Show me the Money!!

Talk about God bringing into your life the people you need to achieve your dreams!!! Today a woman walked into the store who owns the counseling office down the street. Before she left I was compelled to ask her if she knew what I would need to do to become a Life Coach. Here, she has one of her own who she sees on a regular basis. She is getting me her name and number so that I can find out where she received her training. WHOOOO HOOOOO! So excited that this is coming together so much faster than I could have ever imagined! Once I start my new job...probably next week...I will be saving money for lots of upcoming events and things I could really use; schooling, a newer vehicle, and mini beach vacations.

I may have gone months maybe even years without buying new stuff for myself and through it I have learned to live and appreciate what I have. I used my money for top priority items only and stopped wasting it on fast food and lots of clothing with sneakers being the only thing I bought for myself when they wore out. I will work for what I want, even if the pay isn't the greatest. I knew my time was coming to actually make some decent money and use it to further my education and save for the future. The time is NOW! It is written in the stars and I am willing to do what it takes!! So, bring on the money baby! I am ready to work!

I completed my 5x5 Summer Mini Album today....I love it! I am teaching this class in July at the store. So excited to get back into teaching.

Walking Diego this morning I started to think of my grandmother. The vision of walking into her house right after she passed just popped into my head. I was so disappointed that almost the entire family was present when she passed and I wasn't. I know...selfish me. As I was thinking this a cardinal made an appearance....but it was only one. I thought, "How awesome would it be for her to show me now as I am thinking about her that she is with me?" A few blocks later another cardinal made an appearance in the grass next to me. Of course I keep looking for cardinal #2. The cardinal flew off into a tree across the street. Before I could blink another cardinal flew into the same tree and met with the first one. The tears just started rolling down my face as I thanked her and expressed how much I miss her. I told her that I know I will see her again but it will be so much faster in time for her then it would for me. It made me so happy that she came through for me once again. I hope she never gets tired of it.

What I am thankful for today:
signs
the unconditional love my grandmother gave to me
my children
meeting with Pastor tomorrow
God
my pets
my family
laughter
love
new customers
my awesome, amazing, fabulous friends!!
The Center
my blogs
the sun
new Stampin Up! stuff for the store
new retail that Erika just got for the store...cannot wait!!
Shawn
teaching again
time with my friends and family
ice water
swimming
the gym
clean sheets
flowers flowers everywhere!
my new Active 2 KNECT game
my clothes being too big!!
energy
spiritual growth
knowing that negativity is a waste of energy
forgiveness
trust honesty
my health
coffee
my new music on my MP3 player (thank you Jennifer)
music
smiles
happiness
the power to change your mood
rainbows

Happy happy happy!!

All I can say is that I am so happy. Things with Gavin are looking up and he is currently having a blast with his cousin Justin who is going to sleep over tonight. Zachary is here watching Garfield with me and Makenna is getting ready for bed. I love hearing the kids laughing and playing.

Erika is at my store while the crazy 5-midnight crop is going on. They are enjoying wings, sloppy joes, apple pie and lots of other goodies!! Looked yummy when I was there. And Mesha's homemade salsa was sooo delicious! I had to try it before I left. I love my customers, their creativity, their loyalty and their awesome positive spirits!

Erika and I had a blast with our store meeting today, poolside. Makenna and Allison played forever in the pool. I got a nice sun burn. Day was soooo good! I actually started out breaking my mile run record this morning at the gym. I ran one mile in 7.33. The fastest I have ever run was 7.54. YAY! I was able to pound out 4.5 miles in 35 minutes...that includes the cool down. Must say I impressed myself. (And, Heather.. she was making faces at me saying I was so focused that I needed to smile.) Believe me, I was smiling all day!

My mom and I have been having lots of heart to heart chats. She mentioned how proud she is of me for standing my ground with Gavin and not giving into his selfishness. I know he will outgrow this. Hopefully it will be soon. I love how close my mom and I have gotten. She is one of my best friends. Well, I am headed to my baby's. We are going to enjoy some ice cream out by the fire on the deck under the stars.

