I Think I Will Stick to Cupcake Duty!

Despite the fact that I am a very busy career mom, I volunteer and chaperone at my 10-year old daughters school as much as I can throughout the year. It is a simple way to let her know that being a part of her life is important to me and I know from the reaction I get that it makes her happy too. She makes me laugh by always introducing me to her friends and the other parents by saying "this is my mom, she is 38 and does not look 38 and she does makeup and hair for models in magazines and books and tv." She is pretty modest, (NOT!) What she does not realize is that by doing this she usually alienates me immediately and nobody wants to be my "friend" for the day. I am glad that this alienation no longer leaves emotional scars as it did back in high school... if it did I think I would have to remind her not to do this.... AGAIN. The kids on the other hand love it; making the parents snarl at me even more because all of a sudden I am the "cool mom".

Yesterday however I felt FAR from the "cool mom"; I felt more like the wicked witch of the judgemental west.  This bothered me because I have never considered myself as being judgmental; except for the occasional complainer who could do better in life but won't, or stupid people... I have no patience for them.Okay, so maybe I can be a little judgmental from time to time, I don't think bad or talk bad about these people.... I just want to "crush their heads" and make them smarter. (If you don't get that reference Google "crush your head", or search it on YouTube... you will learn something new to use from time to time and it will likely make you laugh.) Moving on... although I have volunteered a million times the past 5 years, I have never gone on a field trip despite her begging me to go. It just seemed stressful with that huge responsibility to watch other people's kids who may or may not behave; being a problem solver, I would end up wanting to take all the bad ones home and FIX them so it did not sound like something I should do. I would much rather go to the class parties and pass out cupcakes, or take pictures, make them giggle, or file papers. However being that this would be her LAST field trip at this school I figured okay... you gotta suck it up and go, and I did. St. Augustine bound we were at 7 am; a caravan of 4 charter buses carting the entire 4th grade class with a three hour drive ahead of us. GOD HELP US!

I am going to try and make this a cliff note version of the events of the day... but I have to keep it interesting so bare with me.

Phase 1: Dictator Bus Driver
Once we boarded our bus, we got a lecture... the law was laid down by a handsome African American man who was dressed in black slacks, a button up white shirt, a black tie, and a cute little Jazz-inspired black- ribboned fedora on his head. He not only took his job seriously, he had style (which I appreciated of course) but when he spoke, I listened he was quite passionate (and a bit scary!) "DO NOT EAT or chew gum on MY BUS", he told us, "and if your cup does not look like this (holding up his screw top coffee mug) you DO NOT DRINK on MY bus either!" We have a bathroom, but you may NOT use it unless you are about to SOIL your pants... so essentially we DO NOT have a bathroom. In the event that you have a bathroom EMERGENCY, NO SOLIDS only LIQUIDS."  He went on with  his dictator-inspired bus rules and in the end I remembered EVERY word. It was WAY too early for this kind of thing but a man with passion always gets a thumbs up in my book. Off we went.. and now I know why HE was bus #1!

Phase 2: Redneck Yells
Thirty minutes into the drive I get a text from my friend who was on bus #2 saying that a little girl was going to be sick... barf bag was in hand and I had to laugh out loud, let the day begin! YAHOOO!!!! (30 minutes after the text we had to pull over at a rest area so this little girl could get off the bus with her mom.) We got to our destination and began our guided tour of Fort Castillo de San Marcos. I realized VERY quickly that I would still fall asleep in history class; some things NEVER change! The highlight of this tour was when we were watching the musket demonstration. A group of unguided redneck youngsters with their passive parents were YELLING from the gun desk... "JUST SHOOT THE GUN!" After about 5 loud and obnoxiously rude yells to "shoot the gun!" our tour guide yelled back at them "That's enough be quiet!!!" to which one of the kids yelled back "YOU BE QUIET!"  Ahhh... gotta love disrespectful kids and their wonderful parents (this is the kind of kid I worried about preventing me from ever going on a field trip)

