Rewarding Revelations and Signing Off!

Well, I guess it had to happen. This will be my last post...at least for a while. I recently had the opportunity to be a part of something so fun and inspirational. Arbonne has been working with the Extreme Makeover Home Edition show for about a year now. Each new house, they contact a nearby consultant who then organizes volunteers and donations to fill their house with personal products. Unless you've been living under a rock in the DFW area, you probably know they've just completed a house in Lancaster for a Dallas cop who is wheelchair bound after being shot in the back in a drug bust gone bad. I had the privilege of being in charge of collecting products for the 4 year old boy. Our group raised more than $10,000 in product donations in 5 days!

The show then invited our Arbonne group to come in and help out inside the house. We toted accessories from the garage to the house and I actually spent a good deal of time folding the dad's t-shirts, sitting on the floor of the shower in the blazing heat. We finally left a little before midnight when the next group was arriving to help out.

So what does this have to do with my business? Honestly, it was truly a humbling experience, meeting all these incredible volunteers who had been there all week, sacrificing sleep and time with their families, with the single purpose of doing something wonderful for this family. Every time I am out there representing my company, I am reminded of the privilege I have of serving others through my business. It made me remember that this is a relationship business. I had so much fun talking with team members and customers over the past days as I got donations for the family. My business is about getting out there, building relationships with others, and serving them the best that I can, whether they are on my team building a business or are just a customers who loves the products. It's not about posting random thoughts on products I like. My friends and customers already know what products I love and can't live without. Most know how much this business has and continues to mean for my family both personally and financially. But above all, the thing I value most about my business are the relationships. That's my focus. There's nothing particularly meaningful about this blog. It doesn't build or help my business. It's the people that I am surrounded by in this business that are meaningful.

I realized with this experience that God truly does use ordinary people to do EXTRAORDINARY things! I mean really - building a house in 7 days???? Are you kidding? When I saw what was going on, I was so amazed. But then again, I wasn't. God can do anything! So with that, I am signing off. God has placed so many amazing people into my life because of this business and I am truly blessed!

p.s. The house is beautiful...the rooms are amazing! I was going to post pics but for confidentiality reasons we were not allowed to take pictures, so all I have to post are some pics of the designers and all the products we had....and the outside of the house. you'll have to watch the show to see it all!!

Getting back in shape

We are finally back from the ozarks and boy am I ready to get this bod back in shape with better food! It's true what they say...garbage in, garbage out. When I eat terrible (you know, the funnel cakes and fries and pizza) not only does my body not function at its best, but my skin suffers as well. My detox cleanse should arrive in a few days, but my skin needed help now! I started my day with the RE9 deep pore cleansing mask. Now, as a rule, I hate masks because they simply take time I do not have, but I MADE time this morning! My skin immediately looked and felt better. I'm going to have to take some extra time to whip it back into shape, and once I finish the cleanse I'll do another mask. But it's a start!

Oy!

We are nearing the end of trip trek #2 (out of 3). This time it was to the Ozarks. More family, more fun, and more FOOD!!! Oy! I've eaten my body weight in everything bad from funnel cake to ice cream, burgers, to BBQ. The last few days I've altered my routine just a bit. Instead of doing the energy drink with fiber booster, I have been putting the fiber in a daily detox tea. I'm starting to feel much better. I'll start the full cleanse (which I do every 3 months for colon health since I have a family history of colon cancer and polyps) next week when I get back and this time Hubby is doing it with me! Woo Hoo!! Can't wait!

Healing Hands

I'm completely and utterly addicted to the FC5 hand cream. I love it. We just put in hardwood floors downstairs (hence the melting in Houston all last week!) and I came home to a dusty mess and nearly an entire downstairs needing to be unpacked from boxes. Needless to say my hands have taken a beating, as newspaper leeches the moisture from your hands. Not to mention the blisters I have from vacuuming every single shutter blade in my house. I have been slathering on the hand cream about every half hour. It's not greasy and my hands are quickly improving.

Now I just need to use the detox line to get the rest of the grime off...but that's another post.

Holy Cow and Thank Goodness!!

Whew! I'm still melting into daily puddles here in Houston. I stay out in the garage apartment and the air conditioner can't even keep up it's so bad. Right now it's only 93 but feels like 98 and the UV index is 10, which is very high. We went to Galveston on Tuesday. Man, the devastation was so apparent. But I digress. Anyway, you try reapplying sunscreen on sandy, salty, sweaty bodies. We were only there for two hours and even reapplied....we got fried on our backs. And I mean the painful, stinging kind. I felt like the worst mother in the world. Never mind my business, we've switched to SPF 70 spray on sunscreen. I could not handle seeing my girls' backs like that.

So anyway, what's this got to do with my business? What product will I post about? The SeaSource Detox Spa Body Gelee. Once again, this has proven to be THE BEST, bar none, after burn solution we've ever had. Not only is it not sticky, but it has prevented the dreaded "peel". The kind that makes you want to gag. My girls LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! They like the way it feels, they like the way it smells, and I can feel good about putting it on their skin because there are no harsh chemicals in it. OBviously I would prefer not to get burned at all, but with kids, unless you live inside during the summer, are gonna get it one time or another. We LIVE at the pool in the summer and no amount of sunscreen or swim shirts or anything else will keep us completely protected unless we are in a full body suit, mask and hat!!

I'm melting here...

Ok this is almost ridiculous. I'm in Houston and it is literally 99 degrees today. It's almost never that hot here! It's been just as bad in Big D. Unseasonably warm for June! As much as I love the Revelage Day cream, I've had to switch back to te FC5 oil-free with SPF20. I felt like the other was just melting off my face. I realize, I'm really just sweating it off...haha. Still using the Revelage night serum and concentrated age spot minimizer, which is doing wonders for my overall complexion as I spend more time outside and in the sun. My face does not feel a bit oily or greasy after using the FC5 today, and we spent an hour practically melting during my kids' swim lessons here.

Oh it's ON!!

