Greek Odyssey 2014

I know it's been months since I blogged but I have been so busy! We are all moved into our new home and I have so much to share but first I need to talk about the Scentsy Incentive trip 2014. Scentsy took the top 100 earners in the US,Canada to Athens and Mykonos on a 7 day all expense paid vacation. I was in the second wave of earners, so I was not one of the original top 100. I got in just by the skin of my teeth and I still can't believe I was there.  That out of two countries I managed to be in the top 100! I don't think I even realized how big that actually was until I got there.

The trip started off not so great. We had a 9-10 hour layover in Toronto and ended up travelling for almost 30 hours. We decided to go a day early to adjust to the time change, and so we could go on a day tour to Delphi. We also decided to book our own hotel, instead of staying at the one Scentsy booked for us at the discounted rate. We found a decent priced one online with great reviews and thought why not. When we got there I was filled with regret and even kind of scared. The hotel was in a really bad neighborhood with everything around it boarded up and shut down. We had to leave our key at the door when we left and the room was probably the ickiest hotel room I have ever stayed in. The part that bothered me was the shower. It was just a hand held shower head with no shower curtain and a drain in the floor. After all that travelling I cried real tears. All I wanted was a shower!
Luckily one of my Scentsy sisters Robyn was staying at a hotel close to us and we were able to meet up and I was feeling much better! Thinking back now I got to experience a real European hotel, and what an experience it was!

The next day we had just enough time to check our bags in the hotel Scentsy booked for us, and head to our day tour to Delphi! It was a long bus ride but so worth it! It was so great to learn all about the histroy and orcale  Delphi and Apollo! My only wish was that we got to spend a little more time there. The day was a busy one travelling, meeting new people checking into the Hotel Grande Bretagne, and attending our welcome dinner. The hotel was the most luxurious hotel I've ever stayed in. Gorgeous does not describe it and pictures do not to it justice! I felt like royalty. Scentsy really spoils us. Everything about the events Scentsy put on for us made me feel so special,  the welcome dinner even had entertainment just for us with music and people drumming while we arrived. It was a truly amazing experience.

We had a total of four days in Athens and it was great. Scentsy took us to see the Acropolis, another life changing experience. Afterward we walked to the  plaka they rented out a restaurant just for us!

My favorite part was just exploring with the friends we made. We just walked  every where. Saw the plaka, the flea markets. Ate in restaurants filled with locals. We really saw a lot of the city. Sat and relaxed in Syntagma square and even relaxed in the spa of the hotel.

Scenty then flew us to Mykonos island, and most of us were on a chartered plane. It was a short flight, less then 20 minutes long. Mykonos island was my favorite part of the trip. The island is breath taking! The white houses, the beaches. The resort was in Eila beach and just gorgeous. I loved that the rooms were spread out and build into the hills. We rented ATV's and really got to explore the island The best part is that you can drive them right on the street.

We also go to take a tour to one of the neighboring Islands, Tinos!  We really enjoyed it. It was a long day of boats and buses but we really got to see what Greece is really like. The tour took us to a famous church and a Monastery. It was the most spiritual experience of my life and I am so thankful I got to do it. My favorite part of Tinos is that it was not touristy. We saw real houses, real locals. We stopped for a bathroom break and walked down to a tiny part of a town, with just a few stores. Dj tipped the woman who served him a coffee and the look on her face was amazing. She was so happy and honored to be tipped a few euros. Dj went back and tipped her again. That was honestly the best part the trip. They were so grateful for our business! If I ever get back to Greece I will make it a point to go back to Tinos. It seems like the ultimate place to relax.

In total we spend 5 days in Mykonos. Most of those days and nights we spent exploring the island on the ATV's with some great new friends. One night we drove down to little Venice and on the way back at 130am our friends Shane and Amber's bike was out of gas. Some one took all his gas and left us with just enough to tip our bike and pour some into and empty water bottle and back into theirs. We made it home pretty late but it was a fun and crazy experience. It was so strange to be in a foreign country where no one understood us and almost stranded but I wouldn't change it for the world. It's something I will always remember it and luckily we were able to just go with it and still have fun! We got to chat with Heidi and Orville, break plates at our farewell dinner and then Dj and I stayed at another hotel just minutes away from beautiful little Venice! We even had a 23 hour layover in Zurich, Switzerland so we had another great day exploring and seeing the sights.

