Are You My Dream Home?

I've been talking about how we have decided to take the plunge and buy a forever home.  However, for me it's much more than finding a place we can live in or at least own forever and pass down to either Moo or JJ.  As a young girl I developed a passion and love for houses.  I mean I even sketched out floor plans, make interior design boards, etc.  What can I say, it's kinda fashion related?

So, I've always had this idea in my mind about what my dream home needs to have and sorta look like.  And no, I didn't go overboard with it.  I didn't come from a rich home and kept a realistic picture when making out my list.  My dream home needed:

~4 bedrooms
~2-3 baths
~a garage
~a deck
~front porch
~a nice size front and back yard
~two stories (not required but certainly desired)
~in a nice and secure neighborhood

Well, I think that we have found a dream home that fits all of my requirements!!  I am trying not to get my hopes up too much because I've watched enough HGTV to know that just because you put in an offer on a house doesn't mean you'll get it.  But I'm faithful.  I trust that if it's meant to be then once we have taken the proper action and put in the best offer it will be.  If not then I pray for God to lead us on to the next house.

So, that's my dream home or my dream home out of all the homes we've found thus far.  It has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, two stories, nice size front and back yard and a huge upper level deck for grilling and entertaining!!  Plus it's in a nice neighborhood (it's actually 3 minutes from our current residence) and has a garage.  We're hoping to be able to add on to the garage in a year because we're getting a second car soon.  And it'll be easier to load up two kids in garage as opposed to having to tote one out of the house and then go back for the other.  Moo has not yet gotten over the excitement of running around aimlessly when we go to load up in the car and I won't be able to chase after her and carry a car seat.

It's not a mansion, like some of you may have been expecting because of the words 'dream home,' but it'll be a place where I can host birthday parties, dinner parties, playdates and more.  Not to mention the front yard has tons of curb appeal potential.  I love to garden and can see the drive and walkway lined with beautiful flowers and brush.  And I'd add some shutters to the outside  and maybe change the paint color and add a sitting area since it doesn't have much of a front porch.

Yes, my mind is already running wild with all the possibilities that could be!

What is your dream home?  And did you get it?

Thankful Thursday & Giveaway Winner

This Thursday, I am thankful for my life, health and family.  I currently have 3 people in my family battling cancer.  And all I can do is thank God that I'm not one of them.  It's scary because cancer is pretty prominent on both sides.  And one of those family members battling cancer just so happens to be my 19 year old cousin.  It just goes to show you that sickness affects the young and the old.  I'm trusting God to bring each of them through it.

I am thankful that YUMMommy is gaining momentum.  I've enjoyed sharing my journey with you all and am looking forward to continuing to do so.  I am also thankful that I can use YUMMommy as a platform to help charities, those in need and do so many other awesome things.  By the way, I have a special giveaway coming up when we make it to 300 followers!!!  So, please spread the word.

I am thankful that we are making progress on the house hunting front.  It's slow but progress none the less.  I'm confident that God is going to allow us to get the dream house we need and allow it to be in our price range.

What are you thankful for this week?



~The winner of the Love, Honor, and Betray Book Giveaway is Angiewattie.  The winner was chosen via Random.org.~

Fashion Find: Affordable Diamonds from Allurez

So, earlier this week I talked about designer home furnishings minus the designer price tag.  Well ladies, how many of you out there enjoy being blinged out?  I know that I do.  There is nothing like a little bling to brighten up your day.  And guess what, you can build up your bling collection without breaking the bank.

Check out these lovelies from Allurez

Oval Opal and Diamond Ring

$145.00

Oval Citrine and Diamond Solitaire Pendant

$154

Oval Citrine and Diamond Ring

$179.00

Diamond Ring Guard

$275

Diamond Cross Disc Pendant Necklace

$299.00

Also, Allurez offers Laway!!  This site has some really awesome stuff.  So head on over and pick up something fabulous just in time for Valentine's Day!

Things That Make Me Say Hmmm...

