful for today:

Makenna

Gavin

Butterflies

The fact that we are in control of our lives and we all can change

the sun

Deigo

my kitties

The Meaning of a True Friend

Throughout my life I have seen people come and go. People that have said they were my friends some were just acquaintances. Now as an adult I appreciate all that I have learned from each person and was able to let go of the people who were not really a true friend to me. I have no regrets separating myself from some of those who I may have called a friend because they were actually very unhealthy relationships for me. Most of those who know me know that I am definitely a giver. I could care less what people give to me in return. This is not always a healthy way to be since it causes a lot of situations where I was taken for granted, and ended up giving a lot to some very selfish people. Of course I was hurt, and I would blame myself. However, I now know that true friends see you for all that you are, and will give to you just as much if not more than you give to them. I can also read people very well and know just by a first encounter with someone whether or not this is someone I want to pursue a friendship with or just keep them as an acquaintance.

The friends I have now are so much like me. They attend all of my kids and my personal functions and parties, they call just to say hi and see how I am, and they are there for me know matter what their own personal situations may be. I love the positive people that are now in my life accepting me for who I am and giving so much to me in return...without me asking for anything. They all want to help me out with everything without being asked, they listen to me when I just need to get something off of my chest, they pass out the tissues when I need a good cry or even join me. True friends, feel your pain, your joy, your excitement, your fears. True friends are there for you always to share all of your life's ups and downs.

Going through depression throughout my life, I pushed many people away. It was the true friends that didn't leave me no matter how hard I tried to be alone. Sometimes due to life events and situations, my friendships would be put on hold. However, once the situation was over we were right back to where we were. I consider myself very lucky to have as many true friends as I do. I know that if my life were to fall apart, I have my friends by my side the entire way. I will never be alone. Today I am grateful for all of the friends I have and the friendships that I am forming. I love each and every one of you. Thank you for your loyalty, friendship and love.

Jamie W.
Rachel K.
Diane B.
Heather P.
Melinda W.
Marty W.
Jenny D.
Judy A.
Rita P.
Buffy A.
Sally C.
Missy G.
Kathy Y.
Amy W.
Beth H.
Denise D.
Kate Q.
Jen S.
Cheryl K.
Maryann M.
Sherry K.
Valerie L.
Amy C.
Mary Ann H.
Jayne S.
Liz S.
My Mom
Linda my mother-in-law
Jenn my sister-in-law
and all the others I am forming relationships with at this time.

100 more

Before I start I need to say GOOSEFRABA out of frustration. Ok, now that I got that out....I am going to once again do the 100 things I am thankful for today. And, I am going to try to make it different than yesterday..we will see. Here we go...

100. the movie Anger Management
99. nature
98. the spring flowers in my gardens
97. Healthy Choice Steamers
96. Makenna's silliness
95. hot bubble baths
94. time with Jamie
93. Gavin's sincerity
92. my dog Diego
91. Kohl's
90. Old Navy
89. my favorite cat Chloe
88. time alone at work
87. my health
86. time I get to sleep in
85. sandals
84. friends who listen to me vent
83. The Secret
82. Yvonne my Premier Jewelry Consultant
81. Jim Carrey
80. Jim Carrey movies
79. Daughtry
78. Nickelback
76. Pink
75. Kind and thoughtful people
74. fresh air
73. Subway
72. animals
71. friendships
70. breath taking moments
69. the gift of forgiveness
67. closure
66. healing
65. pictures
64. smiles
63. money
62. moments at the farm
61. Don Diego the alpaca
60. that I am in Jenny's wedding
59. all my Stampin Up! girls
58. chipboard
57. my divorce
56. cardstock
55. clouds
54. my massage therapists
53. PartyLite's Spa CD
52. FRIENDS dvd's
51. board games
50. my dentist (poor man had to take care of me a lot in the past)
49. my go cart as a child
48. my motorcycle as a child
47. sledding
46. lip gloss
45. my childhood dogs (Whisky and Terri)
44. my neighbors
43. my class tonight
42. the number 8
41. Eric Carl books
40. ceiling fans
39. the smell of laundry out of the dryer
38. brownies
37. gift of gab
36. positive influences
35. Makenna being 100% potty trained
34. Gavin getting a 96% on his last math test
33. Gavin getting a 108% on his spelling test
32. Carvel ice cream cakes
31. Rudy's cakes
30. that my dog is trained to walk
29. I am alive!
28. the movie Mary Poppins
27. Playhouse Disney
26. my Cricut machines
25. my parents
24. Jeremy's mom
23. Bob (Linda's boyfriend)
22. Pappy
21. She-She
20. Judy my Avon lady
19. Avon
18. Stampin Up!
17. my new spring jacket
16. lounge pants
15. oversized sweatshirts
14. the color perriwinkle
13. Wii
12. being able to run
10. teachers
9. paint
8. markers
7. candy
6. email
5. stamps
4. gratitude
3. patience
2. peace
1. love