Entering Fort Castillo de San Marcos

Phase 3: The Voice of Fingers on a Chalkboard!
Our next guided tour was a trolley tour through St. Augustine...and Linda was our trolley driver. A very sweaty little old lady who was as kind as could be but had the voice of a squeaky wheel. As she welcomed us aboard I could not help but look at my itinerary to see how long we would have to listen to her voice... an  hour, LOVELY! However, despite her slow motion shrill voice, she WAS the most educational tour guide of the day; she kept my interest and I actually retained some of what she said. The most upsetting part was that there were a lot of great picture opportunities that were ruined, being that we were moving and power lines, cars, and kids fuzzy heads were blocking my camera.
(Here are two pictures I managed to get from the trolley)

Memorial Presbyterian Church built by Mr. Flagler in memory of his daughter Jennie Louise 

who passed away on her way to visit him

 The famous "Magnolia Avenue"  

this exact view was used in one of my favorite movies, Forrest Gump

Phase 4: If you give a kid a gift store....
We ate lunch outdoors in the Old Jail picnic area just outside the gift store which the barrage of kids swarmed like hornets as they chewed their last bites of food. You would have thought they had never seen a gift shop... never in their lives had they EVER seen a spoon with a town's name, a cheap set of handcuffs, a fake leather whip, a pirates hat, or a stuffed frog just to name a few of the things that were purchased. These kids had money and THEY WANTED TO SPEND IT! I of course, being the "Dave Ramsey mom" that I am, I told Baleigh that the only practical thing to buy would be a Christmas tree ornament that she could keep forever... and since that did not excite her at ALL, she decided to forfeit my offer to pitch in and she spent her entire $4 of her own money on a bracelet that had no meaning at all. I had a "moment" in this store as I watched these little children spend money just to spend money... thank GOD they are too young for Visa cards! It made me want to sit them down and give them a crash course in Financial Peace University. (Most of the parents there needed it too).

Phase 4: Jailtime...
It was time for the tour of the old jail... and I must say that was pretty cool. To see how they had to live and hear what the inmates had to eat and do was pretty awful. Not to mention the gallows that were in clear view... a harsh reality of what once was. Kind of creepy I must say. The kids were totally freaked out.

My daughter's teacher being arrested for cussin' and spittin' in town

Phase 5: ZZZZZZZ......
Our last event of the day was a guided tour through the Florida Heritage Museum. Once again I was reminded how much I hated history class. The most entertaining part was when the guide asked the kids if there were any questions as he finished his lesson on the first Indians to inhabit Florida and a kid raised their hand and said "Why is he naked?" of course all the kids, (and parents) laughed. It was by far for me the  most boring hour of the day. And the kids were getting antsy and harder to contain.

The Naked Indian

(covered in tattoos)

Phase 5: Dinnertime and LOAD EM UP
Subway was catered in  for all the kids and parents but being that I am now gluten and dairy free for health reasons I turned my head as I dipped my sweet potato tortilla chips in hummus, and finished with my dessert of dairy free yogurt, and was happy it was time to go home. Many of the kids went BACK into the gift shop being that they had money left, so instead of taking all their money to open a savings account... I volunteered to take the ones that were not going in back to our bus and call it a day.

Baleigh being tough... perhaps a future warden?

Final words:
As we drove down the lost and lonely highway back to Spring Hill, I witnessed the parents next to me giving their child (who was sitting with my daughter behind me) food... only to be called out by "Dictator Andre' " and had to chuckle. He literally picked up his CB intercom microphone and said... "If I catch ANYONE else eatin' on MY bus I am going to pull over" HAHA This was right after I made Baleigh come sit with me after catching her trying to eat her lays potato chips explaining to her she was not allowed to eat on the bus. I was the GOOD parent... the UN-COOL chaperone mom who would not break the rules. I beamed with pride as these parents were scolded because they left me sitting at the picnic table like I had scarlet fever after I kindly refused the dip stix candy they offered my daughter after lunch saying that she was not allowed to eat them; and when they asked me why I was eating hummus for lunch I smiled and said "life is all about the choices we make and my health is something I care about." Oh well... love me or hate me I am honest and blunt to the core, here's to thinking different! I think I will stick to passing out cupcakes from now on!