What I am thankful for today:
ice cream
my cousins
my kids
Zachary
my pets
Erika
the store
my customers
the sunshiine
meetings by the pool
my dreams coming true
my new high tech cell phone
my family
breaking my running record
music
my health
laughter
the classes I am teaching in July
friendships
love
Shawn my best friend in the world!!
both Heathers
Jennifer G
my sister-in-law
my niece doing such a great job at her graduation
m upcoming career addition
food
ice water
coffee
the gym
imspiration
hope
my life
the chance to change anything we want, do anything we want, and be anything we want to be

So Much To Say

Sitting here watching Fabulous Cakes with the kids, it amazes me that they can pretty much make anything a cake. Gavin actually mentioned that he would love to design these cakes someday. Future Cake Boss? Guess we will see.

My thing for today was to change my workout routine a bit. I also devoured Chips Ahoy cookies with milk, with the kids.I have not done that in years! I guess watching TV with the kids is a new thing for me too. Normally we are listening to music. I also left on Extreme Couponing only to see Jeremy actually salivate...LOL! We all know how he is with sales. So I guess I did a few different things today...LOL!

My friend Annie met me at my store today. I got to see Abby who was only a few months old when I saw her last. Now she is 1. I love Annie. She is one of my favorite people. Her daughter just laughs and laughs, she is the sweetest thing!

I just signed up myself for being in charge of our VBS crafts. I am looking forward to it again this year. I think my niece and nephew will be joining my kids this year.


This Friday our Memorial Picnic Crop from 5-midnight is full again!! So excited. And Memory Lane is closing as of July. Sally told me that she was there this past weekend and people were actually talking about my store!! WHOOO HOOOO! She heard them say how awesome our crops are. Guess we are doing something right! See what happens when you turn your passion into your hobby? Now I am still trying to find info on Life Coaching. I cannot wait for the venture to start. I will be patient though since I know it will happen when the time is right.

At church yesterday Pastor asked us if we have ever done a maze before or even walked through a maze. She said our lives are very much like going through a maze. We hit road blocks and have to make a decision on which way to go. If you find a $20 bill, are you going to keep it or try to find the person who lost it? If you borrow someone's stuff, will you keep it or return it? Will you steal, or won't you? Will you choose to stay faithful in a committed relationship or not? Will you choose to be happy or angry? She said that we will make the right choice if we are allowing God to guide us. Are you listening to Him? Are you choosing the right path? So glad that God is the center of my world. He has not lead me wrong, once.

Tomorrow night is the live final episode of Biggest Loser. Can't wait to see my baby and watch it with him. Heading to bed early tonight, missing my Googly Bear. But I am thankful for the time I get to spend with him.

Today I am thankful for:
the wonderful time at the zoo this past Saturday
listening to the thunder outside
my friends
my family
my pets
my kids
Shawn
the time we get together
church
ice water
coffee
inspiration
creativity
house full of groceries and clean laundry
my neighbors
happiness
goals
dreams
moments with my besties
summer on the way
scrapbooking
full classes
new teachers
Sally starting to teach again....YAY!!
VBS
new clothes
music
being able to work out 5 times a week!
Zumba
love love love

A Scrappy and Peaceful Day

Today I thought I was stuck at home with Makenna not being able to venture out because our car seat was left in Jeremy's car. Then I get a text message from Jennifer G who wants to know if I am up for some craftiness. YES!!!!!!!!! She brought Jess over today to play with Makenna as her an I engaged in our HIS Challenge for June. So glad I was able to find that picture of my dad and I at my wedding. Having Jennifer here made the rainy dreary day a very sunny productive one.

When she left I managed to whip out my submission for the Scrapping the Music Challenge. I love the pictures from Mother's Day and the lyrics to the song were amazing. Here is what I came up with.....

After a good night with the family at Clara and Bryce's K-Kids Graduation, I was able to spend some quality time with Shawn. Ghost Adventures was on all evening which always is a good thing. I felt like I haven't seen him in forever and it has only been two days. I thank God for his patience and understanding with my current situation. We make the best of the time we have together. So glad he loves me enough to wait.

It was a good day. And, I am so thankful that I manage to get to spend so much time with my family and my children. I am enjoying my scrappy time since it isn't often I get to have any....especially with friends. Tomorrow will be a good day too. Erika and I are headed to the Scrapbooking Expo in New Jersey. Then when we get back my children and I are going to the zoo with some family members. I am so excited.

What I am thankful for today:
time
friends
money
laughter
being in the arms of my baby
my children
love
blue skies
being drama mama free
Diane....always making sure I am ok
challenges
scrapbooking
the zoo
animals
my pets
coffee
butter pecan ice cream
memories of my childhood
the gym
my parents
my gardens
my store
Erika
Jennifer G
Jamie
my health
the health of my loved ones
peace
serenity

Good Bye Energy Vampires!

