Trees.Hides.

17 things you absolutely need to stop doing in order to make your life amazing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 15:55:00 +0000

The best way to stay miserable is by avoiding change. If you want to see improvements in your life, then you need to make changes in your life.

If you want to find greater happiness in 2015, consider these 17 things you need to stop doing:

1. Comparing yourself to others

Someone is always going to be better than you, and that's OK. The only person you need to compete with is yourself. If you are better than you were before, then you are on the right track.

2. Waiting for the right moment

Stop waiting. Make this the right moment. Join a dating site, take a college course, ask for forgiveness, sign up for a marathon, give up a bad habit. The timing is never going to be perfect, so you just have to take a leap of faith and move forward.

3. Spending time with people who hurt you

Don't waste your time on people who make you feel bad about yourself. Fill your life with friends and family who uplift and bring out the best in you. Toxic relationships aren't worth it.

4. Judging others

So a person looks a little different or says something you don't agree with. You have no idea who they are, or what they've been through. Who are you to judge? The world is full of people who hate and hurt. What we really need is a world full of people who love and care for one another.

5. Running away from your problems

Your challenges aren't going to go away until you face them. It might be hard, and it's going to push you to your limits, but you will come out a better person because of it.

6. Putting your own needs on the back burner

You can only give so much to other people before you break. In the midst of taking care of your family, responsibilities and job, don't forget to take time to take care of yourself. Get a manicure, take a nap and go out for a girl's night.

7. Trying to be someone you're not

Judy Garland says it best: "Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else." People love the real you.

8. Being scared to make mistakes

Nobody has ever made it through life without making mistakes. It's going to happen, so don't paralyze yourself.

9. Trying to buy happiness

When people talk about the things that made them the most happy in life, they always include two things: their spouse and their kids. It's not their car or the endless stuff they accumulate. It is their relationships. Money can buy fleeting happiness, but not lasting joy.

10. Missing out

It's easy to get sucked into your phone, but sometimes you just need to put Facebook away and start living in the moment with the people around you.

11. Being a pushover

Stand up for yourself. If someone isn't treating you right, call them out on it. You deserve love and respect, and it's perfectly fine to ask for it. Learn to say "no," and stand by your decisions.

12. Being too busy

Don't let your life be defined by your to-do list. These days, it's not hard to fill up your schedule with endless lessons, meetings, obligations, and commitments, but it's also OK to have a day off.

13. Blaming other people for your problems

When you allow other people's actions to dictate your life, you give them the power. Don't be submissive to your situation.

14. Relying on others to make you happy

There is only one person in this world who is in charge of making you happy, and that is yourself. Relying on other people to always bring you joy is risky business.

15. Doubting yourself

You CAN do it — don't let anybody tell you otherwise. It doesn't matter how difficult or extraordinary the challenge, you have the ability to succeed. Believe in yourself and trust that the talents and knowledge you have will get you where you want to go.

16. Eating out excessively

Unless, of course, you really want to pack on the pounds. Eating out is expensive and unhealthy. Save yourself some dollars and calories and make yourself a meal at home instead.

17. Being complacent with your life

Don't be content with something you're not happy about! If you don't like your job, then get a new one. If your marriage is on the rocks, then sign up for therapy. You have the power to change the things that you don't like.

~original post~

New journals!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 15:36:00 +0000

Here are a few new journals that I have recently made:

If you want to see all of the journals I have in stock, you can visit my Etsy shop.

How much does it cost to become a Beachbody coach?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 00:26:00 +0000

Since I signed up to be a Beachbody coach, I've been letting people know about it. By far, the number one question I get is: How much does it cost to be a Beachbody coach? A reasonable question. Here’s my answer:

SHORT ANSWER:

$39.99 and then $15.95 a month and that’s it!

LONG ANSWER:

You have two options when you sign up, which impact the cost:

Signing up as a coach for the 25% discount for yourself and your friends/family
Signing up as a coach to be a coach/build a business (and get the 25% discount too!)

Signing up to be a Beachbody coach costs $39.99. If you or your spouse are active military, the fee is waived!

The fee is also waived if you buy a challenge pack (which is a bundle of a full workout program, club access, and Shakeology).

After your first month as a coach, there is a monthly fee of $15.95 to maintain the websites Beachbody creates for you.

These are the sites:

Beachbody.com
BeachbodyCoach.com
Shakeology.com
UltimateReset.com

If you’re signing up to be a coach for that great 25% discount, these are your only fees. If you’re on a home delivery plan of Shakeology or something, your savings will negate the cost and then some.

If you’re signing up to be a coach so you can build your own business, whether just for some extra cash, or if you’re like me and want to make it your full-time income eventually, there is a bit more to consider, cost-wise.

Just like above you pay the $39.99 to register, the monthly $15.95 for your four websites. You could stop there and just sell programs and shakeology to customers and earn your 25% commission check each week.

