Well, I didn't get much wedding planning done this weekend like I'd hoped to. Instead, I spent Saturday riding back to my home town for a surprise 21st birthday party for my little brother. I feel so old because it seems like it took forever for him to turn 21 and he's about to graduate from college with his bachelor degree. Anyways, he really enjoyed his party and the rest of the family was totally surprised when we walked in. They had no idea we were coming.
I'm really glad that I went because I was in seafood heaven. I mean we had crab legs, fried shrimp, fried fish, corn on the cob and spuds. There was no shortage of sugar either between the cheesecake, cupcakes and the Paula Dean Flaky Butter Cake that I had on the way down. We just had a really lovely time celebrating such a wonderful event.
It felt good to be back home and hanging out with my family. It's been almost a month since I've moved and about three weeks since I was last home to visit. They really enjoyed seeing Moo and how much she's grown. Yes, it's amazing how much people change in so little time. My niece looked so much more grown up and she's reading on her now!!! Shocker because she just started kindergarten only two weeks ago.
I'm glad that some of the tension between my mom and I has eased. I still don't think that she's 100% ok with my choice to be back with Jay, but she's learning to accept that it is what it is. This is my life and I'm living it the best way I know how to live it for me and my family. I can't keep trying to please everybody else because I only end up not pleasing myself and I'm tired of putting myself last.
Sunday was just a very laid back day. I still haven't located a church for us to attend up here. I feel kind of bad because I really enjoy going to church and I want to make sure that Moo is developing spiritually as well. So, I will certainly be scouting out a few places. I'm actually leaning towards joining the church across from the college I went to. I really enjoyed the services when I was staying on campus.
The congregation is very nice and the pastor seemed very friendly and knew all his members personally even though there's like 200 of them not including all the kids. Now that's true dedication right there. I'm sure that I know 200 people personally but imagine if all those 200 people had kids and some even have grandkids and great grandkids. It's crazy, but goes to show that not all preachers are in it for the money. It's nice to see that preachers are taking the time to connect with their flock.
I'm hoping that this church will be the right fit for us. If it isn't then I guess we'll just keep trying until we find the right one.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Simple Sunday Twitter Hop
It's Sunday and the weekend is coming to an official end. :( It's been such a wonderful weekend, but I'll save the details for my Weekend WrapUp post. Anyways, I was going through my list of blogs I'm following and stumbled across the Simple Sunday Twitter Hop on Between the Lines.
So, drop on by and link up. It's a great opportunity to meet some new friends via Twitter and make some connections. Happy Sunday everybody!!!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Blog Hopping Saturday
Well, good people the weekend is officially here!!!! Hooray, hooray, hooray!! This weekend I will be busy wedding planning. I have to sketch out a rough design for the invitations and finish up the programs. I know it's a little early to be working on programs considering I still have ten months and some change to go before the big day but I want all the small stuff out of the way.
I've watched enough Bridezilla and other wedding shows to know that letting small stuff drag out until the end will catch up with you in the end. And the sooner I get the small stuff taken care of the sooner I can move on to dealing with the big stuff like finding a dress maker and caterer. So, here's to hoping that I will have a successful planning weekend. And while I'm planning, I've decided to take a little time out for some blog hopping.
My first stop of the morning was Just Married with Coupons to join in her Saturday Stalk for Savings. You can join us to by visiting her site and checking out all the rules for the blog hop.
I've watched enough Bridezilla and other wedding shows to know that letting small stuff drag out until the end will catch up with you in the end. And the sooner I get the small stuff taken care of the sooner I can move on to dealing with the big stuff like finding a dress maker and caterer. So, here's to hoping that I will have a successful planning weekend. And while I'm planning, I've decided to take a little time out for some blog hopping.
My first stop of the morning was Just Married with Coupons to join in her Saturday Stalk for Savings. You can join us to by visiting her site and checking out all the rules for the blog hop.
My second stop was over at Between the Lines for their Spotlight Saturday Blog Hop. Be sure to swing by there and link up your blog as well as another blog you would like to spotlight.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Grilling With Charm
As the mom of an allergy baby (toddler) it's important when cooking to distinguish her food from the rest of the family's. I must admit that can be hard to do when baking, grilling or frying meats. I can't tell you how many times I've had to cut a bite off almost every piece of meat to figure out which piece was hers. So, I was thrilled when I stumbled across Grill Charms.
So what are Grill Charms? They're these cute little charms about the size of a dime, made completely out of stainless steel and have a serrated steem that prohibits the charm from falling out "while flipping, moving and grilling food like you normally do." And Grill Charms come in various collections to suit just about all your different cooking purposes.
There's The Spicy Collection that will allow us fellow Grill Masters to "offer mild, medium and spicy sauces and rubs without any confustion. So those guests who like it hot can have it HOT, and other guests that walk on the milder side know which is mild."
Grill Charms also offers The Charm Life and The Pink collections. Both collections consists of six charms that allows you the ability to personalize your food as you cook. We all know that when it comes to ingredients like garlic, dill and other strong flavors there is no one size fits all. So, these two collections help you "to distinguish spices and flavors, avoid health or allergy concerns or any other reason you can dream up!"
You could even use these charms to allow guests to season their own meat before you put it on the grill. All they have to do is remember what charm symbol is theirs. And with The Pink Collection 10% of the proceeds is donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products LLC, developed The Pink Collection to give back to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation because both she and her mother were diagnosed with breast cancer in their thirties. "And with two daughters of my own, I'm sure you can understand the sense of urgency I feel to find a cure," Haywood says.
In addition, Haywood has designed The Steak Collection to help other grillers to stop doing like me and having to cut into all our beautifully prepared meats to see which ones are well done, rare, medium rare, etc. Grill Charms is a really great buy and will help to take some of the stress out of cooking and add a little fun and charm. Plus you can give Grill Charms as a gift to all the Grill Masters in your life for Father's Day, Mother's Day (women grill too), Christmas and any other holiday or event that comes up.
With my summer wedding coming up next year, I will be purchasing a few of these to serve as gifts for the groomsmen as well as for my grilling groom and me. And the best part is that Leslie even does custom box sets to match your needs.
You can't beat this or pass this opportunity up. So be sure to slide on by Grill Charms and see what Leslie has to offer. And while you're there use coupon code YUMM to receive $5.00 off your box Grill Charms.
So what are Grill Charms? They're these cute little charms about the size of a dime, made completely out of stainless steel and have a serrated steem that prohibits the charm from falling out "while flipping, moving and grilling food like you normally do." And Grill Charms come in various collections to suit just about all your different cooking purposes.
There's The Spicy Collection that will allow us fellow Grill Masters to "offer mild, medium and spicy sauces and rubs without any confustion. So those guests who like it hot can have it HOT, and other guests that walk on the milder side know which is mild."
Grill Charms also offers The Charm Life and The Pink collections. Both collections consists of six charms that allows you the ability to personalize your food as you cook. We all know that when it comes to ingredients like garlic, dill and other strong flavors there is no one size fits all. So, these two collections help you "to distinguish spices and flavors, avoid health or allergy concerns or any other reason you can dream up!"
You could even use these charms to allow guests to season their own meat before you put it on the grill. All they have to do is remember what charm symbol is theirs. And with The Pink Collection 10% of the proceeds is donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Leslie Haywood, Founder and President of Charmed Life Products LLC, developed The Pink Collection to give back to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation because both she and her mother were diagnosed with breast cancer in their thirties. "And with two daughters of my own, I'm sure you can understand the sense of urgency I feel to find a cure," Haywood says.
In addition, Haywood has designed The Steak Collection to help other grillers to stop doing like me and having to cut into all our beautifully prepared meats to see which ones are well done, rare, medium rare, etc. Grill Charms is a really great buy and will help to take some of the stress out of cooking and add a little fun and charm. Plus you can give Grill Charms as a gift to all the Grill Masters in your life for Father's Day, Mother's Day (women grill too), Christmas and any other holiday or event that comes up.
With my summer wedding coming up next year, I will be purchasing a few of these to serve as gifts for the groomsmen as well as for my grilling groom and me. And the best part is that Leslie even does custom box sets to match your needs.
You can't beat this or pass this opportunity up. So be sure to slide on by Grill Charms and see what Leslie has to offer. And while you're there use coupon code YUMM to receive $5.00 off your box Grill Charms.
Happy Grilling!!!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Eat, Drink, Shop & Win
Well, as you all know I'm newly engaged and have already started planning. Last Saturday we decided to enjoy a nice outing at the mall to look at tuxes and all that jazz. While at Belk, one of the sales associates informed us that they would be hosting an in-store engagement party of all the newly engaged couples in the area. Talked about excited. I'm just getting engaged and already going to my first party and I didn't even have to plan it.
Well, let me just say that Jay and I had a blast at the party tonight!! It was amazing. We had music by DJ Sir Charles, food and drinks by my old college and shopping and tons of door prizes by my former employer. Yes, I was a Belk girl when I was in college. I made a lot of friends and connections working at that store and started to come in contact with NBA player, famous designers, singers and all other kind of A-list celebs. Awesome job minus the snobby customer every once in a while.
