{this moment}

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by SouleMama. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your "moment" for all to find and see.

Just call me SLACKER

It's been so long, I apologize. I've been slacking in all blog areas of my life. The reason? A loser who took a lot of my time, and energy. He then failed to honor his word, which led me to have to send him an invoice for my work, which was suppose to be bartered.

Now, I wait until Monday, to see if he pays the invoice. If not, I've got a collection agent on standby. I've also got direct phone numbers to my state elected officials, DURING AN ELECTION YEAR, who seems to believe that I've quite the case to go after the lowlife out in Arizona.

It has taken up so much of my time, I'm sick over it. He's now disrupted BOTH of my blogs, this beauty right here, and my November Sunflower blog.

I should never have let him get to me like that, and pull me away from all of you out there, reading, sharing, and being a part of my life.

Just call me SLACKER, and forgive me.

Let's hope the payment arrives, and I can get back to doing what I love to do: WRITING and SHARING.

I am, very proud to say, I have managed to stick to my new healthy life. It did not change my eating habits, which it totally would have back a few months ago. This whole ordeal probably would have caused me to eat EVERYTHING and gain 15 lbs.

I am stronger than this jerk, and hell hath no fury like a blogger scorned.

{this moment}

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by SouleMama. A single photo-no words-capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your "moment" for all to find and see.

Going for Yellow Belt in May!

No Sibling Kids

I didn't have many friends that were "only children" when I was growing up. My friends seemed to have siblings of their own. I'm not very familiar with the way children without siblings think.....I mean, my daughter was an only child for about two years, almost to the day. She didn't really have time to form a personality before her brother arrived to disturb her world.

She doesn't remember what it was like to have things all to herself....and she has always had a built-in friend in the house. No, they don't always get along, but they always know their sibling is there. No matter how much they fight, they adore each other. When they are apart, they always ask to "bring this back" for their sibling. There's a connection.

So what goes through a child's mind when they try to come between siblings? Telling one that "you don't love your sister, because you won't share your swing with her."

My kids are close. Try to come between them, you'll find yourself on the outside looking in. And with this Mama Bear making sure you're put in your place.

You don't come between siblings, especially not at the ages of 5 and 3! Doesn't matter who you are!

Best Life by Design

I have the best life by MY design. It's all up to me, not someone else. I choose the course I want to take, then I TAKE IT!

Network Marketing allows me to change the lives of so many people in such a positive way. I've done it with Tupperware, it wasn't a great system. I did it with Arbonne, the system was better, the health products weren't the quality I was looking for, so I chose to MOVE ON and MOVE UP.

Isagenix, for me, is the best Network Marketing company I could have found. It marries two things I love the most: Amazing products that actually work, and the most amazing compensation plan ever created by a Network Marketing company. Why is that? Because the head lady, Kathy, has been in Network Marketing for many years, with other companies. When she started Isagenix, with her husband, she was well aware of how other companies were doing it. She wanted to do it BETTER. She wanted to do it the BEST. It's always GROWING, changing and becoming "that much better." That's what makes it the BEST comp plan around.

My people make money right away. No need to move up to consultant, just start making your money when you sign up, bring a couple of friends, get them to bring on a couple of friends. It's a simple thing to do, because we do it all the time.

I'm always sharing about a great restaurant I heard about. What do I do first? Ask a couple of gals to come with me to check out the new place. I don't wait to go, then tell them about it. What's the fun in that? Seriously?!!! If I find a great workout program, I ask my gals to come with me to check it out, I don't do it and then tell them about it. I just won't do it without my gals!

I want those around me to experience the things I love WITH ME. It's the same with Isagenix. Every person out there will respond to Isagenix differently. My body LOVED the stuff, still loves it every day. It's treating me very well, because I am feeding it with the best nutrition out there. I've got friends who are losing weight for the first time in years, I've got friends who are athletes and it's improving their stamina, plus building that lean muscle they love. There are some who are PUTTING WEIGHT ON, using the best products you can use. Believe it or not, there are people out there who have the exact opposite issue I had: they were too thin.

Isagenix is NOT a diet. It's a LIFESTYLE. 

I am so proud to be a part of this company, this LIFESTYLE, and this community. When people tell me how they are finally losing weight, after struggling for years, I get giddy. People who have suffered with chronic pain, like me, are thanking me for SHARING the products with them. Why? Because now they can do the things they love. The can play with their kids, ride bikes with their husband, go hiking with friends, without worrying about the pain! I share this experience with them, being a former chronic pain sufferer, and I just want to cry with happy tears. 

But here's the FUNNEST part. Stay with me now......most of them didn't think they could afford it. They didn't know if they'd be able to buy it each month, so they didn't know if they wanted to even feel "good," just to have it taken away due to money issues. Now here's where the fun part comes in: I have now taught them how they can afford it every month, plus make a bit extra income. Just SHARE the products with other people, like I shared it with them. When you love something like this, SHARE IT. Don't keep it to yourself. SCREAM FROM THE ROOFTOPS how great you feel, what it's done for you, and how the people can share it with their loved ones, friends, co-workers, strangers, and be able to afford to pay for it each month from the bonuses and commissions earned.

It's my greatest joy when I'm THANKED for taking the time to explain to people how to find two people to start the products with, which paid for their products thanks to bonuses, and then do the SAME for their friends. I mean, I am frugal! This is how I decided to pay for my products, at first. NOW, I earn way more than I need to pay for the products, so that money goes right towards our household income! 