Have a great night everyone! 

xoxo

~Shells~

Just in Case You Can't Celebrate With Your Mom Today...

Alas, it's Mother's Day, a day set aside by Hallmark to celebrate the woman who birthed you, who changed your dirty bottom, waited on you hand and foot and saw you through your teen years with a smile despite how disrespectful you were treating her like she knew nothing. I for one, KNOW that I put mine through hell when I was a raging, rebellious teenager; but in the end she still loved me nonetheless and today is by far, my VERY best friend, who just happens to be right 99.9% of the time. She has been my rock, my go-to gal... and for the last nearly two years after I moved her down to Florida when I once again became a single mom, she has been my second set of hands; taking care of my children for me as I continue to climb the ladder of success so I would not have to put my precious little ones in a daycare where they would have likely become just another face with jelly.

When I was a senior in high school, I had dreams of my future and what it would be like; none of them included the perfect man, the wedding day, children, or the white picket fence. Everything I dreamed of had to do with business, and becoming a successful hairstylist and makeup artist. I had no "visions" of family in my head at all. I suppose maybe it was because I had seen mine torn apart after my sister died... but for whatever reason it was, I did not envision having a family. Shortly after I graduated however, (four months to be exact) I found out that I was going to be a mother. I was pregnant with my daughter Cierra who is now 20 and I remember thinking how this was SO not in my plan. I was 18, and although her father was a good guy, he was young and did not want to accept the responsibility,  Despite all of that I did what I had to do, and that was have my daughter and figure the rest out later; and that is what I did. I was a young single mom who was determined to be successful regardless of the hiccups. I worked hard... REALLY hard and by the age of 19 I bought my first home, and at the age of 20, opened my first salon. I married Cierra's father when I was 21 trying to make it work but it only lasted a year. 

Full throttle, I was on my way to making my dreams a reality, but without MY mother; it would never have been possible. She cared for Cierra while I worked practically 24-7 knowing that I was doing everything I could to give my "unexpected" child a good life. 9 years later in 2001, another "unexpected" surprise arrived when my daughter Baleigh was born. Five years after that I got married again and in 2008 my son Zane was born. (the only child that was somewhat planned). This was quite the rainstorm of children for the teenager that had no kids built into her future plans, but with every delivery, I became more and more accepting that I in fact WAS a mom. After my son was born, I knew that I wanted a divorce and began to prepare for that. Then on April fool's day 2009, my most special "unexpected" news to this day was that I was going to be a mom... AGAIN. Child number 4... my precious Abrielle was born on October 16, 2009. I ended things with her dad a few months before she was born becoming a single mom of 4! 

Today, I think of how empty my life would be without my kids; they have brought so many wonderful moments to my life; they are my world. I am not the Mary Poppins, soccer-mom type... I am a career mom all the way; but they love that about me and know that I will always provide for them. It has not been easy but I am glad they were here; they gave me a reason to push myself harder. Today I am VERY proud to say that I am a MOM with children and a successful career.

However today, I not only think of how lucky I am to have such a wonderful Mom... or how great it is to be a Mom. I think of all of the people out there who may have never known their mom, who may have lost their mom to natural causes or some horrible disease. I think also of the single Dad's out their who are playing Mr. Mom, and the women who never had children; it makes me wonder how they feel on a day like today; and because of that I decided to blog not only about Mother's Day but about remembering to celebrate the people you love not just on a day that Hallmark sets aside, but each and every day you have them. 

