What would I like to learn how to do?...Snow Skiing and Tubing

Each day the PeriGirls Periscope group gives you a daily assignment to scope about on Periscope. Today's assignment was to discuss what I would like to learn and I chose to discuss Snow Skiing and Tubing. Why would I want to do these activities? My parents went snow skiing pre-children and I have seen pictures and it looks fun. I also have friends that have gone and told me how fun it was when they went. I used to go water skiing when I was younger and that was a lot of fun so I think I could definitely snow ski if I was to learn properly and go to the right place. There are several ski resorts in both Virginia and West Virginia nearby so maybe one day I will learn. :-)

Watch my video discussion below (about five minutes):

Have you joined the Periscope community?

What exactly is Periscope?

Periscope is a mobile app that is used to live stream video to followers and viewers world wide. Viewers can interact with you by giving hearts (shows they value what you are sharing) and by commenting so you can see and respond immediately. It is through Twitter so you can easily connect it to your Twitter account for each live broadcast to be shared using that account so viewers can join you. 

To learn more about what Periscope is watch my YouTube video below and also visit the official website www.periscope.tv 

How do I join Periscope?

You can easily join the app by downloading the mobile app from either the Apple store or Google Play on your mobile device. Once installed you will sign in either using your phone number or Twitter account (I definitely recommend connecting it to your Twitter from the start) and then you can immediately start viewing other Periscopes and broadcasting your own. 

Why should I join Periscope?

This app lets you connect with others worldwide and is a great networking platform. In just five months I have grown my followers to over 350 and I have also grown my Twitter followers because of the actions I've taken on Periscope. 

How do I follow you on Periscope?

My username is @amandabeautytip

You can view recent replays and watch online at www.periscope.tv/amandabeautytip

Merry Christmas! What are your Christmas Traditions? How are you celebrating this year?

Merry Christmas everyone! What are your family traditions? How are you celebrating this year?

One tradition is for me to attend the Christmas party for my best friend's family. This year marked twenty years that we've known each other which feels crazy! We had a lot of fun a couple of weeks ago and this year I got to share the tradition with my boyfriend. 

A second tradition for the last few years is for my mom to make Peanut Butter balls at some point during the holiday time. She made some last weekend and they are amazing as always! Chocolate and peanut butter...mmm...yummy!

As far as the tree, my family usually gets a cedar tree the old fashioned way (cutting it down from the woods) and they usually get it the weekend before Christmas and leave it up until New Years Day. The past couple of years we finished decorating the tree on Christmas Eve. 

Christmas morning traditions have changed since we were little. When we were little my brother and I would wake up at like 6am and then wake my parents up so we could open presents. We then opened all of our presents, ate breakfast, and played until it was time to go to my grandma's house around 10am. Then, we'd do it all over it again there and return home and either go to my other grandma's house or she would come to us. Since becoming adults we wake up later ourselves and therefore start later. We sometimes even save a gift or two for later in the day. We still go to my grandma's around 10am, but unfortunately the other grandma passed in 2008. Christmas Day is all about the family time though. 

Here is a video where I share some Christmas Traditions:

Here is a link to my playlist of videos that are similar to the one above sharing how my family is doing Christmas this year: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf7iLuSe4kHGtJdi0I6IZp8Mcbb5QR86-

Christmas Time is Here! Some of my favorite Christmas Carols and Christmas Movies

With Christmas being tomorrow, I wanted to share some of my favorite Christmas movies and Christmas Carols. What are your favorites? Feel free to comment on this post what your favorites are...

Favorite Movies

My all time favorite Christmas movie would have to be National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. This movie is just too funny and brings lots of laughs! A close second would have to be A Charlie Brown Christmas which celebrated 50 years this year! Charlie Brown is a classic that is loved by many. 

EDIT: I can't believe I forgot about A Christmas Carol and the story of Mr. Scrooge! That has to be my favorite Christmas story. I like most versions but my favorite ones are probably the Disney version and the Donald Duck version. 

A favorite from my childhood would be The Santa Clause with Tim Allen. The original one is the best, but I have watched the second and third movies and they are good as well if you are looking for some good family friendly movies to watch. 

Of course we can't forget The Grinch. I have to say I like the original cartoon version, but I also enjoy the version with Jim Carey. 

A newer movie Prep and Landing is a cute movie about the elves that prep the sites for Santa to make deliveries. This is another good cute one for the kids to watch. There is also a sequel movie that is also cute. These are also only about 30 minutes long when airing on television so it isn't a long time for little ones to sit. 

I also enjoy the classics Rudolph, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Frosty, etc. And funny enough I used to hate Rudolph because I was scared of the evil snowman. Lol. 

Some other favorites include Elf, Polar Express, I'll be Home for Christmas, and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.  

Favorite Christmas Carols

My all time favorite Christmas Carol is Christmas Canon by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I think this song really gets us in the right frame of mind for what Christmas is really about.