Let's see things that made me say hmmm...this week were:

1. Celebrities in Foreclosure:  Honestly, I don't really understand how some of these celebrities can into foreclosure if they are claiming to have millions of dollars in the bank and successful businesses.  Now we all remember at the reunion show for the Real Housewives when Andy asked Lisa if the rumors of her and Ed's house going into foreclosure were true.  And she said no that they just downsized to a house that they already own.  Well, leave it to Yahoo to dig up the facts.  According to them and Georgia court records, Lisa and Ed's house did in fact go into foreclosure along with a few other celebrities.  Hmmm..why didn't she just answer truthfully from the beginning?  You can't say it's personal because you were on a reality tv show about your personal life.  Check it out here.
2. MTV Shows:  Let me just say that I am very disappointed in MTV and the direction their shows are going.  Starting last year after Teen Mom started turning into a train wreck with Farrah still acting stupid towards her mom and then Amber abusing her ex boyfriend/daughter's father, Gary, I pretty much stopped watching anything on their network.  As a mom and having had my grandmother, my sister and a few other relatives be victims of domestic violence I found it hard to sit there and watch that trash.  Yea, I called it trash.

Domestic violence is a huge problem amongst young people and that little fine print they put at the end of episode didn't cut it for me.  I remember the days when MTV didn't allow participates in their shows to be violent towards other castmates.  Now it seems like they encourage it.  I mean you have throw downs on the Jersey Shore, the Gaunlet, Teen Mom and now their new show Skins just takes the cake.  That show is legalized child/teenage porn.  And they have the nerve to say that they are just portraying the secret lives of American teenagers.

Hmm...bullshit.  MTV was in such a hurry to put out their over sexed up, drugged up version of Degrassi, I don't think that they even thought about the message they were sending out with Skins.  After Taco Bell pulled their sponsorship and other companies threatened to do the same MTV decided to move the show back to a later time slot.  However, a later time slot does not change the target market of their show.  Just means more kids will be sneaking to watch tv when their parents go to bed to see a bunch of teenage/child actors smoke pot, drink Grey Goose and have girl on girl action.

3. Gucci-And no I'm not talking about the clothing label, but the rapper.  These nut went out and got an ice cream cone tattooed on his face!!  OMG!  What's going on with the rappers these days?  Why can't more of them be like Jay-Z, 50 Cent or Common?  When you achieve celebrity status, it is just manditory that you have to do better.

Getting a tattoo on your face isn't really smart.  Let's start with the fact that you're putting a needle with ink near your eyes that you use to see.  And then there's the fact that laser tattoo removal leaves scarring.  So, you're either going to be old with a wrinkled tattoo or get it lasered off and risk looking like you have African tribal markings (which would be way better) on your face.  Check out a pic of the tattoo here.

So what things have made you say hmmm...this past week or even today?

Fashion Find: Home Furnishing From Neiman Marcus

So as you all know we are house hunting.  And let me just say it's no easy task.  Either we find a house within our price range and it doesn't have the space we need or we find a house with the space we need but out of our price range.  However, we determined to locate the perfect home and have started working with a real estate agency as well as a first time home buyer program.  So, I am confident that we will find our dream home very soon.

In the meanwhile, I am getting busy making decorating plans.  We don't really have a lot of furniture because we've pretty much lived in apartments and now am living in a duplex.  So, of course we will need more items to help fill up space in our new home.  Not to mention Moo is transitioning from her baby furniture to Big Girl stuff!!  And we are getting all new everything for the master bedroom. 

And I'm not going to lie, I have a taste for the finer things in life.  However, as a fashion major, I know that I don't have to pay the finer price tag.  Shopping online is not only more convient but also you can find some great sales on designer and big name department stuff.  And the latest brand I'm obsessed with is Neiman Marcus.  I fell in love with them on a trip to New York four ago.

Here are some of the amazing pieces I am looking at adding to my future home and they are under $200!!

Wallace 24-Piece Hotel Flatware

Was $139.00 Now $69.90

Mikasa "Cheers" Champagne Flutes & Wine Glasses (set of four)

Was $49.00 Now $32.00

Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker

Was $185.00  Now $100.00

Monogrammed Guest Towel

Was $18.00  Now $6.00

16-Piece Reactive Glaze Dinnerware

Was $100.00  Now $65.00

Hopefully, you will head on over to Neiman Marcus and see all the lovely items they have on sale.  Remember, quality fashions doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg!

Daring to Take Charge

So, I'm reading Dare to Take Charge: How to Live Your Life on Purpose by Judge Glenda Hatchett.   Let me just say that this book is simply amazing!  I'm sure many of you know her from her show, Judge Hatchett, but as an author she is just as inspiring and compassionate.  I've been reading a lot of nonfiction inspiratonal books over this past year and this book is just really blowing my mind and moving something inside of me.  And no I'm not just saying this to help promote the book.  I actually received this book as a gift.