When you have people in your life that are important, treat them as if they are. We take many things for granted but people we love should not be on that list. We all have people to love, to care about, and to cherish every moment with. Never get too busy to show them how much they mean to you. Life always ends with death, it can happen suddenly or it can occur naturally but it is inevitable, and you never want to regret not letting someone know how much you loved them. Don't wait for Hallmark to give you a "day" to do that.

To all the Mothers... Great job! You have earned many ribbons and trophy's for your years of blood sweat and tears. Happy Mother's Day!

To all you "Mr. Moms"...  Playing both roles is incredibly hard... I know firsthand, I commend you for accepting that challenge... you are awesome!

To children who never knew your mom... Hopefully you have been lucky enough to have someone that stepped into your life that loved you like a mother, but if not... be an awesome mother to your own children one day.

To those that have lost your Mother... Remember her today and all of the wonderful things she did for you. Remember her smile, her laugh and the smell of her cooking. I guarantee she is thinking of you today.

To those who never became a mother for whatever reason... I bet you have a pet who looks at you as mom... or maybe you have touched someone's life in a motherly way. You are still important, you arespecial and that is a reason to recognize you.

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!

xoxo

~Shells~

THE 4 REASONS I AM PROUD TO BE A MOM

Zane

 Cierra

 Baleigh

 Abrielle

  

Topless Mountains Excite me!

I have spoken to people I know many times about mindset and how important it is to your outcome; not only for your future, but in your every day life. What you think about typically comes to fruition. It is much harder than it seems to stay positive because we get so consumed by things that happen not as we had planned. Wrenches are hurled into our lives and we go brain dead from the blows. That my friends is adversity... it is inevitable for the successful, but only the strong will survive.

Do you ever feel like you are climbing a topless mountain? Do you feel that no matter how many ideas you get and put to work you only fail in the end? Have you ever looked at this as one step closer to the peak instead? When you have a goal and set your mind to achieve it, failure is not what is happening when you fall on your face, it is learning... gaining knowledge of how NOT to do it again. Think of adversity as being one step closer to your goal... your mission.... you dreams, and things WILL start to change. The key is to never take your mind off the prize and do whatever you have to, come hell or high water to make it happen. (but please don't streak naked for attention or embarrass yourself in any way) Don't worry about the timeline you set if it comes and goes... set another date! Just because you did not reach a certain point by a date you initially set does not mean the ride is over... it just means it's longer; and hey... the longer the roller coaster is the more euphoric you feel at the end right? It even makes you want to ride it again no matter how scared you were before you got on. Do you think Dr Seuss would have been better off throwing in the towel after his first book was rejected by 29 publishers? I think not...  because frankly, I love Green Eggs and Ham... and that is determination! To reach a goal, you must possess the determination to win. Put yourself where you want to be in your mind and make that the first thought that you wake up to and the final thought that you lay down to at night.

The other day I posted a vague Facebook update that said... "I am SUPER excited, stay tuned". My intention was to blog about why last night but after a long evening at my studio and not getting home until after 10, I was hungry, tired and had the sniffles (which I have even worse tonight) Thank you Florida pollen. Since then however, I got more good news to be even MORE excited about and well, despite my nasal drip (how sexy.. I know) I am feeling pretty awesome.

At the end of last year I set a personal goal to amp up my freelance work by 40% in 2012. It was a hefty goal, but I set hefty ones on purpose; my logic is that if you can reach the hefty ones, you can reach the small ones with your eyes closed. It has been unreal to see my initial goal already being surpassed. News I got today of being hired as the exclusive makeup artist for an online magazine shot locally here in Tampa was a happy addition to my excitement. I have invoiced more freelance work in less than 5 months than I did all of last year, putting me way me over my 40% growth goal!

Happy for me? (I hope) Want to smack me? (I can take it) Do I make you want to do something about reaching your goals? (Good! That was my point)

Have a great night and go to sleep with your goals in mind. ;)

xoxo

~Shells~

"I share my successes to inspire you, I share my failures to know that you are not alone, I share my tears so you know I am real and I share my laughs because without laughter life is really dull." 

