- Having had an amazing summer and for being able to help touch the lives some underprivileged youth in the process;
- Reclaiming my life, my dreams and my focus. I feel like each day I am getting closer to living the vision I've always pictured for my life;
- Finally, recommitting to the love of my life and being willing to take that next step in our relationship;
- Being a better communicator. I don't shut down nearly as much as I used to. This blog has helped me to open up so much;
- Having such an awesome family. We don't always see eye to eye or agree with each others' lifestyles but at the end of the day we still have each others' backs!
Thankful Thursday
Summer is coming to a close and school will soon be in for many of us. And as I take time to reflect on my summer, I have to admit that it has been a good one. Therefore, this Thursday I am thankful for:
My Weekend WrapUp
This weekend has been a great one. It's my last weekend home with my family since Moo and I move into our new place this upcoming Friday. I'm a little sad to be going and am thinking about postponing the move for another week or two. Although, I am very eager to be in my own space and have some peace and quiet, I have gotten used to being surrounded my family. Thankfully, I'll only be an hour and a few minutes away.
Anyways, this weekend I got a chance to have some bonding time with my younger brother at Myrtle Beach!! It was a blast. Friday night we got the party started with a nice dinner of barbeque ribs, yellow rice and green beans cooked by my brother of course. Yes, his three older sisters have trained him well and he is indeed a wonderful cook thanks to us. He's going to make some lucky young lady a very fine husband one day.
Saturday, we lounged around for a little bit before finally deciding to hit up the beach. It's been a while since I've been to actual beach front, but seeing all the sites-the water parks, Ripley's Believe It or Not and the hotels-caused a flood of old memories. This was a memorable trip because it was Moo's first time at the beach!!!!! I was super excited. I was worried a little bit that she might not like the water. And with the temperature well above 93 degrees, I worried that the heat would cause her excema to flare up.
But I worried for nothing because she enjoyed herself to the fullest. She loved the water!! It was a bit cold at first for her but as we walked with our feet in the waves, she began to giggle and kick up her little feet. I will forever remember the cute little smiles that she kept beaming up at me as played in the sand and dug up seashells. We didn't find any whole or really nice ones to put in her scrapbook.
Her favorite part by far was the washing off at the shower. She loves water and didn't want to leave. She actually threw a huge fit. And we probably would have stayed if I didn't have to get her a new outfit because she got sand all over the one she wore. So, it was off to KMart where I got a super cute outfit for under $5.00. Then it was off to lunch at McDonald's her favorite place to eat.
I was totally tired and worn out by the time we got back to the apartment. So, to bed we headed. And this morning we slept in until 9 and then eat breakfast and enjoyed afternoon of WeTV. I love my Bridezilla and My Fair Wedding!! And now I'm back home packing getting ready for my move, feeling slightly refreshed.
Hope you all had a blessed weekend as well.
Anyways, this weekend I got a chance to have some bonding time with my younger brother at Myrtle Beach!! It was a blast. Friday night we got the party started with a nice dinner of barbeque ribs, yellow rice and green beans cooked by my brother of course. Yes, his three older sisters have trained him well and he is indeed a wonderful cook thanks to us. He's going to make some lucky young lady a very fine husband one day.
Saturday, we lounged around for a little bit before finally deciding to hit up the beach. It's been a while since I've been to actual beach front, but seeing all the sites-the water parks, Ripley's Believe It or Not and the hotels-caused a flood of old memories. This was a memorable trip because it was Moo's first time at the beach!!!!! I was super excited. I was worried a little bit that she might not like the water. And with the temperature well above 93 degrees, I worried that the heat would cause her excema to flare up.
But I worried for nothing because she enjoyed herself to the fullest. She loved the water!! It was a bit cold at first for her but as we walked with our feet in the waves, she began to giggle and kick up her little feet. I will forever remember the cute little smiles that she kept beaming up at me as played in the sand and dug up seashells. We didn't find any whole or really nice ones to put in her scrapbook.
Her favorite part by far was the washing off at the shower. She loves water and didn't want to leave. She actually threw a huge fit. And we probably would have stayed if I didn't have to get her a new outfit because she got sand all over the one she wore. So, it was off to KMart where I got a super cute outfit for under $5.00. Then it was off to lunch at McDonald's her favorite place to eat.
I was totally tired and worn out by the time we got back to the apartment. So, to bed we headed. And this morning we slept in until 9 and then eat breakfast and enjoyed afternoon of WeTV. I love my Bridezilla and My Fair Wedding!! And now I'm back home packing getting ready for my move, feeling slightly refreshed.
Hope you all had a blessed weekend as well.
Once Upon a Summer in 1969
As a child who grew up in a low income single parent home, the one thing we weren't low on was a hefty supply of reading books. We had every kind of book imaginable. Crime novels, the Goosebump series, Harry Potter and even classics like Jane Eyre and A Tale of Two Cities. Our local library was always discarding books and once our junior high librarian found out that all five of us shared a passion for reading, she would give us first dibs on the discarded books from the school. My mom always told us that being a good reader was the key to succeeding in life.
You have to read so much during your lifetime. Contracts, proposals, grants and much more. so many people who get swindled turn out to not enjoy reading. Passionate readers 9 times out of 10 always read everything from cover to cover-even the fine print. Now that I'm a young mom to my adorable, but super busy Moo, I hope to instill in her the same passion for reading that I have developed over the years.
The one thing I thirsted for most in my reading adventures where books that featured characters that looked like me-brown skin, dark textured hair, dark eyes. However, there weren't many books like that in my mostly white hometown of Cheraw. So, I settled for what we had. I don't want Moo settling though. I think it's important for her to see and read books with African and African American characters as well as books that will help her identify with her Native American and Italian heritage too.
Therefore, I have taken it upon myself to create a library and check out books that will quench both our thirsts for the time being. First up is 'The Moon over Star' by Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrated by the very talented Jerry Pinkney. Now at first glance at the cover you'd think that Dianna is a Black author, but she's actually White. I was surprised to find that out from her picture inside the book cover.
However, her race does not take away from the beautiful story she wrote about a little girl's excitement and fascination with the 1969 launch of the Eagle shuttle into space. And despite the little girl's and the rest of the world's interest in the history making journey of Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin Jr. and Michael Collins, her grandfather (a farmer) feels like space expeditions are a waste of government funds. The 60s were hard times for Blacks. You had the Civil Rights Movement, Jim Crow Laws and shooting of JFK (the Bill Clinton of his day). Her grandfather feels like there are other needs should be handled here on Earth with those funds.
Her grandfather's noticeable lack of interest in the shuttle launch does not stop her from dreaming and fantasizing about one day being able to become an astronaut herself. It's not until the end that young girl realizes that her grandfather's displeasure might be linked to the fact that he never got the chance to pursue his dream like those men on the Eagle were doing. And Gramps finally understands his granddaughter's interest in the moon the landing when she reveals to him that she dreams of one day landing on the moon too.
The best part of the book is the last page where Aston wrote, "Gramps had looked to the moon all of his life. It told him when to plant and when to harvest. And once upon a summer's night, it told me to dream." Isn't it ironic that the person who knew how to read the moon best never got to touch it? I certainly recommend this Coretta Scott King Award winner to everybody. Even as an adult this book moved me.
