Holiday Hustle

It's finally starting to feel a little bit like Christmas, even though we are still having surprisingly warmer temperatures here in Ohio.  My beloved little niece has finally arrived for the holidays and the Christmas magic is starting to come alive because she has brought her belief of Santa and miracles to the Thompson household again this year.

Now, I've been trying to get the Christmas spirit most of the month.  I've decorated my apartment with as much Christmas cheer as a typical elf but it still didn't sprinkle any holiday magic on my heart.   And then SJ and I went looking at Christmas lights all over town, and they were beautiful sights to see, brilliantly shining in the dark sky, but without the snow, it didn't feel right.

A few days later, I went to another Christmas light display, and much to my surprise, it still didn't feel like Christmas was a little over a week away.

And now, we are in the week of Christmas and though I'm going thru the motions of the holiday, it still doesn't feel like it's Christmas time.  However, when my niece first saw me, I was wearing my fury fury jacket and instead of saying hello, or I've missed you Aunt Jennee.... she gives me a hug and said, "YOU LOOK LIKE MRS. CLAUS!"

However, a little while later, when she calmed down, she told me in a soft and sincere voice, "Aunt Jennee.  I finished reading Holy Jamolie.  It WAS AWESOME."  I'm not sure which one of us smiled more.  When I wrote it for her last year, she didn't seem so thrilled at having a book where she was the main character, but now she's read it and liked it...and I'm slightly regretting my choice of not having book two ready for this years Christmas gift.

Since the arrival of the niece, we have filled our tummies with chocolate and sugar, built gingerbread houses and talked about Santa coming down the chimney.  It's feeling more like Christmas but I have a feeling it will rush by and I won't get to enjoy the season as much as I would prefer too.  Hopefully, with the magic of Christmas, time will slow down and I will get to spend quality time with friends and family, and not lose myself to the sugar and dairy that is already changing my mood and bloating my body up to a size I'm not comfortable in, anymore.  Whether we are ready or not, the holidays are here!  And since I know I won't have much time to myself until Christmas....I'm wishing you now, the happiest holiday season of all.  May the child like spirit of love, peace, and joy, fill your hearts and sound thru your laughter, as you spend time with those nearest and dearest to you.

Merry Christmas!

Never A Dull Moment

For the last few months I've been working full time in an upholstery shop.  I manufacture restaurant booths for Wendy's and Outback.   Business has slowed down and my boss is doing her best to keep me busy to give me hours.  So, this week I have....

Painted her son's bedroom

Made her sister a Christmas gift

Put letters on a letterman jacket

Made a quilt for her son

Run errands..and a few Starbucks runs

I've picked the kids up from school, dropped her husband off to fix a vehicle, gone to Staples, and Joann's (which worked out perfectly because I needed to pick up a few items there as well) and it's been an interesting week.  I'm not sure how I feel about being a personal assistant... however I've decided I really need to start looking a little more presentable at work so if I do have to go out in public, I'm not immediately regretting my lack of effort in clothing, hair and make up.

How was your week?

Jennee version 3.3

Today I turned 33 years old.  Gulp.  I'm finding it hard to believe I'm in my 30's....

Anyway, this year was a big year for me and I'd like to review what Jennee version 3.2 did with herself.

Jennee version 3.2

I dated a lot more than I ever have in my life.  I dated a guy I didn't like, a guy that I really liked, and a guy that I think I liked.   I was treated poorly and disrespected by some, and I was valued and adored by one.  I really like feeling valued and adored.

I started practicing yoga... and I've stuck with it for 8 months.   It's changed me mentally, physically, and spiritually.   I can now touch my toes, do headstands, and balance my body in positions I would have never imagined.

I changed jobs and got back to pursuing my dreams.   I'm back to my roots of doing upholstery and working on getting a full time job with my passions of health, fitness, writing, and photography.

I crossed the border and finally went to Canada.  I've done a bit of traveling this year.  Niagara Falls, Nashville, and tons of waterfall chasing all over Ohio.  

I published a children's story just for my niece.

I reached a lot of goals.

I listened to a life coach podcast to help with my broken heart and self esteem.  I continue to listen to the same life coach so those negative voices stay out of my life.

I invested in myself and my health.  I'm still learning how to say no, but I'm starting to get better.

I've searched out for adventure, I stayed active, I lived life to the fullest.

I overcame a broken heart, I lost some weight, I accomplished some goals, I had some set backs, and I bought a new car.   I've made new friends, I've mended broken friendships, and I've lost a few friends.  I've taken chances... on love, on life, on my future, on a career.

This year started with a lot of crying but it's ending with a lot of joy and laughter.   I learned how to find joy in the ordinary, and I've learned that creating joy in my own life brings happiness full circle.

