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