It is hard to take the leap of faith and make changes in your life, whether it be in your marriage, your career, your location, or your day-to-day activities. We get so caught up in routine that we don’t think we can change anything. Or we feel we HAVE to do things a certain way. Although it’s hard and it’s scary, you need to search deep within yourself. What do you want and how can you get there? What conversations do you need to have? What actions do you need to take? You have the power to change the direction of your life.

“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.”

―Germany Kent

Photo by Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash

In How We Move

12 Days of Christmas WOD

December 25, 2023 No Comments

Here’s a little workout you can do anytime during the 12 Days of Christmas. This workout can be done at home or in the gym. Get a head start on your New Year’s commitment of getting in shape!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Equipment Needed

*Remember all equipment is optional and there are several substitutions you can use for “weight”

dumbbell
kettlebell
ab mat

The Workout

In today’s workout, you will start with one movement and add on each round. So in this case, you will start with 1 seal jack. The next round would be 2 thrusters and 1 seal jack. The next round is 3 push-ups, 2 thrusters, and 1 seal jack. Then 4 step-ups, 3 push-ups, 2 thrusters, and 1 seal jack. And it goes on until you work your way from 12 down to 1. The movements are:

seal jack
thrusters
push-ups
step-ups
bicep curls
kettlebell swings
sit up or crunch
rows
jumping jacks
lunges
tricep dips
burpees

How to Do the Moves

Message me if you need help understanding the moves. Also, feel free to change the moves and make this workout work for you!

Don’t forget to warm-up. Make this workout work for you! Don’t be afraid to switch some of the exercises around to meet your needs.

In Pilot's Wife

My Heart

November 21, 2023 No Comments

The saying goes “opposites attract” but my Heart and I are anything but the opposite! Sometimes I think we are so much the same that we don’t know how to balance each other out. Therefore, we just go, go, go!

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”

— John Lubbock

The problem is we don’t know how to rest. We just go from one event to another. We always have something to do or someone to see. We always talk about how we should stay in one place for a longer period of time but then somehow it never happens. We both seem to be Yes People so it’s hard for us to say no.

The past month has been a perfect example of how we are nonstop. As you know we had such a great time in Park City that we purchased a townhouse that we are now renting on Airbnb. After several weeks of discussion, we decided to drive our Jeep out to our new home. We thought it would be the perfect vehicle as it’s four-wheel drive for the winter, and we can take the roof off in the summer. Our new house has a huge garage so even when renters come they will have room to park.

After a very long drive, my Heart and I worked very hard to get the house painted and cleaned. We had help from some amazing friends who let us borrow ladders and picked up a paintbrush to help us out. We did the walls by ourselves and then had someone come in and do the ceilings. After a week of painting, I have decided it’s probably more beneficial to pay someone to do the whole thing! We had no furniture as it was still on order. We did buy a TV so that we could watch sports as we worked. We slept on an air mattress with a borrowed blanket and some old sheets. But we fell in love with our new house even more.

The new house is in the perfect location. We are minutes from the Jordanelle Express Gondola at the world-renowned Deer Valley Ski Resort and minutes from the Jordanelle Reservoir Marina where you can boat, fish, ski, or paddleboard. Many people don’t think of Park City as a summer retreat but the summer is actually why we fell in love with it. The weather is amazing. The sun is always out. The hiking is unbelievable and the trails are never-ending. It’s also an amazing place to ride your motorcycle if you have one.

We flew to Florida after that week for an amazing Halloween Party and scavenger hunt. We met some new fun friends. Then we took off Sunday and flew to Pennsylvania to pick up our truck, motorcycle, and trailer. We spent one Sunday Fun day then got on the road to head back to Florida. We stopped in Virginia for a quick dinner and softball game with the family. My niece hit a home run her first time up to bat! I am so proud of the amazing player she has become. Then my Heart and I continued on for a few more hours.

