I bought this tag at Hallmark. It says Be YOU tiful. When you except yourself and celebrate YOU, you ARE beautiful. When you love yourself and become who you really are, you are happier. When you are happy, you radiate beauty from the inside out.
This is one of the messages I hope to get across at the young women’s conference.

Jodi made this really cute sign. When the women got off the elevator this is the first thing they saw.

Then Jodi had little signs on the doors of the main rooms so it was easier to know where to go. One room was called the fun room. It was for line dancing, picnic, future self exercise and our dancing queen training. There was also the girl talk room. That was for our workshops and cooking class. And our fabulous yum yum room where we had wonderful meals, candlelight dinner, crafts and a little dancing on the table. It was all so fun! We’re already trying to figure out how soon our next one is going to be. I really appreciated my willing team. I asked a lot of them right before Christmas and they all really stepped it up. I enjoyed listening and participating in every class taught. Dodie (the life coach) and Shari (the wellness coach) enjoying one of the activities. This was the Top Card activity that Dodie facilitated. This was some of the women’s favorite activity. Here are women working on their dream boards. I got reports from the ladies that they have hung up their strengths craft and dream boards in their closets and bathrooms so they can see them everyday. This is the strength craft. They turned out beautiful!

I taught classes on daring to be yourself, goal setting, exercise and thoughts create how we feel.

I didn’t get a picture of Allison teaching her fashion class but she was fabulous! She gave us all some great information and motivation. I have heard reports of people buying shoes, altering clothes and buying new foundation garments. Whoo hoo!

Jodie teaching us line dancing. Yes, we eventually got dancing pretty well. We had to watch her for awhile first.

Shari teaching her wellness class.

Our candlelight dinner eating Shari’s gourmet healthy food.

The food was awesome. Here is the panini bar with had the last night. We also served roasted red pepper soup, tortilla soup and a yummy salad. I will put some of the recipes on the blog in the future.

Two of the teachers, Dodie and Michele, looking gorgeous! That night Michele gave us an inspirational talk of word and song. She writes music of hope for women. I love to hear her tell how and why she wrote the songs. Then of course the best part is hearing her sing them.
We were lucky enough to hear 4 of the songs that are going on her new album that will be out in a few months. I love these songs so much, I will let everyone know when they are finally available.

Fun girls

Mindi and her mom Ada

wonderful women who came to my first retreat and helped make my dreams come true. I have had this idea for a long time and with their support I was able to take the leap and try something that up until now was only a dream in my mind.

I was surprised how happy I was with the outcome. I thought it was a “10″ both days! I had been worried that my perfectionism would creep in and I would have regrets about doing this or that better, but I thought it was perfect. I have lots of ideas for more in the future. Let me know if you are interested I already have a waiting list. Yay!

Dodie (the life coach) and Shari (the wellness coach) enjoying one of the activities.

Colette being coached.

I taught classes on daring to be yourself, goal setting, exercise and thoughts create how we feel.

This was the Top Card activity that Dodie facilitated. This was some of the women’s favorite activity.

Here are women working on their dream boards. I got reports from the ladies that they have hung up their strengths craft and dream boards in their closets and bathrooms so they can see them everyday.

This is the strengths craft. They turned out beautiful!

I didn’t get a picture of Allison teaching her fashion class but she was fabulous! She gave us all some great information and motivation. I have heard reports of people buying shoes, altering clothes and buying new foundation garments. Whoo hoo!

Jodie teaching us line dancing. Yes, we eventually got dancing pretty well. We had to watch her for awhile first.

Shari teaching her wellness class.

Our candlelight dinner eating Shari’s gourmet healthy food.

The food was awesome. Here is the panini bar with had the last night. We also served roasted red pepper soup, tortilla soup and a yummy salad. I will put some of the recipes on the blog in the future.

Two of the teachers, Dodie and Michele, looking gorgeous! That night Michele gave us an inspirational talk of word and song. She writes music of hope for women. I love to hear her tell how and why she wrote the songs. Then of course the best part is hearing her sing them.
We were lucky enough to hear 4 of the songs that are going on her new album that will be out in a few months. I love these songs so much, I will let everyone know when they are finally available.

Fun girls

Mindi and her mom Ada

wonderful women who came to my first retreat and helped make my dreams come true. I have had this idea for a long time and with their support I was able to take the leap and try something that up until now was only a dream in my mind.