©2012 Shelley Giard

The Scariest Encounter I Ever Had....

Being a parent has got to be the toughest job of all time. From birth till you die your children are always your biggest concern. Despite their destiny to annoy you and stress you out to no end, (especially when they hit their teens) they always have those sweet smiles, cute giggles and funny things they say and do that makes your heart melt. I have four, from 2 to 20 so I have seen my share of it all. Last night however, I had a new and frightening experience that is on the charts as the scariest encounter I have EVER had as a parent.

My nearly four-year-old son Zane is deathly allergic to several foods... when I say deathly, I am not for one moment exaggerating, we are talking off the charts Epi pen allergic. When I had him tested at age 2 after a peanut incident, I found out the severity of his issues with nuts and certain grasses and was deeply concerned, however after over a year of no incidents it was kind of out of my mind. He is fully aware of his nut allergy and understands to stay away from them and of course we monitor everything he eats.

Last night, I made a very yummy gluten free pasta dish with grilled chicken and shrimp for Corey and I and made the kids an alternative meal. I NEVER give Zane anything that I feel commonly induces allergic reactions so shellfish has been off the list since day one. Being the curious toddler he is... without my knowing, he sneaked a taste of the pasta. (we were eating around 7:30) I put he and his baby sister to bed at about 8:30 and began doing some cleaning and straightening. He came out around 9:00 telling me that he "was sick and needed medicine." I sent him back to bed thinking that he was "crying wolf" in an attempt to not go to sleep.

At 10:15, my cute little guy came out of his room into the family room wheezing and gasping for air, he was gagging like he was going to vomit but could not breathe. I was freaked out and began to panic. His cute little face began to lose color and his lips were turning blue. Corey called 911 as I tried to calm him down but being hysterical myself it was a bit counterproductive. For a brief moment I stopped as I held his little face and looked at his eyes saying "sweetie, it's going to be okay", not knowing if I was telling the truth. All of a sudden I thought... Epi pen! this must be an allergic reaction. I quickly got it out of the medicine cabinet (thanks GOD I had unpacked that box from our recent move!) I nervously read the instructions since it had never been used as he continued to gasp for air. I held it up clipped the safety and stabbed him in the leg.

Within a few minutes he was breathing easier, and my heart started beating normally again. I spoke to the dispatcher on the phone and told her that I had administered the epinephrine and he was starting to breathe better. He could not talk at all, his voice was hoarse but he was beginning to calm, and so was I. At 11:05, more than 25 minutes after the 911 call the Fire Rescue showed up and 10 minutes later the paramedics showed up. If the Epi pen had not been in reach or if I had not thought to take it out, this story would likely have had a very different end since it had taken them so long to arrive.

I learned a few obvious lessons last night, one being that the Epi pen needs to be within reach at all times and two... you can never assume that calling 911 will save your life. Something else I learned is that no matter how many times your children cry wolf, remember that it only takes one misunderstanding to change everything. When I got into the ambulance to ride to the hospital with my little guy I cried as I apologized to him for not believing he was sick... to which he whispered in his hoarse little voice "it's okay Mommy, I am going to be better now."

"Hug your little ones tight tonight and no matter how much they drive you crazy... love them more than they need you to because one day they could leave you unexpectedly"

xoxo

~Shells~

 Riding in the captain's chair in the ambulance

 Waiting for the doctor in triage

 Listening intently to what the doctor is asking just before admitting him

Enjoying his first (and hopefully last) hospital breakfast

Don't get stuck in "The Comfort Zone"

There are many things that help people succeed in reaching their goals and achieving mental peace; however to me, the one thing that stands out among them all more than anything is the fact that every successful person made a choice to think outside the box... they colored outside the lines and have heroically left their comfort zone more than once. The comfort zone is a boring place, it harbors no adventure, no excitement, and no change which means you cannot grow without leaving it. At times it can be toxic and not "comfortable" at all, but being that it is simply what we are used to, our fears will keep us there.