I have really fond memories of We Wish You A Merry Christmas! My brother and I and for a while my cousins as well used to go with my grandfather and deliver peanuts to the offices that were in office buildings he owned and some other business related people and we would sing We Wish You A Merry Christmas at every delivery. 

I love all of the classic religious songs Oh Holy Night, Silent Night, Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, Joy to the World, Hark! The Harold Angels Sing, etc.

I also enjoy the children favorites Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, Jingle Bells, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Oh Christmas Tree

Basically, if it's a Christmas Carol I enjoy it, especially the older classic carols. It's hard to pick just a few to mention and pin down as favorites. 

Thankful for the little things in life...

There are many things to be thankful for in life. Personally, this year I am thankful for all of the little things. I am thankful that I have a roof over my head, a job, a supportive network of friends and family, food, and for the most part health. I am thankful that I have been able to meet some incredible people this year and that I have been able to grow my online networking. I am thankful that I have a fresh start every day and the chance to change things that aren't working. Even though sometimes it feels like things aren't going the way they should, it is still nice to know that overall I have a lot of things to be thankful for in life.

Here is my video replay of my Periscope from Thanksgiving morning where I mention some of these things that I am thankful for this year:

Follow me on Periscope @amandabeautytip

www.periscope.tv/amandabeautytip

Thanksgiving Plans

What are your plans for the Thanksgiving holiday? I will be spending the time with loved ones. What are your family traditions?

Growing up, I would help my mom in the kitchen to cook the desserts and side dishes that she would make for the dinner while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. My mom usually makes cranberry salad and then a pie or two. She also used to make Macaroni and Cheese and still does make Green Bean Casserole and the dressing. When I was growing up we would go have lunch with my uncles and mom's mom and then we would have dinner at my dad's parents house. Now I am down to one grandparent (my dad's mom) so the past few years we have just had dinner at her house with my dad's family. 

Last year marked the first year I woke up away from home on Thanksgiving morning, I watched a bit of the parade and then I went home for the day and still helped just a bit in the kitchen. 

This year, I know I will be spending time with family but have not figured out my exact plans yet. 

Here is a video I did where I share my Thanksgiving Plans on Periscope:

Live Life One Day At A Time

It is important to live life one day at a time. I'm not saying don't schedule things ahead of time or don't look forward to the future, but it is important to not focus on the past or future and to live in the present. We don't want to dwell on the past as it has already happened and we don't want to worry about the future as it has yet to happen. I have found lately that it is best to focus on the present and what is happening in the present and then don't regret things later. 

Here is a video I did on Periscope awhile back:

AVON Holiday Products

I am super excited for the Avon Holiday product line-up! We have lots of great decor and gift items for the holidays! My favorites are probably the ornaments and collectible items. I have been sharing videos on my YouTube channel and I will continue to share videos. Now is the time to get these items as they are already starting to sell out! 

Here are some of the videos:
Avon Living highlights:

Avon Campaign 24 highlights:

Mark Magalog 12 highlights:

Check out the full line-up NOW at www.youravon.com/adavis0493 Receive free shipping on all orders of $40+! 

You can easily find the holiday products by going to the category "more" and then "Holiday" and there is Sub-Categories under that category for stocking stuffers, under $5, under $10, etc. We have stuff for men, women, and kids!

Be sure to register at my website to receive special offers via email including free shipping and other coupon codes. 

You can follow my Avon Blog at bethebestyoucanbebeautyblog.com

SSSVEDA Replay Links

In August, I took the Savvy Sexy Social Vlog Every Day in August Challenge. I started late so my first video catches up on the first nine days. I also missed some days here or there so some of the videos have more than one topic so that I could still do all of the topics. 

What is Savvy Sexy Social? It is a business started by Amy Schmittauer and she is a personal branding and content marketing coach with advice on branding yourself online. You can learn more about Amy and her business here: http://savvysexysocial.com/about/

Back in August, Amy started a challenge to Vlog every day and she gave us daily topics to Vlog about. What is a Vlog? A video blog! And guess what this challenge was my start on video blogging! I had dabbled in video marketing before the challenge on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoD-7bBkzC3Qx_udsep2iNA
Now however, video has become a huge part of my life and personal brand. I am now on an app called Periscope that is growing in popularity. It is an app through Twitter that allows you to film broadcasts that are live stream videos. The SSSVEDA Challenge was my start on Periscope! Now my following has really grown and I see it growing every day! You can follow me on Periscope: www.periscope.tv/amandabeautytip 

Here is my first video with the topics for days 1-9 (topics listed below) and you can check out the rest at my YouTube channel or by clicking on the hyperlinks that lead to the videos below. Thanks for watching and feel free to comment on this post below or on my YouTube videos! And definitely join me on Periscope! I look forward to connecting with you! 