We spent the night in North Carolina then pushed on to St. Augustine where we stayed with lifelong friends. We had too much fun and then left the next day. We made it home in time to have dinner with our oldest son. The next day we worked on unpacking and reorganizing our Florida home. We needed to get it opened up for the winter. We worked long and hard powerwashing the pool deck and the dock. We washed cars and cleaned out the garage. We were motivated to get the house back in order because….. we were leaving in two days for a 60^th birthday party in Michigan.

Our friend, Jodie, was turning 60 and invited us up for a Swanky Sixtieth. I found a beautiful black dress and some high, high heels. I was excited to dress up and my cute Heart was ready to put his wedding suit back on. We flew in and saw friends we don’t usually see until ski season. We really enjoyed our weekend and had so much fun with Jodie, her friends, and family.

We flew back to Florida and continued working on the house. We wanted to get the yard beautiful and landscaped as the next weekend we were hosting a 60^th birthday party for our friend, Tom, and we wanted it to look nice. It’s always good to have a reason to get things done. The party was a little bit of a surprise as he didn’t know who was coming into town or what we really had planned for him. He had friends coming in from all over Florida and one even flew in from Washington state. Some of these guys hadn’t seen each other in over 25 years.

Tom was super surprised and all of his friends were extremely grateful for the gathering. It was a wonderful weekend and even though it was a lot of work it was well worth it. I think my Heart had just as much fun as Tom and it wasn’t even his birthday. We had a great venue at Rusty’s in Cape Coral for happy hour on Friday night, a party at our house on Saturday, and then we went boating on Sunday. A perfect weekend in Florida.

But the journey continues. Why stay in Florida when we have another house to get ready for ski season? Therefore, Monday morning we got on a flight out to Salt Lake City. Most of our furniture was delivered and we were so excited to go to our house and see it. We couldn’t wait to sleep in a real bed in our new home!

We spent another week in Park City getting our new house decorated and ready to rent. We were hoping to get a last-minute Thanksgiving rental, but that hasn’t happened yet. We still have a few things to put together but we are very proud of the way it turned out. After another long week of endless days and social nights, we flew back to Florida. We had a great workout in the morning then went to a beautiful wedding at Sanibel Harbor Yacht Club. On Sunday we had brunch with our son and continued working on our Florida home.

My Heart had a few weeks off but yesterday he left to go back to work. Even though I am sad he is gone for the holiday, I am looking forward to a week of writing, working on Christmas projects, and laying in the sun. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Be safe, have fun, and eat lots of turkey!

In Family

Remembering My Dad

October 17, 2023 No Comments

💙 Remembering My Dad 💙

Today, I want to take a moment to honor and celebrate my dad. He would have been 72 years old today. Happy heavenly birthday! Words cannot express how much I love and miss him every day.

My dad was my biggest cheerleader. He was at every sporting event I competed in when he could be. He worked different shifts so sometimes he could only be there for his 30-minute lunch break. But he was there. He taught me the importance of kindness, compassion, and integrity through his own actions. His unwavering support and belief in me gave me the confidence to chase my dreams and overcome any obstacles that came my way.

I cherish the memories we shared, from the simple moments of laughter to camping at Kinzua Dam or boating on Edinboro Lake. He never said too much but the conversations we did have shaped my perspective on life. Whether it was playing catch in the backyard, shooting hoops out the back door, or teaching me to drive a stick shift, his presence always brought comfort and reassurance.

His love was unconditional, and he never hesitated to put his family’s needs before his own. He worked tirelessly to provide for us, sacrificing his own desires to ensure we had everything we needed. Even during his nine-year battle with lung cancer, he continued to drive hours to and from work. He never showed us that he was in any pain or uncomfortable in any way. His strength was beyond measure. His selflessness and dedication continue to inspire me to be a better person every day.

Losing my dad was undoubtedly one of the most challenging experiences I’ve ever faced. But even in his absence, his spirit lives on within me. I carry his values, his wisdom, and his love in my heart, and I strive to make him proud in everything I do.