100 Things to be Thankful For....

I read in The Secret daily scripts that Jenny gave me that we are supposed to change our attitudes by writing down 100 things a day that we are thankful for. I gave this script to Buffy tonight while she was in class and she was like..."100???" At first I agreed that it sounded like a lot to do in one day. I have a hard time finding the time to write down 5-10 a day. So, tonight I have decided to try to write my 100 things and see how long it takes me. I am guessing that each day we can be thankful for the same things as the day before...right? It would be too hard to come up with 100 different things a day. So here it goes. It is now 10:46pm.....

100. my children
99. my family
98. my friends
97. my husband
96, my pets
95. the change of the seasons
94. my store
93. rainbows
92. the sun
91. sunsets
90. the changing of the leaves in the fall
89. my creativity
88. water falls
87. rain
86. flowers
85. my veggie garden in the summer
84. my gardens
83. my bed
82. soft, snugly blankets
81. my van
80. the fact that I can walk to my store
79. the times I have been able to walk with Diane and Jenny
78. HGTV
77. the show FRIENDS
76. the show Extreme Home Makeover
75. SCRAPBOOKING!
74. music
73. Amy Grant
72. the gift of writing
71. the color purple
70. the color blue
69. the sound of my children laughing
68. moments with my family
67. moments with my friends
66. vacations
65. Internet
64. my lap top
63. hot chocolate
62, green tea
61. water
60. coffee
59. chocolate
58. Chinese food
57. Bryers Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream
56, angels
55. my experiences with the spiritual world
54. God
53. PartyLite
52. my PartyLite mentors
51, my PartyLite team
50. shoes
49. clothes
48. jewelry
47. shopping with my mom
46. time I had with all of my grandparents
45. movies
44. hot showers
43. time I had with all of my great-grandparents
42. my life experiences
41. tap dancing
40. my strength
39. Christmas shopping with my father every year
38. my nail clients
37. animals
36. the beach
35. each new day
34. time
33. quiet moments
32. dreams
31. goals
30. my home
29. palm trees
28. holidays
27. the classes at my store
26. my customers
25. the experiences at all the retail stores that I worked in
24. the people that I met in those stores
23. the smell of the beach
22. Cape May
21. Ft. Myers Beach
20. Disney World
19. Aruba
18. the peacefulness I feel when I watch my kids sleeping
17. times I get to play games with my friends
16. Raspberry Sours
15. Toasted Almonds
13. Fruit
12. the 13 years I worked at Mirror Images
11. massages
10. all the time I get to spend with my children
9. my health
8. my spirit
7. the times I laugh until my stomach hurts
6. the hours on the phone with Jenny
5, my wholesale companies
4. the teachers in my store
3. my past PartyLite hostesses
2. the support I receive from my family, friends, teachers, and customers
1. my blog

It is now 11:13 pm and I had to get up a couple of times in between. I am thinking that if I do this once a week, for a while it may be a very positive way to end or start my week. Funny thing is that now that I am done, a whole lot of things are coming to mind. Try this and see how it works for you. I would love to read yours.

Pedometers, Thankfullness and Goosefraba

Well, today was a good day but tonight got even better. Jenny and I have been walking together as much as we can. Tonight we took the kids and the dog. Jenny walked Diego, I pushed Makenna in the stroller and Gavin rode his scooter. It works out well. Jenny and I have been motivating each other to lose weight. Wearing our pedometers every day we compare how many steps we have done. Yesterday and today were big sit down days for both of us. Neither of us made it past 8,000 steps yesterday. I worked all day on my website and hardly got out of my seat. So today Jenny and I were determined to make it past 10,000 steps. When we started walking I was at 5,000+ steps and Jenny was not too far behind. We walked almost all the way down Easton Road to St. Theressa's school to Main Street then back home. Makenna fell asleep which was ok since it was already 9:15 and her bed time is 9:30pm.