Alright - so I tried to come up with a catchy title...haha. So it's now summer and we spend ALOT of time at the pool. I've been super careful with my skin care and protecting my face. The revelage has been awesome! My face has gotten sun but not the uneven mess I've been getting with the horrible freckling. And it doesn't look dried out. The rest of my skin, on the other, not so much. I am so not a body lotion person. Not because I don't like it - I do! It's just not something I generally take time for. It's an extra step. But really, my skin is suffering from the chlorine. I mean, hello. Public pools have TONS of it!! Obviously, I have a few body lotions lying around the house, so my job over the next few weeks is to try them all out (again) and decide which one really delivers for summer "pool skin". It's the Battle of the Body Lotions (cue dramatic theme music - I mean hey, I've got to do something to make this seem more interesting than it really is!!!).

Pure, safe and Beneficial

I went to a meeting and training this morning....learned some awesome makeup tricks from Hollywood makeup artist Krista Embry (who uses and promotes Arbonne products herself). But the neatest thing was hearing from one of our Executive National Vice Presidents who happens to also be a cancer survivor. She had non-Hodgkins lymphoma as a child and is serious about her health. She gave a startling statistic that was published in a cancer journal. A little publicized fact is that more cancers are caused by personal care products (including skin care and cosmetics) than by cigarette smoke. Wow. I walked away with an even bigger belief in what I'm sharing with others, and I love knowing that i never, ever have to worry about what I'm putting on my skin or in my body. So for those reading that use our products - kudos to you! You are doing something wonderful for yourself and your family!

Energy on the Go

Well, as usual, May was crazy busy. It was all I could do to make it to the end of school. You'd think I'd be ready to kick back and relax. This is our first official week of summer vacation. My older daughter has a cheerleading camp down in the Park Cities, which is fun to visit since I grew up there but sooooo far from where we live now! I'm shuttling her back and forth all week as well as packing up my entire downstairs so we can rip up our floors in two weeks to put in hardwoods. Needless to say, I am short on time and really trying to cram it in. I feel like I did when we moved a few years ago!! I have to admit, the NRG Fizz tabs have really been my saving grace. I take one every day with the fiber booster anyway, but I have been working especially hard the last few days with a lot of physical labor and really have felt "inspired" if that even makes sense. I feel good knowing that I am consuming things that are safe and beneficial...but this is one time I am especially grateful for some extra energy so I can get things done. If you are in need of an energy boost, I highly recommend it!

Itch relief

Along with a bit of sunburn from the weekend at the ranch, we all got chewed alive by bugs while we fished. Yes, we used OFF bug spray. And no, it really did not work all that well. Anyway, when I first started my business I had heard that the Arbonne baby diaper cream worked well on bites. I can assure you we put that theory to the test! And while I may look a bit silly with patches of white on my ankles, it really does work well. I don't like calamine because it's runny. I like knowing that I'm still using pure, safe, and beneficial to treat the bites on my family. Eventually it gets too hot even for bugs. But in the meantime, here's to safe and effective itch relief!

more sunburn

Well, we just spent the weekend at the ranch. The kids literally spent all day yesterday outside down at the lake fishing and canoing. I got the faces with sunscreen but it was super cloudy and I totally forgot my younger one had on a sleeveless top, so of course, with her pale skin, she got burned. I think we'll be getting a lot of use out of the seasource line again this summer. My girls love the body gelee and BEG for me to put it on them! As for me, I continue to be pleased with the results of the SPF 30 Revelage day cream. love, love, love it! Having a spa night with friends to share all my goodies!! I am off to the salon with daughter #1 for mani-pedi's! I love treating her to them at home with my shea butter set, but this will be her first professional ones!

Soothing Relief

Soooo...both my daughter and I have some random patches of sunburn. I mean really, try getting an 8 year old to stop riding water slides long enough to sufficiently reapply sunscreen. Me, I guess my only excuse is not being able to reach certain parts of my back and missing a bizarre spot on my foot. Oh well. Anyway, I posted before about the Seasource Spa Body Gelee. It is seriously the best sunburn relief we have ever used. Not sticky, very soothing. Obviously I'd prefer not to get sunburned at all (and I would LOVE if Arbonne would come out with a spray on sunscreen!) but if I'm going to get those patches because of missed spots, this is definitely good relief!

You know, it's funny. i've been posting for about 7 months now. Sometimes it feels redundant or inane. I mean, after all, it's only some products. I know that most of you don't post comments...or at least not on the blog, since you have to register for that. But I love the feedback I get through your e-mails or when I see you in person. Thanks for reading my blog! I'm so glad it's inspired some of you to try some new products, and even more, I'm thrilled that through my blog you've found some products that really have benefitted you or your family!

Awesome Protection

Today was Hawaiian Falls day for my older daughter. They shut down the water park for our lower school and it is truly a blast!! This was the first time for me to try out the new REvelage Day moisturizer as a sunscreen for my face. I've always hated sunscreen because it is so heavy and greasy. Anyway, this offers SPF 30 and spreads really well. Since it is a moisturizer and not a sunscreen, it's really light. I applied before going and reapplied once during the day. It offers absolutely amazing protection. No burn, no freckling. I am super excited. This is the best my face has looked after being in the sun!

Of course, after getting cleaned up I did find all the other spots that I missed with my sunscreen (incidentally I use our Save Face and Body SPF 30...it's not my favorite. I prefer our baby sunscreen instead because it is not greasy and has no scent, but we are out and my order has not come in yet). Our detox spa Body gelee is absolutely the best after burn stuff in the entire world. It's not sticky but still cools and soothes and hydrates. I've got some pretty funky lines on my back...*sigh*

Amazing this time around

Ok so I have been much more diligent the last several months in using my hormone cream...I do it every morning without fail! This month, I literally did not have any cramps when my monthly present came. I did not even realize it. Usually I am crabby and get pretty much the only headache I'll have all month, and I did not even have that! I've used it off and off for probably a year, but have never been good about using it daily. Boy does it make a difference! I'm sold!