I really learned a lot about my self on this trip. It was 100% out of my comfort zone and I almost didn't go. We were away for a long time and even though we choose to extend I didn't think I could do it. It's July now and I still feel different.  I know have many new friends that I can't wait to see again. It's amazing how you can start off a week with hi nice to meet you, and end it with hugs, and I love you's.
I'm a lot more relaxed and flexible now. I hope I never go back to sweating the small stuff. I know now that food is meant to be enjoyed, meals should be well balanced but it's totally ok to eat chocolate at breakfast and sit around for hours, just enjoying it and life. I know that it's totally ok to go without make up and doing my hair but it's still really fun and actually really comfortable to wear skirts all day. This really was my version of the Eat, Pray, Love trip and I never expected this type of experience. I feel like I found my self, fell in love with Dj again, but that seems to happen every trip. I know who I am and I can't wait to do it all again.

We just found out that the next Incentive trip will take us to Pureto Rico for a cruise that will visit 5 other locations. I can't wait to meet up with the Clements, King, Gibson, Bleau and Rothery's again! Now the trip alone is not the motivation, but being able too see them again, connect, learn and grow. This Scentsy thing really is a blessing, a blessing I hope to share!

Winners sometimes quit and quitters sometimes win.

Winners never quit is a quote you hear often. A few months ago on our Leadership call Orville Thompson, one of the CEO's of Scentsy fragrance said "winners do quit"
It's something that really stuck with me because on a personal level, because I have quit. I quit many things. Sports teams, lessons, even school more times then I can count. I always just had that "if I don't like it I don't do it attitude". I got dubbed as the lazy kid, the girl that has potential but doesn't apply her self. And that was fine. I didn't always know what I wanted but I knew what I didn't want.

Now as a Scentsy director and trip earner I know what I am capable of and I know what I want. I'm not longer that girl that doesn't apply her self and I'm sure as heck not lazy. I know what I want and I work for it every day. I want financial freedom. I want to stay home with my daughter and I want amazing free vacations, and the freedom and the funds to plan my own. I want the freedom to plan my job around Dj's days home so we can make the most out of what we have.

So yes, winners do quit. They can see when some thing is not working, and know when to get out.
I am feeling emotional after yesterdays announcement that the Grace Adele brand will be discounted after July 31st, 2014.  I remember when they launched the brand. I didn't  attend the reunion but was sitting by the computer in anticipation. It was named and introduced by Heidi and Orville''s youngest daughter Grace.
My mom signed up the first day we were able to and since that moment we were a Grace Adele house hold. After my mom was no longer able to continue I signed up and went with it.

Today I am grieving over the loss of a brand that I love. I was 100% behind the brand because I loved it and knew it was high quality and beautiful. But I am still 100% behind the decision to discontinue it. The brand is not selling like they hoped and does not fit in with the experience of Scentsy and Velata. Scentsy is letting it go not because it's not amazing but because it's just not working.

You hear of businesses closing every day with not a care to the employees. How often do you read in the papers or watch on the news people show up to work to see the business closed? Heidi and Orville are closing the door to one  brand but leaving us with two brands that sell. Scentsy and Velata. They are giving options, free starter kits who those are signed up just with Grace Adele, buying back product and selling off the stock at a discounted price. I feel blessed to be part of a company with owners and CEO's that care. I have met Heidi and Orville on a personal level in Hawaii and Greece. They told us at the awards breakfast they wanted to leave Greece knowing everyone by name and I think they succeeded. This is the first time a CEO of a company knew my name, talked to me, hugged me. Sent out personal and emotional videos or calls explaining why they choose to do the things they do. And that is why they stand out to me. We all have guidelines to follow but we are not employees. We as consultants are business owners so Heidi and Orville don't have to do that. I've tried out other Direct Sales companies and had zero help or support. The Scentsy experience has been like no other and I can't imagine not being in the Scentsy family.