Jenny and I got a chance to sit out on my front steps and chat. We both looked at our pedometers to see how far we got. Both of us were a little over 9,000 steps. Her cell phone rang so I decided to take that moment and run up and down the sidewalk. She is trying to have a conversation with her mom but cannot help but to laugh at me. First off, I hate running. So here I am running past her saying..."I hate to run, I hate to run.....wait that is negative...I love to run, I love to run." I made it up to 9,600 by the time she was off the phone. So I sit down and she starts running up and down the side walk. It was soooooo funny. The neighbors probably think we are insane! She stops and was still not as far ahead as I was on her pedometer. So we both started running together. We went up to the cemetery to the end of my block. When we were done, I was at 10,116 steps and she was at 9,600+.

I know that by the time she gets to bed, she will be at her 10,000 steps. I was happy to read my pedometer which read 10,600+ steps right before I got into bed.

What I cannot explain is why I ran when I hate running. Believe it or not, I was not tired, I was not out of breath and I actually didn't mind it. Maybe it was because I was motivated to get to that 10,000 steps. Maybe it is because I had Jenny to motivate me to do it. Maybe it was both. All I know is that I had a lot of fun doing something I used to hate. It is amazing what being around positive people can do to your motivation and your spirit. I love that Jenny and I are working on this together. And, we are looking out for each other. This isn't all about me and I know she doesn't feel that this is all about her. Jenny and I get along so good because we care so much about other people. To us, life isn't what we can get from everyone but rather what we can give to others.

I am proud of myself for being able to open a store that allows women to come in possibly feeling down or angry and have them leaving happy, inspired and in a totally different frame of mind. My entire outlook on having this business is to make it a place where women can come and have fun. I do not care if they spend money, take a class, vent, cry, share their life story....as long as they leave feeling happy. Because I have had numerous women thank me in the last week for making them feel better, I know I am doing my job. It makes me feel wonderful that God gave me the gifts I have and that I can share them with others. I am so thankful for so many things.

To sum up my night....I can totally tell all of those women who are using The Secret. I can tell that they are honestly trying to put it into their everyday life. I am so thankful that they look to me to help them be more positive. And, I am thankful for Jenny who keeps me in check. I am thankful that The Secret has me able to run and enjoy myself while doing it. I am also thankful that I am not feeling like I am going to die after a long walk and then running afterwards. LOL! Lastly I am thankful that I am attracting more people like myself into my store and into my life. People who are giving, thankful, appreciative, fun, silly, and look out for the welfare of others.

A huge thank you to everyone for coming into my store and helping make my dreams come true. And for all those selfish, negative, crabby pants...I have one word for you,,,,,,,,,Goosefraba!

It's A Great Day!

So, I am having a wonderful day! I went to bed last night saying that today was going to be great. I asked for new customers, to be in a good mood and feeling good. My neighbor called me this morning to tell me that she was going to have my neice and nephew today so she wanted Makenna as well. Lucky for me and Makenna, she didn't have to come to the store with me today. And, she is having more fun than if she were here.

Two new customers came in today. One customer was this really nice girl from Utah. She has been living here for 7 years now and was so excited to see a scrapbooking store in Hellertown. When she lived in Utah she worked for a scrapbooking store. I was able to see some of her projects and her work is incredible. She makes awesome chipboard albums.

The other woman was from our library. She is just getting into scrapbooking and is very curious about the Cricut machine. She also has friends who scrapbook! I am so excited!

The next best thing is that my uncle had made sweet n sour chicken from scratch....one of my FAVORITES! My mom brought it in for me to eat for dinner tonight....!!! YEAH!

Then, I check my email to have two PartyLite orders!! YEAH! As a surprise the new summer catalog and scents were delivered to my home yesterday. I am so happy today!

My April classes and events are now on my website and I have to say, it went smoother that usual. Working on my website is not something I enjoy. Already have people signing up for these new classes.

Spring is definitely in the air! I am so thankful.

What I am thankful for today:
Flowers
Spring
Summer that follows
My new and repeat customers
The 4000 steps I have taken so far today
Sweet and Sour Chicken
PartyLite
My new stamps!!