These were the daily assignments:
Day 1--Introduce yourself!
Day 2--Morning or Night person?
Day 3--First App you check every day
Day 4--Favorite Activity and Season in your city?
Day 5--Favorite Book You've Read in the Last Year
Day 6--Book you look forward to reading
Day 7--iPhone, Android, or Windows
Day 8--Twitter or Facebook?
Day 9--Instagram or Vine?
Day 10--Mac or PC?
Day 11--What bores you?
Day 12--What excites you?
Day 13--Hardest part about what you do?
Day 14--How did you find SavvySexySocial.com and how has it helped you?
Day 15--Coffee or tea?
Day 16--Person you most want to have a drink with who is alive?
Day 17--Person you most want to have a drink with who is dead?
Day 18--Your favorite country you've ever visited
Day 19--What country do you want to visit?
Day 20--Favorite way to relax?
Day 21--Eat in or Eat Out?
Day 22--If someone gave you a gift that gave you a happy dance, what would the gift be?
Day 23--Favorite motivational quote
Day 24--Last thing that made you laugh
Day 25--Introvert or extrovert
Day 26--Blue pen or black?
Day 27--If you had an extra $100 to spend every week on yourself, what would you spend it on?
Day 28--Favorite fitness activity
Day 29--Dress for success or comfort
Day 30--Person you geeked out upon meeting?
Day 31--What have you learned from SSSVEDA?

How do you spend your weekends?

I'm just curious how does everyone spend their weekends? Do you work? Relax? Spend time with family? Seriously, comment below on this post what you do on the weekends.

I spend my weekends in a variety of ways. Primarily, I try to use the time to work my direct sales businesses and get my online presence going. I often do vendor shows or yard sales on Saturdays during the peak seasons. As I move into the winter months, I will be doing more to work on online things and blogging, etc. My primary time to do these things is on the weekend because I work full time during the week and while I may do a few things here or there during the week, the weekend is my primary time to do these tasks. I just try to make the "work" fun. 

I also do try to find some down time on the weekend and read and watch television. Again since I don't have time during the week for such things, it's nice to find a few hours on the weekend to do these things. Relaxation is important so I do try to relax a little.

Plus, the weekend is my time to do chores and clean and do laundry. During the week, I simply do not feel like doing these chores so I get them done on the weekend. Who else uses the weekend for these tasks?

And I do spend time with family on the weekends as well. Every Sunday I go to church for Sunday school (I teach the Nursery class) and then spend an hour or two or three at my parents house to spend time with them. 

Watch my video about the importance of using your weekend time wisely if you are running your own business and finding time on the weekends to do tasks that will move that business forward:

Are you here from Periscope? More about me...

Hello! Are you visiting from Periscope? Thanks for visiting and learning more about me! This blog is my main personal blog, but I do have other blogs as you can see if you look at the sidebar and the websites listed. I know I've mentioned my main other blog in my Periscope scopes as well. On this blog, I post a lot of random things about myself, my businesses, travel, cooking and recipes, and lessons I've learned in life and business. 

My name is Amanda Davis and I am 27 years old. As I've mentioned on Periscope, I am a full time preschool teacher and I am also in the direct sales industry. I have been in the industry for four years. The last couple years I have strongly been working on online marketing and finding new ways to market myself online and set myself apart from others. I enjoy Periscope because it allows you to interact with others and essentially meet new people worldwide. It is such a cool platform! I also love it's simplicity and appreciate that it is so easy to use.

Not sure what Periscope is because you're reading this on my blog page? Don't worry! Periscope is a new mobile app that is connected to your Twitter account and allows you to livestream video and interact with those that are watching you through the app. Check it out at www.periscope.tv

If you are on Periscope and are not already following me you can visit me at www.periscope.tv/amandabeautytip and my username is @amandabeautytip. 

I scope about various topics in lots of different areas. Sometimes it's a random scope or sometimes it's a tips scope or something I'm sharing from one of my direct sales companies. I am a member of PeriGirls so a lot of my scopes are for that group. Not sure what PeriGirls is? It is a group of women supporting other women on Periscope and you can join at www.perigirls.com which will redirect you to the Facebook group. The group provides ideas on what to scope about, tips, training, and a great community of women supporting other women. 

Are you here from Instagram? A little bit about me...

By the way my Instagram name is adavis0493. :-)

Hello! Thanks for clicking on the link from my Instagram account to learn more about me. My name is Amanda Davis and I am 27 years old. I am born and raised in Virginia in the United States. I share a lot of different things on my Instagram account, so you're probably curious what I'm all about. I know I've shared some posts about my pets. At my apartment I keep a small fish tank. The other pets live at my parent's house and I occasionally post pictures of other people's pets if they are cute. :-) 

You've probably figured out from my account that I am an Avon Representative. I have been an Avon Independent Sales Representative for four years so far and loving it! If you are interested in something I posted on my account or just looking for some Avon and live in the USA then you can visit my website at www.youravon.com/adavis0493 24/7.

