Update on my 40 before 40 list...

I just thought I would update y'all on my list! So far two things have been worked on, #35 and #38.

35. Buy fancy but comfy pajamas ***Update 5/20/14 purchased two pairs of cute and comfy jammies!****

38. Find a way to contribute to our families finances without compromising my role as a mom and wife ***Update 4/1/14 began my job as an independent consultant with Jamberry Nail Wraps! LOVE IT!!!***

Jamberry give away...

Just wanted to let you know about a contest I am doing on my facbeook page! Just click on over to my Jamberry facebook page and like it!

My Jamberry facebook page is:

Jessica Calvarese - Jamberry Independent Consultant.

Purpose...

The definition of purpose is: the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

What is your purpose? Pretty much since I was a teenager, I knew I wanted to be a wife and mother. Honestly though, I didn't ever see that as my purpose. I never in a million years thought I would get to be a stay at home mom, so I figured I would need to have a career as my purpose. 

Does that make sense? 

Anyways, since we up and moved our family, I have really been struggling with what my purpose is.  Where we lived before I had other stay at home mom friends. In fact, one of my best friends lived only a fourth of a mile away, we were practically in the same neighborhood. We hung out a lot and even did special things for other friends. I found it fun and also I found it to be a ministry. At that time in my life, it was my purpose! 

Fast forward to over a year later, a new town, a new house, new friends most of which are not stay at home moms, or if they are they live in the next town over. There is also the fact that Ian has started school, which puts a limit on what we can do. 

Now bring in Jamberry! I know it may sound silly, but I have found my purpose with Jamberry! I enjoy doing the things that aren't house work (because frankly I'm not good at that stuff)! I get to have girls nights and earn money at the same time! I also get to use it as a ministry! For example, at my last party I was so nervous. It was my first in person party. I began to get really anxious and yelled at my husband (sorry about that babe). Then on the way to the party, I was reminded of the verse in the Bible that I share with my boys all the time! "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love and a sound mind." I was able to share that at the party! 

So there you go. There is my update on me and my purpose. If you have anything you want to share about what your purpose is, I would love to hear it! And of course if you have any questions about Jamberry I can help with that too ;)

Celebrating the I AM this weekend...

Jamberry Nail Wraps...

Lately I have been searching for my purpose outside of being a wife and mother. A better way to word that is that I have been searching a way to provide financially with out compromising my role as a wife and stay at home mom.  

I'm excited to announce that I am now an independent consultant for Jamberry Nails! I want to share with you my story, so here it is:

So it all started back in November of 2013. I was meeting some friends of mine for dinner. At some point my friend Kendra told me about the Jamberry nails that she was wearing and that he daughter loves them too. She asked if I wanted a sample, of course I said yes! I'm all about free stuff. When she handed it to me I just looked at it and though "there is no way I will be able to do this with out help". She insisted it was easy enough to do while watching TV, but I didn't think it would be. So I put it in my purse and didn't think I would ever try it. 

Fast forward to January. My friend Michelle asked if I would want to host a Jamberry nail party because she was going to be near by and would love to come by to throw one. I decided it might make a fun girls night so I went with it and started to plan one. It turned out that she wasn't going to be able to make it, so we just turned it into an online party. This was actually pretty fun. I was looking at the nail wraps pretty much everyday, trying to decide which ones I was going to get. I ended up being able to get several free sheets and half price items! It was awesome!

It was at that point that I started to wonder about selling Jamberry. I began to ask Michelle questions and she would answer. She has been very patient with me while I research things and pray and talk to Justin about it.  Finally I asked her if she was having a party any time soon that I could sit in on and watch how she does it. I really didn't want to go into this only having done an online party. It just so happen that the same day I was going to be in Oklahoma City that she was hosting one! God worked that out so perfectly! I really enjoyed going to the party and new after that that I wanted to join the Jamberry family. 

I have now signed up and have had my first in person party and am currently hosting an online party! I can't wait to see how God will use this as a ministry for him. 

Now then, one thing I have really enjoyed about wearing the Jamberry nail wraps is that I feel like it has encouraged me to look nicer everyday. I am wearing make up more and fixing my hair. More importantly I am getting out of my jammies most days! :) As a stay at home mom it is really easy to just stay in those jammies all day. I think my husband appreciates that I put on regular clothes. Even if he doesn't realize it, I think he does. :)

I am so excited to be doing this. I feel happier and just all around excited about what is going to happen in the future! If you are interested in purchasing, hosting a party (in person or online) or even signing up to be a consultant, then you can view my website at www.calvarese.jamberrynails.net. You can do all of the above right from the comfort of your own home. If you have any questions for me you can even message me from there!

40 things to do before I turn 40...

It hit me this week that I am getting older. I know, I know this is something I should have already known. I mean there isn't a way to actually get younger.