The love for my kids

I am sitting here with Makenna watching Playhouse Disney...our usual morning ritual. I am missing that morning coffee since we are out of creamer. However, my hot green tea was pretty darn good. Watching Makenna at my parents house last night made me think about a new phase she has just started. If Jer and I do not tell Makenna who is going to be in a room when she walks into it, she gets very 'shy'. Knowing how I am, I can relate. I do not like being the center of attention when I walk into a room. I am a little better with it now as an adult. If Makenna has a heads up before we get to our destination, she isn't as bad. It is when everyone yells, "Hi Makenna...come here Makenna"....and so on that she wants to crawl into a hole. Of course she eventually gets over it.

Every kid has a phase and thankfully it isn't forever. There are those phases that we never want to end. I never want my kids to stop being as affectionate as they are. I also want them to continue their manners, and the sleep habits that they have now formed. Hopefully these are formed habits that they have learned from Jer and I that they will carry with them throughout their lives. Jer and I are very into trying to form good schedules for our children. As you know with how busy every one's lives are, this is not easy to achieve. At least their bedtimes are the same every night and they get to have a family dinner 3 times a week where we sit and eat together without any interruptions. We also have them participating in household chores. It is never too early to teach kids responsibility. I firmly believe that our children are mini me's. I look at Gavin and Makenna and can pick out each little thing about them that they picked up from me or my husband. If it is something that we do not like, then we alter ourselves so that we do not continue this behavior. Then there are the children that learn a lot from other kids and of course bring it home. We have luckily not encountered much of this...yet.

My kids are my world and have been since the first time I saw the ultrasound pictures. With every movement in my belly, with every look, hug, smile, tear I get now....it grows more and more. If I have to punish my children....which thankfully does not happen often, I feel that it punishes me as well. To be a parent can be so hard at times. But when I look at how patient, caring, affectionate, silly, and all around good, my children are....it makes every moment with them so worth everything. I tell my children that I love them as much as I can. I tell them how much I have enjoyed watching them become who they are and how proud of them I am. Kids need to hear that stuff. I believe it may keep them from seeking out negative attention later on in life. And, it makes them feel good about themselves now.

Today I am thankful for my children
I am thankful for every hug and kiss
for the "I Love You's"
the smiles, laughter and the joy I feel from my children everyday since the day they were born.

Busy busy busy

This weekend was very busy for me and my family. Between work, kids, an open house. a bridal show, a birthday party......my head is spinning and my body is sooooo tired. I have no idea how I managed to not pass out yet! I just recorded my steps today and I actually walked over 16,600 steps.....yes that is just today! No wonder why my feet hurt! It was a very good weekend though. Having a break from work was so awesome. I think it was more a change of atmosphere than anything. I absolutely love my job don't get me wrong. It is just nice to have some girl time and family time away from it.

Tomorrow I am cleaning, doing laundry and enjoying one on one time with Makenna. Maybe we will even work outside if it is nice. Because I am so sleepy, I am making this short tonight.

What I am thankful for today:
The time I got with my friends this weekend
Time to walk Deigo
My 16,600 steps
my husband watching my store and making dinner tonight
My health
My kids health

10,000 Step Challenge

In April, I am going to start a 10,000 step challenge in my store. I know a lot of people do the Biggest Loser contests with work and such. So, I thought this would be a fun and creative way to help my customers achieve their goal weight. Here is what is going to take place...

I will host a class on how to make a Grateful Jar. At this class you will get all the supplies needed to make the jar plus the instruction. In this jar will be tags and a pedometer. I will take your picture so that you can either frame it or put it into a scrapbook page as your before picture. You will start wearing the pedometer the very next day. Every night before bed, you will check your pedometer and log on your tags how many steps you took that day. And, you will write on the tag things that you are grateful for as well as being grateful for all the steps you took.

The challenge is to take 10,000 steps a day. If you do not reach your 10,000 steps, you will put $1.00 into an envelope. You will put $1.00 into the envelope every single night that you do not achieve your 10,000 steps. You can either hold on to the envelope, or bring it into the store once a week for me to throw into the WINNER'S POT. At the end of a three month span, whoever took the most steps will win the money in the WINNER'S POT. This challenge is for anyone who is willing to participate. At the end of this challenge I will take individual pictures for your after shot to place into your scrapbook or picture frame. Everyone will get a certificate and I will have prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

