Halloweensie Contest

Photo Credit: Good Housekeeping

I’m participating in Susanna Leonard Hill’s 9^th Annual Halloweensie Writing Contest. 

The rules are simple, write a story using 100 words or less. You must use some form of the words – Potion, Cobweb, and Trick. Stories must be appropriate for children 12 years and under. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. It’s a challenge, but it’s fun.

Here’s my story…

A Zombie Girl Halloween

Halloween party, come one, come all,

Zombie Girl stood straight and tall.

Wearing baggy, boogie pants,

it was tricky to dance her dance.

“Zombie Girl, you look silly,

dressed in pants, lacey and frilly.”

Zombie Girl dropped her head,

sat in a corner pouting instead.

Spotting a sign, she knew what to do,

Magic potion, to feel brand new.

Spooky bubbles in a glass,

Filled high, make it last.

Zombie juice spills on toes,

Covered with cobwebs, hold your nose.

One, two, Zombie feet move,

three, four, dance to a groove.

Zombie Girl loves to dance,

especially wearing frilly pants.

Wordless Wednesday - National Checklist Day

Photo Credit: gapfinancial

Do you use checklists to keep your life organized? Check out the article in this link to learn how the use of checklists originated.

Does a checklist help keep you organized?

Motivational Monday – Transformation – How bad do you want to change?

A-Train's SuperFit Coaching Staff (there are more, not pictured here)

“You are bigger than your greatest fears.” Those are the words displayed on a sign on the wall at the fitness studio where I work out. The coaches encourage each person to “challenge yourself.” How bad do you want to change?

Success does not happen overnight. Begin your journey with a first step, and you don’t have to do it alone. Do you want to feel better, look better and gain control of cravings? Me too. That’s why I’m joining the 30 Day No Sugar Challenge at Atrain’s Superfit.

Before you say you can’t do it, think again. Give it your best effort. Have you heard the saying, “Nothing beats a failure, but a try?” Try it. What do you have to lose (except, maybe a few inches or pounds)? Take it a step further and combine fitness with healthy eating. BAM. Transformation happens.

Take a look at the lady's photos below. This may sound like a commercial, but these are real people with real results. These are women I call friends, my SuperFit Sisters. They will tell you, this journey isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.

Tonya

I asked Tonya what motivated her to make a change, she said, “I had gained 30 pounds without even realizing it.”

Tonya told me, “I’m in this for the long haul.”

I can appreciate Tonya’s statement.  Deciding to focus on your health and well-being is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. Join us on our 30 day transformation and begin your new lifestyle. No matter what, don’t quit trying.

Ketra tried many times to reach her goals. There were no immediate results, but she did not give up. There are many other stories such as Ketra’s and Tonya’s, waiting to be shared. You could be the next success story. You are bigger than your greatest fears. How bad do you want to change?

Ketra

Make your transformation happen.

Fun Friday – A Cinderella Moment – Diva for a Day

Photo Credit: Valerie Marie Photography

The day I scheduled my makeover I knew my glow would be only temporary. It was a FREE makeover that required you to spend $60 on products. It was a small price to pay to feel like Cinderella for a day.

I don’t know who styled Cinderella’s hair, but I got my fabulous cut at Salon Kimistry in Ypsilanti, MI. I was way overdue for a little self-care. My hair was experiencing some kind of transition, it was long on the sides and short in the middle. One could even say I was twinning with Bozo the Clown. The haircut was unplanned, but it was a welcome change.

My dress, not a ball gown, was from…the back of my closet, wedged between other exquisitely designed (regular) dresses on plastic hangers. I slipped into a soft, silk-like, sleeveless red dress on the day of my special event. Well, if you call tugging a dress over your shoulders and smoothing it over your muffin top, slipping it on, then that’s what I did.

I traded my glass slippers for red suede shoe boots. I was a diva for a day. I tried really hard to hold onto the look for the entire weekend since I had other events to attend. On day two, my look began to fall apart. It was like the little pig who lost his house at the hands of the big bad wolf.