Anyways, I got to thinking that I'd love to share some of my favorite parts and exercises from the book with you all.  This is just too good to keep to myself.  I know that some of you reading my blog are like me and have let the curve balls and surprises of life intercept your dreams.  Many of us have probably even lost control over our lives!  We're stuck on autopilot being moms, wives, girlfriends, etc.  Well, it's time to snap out of the trance and break the mold.

I am a mom and a wife, but I am also an individual outside of those two terms.  I am vowing today to take back control of my life.  Once upon a time I had dreams and then I got sidetracked.  I'm cutting off the autopilot and plotting my own course from here on out!

I'm not expecting it to be easier but at least it will be what I want.  I can't let my destiny pass me by.  A lot of people have the misconception that fate just happens.  Sorry to burst your bubble but it doesn't.  We have to work towards the fate and destiny we want to end up with.

In Chapter 1: How Dare You Not?, Judge Hatchett talkes about how we have to get up off our butts and dare to dream again.  I admit that YUMMommy is a year old and has done well, but it could have been so much more than what it is now.  I got discouraged, overwhelmed and even scared and lost focus of my vision.  It's time that I saddle back up and keep it moving.

I found a comfort zone. Well, I'm about to mix this thing up.  Time to add some real flava in here and really go after what I want for my brand.  I truly want to make this resource for my readers.  I hope that you all will take the challenge with me and rediscover your dreams too.

Our first exercise is to ask ourselves three questions:

1-What is the one thing that you have always wanted to do in your life and have not yet done?

2-What's holding you back? (Why haven't you done it?)

3-How dare you not follow through on your honest ambitions!  Do you dare not try?


If you have lost sight of your life plan, dreams, goals or are just tired of where you are in your life, I want you to seriously think about these questions and get a journal and write down the answers.  They will come in handy for the next exercise.  Until next time this is our dare from Judge Hatchett:

~Do what you dream of doing
   *Work toward the grace of fulfillment.
   *Be clear with yourself about what your life requires or demands of you.

~Live out your gifts
  *Depend on and act on the grace of God within you.
  *Increase the amount of time you spend doing what your're good at.

~Reach
  *Take the high road.
  *Expect more of yourself.

Don't forget YUMMommy is on Facebook and Twitter!

BlogTalkRadio: Kimberla L Roby

Join us as we interview

Kimberla Lawson Roby, author of LOVE, HONOR, AND BETRAY

On BlogTalkRadio

Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2 PM ET

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

BlogTalkRadio/HBG Program:

Join us as we interview Kimberla Lawson Roby. We'll talk about the Curtis Black series, characters coming to life, and how she writes all those fabulous books.


Kimberla Lawson Roby is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Be Careful What You Pray For, A Deep Dark Secret, The Best of Everything, One in a Million, Sin No More, Love & Lies, Changing Faces, The Best-Kept Secret, Too Much of a Good Thing, A Taste of Reality, It's a Thin Line, Casting the First Stone, Here and Now, and her self-published debut title, Behind Closed Doors. Her novels have also frequented many other bestseller lists, including those in The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Essence Magazine, Upscale Magazine, Emerge Magazine, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, The Dallas Morning News, and The Austin Chronicle to name a few. In addition, Ms. Roby received the Blackboard Fiction Book of the Year Award in 2001 for CASTING THE FIRST STONE. She is also the 2006, 2007 and 2009 recipient of the Author of the Year—Female award presented by the African-American Literary Award Show in New York, the recipient of the 1998 First-Time Author Award from Chicago’s Black History Month Book Fair and Conference, her fifth novel, A TASTE OF REALITY, was a 2004 finalist for the Atlanta Choice Awards sponsored by the Atlanta Daily World, and TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING received a 2004 Patron Choice Award from the Central Mississippi Regional Library System. She lives in Illinois with her husband, Will.



Call-in with your questions during show time to participate in the live interview @ (646) 378-0039

Listen-in or chat on the Grand Central Publishing channel on BlogTalkRadio.


If you would like your questions to be read on air by the host or if you would like to give advanced notice of your participation during the live call, email anna.balasi@hbgusa.com.