My last post of Sarah Palin jogging in front of the Mendenhall glacier reminded me of the day my husband and I hiked there.

This was the glacier by my sister’s house when we lived in Juneau.

It is a massive beautiful piece of ice so big and cold it is blue. This is a very old picture so you can’t see the color. You can hike next to it without a jacket in the summer.

There is a trail to hike up the mountain next to the glacier. My husband, our 1 year old on his back, and I headed up for a nice day activity. It rained almost everyday but this day it was 70 degrees and sunny . There was a nice trail to follow with signs pointing to the 3 mile or the 7 mile hike. We thought the signs were a little confusing but thought we picked the right way. Pretty soon we noticed that the trails that we had been following were branching out, taking us crazy places and we knew somewhere along the path we had taken a wrong turn. At one point it was so muddy there were no more trails.

After 6 or 7 hours, finding ourselves lost in Alaska’s wilderness, we both started to panic a little. We started talking about bears. What if we run into one? We started being really quiet. We found out later this is the opposite of what you should do. If you come upon a bear and frighten him, he might kill you. We were suppose to yell and make as much noise as possible to scare wildlife away.
We were climbing over fallen trees and falling down ourselves because of the muddy ground. I suggested an idea and we would go with it until we exhausted that idea, then we would go with my husbands idea until it didn’t work. It was getting dark and we knew it would be cold at night, probably rain and we didn’t even bring jackets. We didn’t know if anyone even know where to look for us. The worst and scariest part was having our baby with us. How could we fight off a bear with a baby on our back?!!

I remembered going one direction and getting excited because we thought we recognized it. We were walking and walking feeling quite optimistic when we came to a dead end, a cliff that had a 300 foot drop off to a river below. We were stumped. We had been walking for hours and didn’t have a clue where we were. I asked Kyle which way he thought it was and he pointed to the right and I said I think it is to the left.

We had no one to ask except the Lord. I said a prayer and as soon as I finished, I immediately knew exactly the way home. It was clear and I was confident. I told Kyle I know how to get home! We went the direction of my prompting and we came to a deserted log cabin that we had passed earlier in the day. In front of it we could see the paths and we saw where we had taken the wrong turn.

We made it home safe that night. Besides our daughter getting a sunburn she thought it was just another fun day.
I have no doubt in my mind that my prayer was answered that day and I am very grateful.

I enjoy learning about successful people especially women. I am not pushing her as a candidate. I’m saying,” Look at this powerful mother of 5!” Incredible! What are her secrets? As you will read she normally runs 7-10 miles a day. In my experience successful people exercise regularly. I wish it weren’t the truth but I think it is.
This article came directly from the Wall Street Journal Magazine. I enjoyed hearing what she eats, how she exercises etc.

WSJ. Magazine
Gov. Sarah Palin: Midnight runs and caribou dinners
Coming Saturday Sept. 6 in the debut issue of WSJ. Magazine, a conversation with Gov. Sarah Palin about her unusual workout and fitness routine. Preview excerpt
By JEN MURPHY
August 29, 2008 8:26 p.m.

Brian Adams for WSJ. Magazine
Gov. Sarah Palin has always been a runner. Her parents were marathoners and high school track and cross-country coaches. “Running was a family affair,” she says. “I didn’t have much choice. Thankfully, I’ve never tired of it.”

Gov. Palin, a mother of five kids, says exercise is still very much a “family thing.” She and her husband, Todd, also an athlete, named their first son Track because he was born in that sport’s season. Gov. Palin (above, near Mendenhall Glacier, outside of Juneau) and her family live in Wasilla, about 45 miles north of Anchorage.

Workout

“Conventional running is my sanity,” Gov. Palin says. Having recently given birth to her fifth child, the governor is trying to get back to her old workout routine. She was running 7 to 10 miles almost every day but switched to aerobics classes at her gym when she became pregnant. She has worked her way back up to running three miles every other day.

In the summer, when it’s always light, she’ll sometimes run as late as midnight. In the dead of winter, when it’s dark, she sneaks in an afternoon run, or else grudgingly runs on the treadmill at home or at the gym in the evening. Gov. Palin keeps dumbbells at home, but she says most of her upper body strength comes from snowmobiling with her family. “It’s the best upper body workout you could ever have,” she says. “You’re maneuvering through hundreds of pounds of powder.” (Todd is a four-time champion of the Tesoro Iron Dog, the world’s longest snowmobile race.)

