Spicy Motivators 2025: July, August, September

AJsRandom

AJsRandom

Well-known member
How is it already the last half of the year?

Welcome to the Spicy Motivators! Come and join us to be motivated:

" You might need encouragement in exercising more (that’s me). You might want to do more walking. You might need encouragement to eat healthier or lose some weight. Your desire might be to cook more home cooked meals. Maybe you need some push to get more memory pages scrapped or maybe a desire to do more other crafts like sewing, yarn crafts or painting. You might like to set yourselves a monthly goal of how many challenges you want to take part in... or how many pages you want to achieve for an album you are putting together. "

You are welcome to start a post to share your goals and edit to add when you achieve things. Otherwise just pop in here at the end of each week and share how your week has been in achieving your goals.

Also, please feel welcome to ask for any encouragement you may need. :)
 
thankyou Ane for motivating us.
I will continue with my daily exercises ( Youtube ones).
I am looking into the DASH diet to help me with my high blood pressure so I will see how I go with that.
 
Keeping my Goals for 2025

Scrapbooking:
*Going to get A page DONE in July…. and so the story goes

Cards:
*mailing birthday and anniversary cards every week

Life in General:
*journal daily
*log my meals
*LazyFit twice a day

July 06 - I really don’t have a lot that’s new or different.
Happy July. Pretty dull here. Yeah, I had a lot of “trouble” with Sherri’s passing, but she did it her way and I respect her for that. I sent a message to Alexis and Freddy and I sent a memorial gift to the kids. I’m sure they’re going to need some help. I feel bad that they won’t get the mail for a couple weeks, but I couldn’t mail it until she was gone. I just kept hoping for a miracle even though I knew this was her choice.

But me, I’m still on summer vacation for another six-and-a-half weeks. It’s going really fast, but not nearly as fast as I’m sure next year is going to go. I’m not excited about being at the district office, but I’m grateful to be closer to home. It’s right down the road/hill… quite literally 2 miles away. And I can park within footsteps of the doorway, so hopefully no climbing over snow banks this winter. (yes, there were very small areas where our custodian didn’t make sure the handicapped parking area was shoveled so we could walk safely… even though I mentioned it several times, to several people.)

Other than that, Freddy and I are hoping to take a couple road trips/long weekends between now and Labor Day.
That’s all.

Love and Blessings!
Carla
 
Carla, sorry for not being so motivating this week. Sunday we had Eren over, Monday and Tuesday I was gone, and yesterday just flew by. You're not the only one who's still torn up about Sherri's choice. I just hope her kids have a good living situation and are doing well. Good on you for enjoying your summer break! I would too! Enjoy your trips. <3

Last week was kind of a low-key disaster. I didn't get to the gym at all or scrap. I did read a bunch though, which was really nice. It was my week off between school terms. Now I have this class I'm not sure what to do with, since it isn't a humanities class (it's an elective in the history department). I guess I'll just give it my best shot and try to keep up (missing 2 days put me behind).
 
Keeping my Goals for 2025

Scrapbooking:
*Going to get A page DONE in July…. and so the story goes

Cards:
*mailing birthday and anniversary cards every week

Life in General:
*journal daily
*log my meals
*LazyFit twice a day

July 13 - Sounds like you were kinda crazy-busy from reading the Waffling post, Miss Ane! Glad you had some time with Eren though. Hope they are doing better. Not your job to keep me motivated! <3

Alexis finally posted this weekend about her mom and it was heart-wrenching. Without rehashing the entire thing, Sherri was getting much worse, due to her heart condition and very weak due to an additional health condition called Myasthenia Gravis. Then she fell and fractured her femur and was in excruciating pain. One thing led to another and she was approved for the procedure to end her life. Alexis was with her until the very end. Not 100% sure about Alexis and Austin’s living situation. We sent a memorial check to them. Hope it helps some. They’re both adults, but they’re also both special needs. Alexis has the same heart condition that Sherri had. She’s very active speaking about it around the country and now, apparently around the world. Austin has high-functioning ASD. I believe he has a job, but I can’t remember if their father is actively in the picture anymore to help. There is no mention of him anywhere, so I’m guessing not.

4th of July was miserably HOT here. I went out for our neighborhood parade and then went over to spend the day with Lacy, Nick and Kolten, but came home before fireworks. We had a little reprieve from the temps this weekend, but the heat and humidity is coming back along with air warnings due the smoke coming in from Canada. If we’re getting warnings, I can’t imagine what it’s like for them. I feel so bad for them. MN does a pretty good job of forest management so our fires don’t get too out of control. Wish Canada would take some lessons because it seems to happen every summer.