I also enjoy sharing about my journey of learning how to cook and cooking various recipes. Besides what I post here I do have a cooking blog as well as I love using Kitcheneez products for the simplicity. Kitcheneez is another direct sales company. I joined about two years ago (September 2014) primarily for the personal discount and I do enjoy the products! If you are interested in learning what sorts of dips and meal mixes they have to offer then check out my affiliate link at www.kitcheneez.biz/adavis0493

Be sure to check out the links in the sidebar of this blog for everything about me and links to my business pages, blogs, etc. 

Thanks for reading and following me! 
--Amanda

Happy Halloween!

I would just like to wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween! I hope you're all enjoying your festivities with friends and family! Feel free to share what you did to celebrate the holiday or what you dressed as in the post comments. I just hung out at home and watched It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and Sleepy Hollow. Below are links to my YouTube videos about Halloween. They were PeriGirls assignments for Periscope. Follow me on Periscope @amandabeautytip. Join the PeriGirls group of women that Periscope at www.perigirls.com. 

What is my favorite Halloween costume?

I share my favorites from childhood and adulthood as well as my go to costume in this Periscope replay. 

What are some of my Halloween plans for 2015?

I share my plans for Halloween 2015. Nothing very exciting this year...

What is my Favorite Candy?

I share my favorite types of candy in spirit of the holiday.

Sharing Avon Motivational Jewelry

So this all started with Avon releasing the Special Meanings Bracelets back towards the beginning of 2015. These bracelets said "Dream", "Luck", "Hope", and "Love". I totally loved the trend this started with Avon releasing motivational and inspirational jewelry pieces. The Special Meaning Bracelet that I purchased says "Dream". Unfortunately, these cute bracelets are no longer available. The good news is that there is now SO MANY MORE pieces you can choose from that are motivational and inspirational and will make you feel better when you wear them! The closet products to these are the Katarina Sentiment Bracelets and Inspirational Meaning Bracelets (will be released in Campaign 22). 

Watch the Video:

Thanks for watching! Like, Share, Subscribe to my YouTube Channel. You can also follow me on Periscope @amandabeautytip.

READ THE FULL BLOG POST HERE WITH ALL PRODUCT DETAILS

Visit to the Outer Banks...Found a New Place Morris Farm Market

My family visits the Outer Banks in North Carolina every summer. We go multiple times as at the moment we have a family house that we are able to stay in free of charge. Lucky I know! I am truly going to miss that house as I've grown up in it every summer since I was a baby.

So every time we drive down we drive by the different farms and markets along the road. Well this summer we decided to stop at Morris Farm Market and it was so fun that I decided to blog about it. This market is a cute little market along the main stretch that gets you to and from the Outer Banks. They have ciders of every flavor, produce, specialty beverages, specialty sauces, peanuts, wines, and beer as well as so much more! There is even cute outdoor decor! The best part is that many of these products you can sample on the spot and believe me you'll want it all after you sample it.

Our purchases ended up being the peach floats as well as bottles of the Muscadine Cider and Strawberry Cider. All of it was so yummy!

If you're ever in the area you definitely should take a look at this cute Farmer's Market. There website is http://www.morrisfarmmarket.com/

Face of the Day Post

Hello. Getting ready to go out to eat with my mom. Here are the products I used for this simple Face of the Day. I used all Avon products as I am an Avon Independent Sales Representative so those are the only products I use makeup wise. 

Eyes: True Color Eyeshadow Quad in Romantic Mauves all four shades. I did shade number 1 between the lid and eyebrow line, shades number 2 and 3 on my lid, and shade number 4 on half the lid leading out away from my nose (if that makes sense...lol) Regular price: $8.00 Current sale price: $4.99 Get it here: http://avon4.me/1PgubtD

  

Mascara is Superextend Winged Out Mascara in black (Also comes in brown/black and Blackest black) Regular cost $8.00 Current Sale Price $5.99 Get it here: http://avon4.me/1hLPvNM

Lipstick is Ultra Color Absolute Lipstick in Pink Renewal with SPF 15 Regular price $9.00 Get it here: http://avon4.me/1KT0q3W

Read more posts like this one at my beauty blog!

26...

So this past April, I turned 26 years old! I truly cannot believe it! Two months later and I still do not feel a day over 25. Lol. I will say the past year has been a pretty good one. Twenty-Five started a little rough, but by this time last year things started looking up and they have continued to be good going into my twenty-sixth year here on Earth. I finally feel like most things in my life are falling into place. I would never say everything is perfect, but it's still nice to feel in a secure place and not be worried all of the time. It makes it a lot easier to stay positive and move forward and look forward to the future as well as live each day as it comes and leave the past in the past. Here's to another great year!

It's been awhile...

Hello again! Sorry it has been a couple months since I posted. Every time I think I have things straight with my time management before I know the time gets away from me. So again I am making the promise to try to update more often. I am hoping sitting down and scheduling some posts will help as I usually find that I have certain time blocks where I have the time to sit down and write rather than a daily time block available. Hopefully with scheduling I can get a few blog posts up each week. That is my plan anyway. Thanks for reading my blog and following me online at my various websites and blogs. I appreciate every like and follow! Thanks again!