I am a risk taker in business, always have been and hopefully always will be. I have scared my dear mother half to death with some of the blind leaps I have made... but after many years she has gotten used to it and knows I typically come out on top because the leaps are not as blind as they appear. Once I get an idea, I research, plan things out and take action... what I don't do is analyze things to the point of paralyzing myself since doing that would allow my fears to step in and talk me out of doing something. Fear is a VERY real, VERY annoying, VERY intrusive emotion and it often has a backwards effect on anything you are trying to do. There is a strong difference from playing it smart and playing it safe. I choose to play it smart because playing it "safe" is led by fear; be it fear of failure,  fear of doing it wrong or the fear of not making it. Think about this though; wouldn't you much rather say "been there, done that, it did not work out and I moved on" than to one day ask yourself "I wonder what could have come of that IF I had done it?" Personally, I never want to ask "what if?"

What kind of person are you? Are you a risk taker; balls to the wall kind of person? Or are you a safe player who is content where you are even if it's not where you truly want to be? Whichever it is I want you to sit back and think about it... imagine what things could be like if you had no problem stepping outside your comfort zone to try something new. It does not have to be be about business, it could be trying a new shade of lipstick or sporting a new hairstyle. It could be finally asking someone out that you have been wanting to ask out forever, it could be reconnecting with an estranged friend or family member... whatever it is, we ALL have something we can put into this scenario. Think about it, make a list if you have to, then make a plan and take action to make it happen. The cool thing is once you do it once and have a good outcome you will become addicted to change and in turn you will grow. If you have a bad experience, DON'T let it stop you from trying again... nothing is worth losing your chance to reach your goal, live that dream, or have that peace. NOTHING!

"If at first you don't succeed, head back to the drawing board, regroup and try try again... eventually never giving up will pay off!" Shelley Giard ©2012

xoxo

~Shells~

Therapy From Behind the Chair

After 21 years of being a hairstylist I have learned that I not only make hair happy, but often being a "therapist behind the chair" I tend to make brains happy too. I have had droves of clients over the years who poured their hearts out and their minds... shared their good stories, their bad stories and their dirty secrets. It's like having one of those trash gossip magazines in front of you everyday, but you actually KNOW the people. (it's probably why I don't read that stuff or watch reality TV!) Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's sad, and other times it's just plain weird; but I know that regardless of how the story goes, they need me and I am cheaper than a psychiatrist. 

I always feel blessed when a client thanks me for listening, for offering advice or for being honest (I am blunt to the core) I have had some of them tell me that I am the only person they know that will tell it like it is, and that is why they choose me when they need an honest opinion. I admit it... I am a straight shooter, the REAL DEAL, I don't candy coat or beat around the mulberry bush... if you ask me I will tell you... the TRUTH. I am the kind of girl that will tuck your shirt tag in, tell you you have remnants of lunch in your teeth and if you ask me if something makes you look fat I will say yes if it does. (isn't that why you ask?) Many people in my life have misinterpreted my honesty for rudeness... I say if honesty is rude then I am a very rude person and I am proud of it. I am diplomatic with my delivery (that was learned over the years) but bottom line is I will give you the bottom line. I will encourage and discourage depending on the situation, I will listen and give you my best judgement call. That's me... like it or not. It has done me well thus far despite the haters (who obviously love liars) so I see no need to change this quality.

With this topic in mind, I am choosing to share an excerpt from my book that will be coming out in August. This excerpt tells a story that I will never forget and a lesson I will always hold close to my heart. Being a "chic behind the chair" I have learned that what I say is very important and has impact on others; making me full aware of the advice I give... the words I say and the realization that having someone to talk to can be all that some people need. 