What opened my eyes to the fact that I'm getting older? It was all of the younger ladies in our Sunday school class talking about turning 30! I realized that the hubs and I are the older ones of our class. I think there is one other couple who is about the hubs age.

One of the girls in our class has a list of 30 things to do before turning 30. I thought it was such a neat idea to do this, that I decided to make one for myself! Of course seeing how I have been in my 30s for a while now I can't really do a 30 before 30 list, so mine is a 40 things to do before turning 40! I had a lot fun looking this up online. A lot of people have made similar lists. It was interesting to see the things people put on their list.

I have to say that the one thing that amazed me most is that more than once I saw "get divorced" on a list! I couldn't believe it. Who would plan to get divorced? It was sad in my opinion. I hope those people are able to take that off their list, not because they got the divorce, but because they decided to stay married.

Anyway, on to my list! I have put together 40 things I want to do before turning 40. Some of these will not be shown as they are more personal, but most of them will be out there for the world to see. I want to put this out here in order to help me stay accountable. I will go through and update the list as I complete things. I have 6 years to get these done. Ready, set, go...

1. Lose 100 pounds
3. Go on a trip with just Justin
4. Go on a trip somewhere fun with just Justin and the kids
5. Sew more
6. Take some sort of class, like cake decorating, photography, or crafting class *update - about to schedule a painting class for our mom's night out!
7. Have all of our boxes cleared out of the garage
8. Run an entire 5K race
9. Go camping in the back yard
10. Do a cartwheel
11. Go snorkeling
12. Take a self defense class
13. Take a girls trip to Las Vegas with my closest girl friends
14. Get my passport
15. Go to a Broadway musical in New York
16. Go to an OSU football game
17. Be in more pictures with Justin and the kids
18. Write an article and submit it to a newspaper or magazine
19. Have purple highlights in my hair *update 5-28-15 got purple highlights in my hair!
20. Throw a birthday party for an underprivileged kid
21. Sponsor a child through compassion international
22. Go to a formal event with Justin *update got dressed up in my formal on 3-7-15 and did dinner and dancing at a marriage retreat!
23. Have a FRIENDS marathon weekend where I (and anyone else who wants to join me) watch all 10 seasons of FRIENDS in order. This may be more of a 2 weekend event
24. Take the family to Disney World
25. Re-do our wedding vows (after losing weight)
26. Audition for a musical
27. Make a family year book at least once
28. Pay for a strangers meal
29. Buy a bike and go on rides with my kids/family
30. Host more get togethers
31. Be able to wear a pair of boots that come to my knee
32. Discover my inner Wonder Woman
34. Wear makeup everyday for a month
35. Buy fancy but comfy pajamas ***Update 5/20/14 purchased two pairs of cute and comfy jammies!****
36. Serve others more than myself
37. Do a Bible study and actually complete it
38. Find a way to contribute to our families finances without compromising my role as a mom and wife ***Update 4/1/14 began my job as an independent consultant with Jamberry Nail Wraps! LOVE IT!!!***
39. Have another child, either biological or through adoption
40. Climb an indoor rock climbing wall

Kids cooking lessons 101...

Wow, I'm realizing that I have not kept up with my blog as much as I used to! I hope to get better at that because I really like to blog and write about what is going on, even if no one is reading it. 

My family and I are in the process of becoming a foster family! This process has been interesting to say the least! There is a lot that goes into becoming a foster family. But I know that in the end it will all be worth it!

Along with the paper work that you have to fill out you have to do training. So last week the hubs and I went to about a day and a half of training. It was long, but informative. I really think that all parents should take it every now and then just to be reminded of the things that you can do to help your kids! I got some good ideas on parenting my own kids in addition to foster kids. 

One of the things that we discussed was ways to incorporate your kids into your everyday activities (may have been worded differently). I don't remember if someone suggested this or if it just came to me when we were talking about it, but I decided to change things up with our dinner times! Instead of me just making dinner every night I would allow everyone, including the hubs, to pick a meal and I would teach them to make it! 

Last night was our oldest's night to chose a meal and make it. He picked Goldfish Mac N' Cheese.  I was so proud of him because he did so well! Usually he is reserved about the stirring and I am usually impatient with how slow he is. But I let him do it and he did really well. The only thing I helped him with was putting the pan of water on the stove top and then moving it to drain the noodles. He did the rest! He measured the milk and poured it himself and I showed him how to figure out how much butter he needed. He did really well! 

I can't wait for the other boys nights! Tonight the hubs is going to learn how to make hot dogs and salad. Friday night our youngest will learn how to make pizza! 

Usually Ian wouldn't hold the pan with one hand, but last night he did! So proud!

Little chef had to taste it before serving it to others.

It got a thumbs up! Good job Ian!