Other links:



About LOVE, HONOR, AND BETRAY



Check out KimRoby.com



“Like” Kimberla Lawson Roby on Facebook



Follow @KimberlaLRoby on Twitter



“Like” the Reverend Curtis Black on Facebook



Grab the Family Tree Widget



Download the Reading Group Guide

I Made It!!

Yay, YUMMommy is officially one year old!!!  This week went by so fast that I forgot my Blog Anniversary.  Well, January 15th was the Big Day and I am so proud of myself.  Looking back on older posts I can see that I've really come a long way.

There were times when I felt like no one was actually reading what I had to say.  But thank you Single Mama for being the first person to comment on my blog!  I will never forget how excited I felt when I saw that I had a comment.  It was like a high minus the drug usage. LOL

I'm thankful for everyone who has taken this journey with me. This blog is just as much as for you as it is for me.  Thank you for your advice, tips and support! I am looking forward to another and even more successful year of blogging.  So please stay tune and feel free to invite others to join.

PS-Don't forget to visit our Facebook page.  Events and discussions coming soon.  And check YUMMommy out on Twitter too!

Thankful Thursday

Good morning lovelies!!  This Thursday I'm thankful for a wonderful mother who went out and purchased JJ his first pieces of clothing and diaper bag and he's not even close to being out the womb yet.  Yes, my mom is awesome!!  She loaded me down with tons of bibs, cute hats, burp clothes, blankets and onesies while me and Moo visited this past weekend.

While I'm on the subject of visiting with my family, I am thankful that I was able to get my baby shower registry finished too this past weekend.  With the help of my baby sister, I now have almost 13 pages of baby stuff for my family to choose from.  I know that 13 pages seems a bit over the top but I'm having a boy and it's like starting over from scratch since all of Moo's stuff is girly.  I have to get a new crib, new bedding, new clothes, socks, bottles, a breast pump, etc.  I have to admit that about 80% of the items are clothes.

The one thing I learned with Moo is that breastfed babies grow faster than bottle fed babies.  So, put 0-3 month and 3-6 month sized clothing on the registry.  Plus, lots more bibs because it doesn't take long for bibs to get soaked with spit up and drowl.  Also, I have a huge family and need to make sure that everybody has something to pick from.  This way I don't end up with double of things that I only need one of.

As I've mentioned before my husband is the sole provider for our household and am just thankful that he has a job.  Law enforcement is not the safest field to be in because when you're dealing with theives, killers and crazies on the regular it can get pretty dangerous.  However, God has been gracious and not let any harm come to him since he's started his career two years ago. 

And while money is tight, I'm thankful that God is still making it possible for us to make ends meet.  Yesterday, I found myself getting very overwhelmed and stressed about our financial situation.  We have baby number two on the way, need to find a bigger place, need to get a second car, etc and all with just one income.  It's a lot to think about.  But I'm glad that God reminded me that He's always made a way for me and my family.

My mom did a hell of a job making sure that we had everything we needed and she was a single parent with five kids!!  So, I know that we can do it with two.  Plus, I stumbled across an amazing post last night talking about how to make your hobbies a career.  I have all these talents and for the most part I'm pretty much just using them free of charge.  With a little research and knocking on doors, I could turn these talents into a business or at least paying gigs.  Every little bit counts right?

So, even though at this point my ideas are just that-ideas- I'm thankful for what they will become in the future.  I've already starting researching and planning how to set the wheels in motion. 

What is it that you are thankful for in your life?



PS-If you're looking to become your own boss or make some extra money, Stella & Dot are looking for new Stylist to join their team.  And when you sign up before January 31st you'll receive $450 in jewelry as  a start up.  Just click on the banner below and get started with new career today!

100 and Counting!!

Yay!! YUMMommy has finally reached 100 followers!!  112 to be exact at the time of this post.  This is a huge achievement for me.  As many of you know, I'm really working hard to take YUMMommy to the next level.  This is more than a blog for me.  It's a baby that I've nurtured since I found out I was preggers with Moo over two years ago.

So, I hope that you all will continue to stick around because I'm enjoying to getting to know each and everyone of you!!  You can look forward to our first newsletter coming out this February.  So if you have any giveaways or blog hops that you would like featured in the newsletter please send me a message with all the details.  Also, I'm working on putting together a wonderful giveaway event for the month of March.  I already have my first sponsor.  Please visit her etsy shop: Passions by Ashley

And I'm going to be trying to get some YUMMommy t-shirts made!!  I'm super stoked about this one.  I'm hoping to be able to offer them for $10-15.  50% of the profits will go to my GiveBack charity and to the Wallace Family Life Center.  It's very important for me to support charities from my hometown and organizations that I was involved in as a child.  While we're on the subject of charities and donations, please take the time check out the ChipIn widget in my left sidebar.