After going off my depression medication I have become the heaviest I have ever been in my life without being pregnant. Because of this, I have decided to try something fun. My friend Jenny and I have been challenging each other to see who can take the most steps in one day. It is said that when you take 10,000 steps a day, you are getting adequate exercise. This has been a huge challenge for me since I sit a lot at work. In fact, I have been wearing this pedometer for 5 days now and only twice have I hit 10,000 steps! I also put into effect The Secret. I found a picture of myself when I was going to the gym 3 times a week....11 years ago when I had no kids, and a lot more time and money. I was 115 pounds. I am putting this picture next to my bed where I lay my pedometer. I will focus on this picture and my goal weight number (115) every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed. When I close my eyes, I try to feel the way I would feel if I looked this way again. I want to look the way I did when I was able to hit the gym on a regular basis. This would be a good idea for anyone who wants to achieve their goal weight. If you do not have a picture, make one up in your head. Oh, and the biggest thing is, you HAVE to get rid of your scale. And, be thankful for the body you are going to receive.

I cannot wait to see the faces of all those people who lose weight and feel good. Not only will you lose weight but you could win some money! The best part is that you will learn how wonderful it is to be grateful and how being grateful only brings more wonderful things into your life.

What I am thankful for today:
This quote that I received today: Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer the goal. -Elbert Hubbard
My weight
My store
My friends, family and children
Each and every new day
Spring being right around the corner!
That bikini that I WILL look good in this summer

Up and Down

Well this week has been a stressful one and we are only on Wednesday. Both of my children were sick. Gavin was actually the sickest he has ever been. This virus lasted over a week. Now Makenna has the virus and is sleeping in my classroom. At least we have nothing scheduled for today..LOL!

Last night was upsetting since my knitting teacher never showed up for her class. I am very worried about her since I have not heard anything. Thankfully there was only one person taking the class and she was more than understanding. In fact this woman is signing up for future classes to learn how to scrapbook. Yeah...a new customer!

I am currently finished with a Spring Cardstock Album that I plan on teaching in April. It is very easy and very cute. It is a 6x6 album with a one page insert. I will be posting pictures of it on my website soon.

As for my mood today...it goes up and down. I have not blogged about my progress on being off of my medication because I do not feel that I am doing that great. I feel tired and stressed very easily. I am taking my Holy Basil and trying to get on a better sleep schedule. I hear it takes a good while to feel better off of the medicine. I am trying very hard to hang in for that time to pass.

On a better note, my kids are both usually asleep by 9:30pm now. Gavin was never an issue but Makenna is like me and gets her energy boost at night. I am thankful that they are on a decent bed time schedule now. At least they are!!

On a sad note, my mother-in-law had to put her dog Pete down. I cried my eyes out when I read her memorial for him. He was by far the sweetest Lab I have ever met. I am going to miss him so much. I know that she is very saddened by his loss. Please say a prayer for her.

Today I am thankful for:
The time I spend with my pets
My children getting better every day.
My store
My customers
My friends and family
The times I spent walking Pete in Perkasie

A WOW Moment

It was so warm the last two days that I decided to take my dog for a walk when I got home from work today. It had stopped raining, not that it mattered. Deigo and I have walked in the rain before. The little man was so exited peeing on everything, sniffing as he ran. I am so proud of him for remembering to sit at each cross walk. I taught him that in the fall. We were 15 minutes into our walk when he started jumping at my legs and wanted me to carry him. Looks like I am not the only one out of shape...LOL!

The reason for this blog was because on our walk, something amazing happened. What you must know first is that Christmas is a very tough time for me because my grandmother loved Christmas and she is no longer here. When I attend the Christmas Eve service at church, I cannot get through the song Silent Night. My grandmother used to sing in the choir and I could always see and hear her from where we sat. It has been a very long time since I have heard her sing. I remember a lot of the church services hearing her voice. Especially when her health was not that great and she had to sit with us in the pews.

Today as I was walking, the clock in Hellertown started chiming church songs. There were three that I remembered as a child. I closed my eyes (still aware of where I was walking), and I could hear my grandmothers voice singing the words. Honestly I could not remember the words on my own. It was amazing that something I have been longing to hear for years now was happening at this moment. Tears came to my eyes, as I thanked her for that WOW moment. I know she is with me all of the time.