Pretty Little Liars Spring Finale

Okay if you aren't aware of what Pretty Little Liars is or PLL as it's often referred to as then this post is not to tell you what I'm talking about but still feel free to read. Pretty Little Liars is a book series written by Sara Shepard primarily geared towards teenage girls. Basically there is a group of girls who are all stalked and threatened by someone named A. ABC Family made the series into a TV Show a couple years ago and it just aired the Spring Finale. If you're not already a fan feel free to catch up but don't read further until you do. If you are a fan and not caught up, I suggest catching up. If you're all caught up feel free to read further if you wish.

So my take...first of all so frustrated we still don't really know who A is...although I realize the show would have to end if we really knew. Yes I understand the Easter Egg but is it really him? IDK seems too far fetched. But then again who is this "Charles" person really? And where the heck are the girls being held? How will they get free as there cannot be a whole season with them locked up? What will Tanner do now that she knows the truth? Will Ali be let go if Tanner can prove Mona is alive? So many questions left unanswered...

And all this brings me to, I must catch up on the books as some of the questions might get answered even though I'm sure the show has veered a lot from the books. I caught up to the first A reveal and I know the show did that differently but the rest is a mystery to me until I read the books to catch up. I just really hope the show is wrapped up in a satisfying way when the time comes. I see the final book was just released in December but good to know if I read the rest straight through I will eventually get to an end at least with the books.

My first Avon PRP Gala

Today I had the honor of taking part in my first PRP Gala for Avon. This event is an award celebration that celebrates Avon reps and their efforts in their businesses. Particularly in their sales and leadership achievements. I was honored with a special award: The Spirit of Avon. I was so surprised when it was me who won. Totally unexpected! I am so honored to be the one representative in my district who was chosen. Looking forward to future celebrations!

New Month, New Week, New Day: Starting over

Each day we think about what it was that we didn't get done the day before. Well at least I do. So with a new month starting, a new day starting tomorrow, and a new week starting I have made a commitment to myself to take the time this week to get more done than I did this previous week and also to make the commitment each day to get my goals for the day done. I'm the kind of person that if I don't schedule it, usually it won't happen. So with this new month starting and each new week and day I am going to commit to doing my best and doing better each time. Start each day anew. And if something doesn't get done learn to let it go that it didn't get done and set it on the to do list for the first thing to get done the next day. Also, I'm committing to try to be better about setting priorities for what I want to get done each day, week, etc. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 30: Hopes for My Blog

My hopes for this blog is to have people get to know me on a personal level and to share personal thoughts with readers about my life and things that interest me. I hope to gain some new followers and possibly some new friends through my blog. I also hope to help others see that anyone can blog and it doesn't require any special skills, just time and effort and planning. Something that is easy to do if you are struggling for topics is a 30 day challenge or 31 day challenge and follow the topics suggested. That is all I did for these posts for a 30 day challenge. Yes, I fell behind and it ended up taking me longer to complete, but it was still 30 posts that I wouldn't have thought of doing on my own. I may do another challenge at some point, but I think for now I'm going to try to blog some things on my own. In order to find a 30 Day Blog Challenge, you can either try the same one I did by following my posts and then making your own posts to fit that topic or you can do a Google search for 30 Day Blog Challenge or 31 Day Blog Challenge. Good luck to you and your blogging endeavors!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 29 A Confession

So honestly I wasn't sure how to approach this topic of a confession. I came across this quote in a Google search and it resonated with me. I think something that I don't often tell people is that I want to make a difference in the world. Not necessarily change it, but make a difference in the lives of others. I think that's what drew me to both teaching and my AVON business in particular, but also somewhat to my other two direct sales businesses to offer more of an opportunity to others. I think that is also what drew me to blogging so I can get a further reach beyond the people that I know personally. Hopefully one day I will truly feel like I've made a difference in the lives of others and in the world. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 28 Most Embarrassing Moment

So this one goes back to my middle school days. To date I'd still have to say my most embarrassing moment was when I was in middle school. One day I was going down the central staircase and I tripped and fell down the stairs, spilling everything I was carrying, landing right in front of our school library. One of the librarians helped me pick everything up. Honestly, I don't even think many people paid attention to it, and I never heard about it later or anything as far as people calling me out, but I was so embarrassed of myself and will never forget that moment and so I still go with that one being my most embarrassing. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 27 What's In My Closet

For me it depends on what closet. My apartment has three and I still have stuff in my bedroom closet at my parent's house. My closets have clothes, shoes, games, washer, dryer, drying rack, decorations, etc. My bedroom closet at my apartment is also where I store everything for my Avon business and I'm working on organizing that so it isn't just a bunch of boxes. And no my closets are not this organized. :-) 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 26 My Hidden Talent