I'm really excited to see what Jennee version 3.3 will do with her life, and I'll get to see it one day at a time.

Worth It

In July, I was approached by a Beachbody Coach to join her team.   I liked the idea of everything, hosting yoga challenges on instagram, getting healthier, making a couple bucks, and finally drinking shakeology which I had learned about while doing P90x....and Insanity.   The truth is, I always wanted to get Shakeology when I did those work outs but when I looked it up and saw the price.. I said NO.

So, knowing that being a coach would require me to drink Shakeology on a daily basis, I told the lady I'd have to think about it and see if I could afford to be a coach.  Everything was telling me to take the jump and do it, but the finances told to stop wishing and dreaming that I could afford something like this in my life.

Like I do in most things in life, I followed my passion.   Since July, I've worked out on a regular basis, I'm eating better, I have a better self esteem, and I drink shakeology daily.  When I don't push for sales, the financial side whispers "I told you so" in my ear, but I know that signing up to be a coach is the BEST thing I've EVER done for myself.

My sales record isn't the strongest but last month shakeology paid for itself which made me feel like I'm on the right path.  But then the strangest thing happened when I went to the store to pick up the supplements I use to help with my Hashimoto's disease.... I started checking on the prices of everything in the store.  I mean, really looking at the prices.

Because of coaching, I'm learning even more about health and wellness, more about supplements and vitamins, and so I started seeing the same ingredients that I've been drinking for several months in pill form.

When someone asks me about Shakeology because they see how much it's changed my life in a few months, I tell them to give it a try for 30 days... there's a bottom of the bag, money back guarantee but most of them say, "I can't afford shakeology but I'm glad it's working for you."

I slap myself on the forehead.   Is money more important than health?  Would you rather feel like crap and save a couple bucks or get your money's worth in a shake that can either be a snack or meal replacement.  The truth is, if I can afford shakeology, I'm pretty sure you can too.   Seriously.  You probably make twice the income I make, yet I made my health and wellness a priority.  So, I don't have cable, or go out to the movies anymore, or buy stupid stuff I don't need from online anymore, I INVESTED in my LIFE.  You can afford it if you WANT it bad enough.

So, while I was at the health food store, I tallied up the prices of 6 ingredients in Shakeology and it was $79.72.... suddenly $129 for 70 ingredients that lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, help regulate our bowels, aid in weight loss, give more energy, etc, etc, etc, doesn't seem so pricey, does it?   Breaking it down, shakeology is $4 a day....and you know what, I'M WORTH IT.   I'm worth paying that much/little for nutrients my body is craving for.  

I'm also worth the $50 top notch video series that I can use over and over for the rest of my life.   An average monthly gym membership is $55.... so again, is the cost that outrageous?  Every month, my team offers challenge groups with unlimited support and encouragement to help you get in the best shape of your life... the only thing stopping you from failing at getting healthy is YOU.  

Don't wait until the new year to start losing weight or get healthy, don't try that crash diet that you won't stick too, join me in the journey of loving yourself and getting healthier because you realize you are worth it.

If you want to take a giant leap of faith, like I did, and begin coaching because you need to commit to making a change in your life, talk to me.  I care more about you than sales.  In fact, sales is not my top priority as a coach... helping people get on the right path is.  I'd love to help you take the first step to your health and fitness journey, starting now.

How I Scored a 32" Flat Screen TV

I've never been one to really care about television or what I'm watching television on. I can prove this by the fact that I've owned an "embarrassing" tv for almost 2 years.   I was shopping at Goodwill looking for a television when a woman told me that I could  have hers for free as long as I picked it up. It was big, bulky, heavy, and old but it was also free and it worked just fine.   I had no problems with this TV, but everyone who came over to my apartment made some sort of comment about my ridiculous tv.

My man friend cannot stand my television. He would refuse to come over and watch television when invited, because we can only watch TV at his house because he has a nice lcd flatscreen TV.  

He couldn't stand the TV was only 32" while his friends had 55" flatscreen TVs. So on black Friday he ordered a new flatscreen TV that was 55" - and LED a step up from his friends.

Priorities.

On top of all this he is moving to a new location, so the other day I went over to help him clean his apartment and prepare for moving… Because I'm nice… Not necessarily because I think this is the man for me.

This was an eye opener.   

I knew he wasn't the most proactive person, and this has been a big issue from day 1 of our relationship....but he didn't have one thing packed....didn't have one cleaning item...in fact...he's never really cleaned his apartment in 15 months.  

He didn't know there were different kinds of cleaning....he's always wiped things down, that's all.

It was disgusting.