Already working on Christmas. I’m about 30 in to my 200+. Not bad for July. I’m signed up for 4 classes already that will garner 48 cards in the end and just about every card I make from now until “I’m done” will be a Christmas card. I have several online ladies that I follow who do weekly projects, so each ot those will be a new Christmas card. I’m doing a Christmas Card A Day Challenge in July and I’m keeping up! They’ve given us themes for each day… glitter, embossing, non-traditional colors, ribbon, etc. Very simple, but it’s getting the job done. Kinda hoping that they’ll do one for August OR… I’ll just continue and redo the same things again. hehehe…

Off to make cards now. Buh-Bye!

Love and Blessings!
Carla
 
Carla, my class is keeping me so busy! The reading alone weighs me down for several days. I know I'm going to have to work while at my son's this weekend. And I have a major project to think about that's due in 2.5 weeks. Ugh.

Thanks for posting what Alexis said. I just feel so sorry for those kids and hope that they're doing OK and not going to get kicked out of their house or anything awful like that. I'm a mom and a grandma, therefore I worry.

The 4th was crazy hot here too. We went to a breakfast put on by our church congregation, then kind of relaxed for the rest of the day until hubby grilled dinner. We had Eren over for those events too. Been trying to keep them involved in life since their boyfriend broke up with them last month.

I think it's pretty awesome to start your Christmas cards this early in the year. When you send out 200+ it's a must. Good for you!

As for my goals, I managed to keep my head above water the first week of school. I didn't get my 3 days of exercise in, only 1. But I did get a bunch of reading in, so that's cool. I'm going to read more as we travel this weekend and probably do more homework then as well.
 
Keeping my Goals for 2025

Scrapbooking:
*Going to get A page DONE in July…. and so the story goes

Cards:
*mailing birthday and anniversary cards every week

Life in General:
*journal daily
*log my meals
*LazyFit twice a day

July 20 - Oh Ane! You'll be fine. You always are. I know you're worried, but you come out shining in the end. And it appears that you're using your time well. Reading at your son's, reading while traveling. Good job and good luck on your project. I have faith in you! (y)

Last week was pretty “boring”. Took the kids out for their birthday dinner on Monday night. Nick’s was July 8th and Lacy’s was the 17th, so we usually split the difference. That was fun. Woke up with a migraine on Tuesday and thought I might have to call it a day halfway through, but I kept ahead of it with meds, and made it. Don’t know if it was the berry margarita (but I only had one) or something in the pasta dish or just a migraine, but it only lasted the one day. Thankfully. Thursday brought our monthly MoMs (Mom of Marines) meeting, but it was really small. Only five ladies showed up, HOWEVER, one had her Marine over at the RSS (recruiting substation) next door doing PT, so when he was done he stopped over for MoM-hugs and praise. That was fun. We sorta gush, just a little bit any time we can get our mitts on a Marine. We’re silly that way. He took it all in stride and was very appreciative when we thanked him for his service. He leaves for school next Friday and is quite thankful for that. He’s been at the RSS, helping out for six weeks. It’s all hurry-up-and-wait in the Corps. Their motto is Semer Fidelis. Ours is Semper Gumby… Always Flexible. We’ve learned that nothing is permanent. Needs of the Corps. You can’t count on anything in stone. HA! Yesterday I attended the funeral of the father of my upline for Stampin’ Up!. Amy was a dear friend before I joined her team and her dad was a great person. Teacher, principal of their Christian School, wonderful man. Five kids, Amy’s the youngest, fourteen grands, twenty-nine greats! I was fine until the grands and greats got up to sing, “Jesus Loves Me”. LOST IT! Really?!? Memorials went to the school building campaign. How neat is that?

That’s all I’ve got. Have to go make some more Christmas cards. LOL

Love and Blessings!
Carla
 
Carla, for having a boring week, you sure had an eventful week! I'm glad your migraine was only a day long. I get them myself, maybe once a month. They are mostly hormone-related for me. I don't know if I mentioned this before, but my mom is also a MoM! My brother wasn't active duty for a long time, but it still counts! I was surprised when I found out he'd joined the Marines, but the experience definitely had a positive effect on his character. I am very familiar with Semper Gumby--even my Air Force husband used that term. ;) I'm sorry to hear about the death of your friend's father. Sounds like he had a great send-off, and what a great cause to have people donate to!