So this post has really made me think and honestly I'd say that at this moment my hidden talent is that of writing. Before starting to blog, I never really thought of myself as a writer, but since starting to blog more consistently I find that I have the words more and more and I am starting to feel more confident in my writing at least as a blogger. I'm not sure how creative I could get with writing as far as writing a book or anything like that, but I am finding it easier to write these types of posts, opinion related posts, reviews, etc. I think writing about my life is probably the easiest thing to write about, but at the same time it is definitely easier when there is some sort of guidance like this 30 day blog challenge that I've been working on and finally caught up to where the day is matching the date of the month (go me!) and hopefully I can keep this caught up a couple more days to end it on January 30. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 25 My Biggest Regret

This post is pretty difficult for me as there honestly isn't much in my life that I'd say I regret. I like this quote I found, "In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take" because I feel it best describes what I would regret in my life. Missed chances, missed opportunities, wondering what would have been different had I chosen a different path at a couple of different moments in my life. My biggest regret at the moment is not so much a regret, but more a reflection. What would have been different if I had chosen differently? As well as time wasted...each day that goes by that I feel I wasted time that could have been better spent, I think what could I have done differently? What should I have done differently? There have been some decisions in my life....what college to go to? Choosing between jobs offered...sometimes I can't help but wonder what life would have been like if I'd looked at more colleges in high school...if I'd stayed at Longwood University instead of going to VCU (while I'd never say I'd regret ending up at VCU because I met some amazing people and had a great four years there). What life would have been like if I'd chosen to pursue something other than teaching? I think sometimes you wonder these things and "regret" the chance you didn't take, but at the same time I have to say while I do sometimes reflect on these things, I still don't dwell on it and at the moment I'm pretty happy on where I am in my life currently. Moving on..

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 24 What attracts me in love??

This is fitting considering Valentine's Day is coming up soon! 

These are some things that I find attractive when it comes to love:

(1) Ambition--I want to be with someone who has goals in life

(2) Good Sense of Humor--I have to be able to laugh with my partner

(3) Confidence--In themselves and our relationship

(4) Trustworthiness--Probably the most important quality

(5) Affectionate--But not over affectionate

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 23: What would I do if you won the lotto?

Okay, so I was actually just talking about this exact topic with my boyfriend this week and we both were discussing how it would be nice to win the lottery. So what would I do? Well I guess it would depend on how much money I earned. If it was a considerable amount, I'd want to do quite a few things. 

(1) Pay off my brand new car

(2) Go on a nice trip to Europe

(3) Become a full time work at home entrepreneur (this one is still iffy as I do enjoy teaching---so perhaps I would teach part time still so I wouldn't have to give that up entirely). 

(4) Buy a house

(5) Save some of it for retirement

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 22: My Worst Habits

Okay, so some of my worst habits: 

(1) Getting caught up in one thing and then not having time to do another.

(2) Letting my apartment get cluttered 

(3) Not reading as much as I'd like to read (i.e. making the time to read)

(4) Getting Distracted

(5) Not eating as healthy as I should

(6) Not exercising as much as I should

(7) Spending an excess of time on Social Media

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 21: What Makes Me Sad

Here are some things that make me sad in no particular order:

(1) Loved ones being sick and/or hurt

(2) Sad television, movies, and moments in books (yes I will cry at sad commercials or sad television shows and movies)

(3) Life's Sad Moments (We all have them)

(4) World Problems

(5) Children living in sad situations

Hey, I'm happier more than sad these days so not much makes me cry, but every once in a while something will make me sad or even make me cry, but it's hard to go into much details here as usually when something makes me sad it's in the moment. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 20: What Makes Me Happy

Here are some things that make me happy in no particular order of importance:

(1) Being around children--sometimes children can just be so quirky and funny and innocent (this is why I volunteer at my church in the nursery and why I enjoy my job as a teacher) [It should also be noted at this time I do not have children of my own]

(2) Spending time with my family, pets, and loved ones

(3) Spending time with friends

(4) Working on my direct selling businesses and sharing them with others

(5) Funny movies, television, and books (yes I am known to Laugh Out Loud even when home myself) 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 19 My Favorite Movie

Okay, so I have to say this one is very tough for me as I love a lot of different movies and there are many that I could watch over and over again, no problem. In fact, I'm not even 100% sure that I have a FAVORITE favorite movie. I guess if I have to pick one for the purposes of this blog then I will pick Sex and the City 2.