Today, I encourage you all to take a moment to appreciate the special bond you share with your own fathers. Let them know how much they mean to you, for time is fleeting, and we never know what tomorrow may bring. If you have lost your father I hope you see signs from Heaven that he may be sending you every day.

Dad, I hope you can feel the love and gratitude that surrounds you. I hope the family gets together up there for a great heavenly birthday dinner. Tell everyone hello. Thank you for being my hero. You will forever hold a special place in my heart. I miss you more than words can express, but I find peace in knowing that your love will forever be with me.

In Pilot's Wife

MindSet

October 3, 2023 No Comments

Mindset by definition: is a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about mindset and how it can impact our lives. I feel like two people can look at the same situation and have two completely different thoughts about it. Some look up at a beautiful blue sky and only see the sun while the person standing right beside them sees the one cloud in the sky and can only worry about when it is going to rain. It is very intriguing. I believe it comes down to our state of mind and how we view the events in our lives.

Depending on the circumstances thrown at us and the lessons we’ve learned, we have different ways of viewing and reacting to life’s circumstances. I think many times, we as humans, tend to lean towards the negative. Our brains seem to remember the bad times more than the good times. Why do we do that? According to the article below, psychologists refer to this as negativity bias. It’s easier to see and remember the negative because it has more of an impact on us. Therefore, we need to make a conscious effort to stay positive.

My husband says it all the time… life is about making choices (and living with the consequences of those choices). We are thrown into many circumstances in life. We have hundreds of choices to make every day. Are we washing our hair? Going to the gym? Drinking beer? Smoking cigarettes? Using sugar in our coffee or almond milk? Are we trying to eat healthy or stopping at the fast food restaurant? These are all choices, and they all have consequences that go with them. If you decide to eat out at a fast food restaurant every day for lunch and you get a double cheeseburger and fries then most likely you are going to gain weight and health problems may occur. On the flip side, if you have an important test coming up and you study and understand the material, the consequence is likely a good grade. This is your choice, and we are all free to make them. So what is your mindset? What are your goals? What do you want out of life? And are you happy with the choices you are making?

A positive mindset isn’t just for those day-to-day decisions. It also determines how we will react to those bigger life circumstances. Remember, we cannot control the circumstances around us (the event) but we can control our REACTIONS to the situations. We may lose a loved one. We may get laid off from a job. We may have our car broken into. The question is how do we react to these situations? What is our mindset?

If we have a negative mindset then we can get down, be depressed, blame others, and not take responsibility for our own lives. Yes, it’s ok to be sad sometimes. But we need to pick ourselves up. If we lose our job we can blame our employer, our family, or the economy. We can believe it is the worst thing that ever happened to us. We can sit at home and sulk about how terrible life is. OR we can take responsibility, change our mindset, and we can say wow this is a wonderful opportunity to go back to school, learn a new skill, or start our own business.

Having a positive mindset can be challenging. Sometimes it takes therapy. Maybe it takes good friends to help you realize life is not all bad. It definitely takes a conscious effort and hard work. The thing we need to realize is we cannot blame others for our situations, and we cannot compare our lives to others. Every single one of us has experienced heartbreak, death, disappointment, and sadness. And every single one of us has a different reaction to those experiences. Some of us have done the work and are striving for the silver lining. We cannot blame them. It does not mean they haven’t forgotten or that it doesn’t hurt anymore. It just means they are consciously reframing the negative thoughts in their head and striving for positive outcomes. We need to look within ourselves and see if we are stuck in a negative mindset. Then we need to decide what WE can do individually to help ourselves.

Just because “bad” things happen, doesn’t mean it’s time to give up. It just means there a different road is ahead and now we have a choice. Are we going to be strong and recover from the setback or are we going to continue letting circumstances control us? If we believe our life sucks then it will. If we see the world in a negative way we need to try to turn our thinking around as this helpful article suggests. Remember:

“Life is amazing. Even when it sucks, it is amazing, and we should be grateful for every moment.”