Again thank you for making YUMMommy the huge success that it already is.  Don't forget you can find us on Twitter and Facebook too!

Love, Honor & Betray-Review and Giveaway

The infamous Reverend Curtis Black and his wife, Charlotte Black are back in Kimberla Roby's latest novel Love, Honor, and Betray.  This is the eighth installment of Roby's series of the Reverend Black of his family.  And this time around Charlotte is finished accepting the consequences of her husband's all too savory past.

Set in the small town of Mitchell, Illinois, the Black's marriage is put to the ultimate test when Curtis has to take in Curtina, his two year old illegitimate love child, when his former mistress Tabitha losses her battle to AIDS.  Now Charlotte has stuck by Curtis's side in past despite his adulterous nature.  However, when it comes to playing mommy to Curtina, she just can't bring herself to get over the consuming rage and hurt she feels from seeing the constant reminder of Curtis's extramarital affair.

Now, Curtis, born again and walking the straight and narrow, tries to console his scorned wife, but is taken aback when she suggests he sends his daughter to live with her deceased mother's sisters.  He puts his foot down and makes it clear to Charlotte that Curtina will stay. So, with Curtis having laid down law about Curtina, what is Charlotte to do?  Why turn into the arms of another man of course!  Yes, Charlotte, the preacher's wife, is no stranger to a speckled past herself.

Feeling neglected by his wife and tired of their constant marital problems, Curtis tries to busy himself with the business of preparing his church to move into a builder sanctuary.  However, when three of his female members try to seduce and entice him into cheating on Charlotte again, his will, faith and love for his wife are put to the test yet again.  The couple soon find themselves in hot water and this time it's Charlotte who's in too deep.

Roby does a great job at keeping readers entertained.  Love, Honor, and Betray is Christian fiction with a subtle message and urban twist.  You will not want to put this book down.  A must read and great addition to any library or book collection!

Love, Honor, and Betray (Hardcover)

Author: Kimberla Lawson Roby
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: January 11, 2011
Pages: 324
Genre: Urban Christian Fiction

Want to receive a copy of this book?  Comment letting me know that you are a follower of YUMMommy with your email address. Giveaway ends January 25th!!

*All views and opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.  I did not receive compensation for this review. *

I Have a Dream Too

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Day, I wrote this poem.  Hope that it touches, inspires and motivates!

I Have a Dream Too

Not to long ago

There was a man

And his name was

Dr. Martin Luther King

Born in the mist

Of poverty and injustice

He became

Someone great

He showed us

How to

Love

Forgive

Pray

Move Forward

Have Faith

His most important

Lesson to me

Is that

I Too Have A Dream!

 

More Than a Competition

I have been blogging for almost a year now.  And along this blogging journey I have come in contact with some pretty amazing people.  A few of those people I have even bonded with and established friendships with.  So, today I would like to highlight one of those persons.

Mommy Glow aka Young Fab Mama



I can't be completely sure of the exact date that I stumbled across her blog, but it was sometime Spring 2010.  I was a single mom with a lot on my plate and nobody to whom it seemed could relate to me.  Of course, just about all my other girlfriends had kids, but at the time none of them were single moms at the time.  I hated feeling like I was alone in what I was going through.

Then out of the blue, I saw a comment from Mommy Glow on one of the other blogs that I read regularly.  I can't remember what the comment was but I do remember feeling like 'Hey, she kinda reminds me of me.'  So, I stalked her blog for a week.  And what do you know, she was a young single mom of one too!!  I decided to make contact.  I followed her blog and commented on one of her posts

And guess what?  She commented on one of my posts.  Thus, a blogger friendship began.  Now days, you can catch us tweeting it up on Twitter and posting on each other's walls on Facebook.  At first glance, you might think that we've known each other for years.  However, that is not the case.

The truth is I needed a support team and she didn't hesitate to join.  Well, now it is time for me to return the favor. 

