A Firefighter's Wife

Since the holidays are fast approaching, I thought one of the best gifts that I could give my husband is to honor him in a post.  Last week at his annual holiday party, he was awarded the honor of being named “North Charleston Fire Department Firefighter of the Year 2011”.  I’m so proud of you babe and all the hard work and dedication you have put into your job and helping others when they were in need.  While I love my husband’s courage for what he does, it is still hard for me to not worry when he is on duty.  One day I stumbled on this poem and I find that it helps to reassure me of what he does and why he needs my support.  While this post is dedicated to my husband, I would also like to dedicate to all of my fellow firefighter wives out there.  

 

Firefighter’s Wife Prayer

Lord I thank you for my husband,
This fireman that I love.
Give me strength
To give support
With your guidance from above.
Make me a good partner, attentive listener,
My husbands best friend.
When I chose him
I chose a firefighter,
And the job on which we depend.
Lord, keep my firefighter safe.
When our plans have gone awry,
Answering an emergency call
With a life or death cry.
Keep the gusting winds
And raging flames
From being his final fate.
Help me cope with the trauma
Of being a firefighters mate.

Amen

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas...

The Holiday Scuffle

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the holiday season is fast approaching.  I’m not sure if it was just me but it seems like retailers were rushing the Christmas season into the stores earlier than I remember in years past.  I have a vivid memory of shopping for Halloween and to the left were Halloween decorations and to the right were the beginnings of the Christmas season decorations.  I had to second guess which month I was in.  I find myself wondering…why are we in such a rush?  Can’t we wait for Halloween to be over before we start putting Christmas decorations in the store?  And does anyone really start decorating that early?  I put my tree up Thanksgiving weekend, which is early for some people but it is a tradition for me and it won’t come down until after New Year’s.

Don’t get me wrong besides my birthday, Christmas is my favorite holiday to celebrate.  Who doesn’t like getting presents and giving them?  It’s the shopping that I hate.  I can buy the crap out of stuff for myself but I struggle with other people.  And like usual, rather than starting my shopping back in October or November, I wait until it’s closer the Christmas.  Regardless of when I start, it all gets done.

Minus a few odds and ends my husband is done...yay!  My daughter is pretty easy.  Thankfully, she’s grateful for what she gets and doesn’t throw a fit when she doesn’t get something (like I used to do).  Either way it will be a good day because I will be able to spend it with my family and that is the perfect gift.  Oh and not having to cook!  (Fingers crossed)

It seems as if time flew by this year.  It’s almost 2012 and there are some things that I would still like to accomplish or do but they will have to be added to my To Do list for 2012.  But until that ball (or apple) drops on December 31^st, I’m going to try to savior what’s left of this year and focus on the important things.  Life is too short to hurry through the motions all of the time.

I have some big goals in mind for 2012, but I’ll fill you in on them next time.

Happy Holidays! 

Thankful!

It’s all about Perspective

As we get ready to celebrate the upcoming holiday and prepare to eat until we can’t eat anymore, I wonder has the holiday season lost its true meaning.  Sure, I like all the decorations, gift giving, and presents but is that what the holiday season is truly about.  Like most people, I have a Facebook account (shocking, I know) and I’ve noticed some people making daily posts regarding what they are thankful for each day.  I also know someone that is creating a paper turkey using feathers that the kids or other members of the family write something that they are thankful for on prior to attaching it to the turkey.  What a great idea.  Knowing myself, publicly stating reasons daily for an entire month is not my style and there is no way that I would do so either.  I thought this would be a better approach.  So here it is things that I’m thankful for (in no particular order).

1.       My family.  My husband, daughter, parents, in-laws, and beyond are non-negotiable.  Without my family I wouldn’t be the person that I am.  Even though at times I may seek some quiet time, I wouldn’t want to be without them.

2.       My health.  This is something most take for granted.  I’m thankful for being able to do most of the things that I’d like to do.

3.       My dogs.  Believe it or not, I’m thankful for all 4 of them:  Shila, Takkani, Tinkerbell, and Isabell.  Even though two of them like to get up early morning and make a lot of noise until someone lets them outside, another likes to hang out outside bark and hunt squirrels all day, and the fourth one thinks she is human.  My life is complete with them in the house.  They bring lots of joy with all of the chaos.