You can be what’s called an ACTIVE coach and be able to earn much more than just the 25%.

To be an Active Coach you must sell or purchase $55 worth of product each month. (Example: I am on home delivery of Shakeology so I am automatically always going to be active)

It’s hard for me to consider that a “cost” of being a coach, because it’s a product I’ll be using daily either way.

Further, for coaches who want to build their business up into something lucrative:

After you have reached Emerald status (meaning you have 2 active coaches under you) there is a $39.95 fee (per quarter) to be eligible for the Customer Lead Program where Beachbody GIVES you customers that have signed up online or through their millions of infomercials.

I hope that was clear. If not, feel free to ask me any questions.

If you’re interested in joining the Beachbody community, CLICK HERE for your free account and to have me as your coach!

If you want to join me as a Beachbody coach, CLICK HERE to apply.

There's something your sweetener isn't telling you

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 23:34:00 +0000

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Below is an excerpt from an article by NP Marcelle Pick. The full article can be found here. It is informative and terrifying - definitely worth a read. Maybe one Splenda every few months won't do any harm but chances are, if you're reading this, you consume WAY more. After I learned about some of the side effects, including anxiety, I vowed not to have it knowingly again. The sweet stuff is a slippery slope, see below for more eye opening information.

Splenda is the trade name for sucralose, a synthetic compound stumbled upon in 1976 by scientists in Britain seeking a new pesticide formulation. It is true that the Splenda molecule is comprised of sucrose (sugar) — except that three of the hydroxyl groups in the molecule have been replaced by three chlorine atoms.

While some industry experts claim the molecule is similar to table salt or sugar, other independent researchers say it has more in common with pesticides. That’s because the bonds holding the carbon and chlorine atoms together are more characteristic of a chlorocarbon than a salt — and most pesticides are chlorocarbons. The premise offered next is that just because something contains chlorine doesn’t guarantee that it’s toxic. And that is also true, but you and your family may prefer not to serve as test subjects for the latest post-market artificial sweetener experiment — however “unique".

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I'm going to try to relearn what tea, coffee and yogurt tastes like without sweetener. They are not supposed to be sweet and actually taste better, creamier and richer in their natural state. If I am craving sweets, I'll have an apple or a banana. I'm going to try to stop taking food that is not meant to be sweet and try to transform it into something that isn't. The damage to your taste buds is reversible, but they may still never forgive you

Leading Teams

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 16:45:00 +0000

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Leading teams. These two words that have the power to excite or evoke fear in someone's heart.

Let's look at the word "lead." According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the various definitions include "to guide on a way especially by going in advance" or "to direct on a course or in a direction." Based on this, if we are business owners, we ARE leaders. It is our responsibility to guide and direct our team. The problem is that many aren't sure exactly how to lead a team, and it becomes a "trial and error" effort. This is counter-productive when we want to be focused on building a strong business. Becoming an effective leader of a team takes time, so lets explore 3 big keys that can be immediately implemented.

Be a Role Model. Your team is only going to move as fast as you do. It's up to you to set the pace and articulate the expectations. You never want to ask your team to do something that you aren't willing to do yourself.

Stay focused on the growth of your business and allow others to watch how you accomplish it. However I must say that you should never insist that someone runs his or her own business in a certain manner. While it's your job to be a role model, it's your team's job to decide whether or not your method is a good fit for them...and it may not be. Do NOT be offended if that's the case as we are all individuals.

As a role model, it's also important that you don't freely give away all of your knowledge acquired by your continued learning. Your knowledge is very valuable, but it's important that your team members put "skin in the game" if they are going to be successful in their own right.

Set boundaries. Oh boy...I could write a book on this one area alone and fill it with mistakes that I've personally made and lessons that I've learned. Remember as you lead your team, you are also teaching them how to potentially lead theirs. Don't take this lightly. You have the ability to pass along great habits or habits that will leave them feeling as though they're in bondage. It is entirely possible to have a successful business and a successful life, but only if you set boundaries along with work hours.

You cannot and should not make yourself available to your team 24/7...regardless of what others teach. It's a sure-fire way to lead to burnout. Repeat after me: One-to-many. One-to-Many. ONE-TO-MANY! What does this model mean? It means that you no longer communicate with individuals via text or private email. It means that you no longer have an open-door policy for receiving phone calls.

So if you are accustomed to the one-to-one model, how do you transition away from it? It's actually rather simple. When you need to communicate with your team, you do it in a Facebook group. When someone has a question and emails you, you graciously tell them to post it in your Facebook group so everyone can benefit from the answer. When you have something that you need to talk about, utilize a video or have a group call that you record. If people aren't used to this method, they may not be happy at first, but I promise that they will adapt if you are consistent with your boundaries.