Ladies and gentlemen, my dear friend Mommy Glow aka Young Fab Mama is in the running to become the next Mamavation Mom.  Now many of you maybe asking what exactly is a Mamavation Mom?  Well, as Mommy Glow describes it:

"In a nutshell Mamavation is an online sistahood empowering and supporting moms to live a healthy lifestyle.  The 2 chosen Mamavation moms undergo a 7 week boot camp..."  Each mom will have to share their struggles of learning how to live healthier via the Internet for millions of viewers to see.  The ultimate goal is for each mom to motivate other moms into living healthier as well, show them how to overcome obstacles and how to pass on that healthier living lifestyle to their families.

So why does she want to become a Mamavation Mom?  She "juggles being a full time student, employee, community volunteer and single mom."  And if you've read her blog then you would know she's struggled with weight issues, bad eating habits and lack of exercise motivation for some time.  Now she's finally ready to transform her life and give healthy living a try permanently!!  With her beautiful daughter looking up to her as a role model, she is ready to make the change and show her how to live healthy and eat better.  She also wants to undergo the 7 week boot camp to help relieve her sleep apnea.

I for one am very proud of her for just being selected as a finalist.  I mean with all that she already has on her plate, I was and still am impressed at all the hard work she put in to get here.  This is one dedicated mama y'all!!  Being the youngest and only single mom in the final twelve, she is kind of the underdog here.

So, I am asking that you please join me in supporting her and spreading the word about her campaign.  How can you help?  Gee, I'm glad you asked.

1-Watch her video application below to get to know her & why she's running

 2-Cast your vote for @YoungFabMama here

3-Tweet the following:
Vote @YoungFabMama for #Mamavation Mom http://bit.ly/f3vM23 #TeamYoungFabMama

4-Leave a comment on Mommy Glow letting her know you voted for her and that YUMMommy sent you

Need more motivation or incentive to vote for her?  Check out this post here.  I sincerely hope that you all will join me and help to make her dream come true!!

Things That Make Me Say Hmmm...

I'm telling you the Internet is a funny place.  Seriously, you'd be amazed at all the nonsense and foolishness you'll find on here.  I stumbled across a few things that I just had to share in this week's Things That Make Me Say Hmmm...post.

1-Darkie Shaving Soap: Hmmm...so it appears some ignorant shop owner in Hamilton County, Indiana has been selling a shaving soap called Darkie, which features racially inappropriate images and names on the wrapper.  Although, this soap came out during slavery time when things like this were acceptable, we are in the year 2011.  And this kind of foolishness will not fly.  Does this man not know his president is black?

And to make matters worth, the shop owner (Gary Dewester) had the nerve to make the comment that "Our country's built on racism."  Are freaking serious dude?  I would like to think that America is built on a little bit more than that.  Yes, racism is part of our history and still part of some of our everyday lives, but let's get real that's not what our country is built on.

2-Hood Celebrities:  Well, I love Twitter.  In fact, you can find me on there tweeting and retweeting all day long. But yesterday, while I was tweeting I came across a tweet (a couple of tweets actually) from R& B singer Keyshia Cole's sister Neffe (@IamNeffe) has been advertising her son's upcoming bday party on Twitter and inviting strangers as well as her 'fans' to come out and party.  But get this if you don't bring Jaylyn a gift (and he's registered and Toys 'R Us and Target she pointed out) you don't get to enter.

Hmmm...money must be a little tight since Keyshia came to her senses and cut them off.  I'm all for hood celebrities expanding their fan base and 15 minutes of fame, but not at the expense of your kids.  Like really you're inviting all kinds or strangers to your 3 year old's party and all they have to bring is a gift.  This is just straight craziness to me.  I'm not even a celebrity (yet) and I don't allow strangers into my family events.

Seriously, flip on the news and you'll people getting killed and kidnapped and held hostage every day.  So, why would you endanger the life of your kids and the other invited guests by making a kids' party open to the public?  You know half the people who show up aren't even going to have kids.  And a few of her followers tried to call her out on this and point out that it was not good parental judgement to use her son's bday party for publicity and she got all stank on them claiming she was doing it because she 'loves the people.'

Well, Neffe if you love the people so much why not just wait and invite them to your own birthday party?  You know a grownup party?
3-Potty Dances: So, I'm getting serious about potty training Moo.  I'm getting tired of changing diapers and she's getting to heavy for me to pick up.  Plus, she can talk in full sentences and do all kinds of things by herself.  These are sure signs that it's time to take the next step in her toddler independence.  And I've been seeing a lot of these Luv commercials with potty dances.