4.       Waking up every morning.  This one is a given.  Even when things seem bad, it’s always worse for someone else.  Being able to wake up daily, I get a fresh start on what’s to come.  I have another day to organize and conquer my To Do list.  I’ll admit some days are good and some days are not as good, but as long as I get to keep starting over every day, then I think that is something to be thankful for.

5.       Having a job.  As much as I’m thankful for waking up in the morning, I still am not happy about getting out of bed.  J  It is a necessary evil and can only be put off so long.  And I’m so thankful that I have a job that I enjoy to go to on a daily basis.

Are You Active Military?

Active Military Families- Dont Miss out on this AMAZING Opportunity

Are you or your spouse an active member of the military?  Have you heard about the awesome opportunity Beachbody has created just for you to help you get physically and financially fit?  You can get P90X, Insanity, and all of the Beachbody workouts, along with Shakeology and all of the amazing nutritionals and supplements all at 25% discount – with no membership fees at all!  Check out some of the information below and get in touch with me to get started!

What is the Beachbody Military program for our Independent Team Beachbody Coaches?

Beachbody is excited to offer this great program for those Coaches who are actively serving in our military.  If you are an active member of the military and newly enrolling as a Beachbody Coach, the cost of your business starter kit ($39.95) and your monthly business service fee ($14.95) will be waived for the duration of your active duty orders.  If you already are a Beachbody Coach and on active duty, your monthly business service fee will be waived for the duration of your active duty orders.  In either case, if your active orders have no stated end date, your business service fee will be waived for a minimum of two years.

I’m a Beachbody Coach and I’ve got friends in the military who would like to enroll as an Independent Team Beachbody Coach.  What’s my next step?

It’s always a great idea to share as much information about this opportunity with your prospective Coach prior to their enrollment.  Giving them a chance to review more about being a Coach can help ensure they’re well informed.  Once they’ve decided to join our Coach network, you’ll want them to complete the Coach application, and submit the completed Coach application, together with a copy of their active duty orders, to the Beachbody Coach Relations team for further review and processing.  Paperwork may be submitted to Beachbody's secure fax at (213) 201-7225 or by email to coachrelations@teambeachbody.com.  If any further information is needed to verify a new Coach’s active duty status, Team Beachbody will reach out to them directly.

I’m active military and I’d like to become an Independent Team Beachbody Coach.  How do I enroll?

Please complete the Coach application, and submit the completed Coach application, together with a copy of your active duty orders or any suitable verification of your status, such as a copy of your military ID or your BIR, to Beachbody Coach Relations team for further review and processing.  Paperwork may be submitted to our secure fax at (213) 201-7225 or by email to coachrelations@teambeachbody.com.  If any further information is needed to verify a new Coach’s active duty status, Team Beachbody will reach out to you directly.

Both I and my spouse are active military.  May we both enroll as Independent Team Beachbody Coaches and have our fees waived?

Yes, if you and your spouse are both active military, you may each enroll as an Independent Team Beachbody Coach, and each of you is eligible to have your basic enrollment fee of $39.95 and your monthly business service fee waived.  Both of you will need to complete the Coach application and submit the application along with the verification of your active status.

I’m active duty military however my spouse would like to enroll as an Independent Team Beachbody Coach.  Is this possible?

Yes, absolutely.  If you are active duty military and are not a Beachbody Coach, your spouse is welcome to take advantage of this benefit.  If your spouse is enrolling as a Coach rather than you, your spouse will need to submit a copy of your active duty orders or other suitable paperwork, in order to qualify for this waiver.  In this particular case, the name on the Coach account will be the enrolling spouse.

I’m active duty military.  Can anyone other than my spouse enroll as a Coach based on my status?

No.  As an active member of the military, either you or your spouse may enroll as an Independent Team Beachbody Coach to take advantage of this waiver of standard fees.  If you and your spouse both wish to enroll as Independent Team Beachbody Coaches, and only one of you is an active member of the military, only one of you would qualify to have your standard enrollment fee of $39.95 and your monthly business service fee waived.

I’m active duty military and I’m already an Independent Team Beachbody Coach.  What’s next for me?