Good Morning World! I may be a little out of it today due to too much sleep....can't believe I fell asleep before 11pm! My body is not used to it. Today, I am going to bask in the feeling of happiness. I will concentrate on the things I am thankful for. I am going to stay away from the "Energy Vampires" so Robin calls them, the negative people who try their hardest to come off as positive (although deep in their souls they are miserable). The ones who suck us dry of our energy with their neediness. They tend to latch on to positive people in hopes that we can fix them. They seem to dwell in their past and blame their present situation is due to their past experiences. Well we all know that as adults we can change anything. Change your feelings about a situation, get over the haunting bad memories, and move on. Thankfully I have gotten rid of my "Energy Vampires." Throughout my life, there has been many. My personality of 'care taker' just wants to make everyone happy. With energy vampires, it doesn't work. Although they are not a prominent part of my life, they still seem to creep up, even in the most positive of places. And you know what, that is totally fine. My hopes for them is that they are truly healed from within and continue to surround themselves with only positive. I pray for them. I also pray that God keeps them away from me. I am such a better person without them. The weight of their negative anchor just makes it harder for me to live a happy, more fulfilling life. So while they may think it is my loss....they are so right. And, I would not want it any other way. I had to lose the energy vampires!

Today I am so thankful for so many things but I will narrow it down:
my kids
Gavin having a great morning so far
tonight
the sun (which just peeked through the clouds)
rainbows
coffee
my new job
love
Shawn
Jeremy
my parents
my kitties
smiles
positive people
love
laughter
scrapbooking
my store
Jamie (please pray for her)
God
church
youth
a great day today!
money
candles
the gym
flowers
the rain
my sneakers
my bed

What One Hour of Zumba Can Do.

I woke up very blue but now I feel like an entire rainbow. I was looking a little gray around dinner time, but that has changed. Despite how tired I was and how miserable I felt this morning, I went to Zumba with Jennifer. I know that the slightest thing can change our mood. Once that music starts playing, I just want to dance. Instantly I felt better. I love it. And Ginny the instructor is so awesome!

I have been posting my latest projects in some scrapbooking groups on facebook and everyone loves my work. In fact I had to email 5 people directions on the one project because it was such a hit. It has totally built up my self confidence when it comes to paper crafting. I am finding that everyone has paper they just do not know what to do with it. Hopefully I can help them with ideas as I branch out and try new things myself. Erika just purchased CuttleBug die cuts for the store off of one of the groups for a really cheap rate.. The groups are a great idea!

So, you may be wondering what my new thing for today was. Well, I totally went way out of my box today. Ernie, a member at the gym has been on me for weeks about how I would make more money cleaning somewhere other than the gym. However, I was taking into consideration my kids, free gym membership and helping out a best friend. Today Jennifer and I followed Ernie about a mile from the gym. His brother works for a synagogue where they are looking for a new cleaner. What do I have to lose, right? After talking with the secretary and the Rabbi I realized that this could totally work. Not to mention that when I walked in the place there was a flag with a rainbow on it answering my question of whether or not this is where I should really be. It turns out that I can work whenever I want, And the pay is $3.25 more an hour than I am making now. I can still work at the gym too!! YAY!!!!! I was hired on the spot. And, I do not have to do the intense cleaning like I do at the gym. I will start in the beginning of June.  I am so blessed to have to only work two days a week and be able to spend the rest of it with the kids. And, I will now be able to spend more time on the weekends with my kids thanks to the girls at my store. Things are looking up!!

I have been looking into H&M online. They have the cheapest bathing suits! And I am getting a bikini! I totally deserve it. Shawn calls me his Smoopy Poo with the wash board abs. While I'd like to believe that was true, he is just being nice. But I am working on it!! Yes, we watched Monsters Inc the other night, hence the nick name....LOL! He is so sweet.

Well, I am taking my good mood to bed with me. Makenna's last day of school is tomorrow. I cannot believe it! I am so proud of her. I cannot wait for her adventure to kindergarten. I know she is totally excited about it. Good night friends!
What I am thankful for today:
my life coming together
Erika
Gavin finally playing video games with Jeremy
sleep
Makenna my sunshine!
Diane being the bestest neighbor ever
Jennifer going to Zumba with me today
the HUGE hug from Jessi
prayers
confidence
money
my pets
Shawn my googly bear
quality time
the blooming flowers
all my friends making sure I am ok
my store which is booming!
all the positive feedback from my store's survey
facebook
laughter
smiles
the power to change your mood
God
serenity
birthday dinner with mom tomorrow night
Makenna's end of school program tomorrow night
Shani and Jane
VBS coming soon!
the gym
new bikinis!!
loving myself inside and out
each breath I take

Blue Day

So I woke up this morning with Chloe meowing to go outside for the third day in a row. I am a little tired. Spring has definitely sprung. She always acts this way when the weather warms up. However, I am not the only person who lives here so why she has to only wake me up, I have no clue.