I had a pretty good week last week even though I didn't make it to the gym once. I got to do some fun reading and completed my homework on time. The highlight of my week was going to Ohio for my granddaughter's birthday party and hanging out with my family.
 
Carla, Wow! making Christmas cards already.

Yesterday was the first time in 2 weeks that I did my Youtube walking and then I only did a 10 minute one. I have been battling a flu virus and still only feel about 97% well. Still have an occasional coughing fit.
 
Keeping my Goals for 2025

Scrapbooking:
*Going to get A page DONE in July…. and so the story goes

Cards:
*mailing birthday and anniversary cards every week

Life in General:
*journal daily
*log my meals
*LazyFit twice a day

July 27 - Have to Anne-Marie, I send out over 200 Christmas cards. If I don’t get started in July, I’ll never make it in time. What I should be doing is printing the labels and getting them in envelopes RIGHT NOW so that part is done too. I do already have the stamps, so wtheck. Wouldn’t be that much more work. And I do that part while I’m sitting at night, watching TV. Might have to put some serious thought into that.
Ane, that is boring. LOL! Now, last week I really didn’t DO anything. Seriously, this sounds like a lot too, but it’s all after dinner, so my days are free to play with paper, which I do. I had six, NO actually eight online classes during the week and an online retreat on Fri-Sat that had eight classes. For most of the eight classes during the week, I was able to choose my own papers so I made Christmas cards. One class was designed, so she sends out all of the pre-cut papers and then we make them together via zoom. I have three weekly classes on Monday where the ladies give out paper dimensions ahead of time and then we make cards together as they tell us where to put the papers. They call them variations of “mystery stamping”. LOADS of fun. Another one on Tuesday vacillates between a mystery stamp or a technique class where she’ll show us something new and we can play along or just watch and try it later. Thursday was the designed class and then Friday, the retreat began at 5pm my time with videos hourly. They gave us pdfs of the projects that had all of the materials that they used and all of the measurements and detailed instructions. So, we could get ready ahead of time with exactly what they had, whatever we wanted to use, or just watch and create later. That’s what I usually do unless something REALLY spikes my interest. Now, one of the projects this time, I ended up starting as she was showing us and then completing as I was watching the rest of the weekend. It was pretty labor-intensive, but I love how it turned out! This is hers … this is mine because she was mentioning how it could work with anything else you have at home and wouldn’t it look cool with hearts?!? BAMM! Showed her hearts! You can't tell, but the monkey & tiger & hearts on the inside of the cards swing up and down as you open the card. I have the set she used too so I’m going to have to make that one too. Dangit. My life is SO tough… hehehe.
So, yeah… that was my week. Sounds busy when you put it on paper, but I really didn’t leave my desk much, except to GET UP and MOVE which I still try to do every 90 minutes and log my meals and journal and all that stuff. Really have to work on the scrapbooking though. I hear that Scrap-A-Thon is coming up. Maybe I’ll actually get something done this year?

Take care!
Love and Blessings!
Carla

Summer-2025 Brandy1.jpgSummer-2025 Brandy1_Carla.jpg Summer-2025 Brandy1_Carla1.jpg
 
Carla, those are some seriously cute cards! At least you get your creativity worked out some way, and this happens to be an awesome way! :)

I went to the gym once last week but did a little fun reading. Finishing the homework always stretches me, but at least I'm getting it done. I'm getting a lot of work done on my project because the prof gave us light reading this week, probably so we could devote our time to our projects. One way or another, it has to be turned in Friday.
 
The past 2 weeks have been really nutty for me so I didn't get to the gym at all (or read for fun). I had a big project for school that took a lot of time then I had a bunch of volunteer work to do (which I love but is quite tiring). Today I hope to make it to the gym, and barring anything weird happening in the next 45 min. or so, I will. :)

What are y'all doing, Motivators?
 
Carla, those are lovely cards. My favourite is the heart one.

I am still achieving my daily youtube walking exercises.
This month I am little preoccupied with the Scrap -a-thon as I am determined to reach the 20 challenges completed and it looks like I will do that by tomorrow or the next day. I have listed 11 more challenges in my notebook that I hope to do so I will see how I go.

Hope everyone is keeping well.
 