Please submit a copy of your active duty orders or other suitable verification of your status, such as a copy of your military ID or your BIR to the Coach Relations team.  Upon further verification of your active duty status, Team Beachbody will waive your monthly business service fee for the duration of your active duty orders.  Please note that your initial business starter kit charges are not eligible to be refunded.

What do you mean when you say I have to be active duty military to qualify for this benefit?

At the time you submit your Coach application, you will also need to include a copy of your active duty orders or other suitable verification of your status, from your branch of service.  Your active duty orders will likely include a start and end date.  Based upon the end date given, your monthly business service fee will be waived during that time period.  If you are reassigned to active duty at a later date, please contact the Beachbody Coach Relations team for further instructions.

If you’d like more information, please email me at clhillyer@hotmail.com

If you have more extensive questions regarding whether or not you are eligible for this program, please contact the Team Beachbody Compliance department at compliance@teambeachbodycom.

Are You Ready to Commit



This will be like NO OTHER challenge and I’m only taking the first 5 people who are willing to commit to a 30 day EXCLUSIVE challenge.  You will have 24/7 accountability, get a Fitness program of your choice, Shakeology, a FREE club membership, meal planner, celebrity online chats, workout tracker, message boards, and ALL at a discounted price that ONLY people who join and commit to my 30 day challenge will get!

This is going to be a very small and intimate group with just 5 people and we will commit to our fitness goals, health goals, diet, and stay accountable to one another.  We will all be in this together and what is so cool about these challenges, I will be hosting starting in November is that we will all be doing the SAME THING…we will all be doing a workout program, drinking Shakeology, tracking our progress, staying connected in our private Facebook group, etc.  So if you are thinking “well I don’t have Shakeology”, then what I am saying is that you will have to commit to getting on it and drinking it one time per day.  This will be a commitment for the 5 people I take in and I want us all to be 100% committed…I plan on giving 110% of myself to YOU to help you reach success and I want you to do the same!  By joining my challenge you will automatically get 1 month FREE of Beachbody Club membership (HELLO, Awesome right?) this is a great tool to have for all of us because we will all be starting at a different point in our fitness so with the Club membership, you will get a customizable meal planner that will make reaching your goals even EASIER.  Oh and by the way, another HUGE BONUS is you get 10% of all your Beachbody products since you are a Club member.  You also get entered into daily drawings when you track your workouts to win CASH just for working out!

Before I break it down, if you are not currently a customer of mine, you need to go to www.coachcandy.com to sign up for a FREE account with me so I am your official Beachbody Coach.

Here’s the breakdown of the Candy Feinberg Beachbody Challenge:

1.       DECIDE and COMMIT to joining the challenge

2.       Choose the workout program you would like to do for the 30 days

3.       Choose Chocolate or Greenberry Shakeology

4.       Receive challenge information email from me with tips on how to track progress, how to measure, recipes, fitness tips, goal setting, how to schedule workouts, how to join our private Facebook page, etc.

5.       SUCCEED!

If you do not have a Beachbody program, you can purchase a Challenge Pack that is available at an amazing discount.  What is in a discounted Challenge Pack?

1.        Fitness Program

2.       Shakeology

3.       Free 30 day Club membership

All of these are at a discounted price.  Contact me ASAP if you are interested in or have any questions…remember this is only being offered to 5, committed people!

Email me:  clhillyer@hotmail.com or message me on Facebook

Challenge packs are now available at http://www.teambeachbody.com/connect/beachbody-challenge?referringRepId=60696



Benefits of Team Beachbody Club Membership

When a person signs up for a Team Beachbody account he/she is presented with two options:  Free or Club Membership.  While a Free membership is awesome and provides a lot of useful resources to members, it does not compare to the benefits of a Club membership.  Team Beachbody has created a Club that rivals ANY program in the industry.  With cutting edge technology, the Club membership surpasses many other weight loss programs in technology, effectiveness, and cost!

To help avoid confusion I wanted to provide you with a list of benefits of the added value of becoming a Club member.

