Still think it's too expensive?

The great Tony Horton (creator of P90X and 22 Minute Hard Corps) kills me (in a good way) in this video! Maybe after seeing all the ingredients and how much they would cost on their own you'll start to understand the value of Shakeology!



If you still think it's too expensive, I'm really not sure what to tell you!  It's healthy, nutritous, tastes great, and breaks down to about $4 a day (less if you sign up for the discount coaching offer!)

I've mentioned before and I will say it again, I have a challenge group starting at the end of the month that will take advanatge of the Beachbody HealthBet.  There is currently $1.25 MILLION in the pot!  You could get a piece of that IF you order a challenge pack from me (workout program, meal plan, and 1 month of shakeology) and participate in the challenge group.  For more details check out the facebook event invite.  OR message me here!  OR message me on facebook.  OR email me at jcook5909@gmail.com

**to participate in my challenge group you must purchase the challenge pack through me or be a coach on my team.  I love helping people and want to help as many people as I possibly can, but if you already have a coach, you should go to them to find out when they're hosting their next challenge group!***

And the winner is....

Daneene!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


She's already been emailed so I can get her FREE bag of shakeology on the way to her!

Want your chance to win?  This giveaway is over but I'll be starting a new one next week!

PLUS I'm starting a new challenge group at the end of the month.  I would LOVE for you to participate, get healthy, and be entered in to win a piece of a $1 MILLION pot.  Yep, that's right!

Read all about that here!

Betting on YOU

Beachbody believes in our programs and you so much that they're putting their money where their mouths are!  Starting September 5th- anyone who participates in a challenge group through their free challenge tracker app, purchases a challenge pack (this includes a work out program, meal plan, portioned containers, and a 30 day supply of shakeology,) checks in with 5 shakes a week and 3 workouts a week for 4 weeks straight- no breaks!  Will receive a piece of the money they've put into the healthbet!

(and Hunger Games fans like me out there?)

How much is in the healthbet pot?  $1 million! That's way more than I've EVER seen a dietbet go up to!  PLUS they're adding in $5 from every challenge pack sold in August.  SO the pot may go as high as $3 million!  Can you imagine?  You will win money with this bet!  And all you have to do is take care of yourself- which is the goal anyway, right?!?!

Now is the time to get started!  I have a challenge group starting on August 29th!  That will be our prep week so we will all be set up and ready to go for September 5th.  If you want to be a part of it here is the link to sign up!  We don't even have to be facebook friends since this will go through the app- though I'd love to connect with all of you and I will be touching base with you regularly to make sure you're getting the most out of your challenge pack, working towards your goals, AND qualifying to win your piece of the bet!  I will need your email address so I can send you a link to the group on the challenge tracker and we will need to talk about which challenge pack you decide to purchase through me (this is for my clients only, if you already have a coach, please speak to them about what challenges they're currently running, or I will ask you to switch to me.  I love helping people but this is also a business!)

Are you ready to take control, get in shape, and win money?  Then join me today!

One of my before and afters!  I'm not at my goal yet but I have lost over 30lbs and I feel amazing, I feel like the change can most be seen in my face!  But best of all I feel healthy and happy- and that is way more important than anything else!

I don't want to go to work tomorrow

Finishing up meal prep for this week and all I can think about is how much I don’t want to go to work tomorrow.  Not because I’m lazy or because I just want to lie around all day.  Because what I do in my 9-5 career, I have no passion for.  I want to help people, I want to serve them, and as a customer support supervisor/manager I never thought I wouldn’t be able to do that, but I can’t.  A client sent back a survey last week stating my team and I are completely POWERLESS.  She couldn’t have been more accurate.  The company I work for has tied my hands, and I understand that is a necessity since this is the corporate business world, and their eye always has to be on the bottom line.  But I don’t want to live that way. 

I don’t want to deceive people or leave them without the help they need.  I want to help people, build them up, and support them as they work towards their goals.  As a Beachbody coach I’m able to do that!  I’m expected to stand by my clients and my team members and help them reach the goals they set for their health and fitness, and for their future.  It’s exciting to actually be passionate about what I’m doing and it makes me sad that my full time job doesn’t ignite the same feelings. 