It reminded me that anything can inspire us to dream. And just because we don't understand the dreams of others doesn't mean we should discourage them from pursuing them. Once upon a summer in 1969, a little girl in Star dreamed of landing on the moon. And once upon a summer, winter, fall or spring my Moo will discover her dreams.
You have to read so much during your lifetime. Contracts, proposals, grants and much more. so many people who get swindled turn out to not enjoy reading. Passionate readers 9 times out of 10 always read everything from cover to cover-even the fine print. Now that I'm a young mom to my adorable, but super busy Moo, I hope to instill in her the same passion for reading that I have developed over the years.
The one thing I thirsted for most in my reading adventures where books that featured characters that looked like me-brown skin, dark textured hair, dark eyes. However, there weren't many books like that in my mostly white hometown of Cheraw. So, I settled for what we had. I don't want Moo settling though. I think it's important for her to see and read books with African and African American characters as well as books that will help her identify with her Native American and Italian heritage too.
Therefore, I have taken it upon myself to create a library and check out books that will quench both our thirsts for the time being. First up is 'The Moon over Star' by Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrated by the very talented Jerry Pinkney. Now at first glance at the cover you'd think that Dianna is a Black author, but she's actually White. I was surprised to find that out from her picture inside the book cover.
However, her race does not take away from the beautiful story she wrote about a little girl's excitement and fascination with the 1969 launch of the Eagle shuttle into space. And despite the little girl's and the rest of the world's interest in the history making journey of Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin Jr. and Michael Collins, her grandfather (a farmer) feels like space expeditions are a waste of government funds. The 60s were hard times for Blacks. You had the Civil Rights Movement, Jim Crow Laws and shooting of JFK (the Bill Clinton of his day). Her grandfather feels like there are other needs should be handled here on Earth with those funds.
Her grandfather's noticeable lack of interest in the shuttle launch does not stop her from dreaming and fantasizing about one day being able to become an astronaut herself. It's not until the end that young girl realizes that her grandfather's displeasure might be linked to the fact that he never got the chance to pursue his dream like those men on the Eagle were doing. And Gramps finally understands his granddaughter's interest in the moon the landing when she reveals to him that she dreams of one day landing on the moon too.
The best part of the book is the last page where Aston wrote, "Gramps had looked to the moon all of his life. It told him when to plant and when to harvest. And once upon a summer's night, it told me to dream." Isn't it ironic that the person who knew how to read the moon best never got to touch it? I certainly recommend this Coretta Scott King Award winner to everybody. Even as an adult this book moved me.
It reminded me that anything can inspire us to dream. And just because we don't understand the dreams of others doesn't mean we should discourage them from pursuing them. Once upon a summer in 1969, a little girl in Star dreamed of landing on the moon. And once upon a summer, winter, fall or spring my Moo will discover her dreams.
Wishful Wednesday
Haven't done Wishful Wednesday in a while, but it's back!!! So, let's get started. This Wednesday I on my Wish List I have:
- Tickets to BlogHer: I really really want to go and have been trying to get tickets for months now. I got invited to a Swag Suite, but I can't afford to waste money going to NY just to raid out some free goodies and turn back around. Not to mention, I'm serious about my blogging and could really use the wealth of knowledge I would gain from attending this conference.
- Sponsors: I think that having sponsors enables you to do more things with your blog and kind of takes you to the next level. I'm interested in getting sponsors not only to try out their products or getting free invites, but because I want to establish some beneficial connections and partnerships within the business world. I want to take YUMM to the next level.
- End to the Oil Spill Crisis: So, now that the cap has been put on, there's some other kind of leak coming from that same pipe. My prayer is that God will just help them get that situation handled as soon as possible. People on both sides have had to suffer as well as our environment and the animals.
- More Support for our President: There's been so much shade and negativity thrown towards Barack Obama these days. I just want to say to all the haters, if you feel like you can do better why didn't you run for president? This man can only do so much. Did we forget that Congress was put in to place to make sure our country isn't a dictorship? I'm sure there are a lot of laws and policies he would like to put into place, but Congress has to approve them first.
Fashion Find: Red Snapper Baby Line
As a parent, one of the most important things to me (besides Moo's health) is making sure she looks good. (If you look good, you feel good, and you'll perform good.) I feel like regardless of whether or not I look put together she will. I'm always looking for pieces that are different and have cool graphics. I want her to develop a self appreciation for being an individual and having her own unique style at an early age.
Another important aspect of clothes shopping for Moo is material. She's an Excema and allergy baby. Therefore, I like to make sure all her shirts and most of her bottoms are 100% cotton and her dresses at least 50% cotton. Cotton is just so soft and breathable. It won't irritate her skin.
Anyways, back towards the end of May, I stumbled across this new children's line called Red Snapper. One of the things that caught my eye about Red Snapper was their garments were made with 100% cotton. They're also machine washable. We all know most designer clothing isn't machine washable. And as I've stated many times over, I like bargains. And if I can get designer clothing that is machine washable, I don't mind fronting the cost.
And I know adults in general understand the comfort of wearing tagless shirts. There's nothing more annoying than an itchy tag or a tag that won't stay tucked in. Thankfully, Red Snapper understands that babies and toddlers enjoy that same comfort. The second thing that caught my eye were their cool graphics and red snap.
Another important aspect of clothes shopping for Moo is material. She's an Excema and allergy baby. Therefore, I like to make sure all her shirts and most of her bottoms are 100% cotton and her dresses at least 50% cotton. Cotton is just so soft and breathable. It won't irritate her skin.
Anyways, back towards the end of May, I stumbled across this new children's line called Red Snapper. One of the things that caught my eye about Red Snapper was their garments were made with 100% cotton. They're also machine washable. We all know most designer clothing isn't machine washable. And as I've stated many times over, I like bargains. And if I can get designer clothing that is machine washable, I don't mind fronting the cost.
And I know adults in general understand the comfort of wearing tagless shirts. There's nothing more annoying than an itchy tag or a tag that won't stay tucked in. Thankfully, Red Snapper understands that babies and toddlers enjoy that same comfort. The second thing that caught my eye were their cool graphics and red snap.
And Red Snapper has proudly partnered with the American Women Veterans non-profit organization. When you purchase one of the adorable garments below 10% of the proceeds will go towards helping female veterans and their families.
I encourage you all to give Rob, Jen and Baby Phenix a visit at Red Snapper.
About Red Snapper
"Babies are inspirational. Redsnapper™ was born the day our first bundle of joy was. We quickly discovered how easily we would mis-snap our little girl's shirts when in a rush and have to do it all over again! So we have created a patented red snap on all of our products for you to be able to get it right the first time, every time.
Redsnapper™ believes baby clothes should be as trendy and unique as ours are. We strive for all of our designs to be modern and stand out with style so that you and your baby do too!"
My Weekend WrapUp
It's Sunday and my weekend is officially coming to a close sadly. Aside from the rain and thunderstorms, I had an enjoyable weekend. Saturday started with a visit to the office, but thankfully I wasn't there for too long. Then it was off to Rockingham, NC to shop, shop and shop. I found some really great buys. We went to Lowe's and I purchased Moo her very own lawn chair to sit in. It was just her size too and came in this beautiful watermelon color.