It felt good to be able to mix and mingle, scan things for the registry (Jay had a ball with the scanning gun) and enjoy some really upscale eats. Most of all it was just great seeing how involved Jay wanted to be with this whole wedding planning process. Going in I was expecting him to be a little bit stand offish because he really didn't want to attend this event at first. However, once we got there and he had his first glass of red wine (only his 2nd drink since we've been together) he loosened up.
And to make things better we won a stainless steel hand blender by Cuisinart!!! It blends drinks (I love smoothies), cake mixes, soups and more. That is just one thing we can go back and take of our gift registry. I also got free hair clips from Carolee and a free ring cleaning from Belk's fine jewelry department. It was awesome.
My favorite part was the all you could eat candy bar. I have a very bad sweet tooth. LOL. The candy bar had everything from Skittles to M&Ms and Jolly Ranchers. Oh it was heaven on earth. Jay and I have agreed that we will be having a candy bar at our wedding as well. Also, we're going to be meeting with the dj to see if he can work some of his magic at our reception. I mean he was amazing the way he kept all the songs flowing without having to pause and go into the next one.
It doesn't hurt to admit that he was super cute too. He looked really nice but still urban in his button down and black slacks. Not all djs rock graphic tees and saggy jeans. And Belk also gifted us with some free cloth grocery bags. You all know that I'm all about going Green and being good to the environment. We recycle about 80% of our trash in this household. And we got a wedding planner worth $30, a copy of Carolina Brides and a $25 gift card.
I couldn't have planned a more perfect engagement party if I tried.
Olay Regenerist MicroDermabrasion & Peel In One System 1ea. - www.bizrate.com
Well, let me just say that Jay and I had a blast at the party tonight!! It was amazing. We had music by DJ Sir Charles, food and drinks by my old college and shopping and tons of door prizes by my former employer. Yes, I was a Belk girl when I was in college. I made a lot of friends and connections working at that store and started to come in contact with NBA player, famous designers, singers and all other kind of A-list celebs. Awesome job minus the snobby customer every once in a while.
It felt good to be able to mix and mingle, scan things for the registry (Jay had a ball with the scanning gun) and enjoy some really upscale eats. Most of all it was just great seeing how involved Jay wanted to be with this whole wedding planning process. Going in I was expecting him to be a little bit stand offish because he really didn't want to attend this event at first. However, once we got there and he had his first glass of red wine (only his 2nd drink since we've been together) he loosened up.
And to make things better we won a stainless steel hand blender by Cuisinart!!! It blends drinks (I love smoothies), cake mixes, soups and more. That is just one thing we can go back and take of our gift registry. I also got free hair clips from Carolee and a free ring cleaning from Belk's fine jewelry department. It was awesome.
My favorite part was the all you could eat candy bar. I have a very bad sweet tooth. LOL. The candy bar had everything from Skittles to M&Ms and Jolly Ranchers. Oh it was heaven on earth. Jay and I have agreed that we will be having a candy bar at our wedding as well. Also, we're going to be meeting with the dj to see if he can work some of his magic at our reception. I mean he was amazing the way he kept all the songs flowing without having to pause and go into the next one.
It doesn't hurt to admit that he was super cute too. He looked really nice but still urban in his button down and black slacks. Not all djs rock graphic tees and saggy jeans. And Belk also gifted us with some free cloth grocery bags. You all know that I'm all about going Green and being good to the environment. We recycle about 80% of our trash in this household. And we got a wedding planner worth $30, a copy of Carolina Brides and a $25 gift card.
I couldn't have planned a more perfect engagement party if I tried.
Olay Regenerist MicroDermabrasion & Peel In One System 1ea. - www.bizrate.com
Why spends hundreds at the spa when you can bring the spa home for a few $ & get the same results?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Winning in Troubled Times
Whether we like it or not, we are indeed in troubled times. Our economy is unstable, unployment rates are on the rise, major companies are going broke and let's not even talk about the big oil spill that just recently occurred. It's time like these when we all need to be dependent on God more than ever. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to imply that the only time we need to rely on Him is when we are need. What I'm saying is that we need to use our time of need as an avenue to deepen the relationship we already have with Him and the Bible.
As soldiers for Christ, we're going to come across a boatload of hardships, storms and rough times. However, if we have the right tools, skills and mindset we will emerge victorious and stronger than we were before. Now, I've always been a fan, supporter or whatever you want to call it of Dr. Creflo Dollar's ministry. There are so many preachers out there who have made it to 'Christian Hollywood' and the fame and money has become their main focus. Dr. Dollar is not like that.
I first started watching his sermons on TBN when I was like fourteen years old. And I just felt touched by the messages he was preaching. At first it felt strange because most teens aren't exactly eager to get into the Word. But I made a conscious choice to turn my life over to Christ at a young age and to live right as best I could. So, on Sundays when my mother would gather us all up to sit in the living room and watch his sermons unlike my siblings who weren't too happy, I would be setting on the edge of my seat hanging on to every word Dr. Dollar said.
My childhood was rough and my family didn't have a lot. And I desperately wanted to change my curcumstances and God was a way maker and miracle worker from what I'd read in the Bible and heard from other Christians. So, I wanted to learn how to be a good servant and how to walk right and make my faith stronger. Listening to his sermons it seemed as if someone had told him all our problems and he was trying to teach us how to speak to our mountains.
Well, here I am ten years later battling new issues and trying to move taller mountains as an adult, mom and soon to be wife. I have to admit that my relationship with God isn't as strong as it should be but I'm working on fixing that. Winning in Troubled Times: God's Solutions for Victory Over Life's Toughest Challenges by Dr. Creflo Dollar has motivated and enlightened me. As God's child I don't have to suffer. I can be victorious and live the life I've always dreamed.
In his book, Dr. Dollar shows us how we all can be winners during these and future times of trouble or need through lessons about trusting God no matter what, living the God wants us to have, dealing with our sins head on and so much more. Reading this book has just renewed my outlook and my determination to get back on track and stay on track. I don't have to be a victim of my current curcumstances. I can rise above them and you can rise above your curcumstances too. Whatever they may be, God can make them better.
I highly recommend this book to everyone-believers and non-believers. Dr. Dollar isn't just quoting scriptures here or rattling off commandments. He actually gives personal and private examples from his past life and shares with you how he became the success man he is today. He shares the journey he and his family made from being thousands of dollars in debt, stressed beyond belief to being blessed and highly favored. I'd also like to encourage you all to visit his websites to learn more about his ministry for yourselves.
Don't be content to lose the battle when you could be winning!
As soldiers for Christ, we're going to come across a boatload of hardships, storms and rough times. However, if we have the right tools, skills and mindset we will emerge victorious and stronger than we were before. Now, I've always been a fan, supporter or whatever you want to call it of Dr. Creflo Dollar's ministry. There are so many preachers out there who have made it to 'Christian Hollywood' and the fame and money has become their main focus. Dr. Dollar is not like that.
I first started watching his sermons on TBN when I was like fourteen years old. And I just felt touched by the messages he was preaching. At first it felt strange because most teens aren't exactly eager to get into the Word. But I made a conscious choice to turn my life over to Christ at a young age and to live right as best I could. So, on Sundays when my mother would gather us all up to sit in the living room and watch his sermons unlike my siblings who weren't too happy, I would be setting on the edge of my seat hanging on to every word Dr. Dollar said.
My childhood was rough and my family didn't have a lot. And I desperately wanted to change my curcumstances and God was a way maker and miracle worker from what I'd read in the Bible and heard from other Christians. So, I wanted to learn how to be a good servant and how to walk right and make my faith stronger. Listening to his sermons it seemed as if someone had told him all our problems and he was trying to teach us how to speak to our mountains.
Well, here I am ten years later battling new issues and trying to move taller mountains as an adult, mom and soon to be wife. I have to admit that my relationship with God isn't as strong as it should be but I'm working on fixing that. Winning in Troubled Times: God's Solutions for Victory Over Life's Toughest Challenges by Dr. Creflo Dollar has motivated and enlightened me. As God's child I don't have to suffer. I can be victorious and live the life I've always dreamed.
In his book, Dr. Dollar shows us how we all can be winners during these and future times of trouble or need through lessons about trusting God no matter what, living the God wants us to have, dealing with our sins head on and so much more. Reading this book has just renewed my outlook and my determination to get back on track and stay on track. I don't have to be a victim of my current curcumstances. I can rise above them and you can rise above your curcumstances too. Whatever they may be, God can make them better.
