Belief barrier...

I have been truly blessed this month of April with a lot of things. I already live an incredibly blessed life, but this month has been off the charts. 

First, my Mary Kay team has grown by 1,484% (yes, you read that right!) and it's only the 15th of the month! That is a HUGE belief thing I have worked on this year. I know if I want to be a work-from-home mom and still have a great income, I have to work hard in the coming year to become a Director. I have personally added five new team members in a three week span. I know because of the hard work I have done and continue to do, God will bless my team and I with finishing Director in Qualification and our FREE Mary Kay car by July 1st. I'll keep you updated on all the other things Mary Kay as they progress for our Firecracker team in the coming months. 

Second, I was dreading my long run, like most weeks, this weekend. Yet, Saturday was so incredibly busy and blissful with my MK business that I knew it would be a good day to run. And it was! Temps were in the low 60s, overcast, a bit windy, but I'll take that. I was supposed to run 18 miles, but I felt great and pushed through to 20 miles. Now it's just a down hill slide into the actual marathon on May 5th! I never thought almost two years ago to the day that I raced for the first time a 5K and had to walk, that I'd be finishing a marathon!!!

You bet I was listening to Eric Church on my final half mile!!

Finally, look at this little lady! My niece, Hadley, came with her mom to spend some time with us while the boys were turkey hunting in Nebraska. Although they didn't have the best of time up there, we had a blast hanging out each day. She is such the little miracle baby, and I am in total awe of how good God is to bring this beautiful, smart, bubbly little girl into our lives. 

She lights up my world when she smiles like that! So cute!

So much to update...too little time

Story of my life!! I'm going to give ya'll a run down of the last month instead of creating tons of blog posts. I tend to write too much anyway. Here it goes:

1. I started a new J-O-B on September 4th. That's probably the biggest news! I'm back at Second Harvest Community Food Bank. I love it! I work to get food into our food bank, and that's my job to work with producers, food manufacturers and the like to increase our food donations! Fun times. Check out my legit page above!

Photo courtesy: Second Harvest Community Food Bank
Pictured above are the great folks from Apple Market in St. Joseph. They donated 28,000 lbs.
of food for our corporate food drive challenge, Food Fight in September. 

2. We have slowly been finishing projects around the house. We are putting a roof on half the deck. We are waiting on the spindles to come in for the rest of the deck railing. I am painting our entire bathroom at the moment a great purple color. Next is new lighting and a new medicine cabinet/mirror and vanity.

3. I've been super busy with Mary Kay! Great problem, right? I had a $1,000 day in September. Holla, to being that much closer to Queen's Court of Sales! I also was crowned the Queen of the Star Consultants at our last quarterly event and picked out a free black patent leather bag for my prize.

4. Todd got a new truck. Spoiled...but it's a pretty one. It's a 2012 white Chevy Silverado with everything on it.

5. I'm almost finished with training for my second half marathon. This weekend was 9 miles, and it's only two weeks to go until race day!

6. I'm trying to figure out some health issues I've been having lately with my upper GI tract. Prayers please for some relief and comfort.

7. Lots of exciting news happening lately with new baby announcements. We'll have a busy spring, no doubt!

Group of us friends at the Eric Church concert. Rocked my world!!

That is all! I'll also post this week an update to my 101 list!

Until next time...

Heavenly Surprise in the Mail...

I shop a lot online and through friends who own an at-home business so we keep the mail man, UPS man and Fed Ex man pretty busy. Each time I get a Mary Kay box for my own business, it's like Christmas. I also get this cute little box below each month called BirchBox. I found it from a recommendation from The Small Things Blog as she is a professional hairdresser and I love beauty products too. The concept is really cool. You pay $10 each month to get samples (they are pretty large samples) of beauty products and then you get "points" to redeem for a discount on the full-size products.

While I don't buy the skin care or makep products (and not that they are bad but I'm a MK girl through and through), I do adore the body and hair products. This month was the best yet!

In the box, I received a favorite of mine because of my MK business, the Beauty Blender brush cleaner. This is THE best brush cleaner you will ever use. I clean my brushes a lot, obviously, and it keeps them looking great.

There was also a couple of self-tanning towlettes that I am excited to try as I'm really laying low from the sun as much as I can; a leave-in detanlger and defrizzer from Number 4 which I desperately need in the summer; and a lip and cheek stain from theBalm. There was also a cute plastic bag they recommended using for your airport security bag, which I'll need for our trip to Florida. All in all, a great sampling this month!

Updates to 101 list...

I have a few updates for you from my 101 list plus a few other exciting things that have happened over the last couple of weeks!

1. Have not completed a blog post for each week this year, but I'm close!

11. I am this <----->; much closer to becoming a Team Leader in MK thanks to two lovely ladies joining my team in one week! Welcome Crystal (my cousin) and Katie (a friend from Hiawatha)! I cannot wait to see where your work and dreams take you in this company!

32. It wasn't exactly a production at the Robidoux Resident Theatre but I thought it was supposed to be there, so I'll let it count. Robin and I went to watch our friend Kasey in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang this weekend at the historic Missouri Theatre. It was a great production and so funny!


44. I am proud to say we now have four months of my salary built up in savings and have not even filed our taxes yet! I am more than excited to use our tax refund to pay off some student loans!

49. I contributed to the K-State Telefund this year and supported the College of Ag!

53. I did visit Derek and Christina last weekend while making a road trip to my best friend's wedding in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It was amazing to see Joplin nine months after the tornado and still see the damage left. There has been a lot of progress, and they are just starting to break ground for the new hospital where Christina will work. I can't wait to go back in May to run the half marathon in honor of the day the tornado took 162 people from their families and friends. It will be an amazing day I'm sure! It was also nice to go down to visit Derek and Christina and have a little bonding time since we do not get to see each other all too often. The trip was a short getaway and fun to witness a new marriage full of second chances and new hope! So glad I could be a part of Julie and Nic's big day!


65. I also met with my one mentor here in St. Joseph for lunch last week and was so thankful to bounce ideas off of her related to our new campaign and event we are getting ready to launch here at work. I know the stress and work leading up to the events will pay off! I am also glad I have a friend who is that much more ahead of me in our line of work so I can ask her questions and get feedback on what I should do next.

68. I also am so thankful for how well my MK business has been going this year. I cannot wait to see where the end of the MK year goes, but I will be in Dallas celebrating another amazing year because of some very inspiring and lovely customers who make it all happen! I am so incredible thankful!

I think that is all for updates so far! I have a long ways to go...I'll be sure to keep you updated!

*Sorry there are no photos in this post for some reason blogger is not liking my photos today!