When I saw it, I knew instantly that she would love it. And I was right. She pulled that chair all over the store and had a meltdown when I finally made her turn it loose and put it in the buggy. She was scuffing up the floors. Plus, that awful screeching noise was getting on my nerves. Not to mention, I think she was getting tired of pulling it, but was too stubborn to just admit defeat. LOL.
After, discovering that something had bitten her on the elbow, we decided to call it a wrap at Lowe's and hightailed it to Big Lot's. Now, I love Big Lot's!! I'm a huge bargain shopper. I like to get the most bang for my buck. Being a single mom, I have to watch how much money I spend. You never know when something is going to pop up. And even though Jay is very helpful and involved in our lives, he lives 2 hours away and can't always get money to us quick enough.
So, I like to be prepared with a stash of my own. Anyways, I've been posting on Facebook for two months now about my search for a more affordable sewing machine. I can't afford the $400 sewing machine that I want. But I was stoked when I came across the Pixie by Singer for only $30!! Take about a steal. Singers are like the top brand of sewing machines.
And since, I already know that I'm getting my dream sewing machine for Christmas, the Pixie will do until then. Not to mention I will still be using the Pixie for smaller projects like making pillow cases and change purses. Yes, I'm one of those crafty people. I'm a creative type and love expressing myself through my work. Not to mention, I'm trying to build a brand.
My next great find was at Taco Bell. They have these great $2 Meal Deals that come with an entree, chips and a drink. Totally awesome. Who says you can't eat out for cheap? And the great thing about Taco Bell is their Beefy 5-Layer Burrito. It's so yummy and I get full off of one every time. So, it's not like I have to order anything else to go with it. But it was nice having it on the $2 Meal Deals menu.
This morning Moo and I slept in a bit later than we usually do. Perhaps that's because we went to bed late, but it felt really good. I got up and decided to use the new blender to make a coconut smoothie. Bad idea because I ended up smashing my finger with the hammer trying to crack the coconut and then the coconut bounced and landed super hard on the same finger. Ouch!!!!
I will be sticking to berries for future smoothies. But I wanted to try something a little bit more healthy for breakfast. (BTW if any of you have any great smoothie recipes be sure to share them!!) They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and they're right. Even though I'm not a breakfast person, I still function better when I have a smoothie or a piece of fruit in my tummy. I'm way less moody.
I managed to accomplish getting Moo's hair done without any major meltdowns. She's part Black, part Native American and part Italian. So, she has really fine curly hair that is characteristic of mixed children. Everybody says she looks Mexican or Native American. Anyways, we have trouble with keeping it styled because it's not your traditional Black person hair. So, braids only last a max of two days and then it's time to redo.
And that's when the problems start because she does not like anybody touching her hair. Not to mention the curls make it hard to comb. Combing from the root to the ends only causes tangles. So, I have to start in the middle and comb to the ends then move up until I reach the roots. And I've been searching for great products that will work for her hair type. I do use grease on it because that's just a must in a Black home.
But her hair and scalp seem to suck it up so quickly. So, I'm in search of a cream moisturizer that I can use in between greasings. Too much grease can clog pores and eventually just cakes up. But luckily, I've discovered that doing her hair in her bath is easier because she's distracted with her toys and splashing in the water.
Church went great. Our new pastor is getting better and warming up more to us. I'm still waiting to see how he will interact with the children though. That is key for me as a parent. But I think he has great potential to stay around for a year or two. And he actually brought one of his three children to church!! We were beginning to wonder if we would ever see any of them. Still waiting to see the other two though. It's like celebrity baby watching. LOL
Well, I hope that everyone else has had an enjoyable weekend and will have a great work week. Be blessed!
When I saw it, I knew instantly that she would love it. And I was right. She pulled that chair all over the store and had a meltdown when I finally made her turn it loose and put it in the buggy. She was scuffing up the floors. Plus, that awful screeching noise was getting on my nerves. Not to mention, I think she was getting tired of pulling it, but was too stubborn to just admit defeat. LOL.
After, discovering that something had bitten her on the elbow, we decided to call it a wrap at Lowe's and hightailed it to Big Lot's. Now, I love Big Lot's!! I'm a huge bargain shopper. I like to get the most bang for my buck. Being a single mom, I have to watch how much money I spend. You never know when something is going to pop up. And even though Jay is very helpful and involved in our lives, he lives 2 hours away and can't always get money to us quick enough.
So, I like to be prepared with a stash of my own. Anyways, I've been posting on Facebook for two months now about my search for a more affordable sewing machine. I can't afford the $400 sewing machine that I want. But I was stoked when I came across the Pixie by Singer for only $30!! Take about a steal. Singers are like the top brand of sewing machines.
And since, I already know that I'm getting my dream sewing machine for Christmas, the Pixie will do until then. Not to mention I will still be using the Pixie for smaller projects like making pillow cases and change purses. Yes, I'm one of those crafty people. I'm a creative type and love expressing myself through my work. Not to mention, I'm trying to build a brand.
My next great find was at Taco Bell. They have these great $2 Meal Deals that come with an entree, chips and a drink. Totally awesome. Who says you can't eat out for cheap? And the great thing about Taco Bell is their Beefy 5-Layer Burrito. It's so yummy and I get full off of one every time. So, it's not like I have to order anything else to go with it. But it was nice having it on the $2 Meal Deals menu.
This morning Moo and I slept in a bit later than we usually do. Perhaps that's because we went to bed late, but it felt really good. I got up and decided to use the new blender to make a coconut smoothie. Bad idea because I ended up smashing my finger with the hammer trying to crack the coconut and then the coconut bounced and landed super hard on the same finger. Ouch!!!!
I will be sticking to berries for future smoothies. But I wanted to try something a little bit more healthy for breakfast. (BTW if any of you have any great smoothie recipes be sure to share them!!) They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and they're right. Even though I'm not a breakfast person, I still function better when I have a smoothie or a piece of fruit in my tummy. I'm way less moody.
I managed to accomplish getting Moo's hair done without any major meltdowns. She's part Black, part Native American and part Italian. So, she has really fine curly hair that is characteristic of mixed children. Everybody says she looks Mexican or Native American. Anyways, we have trouble with keeping it styled because it's not your traditional Black person hair. So, braids only last a max of two days and then it's time to redo.
And that's when the problems start because she does not like anybody touching her hair. Not to mention the curls make it hard to comb. Combing from the root to the ends only causes tangles. So, I have to start in the middle and comb to the ends then move up until I reach the roots. And I've been searching for great products that will work for her hair type. I do use grease on it because that's just a must in a Black home.
But her hair and scalp seem to suck it up so quickly. So, I'm in search of a cream moisturizer that I can use in between greasings. Too much grease can clog pores and eventually just cakes up. But luckily, I've discovered that doing her hair in her bath is easier because she's distracted with her toys and splashing in the water.