It is a blue day for me. I am frustrated, tired, sad and will just have to accept this for now. I hope it passes quickly. Zumba will help. Hopefully it will wake me up a bit and get me smiling. For the next hour, I am going to try to concentrate on the things I am thankful for. There are many. I m a very blessed person.

Happy Birthday to the best mom ever. I love you so much. I am excited about the zoo this weekend with my kids, my mom and my aunt! Happy Wednesday everyone.

Inspiration

My new friend Robin is by far the most inspiring person ever. In the last few days she has been posting things on facebook that honestly I feel are meant for me. Her latest post was:

You might not be where you would like to be. But know and believe that you are right where you are supposed to be. Life is a journey with no set destination. The destination that we seek lies in each moment. You are in this exact moment to learn, to teach, to grow or to heal. You have arrived. Job well done.

 Wow! Now that was supposed to be what I read today. I commented on her status and told her that she must have been reading my mind today. I am not comfortable where I am right now. At least 100%. But I reassure myself that I am heading in the right direction because God is leading me to where I need to be. I may not fully like the journey but there is a lesson to be learned. I just want 100% control of my life. With a 11 year old who seems to want to control me and my decisions, I am not too happy. How do I please him and still stay happy doing the things I love and the things that bring me peace? Finding a balance is what I want. And, I want to take control of my life again. 

 As I scrolled down Robin's page I saw yet another thing that made me stop to think. Here was her other posting: 

No matter what the situation looks like or how impossible it seems always remember that everything changes. Do not be concerned with how or when things are going to shift. It's your job to trust and believe that there is a plan in place. There is major and intense work going on behind the scenes this very moment on your behalf. Hold on. Have faith. Change is coming and it's going to be good. Oh so good. Are you ready?

Thank you Robin for sharing your incredible inspiration every single day. She has truly inspired me and keeps me on track. I know things will get better. Thankfully my friends, my family and inspirational pages like Robin's help to hold me together until they do. 

What I am thankful for today:
Robin
inspiring words and quotes
my  kids
my family
my neighbors
Biggest Loser Finale tonight!
my googly bear
love
laughter
ever lasting friendships
God
energy
my health
clean laundry
PartyLite candles
flowers
bubble baths
massages
chocolate
Zumba tomorrow
my pets
the power of prayer
knowing that I am headed for a wonderful life

Pictures from Soup Kitchen

Pictures from the Soup Kitchen yesterday:

I thank each one of you for helping with this awesome event!! You are the best!

Stuff....

The soup kitchen yesterday was such a blast. The kids were so helpful and eager to do whatever it is we needed help with. We served about 45 people, mostly homeless men. Makenna was going back and forth between two jobs; serving corn on the cob and filling cups of water and juice. Everyone raved about her and asked her age. No one can believe that at 5, she is so excited to help out. I did explain to her why we were there. I know she doesn't fully understand why some do not have homes or money. But she does get that people are in that situation and may not get good meals very often. It made her want to do whatever it took to make these people happy. I managed to get some really good pictures of the day which I will post later. The kids have asked if we can go back and help again. It is a wonderful experience to see the kids not only willing and able to help but actually enjoying themselves enough to want to come back. We are going to pick another date soon to help again.

This morning at church Pastor Tricia talked about her GPS and how it kept yelling at her to turn around when she hit road construction. She ended up turing it off and using a map. Pastor mentioned how God would never yell at us. Whether we make mistakes or just stop listening to Him, he is simply there to care for us. She mentioned how we have a built in GPS within ourselves which is Him. He guides us where we need to be. We may not like where we are headed, we may hit road blocks on the way. However, He will lead us to where we are supposed to be.