·         10% discount on fitness programs, gear, and supplements

·        VIP access to our celebrity Trainers.  Watch their videos, ask them questions, and read their motivational articles

·         Chat live with your favorite Trainers in the exclusive VIP Chat Room

·         Personalized meal plans and delicious recipes that make it easy to lose weight

·         Your own personal blog to journal your progress and share your ideas and opinions

·         Access to fitness articles and tips to help you maximize your workouts

·         Access to nutrition articles and tips to make healthy eating simple and satisfying

·         Access to new recipes and the recipe archives

·         Access to WOWY SuperGym™, where you can schedule your workouts, track your progress, and be eligible to win cash and prizes daily

·         Your own personal Coach (ME) to link you to all the support, tools, and motivation you need to reach your goals

·         Access to the Cooldown Chatroom, to chat live with other Team Beachbody® members after your workout

·         Your personal Message Center to get and receive messages, workout invitations, and Buddy requests

·         Helpful fitness tools to get the most out of every workout

·         Workout Buddies to keep you motivated and inspired

·         Beachbody News Network videos for all the latest Team Beachbody headlines

·         Access to the Message Boards

·         Weekly newsletters and access to the newsletter archives

·         Costs is only $39 every 3 months with no sign up fee which averages out to $2.99 a week

These are just some of the many reasons why Team Beachbody Club is the best and most cost effective choice out there.  Join the Club today and get started on a better life and a better you.

To sign up or upgrade your membership, visit my site:  www.coachcandy.com

Five Things You Don't Know About Me

I was looking at my friends list the other night and it made me realize that most of the people on my list don’t know a lot about me.  Some of the people on the list I have known since I was a child, attended elementary, middle, or high school with while others are from my college years.  And some of the people I’ve come in contact with through various stages of my adult life.  Then I thought, regardless of how we know one another there are probably some things that my friends don’t know about me.  So, here it is.  I’m letting you all in on some very special things about me. 

1)       I have 4 dogs. 

I know it sounds crazy and yes at times, our house is like a zoo but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  I had two dogs when I met my husband and he also had two.  Now, I’m a small dog kind of girl but like any man, he’s got the “big is better” thought and had two bigger dogs, Siberian Huskies.  Yes, I know…they’re pretty dogs and they are but all that darn hair all over is not so pretty.  I do have to admit they’re cute, comical, and unique souls.  I have two terriers, Isabell, a Westie (West Highland White Terrier) and Tinkerbell (terrier mix).  The two small ones have been through a lot with me in the past few years.  And yes, all four of them are spoiled brats. 

2)      I dislike Chocolate cake.

There I admit it!  I’m not a big fan of chocolate cake.  Once in a while I’ll eat it but I prefer yellow cake or cheesecake…yum!  Call me crazy but chocolate is not one of my favorites for ice cream either.  I do love me some chocolate candy.

3)       Watching TMZ is one of my guilty pleasures.

I’m addicted to the celebrity gossip and happenings.  Who knows why I like to watch it so much and/or care but I do.  Heck, I may not be able to win Jeopardy based on my historical knowledge but I’m all over pop culture stuff.  When that stuff comes on…BOOM, can’t touch this!

4)      I won the 5^th Grade science fair.

I can’t remember what the project was but I know that I received 1^st place.  If my memory serves me correct, I believe it had something to do with a potato. 

5)      I wanted to marry Mighty Mouse.

Yes, I’m woman enough to admit it! When I was a little girl, I had a crush on Mighty Mouse.  “Here I come to save the day…”  I don’t know why or what made him so desirable to my 5 year old self but he was my first crush. 

It's Coming...Are You Ready to Bring It Again?

Pre-order your copy of P90X2 starting September 1st at http://www.coachcandy.com/ and get 2 FREE workouts and free shipping!

If you're a Tony Horton fan or a P90X fan, then you'll be looking forward to the release of P90X2.  It's available for pre-order from a Beachbody Coach, like me, starting September 1 and best of all when you order it through me you'll receive two free workouts as well as free shipping. 

Are you ready to "Bring It"  some more?  How does this differ from P90X?  P90X is based on muscle confusion while P90X2 is based on P.A.P. (Post Activation Potention) Training.

What makes P90X2 unique and different from other workouts? 

As with other Team Beachbody products you will receive a Nutrition Guide that contains vegan, vegeterian, and gluten-free options and a schedule to accompany the workouts and to help you achieve your goals. 