Church went great. Our new pastor is getting better and warming up more to us. I'm still waiting to see how he will interact with the children though. That is key for me as a parent. But I think he has great potential to stay around for a year or two. And he actually brought one of his three children to church!! We were beginning to wonder if we would ever see any of them. Still waiting to see the other two though. It's like celebrity baby watching. LOL
Well, I hope that everyone else has had an enjoyable weekend and will have a great work week. Be blessed!
NASCAR Friday
Let me just start off by saying that I am not a fan of NASCAR. I've just never seen the interest in watching a bunch of cars do a million laps around a track at the speed of lighting. Now the need for speed I do get because I have somewhat of a baby lead foot. LOL. But still it alludes me why so millions of people invest so much money and time in NASCAR. To each his own, I guess.
But somehow, I got hustled into volunteering to be a chaperon for a field trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC. Let me just say that I learned a lot and enjoyed the exhibits more than I thought I would. The cars actually looked so much cooler up close and in person. And the older cars from the very first races had all the scratches and even some of the dust still on the tires. Although, I enjoyed looking at the cars and learning more about the sport, you won't catch me watching a race any time soon.
What I didn't enjoy was the fact that the group of kids we were with totally embarrassed the hell out me and the other 20 something odd chaperons that were with us. Let's start with the bus ride. Our site shared a bus with another neighboring site and we all knew the first rule of riding on a tour bus, train or plane is no number 2 in the bathroom. So, why did one of the teenage kids from the other site take a number 2 before we were even half way down the road? Can you say stank bus ride all the way to Charlotte!!!
We get there and they serve the kids lunch. The table behind us was loud and rowdy the entire time. The kids were picking fights, picking on each other, crawling on the floor like babies, etc. We were in a room with the major of Charlotte (Anthony Foxx) and representatives from Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Duke Energy and other big name corporations with headquarters in Charlotte. It was highly embarrassing to have kids behaving in such a manner. Not to mention we had other schools and locations there as well and their kids were much more well behaved.
Finally, we split our large 300 and something odd group into two smaller groups of 150 or more and head off in different directions to tour the museum. Our first stop was to look at all the cars and learn a bit of the history behind them and the different race tracks across the country. The first rule was not to touch any of the displays and number two was not to climb up onto any of the car displays. Well, I found myself pushing down more than one hand from touching a display. Thankfully nobody decided to climb up onto one.
One of the other major problems we incurred were the kids wanting to stop and play every interactive game we passed. It just wasn't feasible and I got a lot of rolled eyes, neck yoking and mumbling. It took everything in me to remember that those kids were not my own and that I could not pull out a belt on them. Lord knows I wanted to. (Spare the rod, spoil the child.)
The most embarrassing part came when our very nice tour guide had to call security on our 150 group. I could not believe that those kids would not get quiet and keep their hands off the stuff they weren't suppose to touch. Seriously, they were causing a very dangerous situation. We had kids from other sites climbing trashcans, beating beats out on the wall and yelling to their friends across the landing. Totally humiliating to appear so helpless in public like that.
And even with the security guards present some of the kids still decided to be loud and race down the stairwell to the theater. To sum this up: I will never volunteer to go with such a large and unruly group of children ever again!! While I understood that the program they were in wanted to expose them to a great opportunity, I feel like many of them missed the point. They were so caught up in trying to prove they were BAD, the SHIT or whatever that they failed to learn anything from this experience.
Instead they made us look like the stereotypes that we are portrayed as in the media. They are in a program that is suppose to be motivating them to not become products of their environments and they are doing just that and acting like they are proud of it. Watching those children today, I had to wonder if there will be a future for them and if so what will it look like? It scares me to think that they will be our future leaders when I am graying and old in my rocker. I pray that God has mercy on us and opens their eyes to big beautiful world out there.
I pray that more parents will take the time to teach their children the importance of respecting others. Heck, I want more parents to start volunteering to go on these trips. It was 100% FREE and half those parents weren't working anyway. We have to take an interest in our children and making them the future we need them to be. So, let's wake up please. I can't have another experience like the one I had today.
But somehow, I got hustled into volunteering to be a chaperon for a field trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC. Let me just say that I learned a lot and enjoyed the exhibits more than I thought I would. The cars actually looked so much cooler up close and in person. And the older cars from the very first races had all the scratches and even some of the dust still on the tires. Although, I enjoyed looking at the cars and learning more about the sport, you won't catch me watching a race any time soon.
What I didn't enjoy was the fact that the group of kids we were with totally embarrassed the hell out me and the other 20 something odd chaperons that were with us. Let's start with the bus ride. Our site shared a bus with another neighboring site and we all knew the first rule of riding on a tour bus, train or plane is no number 2 in the bathroom. So, why did one of the teenage kids from the other site take a number 2 before we were even half way down the road? Can you say stank bus ride all the way to Charlotte!!!
We get there and they serve the kids lunch. The table behind us was loud and rowdy the entire time. The kids were picking fights, picking on each other, crawling on the floor like babies, etc. We were in a room with the major of Charlotte (Anthony Foxx) and representatives from Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Duke Energy and other big name corporations with headquarters in Charlotte. It was highly embarrassing to have kids behaving in such a manner. Not to mention we had other schools and locations there as well and their kids were much more well behaved.
Finally, we split our large 300 and something odd group into two smaller groups of 150 or more and head off in different directions to tour the museum. Our first stop was to look at all the cars and learn a bit of the history behind them and the different race tracks across the country. The first rule was not to touch any of the displays and number two was not to climb up onto any of the car displays. Well, I found myself pushing down more than one hand from touching a display. Thankfully nobody decided to climb up onto one.
One of the other major problems we incurred were the kids wanting to stop and play every interactive game we passed. It just wasn't feasible and I got a lot of rolled eyes, neck yoking and mumbling. It took everything in me to remember that those kids were not my own and that I could not pull out a belt on them. Lord knows I wanted to. (Spare the rod, spoil the child.)
The most embarrassing part came when our very nice tour guide had to call security on our 150 group. I could not believe that those kids would not get quiet and keep their hands off the stuff they weren't suppose to touch. Seriously, they were causing a very dangerous situation. We had kids from other sites climbing trashcans, beating beats out on the wall and yelling to their friends across the landing. Totally humiliating to appear so helpless in public like that.
And even with the security guards present some of the kids still decided to be loud and race down the stairwell to the theater. To sum this up: I will never volunteer to go with such a large and unruly group of children ever again!! While I understood that the program they were in wanted to expose them to a great opportunity, I feel like many of them missed the point. They were so caught up in trying to prove they were BAD, the SHIT or whatever that they failed to learn anything from this experience.
Instead they made us look like the stereotypes that we are portrayed as in the media. They are in a program that is suppose to be motivating them to not become products of their environments and they are doing just that and acting like they are proud of it. Watching those children today, I had to wonder if there will be a future for them and if so what will it look like? It scares me to think that they will be our future leaders when I am graying and old in my rocker. I pray that God has mercy on us and opens their eyes to big beautiful world out there.
I pray that more parents will take the time to teach their children the importance of respecting others. Heck, I want more parents to start volunteering to go on these trips. It was 100% FREE and half those parents weren't working anyway. We have to take an interest in our children and making them the future we need them to be. So, let's wake up please. I can't have another experience like the one I had today.