It's me, plus two, and them, plus two. Keep doing it, over and over and over and over. You'll never have to worry about "the good" being taken away! You'll always be able to afford it, plus you'll build yourself a nice income to put towards things you want to DO, or BUY. Perhaps the new bathing suit for Memorial Day weekend BBQ's is just what you want to buy with your extra money, GO FOR IT.


I'm so grateful to Isagenix. And I will NEVER stop sharing the products, or the gift of wealth, with everyone.

Please, ask me about it. Learn about it here: www.stacigerardi.isagenix.com

 

March is National Nutrition Month

Did you know there's an actual National Nutrition Month? I had no clue until recently. I was checking out a few different websites about health and nutrition (I know, shocking to read about, right? You're probably wondering if I do anything else besides look for nutrition info on the web. I do, I promise. I've got a whole blog of stuff that's about Strategic Shopping.)

The theme this year is "Get Your Plate in Shape." I love it. LOVE IT. The whole nutrition education and information campaign was created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It's focus is to bring attention to the importance of making INFORMED food choices, developing sound eating habits, and developing sound PHYSICAL ACTIVITY habits.

I could not be more excited to share all of my nutritional information with people in any month during the year, but for March, I'll be doing it TWICE as much! I truly feel that NUTRITION is the best medicine out there. When your body has all the rights vitamins, minerals, and "good stuff" in it, your body thanks you in ways you never thought possible. This kind of month is important to me, because growing up, I wasn't taught about nutrition. It took me a LONG time to find it, embrace it, nourish it (no pun intended), and make the changes necessary, to improve my life.

It's important for me to learn it all, soak it all up, then share it with not just you guys, but with everyone I chat with who wants to improve their health ONCE AND FOR ALL. Plus, my kids are slowly learning the difference between good foods, bad foods, and the foods that are kind of "neutral" in the world. They don't do much for you, but they aren't going to hurt you, kind of foods.

It took a long time of doctors NEVER having answers for me. Tests, MRIs, CAT scans, blood tests, and more, were the ways doctors thought they'd find answers for my exhaustion, daily headaches for THREE YEARS, chronic neck, shoulder, back, and hip pain, plus the migraines every month, sometimes a few times per month. I said "that's it, I'll TAKE MY HEALTH into my own hands." It's never too late, even in my 30s, to take charge of my health and say NO to doctors who wanted to keep me on cholesterol medications, tell me I had chronic fatigue syndrome, and that I was depressed.

The answer from the doctors was always "let's pump this young woman full of prescriptions." Instead of teaching me what I should have been doing all along: Eating the right foods, getting good nutrition into my body, so I wouldn't have chronic headaches, migraines, shoulder, neck, back and hip pain, and ALWAYS BEING TIRED.

Well this chick said ENOUGH and never looked back. I never would have had that tenacity without the support of my family, the up-bringing I received from my parents, and the willingness to TRUST my own GUT.

I fully support and LOVE this National Nutrition Month®. It's a fantastic idea and I plan on NEVER STOPPING the entire month of March - bringing all of my education to people who want to embrace nutrition!

Let's "get your plate in shape" my friends! I'm here to help.

Health and Wealth 30 Day Part Two Days 26-29: Off Schedule a little bit

Lordy, lordy. I'm off schedule. I didn't pay attention to my Cleanse for Life amounts, I guess I had too much at some point, so my calculations are totally off. I had to skip doing my cleanse days, which is KILLING ME, because I kind of feel like I'm not at my best without having at least a one day cleanse.

I'm on autoship, so I am waiting for it to ship out today, but it won't reach me for a few days. I'm going to be doing a TWO DAY DEEP CLEANSE when it arrives, FOR SURE. I'm itching to get the products in my hands, because I know the last few days have been a bit off for me.

Each month, the painful issues I once had while I'm surfing the crimson wave (do you know what movie that's from? Leave a comment if you do!), is now gone. I no longer have mind numbing, body splitting, excruciating pain from it. Which is a shock, because I've had these issues since I was in my teens. I would be in bed for two, sometimes three days, in pain, with a migraine, too. Not what you'd call "living a good life."

So yes, I'm super happy about that change in my life. I'm also excited about not feeling bloated, EVER.

HOWEVER, my desire to eat everything and anything has not left me during this time of the month. I don't have cravings throughout the rest of the month, but dang nab it, when this thing comes a calling, the desire to eat is just THERE. Obviously, I don't eat all crap-o-la. But I do need the crunch, so I eat almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews...and then I also need the chocolate. Thankfully, we've got chocolate, so I'm good there.

It's just aggravating that I'm at the tail end of my 30 day, one more day to go, and I can't actually get a good indication of my body until the crimson waves have stopped ebbing and flowing. It is what it is, I will just extend my 30 days, add another few days and finish up with a two day DEEP cleanse, hopefully it will restore my body back to normal.

My NEW normal that is! Cravings be gone, just stick with the healthy lunch and dinners. Plus my all important, super amazing, one shake a day, packed with my Ionix, IsaLean Shake mix, IsaFruits, Isagenix Greens and a little bit of Want More Energy? in Orange. It's my POWER - the source of all that is gloriously healthy - pumping through my body, day and night.

So happy, grateful, and blessed.

To health, wealth and happiness in 2012 and forever after.