— Hal Elrod

Our mindset is the most critical piece of the puzzle. How we view our life and its’ circumstances is under our control. Believing in ourselves and trying to find the silver lining is well within us. We just need to do the work and change the way we see things.

Photo by Katrina Wright on Unsplash

In Weekly Wednesday Words

Internal Life

September 27, 2023 No Comments

I learned as a caregiver that even though your loved one needs you, you need to take care of yourself, your needs, and your happiness first. Then you will be able to shine brightly for your loved one. We need to learn our internal selves are what we need to prioritize. Everything else after that will fall into place.

“If you make your internal life a priority, then everything else you need on the outside will be given to you and it will be extremely clear what the next step is.”

— Gabrielle Bernstein

Photo by Giulia Bertelli on Unsplash

In Family

Sad Sometimes

September 26, 2023 No Comments

I try to write inspiring and uplifting posts, but sometimes I need to write about the sad stuff. Life is too short to hold grudges, be mad, sad, or down on yourself. But sometimes you can get in a funk and sometimes it’s hard to pull yourself out of it. That’s why it’s important to have a sound support system. Sometimes you need some positive reinforcement from your friends or family.

It’s hard to be positive especially when you’ve been hit with tragic events over and over. Losing a loved one, losing your job, losing your partner to divorce or separation, becoming distant from your family, or not hearing from your best friend can be huge downers. These are life circumstances. They are sad, and no one ever said it would be easy.

Yes, we can get down on ourselves. We can feel left out. We can feel depressed or pissed off. And yes, sometimes you need to sit in your private space, be sad, and have a good cry. Let it all out. Scream. Shout. Tell the world it’s not fair. Tell God you are upset. But then you need to pull yourself together and search deep within your soul. What has got you down? What has caused the feelings inside of you? Remember, we can only control our reactions to the circumstances that are thrown at us.

Over the years, I have lost several of my family members. I could be down and mad at the world. And sometimes I am. Sometimes I wonder why our family? Why did my sister have to go? Why isn’t my dad here with us anymore? And that’s okay. I am allowed to be sad sometimes. But I have to realize I cannot control their death. I cannot bring them back. I can only control how I react to the situation. I can only learn from their death that life is so very short and that one day I will reconnect with them. Until then why shouldn’t I try to be positive and spread kindness in this world? Why shouldn’t I enjoy the days I have left on this Earth? Why shouldn’t I try to experience all this world has to offer?

And maybe my circumstances are different than others. I don’t have to work full-time or stay in one place for an extended period. And for me, that is what I enjoy. I love living the gypsy life! Even if you have a job or need to stay in one place you can make it an adventure. Treat your city as if you are a tourist. What can you explore on your days off? Can you rent a bike and take a ride? Can you take a Sunday drive and head out into the country or to a park to enjoy the peacefulness? There are ways to make the world around you a wonderful place. You just need to start with you. What do you enjoy?

Remember, you have to do what makes you happy and what you have control over. Waiting for your best friend to call isn’t something you can control. You need to reach out or you need to move on. You cannot control your best friend. Waiting for the man of your dreams to show up on your doorstep isn’t going to happen either. You need to put yourself in situations where you can meet new people. It’s scary and intimidating, but taking that first step is the hardest. But I promise it will be worth it!

It is also important to have friends that inspire you. It is important to have friends that are there for you through the good and bad times. It is important to have a friend you can call when you are down. Hopefully, your friends can pick you up when you are sad. Sometimes friends can be more understanding and supportive than your family. That’s why it’s important to choose friends who lift you up. My Prince and I are blessed with the best of friends.

In the end, it is okay to be sad sometimes, but please don’t let that sadness ruin your life. Life is too short, my friends. Turn your circumstances around. Find a powerful, uplifting song! Find a better, happier place for you within you. Take control of your life and make it the best life it can be! Take the Leap of Faith and do all those things you’ve always wanted to do!