I highly recommend this book to everyone-believers and non-believers. Dr. Dollar isn't just quoting scriptures here or rattling off commandments. He actually gives personal and private examples from his past life and shares with you how he became the success man he is today. He shares the journey he and his family made from being thousands of dollars in debt, stressed beyond belief to being blessed and highly favored. I'd also like to encourage you all to visit his websites to learn more about his ministry for yourselves.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Creflo_Dollar
Official Website http://www.creflodollarministries.org/events/WinningInTroubledTimes/
Don't be content to lose the battle when you could be winning!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Jersey Girls
Who tuned in for the Real Housewives of New Jersey season finale last night on Bravo? I did!! I'm not sure if I was more disappointed at the lack of Wow factor or happy that Ashley finally apologized for her attitude and disrespect after two seasons of talking back to her mother. I was really hoping that they would confront Kim G and that Danielle would have another meltdown or a table flipping moment like Teresa. Not such luck though.
I have to admit that I was a little bit sad that Dina felt the need to leave the show earlier this season. I was keeping my fingers crossed that they'd finally show her husband. No such luck on that either. Plus, Dina is just truly a charming lady and doesn't seem to bother anybody. She always seemed very bubbly and all about her cats.
Overall here is my opinion on all the ladies of Real Housewives of New Jersey:
Caroline
She takes no prisoners when it comes to people messing with her family and loved ones. She is by for the most sane of the group. In a lot of ways her strenghth and the way she carries herself reminds me of the women in my family. I love how she has the right balance of discipline and fun with her kids. They always show her the utter most respect and don't mouth off.
I would love to see her and Albert get a show on TLC about The Brownstone. It would be pretty cool to see more of the events that go on there and really see the family in action working. She's also be great at writing about parenting and sharing her struggles, tips and techniques.
Jacqueline
Last season she came off as the quiet, push over one of the group, but this season she's found her voice a little bit. Kudos to her for finally removing herself from the middle of the drama between her family and Danielle. I was also glad to see her stand up to Ashley more and demand some respect.
If she wasn't on the show, I'd see Jacqueline hosting one of those jewelry shows on QVC, HSN or the Jewelry Network. She has the look, the voice and bubbly personality. I think that shoppers would be able to relate to her because she comes from a normal background. She started off as a struggling young single mom who met a nice rich prince charming by chance. However, her downfall is often that she gives shady people the benefit of doubt too much. It's really hard for her to cut people out of her life before they cause problems.
I was really glad to see more of her husband though. You can tell by the way he speaks up for her that he loves her and spoils her rotten. And how cute is the baby? Her and Teresa are so lucky to have been pregnant together.
Teresa
She is quite the firecracker. Not afraid to get hood on you or take it to the streets. She could certainly fit in with Nene and all those other ladies from the ATL. I love how she's not shy about her public displays of affection with Joe. Remember "Spank me Joe. Spank me." LOL.
I certainly think she and Joe might be the couple who does a little role playing or the fuzzy handcuffs behind closed doors. In many ways, I see myself in Teresa. I like nice things and can shop like nobody's business. I'm all about making sure the Moo looks nice and take pride in the appearance of my home. I love pasta and just like Teresa cook for my man and love to entertain with friends.
I'm really curious to try some of recipes from her book, Skinny Italian. I've mentioned before that Moo's great grandfather was half Italian. I'd like to teach her more about her roots through cooking, books, etc. Teresa and Joe would do well with a show documenting their efforts to make the pizzaria a success. Kinda like the Cake Boss, but the Pizza Boss with their own spin on it. I also discovered that Teresa and I both have backgrounds in fashion and that she has her own shop, TG Fabulicious.
Danielle
She is pretty much the drama starter of the show. And this season I do think that she was out to get back at Teresa and Jacqueline for de-friending her and choosing Caroline over her. At first it does seem like they were bullying her a bit, but once I learned about how she only read the responses of the emails and texts sent to her and omitted the fact that she was often the one to make first contact. It's easy to say look at what so and so sent me and make it seem like these people are out to get you.
I was little worried about her mental health in a few episodes. And the fact that she hangs out with some pretty savory characters is a red flag too. But when it comes to parenting, I have to give it to her that her girls are well behaved and seem so humble. It's nice to see that positive side to her.
Kim G
She was just straight two faced and betrayed Jacqueline and Danielle. She wasn't a true friend to either of them. I don't see her returning for season three or at least I hope she doesn't. I think that since the show has aired and they have all seen her true colors and the fact that she's not capable of being loyal to anyone the rest of the girls are going to steer clear of her. Plus, she was totally putting on for the camera when she confronted Danielle in the restaurant.
That was the first time drama on the Real Housewives seemed scripted like The Hills or something. Hopefully, they'll find a suitable replacement. I'd love to see some people of color on the show maybe a token black girl or a hispanic. Super stoked to see what goes down on the reunion show. Hope Andy doesn't get smacked down trying to hold Teresa back. She doesn't like people her grabbing her remember. LOL.
I have to admit that I was a little bit sad that Dina felt the need to leave the show earlier this season. I was keeping my fingers crossed that they'd finally show her husband. No such luck on that either. Plus, Dina is just truly a charming lady and doesn't seem to bother anybody. She always seemed very bubbly and all about her cats.
Overall here is my opinion on all the ladies of Real Housewives of New Jersey:
Caroline
She takes no prisoners when it comes to people messing with her family and loved ones. She is by for the most sane of the group. In a lot of ways her strenghth and the way she carries herself reminds me of the women in my family. I love how she has the right balance of discipline and fun with her kids. They always show her the utter most respect and don't mouth off.
I would love to see her and Albert get a show on TLC about The Brownstone. It would be pretty cool to see more of the events that go on there and really see the family in action working. She's also be great at writing about parenting and sharing her struggles, tips and techniques.
Jacqueline
Last season she came off as the quiet, push over one of the group, but this season she's found her voice a little bit. Kudos to her for finally removing herself from the middle of the drama between her family and Danielle. I was also glad to see her stand up to Ashley more and demand some respect.
If she wasn't on the show, I'd see Jacqueline hosting one of those jewelry shows on QVC, HSN or the Jewelry Network. She has the look, the voice and bubbly personality. I think that shoppers would be able to relate to her because she comes from a normal background. She started off as a struggling young single mom who met a nice rich prince charming by chance. However, her downfall is often that she gives shady people the benefit of doubt too much. It's really hard for her to cut people out of her life before they cause problems.
I was really glad to see more of her husband though. You can tell by the way he speaks up for her that he loves her and spoils her rotten. And how cute is the baby? Her and Teresa are so lucky to have been pregnant together.
Teresa
She is quite the firecracker. Not afraid to get hood on you or take it to the streets. She could certainly fit in with Nene and all those other ladies from the ATL. I love how she's not shy about her public displays of affection with Joe. Remember "Spank me Joe. Spank me." LOL.
I certainly think she and Joe might be the couple who does a little role playing or the fuzzy handcuffs behind closed doors. In many ways, I see myself in Teresa. I like nice things and can shop like nobody's business. I'm all about making sure the Moo looks nice and take pride in the appearance of my home. I love pasta and just like Teresa cook for my man and love to entertain with friends.
I'm really curious to try some of recipes from her book, Skinny Italian. I've mentioned before that Moo's great grandfather was half Italian. I'd like to teach her more about her roots through cooking, books, etc. Teresa and Joe would do well with a show documenting their efforts to make the pizzaria a success. Kinda like the Cake Boss, but the Pizza Boss with their own spin on it. I also discovered that Teresa and I both have backgrounds in fashion and that she has her own shop, TG Fabulicious.
Danielle
She is pretty much the drama starter of the show. And this season I do think that she was out to get back at Teresa and Jacqueline for de-friending her and choosing Caroline over her. At first it does seem like they were bullying her a bit, but once I learned about how she only read the responses of the emails and texts sent to her and omitted the fact that she was often the one to make first contact. It's easy to say look at what so and so sent me and make it seem like these people are out to get you.
I was little worried about her mental health in a few episodes. And the fact that she hangs out with some pretty savory characters is a red flag too. But when it comes to parenting, I have to give it to her that her girls are well behaved and seem so humble. It's nice to see that positive side to her.
Kim G
She was just straight two faced and betrayed Jacqueline and Danielle. She wasn't a true friend to either of them. I don't see her returning for season three or at least I hope she doesn't. I think that since the show has aired and they have all seen her true colors and the fact that she's not capable of being loyal to anyone the rest of the girls are going to steer clear of her. Plus, she was totally putting on for the camera when she confronted Danielle in the restaurant.
That was the first time drama on the Real Housewives seemed scripted like The Hills or something. Hopefully, they'll find a suitable replacement. I'd love to see some people of color on the show maybe a token black girl or a hispanic. Super stoked to see what goes down on the reunion show. Hope Andy doesn't get smacked down trying to hold Teresa back. She doesn't like people her grabbing her remember. LOL.
Monday, August 23, 2010
My Weekend WrapUp
It's official, I'm getting married!!!! Jay and I finally set a date (and a backup date) and have started wedding planning. This year has been one of many changes for sure. I've been a single mom, lost several loved ones, made new friends and more. Life for me and Moo has been anything but dull. And I'm looking forward to my happy ending.
So, the top picture looks better than the picture my phone would take but I absolutely love my ring. It's by Helzberg Diamonds. 14k white gold with 2.50 carats of diamonds. The center diamond is a princess cut surrounded by tampered baguettes and then there are two rows of round diamonds running along each side. Doesn't it look like a present with a bow on top?