Outside the Comfort Zone

So last weekend was a time for trying new things. Some sweet friends of ours decided to take us out for sushi. I have to admit, the idea was not all that appealing. I have never, not once, desired to try it. If I'm going to shell out the cash, I want my food COOKED! Still, we agreed to go to Ra up in Plano and try it out. Since we were being so adventurous, I turned in our new catalog to the makeup, where they now have tips for creating two looks. I'm not one to wear much makeup, but I decided to go out of my comfort zone and try out the smoky eye look. It gave me step-by-step instructions on what to use and how to apply the products. I must say, I looked smokin' hot. I did not even look like me. Sweet hubby loved the look! Won't do it all that often because I felt a little self-conscious, but I was glad to try something new. And I was glad to have instructions on how to do it...just like I was glad for someone to tell me how to order, what to eat, and how to pick it up with those blasted chop sticks! Haha.

Freckle Juice

When I was little, I remember reading a book called freckle juice. In it, the character is willing to try anything to get rid of freckles! I've always had freckles....and never really minded them. However, in the past decade, not only have I gotten increasingly more freckles, I've dealt with discoloration and hyper-pigmentation. NO matter what kind of sunscreen I put on, I get a mask of sorts every summer. And it literally takes the entire rest of the year to fade, and it never really does completely. So needless to say, I was anxious to try out our new line of products specifically for age spots and discoloration.

After using it a week, I am absolutely thrilled! Mind you, it's not freckle juice. My freckles are still there, although I do believe they are lightening up. But the noticeable difference is not my freckles, it's my skin tone underneath those freckles! That is where the dramatic difference is! My skin tone is most definitely evening out and the discoloration is going away. For the first time in a long time, I felt comfortable going to teach WITHOUT any kind of powder to even my skin out. I guess the true test will be this summer when I am outside ALOT. But the day moisturizer has SPF 30 and I love the way it feels on my face. Very light and my skin looks brighter and healthier than it has ever looked!

So I'm not as impressed with the new acne spot treatment. I think it probably will work better for things that have already broken out, but not for the ones that are under the surface and just beginning. Mine is going away....just much slower than I thought.

Cleanse Trick

I forgot to let y'all in on a little secret. For those that have tried our cleanse, it is admitedly not the yummiest thing in the world. I personally don't mind the taste. I don't really think it has a taste. Anyway, just to try it out, I decided that when I mixed the bottle with the 32 oz of water, I would subsitute about 4-5 oz. of my sugar-free crystal light drink (it's actually the Target Generic of CL but the flavor is yum-o and I use it every day with the Pomegranate NRG and fiber booster anyway). It flavored it up a bit and actually tasted so much better that I found myself drinking it much faster and was finishing it before noon....so of course I suffered the consequences a bit those first two days until I learned some self-control. Anyhoo....for those who found the taste less than their Baskin Robbins ideal, it's just a little trick. I don't think it breaks any cardinal rules of detox or anything...haha.

New Product Update

My products came in yesterday and of course, I've been "testing" them out. The acne line has been reformulated and they've added a spot treatment that is extra strength! I've been using it on what I call an "undergrounder"...you know, those stress bumps that never quite surface?? Well it's finally drying up!! Woo Hoo! And I've been using the new Revelage products. The studies they sent us said it takes a few weeks to really notice a lightening in freckles, age spots, and discoloration. But I do love the way the products feel...very light with absolutely NO scent, so it won't compete with my favorite RE9 and FC5 products, which they are meant to be used with. I am very excited about these products and can't wait to report back on the results! It's perfect timing with summer coming up! And I'm also excited that our company is choosing to offer the shea butter hand and body wash/lotion duo all year round! It was such a huge seller at Christmas and just smells absolutely yummy!!!

Cleanse Final Post

I made it through my 3rd cleanse....it was great. Other than Day 2 it was a breeze and I feel great. I started back on my regular routine of Pomegranate NRG drink with fiber booster. This is really the big test...choosing to NOT eat the goldfish and other snacks my kids have and sticking with cheese or a few nuts. The eating has been great and I always feel so good when I finish a cleanse. I have not weighed to see what I lost, but then again, most of y'all know I don't do it for weight loss anyway...just colon health and overall wellness! As long as my clothes fit fine, that's usually my barometer. I did start Wii Fit up again and did the 10 minute hula hoop...man am I sore! Now, I just need my new products!

Day 6 - the Light at the end of the tunnel

It's Day 6 (out of 7). It's going great! I have not had my kids' goldfish or any other type of processed flour or sugar all week, so naturally I feel really good. The bigger challenge will be keeping it up afterwards. We are having friends for dinner tonight and will do tilapia on the grill and bacon-wrapped shrimp, mashed cauliflower and wilted spinach - yum! With strawberries and cream for dessert. If only I could eat like that all the time :-)

My new products are on the way....can't wait! My blemishes from doing the cleanse are starting to subside but I'm still anxious to try the acne spot-treatment. And of course, I am very curious about the newest anti-aging products...I am all about being proactive!!

NEW PRODUCTS!!!

Well I am just so excited I can't stand it! And I needed something fun today. It was a challenging and busy day at school, and I'm still in the midst of my cleanse (which is going fabulous now, thank you very much!). For years I've had customers ask me about age spots, and we've always had our RE9 products that have some ingredients for lightening and brightening the skin overall, but nothing specifically to target that particular need. And I've got hyper-pigmentation from pregnancies that never went away and is worse in the summer. Well ask no more! We have a new system called Revelage that is specifically designed for pigmentation issues. I can't wait to get it! I've also ordered our Clear Advantage Spot Treatment, which is new to our already popular acne line. I tend to get what I call "stress bumps" and think this will be perfect! Once they are in I will update on how much I LOVE Them!!!! Hahaha. I figured this was better than posting on Day 4 of my cleanse...I mean really, how much info can I really give at this point??