Fashion Find-Faded Glory Flats
Let me just say that when it comes to everyday shoes, I'm a Dr. Scholl's girl at heart. Those massaging gel soles just keep me on Cloud 9, especially since I'm standing or walking most of the day. Top that with the fact that I have very flat feet and you know that no other shoe will do. I've tried other flats and they just don't give my feet the support or comfort that they need.
The only complaint that I have about my Dr. Scholl's is that they don't last a long time. And maybe that's because I do more walking and standing than the average person. Anyways, my current pair of Dr. Scholl's loafers started showing more than it's share of wear and I was forced to head out in search of a new pair of shoes. And while I love Dr. Scholl's, I wasn't exactly thrilled about having to spend $30 and some change plus tax on a pair of shoes. I know I know $30 seems cheap, but hey I'm a single mom on a budget. Not to mention I'm moving and have moving expense, rent and utilities to cover in two weeks.
So, I decided to try a different brand. As I walked the shoe aisles of our local Wally World aka WalMart, I stumbled across a deal I could not pass up. Faded Glory flats for only $3.00!! Now that's a price that I can work with for sure. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical at first. I know that Faded Glory is a great brand when it comes to clothing, but I'd never tried out their shoes before.
So, I decided to step my foot in a pair and see how they felt. I was amazed to find out that the flats felt great. They felt almost as better as the Dr. Scholl's. I mean to be a regular shoe with no special gel soles or anything, they felt incredible awesome to my feet. I decided I would test them out a little further and buy a pair.
Well, I am happy to report that it has been five days later and my feet still feel great. I'm not saying that I won't ever buy another pair of Dr. Scholl's, but I'm not in a hurry to trade in my Faded Glory's either.
The only complaint that I have about my Dr. Scholl's is that they don't last a long time. And maybe that's because I do more walking and standing than the average person. Anyways, my current pair of Dr. Scholl's loafers started showing more than it's share of wear and I was forced to head out in search of a new pair of shoes. And while I love Dr. Scholl's, I wasn't exactly thrilled about having to spend $30 and some change plus tax on a pair of shoes. I know I know $30 seems cheap, but hey I'm a single mom on a budget. Not to mention I'm moving and have moving expense, rent and utilities to cover in two weeks.
So, I decided to try a different brand. As I walked the shoe aisles of our local Wally World aka WalMart, I stumbled across a deal I could not pass up. Faded Glory flats for only $3.00!! Now that's a price that I can work with for sure. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical at first. I know that Faded Glory is a great brand when it comes to clothing, but I'd never tried out their shoes before.
So, I decided to step my foot in a pair and see how they felt. I was amazed to find out that the flats felt great. They felt almost as better as the Dr. Scholl's. I mean to be a regular shoe with no special gel soles or anything, they felt incredible awesome to my feet. I decided I would test them out a little further and buy a pair.
Well, I am happy to report that it has been five days later and my feet still feel great. I'm not saying that I won't ever buy another pair of Dr. Scholl's, but I'm not in a hurry to trade in my Faded Glory's either.
My Weekend WrapUp
Well, good news everybody...Moo and I are moving!!! I am so excited. This weekend past, we went to check out our soon to be new digs. It's a two bedroom duplex with one full bath, a living room and decent size kitchen.
There's hardwood throughout with linoleum in the kitchen and bathroom. The master bedroom has two closets and a cute octagon shaped window. In the backyard is an amazing deck. I've already made plans to cookout and add some patio furniture as well as a few plants. We have a clothing line which I will put to use in on hot days.
Plus, I try to be as Green as possible. Another plus, we don't have to worry about landscaping. The landlord handles all of that. However, the down side is that beyond the backyard a pony. He's cute as a button but not people friendly. Therefore, there will be no petting the pony.
Another issue is that we will be the only Black family in the neighborhood. The landlord has assured us that we will be welcomed warmly though. I hope that he is right because I remember when we moved into an all white neighborhood when I was five. We got all kinds of notes calling us 'niggers' and telling us 'our kind' wasn't welcomed. My mom did the best she could to protect us from the racism. We weren't allowed to play beyond the front yard for years. And most of our dogs ended up getting stolen.
But I'm hoping that since we are going back to the city, we will be living amongst more open minded white people. They all seemed pretty nice as they passed us by. They didn't shoot us any nasty glares. Curious yes. There is a great plus to living in an all white neighborhood here. The crime rate is super low!! It's so low in fact that they leave their doors unlocked.
Crime seems to be its highest in the Black and Hispanic neighborhoods here. It's a shame, but true never the less. So, I am looking forward to being able to sleep peacefully at night.
I'm really excited that I get to decorate and hang pictures. It's a duplex, but I look at it as an upgrade from an apartment and certainly an upgrade from my current situation. I'm one step closer to home ownership. I've been researching and looking into some low income housing programs. And I think that by next summer, I will be ready to make a down payment on my own place.
Besides checking out the duplex, I went to the mall with Moo, her daddy and step sister. It felt great to be all together as a family. Our year a part has helped us both to grow and mature. We are co-parenting very well and communicating much better than before. He's learning to give me space when I'm upset and I'm learning to be more sensitive to his feelings when dishing out criticism.
Sunday was another family bonding adventure. We went to church. And I'm happy to report that our new pastor is getting a little warmer. I think that he's getting used to us and likewise we are getting used to him. Following service, we had lunch at my uncle's church and on the way I busted my booty on that slick wet cement ramp. Talk about a pain the ass! LOL! I'm still sore back there.
While waiting for Jay to arrive, we watched 'The Marriage Counselor,' an original screen play written, produced and directed by the great Tyler Perry. That man is awesome. He is taking Black cinema to places it's never been. And rumor has it that he is looking to take over TBS and turn it into the Tyler Perry Network. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he can strike some kind of deal with them. We need more Black networks out there will positive Black shows. We're more than just thugs, criminals and baby mamas.
Anyways, I think that my mom is finally warming back up to Jay. She actually accompanied us to Rockingham and we had a lovely family dinner afterward. So, here's to miracles and God being able to heal wounds. Looking forward to a wonderful week of packing. Hope you guys had a great weekend as well.
There's hardwood throughout with linoleum in the kitchen and bathroom. The master bedroom has two closets and a cute octagon shaped window. In the backyard is an amazing deck. I've already made plans to cookout and add some patio furniture as well as a few plants. We have a clothing line which I will put to use in on hot days.
Plus, I try to be as Green as possible. Another plus, we don't have to worry about landscaping. The landlord handles all of that. However, the down side is that beyond the backyard a pony. He's cute as a button but not people friendly. Therefore, there will be no petting the pony.
Another issue is that we will be the only Black family in the neighborhood. The landlord has assured us that we will be welcomed warmly though. I hope that he is right because I remember when we moved into an all white neighborhood when I was five. We got all kinds of notes calling us 'niggers' and telling us 'our kind' wasn't welcomed. My mom did the best she could to protect us from the racism. We weren't allowed to play beyond the front yard for years. And most of our dogs ended up getting stolen.