I am choosing to look at this as a positive experience.  Living with family there was some things I didn't feel equip to do because I just didn't have the space. In a week we are moving and I feel like I can grow so much more. One door is closing but many doors are opening. This will give me the freedom to zone in on what I want with my Scentsy business and grow my Velata business. The sales from Grace Adele will help out in the slowest months. And I'll get the change to stock up on my favorite items.
Watch out for bigger and better things, because the Scentsy family is ready to warm, enliven, inspire!

The Water Tower House

Wow it's been awhile since I blogged last. So many exciting things have been happening! We finally bought a house! We have been looking for one for almost 2 years and I am so happy that finally we have the keys!
We look at a lot of houses over the past two years. Our favorite was the first one we looked at. We didn't get it, and in retrospect the bedrooms were tiny and the basement was not done over. Something I wanted. I need lots of space for Scentsy!

The third house we looked at was perfect. Three bedrooms, completely finished basement, with a half bath. It was more modern then some, big yard and a laundry room on the main level. We started the process, the long long process. After a few bumps, when we were finally set to buy the house had gone off the market. So we began looking for another but were not successful. They were all to small, just needed too much work or we just didn't like them. We finally found a great house that was huge, and on a double lot. I loved the area and we were approved. But there was a few things I just didn't like. I loved the bathroom off to the kitchen, but the kitchen was very old and outdated. So was the upstairs bathroom. Laundry room was in the not finished basement.  But the upstairs bedrooms were very big and could double as an office.

We also looked at a very cheap and move in ready house. We probably could have got in that month. But it was 2 bedrooms, with a laundry room that could double as an office, and had a shared drive way and tiny yard. I posted a status about being torn between the two homes and every response was don't settle, go for the one you love. I decided that second  I could not move into any of those houses. I wanted the third one we looked at. We called it the water tower house.

The house had been taken off the market but not sold. Luckily I live in a small town and I was able to easily track down the owner of the house. Turns out she works with a friend of mine and I was able to call her that day. With in a week or two we had met with her and we were good to go! We started the process of a private sale. We decided to close April 16th, and we did it! We now have the keys to our first home!

There was times when I got so frustrated with the whole process and not finding anything I was ready to give up and go back to renting. But Dj said that house was the one we were going to get. And we did. I don't know what it was about that house, but I loved it from the first time I saw it. If you look out the back windows all I see is the huge water tower. I think for some that might be the reason they wouldn't want it.
But it didn't bother me at all.

And the owner of the home was so sweet and made it so easy for us. I really love the idea of the private sale. Using a real estate agent just felt so formal. I loved that I got to know her a little. It just felt so real!
We won't be moving until after Greece but I am so excited. I finally will have office space. And room for open houses, team meetings. And the most exciting part, decided what warmers go where!
More pictures and house updates to come!

Product Review : Rosemary Mint Scentsy Bar

Rosemary Mint is described as soothing mint and and tea tree cool, over soft vitalizing rosemary.
Sounds perfect right?  This is one scent I was really unsure of. I love a minty scents but tea tree and rosemary? I didn't know if I would really love it. I smelled the sample and still was unsure but intrigued. Some scents I just have to try before I can put them on my love list.

This is one I'm happy I tried! I adore it!  Normally the spa scents are not for me. I tend to go for the bakery or fruity scents.

I put in a cube of this when I woke up and first I smell the mint. Then everything else. It's a really green scent. Like something you would smell in a Spa, or the smell of an early dewy Summer morning. I think it's the most refreshing scent I've tried so far. I warmed it last week when I was stuffed up and it was better then Just Breath.

I have By the Sea warming in the kitchen, and Rosemary Mint in the living room and the meet up point is really nice! I like to warm scents that compliment each other and I think right now my house smells amazing. The scent really changed my mood for the day. I'm feeling totally relaxed and ready to take on the day! I just love how Scentsy can do that.