Day 3...still going

I have to admit, Day 2 ended up being a pretty rough day on the cleanse. It was like that the first time I did it too. I think some other factors were compounding it all. Today I feel much, much better. The hardest part of this process is drinking enough water on top of the 32oz of cleanse drink. I feel like I'm floating away and I already suffer from TBS (teeny bladder syndrome!!) so it's always a bit of a challenge. It's my 3rd day without any processed sugar or flour. No goldfish, which is my main vice. The bigger trick is staying off them when I'm through with the cleanse! Still, I love the results and how I feel when all is said and done. And on top of that, I'm so excited to see what new products our company announces tonight! I'll update tomorrow!

Day 2

Day 1 went well. It's funny how each time I do this my body reacts differently. Yesterday it started working almost immediately. I'm 36 hours without processed flour...yea! No goldfish munchies yesterday. I also treated myself to the rest of the detox program this morning. I did the Rescue Wash, the sea salt scrub...and then did the sea soak to draw out toxins. I followed that with the Remineralizing lotion. After doing a lot of research on detox systems, I realized how important it was to actually do them together. So much detoxification goes through our skin, so I'm determined to be better about using the entire system this time around! I must say, I felt so clean and soft and re-energized afterwards!

Starting Today!!

I made it! My cleanse arrived last week and today is Day 1 - yea! I've been looking forward to it for weeks now. I just feel so good when it's all said and done. This weekend I kind of blew it out with cake and ice cream at my niece's first birthday, and all the trappings of Easter. We pretty much ate all weekend long. Yesterday was probably one of the nicest holiday meals I've had. I think for the first time ever, I graduated to the adult table. Being the baby of the family (literally the youngest of like 5 grandkids on my dad's side) I was always at the kids table even after getting married. I was the second one to have kids, but that pretty much always relegates you to the kids' table because nobody wants the highchair experience to ruin their meal. So finally, I got to leave my self-sufficient kiddos at the kids table and have grown up conversation and actually stay in my seat. I did not have to get up to clean up a spill, break up a fight, get more milk, or mashed potatos, or even check a plate to see if they had eaten enough for dessert. So I lived it up and ate like a queen all weekend....so now I am REALLY ready for this cleanse!! Haha. Last time I did it, I gave up carbonated bevs. I'm hoping this time I can give up snacking on the kids' snacks for good. Those goldfish are addictive!! I found an alternative beverage last time. Now I need to find an alternative snack. Anything small and little without sugar or flour would be good...nuts are pretty expensive. I'll keep looking!

Overcoming Fear

Well, my cleanse is still not here....so I'll wax eloquent for a bit. Those that know me know that I LOVE teaching....but I am so excited to hang up my teaching hat in 12, count them 12, more school days! I will miss it terribly but it will free up much-needed time for my other work-passion, which is of course, my business. When I started my business, it was with the intention of paying for private school for my older daughter. Now, nearly 4 years into my business and 3 years into her school, I just feel that it has been such an incredible blessing for our family. But I also feel that I really just waded into it up to my waist, afraid to get too wet! Now, with my younger daughter applying to the same school next year, I am looking forward to this next chapter in my life and to diving head first into something that I have absolutely, unequivocally, grown to love. I look forward to introducing people to incredible new products launched this month or even old ones that they have never tried. I look forward to giving people the option to dream big or even realize their goals in spite of the gloomy economic outlook. Here's to forgetting fear and diving in head first! And never fear, I'll still blog about my wonderful cleanse...haha.

Woo Hoo!!!

I am so excited...I know it's weird. But I just ordered my detox body cleanse and will start that this weekend. I decided a while back to do it every 3 months. It has prompted so many healthy changes in my life and I am actually looking forward to doing it again! I always feel awesome when I finish! I came across an amazing article on Yahoo from a doctor talking about the benefits of detox, both inside and out. He maintained that not only is it important to detox on the inside, but how important it is to detox on the outside, because our skin is our largest organ. After reading the types of products he recommends, it just reaffirmed for me that Arbonne has the complete package for doing proper detox and it just made me really excited to do the whole enchilada this time around!! So....woo hoo!!!

Random

I am the queen of random...or at least the princess. So I probably should not post about products that are not even available right now but I could not resist. I was so tired tonight after taking #1 to ballet that I decided to take a bath. And for the first time in weeks....I did the enzyme peel. Love it. OK so that's still available...but what I'm getting to...I then decided my hands were really dry and needed some pampering. Usually I just slather on hand cream but tonight decided to go all out. I used the Shea Butter hand care set from Christmas. I need the exfoliating scrub, the wash, the hand cream and the cuticle pen. OH my hands feel sooooo good! Now if I can just stop from constantly sniffing them, or worse. They just smell so yummy!! I can't use some of these products and then follow up with the FC5 hand cream. It just won't work. It's all or nothing because the scent is not compatible with anything else. But I do love it!!! I love the FC5 hand cream to and that's great for everyday. But when I really need some hand pampering, these products are the ultimate. They'd better offer them next holiday season!!

Eager Anticipation

Ok, so this is probably sick and twisted. I decided a while back that I would do the detox body cleanse every 3 months. Cleanse #3 is coming up in just a few weeks and I am actually LOOKING FORWARD to it!! After doing the cleanse twice, I know how good I feel afterwards. And my on my second effort, I was able to give up carbonated bevs, which also makes me feel so much better.

So what prompts this? Tonight I had girls' night out with some friends and we went to Mi Cocina....haha. A few enchilada's and I feel ready for the cleanse!!

Seriously though...I actually am looking forward to it. The second time was not as hard because I took better care in between. That cleanse has been the spring board for a healthier lifestyle, so it's awesome. I honestly have more energy, better habits, and I did lose some weight to boot! All in all, so much positive comes out (haha....no pun intended) that I can actually get excited about it! I think so much is in my head...I believe I am doing something healthier, so it prompts me to be healthier.