But I'm hoping that since we are going back to the city, we will be living amongst more open minded white people. They all seemed pretty nice as they passed us by. They didn't shoot us any nasty glares. Curious yes. There is a great plus to living in an all white neighborhood here. The crime rate is super low!! It's so low in fact that they leave their doors unlocked.
Crime seems to be its highest in the Black and Hispanic neighborhoods here. It's a shame, but true never the less. So, I am looking forward to being able to sleep peacefully at night.
I'm really excited that I get to decorate and hang pictures. It's a duplex, but I look at it as an upgrade from an apartment and certainly an upgrade from my current situation. I'm one step closer to home ownership. I've been researching and looking into some low income housing programs. And I think that by next summer, I will be ready to make a down payment on my own place.
Besides checking out the duplex, I went to the mall with Moo, her daddy and step sister. It felt great to be all together as a family. Our year a part has helped us both to grow and mature. We are co-parenting very well and communicating much better than before. He's learning to give me space when I'm upset and I'm learning to be more sensitive to his feelings when dishing out criticism.
Sunday was another family bonding adventure. We went to church. And I'm happy to report that our new pastor is getting a little warmer. I think that he's getting used to us and likewise we are getting used to him. Following service, we had lunch at my uncle's church and on the way I busted my booty on that slick wet cement ramp. Talk about a pain the ass! LOL! I'm still sore back there.
While waiting for Jay to arrive, we watched 'The Marriage Counselor,' an original screen play written, produced and directed by the great Tyler Perry. That man is awesome. He is taking Black cinema to places it's never been. And rumor has it that he is looking to take over TBS and turn it into the Tyler Perry Network. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he can strike some kind of deal with them. We need more Black networks out there will positive Black shows. We're more than just thugs, criminals and baby mamas.
Anyways, I think that my mom is finally warming back up to Jay. She actually accompanied us to Rockingham and we had a lovely family dinner afterward. So, here's to miracles and God being able to heal wounds. Looking forward to a wonderful week of packing. Hope you guys had a great weekend as well.
Becoming a Better Mommy
Ok, I have a confession to make. I haven't been the best mommy I could be. I've been letting outside people and situations that don't concern me drive me to a point of some much that stress that it started to wear on my patience with Moo. I'm a fixer. When I see problems, I feel the need to fix them even if they're beyond my control. It's a horrible trait that I seem to have inherited from my mother.
For years, we watched as she tried to fix my father and their broken marriage. It's taken years for her to come to the conclusion that you can't fix somebody who doesn't love you and never wanted to be married to you in the first place, but did so because his family forced him to make an honest woman out of you. And yet you would think that when it comes to other things and people she would know not to try to fix them, but here she is still trying to fix her children, her siblings and the rest of the world. And when I look in the mirror, it scares me to see that part of her in me.
You see, I know the cost of being a fixer. You focus so much energy and positive effort on fixing other people and situations outside the home that you have no positive energy or time left for those in your home. I could remember my mom being so patient and gentle with the children she came into contact with at the school house, but when she got home she was 'tired of kids' as she said on numerous occasions. It hurt like hell to hear her always telling us that. And on more than once instance, I wanted to tell her to screw all those others kids because they weren't hers, but we were!!
Of course, I didn't dare utter those words to her face. My mom is more in touch with her Black side when it comes to parenting. LOL. So, I knew better than to try her and showed her the utter most respect at all times. I still show her respect to this day. We disagree very often, but I never forget my place. I am the child and she is my parent. The Bible says that when we disrespect our parents we shorten our life here on Earth and I don't want to cut mine short. Moo is my motivation to strive to live as long as possible.
However, it is Moo that I has had to suffer because of the curse passed down from my mom to me. It me earlier this week as I was rereading Queen Latifah's book 'Put On Your Crown' that I have been a pretty awful mommy lately. I've yelled her and lost my patience. I've brushed her off and not taken the time to listen to her. Why? All because of stress caused by people and things that aren't nearly as important to me as she is.
As I read a story in which Queen talked about her mother, I felt tears well up in my eyes. Mama O seemed like a saint compared to me. The way her daughter spoke of her character and parenting skills reminded me that I had failed in mine. But it also woke me up. One thing Queen Latifah's mom did differently is that she didn't allow the negative to affect her in a way that she took it out on her kids.
And I am determined to develop that same strength. I might be a fixer, but no longer will I allow my curse to make me miss out on another minute of my daughter's happiness. I'm constantly reminding myself that Moo didn't ask to be here. Therefore, when I feel like I'm about to burst I need to take ten seconds to calm down and think about all the great things that have happened in my life because of her.
My life truly is better because of her. And I need to start back showing her that. She deserves to have a mommy who is going to put her first and not second or third. I have to admit that since reading that part of Queen's book earlier this week, I have made progress. I've been more patient with her and have made an effort to strike up conversations with her even though I don't completely understand the words she says. And guess what? Her baby rage has gotten better too.
This is just further proof that my stress was having negative effects not only on me, but Moo as well. These last few nights we both have been sleeping so peacefully. This journey called Motherhood may not come with an instruction manual, but I'll be damned if I don't find the right parts to make it work. Motherhood is tough, rough and unpredictable, but that's what I love about it. I find myself forced to rise to a challenge and I gladly accept the mission to become a better mommy.
For years, we watched as she tried to fix my father and their broken marriage. It's taken years for her to come to the conclusion that you can't fix somebody who doesn't love you and never wanted to be married to you in the first place, but did so because his family forced him to make an honest woman out of you. And yet you would think that when it comes to other things and people she would know not to try to fix them, but here she is still trying to fix her children, her siblings and the rest of the world. And when I look in the mirror, it scares me to see that part of her in me.
You see, I know the cost of being a fixer. You focus so much energy and positive effort on fixing other people and situations outside the home that you have no positive energy or time left for those in your home. I could remember my mom being so patient and gentle with the children she came into contact with at the school house, but when she got home she was 'tired of kids' as she said on numerous occasions. It hurt like hell to hear her always telling us that. And on more than once instance, I wanted to tell her to screw all those others kids because they weren't hers, but we were!!
Of course, I didn't dare utter those words to her face. My mom is more in touch with her Black side when it comes to parenting. LOL. So, I knew better than to try her and showed her the utter most respect at all times. I still show her respect to this day. We disagree very often, but I never forget my place. I am the child and she is my parent. The Bible says that when we disrespect our parents we shorten our life here on Earth and I don't want to cut mine short. Moo is my motivation to strive to live as long as possible.
However, it is Moo that I has had to suffer because of the curse passed down from my mom to me. It me earlier this week as I was rereading Queen Latifah's book 'Put On Your Crown' that I have been a pretty awful mommy lately. I've yelled her and lost my patience. I've brushed her off and not taken the time to listen to her. Why? All because of stress caused by people and things that aren't nearly as important to me as she is.
As I read a story in which Queen talked about her mother, I felt tears well up in my eyes. Mama O seemed like a saint compared to me. The way her daughter spoke of her character and parenting skills reminded me that I had failed in mine. But it also woke me up. One thing Queen Latifah's mom did differently is that she didn't allow the negative to affect her in a way that she took it out on her kids.