Hmm...I'm so not going to teach her any potty dances.  Let's be real, if she has to go potty she needs to just tell me.  I don't need her bursting out into spontaneous song and dance for the whole world to see when we're in public singing about going to the bathroom.  Embarrassing!!! 

So, what things have made you go hmmm...?

PS-One of our fellow YUMMs and mom bloggers-Mommy Glow aka @YoungFabMama-is in the running to become the next Mamavation Mom.  She has worked hard to get selected as a finalist and I truly believe that she is the best candidate.  So please show her some support by voting for her here and spread the word on your blogs and twitter pages!!  Be sure to let her know that you voted for her and that YUMMommy sent you!! Gotta support our fellow bloggers more in 2011.

Going Natural The Ancient Stone Way

Anybody who knows me personally, knows that I'm not a make up wearer.  With my sensitive, dry skin it's hard to find beauty products that won't break me out or give me that caked on look.  So, rather than stress and give myself a headache I just go au natural with the exception of a little lip gloss or lipstick.  However, I've been hearing that all natural mineral make up is all the rave for people with sensitive skin as well as for women of color.

That is my other pet peeve with make up.  Being in the middle of light skin and dark brown it's hard finding regular make up shades to match my skin color.  Let's face it, the face one color and the neck another color look is just hideous.  You will not catch me sporting that.  Anyways, when I heard about this relatively new company Ancient Stone that creates all natural makeup designed specifically with women of all colors in mind, I was down to try it.

Developed by Gloria Webb-Williams and Cathlene Michaels-Brader, Ancient Stone is additive free, filler free, persative free and talc free.  Yay!!  I'm on a new found journey to become more Green and the less chemicals I have to bring into my home the better.  Not to mention, when it comes to skin we should all be very picky about what we just lather on it.  So, instead using chemical dyes, they actually use minerals straight from the ground to color their foundations, blushes, eyeshadows and lipsticks.  You can't get more pure and natural that ladies.

Oh, did I mention they also use Titanium Dioxide, a naturally occuring mineral, to block out UV rays.  I know that as much as I stay outside during the warmer months, I can just all the UV protection I can get.  Skin cancer is no joke.

I received my free Ancient Stone make up kit during the Christmas holiday.  It was the perfect time to try it out and see if my family would notice that I was even wearing make up.  More importantly, I wanted to cover up my pregnancy acne that had already started to flare up.

I have to admit, it worked!!  You can't see my pregnancy acne and it doesn't look like I have on make up either.  I just love the natural glow that my face has.  And I've been continuing to use my Ancient Stone make up kit too.  I've been getting tons of compliments about how I have a natural pregnancy glow about my face from passer-bys at the mall and from my family.  I have to tell them that I owe my natural glow to Ancient Stone.

Ladies, I highly recommend this product line to anyone with sensitive skin or to anyone who has been hesitant about trying make up period.  It's great for your skin, doesn't feel or look heavy and works to bring out your natural beauty.  And with their Ancient Elixir Setting Spray you won't have worry about your make up coming off.  It will last throughout day with no reapplications needed.

While you're checking out their make up be sure to pick up a brush set from them too!!   Hope that you will visit Ancient  Stone and join me in going all natural.  For more information on Ancient Stone please visit their website:  Click here


*I did receive a free make up kit to try out and review.  However, that did not in any shape or form affect my opinion of this product.  The views and opinion written are soley my own.*

The Wait is Over

I know that many of you have been eagerly awaiting to find out if I'm having a girl or a boy. When I first found out I was pregnant again, I wanted to keep the sex of the baby a surprise like we did with Moo.  However, with a mountain of people breathing down my neck for the last 19 weeks, I gave in and found out.  I knew that if the ultrasound tech told my hubby he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut.

So without further delay people I am happy to announce:

I just wish you all could have seen Jay's face when she announced that we were having a baby boy.  He was beyond beaming.  And that was all he talked about for the rest of the day.  Talk about a proud papa.  LOL.  Still haven't picked out any nicknames yet, but I'm sure I'll think of one soon.

For me, finding out that I was having a boy was a rush of mixed emotions.  I was overwhelmed because this is going to be a new adventure for me. Raising a boy is going to be very different from raising a girl.  I thought about how Moo is going to feel not having someone she can play dress up and tea party with.  However, overall I am just happy that my little boy is healthy.

(Please excuse the lint. Black picks up everything.)