Tonight as I dread going back to an office that holds very little for my future (besides grief,) I wonder if any of you feel the same way.  Do you go to work because it pays your bills and not because it’s what you love to do?  Maybe it doesn’t even pay all of your bills…  Do you go to work out of necessity and not out of desire?  Do you want to help people?  Do you want to have time for your family and friends, to be able to travel, to get out of debt, and simply be free to do what sets your soul on fire? 

Me too!  That’s what I’m working towards as a Beachbody coach.  I want you to think long and hard about what you do, how it makes you feel, and if you want more than what your current position is giving you.  If you’re as unhappy as I am, wouldn’t it be worth it to hear what this coaching “thing” is all about?  Wouldn’t it be worth it to bring in some extra money or maybe even replace your current income (with hard work and dedication)?  If you’re not happy with your current position and you’re looking for something more- reach out to me.  This might be for you, it might not, but you’ll never know unless you ask. 

Message me.

***Beachbody does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach’s income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill.***

Get your hands on Shakeology- GIVEAWAY

Eric and I are both coaches, but I'm the one who is actively building the business!  It wasn't until recently that I was able to convince him to actually drink it and see how amazing it is!  So we have a surplus!

I want you to find out how amazing Shakeology is by giving you a months supply!  That's either a bag (30 servings) or a box of sample packs (24.)  Enter below and whoever has the most points by the end of 8/19 will have a box/bag on the way to them!

Why is Shakeology so good?
It's full of superfoods, pro and pre biotics, digestive enzymes, and plenty of nutrients you need but rarely get!  It helps keep your blood sugar at an even level, which helps you not have afternoon slumps, and fights sugar cravings.  It helps keep you full while promoting a healthy digestive track which is great for digestion (duh) and for promoting a strong immune system!

Plus it tastes great!  It's easy when you're on the go!  It's a daily dose of nutrition that feels like a treat!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is REAL!

If you're my friend on Facebook then you already saw this picture this morning but I wanted to share it with more people so I'm sharing it here as well:

In the middle you'll see a gorgeous and deverce group of women.  We came together this weekend for something called a Super Saturday, where we got to do a live Country Heat work out, meet and hear from Autumn Calabrese, hear from the top Plus Sized Coach in our company (I love her and will update you on her tomorrow!) and just have an all around great time with each other.  

You can see that my friend pulled out some of us to display our befores and afters!

I love seeing the difference!  Seeing how confident we've become.  How much we've grown.  How some of us have been able to pay off debt.  How some of us were able to leave 2nd jobs or even just work in general.  It's amazing to me.  This is REAL!

That's what I wanted to share with you today.  I've been hit with a lot of negativity lately.  People saying this is a scam, that our pictures are photoshoped, or that Beachbody is nothing more than a cult.  Do we get together and get excited?  HELL YEA!  But I assure you this isn't a cult and since it means so much to me, it really hurts to hear people think that.

Anyway, that's all I wanted to leave you with today!

Real women.

Real results.

Real possibilities!

Message me here, on facebook, or by email (jcook5909@gmail.com) if you're ready to invest in your health and fitness!

Linked with Ducks in a row
and Wake Up Wednesday

Country Heat Releases TODAY!

UPDATE!  COUNTRY HEAT IS LIVE!  Click here to order!  But please still feel free to contact me for questions or help!

I feel like a kid on Christmas morning!  I have been waiting for this day for months and it's finally here!  Country Heat will be available to order this afternoon around 5 pm!

I won't have a direct link until it's live BUT you can
1. message me and I'll send it to you as soon as we have it (jcook5909@gmail.com Subject Line "Order Country Heat" or on facebook, or even text me 201-469-6360)  OR
2. go here and select shop.  It will appear in the options once it's live, which should be around 5 pm EST.

If you order *FROM MY SITE* and you order TODAY, TOMORROW, OR FRIDAY (7/27-7/29/2016) I will send you a $10 gift card to Victoria's Secrets (you'll have so much more fun with that after you work on that smoking hot body you've always wanted!) AND a pair of dance socks.  I had no idea these things existed until my upline coach, Rose, did the test group but she said they are the best way to do this work out and do it safely because you should wear shows but you also need to slide a little.

PLUS everyone who takes part in my Country Heat OR my Renew Yourself Challenges- both starting August 8th, will be entered to win several different prizes through out the 30 days we're in the group together.

So you get to have fun while working out, you'll get motivation and accountability from me and our group, and you get a ton of prizes!  What could be better?

Are you in?