I believe that we are all here to do God's work. My mom and dad are reading a book titled 40 Days of Purpose. A reverend wrote it. He believes fully that we are not just supposed to go to church every week to show our belief in God. He believes that we need to get out there and make a difference in the world. Without even knowing about this book I already feel strongly in agreement to his belief. My children and I volunteer at the shetler every Thursday night and on some weekends. And, my youth group is all about engaging in various community service projects. Then of course my store with our fundraisers. I am proud of all that my family and I do. If there was more time, we would do more.

As far as my thing for today....I asked for something from a woman at church to give to a friend of mine. They were giving out these paper cell phones that say 911 Words of Hope in Times of Need. When you open it up it has different emotions then bible verses that go hand in hand with them. Here is my bible verse for today:

Patience............ Jamies 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

What I am thankful for today:
time to myself
church
Doris (love that lady)
patience
my friends
Erika for spending the day with me
time with my mom and Jenn yesterday
the screen door on my store
new customers
my chidren
Liar Liar
The Son-in-Law
laughter
getting my teachers gifts done today!!
the rain
my Iris's in bloom
Shawn telling me the sweetest thing the other day
my Stampin Up! stuff
poetry
God
love
my home
my pets
my family
food
inspiring kids
Makenna and her smiles
Linda and my parents for taking the kids this weekend
Ghost Hunters
Ghost Adventures
Christine and Chris
Nicole
Jennifer G
the best neighbors
my store
sleep
my health
faith
hope

My Thing for a Day and The Soup Kitchen

Yesterday my thing for the day was to run in the fun run with Gavin. He however, decided to take off without me. Thankfully Lenore ran with me. She was cracking me up. She was yelling, "Move out of the way....40 year olds coming through!"  LOL! Then she said, "Ever see that show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?" I said, "yes." She said, "Well, we may not be smarter than 5th graders but we sure are faster than a lot of them." It was so funny. Gavin came in 5th place. Lenore and I beat her daughter Jordan. It made me feel really good to know that I can run....even with these allergies/head cold that I have. I was all set, tissues in my bra, running sneakers on.....and we were off. LOL!

My thing for today is to help out at my mom's church's soup kitchen with a few kids from my youth group. I will be blogging about that probably tomorrow. After the soup kitchen I will be at the store with Jenn, my mom and a few of my mom's friends for her birthday crop. Got the cake made and I am ready to scrap!

Last night was so much fun over at Jennifer G's. We didn't stay long due to me being all stuffed up but I am ok. Had a few drinks with Jennifer, Joan and Michelle. And we played You Don't Know Jack. Very fun. We will see what today brings. I am very excited about it. Happy Saturday!

Busy, Busy, Busy.....

I love my busy life. I have not had much time to sit on the computer and that is ok. Between working extra hours, the kids keeping me busy, spending time outside and with my friends....oh and going to The Center, I have been a little busy. There are so many things I would love to do online like researching more info on life coaching and maybe a blog hop or two but I really do not want to take the time to sit here, especially when it is so nice outside.

Gavin has had a really good week up until this morning. I feel bad that my mom has to take him today so that I can go to work. However, I am hoping by the time they leave he is better. Craig said it was an issue they had this morning with Tanya. Focusing on the positive...one bad day compared to 3 good ones.....not too bad.

Makenna did a really great job at her kindergarten assessment yesterday. However she did tell the interviewer that we rode to the school on a horse with a pink saddle because mommy's car was broken. LOL! Where on earth did she get that from? It really made a great facebook post yesterday. Makenna is so proud of herself and she should be. She reads, she knows how to count by 10's, by 5's and by 2's. She can count past 100 now and is able to obviously come up with some great stories with her imagination. Cheryl has done an amazing job with her. What I love most about my daughter is her love for the outdoors, the simple things in life, and her amazing positive attitude. Her love for animals thrills me too. Hopefully the 5 year old will rub off on the 11 year old. I would love for Gavin to become more of an extrovert than the introvert that he is. Thankfully the therapist said that because Gavin is so young the chance of him changing is really good. With 3 of us in the house that are extremely positive, Gavin has an even greater chance of blossoming into a more positive soul.

Jeremy loves his new job. It has made our house even more of a happy place. It is nice to see him less stressed and at ease again. Life is really good. And I know only good things are to come.

My quote for the day: "Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born." ~Dr. Dale Turner Have a wonderful blessed Thursday!