So I tossed up on whether to pick the first one or the second one and I have to say, the second one for me is better and it's because it's all about the fun of spending time with your girlfriends and the fun of the series Sex and the City. I own the entire series on DVD as well as both movies and I've read and own the book by Candace Bushnell. It's just a fun series to watch and read. Yes, there were episodes I didn't like and yes there were parts about the series I didn't like, but what series or movie do you like 100%? I like that there is this relationship with the girls that you really only experience if you have friendships like the ones in the series between Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha. The friendship chemistry is incredible and really just cannot be matched anywhere else. It's also great that it's showing how friendship can last over time through life's tough moments, but your girlfriends will always be there for you. And I like the second movie over the first because it is focused more on the friendship and less on the relationship drama like the first movie. The first movie was just a little too drama filled for me, even though I love it as well, but I think the second one is just icing on the cake to the series and if they had ended it with the end of the first movie, I'm not sure I would have liked that ending. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 18 A photograph of Me

So I have a couple of pictures of myself on my blog already, but here is another one of me. This one was taken at my parents house last spring and the dog is my brother's dog Troy. He's such a cutie! I love labs and have grown up around them (my parents also have a chocolate lab Kodiak). Eventually, I hope to have my own lab once I get a nice house.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 17 My Favorite Blogs

This post will be fairly short as I am still working on following the blogs of others. Usually when I read a post on a blog it is because it is shared to social media and the topic seems interesting to read. I will list some types of blogs that I try to keep up with though.

1. First and foremost, I try to look at blogs from top leaders in the network marketing and direct sales industry. The main ones I look at are top leaders in AVON as that is my primary direct sales business as it is the one I have been working the longest. I will not list them here because the list is too long, but if you are an AVON Representative or in direct sales I definitely recommend that you find some good blogs from famous people in the industry that have been successful at what they do.
2. I like to look at blogs that are about blogging. As someone new to blogging myself, I like to follow blogs that are about how to blog. It may seem silly, but it is truly very useful and helpful for me.
3. From time to time I look at food blogs because who doesn't enjoy eating? Plus, I am also working on becoming a food blogger myself as well as learning how to cook.
4. Blogs that my friends write. If I find out my friend is writing, I do try to follow their blog posts to show my friends and connections support in their endeavor. Love you guys if you are reading my blogs. :-)

I recommend following blogs that you enjoy reading, that's what I do and I think that's what most people do. I hope that you enjoy reading my blogs too. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 16 Thoughts on Education

The topic for Day 16 of the 30 Day Blog Challenge I found is "Thoughts on Education". Being a teacher myself, I have a few different views of this topic and I'm going to approach it in a couple of different ways. 

Let me start off with early childhood (pre-kindergarten) since that is where I am currently a teacher. It is so amazing what children learn from the time they are born to when they go to Kindergarten. Between my experience at church watching the nursery children (Infant-Two) and now my experience at work with children from Infants to Five (Primarily the Two-Three year olds) my eyes have truly been opened to how much impact early education has on a child. I know many two year old children that know all of their colors, some numbers, and some letters. Some of them even know the colors and numbers in Spanish. We have two year old children that know every letter A-Z and three year old children that can already count to 20. This is huge given that the goal for the end of Kindergarten (at least in my state of VA) is for students to know all of their letters and letter sounds and to be able to count to 100 by ones, fives, and tens. Think of it this way: If the student already knows how to count to 20 at age 3, give him two more years and he will count to 100 no problem by age 5. Then, in Kindergarten he can focus on learning how to count by 5s and 10s already knowing how to count by ones. 

There is a dramatic difference in children that have been educated either at home or at school prior to Kindergarten versus those who have not. During my schooling to be a teacher, I had a practicum experience in a Kindergarten class in September. There was a noticeable difference in the kids that had a knowledge base and the ones that did not. The best way for children to learn during these years leading to Kindergarten is through play as well as observation and definitely listening to books. Games and reading are the best way for kids to learn. They have to learn without necessarily knowing they are being taught. Get out a game of Candyland and use it to teach colors. Buy a counting book and read it to your child. 

Now jump to K-12 years. As a former fourth grade teacher, it is my belief that currently (at least in the public school system) there is too much of a focus on testing. I don't understand why we cannot go back to even the days when I was in school in the 90s and early 2000s when there was not so much focus on testing. We actually learned for the fun of it. Yes we had formal tests, but the scores did not matter as much and we were not forced into a formal test literally every week. School is no longer fun for students because they are forced into so much testing. It's stressful on the teachers, parents, and even more so the students. I know part of it is the reality, so we have to get used to it, but bottom line some major reform is needed in our education system. As a teacher, there is so much focus on these standardized tests that you cannot plan lessons just for the fun of it. I remember the days of myself being a student and learning was always fun for me, but I also remember that we did not have nearly as much testing. Nowadays, it is very difficult as the teacher to teach without feeling like you are teaching to the test and it is difficult for the children to learn because you are forced to push through content so fast that the students barely have time to take it in before they are taking a test on it. I'm not saying there shouldn't be standards because there should be some sort of guide for a teacher to use as far as the topics to teach and even goals for what the student should accomplish by the end of the school year, but it shouldn't all be based on the scores of a standardized test. 