Anyways, Saturday we decided to jump start the wedding plans by heading out to look at bridesmaids dresses, tuxes and even a dress for me to wear at the reception. Jay was a little sad that I wouldn't let him pick out my wedding dress. While I'm not all about tradition when it comes to weddings him not knowing exactly what my dress looks like is one of the traditions that I am going to keep. Besides I've asked for his feedback as far what he likes and doesn't like and have sketched out my dream dress. Now the hunt begins for a dress maker who can bring this vision to life.
I'm kind of worried about my sketch to too many people because I don't want anyone stealing my one of a kind idea. I really want this design to just be worn by me. However, as a fashion merchandising student I've learned that there really isn't any such thing as one of a kind anymore when it comes to fashion. Designers recycle and try to put new spins on old ideas all the time. So, I'm going to do my research and enlist the help of my fashion contacts to find a dress maker who won't duplicate my dress for another bride in the future.
Another concern that I had about my dresss was cost, but since Jay has agreed to foot the cost for the ceremony, reception and my dress I can relax a little bit. I'll be in charge of decor, catering and entertainment. And since I design stationary, I've already created our Save the Dates and wedding program. Still waiting on some inspiration for the invitations. The invitations have to be absolutely fab. I want ribbon, bling, glitz and glamour.
Starting to sound like an episode of Platinum Weddings. I am just bursting with excitement that the big day is finally coming. I've been waiting years for this and it's finally happening. I've even gone ahead and started registering all the different stores. But enough about the wedding. There will be more details to come as the Big Day draws near.
Sunday was just a really relaxing day of sleeping in, watching a little Joel Olsteem and a taking a drive to Larinburg. It felt good to have a lazy Sunday with my little family. And Jay even cooked. My week has gotten off to a great start and I hope that you all as great of a weekend as I did. Be blessed this week!
Anyways, Saturday we decided to jump start the wedding plans by heading out to look at bridesmaids dresses, tuxes and even a dress for me to wear at the reception. Jay was a little sad that I wouldn't let him pick out my wedding dress. While I'm not all about tradition when it comes to weddings him not knowing exactly what my dress looks like is one of the traditions that I am going to keep. Besides I've asked for his feedback as far what he likes and doesn't like and have sketched out my dream dress. Now the hunt begins for a dress maker who can bring this vision to life.
I'm kind of worried about my sketch to too many people because I don't want anyone stealing my one of a kind idea. I really want this design to just be worn by me. However, as a fashion merchandising student I've learned that there really isn't any such thing as one of a kind anymore when it comes to fashion. Designers recycle and try to put new spins on old ideas all the time. So, I'm going to do my research and enlist the help of my fashion contacts to find a dress maker who won't duplicate my dress for another bride in the future.
Another concern that I had about my dresss was cost, but since Jay has agreed to foot the cost for the ceremony, reception and my dress I can relax a little bit. I'll be in charge of decor, catering and entertainment. And since I design stationary, I've already created our Save the Dates and wedding program. Still waiting on some inspiration for the invitations. The invitations have to be absolutely fab. I want ribbon, bling, glitz and glamour.
Starting to sound like an episode of Platinum Weddings. I am just bursting with excitement that the big day is finally coming. I've been waiting years for this and it's finally happening. I've even gone ahead and started registering all the different stores. But enough about the wedding. There will be more details to come as the Big Day draws near.
Sunday was just a really relaxing day of sleeping in, watching a little Joel Olsteem and a taking a drive to Larinburg. It felt good to have a lazy Sunday with my little family. And Jay even cooked. My week has gotten off to a great start and I hope that you all as great of a weekend as I did. Be blessed this week!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Calculators for W.I.S. H.
Summer is officially coming to a close and for a few of us school has already started. Sad I know because you've spent all summer bonding with the kiddies and now you all have to get used to new routines. There's lunches to pack, outfits to lay out and last minute supplies to buy. And while you're out buying those last minute supplies how about picking up a Texas Instrument TI 34-II or TI 83 calculator for a needy middle school or high school student?
"W.I.S.H. (Workforce Initiative for Supportive Housing) Program is a callaborative solution designed to eliminate homelessness by rapidly re-housing homeless working families in safe and decent vacant apartments and empowering them with extensive realationship-oriented, supportive services to become self-sufficient."
Among services like housing placement and family support, W.I.S.H. is trying to make sure that the children of these families are prepared for this school year by collecting TI 34-II and TI 83 calculators. Calculators can be new or used. Used calculators need to be in decent working condition obviously. Calculators can be mailed to:
"W.I.S.H. (Workforce Initiative for Supportive Housing) Program is a callaborative solution designed to eliminate homelessness by rapidly re-housing homeless working families in safe and decent vacant apartments and empowering them with extensive realationship-oriented, supportive services to become self-sufficient."
Among services like housing placement and family support, W.I.S.H. is trying to make sure that the children of these families are prepared for this school year by collecting TI 34-II and TI 83 calculators. Calculators can be new or used. Used calculators need to be in decent working condition obviously. Calculators can be mailed to:
Lisa Stockton Howell, Volunteer Manager
W.I.S.H. Program
500 A Spratt Street
Charlotte, NC 28206
You can also learn more about W.I.S.H. and how you can donate other items by visiting their website, http://www.wishprogram.org/. I hope that you all will help spread the word about this wonderful program and their amazing cause.
This post is bought to you by
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Got A Cool Trick?
YO GABBA GABBA! LAUNCHES COOL TRICKS CONTEST
WINNERS TO RECEIVE VIP FAMILY 4-PACK AND THEIR COOL TRICK FEATURED AT
KIA MOTORS PRESENTS YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY!
GRAND PRIZE WINNER TO RECEIVE 5 DAY ALL-EXPENSE PAID FAMILY VACATION
Miami, FL -- (August 18, 2010) Hello friends! YO GABBA GABBA! announces the launch of the Cool Tricks contest which provides an opportunity for fans across North America to show-off their unique talents. Gabba fans are invited to upload a :30-:60 second video demonstrating their Cool Trick to win the opportunity to receive a VIP Family 4 Pack and have their winning video played during intermission at the KIA Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE!: THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! show closest to their hometown. All participants are also automatically entered into a sweepstakes where one lucky fan will receive a five night trip for four to the Caribbean or Mexico.
In addition, each winner will also receive $100 worth of organic baby food, toddler, and lunchbox snacks and two “Party In My Lunchbox” Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! concert t-shirts from Revolution Foods and Plum Organics. Grand prize includes roundtrip air, Junior Suite accommodations, and all meals to a choice of Palladium Hotels & Resorts.
To enter the contest, participants must upload their video to Facebook at http://facebook.yogabbagabbalive.com/. Winners are determined by public vote in each tour market. So be sure to get all your friends and family to vote for you!
Cool Tricks begins on Wednesday, August 18 at 10AM EST and winners will be notified and announced prior to the show date in each local market. The entry period for the grand prize sweepstakes will end on Sunday, Dec 12. See official rules at http://facebook.yogabbagabbalive.com/.
Cool Tricks is a popular segment on the television series where children and adults show off their special talent or skill (gymnastics, cup stacking, breakdance move, etc.). Celebrities such as Tony Hawk performing a skateboard move and Rhys Darby doing the robot have appeared on Cool Tricks.
Heading back on the road, KIA Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! will make stops in 60 cities at top theaters, arenas and amphitheaters across North America starting on August 27 in Bethel, NY and ending in Dallas, TX on December 12. Featuring music, singing, dancing and animation, KIA Motors Presents YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! THERE’S A PARTY IN MY CITY! is an interactive experience that offers audience members of all ages the opportunity to witness their favorite characters come to life. Joining the characters on stage will be hip-hop legend Biz Markie to teach kids how to beat box with “Biz’s Beat of the Day.” Special guests will join the party on stage for the Super Music Friends Show and Dancey Dance segments.
For complete tour, ticket, and VIP package information, visit http://www.yogabbagabbalive.com/.
