As We End 2015…

I feel like I blinked and missed 2015! It went by so fast.

As I look back and reflect, I realized that the last two years, writing my end of the year blog was easy to do since I wrote everyday. I could remember everything because I wrote so often. It was like a journal

This year, I feel like I have gaps since I stopped writing.  So, I tried to come up with a list of my highlights from 2015 and here they are, in no particular order…

• DJ off to college – more than 4 hours away – and loving it and doing so well. I am so proud of him!
• ME – starting grad school – it will take awhile but when I am done I will have a MS in Restorative Practices which I find fascinating!
• Starting the winter of 2015 with A LOT of snow, and ending the winter of 2015 with the warmest December on record!
• Finding myself working with two independent sales companies, Chloe and Isabel jewelry and Jamberry nails.
• My dad in and out of the hospital and rehabilitation centers (fortunately doing much better now.)
• My grandmother turning 100 years old and celebrating with family from all over the country.
• Lots of time spent with our extended family, which is always time well spent 🙂

High points and low points throughout the year, but that is what makes life interesting I guess!

I am looking forward to an eventful 2106 and I wish everyone a healthy, prosperous and happy year filled with love and compassion.

My Vision Board

If you follow me – or my blog – you would know that I “dabble” in a lot of different things. This goes beyond my career of being a teacher. That and being a mom are the two greatest jobs I could have and I love both of them but even with a full time job , (I work summers too,) and part time photography gigs, there isn’t much “fun money” for the extra things we like to do.  With DJ in college and me in grad school those extras don’t happen as often as we’d like.

In January of last year, I became an independent consultant for chloe and isabel jewelry. Their jewelry is really pretty and I love wearing it and selling it. Some months were definitely better than others and I wish I could find more of a demand for it because I know that I could sell a lot more. I found it hard to get hostesses and I know that I am not aggressive enough – and that is something I need to work on this year. It is great “fun money” though and it let me do things like dinners out , manicures, pedicures and that sort of thing that I’d have otherwise felt guilty spending money on.

A friend of mine sells Jamberry nail wraps and recently, we did a small vendor event together. She and the other vendor were pretty successful but mine had only one sale. We talked about it a bit and realized that “consumables” are the reason why. If you like the nail wraps, you will want to order more. With the jewelry, no matter how beautiful it is, there is only so much a person will order. I am not giving up chloe and isabel. I plan to keep working the business but decided to also venture into the Jamberry world and become a rep for them too.  They go along well side by side actually – pretty rings on a well manicure hand!!

One of the first things I was asked to do by my lead consultant with Jamberry was to create a vision board. I didn’t know what that was but it is not much more than making a list of things I hope to get or accomplish in the future. Right now, I am keeping my vision to one year. My vision board includes:

• Paying for grad school
• DJ’s tuition
• A vacation
• Girls’ Nights Out
• Date Nights
• More charity work

So my first step – to hold some parties! They can be in person or online. Hostesses can live close by or across the country (and with Jamberry – around the world!) The hostess rewards for both companies are amazing and I would love to help people earn free stuff – because getting stuff for free is one of my favorite things!

Check out both my sites and let me know what you think! Let me know in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you!

https://clairesinclair.jamberry.com

https://www.chloeandisabel.com/boutique/clairesinclair

You can also follow my facebook pages to find out about big sales and specials. Just give it a like!!

https://www.facebook.com/Chloe-and-Isabel-with-Claire-Sinclair-818706738175643/?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/clairesinclairjamberry/?fref=ts

Skipping the Diet

For Christmas, my dad gave me a Fitbit. I am hoping that it, along with some healthier eating choices, will help me create a healthier life style. I am not overweight. I don’t even need to lose more than five pounds but I am hoping that the new year helps motivate me to make some changes. I don’t like diets. I love food too much. I need to learn to eat in moderation and to choose healthier options.

If you know me well, you know that I am quick to jump on a new idea or project. I thought, “Wow! I can turn this into a new blog! A staying healthy blog.”  I have a name for it too! “Skipping the Diet.”  I even began writing it and getting the website ready – but after a few days, (no surprise there…) not being an expert made me feel limited to what I would post. I shared a couple of recipes, an inspirational video – but I can share that stuff on Facebook if I wanted to. So….I think I will just add it to this blog and try to get myself writing again. Maybe it won’t all be about “Kindness” but more inspirational.  I never know where it will take me – usually I just write.

For nearly 2 1/2 years, I wrote daily on this blog. It had been my New Year’s resolution in 2013 and I stuck with it for much longer than I had imagined I could. I began slacking during the summer – maybe it was because I started grad school, my schedule was a lot busier – but it sort of fell to the wayside. I was hoping that by committing myself to a new blog with a new idea, I would inspire myself to write again nearly every day, but more importantly, hold myself accountable and be able to stick to this healthier way of eating.

There is too much “unhealthy food/health issues” in our family. My father and older brother both had major hear surgeries after heart attacks and my mother, who died from complications from COPD, also had several heart attacks. I need to be around for a long time for my two sons and my husband. I want to set a good example for them.  Maybe something is working because my 14 year old went out and bought himself a Fitbit with the Best Buy gift cards he got for Christmas.

This doesn’t mean I won’t eat treats and favorite splurges~ I LOVE food too much for that. I am hoping that I will eat less of them and not as often. I won’t deny myself of my favorite foods. I think that is why so many diets fail.  You will NEVER see me posting selfies of my body on this site. No “before and after” shots of me! I have a hard enough time with self-image and hopefully it will inspire others to make some changes as well.

I’d love to hear from others and find out how they are making healthy lifestyle changes. We can share recipes, tips and advice. I am looking forward to hearing from others and seeing the changes we make -no matter how big or small they are.

Adding a Little More to My Plate…

I got upset with myself when I realized how infrequently I wrote my on blog this year. I had been so faithful, writing everyday for over two years and then, just fell flat. Maybe it was a more hectic schedule? I finished two grad school classes in that time. I am still teaching Kindergarten, I volunteer a few days a month at an art gallery in town that sells the artwork of adults with special needs. I have been doing more photography work and still  I am still trying to work my Chloe and Isabel jewelry business…(this has started to fall to the wayside – not my intention, just not finding the interest from others although, still trying….)

SO, what did I decide to do?

Take on yet ANOTHER venture!! Where am I finding the time? I probably am not, but I am going to try it. After attending a vendor event with my jewelry, and not selling anywhere near as much as the other vendors, I began rethinking what they had that I didn’t and we realized what it was. They sell, “consumables.” Makeup and Jamberry nail wraps. They always run out, so people come back for more. Makes sense. I guess there is only so much jewelry you can own, (although I am sure there are some that would disagree!)

So, with the help of my friend Beth, I have started my Jamberry adventure and have become an independent consultant for them. The wraps are cute, stylish and fast and easy to apply. Easy and fast were the key words for me.

As a kid, I was a nail biter and because of my insecurities about Neurofibromitosis and my self image, I am not a big fan of showing my hands but I need to break out of this. I know it – and this is a step in the right direction….I hope.

Check out Jamberry nail wraps. They are cheaper than the cost of a regular manicure and you get at least one manicure/pedicure with each set you order. They sell them in adult and kid sizes too. Try a set and let me know what you think.

https://clairesinclair.jamberry.com/us/en/shop/party/home/81a586f7-38b3-456d-9936-909338237d98

Now, I have to run.  Off to take photos at a charity breakfast with Santa! This should get me into the holiday spirit – even if it is 65 degrees on December 12th in New Jersey!!