Linking up with 

Wake up Wednesday!

and

Oh my Heartsie Girls

Rewarding YOU for RenewingYOURSELF

I have a new challenge group starting next month and I have a pretty exciting invite out on facebook that I've been posting videos in to get everyone updated on what's going on.  If you're interested in looking into what a challenge group is all about, please check out the invite here!

TODAY! I announced a reward that I'm offering to anyone who purchases a challenge back from me TODAY!  SO if you purchase, TODAY 7/20/2016 I will send you a free copy of Fixate, the 21 day fix approved cookbook, as a reward for making the commitment to put yourself first for a little bit!

You can order any challenge pack:

21 day fix or 21 day fix extreme (the youtube video below was posted this morning with details on what your challenge pack includes!)
Hammer & Chisel
22 Minute Hard Corps

or any other challenge back that you find while exploring the shopping section of my site.

If you have any questions or trouble please feel free to email me at jcook5909@gmail.com, or message me on facebook, or comment here!

Currently...

Since I haven't posted in over a month I should probably fill y'all in on what I'm currently up to!

Beachbody:

I'm currently doing the 3 day refresh to help get me back on track!  After the Ultimate Reset I lost 20 lbs and had a new appreciation for food and fueling my body.  But it did not take long for me to backslide into old bad habits; and gain back 5 lbs.  A handful of women on my team are doing the Refresh before we go to Nashville for summit next week (OMG I CAN'T WAIT) so I figured I'd give it a try.  Today is day 2 of 3 so not too bad, nearly 1/2 way done.  Problem is my facebook feed is full of videos of bacon wrapped everything and amazing baked goods and I am kind of struggling to stay on track.  But I figure it's only 3 days- if I can't last 3 days, I'm not nearly as strong as I thought!  So onward and upward.

I'm also in the 7th week of hammer and chisel!  I'm so mad I bought this back in January shortly after becoming a coach and never actually did the workout til last month!  I was so intimated by Sagi and weight lifting, but I LOVE it!  Ladies, don't be afraid of weights!  We need to do some lifting to get those sexy arms- you know what I'm talking about- who doesn't love Jennifer Aniston's arms?!

As I mentioned before I'm getting on a plane to Nashville by myself for the first time ever next week in order to go to the annual Beachbody summit.  I'll get to meet the majority of my team, many of whom I feel like I've known for years but have never seen face to face!  I'll work out with the celebrity trainers.  And best of all, LEARN about this incredible business opportunity that I've been dabbling in!  On top of all that, NASHVILLE Y'ALL I'M GOING TO NASHVILLE!  This is a bucket list location for me and I am jumping out of my skin with excitement about it!

Also- yesterday was the LAST sneak peek of Country Heat on Beachbody on Demand.  The official launch date is 7/27/2016- NEXT WEDNESDAY and I am sooooo excited!  Here is a little video of me getting my grove on in my apartment last night (I'm not a professional dancer so please be kind!)

General Life:

Life is oh so good.  My boyfriend is incredible and does little things like laundry and fix the shower when I don't even ask.  On Saturday I went horseback riding with some friends and when I came back he had built me a wrack for my weights- again completely unprompted.  Sometimes I'm sad that I didn't meet him sooner to get to love him longer, but all the shit I went through before him has made me appreciate every little thing he does that much more!  

At the end of June we went on a staycation/mini adventure vacation!  We went to a concert, went to 6 Flags Great Adventure, did 3 days in OC, Maryland, a day at Knoebels, ventured into Philly for fireworks (with our dog which was nuts) and again for the art museum, and tried to see our local fireworks in the rain on the 4th of July (we walked to the high school from our place, waited in the rain for an hour, saw nearly the whole crowd start to leave, figured it was canceled, walked back to our place, and heard them going off as we unlocked our door.  I have very bad luck with actually getting to see fireworks, which is sad because they make me so happy!)  Overall, it was a fantastic week!  We had fun on a ton of rides, went jet skiing for the first time, went mini golfing with dinosaurs, had amazing food, and just enjoyed each others company.  Oh and we did karaoke!  Ahhh so much fun!  Here's a little collage of a bunch of things we did:

So that's me in a nutshell!

How are you?  

What's new in your life?

Linking up with The Blush Blonde!

Renew Yourself

I apologize I have not kept up with the blog- I'm more of a facebook and instagram person but I've set a goal to post at least 3 times a week going forward.  So here we go!