And I am determined to develop that same strength. I might be a fixer, but no longer will I allow my curse to make me miss out on another minute of my daughter's happiness. I'm constantly reminding myself that Moo didn't ask to be here. Therefore, when I feel like I'm about to burst I need to take ten seconds to calm down and think about all the great things that have happened in my life because of her.
My life truly is better because of her. And I need to start back showing her that. She deserves to have a mommy who is going to put her first and not second or third. I have to admit that since reading that part of Queen's book earlier this week, I have made progress. I've been more patient with her and have made an effort to strike up conversations with her even though I don't completely understand the words she says. And guess what? Her baby rage has gotten better too.
This is just further proof that my stress was having negative effects not only on me, but Moo as well. These last few nights we both have been sleeping so peacefully. This journey called Motherhood may not come with an instruction manual, but I'll be damned if I don't find the right parts to make it work. Motherhood is tough, rough and unpredictable, but that's what I love about it. I find myself forced to rise to a challenge and I gladly accept the mission to become a better mommy.
Thankful Thursday
We live in a society where so much is taken for granted. Some of us walk around feeling we are entitled to world on a silver platter when aren't already grateful for what God has already blessed us with. Open up your eyes people. Our country is getting worse instead of better and it's because we are setting positive examples. Nobody is caring about their neighbor or even their own family for that matter.
As my dear friend Kenya Mack posted on her Facebook, "Each one teach one." It's time to bring back the 'It takes a village' mentality. We keep saying our children are the future, but if we don't instill in them the right values and morals there will be no future. So, I want to do my part of increasing positive thinking by starting Thankful Thursday here on YUMMommy. My life is far from perfect, but Lord knows it could be must more rough.
So without further ado, this Thursday I am thankful for:
As my dear friend Kenya Mack posted on her Facebook, "Each one teach one." It's time to bring back the 'It takes a village' mentality. We keep saying our children are the future, but if we don't instill in them the right values and morals there will be no future. So, I want to do my part of increasing positive thinking by starting Thankful Thursday here on YUMMommy. My life is far from perfect, but Lord knows it could be must more rough.
So without further ado, this Thursday I am thankful for:
My Life: I know so many people who have lost loved ones this month and it makes me that much more grateful that the Man Upstairs has been gracious enough to let me see another day.
My Moo: Being a single mom is tough as nails, but I wouldn't trade Moo for anything. These last few months have been a battle field and I've come close to seriously loosing it on numerous ocassions, but the one person who keeps me motivated and driven is Moo. I love that little girl with all that I am and will be. I owe so much to her and am thankful that she (and God) chose me out of all the millions of women to be her mommy. On the real she saved me.
My Family: We don't always see eye to eye, but we always have each other's backs. It begins with family and ends with family. We are a village that has been tried many times, but has yet to be broken.
Dreams: I had once given up on my dreams, but I read something this past week that has renewed my focus. I had forgotten what it was like to dream and aim big. So many people have written me off as so and so's baby mama or the girl who came back home, but I am not defeated!!
I came back home because I wanted a safe place to raise my daughter until she was able to walk and talk. Living in the Queen City was fun, but when bad crime started getting alittle to close for comfort I chose to not be selfish and do what was best for my unborn daughter. Heaven forbid I would have stayed and somebody would have broken into our apartment while her dad was at work and she was still a newborn.
I would not have been adequately equipped to defend us. So, it made sense to move home where my family was willing to help and come over to keep me company on those nights when we were home alone. And now that she's older and can do a lot for herself, I feel better about apartment hunting in the city again. I wasn't staying in the hood before, but hey all parts of the city are getting bad. More and more people are going into those good neighborhoods to steal and kill just because. But at least I've gotten used to the demands of being a first time mom and feel like I would have a fighting chance to ward off an attacker.
My Faith: I can't say enough about how my faith keeps me grounded. I love having something to believe in and a guidebook for how I should live my life and raise Moo to live. I know without a shadow of doubt that without the Bible, I would be lost. I've gotten lost a few times since I've given my life to Christ, but for the most part I am a humble servant for the Lord. I try hard not to judge and to walk the straight and narrow.
I hope that this post inspires somebody out there to remember to be thankful for all that they have. And in being thankful, I hope that we will begin to change the way we think and the way we act. Remember that change begins with you and through your actions you can inspire change in others. Each one teach one to inspire one!!
My Weekend WrapUp
I'm back!!!!!! I've had a wonderful and trying four day weekend. I never thought I'd be kind of happy to see the weekend come to end, but I was. My four day weekend started on Friday and it wasn't all that bad. I got to do some shopping with my mother, baby sister, niece and Moo in Rockingham, NC. I was a little sad that we had to return our lovely rental car though.
We had a 2010 fully loaded Jeep Liberty. It was an eye catching shade of gold with glimmers of silver, rims and huge head lights. The interior was all black. It had Sirius XM radio, a cd player, a very spacious trunk (perfect for hauling diaper bags and other mommy stuff) and a roomy backseat. For a whole ten days, we were in Car Heaven. I think I fell in love just a little bit. And while I knew our time together was limited, I couldn't help getting attached.
Oh let me just add that I love the new HP Photo Printing Stations they've put in WalMart. Instead of waiting hours for pictures to process, you can upload as many photos as you want and have them printed or burned to a disc in as little as 5 minutes!!! Awesome. And greatest thing is that prints only cost $0.28!! You can put all your pictures on a cd for under $3.00 and print from home if you like. You can create party and wedding invitations, birth announcements, calendars and much more on those things.
That is certainly my newest obsession. I've already tried it out twice in one week. As soon as I rack up another batch of pictures, I'm heading back for my third session. I know it sounds a little crazy, but I enjoy being up on the latest technology. And I'm one of those people who has like a million pictures in my phone or digital camera. So, now I don't have to get them all developed. I can pick the ones I want to get made and put the others on a cd that can be mailed to family or friends and uploaded to my computer. The cds are a great way to keep pictures too because computers crash all the time and in case of a fire or emergency I keep them in a box that I can pick up and take.
Saturday was a lazy day for me and the fam. I helped my mom weed through her wardrobe and get rid of some of her older pieces. I'm talking about stuff she's had since I was a baby. We're slowly but surely trying to move her up in time in terms of fashion and technology. She's getting there a little bit though. But I was actually proud of her for getting rid of over five bags worth of stuff. I know this seems like a lot, but trust me she still has more that she could part with. However, for now we'll take any small victory that we can get.
Later that afternoon it was discovered that we had left our steaks for the 4th in trunk of the car. Needless to say the heat had cooked them and we had throw them out along with some other stuff we had gotten. Let's just say we learned our lesson about shopping and grocery shopping. Your mind forgets that you've gone grocery shopping when you start to buy clothes, shoes and stuff. Luckily though, I had steaks in the freezer from my last trip to the grocery store.
Now, Sunday we got a new pastor. And let me just say oh boy is he tall! I'm talking Shaq tall people. He's relatively young, but I can already tell that he is one of those by the book, drill sergeant types. I'm not so sure how long he'll be with us. I think that he will certainly whip our loose ends into shape, but I'd like to see him work on becoming a little bit more warm and cordial. I take my faith seriously and if there's a disconnect then I have no problems moving on. But I'll give him a month to really get a feel for how he is.