 

An additional option offered with this new program is that it will also be available on Blu-Ray.  Below are the workouts that are included (additional equipment may be needed).

When making the decision to purchase, there are three options available:  Base, Deluxe, and Ultimate. 

 To find out more or to sign up for your copy go to my site:  http://www.coachcandy.com/

My PiYo Training Adventure

This past weekend I decided to do something that would take my totally outside of my comfort zone.  While it was a hard decision to make and execute, I’m so glad that I did it.  In my quest to become a better me and to help others, I decided a good method to accomplish my goal was to become certified to teach a fitness class.  I’m excited to state that I attended and completed PiYo training.

You’re thinking:  What is PiYo?  PiYo is all about strength training and core conditioning to increase core strength, flexibility, and stability.  It is a hybrid, athletic workout combining the mind/body practices of yoga and Pilates, as well as the principles of sports stretch, strength training, conditioning and dynamic movement.  It does not involve chanting, meditating, or spirituality.  When performed on a regular basis, it helps to increase strength, flexibility, and balance, while offering a way to reduce stress reduction and improves the overall fitness level of the individual.  PiYo is strength fusion.  And let me tell you:  THIS WORKOUT IS NO JOKE!

PiYo was created by Chalene Johnson and is distributed by Powder Blue Productions. To complete the training, I traveled to Charlotte, NC. The magnificent Meredith (Roy) Campbell was the Instructor.  Upon arrival, I got to meet her in person which was like meeting a celebrity since she’s in the Turbo Fire workouts.

At the beginning of class I was given a PiYo Training Manual, DVD/CD of one of the latest PiYo lessons, and lesson notes to use while teaching.  All of these items will help develop and bring out the instructor inside of me!  Hmm…definitely with more confidence and practice on my part.  We had a good balance of discussion and hands-on experience throughout the training.  The morning session ended with a lesson workshop (the lesson on the DVD we were given).  Even though the room was slightly chilly at this time, I was soaked and left plenty of sweat on my sticky mat.  In fact, I was still sore two days later.  I used muscles I didn’t even know I had.

After lunch, the discussion continued mainly focusing on form, technique, and teaching skills.  In small groups we completed a brief demonstration, and then it was test time.  The test consists of a practical exam and a written test.  I don’t find out my results for a few weeks but I’m confident with how I performed; even if I need improvement.  One item that was pointed out early in the day is that I have bad posture.  I hunch my shoulders forward.  Guess I should have listened to my mom all those years.  At least I know that is one thing that I need to focus on while practicing.

This being my first time attending a training of this type, I didn’t know what to expect.  The day played out different than I thought but I got so much out of it.  I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to attend and learn from one of the best.  Would I do it again?  Heck yeah!  Off to practice I go…next training, Turbo Kick!

My Top Five Favorite Shakeology Recipes

My name is Candy and I’m a Shakeology addict!  I admit it.  While I was hesitant about drinking a meal replacement shake (based on previous experience), I have become a lover of Shakeology:  Chocolate and Greenberry.  I drink it on a daily basis.  It’s my go-to breakfast choice during the workweek.  When I send samples, I always provide a variety of recipes to allow someone to choose the best recipe for his/her taste.  Shakeology is good without any additional ingredients but it’s even better with a piece of fruit or peanut butter added to it.  Since I enjoy it so much, I wanted to share my five favorite recipes with everyone.  Yes, the cat is out of the bag!

Strawberry Cheesecake

1 scoop Chocolate 4 large strawberries 1 tsp. Jello Cheesecake Pudding mix (Fat free/sugar free) 1 cup water Ice and blend Cinnamon Roll 1 scoop Chocolate 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup water Ice and blend

Banana Split

1 scoop Chocolate

1/2 medium banana

2 fresh pineapple rings

2 large strawberries

1 cup water

Ice and blend

Strawberry Lemonade

1 scoop Greenberry

Juice of 1 small lemon

1 cup water

Ice and blend

Strawberry Peach Punch
1 scoop Greenberry

½ cup strawberries

½ cup peaches

½ cup water

Ice and blend

If you're interested in finding out more about my favorite shake, please visit my site:  www.myshakeology.com/feincandy