A Nice Surprise

I have long lamented that our company did not have bubble bath. I love to soak in the luxuriousness of soft, foamy bubbles. My younger daughter takes after me and loves them as well...and I often accommodate her with "mommy's spa bath". The other night I found myself woefully out of bubble bath, so I decided to run some of the FC5 body wash under the faucet. To my wonderful and joyous surprise, it foamed it extremely well!! So this morning I decided to try it for myself. Not only does it work as a great bubble bath, but the bubble remain for a fairly long time, which is important in my book since I will soak until every last finger is akin to a raisin!!

So cute!

Ok, I have to admit it. I love that my girls love my Arbonne stuff. We have fun pulling out the makeup from time to time...they both love the sparkle powder from the holiday glam line. But the best was last night when my younger daughter was taking a bath in my tub, which she loves to do. She calls it her "spa bath". She's 4. I asked her which wash she wanted and she picked out the FC5 body wash. She said, "Mommy, it just smells soooo good!" And then she sat there in the tub taking huge whiffs of her arms and saying, "Aahhhh". Really it was quite cute. I must say, it has the same effect on me. I find the scent quite addictive and when I use the hand cream I keep sniffing my hands. It's probably weird looking but who cares. Anyway, I love that I can share this with my family and because we all use and love the products, it truly is a family business!

Back to Normal

Yea - I am feeling so much better! I've been using my detox products for almost 3 days and my skin is much improved. Just 2 days of the heavily chlorinated water park without any of my regular stuff to combat it really did a number. I ended up taking several baths with the massage oil which really helped. And it is sooooo good to be back on the fiber booster! My body thanks me for it :-) Lastly, just one soak in the sea soak and my sore muscles felt so much better - no need for the muscle massage gel. Of course, I've still got some deep tissue bruises (yes the one on my tushie makes it interesting sitting down!) but I would not trade that for anything for all the memories we had on our little "trip"!

Pitiful

What a crazy week it's been! First a trip to Houston crammed with museum and zoo and visits with Gran...and then a weekend at Great Wolf Lodge! We are POOPED! Boy did we ever have fun there! However, I am dearly paying the price for my weekend and it's going to take an arsenal of Arbonne products to get me back on track...haha. First up, my skin. That has seriously got to be the most heavily chlorinated water I have ever set foot in. My skin is nasty - I mean dry and scaly and weird-feeling nasty! I'll browse through my products and see what I think is the best but I'm thinking the detox spa line.

Second on tap, ridiculously sore muscles. It's things like this that make me feel so pathetic. In order for my daughter to ride the water slides, I had to schlep a two-person inner tube up the huge towers of stairs over and over again. At 5'2" it is a bit of a feat for me. We've got muscle massage gel. Maybe a sea soak too. I've got bruises and scrapes and all kinds of badges I now proudly wear to remind me of the fun we had!

Last - my diet. Hahaha...you go to a place like this and healthy eating is a bit of a challenge. We are more lax with the girls about fries and sweets (normally I keep a tight reign on that). I'm not on track to do the detox body cleanse until April but I'm rethinking that. Actually, I think the herbal colon cleanse will suffice for that and I've got to get back on my fiber booster....it was a bit tough to add that to anything given that we were never in the room, and unfortunately I did not have the means to carry that around on my bathing-suited person! We are going out with a bang with pizza and red wine tonight and then tomorrow it's back to reality. Seriously, I don't think I gained any weight despite the horrible eating...if you've ever been there and ever succumbed to the pleas of your child to do Magiquest, you'll know what I mean. Up and down the stairs...over and over again...all over that huge hotel. It's times like this that I am grateful Arbonne is one-stop shopping for our family! I even got the fiber booster back in the girls' milk tonight!

Sneaky me

Well, it's just been one of those weeks....we have had alot going on. My older daughter has been on Spring Break so we headed to Houston for 5 days and I took a much-needed break from school. We came home yesterday and of course, with hubby in control, I came home to a quite-empty refrigerator. All I had this morning for my girls to drink was milk that was just about expired. Now I normally put fiber booster into their juice in the AM and had never even considered the milk they drink for dinner. Anyway, we had to have milk this morning and I figured I'd put the fiber booster in that instead....duh. It's a white mix...in white milk....so much more inconspicuous than in the juice. Duh again. Even though they literally can't taste it, every now and then they complain if I don't mix it in well enough because they can see a tiny, microscopic speck of mix floating in their juice. Putting it in milk was sheer genius even if it was on accident. I love it when I can sneak in healthy with my girls. Maybe someday they will drink detox tea with me! Yeah right...I can keep dreamin on that one!

Success for Stress...

....bumps that is. Stress bumps. Now some call them zits or pimples. I like to call them stress bumps. Sometimes I wear them like a badge of honor. I had posted before that there has been added stress this past week...just a little more than the usual daily when you live life with busy kids who are just as imperfect as you are! So naturally I ended up with a few stress bumps. I hate them. I've been covering them up with our concealer. I have to say, the "cooling effect" was quite lovely....haha. Anyway, last night I was fed up. I did the new cell scrub to get through some layers...it must have done the trick. Everything is nearly gone this morning. I so wish I had brought some of my spa products on my trip to just relax but packed rather hastily. I do what I can. I don't ever take the time as a mom anyway. I'm just glad that my stress bumps are now almost gone. The concealer won't have to work so hard....haha.

Triggers

Well, I think I finally found my trigger for unhealthy cravings...I guess it is this way for lots of people. I have been under extreme stress this week and this morning, as I try to process through a flood of info and e-mails and phone calls and emotions....I am totally craving that Coke Zero and pizza. We are supposed to be leaving town and I find myself being called to come alongside friends who are so adversely affected by events that unfolded this week. I'm going to go fix myself an NRG drink (hahaha....I'm already so jazzed up on coffee caffeine that I can't imagine) and just see if that helps. Just not sure that Arbonne's got anything in the arsenal to help :-) Maybe sipping on some detox tea later...hahaha. What a random post...I know.