Be careful not to manage. There is a difference between leading and managing. To lead is to have followers. To manage means that you have subordinates who do what they are told and you check up on them. You want to groom powerful leaders who can help change peoples lives, all while building their business and ultimately yours! Telling people what to do is not inspirational and creates dependency. I consider it the adult equivalent to breast-feeding. Instead give them the tools and point them to the resources, but allow people to be individuals and make their own decisions. Allow them to make mistakes and figure things out. A great book on this very subject is Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell. I definitely recommend it.

In short, by holding yourself to your own standards and expectations of others, you will become a great leader. By being a role model, setting boundaries, and not managing others, you'll find freedom in leading. Ultimately your leadership will result in others going on to lead as well. Trust me when I say, there is nothing more satisfying than birthing a leader and watching that person go on to birth their own.

Flex your self-control Muscles

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 15:08:00 +0000

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A Gallup poll found 51% of adults want to lose weight. Less than half that number, only 25%, are actively and seriously working toward that goal. One weight-loss coach wrote on the Huffington Post, "One of the many excuses I hear for why people don't lose weight is 'It's too expensive.'"

Do you have a weight loss goal? There is a pretty high probability that either you or someone you are very close to has a "goal" weight. Even if you don't, I want you to keep reading with me because this advice applies to every addiction or bad habit you might be trying to work on eliminating from your life.

The reality is, if you keep doing what you've always done, you will get the same result you've always had. You and I live in a culture of excess, and if you keep living in excess you will keep having to go up a notch on your belt, friend.

What I want you to understand is that your cravings are a muscle. When you feed your food cravings, shopping addiction, porn addiction or any other craving, you're flexing that muscle. The more you feed and exercise that muscle, the stronger those cravings will be. Some of you have had decades of working out that craving muscle.

In the same way, self-control is a muscle. If you flex and work on that muscle, it will grow stronger and your cravings will grow weaker.

So here's the thing I want you to think about. Identify your food habit, or whatever it is you are trying to cut back on. Track how often you eat out, grab a snack, make a Starbucks run or have a midnight dessert. Instead of trying to cut out 100% overnight, try to cut out just one of those indulgences.

In other words, just cut out those midnight trips to the freezer. After a week or two of that, try to cut out the Starbucks run on top of that. Just work on cutting back your food or calorie intake by 5% or 10% at a time.

When you try to go cold turkey you are setting yourself up for failure. That decade of poor eating habits is not going to change overnight. Those cravings are at their peak, the strongest they have ever been. And when you almost inevitably fail, you feel helpless or like it will never work.

Reaching your personal goals is about two major things:

1. Knowing yourself. Know your body, your habits and your spending habits. When you know your greatest weaknesses and strengths, you can help steer yourself away from those sore spots!

2. Giving yourself grace. You will fail! Just work on getting a little better slowly and flexing that self-control muscle.

I hope this quick message encouraged you today. When you are working on a weakness or trying to improve a habit, it takes time, support and accountability. If you aren't willing to be held accountable, you don't really want to change.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 20:13:00 +0000

I was going through my favourites on my Etsy account, and I'm finding that I have returned to loving the rustic, neutrals that I loved once upon a time! Here are some recent favourites:

Tiny Clay Houses || Rustic Headboard || Salt & Pepper Containers || iPhone 5 case

7 Ways to Save on Groceries without using Coupons

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

7 Ways To Save On Groceries Without Using Coupons

1. Take inventory.

Take inventory of what you already have at home. Often times we start writing up a grocery list without checking what we have first. If you see that you have spaghetti sauce, simply add pasta to your list for an easy meal. Just make sure you figure out what you already have and build your meals around it. My mentor, Dani Johnson, suggests that you empty your entire pantry before going to the grocery store. It's a sure way to clean out your pantry and eat the food that might soon go bad!

2. Make a meal plan.

This is a must if you want to save money on groceries. Make sure you take the time to write up a meal plan based on your current inventory and store sales. Once you know what you’ll be making throughout the week, you can easily create your shopping list. I know that anytime I make a “quick” stop at the grocery store without a list, I wind up spending way more than I wanted to. So planning is key if you want to see significant savings.

3. Use the same ingredients for different meals.

When I create my meal plan, I make sure that I plan meals that use the same ingredients to maximize my savings. For example; if I buy a large pack of chicken breasts, I’ll use it to make chicken quesadillas, rice with chicken and chicken alfredo. This also helps me save time since I’ll precook all of the chicken and freeze it to have it readily available for meals.

4. Eat meatless meals.

We all know how expensive meats can be even when purchased on sale. One way I reduce my grocery bill is by planning meals that don’t require any meat. Here are some examples of meatless meals: baked mac n cheese, vegetarian chili, broccoli cheddar soup, quesadillas and my favorite, breakfast for dinner. Get creative and include a meal or two that doesn’t require any meat to help keep your grocery costs down.

5. Stop being a brand snob.

I’m a huge Costco fan. Is not the only place I buy my groceries, but I do purchase a lot of my food items there. When I have mentioned this to others, I hear that they could never shop there because they don’t carry “XYZ” brand. I agree that cheaper is not always better. However, sticking to one particular brand is not going to help you save any money. I purchase my items based on what’s on sale for the week or I stick with store brands since they tend to be the cheapest.