I was also in charge of our firework show!! I love fireworks too. I know that I should probably to be over the excitement of such things, but I'm not. I enjoy all things celebration related, especially fireworks. We put on quite the show for our neighbors and the passerbys. One of my sister's friends even stopped by and burned Sparklers with us. Moo chose to watch from the safety of the car with my mom and niece. They love the lights, but can't stand the sound. LOL.
On Monday, let's just say we were all a little stir crazy. Day four was just a little more weekend than we could handle. Plus, the heat was blazing and not helping any of our moods. My mom and I kind of got into a slight disagreement in which she said some hurtful things. I just kind of listened and didn't reply. I've learned from my childhood years that it's pretty much useless to answer to anything she says when she's in her moods. It only makes her rant and rave more. So, upset and pissed as hell, I took off for a walk to clear my mind.
I don't know what I was thinking because halfway to downtown, I felt like passing out. Pushing a stroller in jeans and heavy sneakers under a 98 degree sun is no joke. I could have had a heat stroke but at the time it seemed worth it. I feel like I haven't been a burden on my mother at all. Out of all of her children, I'm always the one she can turn to for help whether it be financially, babysitting or whatever. So, of course I've written a little bit about my nasty split from a year ago that left me a little down on my luck, but I have to say that I haven't been taking advantage of my situation to bum off my family.
Yet, at times my mom tries to make me feel that way. I have to constantly remind her that I pull my weight around the house and then some. It is only then that she tries to apologize and come off her high horse, but of course her words have been said and my spirit broken. So, I'm looking forward to moving later on this year. I've found a nice place an hour away and it's currently getting the last remodeling touches put on it.
I can't express how trying it's been to adjust to being back home. I thought it was going to be great because my mom is a single mom and I'm a single mom. I figured we'd bond more and she said she would feel more comfortable with me staying with her instead of living by myself with a baby. I quickly started to question whether she was really being truthfully. It felt like a part of her was hoping that I'd decline her offer and maybe I should have. But I'll take this as a lesson learned.
I'm getting back to my independence and my freedom!! Glad that this chapter of my life is coming to close and that a new one is on the horizon. Hope that you all had a blessed weekend and will have an even more blessed week!!! Oh, congrats to Future Mama!!! She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this weekend!!!
We had a 2010 fully loaded Jeep Liberty. It was an eye catching shade of gold with glimmers of silver, rims and huge head lights. The interior was all black. It had Sirius XM radio, a cd player, a very spacious trunk (perfect for hauling diaper bags and other mommy stuff) and a roomy backseat. For a whole ten days, we were in Car Heaven. I think I fell in love just a little bit. And while I knew our time together was limited, I couldn't help getting attached.
Oh let me just add that I love the new HP Photo Printing Stations they've put in WalMart. Instead of waiting hours for pictures to process, you can upload as many photos as you want and have them printed or burned to a disc in as little as 5 minutes!!! Awesome. And greatest thing is that prints only cost $0.28!! You can put all your pictures on a cd for under $3.00 and print from home if you like. You can create party and wedding invitations, birth announcements, calendars and much more on those things.
That is certainly my newest obsession. I've already tried it out twice in one week. As soon as I rack up another batch of pictures, I'm heading back for my third session. I know it sounds a little crazy, but I enjoy being up on the latest technology. And I'm one of those people who has like a million pictures in my phone or digital camera. So, now I don't have to get them all developed. I can pick the ones I want to get made and put the others on a cd that can be mailed to family or friends and uploaded to my computer. The cds are a great way to keep pictures too because computers crash all the time and in case of a fire or emergency I keep them in a box that I can pick up and take.
Saturday was a lazy day for me and the fam. I helped my mom weed through her wardrobe and get rid of some of her older pieces. I'm talking about stuff she's had since I was a baby. We're slowly but surely trying to move her up in time in terms of fashion and technology. She's getting there a little bit though. But I was actually proud of her for getting rid of over five bags worth of stuff. I know this seems like a lot, but trust me she still has more that she could part with. However, for now we'll take any small victory that we can get.
Later that afternoon it was discovered that we had left our steaks for the 4th in trunk of the car. Needless to say the heat had cooked them and we had throw them out along with some other stuff we had gotten. Let's just say we learned our lesson about shopping and grocery shopping. Your mind forgets that you've gone grocery shopping when you start to buy clothes, shoes and stuff. Luckily though, I had steaks in the freezer from my last trip to the grocery store.
Now, Sunday we got a new pastor. And let me just say oh boy is he tall! I'm talking Shaq tall people. He's relatively young, but I can already tell that he is one of those by the book, drill sergeant types. I'm not so sure how long he'll be with us. I think that he will certainly whip our loose ends into shape, but I'd like to see him work on becoming a little bit more warm and cordial. I take my faith seriously and if there's a disconnect then I have no problems moving on. But I'll give him a month to really get a feel for how he is.
I was also in charge of our firework show!! I love fireworks too. I know that I should probably to be over the excitement of such things, but I'm not. I enjoy all things celebration related, especially fireworks. We put on quite the show for our neighbors and the passerbys. One of my sister's friends even stopped by and burned Sparklers with us. Moo chose to watch from the safety of the car with my mom and niece. They love the lights, but can't stand the sound. LOL.
On Monday, let's just say we were all a little stir crazy. Day four was just a little more weekend than we could handle. Plus, the heat was blazing and not helping any of our moods. My mom and I kind of got into a slight disagreement in which she said some hurtful things. I just kind of listened and didn't reply. I've learned from my childhood years that it's pretty much useless to answer to anything she says when she's in her moods. It only makes her rant and rave more. So, upset and pissed as hell, I took off for a walk to clear my mind.
I don't know what I was thinking because halfway to downtown, I felt like passing out. Pushing a stroller in jeans and heavy sneakers under a 98 degree sun is no joke. I could have had a heat stroke but at the time it seemed worth it. I feel like I haven't been a burden on my mother at all. Out of all of her children, I'm always the one she can turn to for help whether it be financially, babysitting or whatever. So, of course I've written a little bit about my nasty split from a year ago that left me a little down on my luck, but I have to say that I haven't been taking advantage of my situation to bum off my family.
Yet, at times my mom tries to make me feel that way. I have to constantly remind her that I pull my weight around the house and then some. It is only then that she tries to apologize and come off her high horse, but of course her words have been said and my spirit broken. So, I'm looking forward to moving later on this year. I've found a nice place an hour away and it's currently getting the last remodeling touches put on it.
I can't express how trying it's been to adjust to being back home. I thought it was going to be great because my mom is a single mom and I'm a single mom. I figured we'd bond more and she said she would feel more comfortable with me staying with her instead of living by myself with a baby. I quickly started to question whether she was really being truthfully. It felt like a part of her was hoping that I'd decline her offer and maybe I should have. But I'll take this as a lesson learned.
I'm getting back to my independence and my freedom!! Glad that this chapter of my life is coming to close and that a new one is on the horizon. Hope that you all had a blessed weekend and will have an even more blessed week!!! Oh, congrats to Future Mama!!! She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this weekend!!!
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