I left my heart in Hawaii

I am warming the new scents Pineapple Sorbet and Polynesian Dreams today and thinking of Hawaii! The scents are bringing me right back to last June and reminded me I didn't blog about the trip!  It's amazing how a certain scent bring on some many happy memories and emotions.

Last year, I earned my first Scentsy incentive trip as a top earner and we choose Hawaii! Hawaii has always been on my bucket list of places to see, so even though there was a few interesting places to choose from, I knew I needed Hawaii!
The trip was a huge life changer for me, and also Dj. I knew I would never miss another incentive trip again. I came home refreshed and ready to rock my business!

We stayed right down town at the Sheraton Waikiki. The hotel was right off the beautiful beach.You could hear the waves, feel the spray from the pacific ocean on your skin. And you could see big beautiful sea turtles swimming in the clear waters! It is paradise. Everything is perfect. Laid back. And we felt totally safe. We explored, claimed diamond head. We took the local bus because it was the quickest way to get around the city.

And to everyone's surprise we got married! It was perfect for us. Small, not fancy and a private wedding on the beach with just us, and our minister Leah Noble and her Husband Mike. I wouldn't have done it any other way.

Sitting in my living room warming Pineapple Sorbet I am reminded of our day at the Dole Pineapple plantation. And sitting by the infinity pool eating Dole Whips and drinking delicious tropical pineapple drinks.

As soon as I walk into my kitchen Polynesian Dreams reminds me of our day at Sea Life Park, swimming with the dolphins. It was way out of the city and we got to see the Hawaii I pictured in my head. The view of the ocean is indescribable. And warming these scents make me feel like we never left.

I am so thankful to be part of the amazing company and so blessed I got to experience that amazing trip. This May we will be heading on our second trip to Greece!  I can't wait to tell you all about it!

A tiny look into the History of Scentsy.

I love seeing little tidbits of Scentsy history! A few pictures and blurbs have been shared recently over facebook and instagram. How cool are the bars from 2005?! Scentsy launched in Canada in 2009 so these babies have never been in Canada. People used to use the whole block or cut with a knife.When Heidi and Orville bought the company in 2003, they worked out of an ocean shipping container, made and hand poured the bars.

To make the first catalog Heidi took photos of the warmers in her garden and put them in an album. It's amazing to see how far Scentsy has come in just 10 years!

It's the stuff like this that reminds me that I am not working for a huge company of money hungry CEO's. Scentsy is a family business. Heidi and Orville are the most friendly, down to earth and caring people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. They found Scentsy during hard times, and created an amazing business that helps thousands of people.

When you are buying Scentsy you really are helping a consultant put food on the table, pay for hockey, or swimming lessons, or helping a mother put her child through college. It's the little things like this that makes me so proud to be a Scentsy Family Consultant! I can't wait to see what the next 10 years of Scentsy will bring.

Product Reviews : Layers Hand Cream and Lip Balm

If you know me, you know that I am addicted to hand cream! So when I signed up to sell Scentsy and saw that I could get hand cream in my favorite Sugar Cookie scent it was almost the happiest day of my life. I can't go any where without hand cream!

Scentsy just introduced Sugar to the layers line in the new Spring/Summer Catalog and I am in love! The scent is amazing and it lasts. I can't wait to get Sugar everything! And of course it leaves your hands feeling silky smooth like all our other hand creams.

The lip balms are amazing in every flavor but right now I am totally loving my sugar cookie! They have an spf of 15 give your lips a pretty glossy finish and are great for over or under lip sticks or other glosses.
My favorite part is how soft they make your lips! I was hoarding my Havana Cabana and Rio Beach lip balms for summer, thinking they were a summer gloss but after months of chapped and bleeding lips after a day of using the Scentsy Layers Lip Balms my lips were back to smooth. It was amazing! I will never go another Winter with out them.

Check back more more reviews of my favorite Scentsy products!
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