6. Stock up.

If I find that an item we frequently use is on sale for a great price, I stock up. I know I’ll be using it eventually, so I’ll spend some extra money knowing that it will yield savings in the long run. Budget some of your grocery money for items that will be on sale so that you can purchase extra and stock up. Make sure you check out your local ads before you head to the grocery store to plan accordingly.

7. Know your grocery sale cycles.

Have you ever tried purchasing a ham in the summer? It’s probably going to cost you triple (or more) of what it would cost around Easter or Christmas time. Grocery stores have what’s called a sale cycle. Basically what this means is that certain items will go on sale during specific seasons or months of the year. This is a great way to know what to stock up on and when. Living Richly On A Budget has a great guide that you can print out for reference. Click here to check it out.

original article

How to Become More Productive

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 15:30:00 +0000

Ever feel like you’re just not getting enough done?

Do you know how many days a week you’re actually productive?

About three.

People work an average of 45 hours a week; they consider about 17 of those hours to be unproductive (U.S.: 45 hours a week; 16 hours are considered unproductive).

We could all be accomplishing a lot more — but then again, none of us wants to be a workaholic, either.

It’d be great to get tons done and have work-life balance. But how do we do that? I decided to get some answers.

Below are six tips offered by Tim Ferriss, author of the international bestseller The 4-Hour Work Week. (Tim's blog)

Below are six tips Tim offered, the science behind why they work, and insights from the most productive people around.

1. Manage Your Mood

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Most productivity systems act like we’re robots – they forget the enormous power of feelings.

If you start the day calm it’s easy to get the right things done and focus.

But when we wake up and the fray is already upon us — phone ringing, emails coming in, fire alarms going off — you spend the whole day reacting.

This means you’re not in the driver’s seat working on your priorities; you’re responding to what gets thrown at you, important or not.

Here’s Tim:

I try to have the first 80 to 90 minutes of my day vary as little as possible. I think that a routine is necessary to feel in control and nonreactive, which reduces anxiety. It therefore makes you more productive.

Research shows how you start the day has an enormous effect on productivity, and you procrastinate more when you’re in a bad mood.

Studies demonstrate happiness increases productivity and makes you more successful.

As Shawn Achor describes in his book The Happiness Advantage:

Doctors put in a positive mood before making a diagnosis show almost three times more intelligence and creativity than doctors in a neutral state, and they make accurate diagnoses 19% faster. Optimistic salespeople outsell their pessimistic counterparts by 56%. Students primed to feel happy before taking math achievement tests far outperform their neutral peers. It turns out that our brains are literally hardwired to perform at their best not when they are negative or even neutral, but when they are positive.

So think a little less about managing the work and a little more about managing your moods.

So what’s the first step to managing your mood after you wake up?

2. Don’t Check Email In The Morning

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To some people this is utter heresy. Many can’t imagine not waking up and immediately checking email or social-media feeds.

Why is checking email in the morning a cardinal sin? You’re setting yourself up to react.

An email comes in and suddenly you’re giving your best hours to someone else’s goals, not yours.

You’re not planning your day and prioritizing; you’re letting your objectives be hijacked by whoever randomly decides to enter your inbox.

Here’s Tim:

Whenever possible, do not check email for the first hour or two of the day. It’s difficult for some people to imagine. “How can I do that? I need to check email to get the information I need to work on my most important one or two to-dos?”

You would be surprised how often that is not the case. You might need to get into your email to finish 100% of your most important to-dos. But can you get 90% done before you go into Gmail and have your rat brain explode with freak-out, dopamine excitement and cortisol panic? Yes.

Research shows email:
1.Stresses you out.
2.Can turn you into a jerk.
3.Can be more addictive than alcohol and tobacco.
4.And checking email frequently is the equivalent of dropping your IQ 10 points.

Is this really how you want to start your day?

Great, so you know what not to do. But a bigger question looms: What should you be doing?

3. Before You Try To Do It Faster, Ask Whether It Should Be Done At All

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Everyone asks, “Why is it so impossible to get everything done?” But the answer is stunningly easy:

You’re doing too many things.

Want to be more productive? Don’t ask how to make something more efficient until after you’ve asked “Do I need to do this at all?”

Here’s Tim:

Doing something well does not make it important. I think this is one of the most common problems with a lot of time-management or productivity advice; they focus on how to do things quickly. The vast majority of things that people do quickly should not be done at all.

It’s funny that we complain we have so little time and then we prioritize like time is endless. Instead, do what is important … and not much else.

But is this true in the real world?