Today I am thankful for:
WOW moments
Time to walk with my dog
My health
My creativity
Bryers Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream
Time with my children
Moments with my grandmother

Everyone has a story

Today at my class, it was so nice to have the girls here, working on their project and being able to talk. Hearing everyone talk I realized that everyone in the room had a story. Some were similar and others were very different. I shared a little about my past but not really in depth. I wanted to listen more than talk. It amazes me that we all have a past with lots of negative issues and yet we are able to be as positive as we are. So many people blame their crappy lives on their past. Us girls could have all taken the bad experiences and sulked for the rest of our lives, but none of us have. Each one of us, some still have negativity all around us, are able to overcome all of it and move on. It makes me sad to see people who are very stuck in their past. Then I have to think positive and hope that they make choices that change their life and stop blaming everything around them or blaming their past. Yes, the past can be the reason we are the way we are or believe some of the things we believe......but everything changes. And everything within ourselves changes if we let it. We have to have an open mind and be willing to change how we feel and what we believe.

My life story is not far from the person sitting accross from me, however we may deal with it in a completely different way. Today I pray for all the people who have sick family members, have had to deal with death, for those who are in the throws of divorce, and those who seem to always be surrounded by negativity. I pray that my store can be a place for women to come and express their deepest feelings, cry, laugh, and continue down a positve path.....despite all they may be dealing with. I pray that we can grow this circle of support to reach out to others who may need positive influences in their lives. I pray that if there were ever a time that I am in need, that this circle of wonderful people will help support me as well. May each person be as positive as possible since you never know who is sitting accross from you. They may need a smile, a laugh or a hug. We never know what someone may really be going through. I try so hard not to judge people and keep in mind that we all have a story.

Tonight I am thankful for:
My scrappers
Positive influences
Life's lessons
my friends
my dreams coming true

The beauty of nature

Well, the week is almost over. I am so excited about Day Light Savings this Sunday. For anyone who knows me, they know I love the daylight and the warmer weather. There are times I feel like I suffer from SAD. Because I have been so busy with my business, I have not really been bothered by the winter this year. Thank goodness.

When I went outside today to go to my car, there were buds peaking out from my flower beds. I was sooooo happy! I have a major passion for flowers and gardening. I feel very at peace when I am in my garden. I cannot wait for the time to come where I can get out there and start playing in the mud. Makenna even has her own gardening tools. She loves to help me. Gavin has a passion for growing things. He loves to plant seeds and see what it becomes. Now that he is a little older he is much more patient. I remember him going out to his garden every single day to see if his little seed had become something. When that little tiny green would peek out of the ground he would jump up and down. Now that he is old enough to water his garden, he loves to take care of what he plants and it seems to make the time go faster for him.

The fact that my children love nature so much, means so much to me. Makenna will peak out the window in search of a sunset. What is cute is at first she would call it a tea set. LOL! At my store there is a window with a perfect view of the sunset. When she or I start to see that bright sun turning orange and going down, we make a point to go look at it. She always says how beautiful it is. A three year old that thinks a sunset is amazing, is an awesome thing.

Gavin is the one who has to make homes for the caterpillars, which is what I used to do. He cracks me up. He loves to take care of things. Gavin has always been like that. I ran over a dandelion that he 'planted' on the side of the house with the lawn mower when he was 3 and he cried FOREVER. Do you know that he actually still remembers that. That is how upset he was. I had to drive him to a florist and buy him a new plant. All of this over a weed. Little did he know what it was. I knew it was a weed but to him it was a beautiful flower.

I want my children to appreciate all that God has created for us. I want them to take care of the earth just as I want them to also be respectful of it. If you really take a look around, there are so many things we take for granted. The changing of the leaves, the pure white of the snow, the rainbows that come after a bad storm, the sunset at the end of a tiring day, and so on. I know my children will appreciate nature because of how I appreciate it. We need to learn that nature is one of the largest most beautiful things that was created for us to enjoy. And yet, it is actually one of the most simplest things to be thankful for.
Tonight I am thankful for:

Nature and all of it's beauty
The fact that my children are so appreciative of it at such a young age
My class tomorrow
The buds in my flower garden
The sun and its warmth
Spring
my health

Jenny

So Jenny is totally going to kill me for writing about her, but she will get over it...LOL! She will love the picture though.....(so will my sister-in-law)!

Back a few blogs ago, I had mentioned that Jenny was one of the most positive people I knew, right? Well, she has proven to me yet again this fact. Yesterday she called me a lot earlier than usual. Every day during the week I can count on a phone call from her anywhere from 4:40-5pm. As soon as that phone rings, all I have to do is look at the time and I know it is her. Jenny has about an hour or more drive to and from work every day. And, her fiance is in Iraq. Her and I being on the phone helps her drive go much faster. And, as long as I am not busy I do not mind at all.