What I am thankful for today:
quotes
the sun
beautiful days
my children
my family
my pets
Jeremy
Shawn
positive energy
positive thoughts
Picklecon with Jennifer and Jonathan this weekend
warm blankets
my moms birthday crop this weekend
Yvonne
the Soup Kitchen on Saturday
The Center tonight with Christine
love
laughter
coffee
my health
compliments
smiles
Jenn and Brian
my parents
Jill
Nicole
Diane
Jennifer G
Erika
Dwayne
Jamie
the birds outside my window
flowers blooming
a clean house
organization
the gym
rainbows

Happiness in the House

I know I just blogged last night but I could not help myself from blogging this morning. Makenna woke me up by jumping on my bed yelling "I love you Mommy!" That child just amazes me with her ever beaming light. Her excitement for the day gets me out of bed with a smile. She raised my blinds and rejoiced about the sunshine. Now what child really notices that stuff first thing in the morning...how about at all? Most people know how Makenna and Faith got along last year....they totally butted heads. Now, Makenna races down the stairs to greet her cousin with a big hearty "Good Morning Faith!" At this moment they are outside playing and it is only 8am. Makenna is just like me, she always wants to be outside.

The bunny seems to be happy hearing my voice first thing this morning. For the time being we have him in our kitchen enjoying the sunlight and the window view of the back yard. He seems to like it there a lot. As soon as he heard my voice he stood up on his hind legs and tried to find me. He is the best rabbit ever.

It was so nice to wake up with everyone around me happy, the sun shining, coffee heated up, and the ability to find matching socks....for all of us. LOL! Find happiness in the simple things and start the day off that way. I know only good things will come my way.....I deserve it and I am ready to receive! Have an amazing, fabulous Tuesday everyone. Embrace each moment and smile smile smile!
What I am thankful for today:
happiness in the house!
Makenna's wake up this morning
the sunshine
working out today
Gavin smiling
Chloe who is currently on my back
music
time
smiles
love
laughter
energy
sleep
inspirational quotes
my absolutely amazing friends
hope
tomorrow
Biggest Loser tonight!
pictures
compliments
hot showers
clean laundry
my children
my parents
each new day

Happy Monday!

Monday is winding down and I am pretty tired. My friend Jennifer used to engage in this blog called A Thing A Day, which is a crafty thing and I want to get involved in something similar minus the crafts. So my 'thing a day' for today was to take a sculpting class. Each day I want to do something different. It can be as easy as listening to new music, say hi to someone I have never met, wear perfume to the gym....whatever would be different than what I normally do. Changes are good. And they create the person we want to evolve into. We have to explore the unknown and take chances.

The sculpt class was tough. It is a lot of slow movements with weights using your core to center and balance yourself. The instructor KC said I did really well for my first time. All I could say was, "My a$$ cheeks are BURNING!" LOL! It gave her a good laugh. I will continue to take this class on Monday afternoons knowing my goal is a bikini for this summer. ( :

I also said hi to someone today that is always at the gym. They never seem to make eye contact with me. Today, I was not going allow them to pass by without a hello. When people see me I want them to know that I am not shy, in no way snobby, and I am people person who cares deeply for others. I love life and really want to share my happiness with the world.

The next "new" thing I did today was look up Life Coaching. Never did I think it was a career. If it is written in the stars I am hoping to check out online schooling to get a certificate in life coaching. I would love to spread the positivity to the world.

Although life has thrown me some major curve balls and I have allowed my son to take control....today I have decided to take my life back. I made a decision this morning after a long prayer that I was not going to allow his stress to consume me any longer. You know what happened? He went into school by himself without any problems. Today, he played outside, voluntarily cleaned out the rabbit cage, and is now back to playing video games with Jeremy. It has been about two months since he has done much of anything. Now whether or not he stays this way, we shall see. All I know is that this is my life and no matter what goes on around me, no matter who is miserable, I have to do whatever it takes to be happy. My children will bask in my happiness and it will just spread like wild fire.

My advice to anyone who feels stuck in their current situation....you can change it. But you have to start with YOU. I cannot change my son or the people around me but I can change how I deal with them. Try new things, step out of your box (even if it makes your butt hurt). Put on some happy music to drown out the sorrows. You only have one chance at life. Live it. Oh, and before I forget, stop trying to live everyone elses for them, be non-judgmental, and concentrate on you. We do not know the chosen paths for others.....we do not have to agree with their choices but we do have to let them be.