ANNOUNCING MY NEXT CHALLENGE GROUP!

It's time to renew yourself! Find your inner calm, regain your confidence, and take control of your health through fitness and an all around healthy lifestyle!

Do you feel like you've lost your way or need a fresh start? I know how that feels! I've started over more times than I'd like to admit, but every time I come back better and stronger than before. Now I want to help YOU do the same!

Yes- this is a health and fitness challenge but this is so much more than fitting into an old pair of jeans or reaching a certain weight (through away your scale!) This is about renewing yourself! This is about finding your happiness and confidence! Fuel your body as well as your soul!

We will support each other through struggles and cheer each other on through achievement. You will have me at your beckon call whenever you feel like you're falling behind or that you want to quit. I've quit so many times, I know how awful it feels! Call me, text me, email me, facebook me any time, any day! I won't let you quit- I will push you to the finish line!

What exactly are you agreeing to:
*30 day challenge- 1 week of prep, 3 weeks of work
*Fitness program that is done in your home, on your schedule- everyone is capable of making this happen!
*30 days of clean eating, following an easy eating plan. This is NOT a diet, this is learning portions and healthy choices.
*30 days of drinking shakeology- a daily dose of dense nutrition. This will help you fight cravings, get a ton of nutrients that you need, and keep you full!
*Participating in the group- this is a safe place, it is completely private so only group members will see your posts. Feel free to post selfies, videos, memes, whatever you feel like sharing.

We start on August 8th, last day to RSVP is July 30th. Are you ready to make the commitment to renewing yourself?

To RSVP either find the official invite through my facebook page OR drop your email address in the comments and I will email you to get you set up!

Protein without Meat

When you're trying to lose weight or build muscle, protein is essential!  They're the building blocks of your body and they fuel metabolic activities!  It helps cells grow and repair, so if you eat or drink protein after a workout it will help you not feel sore later on and it will help strengthen your muscles so you don't injure yourself.

It's also responsible for:

• Maintaining the fluid balance in your body along with controlling the movement of fluids in your cells
• Helping to transport nutrients to various organs and regulate the flow of nutrients in your cells
• Helps to build defense
• Regulating and initiating metabolic activities
• They support all of your body's tissues which in turn will allow you to stand up and move around (kinda important)
• Giving your body a small amount of energy (natural energy!)

source

My favorite ways to get protein in my diet are fish (especially salmon,) a juicy steak, and shakeology!  But it's not always good to eat a ton of meat and you can't survive on shakeology alone.  Here is a list of great alternatives for protein!

1. Green peas; 7.9 grams in 1 cup

2. Ezekiel Bread; 4 grams per slice

3. Nuts; 1 oz in 5-6 grams

4. Chickpeas; 7.3 grams ½ cups

5. Peanut Butter; 7 grams per 2 tablespoons

6. Edamame; 8.4 grams ½ cup, boiled

7. Broccoli; 8 grams in 1 cup chopped

8. Quinoa; 8 grams in 1 cup

9. Chia Seeds; 4.7 grams in 2 tablespoons

10. Unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 gram in 1 tablespoons

How do you like to get your protein?

New Month- New Goals!

Happy 1st day of June- personally the best month of the year since it's my birthday month & is usually the last month of school, remember how exciting the end of the year was?

Here are some great suggestions for how to get the best start to a new month:

1. Kick butt work out, done thanks to Shaun T
2. Week long goal- mine is to eat as clean as I possibly can!
3. Month long goal- keep up with ‪#‎insanitymax30‬ and lose another 10 lbs
4. What am I thankful for so far this year? Lets see... The chance to go to Nashville this summer with my fellow ‪#‎teamarise‬ ‪#‎beachbody‬ coaches and getting to learn, grow, abd build a business with them every day, moving in with Eric, getting to see my family on a way more regular basis than I have since I was 8 years old!
5. So proud of myself for pushing through my workouts even when I want to stop and deciding to tackle beachbody with everything I've got. That smile may look weak because it's right after my workout but there is so much strength behind it!

What's on your list? 

What are you going to make happen this month?