Photo by Kristina Tripkovic on Unsplash

In Pilot's Wife

Summer in Park City

August 29, 2023 No Comments

It’s hard to believe summer is almost over and our time out West is about to end. We have spent July and August in Park City, Utah, and it has been amazing! Three years ago, right before Sweet Gram passed away, my hubby and I decided that every summer when we wanted to get out of the heat of Florida we would try a new and different location. In 2021, we spent six weeks in Richmond, Virginia to be close to my mom and the kids. In the summer of 2022, we spent a month in Wilmington, North Carolina to be close to my best friend and her family. And this year we rented an Airbnb out in Park City for two months because my love has always wanted to check it out in the summer.

As you know, we rarely stay in one place for very long and are never home. We packed up our truck and motorcycle trailer the last week in June. We left Pennsylvania and stopped overnight in Chicago to see an amazing friend and her family. Then we spent the July 4th weekend in Green Bay Wisconsin with my hubby’s friends. That was a beautiful place to be. We spent one night in Lincoln, Nebraska which was a really cool city. One more night in Rocks Springs, Wyoming, and then made it to Park City on July 5th.

The weather was absolutely amazing! People said that all of the snow PC got this past winter plus all of the rain they got in the spring made the area greener than ever. The hikes have been amazing and even though July was hot, as it was around the whole country, it wasn’t humid. So to us, it felt pretty good! It barely rained, and the sun was out every day! It was the perfect getaway from the Florida heat. The condo we rented didn’t have air conditioning so we were very thankful for cool mornings and evenings. During the day we tried to be out of the house doing some type of activity.

My Prince was able to get a month’s vacation and use some other days to drop his trips so he could enjoy most of our time in PC. He flew a few days in July and had two days of training in August but that was it! We got to be on vacation the whole time we were out west! Our plan for each day was to sleep in, have coffee, do a little workout, and have some computer time then we were off to hike, ride the Harley, golf, or ride bicycles. We stuck to our plan almost every day and sometimes even completed two activities in one day!

We have literally been nonstop since we arrived. One of my very good girlfriends and her son came to visit me while my Prince worked that first week in PC. We had a great time exploring the few things I knew about Utah. I was so glad to have a friend with whom to explore this beautiful land.

A few weeks later my mom came to visit. We did a long four-mile hike to show her around Park City. We golfed with a new friend we met out at the Wasatch Mountain Course. I also found a golf tournament for ladies at the Park City Golf Course where the proceeds went to Breast Cancer Awareness. We had a great time golfing together. I think she is excited I actually like playing golf now 🙂 My goal is to get good enough to beat her at least a time or two!

We had a few weeks in Park City together with no company. We golfed, hiked, and rode the Harley. Every motorcycle ride we take is absolutely stunning. The mountain lakes are just beautiful and every mountain range is different. Some have pine trees, some have aspen, and some are bare rock. Because it has been so hot we have not seen a lot of wildlife except for deer but maybe a moose will be in our sights before we go. I am a little sad that we will miss the fall here because I believe the colors will be truly spectacular.

We left for about nine days in August and rode the bike over 600 miles in one day. We went from Park City to Sturgis, South Dakota for the annual motorcycle rally. It was absolutely one of our favorite trips. Sturgis was busy and there were so many bikes! But it was the cleanest place I have ever been and one of the most tame. No one was upset or in a bad mood. We did some beautiful rides around the area including the Needles Highway, which was awesome. We were not in a hurry so we spent three days coming back to Park City seeing sites through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. It was unbelievable. We put over 2400 miles on the bike in nine days! I thought my butt would be more sore but I loved it!

Just last week, my sister-in-law and her husband came to visit us as well. We enjoyed several beautiful hikes. We went to Sundance Mountain and hiked up to Stewart Falls. It was stunning. The next day we did the Clyde Lake Loop. That became our favorite out here so far. Every corner we turned there was another mountain lake and another beautiful view. It’s hard to believe so much beauty is within 30 minutes of Park City. I feel like we did a lot in our two months here, but I know we have so much more to explore. It seems with every hike we do we think it’s the most beautiful until we do the next one!