My fake eyelashes looked like they had been through a windstorm. When I blinked my eyes, it felt like the eyelash was touching my forehead or the top of my eyebrows. The temporary eyelashes should have been removed long before I was forced to lay them to rest. However, I wanted them to last through all of my weekend events.

It was at that last event of the weekend, at the stroke of 5pm (ending time of the event), I lept from my chair, grabbed my belongings and ran from the building. I made it to my car, got in, slammed the door and peeled the fake lashes slowly from my eyes. I was back to normal. No more diva.

Girl let go of the lashes, you got your wear out of them

You are beautifully and wonderfully made, don’t short change yourself. Indulge in pampering from time to time. Bring out the diva in you and have fun with it.

Photo Credit: Valerie Marie Photography

Wordless Wednesday - World Pasta Day

Photo Credit: Taste of Home.
Click for recipe

For all the pasta lovers out there...it's your time. World Pasta Day is coming. This special day was established in Rome Italy on October 25, 1995, and is promoted by pasta manufacturers around the world.

I don't know about you, but this is a great excuse to indulge in pasta.

DISCLAIMER: Eat Responsibly

Motivational Monday – Your Season

Photo Credit: Fearfully Wonderfully Me

Warm sunshine caresses your face, tree branches sway slightly, as you blissfully soak up the gentle energy of your surroundings. Soon this season will drift into the next. Each season brings a different experience…the same is true for life situations. Your season is now.

Have you planted seeds and have been waiting for them to germinate? This is your season to reap what you have sown. There is a gospel song by William Murphy titled, It’s Working. The lyrics say, “This is your season, for grace, for mercy. This is your season, to reap what you have sown.”

One of my favorite lines in that song says, “God is leaning…in your direction.” What harvest are you expecting in your life? Are you anticipating a blessing in the area of your finances, a new job, your health, your family? If you have not done so, plant your seeds now. Water them with faith, and till the soil with prayer.

This is your season. Whether you are in the cold, dark season of winter, or the spring season of things growing and blooming, you are blessed. A friend recommended a book to me that talks about the season of your faith. The title is Don’t Die in the Winter – Your Season is Coming, by Dr. Millicent Thompson.

Whether you are experiencing storms or sunshine, each season is a blessing and a time of growth. Learn from it. Ask yourself, what is this teaching me? What am I supposed to learn from this?

YouTube Video Credit: Global Gospel Group

It’s your season. Be blessed.

If you give a mom a minute, she’ll want more time – why planning ahead is important

Photo Credit: Great Big Yes Life Coach

Happy Friday! Wishing you a weekend filled with all things fun. I have a full schedule of events and will be away from the blog. So I'm sharing a blog post from the past. Enjoy.

Have you ever had one of those days where you wish you had just a little more time to get things done? In some cases it may be poor planning that caused a lack of time to get things accomplished. It can strike any one of us…the dreaded lack of time. It happened to me.

I thought I awoke early enough one morning to begin my routine, but the time monster had a different plan. Murphy’s Law took over - whatever could go wrong, did go wrong.

The clothes I planned to wear needed to be ironed. The iron never got hot, so I had to search for a different outfit. Once dressed, I headed to the kitchen to make my lunch. This easy task was compounded when I couldn’t find the lid to the plastic storage container I wanted to take (for my salad).

I only had 15 minutes left before I needed to leave for work. If I only had more time.

I began putting together the rest of my lunch, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. My first hurdle was to open the squeezable bottle of jelly. Easy enough? Nope, the cap would not flip open. I finally got it open with the assistance of a butter knife.

In my hurriedness I squeezed the jelly quickly. Splat. Too much jelly that I could not squeeze back into the small neck of the bottle. Perhaps a call was needed to the Welch’s company.

If I only had more time.

Of course I had to stop and jot notes for this blog post. I was going to be late for sure and I still had not had breakfast. The cereal I poured was waiting for me, but I had to stop to pee. No time for breakfast, I just poured the cereal back into the box. The peanut butter and jelly sandwich would suffice as breakfast once I got to work.