Brian Adams for WSJ. Magazine
Gov. Palin in Juneau, Alaska
Diet pitfall

“My family and I eat a healthy diet heavy in wild Alaskan seafood, moose, caribou and fresh fruit,” she says. “I guess my biggest pitfall is breakfast. I know it’s the most important meal of the day but I still haven’t bought into it. I hate to admit it, but a skinny white-chocolate mocha is my staple in the morning.”

Workout gear

“My ideal fantasy is to be running on a hot dusty road just wearing running shorts and some kind of top that wicks away sweat. But in reality I’m running in 20-below temperatures, so I wear layers of fleece and always a good outdoor waterproof trail shoe. Right now I’ve been running in Nike Air Structure Triax. And I always wear sunglasses. My kids tell me to put them on so I don’t freak people out when they see me with a goofy hairdo and no makeup.”

While I’m working out

“I’m thinking about my next speech. I usually write my best speeches and letters [in my head] while out running. That is my inspired time.”

Postworkout food

“Nothing. I just drink water.”

Workout pitfall

“Being pregnant every few years. If I get lazy and go weeks or months without exercising it’s not because of circumstances but because I’m being less disciplined. Shame on me.”

I am a political junkie. I watched Obama’s speech last night and then John McCain introduce his VP pick this morning. My opinion of Obama’s speech was that he is a good orator and even sounded a little bit like Martin Luther King at times. I heard a lot of the same old thing and wasn’t really touched by what he said. It felt more like a performance that was staged and calculated, than him being himself, connecting with me.

Watching McCain and Palin had an entirely different feel. I watched a genuine person that said things from her heart. There was authenticity there. You could feel that she was who she said she was. I liked her. I am happy McCain picked a woman. We need more role models. I was just enjoying the speech and was surprised when a tear fell down my cheek. I thought wow! I am really being touched here. I didn’t even realize that this would be such a big deal for me. I realized how the African American people were feeling when they watched Obama before them as a Presidential candidate.

I see her as a great role model for women. She has a nice family, was a team mom, served in the PTA, served in her city council, as mayor and now Governor. She makes me want to be a better person.

Shawn Hannity made a great point on his talk show today. He said she reminds him of his wife, she reminds him of the wives of his friends, and his kids friend’s moms. I feel the same way. I feel like I could hang out with her. You can definitely feel that she is a quality person.

I am really excited about this campaign now. I was concerned about who John McCain was going to pick. I feel like this is a very balanced ticket and fun to see a new face for a change.

Here is John McCain introducing his Vice Presidential running mate Sarah Palin.

This isn’t as good a quality but I wanted you to see her introduce her husband and children.

This is just part of her speech. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the whole thing in perfect order.

Do you like her as much as I do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7Bd3y_Ip4Q
You tube won’t let me embed this link. Copy and paste into the address bar.

This video is from 1991. If you can get past the hairstyles and clothes this video is pretty inspiring.

My favorite part of the song is about trying something foolish, doing something crazy, getting away and doing something for herself. She loves her family and doesn’t want to leave them but she wants more.

She’s always lived for tomorrow
She’s never learned how
To live for today
She’s dyin’ to try something foolish
Do something crazy
Or just get away
Something for herself for a change

Is there life out there
So much she hasn’t done
Is there life beyond
Her family and her home
She’s done what she should
Should she do what she dares
She doesn’t want to leave
She’s just wonderin
Is there life out there

It is smart to do some of your dreams while still raising your children, like going to school and getting a degree. When you take care of you, you’re happier and better able to take care of others.

I met with Bobigene the owner of the Secret Garden in Branson while I was in town. She owns a romantic clothing store for women and children. I own a children’s jewerly business and have been selling my jewelry to The Secret Garden for the past 7 years.
Bobigene the owner was dressed in white linen wide legged crop pants with ruffles on the bottom. She wore white patent leather ballet flats with scalloped edges. She had a lacy shirt and jacket with pens and a flower broach on her lapel. Her hair was up in a big clip and reminded me of a southern belle. She topped off the outfit with several sparkly necklaces, rings and bracelets.
I admired her for “HER” style. I saw the joy she finds in living life “her” way. She also owns the store next door. It is romantic home decor.