What I am thankful for today:
my friends
sculpt class
positivity
happy music
my kids
my quote today: "If your heart is full of love, you will always have something to give."
Shawn
my kitties
The Center
my family
going from 6 to 31 followers on the HIS blog
time to mow the grass today
painted toes
Jamie and the baby!!
my future
Life Coaching
games
wine
time with friends and family
a full 5-midnight crop for the 4th time in a row!! WHOO HOO!
happiness
Erika's daily check in with me
Jennifer G
Christine
a clean rabbit cage... and trimmed nails
Jeremy
Heather R and Heather P
scrapbooking
the gym
the sunshine
flowers
time to blog
Makenna's hugs and I love you's
Cheryl
Nicole
Pappy
graditude
inspiration
rainbows
life

Mother's Day

Today started with me being able to sleep in. I guess 8am is sleeping in, right? LOL! Makenna did wake me up at 6:45 but I managed to get her to allow me to sleep longer. Jeremy and Makenna took me to Puffins Cafe' for breakfast and we ate really well. Next stop was Neighbors so that I could pick out flowers for the yard and Makenna could pick out flowers for Nannie and Grammy. The choice of flowers were Poppies. My mom and Linda loved them. For myself, I chose petunias, snap dragons, ivy, and impatience. While I was working in the gardens and cleaning the house Jeremy made a huge dinner. We had corn on the cob, potatoes, pork tenderloin and salad. Everything (besides the salad) was cooked on the grill. It was all sooooo yummy!

My mom and Linda loved their gifts. My mom actually cried. I am so glad the albums came out so nice. They raved about the cards too. Makenna was all about taking pictures today. So here is what we have...

My evening was not so great but I am trying very hard to focus on the great day I had. I love spending time with my mom and Linda. I am so grateful that they are so appreciative of all we did for them. I am so thankful that Jeremy is so giving and teaching Makenna to be the same way. He really made my day special.

What I am thankful for today:
time with my family
my friends
Jeremy
breakfast this morning
my kids
all my new flowers
my neighbors
time to work in the garden today
a clean house
submissions for the HIS blog already
an awesome dinner tonight and I didn't have to cook it!
money
candles
cards
my cardinal figurines for the garden
working out tomorrow
being a size 8 on the way to a 6!!
the beautiful day today
Makenna's smiles and hugs
my mom and her concern for me
time
wine
my pets
The Center
laughter
love
Shawn

Creativity and a Great Few Days

Today was a little unexpected. Makenna and Gavin had to come to work with me which can put a little tension in my happy place. However, both of them were very well behaved and actually quite the crafters. After getting my newsletter out, I spent some time finishing my Mother's Day gifts with matching cards. I was also able to create a layout for my sister-in-laws Scrap That Poetry challenge blog. I love it!

Shawn surprised me at work today with a large coffee and big hug. I really miss spending time with him. Because we never see each other during the day he was so expressive with compliments. Of course when he does see me it is without makeup, in baggy clothes, late at night I look ready for bed. He loves me that way but he also like to express how nice it is to see me in the sunlight.

Last night was Zumba Happy Hour. It was one of the most exciting times I have had exercising.....EVER! Jennifer G and I drank some Mike's hard lemonade and some Sangria made by the instructor Ginny. It was YUMMY! After a good buzz Zumba started. There was about 15-20 of us. Jennifer broke out in the Running Man and I almost peed. It was so fun. I definitely want to do that again. I ended the evening with a glass of wine since Jennifer was the driver. So yummy.

To sum it up, life has been really good lately. Gavin has even stopped throwing a fit before school. I have learned that as long as I support him and try my hardest to stay positive when he is not, things do get better sooner. We had 2 new customers in the store last week and 3 today. I feel physically better and seem to be eating better too. Stress really does take a toll on you. However, we are the ones who choose to walk around with a grumpy face or smile through it. My smile may not have been as bright the past month and people have noticed. There are a lot gym members who have asked me if I am ok out of concern. I love that so many people are there for me if I choose to 'need' them. They all said that they miss the sunshine...but little by little I am coming back. They said they can see my pain in my eyes....although I keep smiling.

Makenna, my little sunshine has helped me so much. In the car after a sad morning with her brother, she says, "Mommy, can we listen to our happy song....you know, the one that makes us feel better?" When I would be having a bad morning, I would put on a happy upbeat song to change our moods. Right now it is Love Song by Sarah Bareillis. But, she calls it "Head under water." LOL! You really can change your mood and sometimes all it takes is a little music.