Research shows CEOs don’t get more done by blindly working more hours, they get more done when they follow careful plans:

Preliminary analysis from CEOs in India found that a firm’s sales increased as the CEO worked more hours. But more intriguingly, the correlation between CEO time use and output was driven entirely by hours spent in planned activities. Planning doesn’t have to mean that the hours are spent in meetings, though meetings with employees were correlated with higher sales; it’s just that CEO time is a limited and valuable resource, and planning how it should be allocated increases the chances that it’s spent in productive ways.

OK, you’ve cleared the decks. Your head is serene, you’ve gotten the email monkey off your back and you know what you need to do.

Now we have to face one of the biggest problems of the modern era: How do you sit still and focus?

4. Focus Is Nothing More Than Eliminating Distractions

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Ed Hallowell, former professor at Harvard Medical School and bestselling author of Driven to Distraction, says we have “culturally generated ADD.”

Has modern life permanently damaged our attention spans?

No. What you do have is more tantalizing, easily accessible, shiny things available to you 24/7 than any human being has ever had.

The answer is to lock yourself somewhere to make all the flashing, buzzing distractions go away.

Here’s Tim:

Focus is a function, first and foremost, of limiting the number of options you give yourself for procrastinating… I think that focus is thought of as this magical ability. It’s not a magical ability. It’s put yourself in a padded room, with the problem that you need to work on, and shut the door. That’s it. The degree to which you can replicate that, and systematize it, is the extent to which you will have focus.

What’s the best way to sum up the research? How about this: Distractions make you stupid.

And a flood of studies shows that the easiest and most powerful way to change your behavior is to change your environment.

Top CEOs are interrupted every 20 minutes. How do they get anything done?

By working from home in the morning for 90 minutes where no one can bother them:

They found that not one of the twelve executives was ever able to work uninterruptedly more than twenty minutes at a time—at least not in the office. Only at home was there some chance of concentration. And the only one of the twelve who did not make important, long-range decisions “off the cuff,” and sandwiched in between unimportant but long telephone calls and “crisis” problems, was the executive who worked at home every morning for an hour and a half before coming to the office.

I know what some of you are thinking: I have other responsibilities. Meetings. My boss needs me. My spouse calls. I can’t just hide.

This is why you need a system.

5. Have A Personal System

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I’ve spoken to a few insanely productive people. You know what none of them said?

“I don’t know how I get stuff done. I just wing it and hope for the best.”

Not one. Your routines can be formal and scientific or personal and idiosyncratic — but either way, productive people have a routine.

Here’s Tim:

Defining routines and systems is more effective than relying on self-discipline. I think self-discipline is overrated.

Allowing yourself the option to do what you have not decided to do is disempowering and asking for failure. I encourage people to develop routines so that their decision-making is only applied to the most creative aspects of their work, or wherever their unique talent happens to lie.

Great systems work because they make things automatic, and don’t tax your very limited supply of willpower.

What do we see when we systematically study the great geniuses of all time? Almost all had personal routines that worked for them.

(“Give and Take” author Adam Grant consistently writes in the mornings while Tim always writes at night.)

How do you start to develop your own personal system? Apply some 80-20 thinking:
1.What handful of activities are responsible for the disproportionate number of your successes?
2.What handful of activities absolutely crater your productivity?
3.Rearrange your schedule to do more of No. 1 and to eliminate No. 2 as much as possible.

So you’re all set to wake up tomorrow with a system and not be reactive. How do you make sure you follow through on this tomorrow? It’s simple.

6. Define Your Goals The Night Before

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Wake up knowing what is important before the day’s pseudo-emergencies come barging into your life and your inbox screams new commands.

Here’s Tim:

Define your one or two most important to-dos before dinner, the day before.

Best-selling author Dan Pink gives similar advice:

Establish a closing ritual. Know when to stop working. Try to end each workday the same way, too. Straighten up your desk. Back up your computer. Make a list of what you need to do tomorrow.

Research says you’re more likely to follow through if you’re specific and if you write your goals down.

Studies show this has a secondary benefit: writing down what you need to do tomorrow relieves anxiety and helps you enjoy your evening.

So how does this all come together?

Summing Up

Here are Tim’s 6 tips:
1.Manage Your Mood
2.Don’t Check Email in The Morning
3.Before You Try To Do It Faster, Ask Whether It Should Be Done At All
4.Focus Is Nothing More Than Eliminating Distractions
5.Have A Personal System
6.Define Your Goals The Night Before

The word “productivity” sounds like we’re talking about machines. But the funny thing is that much of being truly good with time is about feelings.

How should you strive to feel when working? Busy, but not rushed. Research shows this is when people are happiest.

Once you are more productive, you’ll have a lot more hours to fill. So why not use them to make others and yourself happier?

Staying at home

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 18:11:00 +0000

I've made the "official" announcement on my Facebook status, but I'll also share with you here, in case some of you aren't my friends on Facebook.

I have submitted my resignation to my boss. My last day of work will be June 13, 2014.