Linked up with Wake Up Wednesday
Linked up with Wholehearted Wednesday

Results- Beachbody Ultimate Reset

I realized today that in the 6+ months I've been a Beachbody coach, I've never posted on "transformation Tuesday." Well, there's no time like the present! 
Yesterday I completed a 21 day challenge- I completed the Beachbody ultimate reset. It can be called a cleanse or a detox but it's unlike any other "program" or "system" I've ever come across. There were no juices, never any time of starving. I ate real, healthy, filling food the entire time. I did take a lot out of my diet- such as processed sugars, gluten, and even animal products. I did this to break my dependence on sugar, to clear my body of chemicals, and to relearn how to eat according to what my body needs.

Did I follow the program perfectly? Nope. But I stuck to it a lot closer than I honestly thought I'd be able to- it's amazing how much stronger we are than we realize.

*I've learned to enjoy the eating process- something as simple as chewing my food, instead of just shoveling it in as quickly as I can.

*I've learned that I like a lot more vegetables than I thought.

*I've learned that I don't *need* bread and cheese to live. For that matter, I don't *need* meat either, although that's probably the one thing I've enjoyed putting back in my daily diet the most!

*I've learned that drinking water is enjoyable and I can drink the amount that my body requires.

*I've slept better and felt cleaner than I can ever remember

*I've lost 20 lbs and can't wait to take what I've learned about food, portions, and balancing what I need vs. what I want into my next workout program (Insanity Max: 30 with Shaun T!) and see how much more I can lose.

Best of all, I feel like I've conquered a monster. Do I still splurge? Yep- I posted about that over the weekend. But I'm stronger now, I can fight those urges for longer and splurge less than I did before. When I eat clean, it feels so much better- I want that clean, healthy feeling to continue. I want to be able to pull more shirts from my closet- like this one- that I bought years ago, hoping it would eventually fit, and it FINALLY does, with a little extra room!

This has been an incredible experience and I was nervous to share this with all of you but I'm excited and couldn't hold back any longer. If you've ever felt stuck, if you've ever wanted to improve your health- clean up your eating, break your dependence on processed food or caffeine- I know how you feel! And I know that you can improve, you can feel better, you can change! If you want help, let me know. I'm always here for you!

Linked up with Tell it to Me Tuesdays

You're Gonna Love it Tuesdays!

Life Lately

Life has changed a lot since I was posting regularly!

I've become a Beachbody coach- but I think you can tell that from my blog changes!

I moved into my own place- a place that is all mine!  And proved that I not only could live alone but I actually loved living alone.

I have since moved in with my boyfriend and we seem to have made a nice little place for all our furbabies.  (Here is Bella laying in the hall, waiting for him to come home, and Loki and Lil snuggled together on the couches.)

I'm finally in a place where I can enjoy my life, have little indulgences, and be confident that I'm building a productive and strong future!

Now that the torment of a horrible marriage is behind me, I have learned to not only love myself but also love a new and much better man (hence the moving in together.)  I can also enjoy being with my family and friends, without having to be terrorized that I'm spending someone else's money (funny since I was the only one working for most of the relationship) or wasting time with people who are awful (again, funny, since they're the same people who took him in when he was too lazy and immature to pay bills.)  But I will do my best to not dwell on the past and only enjoy the present and look to the future!

Speaking of enjoying the present (or recent past haha.)  My mom and I went back to Painting with a Twist because we loved it so much at her birthday party and painted our furbabies.  I think we did a great job, what do you think?

So that's my update for now.  I hope to be getting back to this a bit more regularly but I've already said that before- we'll see how well I do!

How many times have you moved in your life?  I'm pretty sure I'm over 20 at this point!

Have you ever been to Painting with a Twist or a paint shop like it? I can't get enough of it!

Healthy Stir Fry and Sweet Potato "Fries"

While on doing the Beachbody Ultimate Reset I learned some recipes that I LOVED.  These are 2 that I adapted from the recipe book that came with the program, and make enough for 2 people to eat or just for a dinner and leftovers for lunch.

Healthy Stir Fry 

- all veggies, no meat but feel free to add some farm raised chicken or beef.