Like I wish I would have worn gloves and a mask disgusting.

However, I've never been afraid to roll up my sleeves  and get the job done, so I started cleaning....

And every room, I got more and more angry.   He didn't have any boxes, he was packing everything in Walmart bags.  

Three hours later, I collapsed on the couch, reeking of bleach and grime, having done deep cleaning on 4 rooms and he finally finished the half bath.

"I'm ashamed Jen, I don't know how to clean.  In my culture, the woman does everything in the house."

"I understand your culture but you're 35 and living alone, you have to clean up after yourself.  This place is disgusting."  I reply, completely heartless.

I can see his eyes are borderline tearing up.  He's embarrassed and ashamed.

"You don't have to clean this much."

"Yes you do! You're moving out! You've know you are moving for 2 months, you've had 4 days off of work!  All you did was play video games the whole time.  This laziness is a huge turn off."

Again, I'm heartless. 

"Jen, I'm a good person.  This dirt is meaningless in terms of our future..." He rambles on and on for 10 minutes straight, giving me every excuse he can think of.

"It's not the dirt, it's the laziness.  It's a problem.

He swears up and down he will change but the truth is I checked out of the relationship weeks ago.  The problem is he's a nice guy and I like hanging out with him so it's been difficult to end it....and he doesn't listen because I've broken up with him three times and he ignores it and then buys me a really nice gift.

So, the next day, what does he bring to my apartment?

His old tv.

Even though I told him I didn't want it, and that he's bribing me to give him another chance.  

I surrendered, took the tv,

and passed mine in to a resident in my apartment.

Thanksgiving Confessional

I have to make a confession.

I have neglected this blog and the blogging world.   I have neglected my love of writing.  I have neglected story telling, and I even dropped out of NaNoWriMo 1,000 words in because I didn't have time to write.

Who am I anymore?  I love writing.   I used to live and breathe writing.   I always had a journal full of ideas with me.... now, I keep forgetting to take my journal with me.

I really miss it.  I still have all these ideas in my head I want to write down.  I have a perfect children's story plot.  I have memories to share.  I just got back from a trip to Nashville, Tennessee.   I never even told you about all of my adventures in Canada either!  

So, I'm going to do my best to blog once a week until the end of the year.   It might only be a paragraph, but at least I'll feel like I'm writing again!

But I keep thinking, if I want to make a living as an author, how will that ever happen if I don't write... or I don't expose my writing to the world?   I used to have fans and followers of my words, and I let meaningless distractions stop my writing, stop me from posting, and eventually shut down my blog.   I know I can get there again... as long as I do some writing.

Each year I make some New Years Resolutions, and writing and blogging is sure to be a top priority for 2016.  

Ok, I'm off to prepare food for the festivities today.... but I had to get it off my chest.  So get used to me... I'm coming back to blogging!

Love Locks

I've always wanted to go to Paris.  Ever since I knew what and where the Eiffel Tower was, I've daydreamed about going to the city of love and romance.  The more I learned about Paris though, I realized there were other things I would like to do there besides see the Eiffel Tower.  Quickly growing on my travel to do list was Pont des Arts Bridge, also known as the Love Lock Bridge.  However, in June of 2015, they removed over one million locks because the weight of the locks was damaging the bridge.  Sadly, I took Pont des Arts Bridge off of my list of things to do when I make it in Paris.

Over the weekend, I went to Niagara Falls.  Not quite Paris but the travel plans did include my passport so it was pretty legit to me. (It would be even more legit if they stamped my passport but I can't have everything!)  As most of you know, I also love chasing waterfalls.  I've hiked all over Ohio finding little treasures of nature hidden off trails.  Niagara Falls was less hiking and more water.  Wow water! Seriously breathtaking.

Don't believe me.... take a look...

The weekend went really fast and I promise I will fill you in on all my adventures but on Sunday morning, I was saying farewell to the majestic waterfall and thought about all the people crazy enough to go over the falls in a barrel.  I snapped a photo of the danger sign, and that's when I saw it... the game changer....

So tiny and hardly noticeable... but as soon as I saw it, my smile exploded with pure joy!  I found a love lock.  I looked down a little further on the rail and there was another one, and then another, and then another!   I counted 65 from the bus stop on Niagara Parkway to my parking spot a little over 1/4 mile away.  SIXTY FIVE!  At first my goal was to find 30... and then 50....so I was ecstatic when I counted 65.

Imagine my excitement when I found one with JEN carved in the lock.

I think this was my favorite thing about the trip because I stumbled upon it and I'm curious how many more love locks will be there next time I visit Niagara Falls.  

Roald Dahl was right, "And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in unlikely places.  Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."