This was a very difficult decision, since I absolutely love working at SB Partners. It is a fantastic accounting firm - the partners and managers treat each and every one of their staff with respect and honour. There is no drama or emotional trampling by anyone. It's a great place to work, and it is a highly sought after accounting firm to partner with for all things accounting.

However, for the last six months or so, I've been feeling like I need to be at home with my kids. Alexander just turned six, and Isabel is three. Already they are growing up so fast. And in only a short while, they will be pre-teens and chances are they won't want to have anything to their boring ol' mom. And right now, they long for me to be with them all the time. So why would I not be with them, if that's what they want?

I can always go back to work later, when they don't need me around so much. Yes, Jeff is back on 100% commission with his work, but we've done it before and God has never let us go without what we need. We are totally trusting that God will sustain us.

I'm excited about this new chapter in our lives (I'll finally be able to properly clean my house more than once a week! - you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to do that when you only have two days off a week).

I'll still be popping by the office every once in a while with Jeff's triple layer bars - they are SO GOOD ... and my boss's favourite treat.

10 things successful people do to reach their dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 19:42:00 +0000

Dreams do not have to be just dreams. They can be reality. There are things each person can do to reach their dreams, and successful people act differently to reach their dreams. Not everyone follows their dreams, but why is that? If you have a dream, go for it!

Here are 10 things that successful people do differently to reach their dreams.

1. They don't make excuses. When most people think about their dreams, they might come up with excuses for why their dreams are not possible. Successful people who reach their dreams don’t make as many excuses. Instead, they are proactive and try to overcome any and all obstacles. Those who are not successful with reaching their dreams most likely create many excuses for why their dreams are not possible for them.

2. They work hard. Successful people work hard to reach their dreams. They do what it takes to reach their dream, even if it takes a long while and all of their time. Working hard is important when it comes to reaching your dream. You might have to work two jobs at one time. You might even have to work three jobs. You might have to attend school at the same time, raise a family, take care of a loved one, and so on.

3. They stay healthy. Successful people make sure that they stay healthy. If you get sick, that will just make it take a little longer for you to reach your dreams, so staying healthy in important.

4. They hold to their principles. Holding on to your own principles is important when you are trying to reach your dreams. You have to know who you are and why you are doing certain things. You can’t just forget who you are.

5. They never quit. Successful people never quit. Even when times get tough, they try to not stop what they are doing. They try to think of their end goal and what they can do to get there. If you quit, then reaching your dream will be nearly impossible.

6. They are willing to take risks. Those who reach their dreams are willing to take risks. Many dreams require risks to be taken. You don’t know what may happen if you take the risk, but sometimes it comes down to taking the risk and reaching your dream, or not taking the risk and possibly never reaching your dream. You will never know unless you take some risks in order to reach your dream.

7. They set realistic goals. Setting goals is important for reaching your dreams. Successful people set goals and reach them one by one. Setting smaller goals can also help you reach your dreams because you know exactly what you have to accomplish to finally reach your dream.

8. They are positive. Successful people who reach their dreams are positive. They do not think negatively most of the time and instead think about how their dreams are actually possible. If you are negative, it can be much harder to reach your dream since you do not have faith in yourself. Instead, think positively about what you can do to reach your dream.

9. They know how to multitask. Most dreams are made by someone multitasking. You may have to do many things at once in order to reach your dream. You don’t let how busy your life is stop you.

10. They make sacrifices. Successful people make sacrifices in order to reach their dream. You might have to work for low pay in order to reach your dream; however, if you have faith in yourself and set realistic goals, then your sacrifices may pay off.

Article source.

Ready to get your hands dirty?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 18:48:00 +0000

I know I certainly am willing to get my hands dirty! I foresee great things happening in 2014, and that is only because I plan to making each opportunity count. I am going to be creating habits in my life that will set me up for success. I have so much I would like to accomplish this year, and I'm sure you do too!

If you want to take your accomplishments to the next level, come and talk to me, and I'll hook you up with what I'm doing to succeed - it's for everyone!

Home Schooling Children

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 18:30:00 +0000

Source: TopMastersInEducation.com

Out of all of you, who home schools their children, and what are your convictions, opinions and reasons for home schooling your children?

I'm interested.

Gluten Free Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 20:30:00 +0000

These brownies are adapted from one of the best brownie recipes in the world. That is, if you like a fudgy brownie, unadorned with any fillers. These have a crackly top, with a discernible texture as your teeth bite down. And beneath them? Pure, smooth chocolateness.

SERVINGS
12 (if people have the restraint to not eat more than one brownie)

INGREDIENTS
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (or as dark as you can stand it)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour

PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Chop the chocolate into small slivers. Slice the butter into one-inch pieces. Combine the two flours together.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, and then turn it down to a simmer. Place a large metal bowl over the top of the saucepan. Put the chocolate and butter into the metal bowl and stir, occasionally, as they both begin to melt. As they come to a full melt, stir and stir, vigorously, until you have a cohesive mixture.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sugar and eggs, whisking vigorously until they are creamed together, with a silky consistency. Add the vanilla extract and salt and stir well. Add in the gluten-free flours and stir. Finally, pour in the melted chocolate-butter mixture and stir, carefully, with a rubber spatula, until the mixture has become smooth.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top with the spatula. Slide the baking pan into the oven and set the timer for 25 minutes.