Soothing Salve

It's official. I have to eat my words....after proudly boasting that my family has been blessedly well this winter, my elder daughter tested positive yesterday for the flu. Tons of students have been out at my preschool, and my daughter's school and if the doctor's office yesterday is any indication, there is just a lot going around! Needless to say, I have been washing my hands like a maniac (we are also on the oh so expensive Tamiflu) and I am paying the price. They have been dry and sore. Today I started religiously slathering on the new FC5 hand cream. Now, I still wash my hands a TON and so I have to keep reapplying, but I love the way it feels and smells! I suspect it will take a few days for it to "heal" my hands, so to speak. My only complaint is that I miss our small travel-sized hand lotions that would fit in my purse and in every nook and cranny of my house. Maybe those are coming but in the meantime I have to just carry this one around. I may have to bust out my Christmas Shea Butter hand care set to really do a number on my hands later...when I'm not running up and down the stairs a million times to check on the Sick One. Who needs the Wii Fit whenn you've got a sick kid who is bored and needy??

Feeling like a princess...

Back last fall, a sweet mom who encouraged me in my attempt to start a blog (Thanks Laura!) gave me some tips on how to blend colors with makeup, etc. She's quite talented and since this is definitely an aspect of my business, I figured it was good to learn some pointers. Now, I don't wear a lot of makeup...ever. But on occasion, like tonight, I want to look extra nice and make the attempt at eye shadow, etc. Tonight my sweet hubby and I are going on a RARE date with FREE babysitting - woo hoo! We are going to our new fave restaurant...Kenny's. So I used a combo Laura had showed me and it really does make me feel like a princess. Or a fashion model...or at least like I know what I'm doing. The point is, I feel pretty. I guess a perk of the business is I have access to literally all sorts of makeup (which my girls love of course)....anyhoo....Thanks friend for sharing your talents with me!

Works like a charm

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not much into the whole glam thing....I don't wear much makeup. I can't live without my spf 8 lipsaver, which is basically healthy chapstick. And my other can't live without is mascara (oh to be blessed with my older daughter's thick, dark lashes!!) But I hate taking mascara off....it leaves smudges all over the place unless you use that yucky, greasy remover that I absolutely loathe. So when I went to the FC5 launch on Wednesday and the VP doing the product overview said you could use the cleanser/toner product for removing mascara, I was totally skeptical. It seems so counter-intuitive to me to put soap on my eyes but I did it anyway....and lo and behold, it works! Well! I am so excited, because I already LOVE the cleanser, and that it will remove the mascara so thoroughly is just a bonus! yea!

Savor the Moment!

Last Thursday I gave my notice to my director that I would not be returning to the classroom next year. I LOVE teaching...but I am so excited to be home for my girls next year, as I have only one more year until my baby is in Kindergarten! I am so fortunate to have a business that allows me to contribute to those whopper school payments (ouch!) and still be at home. And to be honest, I miss not being able to spend as much time on my business and invest as much in those relationships! I went tonight for Arbonne's official launch for the new product line....it was sooooo cool! It just made me so excited all over again to be a part of this and be able to share new, innovative products to my customers. So if you are a customer reading this, I look forward to being able to serve you even better as I move forward in my business :-) And stay tuned....I got awesome info on just what makes this new line ROCK! (I mean cold, hard facts...not just me gushing because my skin is already addicted to it!)

Relief for the truly pathetic

OK - so my family FINALLY made the leap into the 21st century when we got a Wii for Christmas. I had no idea when I did the tennis and boxing, that I would be in almost incapacitating pain for the next several days. As one who RARELY works out...I mean it kicked my butt. So I was just getting confident (and not so sore) when we decided to bump it up a notch and get the Wii Fit (I mean, honestly, the Littlest Pet shop was not particularly active...haha). It is seriously addictive. But alas, I find myself undeniably sore once again, using muscles I'm pretty sure my body never even knew it had. Sadly, my 7-year old can run circles around me on the thing...literally, since I can't seem to make my Mii run very fast and I ended up with a Coach Potato rating. It's so much fun though and I find myself getting more exercise on that thing than probably the entire last year combined. So what does this have to do with products? Well since I am sore and stiff and the bad kind of achy, I decided it was definitely a night for the Sea Soak. I am still sore of course...just not stiff and achy. I feel relaxed and tired from the good kind of sore. Dare I say I feel refreshed? OK, maybe not, but I definitely feel sooooo much better! I might even be able to force myself into one of those blasted yoga poses that is so easy for my 7 year old. ON the upside, I do kick butt on the hula hoop!

It's all good!

Yea - my skin is so happy...I've got my FC5 products back. No more loaning out until I get my other set in! So selfish...I Know! The thing I missed the most was the day and night cream! But it is all good now :-)

Problem Solved

So I'm still so very sad without my new stuff...I think my skin is going through withdrawl because it's already addicted...haha. I ended up using the New Cell Scrub last night after washing with the detox rescue wash. My skin was like butter...I'll do our enzyme peel tonight in lieu of moisturizer. And I've still got my RE9 eye cream. It's all good...but I'm hunting down the friend with my products to get them back!

So, so sad...

I gave my one and only set of FC5 products to a customer of mine to try out for a few days...I know she'll love them but I'm pretty sad without them. I've got backup RE9 eye cream but no moisturizers I can use. My skin feels so dry and icky without the day lotion or night cream. I did not realize just how much they hydrate without feeling greasy....With the exception of the enzyme peel, scrub and wrinkle filler, I've switched completely to the FC5 and my skin has never looked better. I'll be counting down the days until my other set comes in or I get my stuff back...whichever comes first! hahaha...

I've also got horrible heels right now...I finally sucked it up and bought the PediEgg...even the thought of it grossed me out. I've used it once to kick start smoother skin and am now using the RE9 body serum and lotion every day. We'll see. Perhaps I should have done a BEFORE picture :-)

Success!

Well...after 3 weeks on the fiber booster I have to say it has been a most successful transition for my family. This could very well be the single best addition for our health in quite a while, and I can honestly say I have never felt this good. I won't bore you with the gory details, but the booster works incredibly well. Because nobody can taste it, nobody minds drinking it...and because I can mix it with whatever we are drinking, the accessiblity of it makes it easy for every day. The old orange fiber shake we drank we such a hassle for me and I found myself not making them all that often because it was just too much of a pain. This is so easy that we have not missed a single day and we get it over with with our juice in the morning. No mess, no clean up...and most importantly, no whining from my kids about it...hahaha. That alone makes it worthwhile!