This is a dress similar to what she carries in her store. She showed me a dress that was twice as ruffly and feminine as the one above. She told me that her friend goes grocery shopping and around town in the dress. People always stop her and ask if she just came from a wedding. She says, “No this was just hanging in my closet and I thought I would wear it:)”
Isn’t that fun? I picture Bobigene and all of her friends playing dress up everyday. Looking in their closet and seeing what to wear, what makes them feel happy, not what other people say is in style. They have a style all their own.
As I was looking around her store, I told Bobigene about my coaching business and how I was trying to look more professional and not wear so much pink. She looked and me and said WHY?
I was stunned. I said I don’t know. (I have read about professional dressing. The other coaches look like corporate America and I don’t. )
If my mantra is “I’ve Gotta BE Me”……. Why am I buying manly business suits?. Why don’t I have my own fun style?
I ended up buying one of her silk ribbon broaches. She had about 50 to choose from. I thought since my company is called Time to Blossom Coaching that maybe I could wear flowers on my lapel like Bobigene.

This is the other thing I bought at her store. She doesn’t have a website or I would send you there. If you ever go to Branson look her up. She is a fun lady with great stores.

I went to a girls camp with 300 girls. A couple of ladies and myself were in charge of a service project that the girls would do. Here is what we came up with and what we did. We decided to have the girls write letters to the soldiers. We decorated the room very patriotic. This picture is one of the walls. The other walls were covered with patriotic scrapbook pages and flags hung on clotheslines. It looked amazingly good. When each group of girls came in I had patriotic music playing. I gave them an inspirational message about how blessed we are to live in America and what sacrifices the soldiers make to keep us free.

We showed them how to make this homemade card. They picked 3 quote cards to put in their letter and then wrote the letter. The quote cards were really up beat inspiring quotes that a soldier would like.
I read many of the letters the girls wrote. Each one of the cards I read made me tear up. The girls really got it. One of the girls said that this was the best thing she had ever done in camp in 6 years. WOW, that is amazing!



These are the songs that I had playing. I think this made a huge difference in the feeling that was in the room.
1- America the Beautiful – Mormon Tabernacle Choir
2 – God Bless the USA – Lee Greenwood
3 – God Bless America – Celine Dion
4 – American Soldier – Toby Keith
5 – Letters From Home – John Michael Montgomery
6 – You Raise Me Up – Josh Groban
7 – Battle Hymn of the Republic – Mormon Tabernacle Choir
8- Hero- Mariah Carey
9 – There’s A Hero – Billy Gilman
10 – Arlington – Trace Adkins
11 – Homeward Bound- Allyse Smith

I just bought this song off of Itunes. I liked it so much I found a youtube video for you to enjoy too:) Have a SPECTACULAR day!!!

Are you familiar with her? I had never heard of her until last week. Is there any other songs you recommend?

A friend of my daughters sent this poem to her. I’m not sure who wrote it.
F A M I L Y
I ran into a stranger as he passed by, ‘Oh excuse me please’ was my reply. He said, ‘Please excuse me too;
I wasn’t watching for you. We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said goodbye.
But at home a different story is told, How we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later that day, cooking the
evening meal, My son stood beside me very still. When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. ‘Move out of the
way,’ I said with a frown. He walked away, his little heart broken. I didn’t realize how harshly I’d spoken.
While I lay awake in bed, God’s still small voice came to me and said, ‘While dealing with a stranger, common
courtesy you use, but the family you love, you seem to abuse…
Go and look on the kitchen floor, You’ll find some flowers there by the door. Those are the flowers he brought
for you. He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue. He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,you
never saw the tears that filled his little eyes. ‘By this time, I felt very small, And now my tears began to fall…
I quietly went and knelt by his bed; ‘Wake up, little one, wake up,’ I said. ‘Are these the flowers you picked for
me?’ He smiled, ‘I found ‘em, out by the tree. I picked ‘em because they’re pretty like I knew you’d like ‘em,
especially the blue.’ I said, ‘Son, I’m very sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn’t have yelled at you that way.’
He said, ‘Oh, Mom, that’s okay. I love you anyway.’ I said, ‘Son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially
the blue.’
I know we have all been there. We all can get impatient. I hope we remember how much our children love us, and treat them as we would a friend. In a few years we are going to want that kind of relationship with them. I have two married daughters and I know how fast kids grow.
My youngest daughter left this outside my bedroom door as she left on a trip this morning. Children are so sweet!!!!!

Thanks Cutie Pie! I’m going to miss you too!!!!!