DATECITY VENUE CONTEST END
Friday, August 27, 2010Bethel, NYBethel WoodsAug 25, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010Bristow, VAJiffy Lube LiveAug 26, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010Philadelphia, PAMann Center for the Performing ArtsAug 27, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010Gilford, NHMeadowbrook US Cellular PavilionAug 29, 2010
Thursday, September 02, 2010Albany, NYTimes Union CenterAug 29, 2010
Friday, September 03, 2010Buffalo, NYArtparkAug 30, 2010
Saturday, September 04, 2010Toronto, ONMolson Canadian AmphitheatreAug 31, 2010
Wednesday, September 08, 2010Edmonton, ALNorthern JubileeAug 29, 2010
Thursday, September 09, 2010Calgary, ALSouthern JubileeAug 30, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010Vancouver, BCQueen Elizabeth TheatreSept 1, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010Regina, SKBrandt CentreSept 4, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010Winnipeg, MBMTS Centre Theatre Sept 5, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010London, ONJohn Labatt CentreSept 8, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010Ottawa, ONScotiabank PlaceSept 9, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010Rochester, NYAuditorium TheatreSept 11, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010Burlington, VTFlynn TheatreSept 12, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010Portland, MEMerrill AuditoriumSept 14, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010Boston, MAWang TheatreSept 15, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010Providence, RIProvidence PACSept 18, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010Wallingford, CTOakdale TheatreSept 19, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010Pittsburgh, PABenedum Center for the Performing ArtsSept 20, 2010
Saturday, October 02, 2010New York, NYRadio City Music HallSept 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 05, 2010Hershey, PAHershey TheaterSept 25, 2010
Wednesday, October 06, 2010Cleveland, OHState Theatre at PlayhouseSquareSept 26, 2010
Friday, October 08, 2010Detroit, MIFox TheatreSept 28, 2010
Saturday, October 09, 2010Chicago, ILChicago TheatreSept 29, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010Louisville, KYThe Palace TheatreOct 1, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010Indianapolis, INMurat TheatreOct 3, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010Richmond, VALandmark TheaterOct 5, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010Greensboro, NCWar Memorial AuditoriumOct 6, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010Charlotte, NCOvens AuditoriumOct 7, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010Chattanooga, TNSoldiers & Sailors Memorial AuditoriumOct 9, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010Huntsville, ALVon Braun CenterOct 10, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010Nashville, TNJackson Hall - Tennessee PACOct 11, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010Atlanta, GAFox TheatreOct 13, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010Jacksonville, FLMoran Theatre at Times Union CenterOct 17, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010Kissimmee, FLSilver Spurs ArenaOct 19, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010Tampa, FLSt. Pete Times ForumOct 20, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010Miami, FLAmericanAirlines ArenaOct 21, 2010
Tuesday, November 02, 2010Columbia, SCTownship AuditoriumOct 23, 2010
Wednesday, November 03, 2010Knoxville, TNTennessee TheatreOct 24, 2010
Friday, November 05, 2010Tulsa, OKBOK CenterOct 26, 2010
Saturday, November 06, 2010Kansas City, MOThe MidlandOct 27, 2010
Sunday, November 07, 2010Denver, CO1st Bank CenterOct 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 09, 2010Salt Lake City, UTMaverick CenterOct 30, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010Spokane, WAINB Performing Arts CenterNov 2, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010Seattle, WATacoma DomeNov 3, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010Portland, ORMemorial ColiseumNov 4, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010Eugene, ORHult CenterNov 5, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010Sacramento, CAMemorial AuditoriumNov 8, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010San Francisco, CABill Graham Civic AuditoriumNov 10, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010Los Angeles, CANokia TheaterNov 16, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010San Diego, CASan Diego Sports ArenaNov 18, 2010
Saturday, December 04, 2010Phoenix, AZDodge TheaterNov 24, 2010
Tuesday, December 07, 2010El Paso, TXAbraham Chavez TheaterNov 27, 2010
Thursday, December 09, 2010San Antonio, TXFreeman ColiseumNov 29, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010Houston, TXHobby CenterNov 30, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010Austin, TXCedar Park CenterDec 1, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010Dallas, TXDr Pepper ArenaDec 2, 2010
For More Information on S2BN, Wildbrain or Yo Gabba Gabba, go to http://www.yogabbagabbalive.com/
For information on Revolution Foods and Plum Organics go to http://www.revolutionfoods.com/ and http://www.plumorganics.com/
About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 700 dealers throughout the United States. For 2009, KMA recorded its 15th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share and recently achieved its best quarter of sales ever. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline “The Power to Surprise.”
Kia Motors America is the “Official Automotive Partner of the NBA.” Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site – http://www.kia.com/. For media information, including photography, visit http://www.kiamedia.com/.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Yellow Submarine
So, I'm totally obsessed with Maclaren strollers in case you all didn't know. My obsession started when I saw their Techno XT in an issue of Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine. It was the beginning of my love affair with this totally line of high end but functional stroller company. Most people window shop for clothes, cars and jewelry. Well, I enjoy window shopping for Maclaren strollers. I'm still waiting on the day when I can afford one of my dream strollers and hopefully Moo won't be too big to ride in it.
Anyways, you can imagine my excitement and glee when I discoverd that The Beatles chose Maclaren to help bring their Yellow Submarine to life in the form of a totally awesome looking buggy.
For those of you who don't know the Yellow Submarine was an animated film based on music by The Beatles. Pepperland, a musical paradise under the ocean, falls under a sneak attack from Blue Meanies. Blue Meanies hate all things music and decide to seal the band in a music proof bubble while turning Pepperland residents into statues and sucking away all of Pepperland's color. Thus it's up to Lord Mayor and sailor Old Fred to find the Yellow Submarine to save Pepperland. The Yellow Submarine is manned and operated by none other than Ringo, John, Paul and George-The Beatles. And thus the quest to rescue Pepperland begins.
Maclaren has created a buggy that evokes 'the timeless appeal of The Beatles for a new generation of Fab Four fans' and is 'styled to reflect the iconic artwork and feel of The Beatles Yellow Submarine.'
"The Beatles came to Maclaren because they were convinced our design aesthetic would create the perfect embodiment of their vision," Carolyn Komminsk, Head Designer for Maclaren said. "We look forward to using this addition to our product line to reach a new generation of parents and children."
Anyways, you can imagine my excitement and glee when I discoverd that The Beatles chose Maclaren to help bring their Yellow Submarine to life in the form of a totally awesome looking buggy.
For those of you who don't know the Yellow Submarine was an animated film based on music by The Beatles. Pepperland, a musical paradise under the ocean, falls under a sneak attack from Blue Meanies. Blue Meanies hate all things music and decide to seal the band in a music proof bubble while turning Pepperland residents into statues and sucking away all of Pepperland's color. Thus it's up to Lord Mayor and sailor Old Fred to find the Yellow Submarine to save Pepperland. The Yellow Submarine is manned and operated by none other than Ringo, John, Paul and George-The Beatles. And thus the quest to rescue Pepperland begins.
Maclaren has created a buggy that evokes 'the timeless appeal of The Beatles for a new generation of Fab Four fans' and is 'styled to reflect the iconic artwork and feel of The Beatles Yellow Submarine.'
"The Beatles came to Maclaren because they were convinced our design aesthetic would create the perfect embodiment of their vision," Carolyn Komminsk, Head Designer for Maclaren said. "We look forward to using this addition to our product line to reach a new generation of parents and children."
About the Yellow Submarine Buggy
It combines Maclaren's Gold Standard safery features like a 5-point safety harness, lockable front swivel wheels and linked parking brakes with incredible detailing and artwork such as the sunny yellow seat, contrasting denim hood, psychedelic print and more. It also comes with a handy mesh shopping basket, raincover and a one handed compact umbrella fold with carry strap and handle. The Yellow Submarine Buggy is appropriate for babies three months to children 55 lbs (25kg).
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Fashion Find: Huge Wonder
Are you a fan of The Godfather movies, John Travolta or The Twilight Zone? Do you breastfeed, recycle or support World Peace? Well, guess what? Huge Wonder has created a line of 'whimsical pop culture clothing for babies and kids.' My favorite designs are:
The Breastfed Club (love for obvious reasons)
Saturday Night Teether (Saturday Night Fever. Classic Movie)
The Godchild (Need to get one to give this cute shirt to)
Recycle (Huge supporter of being GREEN!!)
About Huge Wonder
"Huge Wonder is Austin-based and family-run. The idea for the business came about when we realized that the market for children's clothes is saturated with stale designs and pale colors. We wanted a new baby wardrobe with interesting graphic designs and lots of hip choices that came in the color black. Something that made people smile even more at our baby, and which reflected the whimsical aspect of childhood while being rooted in popular culture. What better way to do that than to parody our favorite music, movies, tv shows, and art into children's versions? We've also added the iconographic Signs and Symbols sections just for fun. Now, with the addition of Gnome Hats and Karate Pants in all sizes to match any shirt, we are excited to present our first collection of witty pop culture clothing for kids everywhere."
I hope that you guys will shoot on over Huge Wonder and scoop up some of their amazing designs. Also, I would like to mention that they silk screen all their shirts by hand and that all of their shirts are made of 100% Cotton from American Apparel and Rabbit Skins. As parents we know that 100% Cotton is the best fabric for out little ones' skin. So let's support this US made and based business!!!
Monday, August 16, 2010
My Weekend WrapUp
This weekend Jay dubbed me Moesha Stewart. LOL. I've been told on more than one occasion that I look like singer and actress Brandy Norwood and of course my love of crafting and remodeling things like Martha Stewart is just crazy. Seriously, since moving into our new place I've made curtains for the kitchen and curtains for Moo's bedroom. Saturday and Sunday, I decided to attack the eye sour of a coffee table that Jay got from who knows where by giving it a coat of shiny black spray paint. I have to admit that I thought one can of paint would have did the job, but of course it didn't.