He has all ten fingers and toes in the right place, his heart is beating good and he's doing plenty of moving.  I'm really excited to start shopping for the new nursery.  I'm thinking a Patriots theme for sure, but the Jay says he wants a neutral sports theme instead.  (He's not a big fan of Tom Brady).  However, we'll see who wins this battle.  I'm already eyeing a cute little Patriots shirt and crib mobile.  Not to mention, I'm trying to track down some Patriots fabric and make a blanket with!!

The rest of the family is excited as well.  My brother is especially happy that he is finally not the only boy in our family.  He has someone he can buy all that Ralph Lauren boy stuff he's been eyeing for a while now.  And my mom is kinda sad that she's not getting her twins. I have no idea what her obsession is with me having twins.  She was hoping for one of each.

Oh well...I guess she'll have to wait for somebody else to pop out her set of twins.  I'm pretty certain that this is going to be hit for me.  I'm certainly feeling like two is my limit.  Plus, Jay is older than me and doesn't want to be an old man trying to chase after teenagers.  LOL.  Not to mention, college tuition is going to be thru the roof by the time Moo and our little boy are ready to go to college.

19 Weeks and Counting

Well, I have reached the 19 weeks mark and so far I'm loving it!!  Guess what my nausea and morning sickness seem to have poof and disappeared!! (Knocking on wood).  Yay, bring on the food people.  I've never been so happy to be able to drink a soda again in my life.  I'm telling you when you get pregnant you learn to appreciate the simple things in life for real.

I'm noticing that my energy is slowly draining away.  I'm getting more and more out of breath just doing simple stuff like going down steps or doing the laundry.  Not to mention, I still have to chase after Moo when we're not at Grandma's or when the hubby is at work.  She's a busy toddler who could care less that Mommy is preggers.  All she knows is that there's a ball of energy inside that she just has to let out. LOL.

At my doctor's appointment this week we got our first ultrasound!!  I was beyond anxious to see what was going on in there.  We got to hear the baby's heartbeat.  It was really strong and I have to admit that I cried a little.  It's always emotional when you hear your baby's heartbeat because you never know what can happen.

After the ultrasound, I met with Dr. Zerkle.  He was very warm and has a likable personality.  I could tell that he really enjoys his job and loves making connections with his patients.  One of my biggest fears about choosing a OB/GYN practice was having a gender mixed staff.  However, it wasn't so weird or awkward having a male OB/GYN down there.

In fact, he had one of the female nurses come in the room and assist with my pelvic exam.  And since I knew what to expect, I was a lot more relaxed this time around.  It was also surprisingly quicker than the ones I had when I was pregnant with Moo.  I'm just totally falling in love with the people at the Bradford Clinic!!  I will certainly be recommending them to my friends.

All my blood work from my last checkup came back good except for that fact that my iron level was way low.  No shocker over here though.  I've been anemic since I came out of the womb.  I've been on a different variety of iron pills and nothing has really worked well enough to keep it up.  So, I had to get more blood taken so that they could better access how serious my anemia really is.

While I wait for the results, here's what's going on with my bundle of joy.  At 19 weeks, my little baby is about 8.5 ounces and 6 inches in length.  That's about the size of an heirloom tomato.  So, now my baby weighs same amount as my cup of water.  A little scary once you think about how fragile that is.  Grow baby grow, but not to much.

In the ultrasound, I could see that the toes and fingers were developed.  I got see the brain and how small it was.  When I was pregnant with Moo they didn't point that out to me.  The brain is now designating areas to allow the baby to hear, smell, taste, touch and see.  So, now is a great starting point to start reading aloud and playing music to my tummy. There is plenty of amniotic fluid in there. 

The scalp is just beginning to get covered in hair.  Since Moo had a full head of hair, I'm hoping that baby number two will have some as well.  I know that means I need to stock up on my Tums.  Hair causes heartburn and I had plenty of it with my busy bee.  It hasn't started yet, but I'm going to be well prepared for when it does.

Still no swelling or cankles.  Thank goodness.  I've been making sure to keep my feet and drink plenty of water.  This cooler weather probably has something do with it too.  I'm hoping to avoid swelling as much as possible.

Well, we did find out the sex of the baby.  So, you will have to stay tuned to my next post coming up later on tonight to see what I'm having.  Meanwhile, cast your vote below in the comments section.

Do you think baby numero dos is a boy or girl?