As the brownies are baking, fill the sink with ice cubes and 1 inch of water. When the brownies are finished baking, remove the pan from the oven and place it immediately into the ice-water bath. (Don't let any water splash up onto the brownies!) Let the brownies stay there until they have cooled completely.

These brownies taste best the next day, after an entire night of refrigeration. That makes the top crunchy, the insides decadently chewy. However, I'm sure no one would suffer if you ate the brownies immediately, either. Except, perhaps, for those not eating them. YUM!

Recipe source

Corkscrew Reindeers

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 15:38:00 +0000

I was reading the Our Home magazine today, and I saw these adorable little Christmas decor reindeers made from corkscrews!!! Now, anyone who knows me will know that I love things that have been made from recycled or found items, and these I would TOTALLY make!

Now, all I need to do is FIND some corkscrews!! Twigs and twine would be easy enough to source out.

What about you? Do you make any Christmas decorations?

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 21:17:00 +0000

As you may or may not be aware, we have taken strides to remove gluten from our diets to see if this will affect Alexander and Isabel’s behaviour and/or learning focus.

It’s been a bit of a transition for us, since Alexander is such a picky eater and he LOOOVES carbs. But we’ve found a few substitutes that he accepts.

While browsing around for some gluten-free recipes, I found this little gem: Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. My kids love cookies, so I think I will try the recipe this weekend.

Ingredients & Directions:

Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl:
- 1 cup sorghum flour
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp zanthan gum
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In a separate bowl, beat to cream:
- 3/4 cup organic coconut oil
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp bourbon vanilla
- 2 eggs, beaten

Add the whisked dry ingredients to the creamed brown sugar and beat to combine.

Add in 3 to 3 1/2 cups of gluten-free rolled oats (I'll be using quinoa flakes). Start with 3 cups, and add more if desired.

Add in 1 cup dark chocolate chips. Stir by hand to combine.

So I will try the recipe this weekend, and I will update you all on Facebook to let you know how it all went.

Recipe source

How to Create a Blog Button with a Grab Code Text Box

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 21:50:00 +0000

I had searched for a solid hour, trying to find the best way to put in a button on my blog. I had accidentally changed the html for the one I had and couldn't figure out how to fix it, so I was stuck trying to figure it out all over again.

I had searched a few that gave me an almost-right code, but the text wouldn't show up in the text box for whatever reason, so I had to continue searching. And then, I found the EASIEST way to do it. It's a template that generates the code for you!

http://www.mycoolrealm.com/sandbox/gbgen/index.php

Here is what you need to enter into the template:

1. Your Title. (name of your blog, website, etc)

2. The link to where you want the picture to click through to (your blog, website, etc)

3. The link of your image (hosted on flickr or photobucket)

And that's basically what you need! You have the option of choosing the size of the text box and font colour, etc, but it's more or less done for you!

Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy!!

The Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 16:48:00 +0000

I was reading an article in the magazine put out by Goodness Me, the health food store in my area. The article was about how food can affect the development and behaviour in your child, and I was immediately hooked.

My son, Alexander, is autistic. He is high functioning, but there are things in school where he is behind, naturally. I want to do my part in giving him the best - I want his development to be encouraged along. Now, I'm not entirely sure what will do it, but after reading this article, I'm going to run a little experiment with the food we feed both Alexander and Isabel.

Now, Alexander is the kind of boy that likes his routine. He likes eating more or less the same thing every day; it gives him a sense of comfort. He is also really picky about the vegetables he eats - he doesn't eat any, unless they are mashed potatoes, smothered in butter. That is going to change - sorry, buddy. Isabel loves meat and veggies - she's not a fan of starches to begin with. Here is what we are currently feeding them.

Breakfast:

- Smooth & Creamy yogurt

- Honey Nut Cheerios

- vitamins: multi vitamin, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Omega 3,6,9s

Lunch (to school - nut free):

- sandwich with butter and jam (whole grain bread)

- unsweetened apple sauce

- Black Diamond cheese string

- banana chocolate chip mini loaf (from Costco)

Supper:

- whatever we are eating, which usually is grilled chicken breast with steamed veggies and some sort of starch, like quinoa or rice, sometimes potatoes or sweet potatoes.

Snacks:

- he likes bananas, hard-boiled eggs, Bear Paw cookies, gluten free pretzels and apples - to name a few.