Anne-Marie, good on you for sticking with your exercises! I am attempting 20 challenges as well, but I've only done 1. Likely I won't make it, thanks to to my tough course and the big project I have to do for it. Good on you for striving hard enough to complete those 20!
 
Keeping my Goals for 2025

Scrapbooking:
*Get A page DONE in August …. maybe???

Cards:
*mailing birthday and anniversary cards every week

Life in General:
*journal daily
*log my meals
*LazyFit twice a day

Aug 03/11/17 - OMG! I haven’t been back here the entire month of AUGUST! I’m so sorry. I haven’t really been that busy. I know, I know. It sounds like it, but I’m not. I’ll be lucky if I get anything done for Scrap -a-thon though.

Thanks for the kudos on the cards. I just LOVE making (and sending) cards! You girls really have to send me your addresses so I can send you some cards and make sure to give me your birthdates. We call them hugs in an envelope. I say a quick, little prayer over each card before I seal it for the person I’m sending it to, that their lives are blessed by whatever comes their way. It just makes me feel good.

Did I tell you about my new phone? Don’t think so! My old phone was literally coming apart at the seams. YIKES. So we talked to the eldest DD and SIL and they wanted to add us to their plan so they could get a reduced, family-plan rate. With that, both Freddy and I could get new phones. Probably why I didn’t chat with you on Aug 3rd. We got them on Aug 2nd and I was trying to figure out what the heck was going on! OH YEAH… then I had an all-day card event about an hour away, so that was it! Don’t have any excuse for last week. LOL! Love, love, love my new phone though.

And now I’m just living the swag life… trying to slow down the days before I have to go back to work in 10 days on the 27th and 28th and then the LONG weekend off until school officially starts and I officially start my LAST SCHOOL YEAR! Wow. 179 days until June 10, 2026 and this girl will be RETIRING! WooHoo!!! (but who’s counting?!? ME!!!)

Take care!
Love and Blessings!
Carla
 
Carla, don't feel too bad. I've only gotten 1 thing done for Scrap-a-thon, and that's all I'm likely to get done. Anyway, no need to apologize--it happens! And I would LOVE to get a card from you! If I don't PM you my address within a couple of days, please remind me. :) I'm glad you got a new phone if that was the condition of your old phone. Yikes! It seems like summer flew by this year, even though I only have 1 kid in school, it just seems like we did a lot this summer. So good luck with your last school year! May it pass quickly for you so you can get to that retirement! <3

Last week was not stellar for me. I only went to the gym once, but I did manage a little exercise 1 other day, so not a failure. I read a little bit and got all my homework done. Now I just have to finish this week and get through my final project. I do NOT get a break between classes this time, so that sucks. As of Aug 31, I'll be halfway through my program!
 
Keeping my Goals for 2025

Scrapbooking:
*Get A page DONE in August …. maybe???

Cards:
*mailing birthday and anniversary cards every week

Life in General:
*journal daily
*log my meals
*LazyFit twice a day

Aug 24 - Oh my. I have to start back to work on Wednesday. 😭 NO!
I don’t want summer to be over and I don’t want to go back to school. HAHAHA! Isn’t that what all the kids say?
We really didn’t do “anything” or go “anywhere” this summer. I guess you could say we did the staycation thing. Toss it up to spending A LOT on the new deck. Good thing I’m really happy with the way it turned out.
I told you that we finally got the new (two-year-old) flag pole put in the front yard too, right? That was another hold-out from the siding and window episode. Shortly after the siding and window, our beautiful telescoping flag pole snapped in a storm. Well, it gave its life for almost 30 years, so it had a good run. I looked around for another one, but again, we were short on cash and the way the pole had snapped, we weren’t able to pull it out of the ground. LOL Not kidding. That thing was STUCK in two feet of concrete and not budging. So when we had these big, strong guys with big, strong machines at our disposal, we asked Mike if they’d consider attempting to get it out. They were successful, which is precisely when we realized that we really didn’t want to replace the pole in the same exact spot. After all this time, we decided to move the pole to the front of the house instead of the side. SMH. Oh well. So, as of about two weeks ago, this beauty is gracing our front yard and it is stunning. THE tallest in the neighborhood! Go big or don’t go at all, with the REAL MN flag.
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Take care!
Love and Blessings!
Carla
 
Carla, your flag pole is amazing! I wish we could have one, but I have no idea where it would go. Instead we have a little doohickey attached to our front porch where we can slide in a smaller flag on a smaller pole. So sad you have to go back to work, but it's your last year! I hope it flies by for you!