So, I ended up running out of paint on Saturday afternoon. And then it started storming bad. So of course I wasn't about to drag Moo out into all that horrible weather for a can of paint. And to make matters worse the table got rained on because I couldn't get it back up on the porch after Jay left for work. Thankfully, the rain didn't wash any of the paint away. And after a few hours in the hot afternoon heat, the table was ready for it's second can of paint yesterday.
Moo and I headed off to the store and when we returned it was painting time!! Now, Saturday Moo sat so good in her cute little lawn chair on the porch and watched as I sprayed the table. So, I figured that since she had done so well on Saturday, she would do well Sunday. Not the case. She kept trying to climb up the porch steps and wonder off on me. Sadly, I had to banish her back to the house with Jay.
She did not appreciate that and stood in front of the screen door crying the entire time. I felt bad but what could I do? I had to finish painting the table and I couldn't let her get hurt playing on the steps or chance her running off into the road or an ant pile. Luckily for her it didn't take long before my can of spray paint ran out and I had to join her in the house. This time I had learned my lesson and had Jay help me lift the table back on the porch before the ran started up again.
Also, I'm on the hunt for a new church. We're going to be going to my home church on the weekends that Jay has off but I would still like attend church here on the weekends that he has to work. I feel like having a God a part of our life is going to help strengthen our relationship. Not to mention since Jay has turned his life over to Christ, he needs to work on establishing his bond with the Lord. It's easy to get caught up in old habits and having a pastor and church family here can help keep us on track.
Hope that you guys really enjoyed your weekends as well. And don't forget to check out the great sales my sponsors have going on.
So, I ended up running out of paint on Saturday afternoon. And then it started storming bad. So of course I wasn't about to drag Moo out into all that horrible weather for a can of paint. And to make matters worse the table got rained on because I couldn't get it back up on the porch after Jay left for work. Thankfully, the rain didn't wash any of the paint away. And after a few hours in the hot afternoon heat, the table was ready for it's second can of paint yesterday.
Moo and I headed off to the store and when we returned it was painting time!! Now, Saturday Moo sat so good in her cute little lawn chair on the porch and watched as I sprayed the table. So, I figured that since she had done so well on Saturday, she would do well Sunday. Not the case. She kept trying to climb up the porch steps and wonder off on me. Sadly, I had to banish her back to the house with Jay.
She did not appreciate that and stood in front of the screen door crying the entire time. I felt bad but what could I do? I had to finish painting the table and I couldn't let her get hurt playing on the steps or chance her running off into the road or an ant pile. Luckily for her it didn't take long before my can of spray paint ran out and I had to join her in the house. This time I had learned my lesson and had Jay help me lift the table back on the porch before the ran started up again.
Also, I'm on the hunt for a new church. We're going to be going to my home church on the weekends that Jay has off but I would still like attend church here on the weekends that he has to work. I feel like having a God a part of our life is going to help strengthen our relationship. Not to mention since Jay has turned his life over to Christ, he needs to work on establishing his bond with the Lord. It's easy to get caught up in old habits and having a pastor and church family here can help keep us on track.
Hope that you guys really enjoyed your weekends as well. And don't forget to check out the great sales my sponsors have going on.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Announcements
So glad that the weekend is officially here. It has been a long week. Moo has been making sure to wake up early only to fall somewhere between sleep and being awake. However, we did enjoy a nice family outing at the animal shelters here in the Queen City. Although, we can't have a pet that's not going to stop me from going to look. I'm counting down the days to our six month lease is up and we move. Now we just have to find the perfect house.
I also got the chance to visit one of my good friends. And I have to admit that seeing her and her pregnant belly made me realize some of the good times I had being pregnant with Moo. I'm not exactly sure if you could say that I was having thoughts of baby number 2 though. LOL. I have not yet reached that point. Give me two to three more years on that one and we'll see.
I want to announce that YUMM is doing really well. We are certainly going places. I've never been one of those people who's into stats but Jay recently talked me into checking mine for like the second time since I've started blogging and I'm getting over 400 views a month now!! It's exciting and scary at the same time because to know that some many people are out there reading what write is freaking amazing. But at the same time, it worries me to think about the potential that is to come for YUMM.
Although this is my personal blog, I still want to make sure that I'm sending out the wrong messages or image. I know that I've had some young teenage visitors and I want to make sure that I am being a good example. Like it or not we are role models. You can't control who looks up to you just like we can't control the weather. However, I am going to stay true to myself and continue to write about things and issues I feel strongly about.
And while we're on the subject of growing, I just want to say greetings to all the new followers. Feel free to leave comments. I don't expect for you guys to always agree with me. This is democracy and you are entitled to express your opinion.
Oh and did you guys notice that my list of sponsors has gotten bigger? Check out the right sidebar. Feel free to check out their sites. I'm excited to be attracting the attention of brands like Phat Farm and Dereon!!! I'm glad that they see YUMM as an outlet to advertise on because I
and
I also got the chance to visit one of my good friends. And I have to admit that seeing her and her pregnant belly made me realize some of the good times I had being pregnant with Moo. I'm not exactly sure if you could say that I was having thoughts of baby number 2 though. LOL. I have not yet reached that point. Give me two to three more years on that one and we'll see.
I want to announce that YUMM is doing really well. We are certainly going places. I've never been one of those people who's into stats but Jay recently talked me into checking mine for like the second time since I've started blogging and I'm getting over 400 views a month now!! It's exciting and scary at the same time because to know that some many people are out there reading what write is freaking amazing. But at the same time, it worries me to think about the potential that is to come for YUMM.
Although this is my personal blog, I still want to make sure that I'm sending out the wrong messages or image. I know that I've had some young teenage visitors and I want to make sure that I am being a good example. Like it or not we are role models. You can't control who looks up to you just like we can't control the weather. However, I am going to stay true to myself and continue to write about things and issues I feel strongly about.
And while we're on the subject of growing, I just want to say greetings to all the new followers. Feel free to leave comments. I don't expect for you guys to always agree with me. This is democracy and you are entitled to express your opinion.
Oh and did you guys notice that my list of sponsors has gotten bigger? Check out the right sidebar. Feel free to check out their sites. I'm excited to be attracting the attention of brands like Phat Farm and Dereon!!! I'm glad that they see YUMM as an outlet to advertise on because I
Sharina!!!!!
Congrats on winning. I will be contacting you shortly. And thanks to everyone who entered and spread the word about the giveaway. Hopefully, you all will attend one of the Yo Gabba Gabba! Live shows if it's coming to your town. Remember that $1 from each ticket sold is going to benefit the local Habitat for Humanity in each tour city. With a lot of families down and out because of the economy Habitat is being flooded with requests and applications. So, your contribution is greatly needed and it'll be a great family outing. They'll be celebrities there as well!!!
Hope that everyone has a great weekend.
This post is sponsored by:
and
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
My Weekend WrapUp
Let me just start off by saying that Tax Free Weekend has nothing to do with giving parents a discount on school supplies. In fact, I'm convinced that Tax Free Weekend is just a ploy to get people to spend more money than they usually would on any given weekend, with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas time. After a week of being cooped up in the house with a very busy Moo who had a wide range of tantrums each day, I was dying for some time out on the Queen City. So, we decided to head out to one of the local malls.
I should have known what craziness lay ahead when Jay almost rammed us into the back of this white car in front of us at the light. He swore that he had the situation under control and that he saw the car there. And of course, my question to him was if you saw the car in front us why would you speed up and then slam on breaks like it came out of thin air. I think that at times his mind gets distracted from his driving. Thankfully, we made it to the mall parking lot in one piece.
However, we did not find a close parking spot to any of the main entrances. That was to be expected though. So, I wasn't too disappointed. Although, I was keeping my fingers crossed that we would find something a little bit close and we did. Lugging a baby in almost 97 degree weather is no joke. The sun was beaming very bright making it feel like it was almost twice as hot as it really was. I broke a sweat just loading Moo into her Jeep stroller.
Once inside the mall, I was in utter shock at the wall to wall people. And I'm not talking about kids or teenagers. I'm talking about grown people shopping for themselves. It was like a circus. I've worked in two of the malls here in the Queen City-three years at SouthPark and almost one year at Carolina Place- and never has seen it get that bad during Tax Free Weekend. I mean I could barely push Moo's stroller without almost running over somebody or their foot or the back of their heels.
So, after a quick stop at the Sprint booth to check the new Sprint Evo, Jay and I decided to call it a wrap and jump ship. It wasn't worth the headache of trying to move around and navigate the heavy crowds. Instead we decided to hunt down the closest WalMart, buy some grilling supplies and head back home to grill out. Well, the first WalMart we came to was in The Aboretum. Of course, I remembered that they have this awesome upscale pet shop called PetLand and decided I wanted to make a stop and see it.
After all I had fallen in love with my first Yorkshire Terrior there. And since we're only planning to camp out in this duplex for six months or until we find our dream home, I decided to check out their puppy selection. Now Moo isn't really a fan of dogs. Therefore, I wasn't really expecting her to enjoy the visit, but to my surprise she had a blast. She and Jay became quite taken with the parakets. He wants one for Christmas or whenever we move out of this place.