So for the next four weeks - starting November 25 - I will be taking out the wheat and most dairy from their diet and replacing it with gluten and dairy free options. Here is what I'm thinking:

Breakfast:

- Shakeology - vegan chocolate flavour

- vitamins (same as above)

Lunch:

- sandwich with butter and jam (gluten-free bread)

- unsweetened apple sauce

- hard-boiled egg

- gluten free pretzels

Supper:

- we'll probably remove rice from most dinners, replacing it with quinoa. But other than that, we don't need to change much else.

Snacks:

- grapes, almonds, apples, bananas.

This does mean that we will have to hide the gluten-filled food and cheese sticks for a while, but I'm sure we can find a space to put them. Isabel won't be happy, but this might be a good thing for her too.

At the end of every week, I will post about how the week went and if there was any significant changes in my kids.

A change.

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 10:29:00 +0000

Hello, all!

I'll just come right to the point, since I am a pointy person. *groan*

I am going to be taking a break from blogging full time for a while. I'm not entirely sure how long that "while" will be, but I know that I need this change. I will still be blogging every once in a while, but it certainly will not be on a regular basis - and it will most likely be only pictures of my kids and my favourites from Etsy that I would like to save for my own enjoyment.

So as of now, I will not be accepting any sponsors, since I will not be giving them their money's worth of volume for advertising their shops/blogs. This also means that I will not be hosting any more What You Made link-ups until further notice. I had such a great following for my little link-up, and I am so grateful for all you who did link-up faithfully.

I really love blogging, and I hope to come back at it full time in the future. But right now is not that time.

See you around!

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:29:00 +0000

This week my favourites have been pretty random. I see a pretty picture, I like it. I see an interesting concept, I like it. lol. Scatter-brained much?

The Stag wall decor || Crystal & Pearl Woven Earrings || 4 tulips against a teal wall || Handspun yarn

What I Made Link-up 55

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

This past week has found me getting more books ready for binding. I have had this pile of falling-apart vintage books on my to-do shelf since September, and I figured that now would be a good time to get them ready.

Anyhoo. Last week's most viewed link was of this adorable Easter hair bow from GelasRaineBows:

Here are some other sweet little bows made by Gela:

~~~~~

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:09:00 +0000

Today we're having a chat with Chelsea from Notional Notions.

Etsy Shop | Facebook | Blog | Website

Tell us a bit about who you are. I'm originally from California but I studied art in Texas and then moved to Italy for two years. I love to travel and have a hard time staying in one place or sticking to a singular medium. But overall, I'm a pretty easy going lady.

Tell us about your craft and how you got started. I've been drawing for as long as I can remember but I really got adventurous with my craft in college. That's where I fell in love with bookmaking and watercolor illustration. But I've tried everything from Intaglio printmaking and welding to tattooing and children's book illustration. I like being a Jane of all trades, master of none.

Where do you get your inspiration from? Everywhere, and that's no exaggeration. My art space, "the bubble," is typically a gigantic mess because I've gathered so many postcards/books/photos and ideas from places I've traveled to (and hoping to travel to one day!).

Who is your favourite artist/creative person? Hard to pick just one, it usually changes depending upon what I'm working on. A couple I've been loving lately are Janice MacLeod's travel letters/illustrations, Stephanie Brown's tattoo work and designs, and the lettering work of Jessica Hische.

What do you love most about what you do? I love getting my hands dirty, this is likely why I struggle with the digital art realm so much! My art bubble may be messy but that usually means I'm happy and creating.

What do you do when you're not creating? For my 'real grown-up job,' I teach art lessons. Which is a pretty awesome alternative to not making my own work; getting to hang out with kiddos and essentially just play and watch them create. It can be pretty amazing watching what they come up with!

Etsy Shop | Facebook | Blog | Website

Thanks for sharing with us today, Chelsea!

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:37:00 +0000

I gathered each of these items into my favourites on Etsy in about 5 minutes. I like searching my activity feed and the newly listed area to find awesome items.

Vintage Brass Goblets | Burlap Wristlets | Funny Valentine's Day card | Blue Dangle Flower Earrings

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 16:59:00 +0000

It snowed only last night, but I really think that spring is almost here! Call it a gut feeling.

Now that spring is here, I have to look at updating my accessories. I don't want to update my wardrobe until I get to my goal weight, so I'm sticking with accessories. Beside, they are much more fun!

Ika Bag | Cotton Cowl | Spring Flower Pendant | Ballet Flats | Vintage French Basket

I already have an Ika Bag, and I LOVE IT!!! I have to get another one for warmer weather, since the one I have is tweed/wool.

I also already have a few cowls from Sew Ecological, but I just LOVE this one! It's actually in my checkout cart right now...

This flower pendant is beautiful! Another item in my cart...

I already am wearing flats for casual days at work, and they are so comfy! And these certainly look comfy too!

I love the tuplips in the basket, and the basket itself is such a unique shape...

A collage of my children.

noreply@blogger.com (Shirley) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:17:00 +0000

I made this collage for my left desktop at work; but I thought it was so cool, that I had to share it with you guys too. Now you can see what I see every day while I'm at work!