Ingredients:
EVOO
Ginger (I used dried and shredded that I found in the produce section of my local Acme)
3 Medium Carrots- peeled, cleaned, and cut into chunks
Broccoli/Snap Peas- I found a steamer bag in my produce section that was a mix of FRESH broccoli florets, snap peas, and sprouts- perfect!
Peppers- again in my produce section I found a container of already thinly sliced and cleaned peppers- I used half of the container for this recipe
Himilayan Salt
Braggs Liquid Aminos

Directions:
1. In a large frying pain heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO over high heat, include a few pinches of ginger and 2-4 cloves of chopped garlic (depending on how much you like garlic.)
2. Add in carrots and stir constantly for a minute
3. Lower to medium heat and add in the Broccoli/Snap Peas and stir occasionally for 4-5 minutes.
4. Add in the peppers, cook for another few minutes.  I found that my stove is unreliable, sometimes this takes a few minutes, sometimes it heats really fast.
5. Add salt to taste.
6. Serve with a side of the Liquid Amino- it tastes like a cross between teriyaki and soy sauce so don't be intimidated by it!

Sweet Potato "Fries"

-The Reset calls for having a baked sweet potato and you can put the EVOO and seasonings on instead of butter or sour cream.  So I decided to have fun with the recipe and cut them up into "fries."

Ingredients:

EVOO

2 sweet potatoes

Himalayan Salt

Italian seasonings

Directions:

1. Clean (and peel if you like) the sweet potatoes.  Cut into strips. I kept mine fairly thick.

2. In a bowl mix with 2 teaspoons of EVOO, salt and seasonings to taste.

3. Bake at 450 degrees for 30-40 minutes, flipped half way.  Again my oven was temperamental, sometimes cooking faster than others, so watch them every 10 minutes or so to see what you need for your oven.

I love serving these together, especially because the "fries" feel like a cheat or indulgence but they're actually healthy for you!  

Announcement- latest challenge group!

This month is Shaun T's birthday month and to help celebrate Beachbody has put 2 of his programs on special. Let's take advantage of that special but using Cize of Insanity: Max 30 to not only get ready for the summer but also start a path to a healthier lifestyle!

Do you want to lose weight?
Do you want to be healthier?
Are you tired of feeling sluggish or self conscious?
Are you ready to make a change?
Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and participate in a group of like minded people, facing the same struggles as you to get the results you want?

Then stop waiting and join me! 

We start May 31st! It's never too late to get what you want out of life. This is your first step! Let me, and the group, help you!

What you will have to do:
*choose which program you want to follow: Cize or Insanity Max: 30

*do your best to follow a healthy meal plan

*drink your super foods! (included in your challenge pack, links above)

*Participate in the group! Share how you're doing, let others help pick you up when you fall and build you up when you succeed. The group is only successful and fun when there is participation.

*be willing to win prizes (who wouldn't be willing to do that?)

Are you ready? LET'S DO THIS!  Message me below and let me know you want in and I'll add you to the private, friendly facebook group after you've picked and purchased your challenge pack.

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Murder- Something I Never Thought I'd Have to Deal With

Does anyone ever go through life thinking at some point they'll deal with murder?  I didn't!

On March 10, 2016 that changed when 3 murders happened...

One took place here in PA, in Norristown to be exact, when my employee stabbed her step father to death during an argument in their home.  I knew she had a temper, I knew she had a short fuzz, I never thought she'd kill someone.  From what it sounds like, it was self defense and honestly I feel bad for her.  She was always late and I always gave her trouble for it.  They were fighting over the shower- makes me wonder what she had to go through every morning to be able to get to work.

The other two were Eric's cousins- 28 year old Ally and 21 month old Ana.  I never met them but he spoke, and still speaks, of them with pride and admiration.  Ally was the baby of his family and he loved her as well as Ana dearly.  They were beautiful girls and I'm sad I never got a chance to meet and love them the way others do.  Last night their murderer was arrested and it gives me chills to think of this man being brought to justice.  How do you kill a sweet, young woman, let alone a helpless, perfect baby?  Ana's videos bring a smile to anyone who watches them and Ally's singing could bring you to tears with joy.

I'm not really sure what the point of this post is but it's been an emotional day and it's only 9:40 am, so I felt I needed to get this out.  Murder is a traumatizing thing, even for someone so far on the outside like me.  I weep for the families of the lost- people who had futures and who loved with all their hearts.  And I weep for my employee who was wrong to have acted the way she did, but I can't imagine what it's like to be brought to that much anger and feel like you have no other way out.

If you're interested in supporting a good cause, I'd like to suggest Justice For Children Without Voices they've been a huge part of helping support the family during the investigation of Ana and Ally's murders, and they're continuing to be a huge help for many families in similar situations.

Have you ever experienced anything like this?  How did you handle it?

Linked Up with For the Love to