Just one more stop and I could make it to work only 10 minutes late. There is a grace period, right? I had to stop by the post office and mail a bill payment. After all, I got up early and addressed the envelope.

Once I got in the car, I realized I walked out without my cell phone. I took it off my belt because I stopped to pee. My phone is like American Express, I can’t leave home without it.

More time would have helped.

After retrieving the phone, I was on my way. The post office was only five minutes away, then another five minutes to work. I dropped the envelope in the drive-up mailbox and headed to work. Mission accomplished.

My bill was on its’ way. Wait did I put a stamp on the envelope?

If only I had planned ahead.

What has been your experience in not planning ahead?

Words of Wisdom - Motivational Quotes for Success in Life

YouTube Video Credit: Brainy Dose

Motivational Monday – You Can’t Stop My Praise

photo credit: Grace Lutheran Tampa

The organ music echoed throughout the sanctuary. People began rocking and moving their bodies with the strike of each chord played. The sound of baritone voices shifted everyone’s attention to the back of the church. The male chorus swayed side to side as they marched into the sanctuary.

The first annual concert of the Community Male Chorus was underway. Their theme was, You Can’t Stop My Praise. In the midst of the service, you could feel the joy in the atmosphere. Nothing could stop the positive energy of praise. I left feeling rejuvenated and thought to myself...How often do we take the time to praise the Lord, just because we can?

Start your day with an attitude of gratitude, a jump for joy, give a shout in the shower. Don’t let anything stop your praise. You may be anticipating a day of meetings, appointments, or facing health challenges, but don’t back down before your breakthrough. Praise anyway. You may be the light that someone else needs, to see their way through a situation.

Every day is a blessing and another opportunity to shout praises. You may not be listening to organ music or bobbing your head as a choir marches in, but you can praise in your own fashion. Let your light shine.

Wellness Wednesday - Strong for a Cause - Special Olympics Plane Pull

"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.    John F. Kennedy

3rd Annual Plane Pull for Special Olympics - Second Place in the Women's Division

If you are looking for a surefire way to improve your health and wellness, surround yourself with positive energy and supportive people. Give your time to a worthwhile cause.

Motivational Monday – Mind, Body, Soul and Faith

A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Lao Tzu

Lace up your shoes or walk barefoot, but take your first step. At times in life we have to step up, step over, or step through obstacles to reach our destiny. Two local authors have accomplished this feat. They use their gift of writing to encourage others.

The two books I’m sharing with you today use faith as a foundation to share their messages.   

I AM Health & Wellness, by Deodge Hill, is a 30-day journal and daily devotional. Deodge says, “This book helps a person gain control of health goals by keeping them engaged and holding them accountable for their health.”

Author, Deodge Hill

Chelsea G. Robinson’s book Golden Tones: Writing with Soul, is lyrical as it touches on everyday life situations. The short essays end with reader’s notes that include a scripture and space for the reader to write or reflect. Chelsea is a recent college graduate with a passion to “effect positive change in society and her generation… through life examples of transparency and artistic expression.”

Both books are available on amazon.

Author, Chelsea G. Robinson

Are you taking care of your mind, body, and soul? Strengthen your faith and all things fall into place. We are not promised that life will be easy, but we learn and grow through every experience. When you are faced with an obstacle, pray about it then ask, what am I supposed to learn from this?

Deodge and Chelsea both encourage us to take a deeper look at our well-being or life situations and be inspired.

If you feel like you are walking alone, you are not. Begin your journey, whatever it may be, with that first step. When you feel weary and beat down, don’t give up. God will carry you.

Wordless Wednesday - World Teacher's Day

Photo Credit: Unesco

World Teacher's Day is celebrated on October 5th. Make a special effort to thank a teacher for all she/he does in helping to shape young minds. Youth of today are tomorrow's leaders.

To my teacher friends and all teachers...kudos.