I think they kind of grew on me too because I agreed to get it when we move. Maybe it'll be an anniversary present or something. Plus don't get bigger than a cell phone (Palm Treo). What Moo wasn't too keen on at the pet shop were the snakes and lizards. She wasn't even remotely interested in looking at them. I was relieved because I don't have to worry about being one of those kids who wants the crazy pet snake.
About 45 minutes later we finally made it the WalMart and were disappointed to find that they didn't have the grill that we wanted or a meat section. Off we headed back into the heat to Food Lion down the street. So, stocked up with steaks, hamburger meat for the Ranch burgers, cole slaw and buns as well as lighter fluid and matches, I agreed to head back to the house and prep the food while Jay headed to the other WalMart and got a grill.
Well, clearly a year of no grilling has made Jay's normally good grilling skills a little bit rusty because he could not get the grill to get hot enough to cook the burgers. Luckily, I'm a true grilling master and was able to get the fire blazing. However, in the process I almost burned myself. Thank goodness for quick hands. We had a delicious feast that night and I fell into lovely food induced slumber.
Sunday was a lazy day for us. We sleep in a little bit-me, Jay and Moo- all squeezed inside Jay's twin sized bed. (Moo and I are used to sleeping in a king sized bed, but it was too big for the master bedroom here.) Yes, Moo and I co-sleep still. However, she does have her own beautiful cherry oak sleigh crib that she refuses to sleep in. Jay tried to get her to sleep in it Saturday night and she had a major melt down and he took her out. Neither of us are pro letting kids cry it out when it comes to things like that. Now if she has a tantrum that's another matter.
It's not really crying it out but allowing to calm down. We've learned that screaming tantrums with Moo only get worst if you try to calm her down. She usually stops crying after a minute or two if we let her be for a while. Personally, I think she's embarking on her terrible twos at the ripe age of one and a half. Therefore, when she turns two she should be half way done with the mood swings and crying fits.
Overall, we had a great weekend being fully moved into our new place now. She's adjusted to the fact that she doesn't get to see Grandma on a daily basis. And I'm excited to make more connections and get more involved in some mommy and me activities with other youngs moms. Plus, being around other toddlers will help Moo to continue to build her social skills. Hope that you all had a great weekend.
Don't forget to check out my Yo Gabba Gabba! Prize Pack Giveaway. It ends this Friday.
I should have known what craziness lay ahead when Jay almost rammed us into the back of this white car in front of us at the light. He swore that he had the situation under control and that he saw the car there. And of course, my question to him was if you saw the car in front us why would you speed up and then slam on breaks like it came out of thin air. I think that at times his mind gets distracted from his driving. Thankfully, we made it to the mall parking lot in one piece.
However, we did not find a close parking spot to any of the main entrances. That was to be expected though. So, I wasn't too disappointed. Although, I was keeping my fingers crossed that we would find something a little bit close and we did. Lugging a baby in almost 97 degree weather is no joke. The sun was beaming very bright making it feel like it was almost twice as hot as it really was. I broke a sweat just loading Moo into her Jeep stroller.
Once inside the mall, I was in utter shock at the wall to wall people. And I'm not talking about kids or teenagers. I'm talking about grown people shopping for themselves. It was like a circus. I've worked in two of the malls here in the Queen City-three years at SouthPark and almost one year at Carolina Place- and never has seen it get that bad during Tax Free Weekend. I mean I could barely push Moo's stroller without almost running over somebody or their foot or the back of their heels.
So, after a quick stop at the Sprint booth to check the new Sprint Evo, Jay and I decided to call it a wrap and jump ship. It wasn't worth the headache of trying to move around and navigate the heavy crowds. Instead we decided to hunt down the closest WalMart, buy some grilling supplies and head back home to grill out. Well, the first WalMart we came to was in The Aboretum. Of course, I remembered that they have this awesome upscale pet shop called PetLand and decided I wanted to make a stop and see it.
After all I had fallen in love with my first Yorkshire Terrior there. And since we're only planning to camp out in this duplex for six months or until we find our dream home, I decided to check out their puppy selection. Now Moo isn't really a fan of dogs. Therefore, I wasn't really expecting her to enjoy the visit, but to my surprise she had a blast. She and Jay became quite taken with the parakets. He wants one for Christmas or whenever we move out of this place.
I think they kind of grew on me too because I agreed to get it when we move. Maybe it'll be an anniversary present or something. Plus don't get bigger than a cell phone (Palm Treo). What Moo wasn't too keen on at the pet shop were the snakes and lizards. She wasn't even remotely interested in looking at them. I was relieved because I don't have to worry about being one of those kids who wants the crazy pet snake.
About 45 minutes later we finally made it the WalMart and were disappointed to find that they didn't have the grill that we wanted or a meat section. Off we headed back into the heat to Food Lion down the street. So, stocked up with steaks, hamburger meat for the Ranch burgers, cole slaw and buns as well as lighter fluid and matches, I agreed to head back to the house and prep the food while Jay headed to the other WalMart and got a grill.
Well, clearly a year of no grilling has made Jay's normally good grilling skills a little bit rusty because he could not get the grill to get hot enough to cook the burgers. Luckily, I'm a true grilling master and was able to get the fire blazing. However, in the process I almost burned myself. Thank goodness for quick hands. We had a delicious feast that night and I fell into lovely food induced slumber.
Sunday was a lazy day for us. We sleep in a little bit-me, Jay and Moo- all squeezed inside Jay's twin sized bed. (Moo and I are used to sleeping in a king sized bed, but it was too big for the master bedroom here.) Yes, Moo and I co-sleep still. However, she does have her own beautiful cherry oak sleigh crib that she refuses to sleep in. Jay tried to get her to sleep in it Saturday night and she had a major melt down and he took her out. Neither of us are pro letting kids cry it out when it comes to things like that. Now if she has a tantrum that's another matter.
It's not really crying it out but allowing to calm down. We've learned that screaming tantrums with Moo only get worst if you try to calm her down. She usually stops crying after a minute or two if we let her be for a while. Personally, I think she's embarking on her terrible twos at the ripe age of one and a half. Therefore, when she turns two she should be half way done with the mood swings and crying fits.
Overall, we had a great weekend being fully moved into our new place now. She's adjusted to the fact that she doesn't get to see Grandma on a daily basis. And I'm excited to make more connections and get more involved in some mommy and me activities with other youngs moms. Plus, being around other toddlers will help Moo to continue to build her social skills. Hope that you all had a great weekend.
Don't forget to check out my Yo Gabba Gabba! Prize Pack Giveaway. It ends this Friday.
Friday, August 6, 2010
There's A Party Coming to My City
There's a party coming to my city!! So yummy, so yummy!!!! So if you don't know by now Yo Gabba Gabba is has organized a 60-city North American tour kicking off on Friday, August 27, 2010 in Bethel, NY. And I am beyond stoked to have the priviledge to have been selected to attend the October 17th show here in Charlotte, NC courtesy of the nice folks at the Ovens Auditorium as well as everyone else involved with the Yo Gabba Gabba Live!: There's A Party in My City! tour sponsored by Kia Motors. I have been a huge Yo Gabba Gabba fan for a while now.
Like seriously with all the crazy cartoons and shows on television now it's nice to find that one show that's truly family oriented and wholeseome for our children to watch. For those of you who (A) don't have cable tv, (B) don't have children or (C) live under a rock, Yo Gabba Gabba is a show about DJ Lance Rock and his awesome friends-Brobee (the little green one), Foofa (she likes to have fun), Muno (he's tall and friendly), Toodee (she likes to have fun) and Plex (a magic robot). Within show DJ Lance and his friends teach children value lessons about sharing, being considerate of others and showing respect as well as the importance of practicing healthy habits like eating your veggies and washing your hands through song and dance.
Personally my favorite part of the show is Biz's Beat of the Day and seeing what celebrity will be doing the Dancey Dance of the Day. And it's going to be so exciting to get to see DJ Lance and the whole Yo Gabba Gabba gang live and up close and personal. Not to mention I'm interested in finding out what musical guest will be performing during the Super Music Friends Show segment. I'm hoping for Fantasia or Anthony Hamilton since they both reside here in Charlotte. Maybe, we'll have a Carolina Panther's player doing the Dancey Dance segment. Speaking of football, maybe some some of you remember the Kia Motors Super Bowl ad for the 2011 Kia Sorento CUV that featured Muno (the tall one eyed orange character) from Yo Gabba Gabba. If not check out the clip below.
It's hard to believe that Yo Gabba Gabba the television show was launched just three seasons ago by co-creators Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz and now it's airing in several major countries around the globe like Israel, South Africa and the UK!! And the Yo Gabba Gabba Live tour series was successfully launched in November 2009. It became a major hit selling out in major cities and attracting celeb families such as Snoop Dogg, super model Heidi Klum, Brooke Shields and many more.