I did OK with exercising last week. I did 2 yoga workouts, 20 min. each and on most of the days I didn't do those, I got a lot of walking in. I also got a lot of reading done. Finished a book I've been stuck on for about 6 weeks and got halfway through a new one. Homework all accomplished too. This week is the last for this course and I've got a final project due. A little nervous about that one, but it'll get done one way or another. :)
 
Keeping my Goals for 2025

Scrapbooking:
*Get A page DONE in August …. maybe???

Cards:
*mailing birthday and anniversary cards every week

Life in General:
*journal daily
*log my meals
*LazyFit twice a day

Aug 31Sept 1 - OMGosh…. the LAST day of August? WTheck? Where did the summer go?
Okay, my new temporary office? Love it! I wish they would just leave me there. I think I’ve met more people from this office in two days than I met the entire four years I was at the last middle school. How sad is that, but how wonderful is this? Even the Community Ed Director stopped by on Thursday to say hi and welcome me and make sure I had everything I need. Mind you, I’ve known him forever, but how sweet?
Other than those two days, the week has been very normal and this long weekend has been very lazy and I’m lovin’ it! So short and sweet this morning.

Take care!
Love and Blessings!
Carla
 
Carla, it sure sounds like you're in a better place! How come it's temporary? Did you explain that already and I'm a dunce for forgetting?

Last week was OK. I got to the gym once or twice. But so far this week, I've done 2 workouts: one was doing yardwork on Monday (got several mosquito bites for my troubles) and today I did a dumbbell workout. I managed to finish all my homework for my last class, including a hairy project that I got a B on. The prof said I could raise my grade if I addressed what was wrong with the project, so I did and turned that in today. Now I have to deal with this week's homework (new class). I got in a bunch of reading for fun last week too, but not so much this week. And book club's a week away (the book is over 650 pages--I don't think I'm going to get it done). I sure am wiped out from a rotten night's sleep. Here's to an earlier bedtime! :)
 
Keeping my Goals for 2025

Scrapbooking:
*Get A page DONE in September…. maybe???

Cards:
*mailing birthday and anniversary cards every week

Life in General:
*journal daily
*log my meals
*LazyFit twice a day

Sept 7-14-21-27 - Are you kidding me? I haven’t posted all month? Okay, obviously I’m suffering from school-brain. Sorry. I’m really not that busy, except for school. When I’m home, I’m just home. Playing on the computer. Playing with paper.

Only temporary, Ane, because I’m supposed to be at the district office but apparently they didn’t have room for me when the school year began. And no, I didn’t know about it until I was about to start the year either! I was wondering all summer where the heck they were going to “stuff” me! (and why they didn’t just leave me where I was) But I do LOVE my temp location and I do wish they’d just leave me here for the year. smh.

I did have to resign as manager of one of my CTs. It was congenial. I didn’t give any notice, but gave her a complete update of the team standings. I didn’t give the true reason either; I actually didn’t give any reason. The designer didn’t ask, but she knew. If any of you are friends with me on FB, you’ll know why too, so we’ll just leave it at that.

Anyway… Life is good here. The weather is lovely right now in MN and Harley and I are still enjoying our deck. Next week it’s even supposed to be back up into the 80sF. Crazy, but not Indian Summer because we haven’t actually had a frost yet. So I guess we’ll have that maybe too? The leaves are beginning to turn; a lot up north and just a bit here. We have a trip planned, just for a long weekend, in late October. We’ll miss the colors, but it will be lovely just to get away. We’re going with Lacy, Nick and Kolten to the same resort we visited last October. So excited.

Sorry to be so absent this month!

Take care!
Love and Blessings!
Carla
 
Carla, you are forgiven, LOL! As you can see, I didn't do any posting either. :eek: Sorry to hear you had to resign as a CTM. I was one, a very long time ago, until the designer retired (health). I'm glad it was congenial, so at least you have that. The weather here is in the 80's too, I don't mind it all that much but I do wish it would rain too. Our lawn is mostly brown.

As for me, I did not work out as much as I wanted to in September. Just different, stupid reasons. My A1C is the same as it was in June. Gonna have it checked again in March. I also caught a cold from my granddaughter, so I couldn't get a couple of vaccines I had scheduled. I'm managing to stay on top of my homework, though to do so I've had to sacrifice scrapping and reading for fun. I haven't scrapped since July and that eats at me.
 
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