So yesterday her early phone call had me a little confused. Here she was off for the day, a little unexpected. Still in good spirits, she proceeds to tell me that she was rear ended on her way to work. Jenny owns her very first brand new car, ever. My first thought was, "wow, she must be ok since she really doesn't sound upset!" I told her that she needed to come into the store and scrapbook to get her mind off her car. Laughing she said, "Ok, I need to duct tape my bumper first then I will be in." HA HA HA! Of course she was a little worried that because of the accident coffee spilled all over her car, her cell phone stopped working, and she was getting more sore as the day went on. However.....she put The Secret into affect by doing everything she needed to as far as insurance claims and all right after the accident. Because she was not angry or upset The Secret totally worked for her. We talked about who she could call to have all these things taken care of and paid for without her doing the labor or paying out of her pocket. Great news is.....her car is totally covered by her insurance, they will detail her car for her because of the coffee, her health insurance will cover any chiropractor and massage therapy sessions, and there is a very high chance that she will be able to get a brand new cell phone!

Jenny could have dealt with this situation much worse. She could have placed blame, been mad about her new car, complained about how sore she was, and yet she didn't. I believe that The Secret only works if you are totally POSITIVE. To me, this was a test to see if Jenny would stay her positive self....and she did. Jenny also was not able to get a hold of her fiance to let him know all that had happened. I am so glad that I can be here for her. And, I am so inspired by her positive attitude. I look at all that she is faced with at times and see how she still comes out on top, smiling, laughing, and making every situation into a positive one. YOU GO GIRL!

What I am thankful for tonight:

• Jenny, her friendship, her positive attitude and her endless laughter.


• Mathew Mcconaughey and his yummy biceps.....had to be at the store tonight.


• The girls at the store tonight who mentioned they were going to have a direct deposit into my store's bank account...LOL!


• My cats


• My kids


• PartyLite....by April I will officially be a TEAM LEADER!


• My health

Productiveness & Poop!

Wow, I am blogging while listening to my playlist and I LOVE the lyrics to Amazing from Aerosmith. "Life's a journey, not a destination" and "you have to learn to crawl, before you learn to walk". HOW TRUE! I remember wanting to jump right into owning my Bed and Breakfast dream job but now I know the importance of taking things slowly. Someday Scrapbookin'g Inn will be an Inn and I am so thankful for what I have already!! Gotta remember that line and all those people that say......you have got to take baby steps. And, life is totally a journey. We need to appreciate it all the way!

As you can see, my spirits are lifted. I am coming off of a very productive day. I made a point this morning to take 2 and a half hours and play with Makenna. Maybe it is me seeing her next to a baby that made me realize how big she is getting. And, I feel I have been so busy that I am missing out on her growing up. So, I took this morning and sat on the floor with her. We put puzzles together, we played legos, we raced throughout the house, etc, We did not have the TV on, the computer on, or any distractions. When she was at the point of wanting to play on her own, I started my chores. Because I did nothing on Monday, I was a little behind. I didn't get a lot done because I had to be at the store by noon. However, I managed to get the first floor vacuumed, respond to all my emails, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and start the wash. I also managed to get two huge bags of clothes together for Missy's kids that were Gavin's. I went through all of Makenna's drawers, closet and shelves and got rid of a ton of stuff that I posted on Craig's List. Then came my closet....ugh! Let me tell ya, I got a large, clear leaf bag full of clothes to give to Good Will. Instead of looking at it as my closet is empty, I am looking at it as, here is room for my new wardrobe. That is something I have been wanting a needing for a while now. I guess you can say that my morning was very productive.

At work, it just seemed as though I had endless projects that I just could not pick one to focus on. So, I worked a little on each one. When I got home this evening, I finished 4 loads of laundry, ran the dishwasher, and cleaned the full bathroom...all except the tub. It was nice to have energy and to accomplish so many things that were left undone.