I just want to encourage all of you to grab tickets to the closest show near you before tickets are sold out. This year $1 from every ticket purchased will be donated to the Habitat for Humanity local affiliate in your tour city. It's the best of both worlds people. A wholesome concert that the whole family can enjoy and you're helping out needy families at the same time.
VIP packages will be available for those parents and families interested in meeting the cast and getting photos. To purchase tickets you can visit the Official Yo Gabba Gabba Live website. And don't forget to you and the family can tune into Yo Gabba Gabba seven days a week on Nick Jr.
Now, to show appreciation for all of you who support Yo Gabba Gabba, we have awesome Yo Gabba Gabba Prize Pack to give away to one lucky YUMMommy reader. The Prize Pack includes:
One 'Yo Gabba Gabba!: Music is Awesome Volume 1 CD which features hit songs from all three seasons by artists like the Roots, Shins and more. Volume 2 is set to be released later on this August. So keep a look out for it.
One 'Yo Gabba Gabba!: Clubhouse' DVD with performances from Erykah Badu, The Killlers and more.
Like seriously with all the crazy cartoons and shows on television now it's nice to find that one show that's truly family oriented and wholeseome for our children to watch. For those of you who (A) don't have cable tv, (B) don't have children or (C) live under a rock, Yo Gabba Gabba is a show about DJ Lance Rock and his awesome friends-Brobee (the little green one), Foofa (she likes to have fun), Muno (he's tall and friendly), Toodee (she likes to have fun) and Plex (a magic robot). Within show DJ Lance and his friends teach children value lessons about sharing, being considerate of others and showing respect as well as the importance of practicing healthy habits like eating your veggies and washing your hands through song and dance.
Personally my favorite part of the show is Biz's Beat of the Day and seeing what celebrity will be doing the Dancey Dance of the Day. And it's going to be so exciting to get to see DJ Lance and the whole Yo Gabba Gabba gang live and up close and personal. Not to mention I'm interested in finding out what musical guest will be performing during the Super Music Friends Show segment. I'm hoping for Fantasia or Anthony Hamilton since they both reside here in Charlotte. Maybe, we'll have a Carolina Panther's player doing the Dancey Dance segment. Speaking of football, maybe some some of you remember the Kia Motors Super Bowl ad for the 2011 Kia Sorento CUV that featured Muno (the tall one eyed orange character) from Yo Gabba Gabba. If not check out the clip below.
It's hard to believe that Yo Gabba Gabba the television show was launched just three seasons ago by co-creators Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz and now it's airing in several major countries around the globe like Israel, South Africa and the UK!! And the Yo Gabba Gabba Live tour series was successfully launched in November 2009. It became a major hit selling out in major cities and attracting celeb families such as Snoop Dogg, super model Heidi Klum, Brooke Shields and many more.
I just want to encourage all of you to grab tickets to the closest show near you before tickets are sold out. This year $1 from every ticket purchased will be donated to the Habitat for Humanity local affiliate in your tour city. It's the best of both worlds people. A wholesome concert that the whole family can enjoy and you're helping out needy families at the same time.
VIP packages will be available for those parents and families interested in meeting the cast and getting photos. To purchase tickets you can visit the Official Yo Gabba Gabba Live website. And don't forget to you and the family can tune into Yo Gabba Gabba seven days a week on Nick Jr.
Now, to show appreciation for all of you who support Yo Gabba Gabba, we have awesome Yo Gabba Gabba Prize Pack to give away to one lucky YUMMommy reader. The Prize Pack includes:
How To Enter
~Leave a comment telling me who your or your child's favorite Yo Gabba Gabba character is.
Extra Entries
~Subscribe to YUMMommy
~Follow us on Twitter @Yummommies
~ Tweet about this post (2 entries)
~Mention this post with a link back in your blog (4 entries)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
My Weekend WrapUp
Wow, this weekend was a long one for sure. Saturday was Moving Day!!! Yes, Moo and I are back in the city-the Queen City that is. I'm very excited because she was born here and I love it here. Feels like I'm finally home again. Anyways, I never knew that we had so much stuff. It's amazing how many belonging Moo has aquired and she's not even two yet!! There will be some serious cutting back.
Thankfully, I didn't have to do any of the actual physical moving. That job went to my lovely fiance, Jay. (Thanks babe.) He was such a gentleman about not wanting me to lift anything. All I had to do was supervise and pack. And he's always been that way. He even unloaded everything once we got to our new spot.
I have to tell you guys that moving is overwhelming. Just seeing all those boxes and storage containers that had to be unpacked made me a little dizzy. I mean we had boxes in the living room, the kitchen and the bedrooms. The living room was just a mess and we couldn't even sit in it the first day. It took me all night just to get the sofas cleared off. And then it stormed for a while and I decided to call it a wrap.
Sunday was a little better in that we finally made some progress in getting most of the boxes unpacked. Wow, Moo has a ton of clothes. Everything from Faded Glory to Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klien. Her clothes filled up the entire walk-in closet in her room!! Talk about a wardrobe to die for. I am really going to cut back on buying her clothes. Not sure what to tell people to get her this year for her birthday or Christmas since she is not in need of toys or clothes anymore.
Hmmm....maybe we can do shoes and books instead? We did take a break from cleaning and putting once we got the Master Bedroom somewhat cleared and the bookshelf put together. Unfortunately, the Time Warner Cable people did not come out like they were suppose to install our cable and internet. I was certainly bummed and a little pissed off because I have important things to do like chatting with you guys and work.
I guess you could say that my weekend carried over into Monday starting with a nice trip to the beauty salon. It felt good to have an hour of Me Time and get pampered. My hair certainly thanking me for it too. I had been neglecting it since my last hair cut. And speaking of hair cuts, I can't believe my hair has already grown back. I thought it would have stayed short for a while, but I guess not. I got it trimmed up a little bit so that it wouldn't be as long. And i think that I have found a new hair stylist.
The young lady who styled my new do was amazing. She was polite and friendly. She kept me me talking but didn't get too personal. And she is amazing at what she does. As she told me, she's a creator when it comes to hair. I am certainly looking forward to my appointment with her the end of the month.
I also, went to visit with my family on Monday. My mom was not too pleased that I was moving and seemed even more distant towards me. She wouldn't stay in the same room with me for more than five minutes. I know that she does not agree with my moving to put my family back together, but this is my life and I have to live it. I love Jay even after everything that we have been through. I played just as big of a part in our relationship failure last year as he did.
But you forgive, heal and move forward. I'm not like these other young couples who are giving up so easily today. In the words of J.Lo "Stay together, it's the new trend."
Thankfully, I didn't have to do any of the actual physical moving. That job went to my lovely fiance, Jay. (Thanks babe.) He was such a gentleman about not wanting me to lift anything. All I had to do was supervise and pack. And he's always been that way. He even unloaded everything once we got to our new spot.
I have to tell you guys that moving is overwhelming. Just seeing all those boxes and storage containers that had to be unpacked made me a little dizzy. I mean we had boxes in the living room, the kitchen and the bedrooms. The living room was just a mess and we couldn't even sit in it the first day. It took me all night just to get the sofas cleared off. And then it stormed for a while and I decided to call it a wrap.
Sunday was a little better in that we finally made some progress in getting most of the boxes unpacked. Wow, Moo has a ton of clothes. Everything from Faded Glory to Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klien. Her clothes filled up the entire walk-in closet in her room!! Talk about a wardrobe to die for. I am really going to cut back on buying her clothes. Not sure what to tell people to get her this year for her birthday or Christmas since she is not in need of toys or clothes anymore.
Hmmm....maybe we can do shoes and books instead? We did take a break from cleaning and putting once we got the Master Bedroom somewhat cleared and the bookshelf put together. Unfortunately, the Time Warner Cable people did not come out like they were suppose to install our cable and internet. I was certainly bummed and a little pissed off because I have important things to do like chatting with you guys and work.
I guess you could say that my weekend carried over into Monday starting with a nice trip to the beauty salon. It felt good to have an hour of Me Time and get pampered. My hair certainly thanking me for it too. I had been neglecting it since my last hair cut. And speaking of hair cuts, I can't believe my hair has already grown back. I thought it would have stayed short for a while, but I guess not. I got it trimmed up a little bit so that it wouldn't be as long. And i think that I have found a new hair stylist.
The young lady who styled my new do was amazing. She was polite and friendly. She kept me me talking but didn't get too personal. And she is amazing at what she does. As she told me, she's a creator when it comes to hair. I am certainly looking forward to my appointment with her the end of the month.
I also, went to visit with my family on Monday. My mom was not too pleased that I was moving and seemed even more distant towards me. She wouldn't stay in the same room with me for more than five minutes. I know that she does not agree with my moving to put my family back together, but this is my life and I have to live it. I love Jay even after everything that we have been through. I played just as big of a part in our relationship failure last year as he did.
But you forgive, heal and move forward. I'm not like these other young couples who are giving up so easily today. In the words of J.Lo "Stay together, it's the new trend."
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