I will admit that the impact this focus on testing has on our education system is not as much of an issue for K-2 students. However, even in K-2 classrooms teachers are forced to do testing for data collection purposes and sometimes that can be overwhelming as well. Especially in math and reading, teachers even for K-2 are forced to give test after test to see where the child is at. As soon as you think you are done getting data, you have to go and do it again. However, in my experience students in many K-2 classrooms still seem to enjoy school and the teachers usually have more freedoms at these grade levels depending on what school they are in and how that school operates.

Please note this is coming from my own teaching experiences and your own teaching experience or experience with your school system may be different. I hope that it is different.

Now to totally switch gears, everything above is for the most part talking about "Formal education" in the early years. Even if it is more informal than formal as in a parent reading to a child, I am still talking about what we usually think about when we think of education. Now I am going to take a turn to self-education. 

I am someone that has always enjoyed learning. I seek out learning and do a lot of things outside of the formal school setting. Even as a college student, much of my learning was on my own through reading, etc. As a network marketer, I have sought out education to do with my direct sales businesses and growing them. I follow many other network marketers, inspirational speakers, representatives in my main company, etc. I seek out training, good books to read, and enjoy learning. 

As a teacher, I have sought out additional books to read to make me a better teacher. Since getting my master's degree I have worked on getting my gifted education endorsement added to my degree and in the future I may go back to school to add another little something extra if I can afford to do so. I also seek out the advice of other teachers as well as enjoy in-service learning experiences where I can learn from others that have done it before me. 

It is my firm belief that it is important to self-educate yourself in addition to any formal education you may receive going to school before Kindergarten, your K-12 education, and any college or postgraduate experiences. 

Then of course there is the whole matter of we learn through life's experiences. This is true from the time we are born to the time we die. There are many many things that I have learned through my experiences these last 25 and a half years (almost 26). There are many more things that I will learn over the rest of my life as well. We never really stop learning and if we do, then we aren't doing something right. Learning is constant each and every day. 

Jewelry in Candles...Have you heard of it?

Have you heard of Jewelry in Candles? This past summer, I found Jewelry in Candles (JIC) on Facebook in a Direct Sales group. I was intrigued by the concept of revealing Jewelry in a Candle, so I clicked on the link and decided to buy the candle. It was the Watermelon candle in the picture on the left. When I got the shipment, it was like Christmas, I was so excited to burn it and see what I would reveal! I lit the candle and burned it down and as soon as I could I took out the foil, unwrapped it, and I revealed the ring in the picture on the right. I love this ring! So pretty! It was such an exciting experience that I shared the picture with the representative that I had bought it from as well as on my personal social media pages. At the time, I knew that I'd be a customer again because it was so exciting and fun! 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Where will I be in Five years?

So in five years, I will be 30! Gasp! I cannot believe that! :-) So, my goals are probably fairly typical of most women approaching the dreaded 30! (Although I'm not dreading it that much right now). In five years, I'd like to be married, either have already started a family or be working on preparing to start a family, and I'd like to be successful. I want to feel like I am in a secure place in life with a family, house, and a job I love. I'd love to see my home businesses grow over the next five years and it'd be amazing if they were something big! 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Three Healthy Habits

Okay, not sure if this is supposed to be three healthy habits I take part in or just three healthy habits I know I should be doing. So this one is going to be short but sweet.

1) Eat healthy.
2) Exercise.
3) Drink plenty of water.

I LOVE MY AVON BUSINESS!

This post is all about why I love my AVON Business! I have been a representative now for going on four years (five Avon sales cycles). I just earned my spot in the elite President's Club of Avon and earned my first Mrs. Albee doll! I am so excited because I cannot wait to see where my business will go from here! Who is Mrs. Albee? What is President's Club? Mrs. Albee was the first Avon Sales Representative. David H. McConnell (the founder of Avon) started a company called the California Perfume Company. He recruited the help of Mrs. Albee to sell his product. From there Avon grew into what it is today. A company recognized world wide for empowering women. All direct sales basically started with Avon and the idea that David H. McConnell had over 128 years ago! The Avon President's Club is the lowest sales level achievement for Avon representatives. In order to reach it you must have a certain amount of award sales. Not very many representatives make it to this level, so it is a huge achievement to get this far. Plus, it is an honor to get to President's Club because it shows your commitment to your Avon business. I never thought I'd get this far, so I am super excited that I finally made it into the elite club. Reasons I love my AVON business:

• It's fun!
• I can work it on my own schedule.
• The people I have met because of it (corporate, "famous representatives", other representatives, my district sales manager, my upline leader, my downline members (team members), customers). There are so many wonderful people I never would have connected with had it not been for my AVON business.
• I love the products and getting them at a discount!
• Easy to shop for many of my daily needs products, no need to go to a physical store when it comes straight to me.
• The unlimited possibilities!

Visit my Avon Blog at bethebestyoucanbebeautyblog.com! 

Learn how you can join my Avon team or buy Avon at http://www.youravon.com/adavis0493!