You know how people have anal little tendencies....well I have a few. Maybe you will find humor in them. First, I absolutely have to change my bed sheets once a week. Sometimes, time gets away from me and it ends up being a few days over. I do not beat myself up about it. Next, I vacuum at least once a week. I cannot stand seeing ANYTHING on my carpet. That is very hard to achieve when you have pets and children. The silliest things are, that I cannot go to bed if there are dishes in the sink or laundry that needs to be put away. I do not care if it is 4am....I cannot put myself in a relaxed state of mind knowing there are those two things left undone. LOL! If the dishwasher needs to be emptied in order to get the sink emptied, than I empty it! I am not sure if it is old food being left in the sink or how crappy it looks that bothers me. When it comes to the laundry, if it isn't put away I feel that I didn't finish the chore. Does that make sense? I know I could never have a maid since I love the feeling of accomplishing what I can. Besides, I have much better intentions for my money. It would be nice to have a little more help though.

So, big news....Makenna finally POOPED! Mommy had to step up to the plate and insert a suppository. Believe it or not, it was not that bad. Makenna didn't seem to care much either....thank GOD! What had me cracking up is that she tooted after having it in for about 10 minutes, and it fell out! HA HA HA HA HA HA! She then sat down to pee and before you know it out came the long awaited poopy!! I don't think I was ever so happy over poop! LOL! Makenna was so excited that it came out with no effort at all. I know she is feeling much better now......so am I!

Tonight I am thankful for:
My new Avon online store
Makenna finally pooping!!
Room in my closet
Energy
Music
My store
My now working washing machine
My health
My neighbor Diane

A Not so Positive Day

So you know we all have them....those days where getting out of bed is a chore and we really do not want to do anything at all. Thankfully of all days for me to feel this way, it was yesterday when I had the day off. Yes, even us positive people have crappy days.

Coming off of a very busy week with lots of very negative events, I think it finally was my time to regroup, focus and lay low. At the start of our week last week our two vehicles broke, as well as our coffee maker and our washer and dryer. Thanks to Jenny, she brought us a new coffee maker out of pity...LOL! After a huge bill on an expensive part, my van was fixed. Until the weather warms up, my husbands jeep is staying parked. We unfortunately think it is the transmission. Through all of our stuff breaking, Makenna has decided not to poop. I have spent the last week in the bathroom with her EVERY 10 MINUTES. Today, I have had it and I called the doctor. She is not constipated. It is called.....stubborn. The doctor has yet to call me back and Makenna has yet to poop since Friday. She is still eating and today she is actually in good spirits. Yesterday was a very different story. This is also coming off of a week of very little sleep. I think there was only one night that I got to bed before 2am.

As for the washer and dryer, we thought the washer was fixed only to do a load this morning and have a flooded basement for the 3rd time. The dryer needs parts.

Then in conversation yesterday with my friend Cheryl, she has told me she is going through a very difficult divorce with two small children, and trying to sell her brand new home with absolutely no luck. On the phone with Kate a few minutes after I hung up with Cheryl, Kate tells me that she has breast cancer. So, can I jump off a bridge now? Not only was I already feeling very down yesterday but two people that I know I can count on to bring up my spirits, are completely dealing with their own major issues. I then decided that I was done. I was staying in my pajamas all day, sulking. I wanted to do absolutely nothing. I think the only thing I did do was the dishes. I am very anal about dishes being in my sink.

So today I am putting The Secret in effect. I am asking for my spirits to be lifted. I am asking for my child to get over this horrible fear of going to the bathroom. I am sending out positive thoughts to Kate and Cheryl knowing that they will get through their situations. And darn it I want a freakin NEW WASHER AND DRYER! Not a floor model, not a hand-me-down, not clearance .....brand spankin new, top of the line, with a long term warranty. I do not care how I get it, but I am going to get it. I am so tired of having issues with these appliances! I have never had a washer and dryer that I have not had issues with. So here are my positive thoughts: I am going to get brand new appliances, I am going to like doing my laundry because of them, they are going to be cost efficient, and environmentally safe. How's that?

I made a card for Kate today. I would have made one for Cheryl however, I do not have her new address. I know it means a lot to Kate when I make her a card. She is supposed to have her surgery tomorrow. Please send out prayers and positve thoughts for Kate. I know she is very scared. It doesn't help that she lost a best friend to Breast Cancer last year.

What I am thankful for today:
My hair, since I would have thought by now, I would be bald.
The sanity that I have left.
That I made Kate and Cheryl feel better just by calling them.
My card class tonight.
For the sun that is shining brightly today.
The awesome dreams I have been having, which I seriously thought would be nightmares with all that is going on.
Makenna being in a great mood.