OH I'll still do my full body cleanse once every 3 months...have no fear. I still highly recommend it. But I'm determined to keep the body the Lord has given me, running at it's absolute best on a daily basis and not just at it's best once a quarter!

refreshed and glowing...

I have now been using the FC5 line for about 5 days and I L-O-V-E these products! Because I have oily/combination skin, I can only use a few of the RE9 products, so I gave up alot of anti-aging benefits to use our very basic skin care. Now, I finally get some of those anti-aging benefits in skin care specifically designed for my skin type...my skin has seriously never looked better! I love that I can still use my favorite RE9 products but these products on a daily basis on making such a difference!

My absolute favorites are the Oil Absorbing Day Lotion, the night cream, and the cleanser/toner. I am so excited to be able to offer people affordable anti-aging skin care!

I've also been using the new shampoo and conditioner and the new cell scrub and body wash and lotion...and the eye cream...but I figure I can only rave about a few products at a time without sounding over the top! But this is seriously the best new product launch in the 3 1/2 years I have been with Arbonne.

WOW!

That's about all I could come up with to title this post. I'm officially blown away by Arbonne's new product line FC5....which stands for Fresh Cell technology. We are the first company to use this technology and it is truly groundbreaking. They extract whole, fresh cells from 5 key fruits and vegetables (hence the 5) and encapsulate them whole to retain maximum benefits from the phytonutrients. This line will replace our Intelligence line and this time incorporates anti-aging benefits from these phytonutrients and address the signs of aging where Intelligence did not.

I'll do several posts on my faves as I continue to use the products, which will be available starting Feb. 1. But for now....all I can say is wow! I LOVE the body wash, which is rich and foamy....and I LOVE the new night cream! RE9 was too heavy for my oily skin, and Intelligence just did not address my needs for nighttime...but this, mmmm. LOVE IT!! AND, I love love love the cleanser/toner and the day cream with SPF 20. They are specifically designed to address oily/combination skin issues and they really deliver. But above all....the smell! It lives up to it's name and is truly FRESH! It's rather addictive. I found myself constantly smelling my hands yesterday. It is just really light and refreshing without being overpowering. OH I'm going to love this! Since I mix lines, this is going to be the perfect complement for the RE9 products I DO use...and trust me, I need all the anti-aging help I can get!

Chasing away the winter skin blues

It's officially been one dry winter...not to mention crazy temperature swings here in Texas! Even though it has not been that cold, it has definitely been dry, and so has my skin. I've found an easy solution...I've been putting the 5-1 massage oil from our spa line into my bath almost daily (yes - I am addicted to baths...love em!) Sometimes I even get some extra oil and just smooth it over my skin in the tub. This oil is surprisingly not greasy and it absorbs really, really well, leaving my skin incredibly soft and smooth. I think this is the first winter in history I have not had those horrible dry patches on my elbows and knees.

On another note, my pre-launch set of FC5 products is due today. I can't wait to try them out! The innovative technology alone has my interest :-) Stay tuned for a full report!

Daily decisions

Well, I've made no secret of the fact that I wanted my Detox cleanse to usher in a New Year of a healthier me. It was the platform from which I jumped into new eating habits free of refined sugar, flour, and carbonated beverages. I am more than two weeks in and I feel great. I don't miss the sugar and bread and cokes I once craved. However, I am realizing it is not one momentous decision to give these things up....it is daily making the same choices over and over. It is deciding not to grab a handful of goldfish when I pour them out for my kids' snack. Just one handful, I would tell myself. And that one handful became 3. It is not eating that half a chicken nugget my kids did not eat. It's making those choices one at a time. But this time I really do have an arsenal on my side. I am totally fanatical, head over heels, crazy for the new Fiber booster and Pomegranate energy drink (obviously since I think my last 3 posts or so have been about them). They really and truly are making a huge difference in my ability to make those better decisions. I'm not hungry...or dehydrated...mostly because of these products. It's just a healthier cycle to be in. I will still do the cleanse probably every 3 months, but this will help me stay on a much better track in between them. So thank you Arbonne, for making my journey easier! I always say the Lord provides in mysterious ways. I truly believe He has used Arbonne as a vehicle for many changes in my life. It is nothing I have done, and it is not Arbonne itself...but just how He has used Arbonne. I bring nothing to the table.

So far, so good...

It has now been a full week since my last carbonated beverage, and that's the only one I've had in two weeks. I can honestly say that I still don't miss it! Oh I am sure there will be days when I crave that Coke Zero...when it's really hot outside. But so far, so good. We have really been trying to eat better and cut out things that aren't good for us. I won't give up my morning coffee, but just one cup and then the little bit of caffeine in my Pomegranate energy drink and I've essentially cut my caffeine intake in half. After doing the cleanse I was determined to stay on the right track. I am seriously loving the fiber booster and really just have not felt this good and this energetic in a long time. We have seriously cut the whites too...the processed sugar and flour. Amazing how such little changes can make such a big difference.

The other day I went for a massage and mani/pedi. I was looking at a fashion magazine, which I never do, but I was struck by an article of women who decided to make one small change and do it daily for an entire month. One lady wore red lipstick every day and saw that it gave her a lot more confidence. One did 10 pushups every day and saw the difference in the tone of her arms. So it motivated me...I am doing 40 crunches every day. It takes me about a minute. So I am committing to spending that 60 seconds every day for a month to see what happens. I don't expect rock hard abs or anything....maybe just a little less mushy. Hahaha. I'll post again!