What I am happy for today:
my sunshine Makenna
music
new customers
love
Shawn
coffee
hugs
Butter Almond ice cream
scrapbooking
challenges
laughter
fun
Chinese food tonight!!
breakfast out tomorrow
Mother's Day
having our moms over for dinner tomorrow
compliments
my friends
Zumba....so much fun!
Gavin
my store
smiles
surprises
positive people
full crops
creativity
inspiration
chocolate
money
blue skies and sunshine
time with Erika
time with Jennifer G
Jamie
my life

A Great Girls Night

SO, the girls night out was a huge success. I laughed so hard my stomach hurts today. Hmm, maybe I will not have to work on my abs this morning? LOL! Jennifer, Jamie and I started out at Starter's at Riverpoint. It is a very cool place. The food was amazing. Wendy and Christine from The Center had a booth set up and were getting huge donations. Last night, if you showed the waitress a voucher for The Center, 10% of your bill went to The Center.

After Starter's we headed to The Melting Pot. OMG it was amazing. We dipped bananas, rice krispy treats, strawberries, pound cake, marshmellows, cheese cake and more. Our waiter was awesome. And, the manager is going to supply us with a gift certificate for our next Crafting for Paws.

It was a night that I really needed. I only had one drink, it was a Mojito. Very yummy! With the stress in my life, I am finding it difficult to stay positive. But I do know that if you surround yourself by positive people, it really helps. Hopefully next time, more people can make it out with us. I am just really glad that two of my best friends were able to go out with me. Thank you ladies. I love ya!

Oh, and thank you Heather for the wine tasting the other day. It is definitely something I want to do again.

What I am thankful for today:
my friends
time with them
my kids
Diane for watching Makenna
chocolate
the sunshine
my mom
energy
sleep
craftiness
flowers
positive thoughts and people
life changes
the soup kitchen this weekend with the youth group
Mothers Day
clothes
money
my jeep
Shawn
my grandfather and Aunt
my pets
Biggest Loser
my store
laughter
love
peace

Mother's Day Gift and GNO!

Tonight I am heading out with some friends. Starters is first to eat some dinner and help raise money for The Center. Then a few of us are going to the Melting Pot. Thank God I won that gift certificate at the all day crop. I cannot wait to try it out. I skipped the gym this morning and went to Jennifers to be crafty instead. I managed to get one of my Mother's Day gifts finished. I am currently working on my second one. The book is from Close to My Heart and the paper is Stampin Up!

Barley being able to keep my eyes open today, I am really glad I was able to get some stuff done. The stress with Gavin has caused me to not sleep now. I know in time this will all be over. Hopefully it will be before school is out. Tonight should really help me have some fun. We are going to celebrate Jamie's pregnancy and enjoy quality time together. I will be blogging about  my evening soon. Have a great night everyone!

Lots of Chocolate and an Orientation

Business at the store is growing rapidly. And we are hearing so much great feedback. Friday night was our Chocoholics Crop from 5-midnight. We had 12 lovely ladies who all brought goodies to share. We dipped everything in chocolate; cheese puffs, rice krispy treats, chocolate chocolate chip cookies, cheesecake, fruit, pretzels, even bacon! It was AWESOME! Yes, even the bacon. It sounds really weird but I tried it and it was good!! We had fun playing pass the basket which I think Wendi won the most prizes. Erika and I stayed until about 1am. Allison was sleeping over at my house so we were able to hang out longer. I created two one page layouts and two cards. We are definitely hosting another one of those crops. Next month is our Memorial Day Picnic Crop from 5-midnight. We will have barbecue, and picnic foods on the 27th.

Today was great! I hosted my first orientation at the shelter with a girl scout troop. The girls were so happy to learn about the shelter and the animals. They also all filled out paper work to become volunteers. I am so excited that they all want to help. The other good news is that my man Travolta was adopted today to a very nice couple who recently lost their 7 year old cat. When they could not find one they were looking for I suggested they check out Travolta. The best thing is that Travolta picked them! He instantly climbed up on the man's shoulders and laid down. The woman was so happy that she hugged me and thanked me for showing Travolta. She even cried when she was holding him. I am so happy that I could help. I am hoping Travolta brings them many years of happiness.

What I am thankful for today:
animals finding forever homes
The Center
volunteers
the start of HIS Challenge today
my children
ice cream
my sister-in-law for keeping my store open today
Shawn
all my customers
my store
laughter
happy tears
my friends
my pets
smiles
coffee
unconditional love
loyalty
friendship
time
blooming flowers
great news
Zumba
rainbows
my long walk with Diego this morning
upcoming classes and events
the gym
my life