Enjoy your night... 

xoxo 

~Shells~

Excerpt from "I Need The Happy Ending" by Shelley Giard

When I was twenty-two, I owned a hair and tanning salon in Lyman, SC. I had a client that used to come in every other day to tan and once a month to get her hair colored and cut. She was a very attractive lady, although she was self conscious about her weight. A week went by without me seeing her and I noticed her absence. I thought maybe I should call her but before I could she dropped in unexpectedly one day to get a shampoo and blow dry. This was really odd… she always made appointments and honestly never just got shampooed and blown out. I proceeded to shampoo her hair, asking how she had been and she claimed to be okay although I could tell something was not quite right. The last time I had seen her, her marriage was ending and she was a mess. She had begun blaming it on her weight and anything else she could put blame on herself for. I always tried to tell her how beautiful she was, and she truly was… she was a great person, and although a little depressed at times she truly had a lot to be thankful for. Now, I have no idea what I said to her that day that resonated… I was just being my normal self saying God knows what and even though I did not pry I could tell something was wrong. She was staring blankly into the mirror most of the visit; the only time she would engage in what was going on was when she would ask me what had been going on with me; which is when I would go off on some rant about the recent events in my world. My life was like a whirlwind of existence back then; after all, I was a single mother and raging entrepreneur so I always had a story to tell. I have never censored my life, and even though some people see that as a fault I know that by being transparent I create an instant comfort for people that would not normally occur. I am real… not superficial and certainly far from fake. What you see is what you get and I will give my true opinion and the whole story if you ask for it. I finished ranting… checked her out, and she made her next appointments for tanning and color. She hugged me really tight that day and walked out.

A few days later, she came in for an appointment and we were at the salon alone. She thanked me for taking her in that day at which point I casually asked, “Yeah, what was wrong, I know something was up?” This is when I realized that one moment, one breath; one phrase can really change someone’s life forever. I seriously don’t think I realized how one person could impact your entire being until this moment… she proceeded to tell me that she had planned to commit suicide that day, she had just stopped to get sleeping pills on the way home from work and my salon was also on her way home. She said that I inspired her to keep living. I think back to that day as I literally stood in shock, I remember the chills that ran down my spine, I remember an eerie sense of responsibility and how that one moment could have just as easily had the opposite effect. I could not help to think about what could have happened if I had not taken the time to “fit her in”. It was surreal… still is. She impacted me as much as I impacted her. I will never forget her, or that moment. It is exactly why I am so careful what I say. I speak only words that I know I mean… and when it is something that will be hard for the other party to hear; I am careful with the delivery. It may also very well be the reason I sometimes hold negative feelings in just to avoid the “responsibility” of what could come of it.

“The impact of a word is far greater than you think, so mean what you say, and say only what you mean… there are consequences for everything” SG 2010

Didn't Want to Let You Down

I am tired... EXHAUSTED actually. I have worked a bit over 70 hours in the past 6 days and it has caught up with me in a FIERCE way tonight. (yawn) However getting home at 10:00 from work when I started at 8:00 this morning (yeah that is 14 hours and I suck at math) will take a toll on you all on it's own. I am not 25 anymore and my body is reminding me of that loud and clear. Despite all of that, I got home tucked my kiddos in bed and kissed their heads, kissed Corey who is in creative mode in his office working, and am now laying in bed blogging. I have a habit every night of checking stats to see how my blog audience is growing and it never fails, every night I have more and more readers... that's exciting because it was my whole reason for starting this. Spreading my positive attitude on as many people as I can because simply put... life is too short to be negative and miserable and whining is SO unattractive. I figured since you are taking the time to read and follow me I MUST not disappoint you no matter how sleepy I am.

Only thing is I probably can't think too clearly tonight so my positive affirmation for the evening will not so much involve a story but simple a quote to think about. I apologize for the short blog post but promise you that tomorrow night's will be 100% better.

"Take everything in stride until you feel the need to run; 

then run like you never have so you can win the race" 

ShelleyGiard©2012

xoxo
~Shells~