Pomegranate Love

It's official...I'm in love! And I'm not talking about Sweet Hubby either (though I am MADLY in love with him!) I'm talking about the Pomegranate Splash NRG fizz drink and the new Fiber Booster. I finished my cleanse on Sunday and as I told some friends, the hardest thing is giving up the carbonated beverages. I've found a good Crystal Light type alternative - yea! But the biggest thing is drinking the new Pomegranate Drink. It's good just in water...and I can add the fiber booster, which by the way, is AWESOME! Works soooo good! This morning I did the NRG drink in my Crystal Light stuff...which is Cranberry Pomegranate anyway, and added the fiber booster. I can't believe I am getting vitamins and minerals and TONS of fiber all wrapped up in a yummy drink! This is WAY better than the old gritty orange shake we had. I can definitely get used to this!

Cleanse Final thoughts

Well, I finished the cleanse - woo hoo! I lost a total of 4 lbs. Now the hard part begins. I have not had a coke or any other carbonated drink in 8 days. I am trying to give them up for good this time. Not caffeine....just carbonation. I still have my morning cup of coffee, and the Pomegranate Splash NRG drink has a little caffeine in it...though not much. I put the fiber booster in that this morning and it was just the thing to get me through my morning of teaching. I was not hungry or tired, and the fiber booster will hopefully keep me on track until my next cleanse in a few months. I am just really thrilled with those two new products in terms of helping me stay on track with my nutritional goals. Not so crazy about the protein shake still, but oh well.

Day 6 cleanse update

Day 6 seemed uneventful...I am sitting here about halfway through day 7 and not believing I am almost done! It really has been easier than last time. I'll give everyone the final weigh-in tomorrow. I am excited that I now have the new fiber booster to keep things running smoothly as well now that I have a fresh start this new year! It will be easy to stir in the Pomegranate Splash energy drink and take with me to work or running errands.

Day5/Day 6 cleanse

Day 5 was fine...I must admit, on the morning of Day 6, I am just not ready to start slurping away. I'd rather have that second cup of coffee. OH well. Just two more days! I actually feel great!

I tried our new protein shake yesterday. I have to say, the taste is definitely better. But, it still is a protein shake. I guess for me, mentally, if something says it is "chocolate" my mind has the expectation of Godiva or Lindt, or at least Hershey's! Other's have tried it and really like it...perhaps I'm just not meant to be a protein shake drinker.

I've started putting the fiber booster in my kids' juices. They have no idea. They can't taste it and I am thrilled, as this is a constant issue with them both. I can only imagine the tummy aches they have had because they wait to darn long and only go every 3 days or so. Yuck. I'm hoping this will make a great difference! At any rate, I'm glad I can give it to them without any grumbling!

New Products and Detox update

It's Day 4 of my cleanse....all is well and it is doing what it should. I feel great and it has not been hard at all. I've been checking in with another cleanse customer...she says it seems to be working for her as well. Will keep you updated!

I got my new products today from the revamped Figure 8 line. The new Pomegranate Splash NRG fizz drink is actually quite good. We've had this product in a different flavor, Citrus surge. And while I can attest that the drink works extremely well in boosting energy, etc. I thought the taste of the Citrus Surge was horrible. I only drank it when desperate (like a really, really long day or something) I like the new flavor MUCH, much better! Kind of like Crystal Light in my opinion. Definitely a keeper. I also added a small spoon of the new fiber booster. It is supposed to be odorless and tasteless, but I was skeptical. It really and truly has no flavor, so you really CAN add it to food or drinks. I personally did not mind the orange fiber shake we had, but many were not so keen on the taste, so this should appeal to a much larger base. Once I am good and cleaned out, I think this will be the perfect product for me to use, along with a weekly herbal colon cleanse tablet that we have. Since colon cancer is in my family, I don't want to take any chances. The fiber booster is lo-cal, no fat, and nearly all the carbs (for those who care) are fiber so the net carb is very low as well. All around a really great new product!

I am waiting to try the new protein shake tomorrow...after drinking the cleanse AND the energy drink, I am just full up!

Detox Day 3

Slurp....slurp...slurp....this is about the time that I'm sick of drinking the cleanse. I'm not even halfway through. I felt this way last time and know that tomorrow when I am on the back half I will be better. Last night was pretty uncomfortable for me...more like last time. But relatively speaking, this has been easier than last time and I know it's working. I've already lost a few pounds of holiday excess. Yea! Meanwhile, I am just trying to pamper myself with other products as much as possible. Another side benefit of the detox cleanse and other detox products is that my skin is looking sooooo much better!!

Day 2 Detox update

So far so good....I feel really good even though the cleanse is definitely doing it's thing. Not near as bad as last time! I am eating better though, so that helps. I like the fact that several people are doing the cleanse with me...I'll have to share their results as well :-) Safety in numbers I always say. Haha.

Detox Day Two

It's Day 2, and I just started slurping on my oh-so-yummy cleanse. Really, I don't think it's that bad. There is very little taste, but it's just not my fave first thing in the morning. So far, it has not been at all like my last cleanse. Last time, the first few days were pretty hard and it got easier. This time, it has not been bad at all. Just, shall we say, regular? I feel great and the cleanse is definitely doing it's thing. This time I decided to be better about what I ate. Definitely the leafy veggies is important!

Another part of my resolutions this year is to exercise. So I am going to renew my rec center membership and hopefully sign up for a ballet class (no I won't wear a leotard and tights - heaven forbid!) It's really for lengthening and strengthening muscles. I'll keep you posted!

New Year's Resolutions

Well, every year I've got resolutions to be healthier, exercise...yadda yadda yadda. This year I vow it to be different. I spent 2008 trying several of our health products and really liked the results, so I will be diligent this year. To kick start it all (and to make up for mounds of sugar I consumed during the holidays) I am doing the 7 day body cleanse again. Today is Day 1 and I will journal (or try to) each day. I probably should have weighed myself this morning for an accurate count, but will try tomorrow. So here goes!

Day1: Well, like last time, it's just a lot of trips to the bathroom. I feel fine and have not missed my diet coke today at all. It does not taste as bad as last time...maybe I am just more used to it. I've got our other new products on the way, and the spa products are only $29 this month so I stocked up to pamper myself and detox my skin as well!