The summer weather in Utah was fantastic. There is so much to do and to see. We didn’t even get to South Utah which I hear is stunning. We made some new friends and had some great times with those we have known for a while. Park City seems to be a popular place for many of our friends we met through the ski weeks. It’s funny to see them here in summer clothes and not all bundled up for winter.

Overall, Park City was an amazing place to be and we will definitely be back!

In Weekly Wednesday Words

Living

August 23, 2023 No Comments

I love this quote. Life is short. Don’t live by someone else’s expectations. Live your life the way you want to. There are no limits except the time we have here on Earth. Start Living!

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.”

– Steve Jobs

Photo by Fuu J on Unsplash

In Family

Spring Break

August 1, 2023 No Comments

April 2023 will forever hold a special place in my heart. We had the pleasure of hosting my brother-in-law, his girlfriend, our niece, and nephew at our home in Fort Myers. I was so excited they were coming for spring break. I hadn’t seen the kids since Christmas, and I couldn’t wait.

We had so much fun with them. They got here on my Birthday, which is the best present that I could have wished for. They were tired of being in the car and ready to swim. They immediately jumped in the pool wasting no time sitting in the house. After a while, we decided to open my presents by the pool. We Facetimed with my mom who was enjoying a mini vacation of her own with her cousin out in Las Vegas. I got a new driver and two new hybrids for golfing and a bottle of tequila. Perfect presents and a wonderful start to Spring Break.

That evening we went to a country concert at an outdoor venue called “Alliance for the Arts“. It’s a great place for concerts and any outdoor event. Plus, it was right down the road so we took the golf cart and two bicycles. It was a fun ride there and home! The bands were really good. They had Hayden Coffman, Cody Cozz, Drew Parker, and Kayley Bishop. Great up-and-coming artists. We danced and laughed and talked.

When we got home the kids decided it was time for a night swim. We could hardly keep them out of the pool. Once they got out we had some birthday ice cream and a Bailey’s and chocolate vodka nightcap. Jeff’s specialty (next to his famous margaritas). The kids were exhausted and went to bed. The adults decided it was time to sing on the two karaoke microphones my friend Dani sent me for my birthday. We stayed up way too late but had so much fun!

I don’t think my niece was very happy with us (for keeping her up with our singing) but it was a great beginning to our week. The next day we loaded up the bicycles in the truck and went down to Fort Myers beach. We rode around and showed them some of the devastation of Hurricane Ian. We played at the beach and swam in the Gulf. The kids had a great time as did we. We rode the bikes back over the bridge and then of course had to stop at the Love Boat for ice cream!

The kids got back in the pool when we got home. It was an early night because we wanted to get up and get on the boat the next day. We packed sandwiches and snacks and got out on the boat. We went to Sanibel Island and anchored off shore. My brother-in-law found some sand dollars which are all over the Gulf floor. We tried to go to Lover’s Key but the tide was too strong and it was still closed from the Hurricane.

We rode around the backside of Fort Myers beach and saw a huge stingray jump straight up and out of the water! We saw dolphins and they even played in our wake for a few minutes. It was another beautiful day on the boat.

Overall, it was a great spring break. We played card games and Rumikub. The kids swam all hours in the pool. We had so much fun giggling, laughing and getting to know each other better. I hope to make this spring break an annual event. (just hoping my brother-in-law feels the same way!) Maybe one day we can have the kids down for Camp Aunt Stacy!

work hard

New Direction

12 Days of Christmas WOD

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Equipment Needed

The Workout

How to Do the Moves

My Heart

Remembering My Dad

MindSet

Mindset by definition: is a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.

Internal Life

Sad Sometimes

Summer in Park City

Living

Spring Break

Missing Gram

Like this:

Letter to Gram

Like this: