Thankful Thursday

Happy Halloween!!  Remember to be safe while you're out and about with your little ones.  The Mr is working a double shift today which means that the kiddies and I will be staying in.  I'm not complaining though because honestly, I don't think the people in this neighborhood pass out candy.  So, we'll be hanging out getting candy wasted and watching kid friendly spooky movies on Netflix.

I'm thankful that everything went well at JJ's follow up with the pediatricians on Tuesday.  I got the official report back from his allergy test with the numbers telling me what class each of his allergies are.  And boy was it scary.  God has really been looking out for us because a lot of his allergies were Class 4 and higher. 

In fact, he's so allergic to peanuts that it was off the allergy scare.  The scale goes from 0.0 to 100.0 and his allergy level was over 100.0!  So pretty much if he looks at peanut wrong, we could be in serious trouble.  Thankfully, due to Moo's peanut allergy we feed the kids any type of nuts.  The Mr has had peanut butter in the house, but he was only allowed to have it after the kids went to bed and he had to thoroughly wash his hands and everything he touched afterwards. Yep, it's that serious around here when it comes to nuts.

I'm thankful that JJ is finally coming around to these new gluten-free, soy-free pancakes I have been making him.  At first he wasn't feeling it, but now he likes them.  I've been thinking about just cutting out breads from our diets all together and just do meats, veggies and fruit but then that I wouldn't leave us with much to eat for breakfast because both kids are allergic to eggs too.  I'm personally starting back with my fruit smoothies.

I'm thankful that the Mr has been supportive and understanding through everything.  I've been feeling very overwhelmed with the food allergies and the speech therapy starting and Moo not being able to go to preschool.  Yea, thanks to the government shutdown, the extra funding needed to allow a new wave of preschoolers to start class didn't come through in time.   No worries, we're still learning at home though.

I'm thankful for creative inspiration.  I'm back to working on my novel and the ideas for future chapters and even a sequel have been flowing really good recently.  I've been jotting down notes so that I don't forget anything.  I'm really excited and giddy about being back to writing fiction again.  I've gotten a lot of inspiration from music (thanks Spotify), old writing notebooks and even my diary. 

I still don't have a working title for it, but I'm sure that it will come to me soon.  I'm definitely going to be releasing this book in print and working my butt off to get it on shelves in major bookstores.  I'm thankful that I was able to give one of my blogger friends some words of encouragement recently.  She's going through a very rough time at the moment and my heart breaks for her and her family.  I want to do something special for her, but I'll definitely have to recruit some help to pull off what I want to do.  I'm sending up a prayer to God that He'll open up a couple of doors.

What's on your list of things to be thankful for?

Eat, Read And Grow Together

Want to know the biggest reason that I love McDonald's?  They care!  And I'm talking about my money.  They care about me and my family beyond being customers.  And this me and my family can testify about, especially my baby brother who received McDonald's scholarships two years in a row to help pay for his college education!  The McDonald's in my hometown has donated to multiple charity and school events that I had the pleasure of being a part of.

There are hundreds more stories and hundreds of more individuals from across the country who could probably tell you stories of how their local McDonald's have gone beyond the duty of just taking orders.  McDonald's commitment to caring is something that their company as a hold is about.  There latest display of this commitment will be taking place starting November 1st on National Family Literacy Day.  

Dedicated to being advocates for children's happiness and well-being, McDonald's will be putting an original McDonald's Happy Meal Book inside every Happy Meal ordered between November 1st to November 20th.  Over 20 million families here in the US will now have access to limited-edition children's books that will combine nutrition, imagination and play in a fun and enjoyable way while helping our children to devlop a sense of community.  Each book will feature McDonald's Happy Meal characters like Ferris, Deana the dinosaur, Goat, Ant and Doddi the dodo bird.  Your children will recognize them from the new McDonald's Happy Meal commercials.

McDonald's has also partnered with Reading is Fundamental (RIF) in effort to help families discover the joy of reading.  RIF will be will distributing 100,000 copies of Happy Meal Books to families across the country who do not have access to books.  "Books are essential for inspiring children to explore, dream, and achieve, yet far too many children do not have this basic resource," says Carol Hampton Rasco, RIF CEO.  "To change this unfortunate reality, RIF is uniting with McDonald's, a company that embraces the transformative power of books and is committed to helping families and communities thrive.  Together, McDonald's and RIF can truly help enrich kids' lives through access to books and by putting the fun back into reading."

Also, partnering with McDonald's is award winning global publisher DK Publishing.  In addition to the print books inside of the Happy Meals, families will also be able to access interactive digital books starting November 1st through the end of 2014.  These books will be available through McDonald's Happy Meal app, McPlay, McDonald.com and MeEncanta.com.  The first interactive e-book will be The World's Greatest Cities, part of DK Publishing's new Amazing World Series.

This Friday, the YUMMommy will be helping our local McDonald's to celebrate going beyond encouraging families to eat together by attending Family Reading Together Night!

We love books.  Around here we're not just committed to eating together,  but reading and growing together.  So, I challenge all you parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents and guardians to commit to eating, reading and together with our children!!  They are our future and that future will only be as bright as we help them to make it.  Let's commit to caring more about giving them the tools they need to succeed and have a good life.  Be sure to check with your local McDonald's to see if they will be hosting events for National Family Literacy Day.

Bible 365: Week 43

Happy Monday!!  This weekend I had planned on getting out of the house, but it was just too cold to be out and about with the kids.  We all just had a cold recently and I didn't want to risk the chance of anybody getting sick again, especially with JJ's doctor appointment tomorrow.  I ended up using the weekend to clean, rearrange and catch up on my blog reading and commenting.

Week 42, was all about seeing how God can change the heart of the worst sinner and use him/her for the spreading of His word.  You see, Saul hated Christians with a passion.  He persecuted them to no ends.  He testified against them to have them sentenced to death, threw them prison and even beat them severely.  To say that he was on the path to Hell would be accurate.  However, God had different plans for Saul.

He sent Jesus to appear to Saul and his friends one day.  Jesus asked "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (Acts 9:4).  Of course, Saul was afraid and wanted to know who was it that spoke to him in such an loud, authoritative voice and had appeared to him as a blinding white light.  When he found out it was Jesus, I can imagine Saul felt panicked and probably thought that Jesus was coming to seek revenge on him for everything he had done.

Jesus blinded Saul and told him to continue to Damascus and there he would find out the reason for Jesus' visit.  I'm sure Saul never imagined that he would end being baptized, have his sight restored, his name changed to Paul and that he would become a disciple for Christ!  You see, a man who once sentenced Christians to death had now been converted to the very thing he once hated so vehemently (Acts 9:20-22).  All I can say is look at God work!

Paul (formerly Saul) then gained first hand knowledge of what the Christians he had persecuted felt.  The Jews had it out for him.  They tried on several occasions to kill him and even have him sentenced to death.  In fact, Paul spends much of the book of Acts in and out of prison for preaching the word of God.  With the conscience of the those who had rooted and had a hand in the killing of Jesus weighing heavy, anybody who preached about Jesus, especially the fact that Jesus was not dead, but had indeed risen on the third day, were not well received. 

However, God was with Paul all the way.  Even when Paul was in jail, God made it so Paul was able to see who wanted, still preach the word and live like he was still among the free.  The best example I can give of Paul's jail condition from our society would be Martha Stewart.  Paul might have been in jail, but God made sure he still had the same comforts he would have had if he wasn't in jail. 

Paul's transformation from Saul hold an important lesson that we as Christians often times forget and that I was reminded of both in my bible study and in watching Joel Osteen last night.  We get too hung up on people's sins.  Joel Osteen used the example of how a lot of churches discriminate against those members who live the gay and lesbian lifestyle.  They tell them that they can't be on the choir, they can't help with Sunday school, etc.

But here's the thing, God put us here to love, not judge.  If God can take a man who was murdering people and turn him into a man who ended up leading hundreds of souls to Christ, certainly God can do it again with those who we often times consider lowly sinners.  As Joel put it, "Love the person, not the sin."  We've all fallen short of the grace of God.  Some of us fall short of the grace everyday, but that doesn't stop us from getting back up.

Where we are right now in our walk to Heaven isn't necessarily where we're going to end up.  And the Jews failed to see that about Paul, just we often times fail to see that about people who live a lifestyle some of us don't agree with.  I for one can certainly testify to that.  I've come a long a way as Christian.  I too was once living a lifestyle that wasn't pleasing to God.

I lived as man and wife with my husband for years before we actually became man and wife.  I knew what I was doing was wrong, but reasoned it ok in my mind because I had never really witnessed a successful marriage in my life.  Marriage scared me. I had a child out of wedlock and got pregnant with my second before I was married too.  But it was part of my journey to get back to God and I'm thankful for it.

God knows that we're hardheaded.  That's why He invented forgiveness and sent Jesus.  However, that doesn't mean we should be out there sinning for the sake of sinning.  At some point, He does expect us to get on the straight and narrow and stay there.  God won't be played for a fool!

Do you find it hard to NOT judge people who had a bad reputation in the past?

Week 44 Readings

10/28: Romans 4-5

10/29: Romans 6-8

10/30: Romans 9-11

10/31: Romans 12-16

11/01: 1 Corinthians 1-4

11/02: 1 Corinthians 5-6

11/03: 1 Corinthians 7

The Invisible Girls

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Jericho Books. I received a product sample to facilitate my review.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Have you ever felt invisible? I know that I have on more than one occasion. At Ralph Ellison put it, "I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me."  Sarah Thebarge shares her emotional and difficult journey of surviving breast cancer and an encounter with a family of Somali refugees, Hadhi and her five daughters, that changed her life in the memoir The Invisible Girls.  She shows us that while even in our darkest hours, some people would rather pretend we're invisible to avoid dealing with our situations, we're not alone.  Sometimes, the first step to becoming visible is reach out ourselves.

When I heard first heard about Sarah Thebarge and how she was first diagnosed with breast cancer at age twenty-seven (my current age), I knew that I had to read her book.  Breast cancer is a disease that has greatly affected both sides of my family.  My paternal grandmother and great aunt died of breast cancer, I've had at least six family members defeat breast cancer and currently I have two cousins who are still battling breast cancer.  So, I express my passion for wanting to cure this dreadful disease through donating and supporting anything breast cancer related.

However, once I started reading Sarah's memoir, I quickly learned that her book wasn't just about her battle with breast cancer, but about how her breast cancer diagnosis had made her invisible, her battle to overcome that invisibility and how a group of fellow invisible girls changed her life along the way.  Sarah met Hadhi and two of her girls while the riding the train and she had no clue what she was getting herself into.  What started off as just a friendly and Christian gesture quickly blossomed into a relationship that transcended friendship 

You see, Hadhi and her five girls had moved to America to escape the violence of Somalia thinking they'd have a better and successful life.  And while their lives here was a slight step up from what they had experienced back in Africa, they were invisible and alone in our society.  I think that on some level Sarah connected with the feeling of being alone and feeling like nobody was seeing the pain, the struggle or silent cries for help.  Sarah battle breast cancer more than once and throughout her battles she lost a lot.  She was and felt alone with her friends on a different coast, her family hundreds of miles away and the boyfriend and church family she thought she could depend on ended up flaking on her when she needed them the most.

Throughout the book, Sarah tries to figure out why God is allowing this to happen her.  As a Christian, I have definitely had moments where I felt like God was punishing me for something in my past.  It's not easy going through hard times without any answers as to why.  But you have to stop focusing on the why and instead focus on the process of getting through...of using your faith to survive. Asking God for help instead of a reason.  In fact one of my favorite parts of the book is when Sarah is in the hospital and she's trying to walk to the nurses station. She writes "Help, God," I whispered with every step. "Help, God. Help God. Help."

If you haven't read The Invisible Girls, I definitely recommend that you pick up a copy.  This book is amazing, heartwarming, funny at times and beautifully written.  I'll warn you now that you might want to keep a box of tissues handy because Sarah and Hadhi's stories will move you to tears in some parts.  This is hands down one of the BEST books I've had the pleasure to read this year!  And if you want to learn more about Sarah Thebarge, Hadhi and the girls check out her site here.

5 On Friday

Happy Friday! For some reason, I'm extra giddy that this is the last weekend of this month. I think it has to do with the start of November bringing me closer to my two favorite holidays-Thanksgiving and Christmas! Now on to my 5 on Friday list.

{~ONE~}

Source

My baby sister is obsessed with all things Tinker Bell.  So, being the nice big sister that I am, I'm going to hunt down a pattern for this blanket and crochet it for her!  I've never done tapestry crochet before, but I'm a quick learner.  I taught myself how to crochet from just looking at pictures in some old holiday craft books my mom had from the late 70s and 80s.

{~TWO~}

Moo has decided that for her birthday this year, she doesn't want a party.  Instead, she just wants to get a few friends together and go to the movies to see Frozen.

And I'm not complaining.  There are still plenty more birthdays left to have parties.  It's her special day and I want her to enjoy it and spend it the way she wants to.

{~THREE~}

Next month is NaBloPoMo (National Blog Post Month) and NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)!  I'm going to be doing both.  I've really slacked on blogging these last few months since our move and I'm looking forward to the challenge of NaBloPoMo.  It's really pushes you to be creative and to develop discipline as a writer.  As for NaNoWriMo, I've been dragging my heels on finishing up my novel.  This will give me the motivation to finish it.

{~FOUR~}

I'm totally obsessed with that song Almost Is Never Enough by Ariana Grande and Nathan Skyes.  I was going through some stuff and ran across some old love letters from an ex, got caught up in my feelings and well, this song sums up why he's not Mr YUMMommy.   In love and marriage, almost isn't enough for me.  I was all in our relationship and he was too busy riding the fence because he still wanted to chase skirts.

I moved on to somebody who was willing to commit and willing to go all in and I don't regret it.  He's recently moved on too, but not before putting it out there that I had 'broken' him.  Not sure how he was the one who ended up broken, when I was the one getting cheated on.  Anyways, reading the letters just took me back and made think of how my life would have been different if I had settled for almost.  I'm pretty sure my pillow would have seen more than its share of tears.  

It may seem like you're close to being in love, but don't settle for being close when you can be in love!  Know your worth and know when to walk away.  Even when it hurts like hell.

{~FIVE~}

I'm clueless as to what to do with my natural hair. It's grown out from my hair cut. I'm thinking of just keeping it in a rod set, but that would mean buying a hooded dryer and those things cost money for a really good one.  Either way I'm headed to my friend's salon soon to get some shaping done because my hair looks so lifeless when it's straight.  I'll post pics on the blog when I decide what my do will be!

What's on your agenda for the weekend?

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Thankful Thursday

Just one more Thankful Thursday to go before we'll be saying hello to November.  I've been absent from the blog and social media since Monday because today was my first meeting with our case worker/service coordinator for JJ's therapy.  Even though today wasn't his official evaluation, I was still a little bit nervous.  During today's visit she just wanted to observe us in our environment a little bit, go over some paperwork and what will be happening once he's officially accepted into the program and she asked questions about his likes, dislikes, allergies and my major concerns about his development.

I'm thankful that she was very warm and likable.  I had talked with her previously over the phone, but I wasn't sure what expect from her in person.  Sometimes people come off as warm and inviting over the phone but end up being really stuffy and formal in person.  I don't do well with the stuffy type.  So, we have an official evaluation scheduled for the week after next.  She'll come back with a speech therapist and psychologist.  I'm very hopeful that we will have my little man back on track with his verbal communication skills in no time.

I'm thankful for all of the support that I have been getting in regards to JJ's situation with this speech delay/regression. It's a blessing to have people constantly uplifting me and reminding me to stay positive.  It's even more of blessing to know that those people are keeping us in their prayers because prayer changes things.

I'm thankful that the drama with this apartment is almost over.  We're looking for new places and have a few that we'll be heading to check out in person.  I'm so looking forward to celebrating Christmas in a new and bigger space.  What I'm looking forward to even more is leaving this landlord drama behind.

I'm just thankful that in the mist of all that is going wrong in our lives, we still have so much that is going right!  I'm thankful to still be able to have joy and happiness.  I'm thankful for my loving family.  My kids keep so motivated and so grounded.  They remind me that life shouldn't just be all about us, but others as well.

What's on your gratitude list this week?

Bible 365: Week 42

Happy Monday!!  Can y'all believe that we're two months and about 10 days from being in 2014 and to end of the Bible 365 Challenge?!!  If it wasn't for this blog and my Bible 365 Challenge, I wouldn't know where the year has gone.  Time truly waits for no man (or woman).  Anyways, it's been interesting reading the happenings of Jesus through John's perspective.  

You can just tell that his relationship with Jesus was different and probably closer than the other disciples'.  Still, I'm certain being Jesus' best friend only made it harder to bear his death.  I don't know if I could stand to side and let one of best friends be crucified without putting up a fight to save him/her.  But John knew that this needed to happen in order for God's word to be fulfilled.  I'm telling y'all some of these people back in the day had some supernatural emotional strength!

So, in Week 42 we finished up the book John and I learned something new.  I had always thought that Jesus had only appeared the disciples one day, but it turns out that Jesus appeared to them on multiple occasions.  I had just always heard about people talking about Jesus rising on the day and just assumed that after that the disciples didn't see Him again but they did.  Here's what else I learned:

1-"His brothers therefore said to Him, 'Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.  For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly.  If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.' For even His brothers did not believe in Him." (John 7:3-5)  It's sad that not even some of Jesus' siblings believed He was the son of God!  I mean did they did that Mary and Joseph were lying about Jesus was conceived?  Just proves that blood is not always thicker than water.  At the end of the day it's easier t get strangers to believe in and support you before your own family will.  At the end of the day we don't get to choose our family like we do our friends or the people we associate with.

So, sometimes you have to either take your family as they are or keep moving as Jesus did.  Don't let their lack of support hinder your progress.  The Old Testament talked about how adversary is often times natural for within families.  That's one of the reasons why I believe God wanted us to marry.  We get to distance ourselves from that if needed and create the family and support system that we need.

2-"The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil." (John 7:7)  You know how sometimes you're sitting in church and the pastor starts preaching about something that you're guilty of doing? Stepping on your toes as most church folks refer to it.  Well, some people don't like being called out by God.  Not everybody responds well to God's criticism and reminder that we have fallen off the path of righteousness.  So, you might see that sometimes you don't see folks at church for a few Sundays until their wounded egos have healed.  And you even have those who get so angry at being told what they're doing is wrong that they start to hate God.  At the end of the day life as a Christian has rules and you're either fully in or you're completely out.

3-"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10  Jesus was sent so that we could have better lives.  God tried to give us a chance to have a perfect life, then Eve got tricked into the eating the apple.  He tried again with the Israelites and they disowned and renounced God at every turn.  Their faith was shorter than a baby's attention span.  Without Jesus coming to save us, I guarantee you nothing about our lives would be abundant except for our troubles.  There was just too much wickedness going on.

4-"If you love Me, keep My commandments. ...He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent me." (John 14:15, 24)  I've said before... love is an action.  We have somehow classified it as emotion, but at the end of the day why do we feel loved?  It's a response to someone's actions.  Likewise, you show your love through your actions.  Therefore, we can't just say we love God, we have to show Him by following the rules He's laid out before us.  Lip service does not get you into the Pearly Gates!

5-"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)  Jesus didn't let the world conform Him. Instead He changed it!  He was and will forever be the original Game Changer!  This scripture really speaks to me as I weather through my own tribulations in life.  I'm determined to not let hard times and adverse people break me.  I will continue to let my light shine and give thanks for all that is good and that all that will be greater!

Do you find it easier to get support from strangers and friends than family?  And are you a conformist or a game changer?

Week 43 Readings

10/21: Acts 5-7

10/22: Acts 8-12

10/23: Acts 13-15

10/24: Acts 16-18

10/25: Acts 19-21

10/26: Acts 22-28

10/27: Romans 1-3

5 On Friday

Y'all know the drill. I'm linking up with Christina (Carolina Charm), Dari (The Good Life Blog), Natasha (Hello! Happiness) and April (A. Liz Adventures) for their weekly link up and sharing five things.

{~ONE~}

After JJ's appointment at the hospital on Tuesday, I decided to take the kids to my favorite park and have a little lunch.  Plus, they could have some time to run around and enjoy the playground.  JJ is absolutely obsessed with slides.  He hates the swings, but if he sees a slides it's on and poppin'.

While we were there, I took the kids out on one of the piers to see the ducks and the geese.  JJ is also obsessed with those as well.  Anyways, I had a little bread and decided to give the kids some so that they could feed the birds.  They loved it!  JJ thought is was the greatest thing in the world the way the geese and ducks surrounded us on the pier.  He cried a little bit when we got up to leave.

We'll try to do this at least once a month.  We have geese and ducks here year round.  They don't all fly further South for the winter.  So, the ones that are still at the park will be in for a nice treat once a month!  And I'll get to experience the joy and looks of wonder on my kids' faces over and over.

{~TWO~}

Well, we're finally getting into the swing of fall and Halloween around these parts.  Moo and I both made Halloween mugs.  Can you tell which one is mine and which one is hers?

{~THREE~}

The results came back from JJ's allergy test today. I got the call just as I was starting this post.  Turns out he's allergic to stuff I had no clue about.  Stuff like latex.  And just Tuesday while we were at the hospital the nurse asked if he had a latex allergy and I said no.  I didn't know because the results weren't back then.

I decided to research latex allergies so that I could make sure that I keep him away from all the wrong things.  Man, do y'all know how much stuff has latex in it?  Toys, bath mats, toothbrushes, diapers, glue, rubber bands, remote controls and balloons to name a few.  And looking back, I should have suspected he had an allergy to latex because he's broken out in hives on several different occasions after handling a few of the things above.

Like once his hands were swollen up so bad after we had been playing with balloons all day.  And he got a hold of a pair of latex gloves once and he dropped them so fast, you would have thought they had set his hand on fire.  I just didn't put two and two together.  I have such mom guilt right now because I feel like I've given both my kids bad genes.  He also has more food allergies, which means we'll probably be shopping full-time at Trader Joes and Whole Foods now.  Thus, our grocery bill is going to triple.

I'm really re-thinking whether not I want to still try for baby #3 the end of next year.  I just don't know if I can handle having another child with so many health issues and allergies.  It's super expensive and makes me an emotional wreck.

{~FOUR~}

I don't know if y'all remember, but a while back there was a news story about young Black student who had been found murdered and rolled up in wrestling mats inside a school gym.  Crazy right?  Well, his death is not being ruled a homicide but an accident.  Wait, there's more.  His second autopsy showed that he was actually killed from blunt force trauma.  And to make matters worst during the first autopsy, his organs were removed and thrown away.   Somebody then stuffed his body with newspaper! 

There are also pictures of what he looked like when his body was found.  All I can say is that if you've ever seen the pictures of Emmett Till, then imagine if he was one shade darker and had dreads.  KJ's death was no accident.  It pisses me off that the police are content to let his murderer roam free and chalk this up to just another Black kid being found dead. 

Also, not adding up are the pictures from the security cameras in the gym.  There is footage showing KJ walking across the gym alone and then it magically just cuts to his being rolled up in the wrestling mats.  Everybody wants to know what happens in between him having went to get his shoes from the other side of the gym and ending up stuck in the mat? There was also blood found the wall that was not his possibly that of his attacker, but of course, police there was no match in their system.  I wonder if they cross checked with local hospitals?  Please just keep his family in prayer that justice will be served.  You can read more about the case here.

{~FIVE~}

I haven't a clue what the kids are going to be for Halloween.  Although, we'll be doing our trick-or-treating earlier at some local stores because the Mr has work that night, I still want them to dress up in costumes.  We'll have our very own movie and gluten-free junk food night!

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Thankful Thursday

Today is a special day here in the YUMMommy household.  What's so special about today?  Well, it's the Mr's birthday!!  And I'm so thankful to be celebrating his being another year older.  Life is so precious, especially with all the bad things happening this world.  So, we take the time out to celebrate birthdays around these parts.

He already treated himself to an early birthday present by getting the new iPhone.  And the kids and I picked out a fancy new watch for him.  I think he's going to like because he's really into watches.  I'm looking forward to Moo's birthday and my own.  As we get older together as a family, I feel like we grow and learn so much more about each other.

I am also thankful that we will be starting JJ's therapy soon.  We're going to try a program that is offered through the school district/city.  I talked to our case worker today and she sounded very nice and did her best to reassure me that everything would be ok.  And I truly believe that will overcome JJ's speech delay and that once we're over the hurdle it won't have any lasting impact on him.  So, I meet with her next just to over my initial concerns, fill out paperwork and give her our insurance information.   And then after that we have another appointment for an official evaluation and they'll screen him for everything.

So, keep us in prayer.  This is has been an emotional and stressful journey so far.  I know it's going to get even more emotional (in a good way) and hopefully less stressful.  I'm also thankful that one of my blogging friends will be moving to the Carolinas soon.  She's been such a great supporter of the blog and always checks in on me. We'll be a few hours apart, but I'm hoping that we'll able to meetup and hang out in person.

I'm also thankful that I have an awesome giveaway coming up that I think everyone will love.  This giveaway worth almost $100 once you up the cost of all the products!    Of course, if you haven't heard the government shutdown is officially over!!  Thank you God!!   Now, I hope that the government plans to go back and pay those who were out of work their lost pay.  I have a few friends and family members who really need their full pay checks.

I'm even more grateful for that fact that it didn't get to the point where we would have been financially affected because it was about to get there by the end of the month.  And Lord knows with two kids and all their health issues, we don't need to be short on money.  Not to mention, we have another upcoming move.  The apartment drama is still not over.  I'll fill y'all in the latest in tomorrow's post.

However, despite everything going on around us, I feel like my faith is getting stronger.  Today, I woke happier, more determined, more confident and knowing that God has a sweet blessing waiting for us at the end of this rocky ride.  And for that I am thankful because to have peace of mind and be able to trust God with all of our troubles has been a weight lifted off of my weary shoulders.

What are you giving thanks for this week?

Crazy For Kashi Hummus Crisps

Disclaimer: I participated in a campaign on behalf of BzzAgent for Kashi.  I received a product sample to facilitate my review.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

I have a confession to make.  I am a snacker!  I love snacks and snacking throughout the day probably more than the average person.  Now before I had kids this wasn't a big problem.  I could snack on pretty much whatever I wanted to- cake, chips, chocolate, honey glazed peanuts, etc.  Two kids later and I have learned that my body responds better to healthier food options.

Thankfully, I've always known about the Kashi brand and have tried a number of their products over the years thanks to my mom.  She loves their cereals and loss a quite a few pounds a few years ago replacing some of her not healthy snacks with a bowl of their cereal.  So, when I found out that I was going to get the chance to try out their Sea Salt & Olive Oil Hummus Crisps, I was excited to see if I would like as well as I have some of their other products.

Kashi Hummus Crisps goodness!

 Although, it's been some time since I'd had hummus, I have actually fallen in foodie love with these Sea Salt & Olive Oil Hummus Crisps.  The crisps are salted to perfection.  Sea salt is a little bit gritter than regular salt, but you're not fighting to bite through chunks of sea salt on these crisps.  And the olive oil doesn't overpower the natural flavor of the hummus but enhances it.

Unlike potatoes chips, you aren't left with a greasy mess on your hands either.  I actually dropped some on my shirt and not a grease stain was left.  Now, you try pouring a bad of regular potatoes chips on your shirt and see what happens.  You're going to have grease spots galore.

Pajamas, a good book and Kashi Hummus Crisps. Perfect elements for a night of me time!

What I loved even more is that the Kashi Hummus Crisps don't contain any partially hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup.  There's been quite the controversy surrounding whether or not those two ingredients are healthy for human consumption.  These crisps are made from all natural ingredients.  And this is perfect considering I do my heaviest snacking late at night after I've put the kiddies to bed.  I can enjoy a small bowl of crisps and not have to worry about staying up until my body digests them.

The only downside to these hummus crisps is that they aren't gluten-free.  So, I couldn't share with Moo and JJ. :(  I definitely had to make sure to keep them out of their reach.  And in all honestly, I kind of enjoyed having a snack that I could enjoy just by myself.  I usually don't buy foods the kids can't have because I don't want them getting into the wrong things and have a severe reaction due to their food allergies.

However, now that I've tried these, I'm crazy about Kashi's Hummus Crisps and I will be treating myself to a bag after the kids are asleep once every few weeks.  I think I deserve it.  And you do too.  I absolutely recommend that you grab a bag and try them out for yourselves.  They come in three different flavors- Caramelized Onion, Sundried Tomato Basil & Feta and of course Sea Salt & Olive Oil.

At the end of day, we only get one body.  Don't you think it deserves the very best?  So, here's to healthier snacking options and eating habits!  Don't forget to check out the Kashi brand on Facebook here.

Bible 365: Week 41

Monday, Monday, Monday.  The reminder of this year is moving full steam ahead.  This weekend was a weekend full of the sickness.  I got sick Friday.  Moo was playing nurse and helping me out.  Then, Saturday morning we woke up and my little nurse had a cold too.

And Sunday, JJ woke up at 6 AM with a runny nose and sneezing.  Thankfully, the Mr had to work this weekend and didn't have to be around us too much.  The last thing we need is EVERYONE to be sick.  I definitely think that this sudden drop in temperature and the chilly winds are the cause of our colds.  I've officially pulled out the fall jackets with hoods.

Now on to the Week 41 recap.  We finished up the book of Luke and started the first few chapters of the book of John.  Now, a little interesting tidbit that I found out while doing a little background research is that John was actually one Jesus' best friends.   Yes, Jesus had friends.  And I imagine that His friends played a big part in helping Him stay calm throughout His journey to cross.  Let's be real, if you had to wake up day in and day out knowing that one day was going to be your last, you'd need a friend or two to help you deal as well.  Let's talk about what else I learned in Week 41.

1-"And He said to those who sold doves, 'Take these things away!  Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!" (John 2:16)  Last year, I got into a small debate on Twitter about my dislike for churches that charge for everything and are constantly selling something.  I understand that the physical building itself requires money for its upkeep and you have to pay the pastor for his/her service and maybe, even the musicians.  And if you're not making enough on tithes and offering, I can understand a little fundraiser here and there.

But there are some churches that have truly turned church into a commercial experience.  And that should not be so.  As Jesus said, the church should never get to the place where it is looked upon as a piece of merchandise in which the congregation and pastor can make money off of it.

2-"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:17)   At the end of the day, Jesus was sent to us to help us make it to Heaven.  However, just like back then, in today's society a lot of us don't take advantage of the gift that has been extended to us.  We make all kinds of excuses about why we can't walk in line with God's word. We day it's too hard.  We say we're not perfect, but at the end of day an excuse is an excuse.

3-"Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." (John 5:19)  Like father, like son.  People were getting mad at Jesus and not thinking that they were also in turn getting mad at God.  Jesus was only doing what He was sent and commanded to do. Also, we can apply this scripture to everyday life as parents.

So many of us have this do as I say and not as I do approach to raising our kids.  Then, we wonder why they continue on and do the exact opposite of what we just told them not to do.  Listen actions speak louder than words.  Even the Bible tells us that faith (words) without action is dead.  We have to be willing to lead by example and not by lip service!

4-"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." (John 6:27)  We are such a materialistic generation.  We work to pay bills, but after the bills are paid, we want to shop, shop and shop.  The reality is that instead of constantly focusing on making more and more money to afford materialistic things, we need to be putting in overtime to feed our spirits God's word.  We need to be doing things to help others because that what Jesus was all about.

If there was someone who was hungry, He feed them.  He healed the blind.  He pulled people back from the grips of death.  Jesus was the ultimate Good Samaritan and humanitarian.   We definitely should be striving to pass this torch of giving back and being a service to others from generation to generation.

What is your favorite way to give back?  And are you more of a lip service parent or do you lead by example?

Week 42 Readings

10/14: John 7-10

1015: John 11-12

10/16: John 13-14

10/17: John 15-16

10/18: John 17-19

10/19: John 20-21

10/20: Acts 1-4

5 On Friday

Y'all know the drill. I'm linking up with Christina (Carolina Charm), Dari (The Good Life Blog), Natasha (Hello! Happiness) and April (A. Liz Adventures) for their weekly link up and sharing five things.

{~ONE~}

I'm no longer Team iPhone!!  Finally, made the switch back to Team Android this weekend.  And the only regret that I have is that I loss a lot of photos because they didn't port over to my new phone.  Otherwise, I am absolutely in love with my Galaxy 4s.  In my opinion it's better than the iPhone!  The camera certainly is much better.  With the iPhone I was only getting 5 MP and with this I can take pictures that are 13 MP!

Source

The difference in quality is unbelievable.  Plus, there are other cool functions like being able to edit photobombers out your pics or being able to edit yourself into group pictures!  I'm just having a blast learning all the new functions and exploring the apps.  Plus, I have a memory card again.  So, no worries about having to lose all of my pictures when I upgrade in a year or two.  And no having to purchase iCloud memory because I have tons of memory cards here from my previous Android phones.

{~TWO~}

We heard back from Code Enforcement and the inspector said that he was just able to get into contact with our property administer on Monday.  Y'all she's been avoiding this man's calls for days because I know she got his voicemails.  Sadly, the only thing they're gotten on is putting up the carbon monoxide detector.  I'm pretty sure they're trying to find a way to get out of making the other repairs.  The Mr and I are just over this whole situation and want out of this place ASAP.

It just sucks that two sucky landlords back to back have tainted our experiences with independent landlords and property management companies.  We really preferred to give our money to a small business owner but we're switching back to a one of those mega property management companies because they get on repairs without any hassles (from our previous experiences).

{~THREE~}

Guess who has the first cold of the fall season?  I do!  Did not see this coming at all.  I woke up to iron the Mr's uniform for work yesterday and I was feeling fine.  Went back to bed for a few hours and woke up feeling like crap.  I'm talking sore, scratchy throat, running nose, sneezing and fogginess and body aches.

Moo stepped up to the plate while the Mr was at work and made sure I was getting my rest.  She made sure JJ stayed entertained and everything.  I love that little girl!!  And the Mr stopped and picked up my favorite Chinese food for dinner.  He must have sensed that I wasn't feeling up to being in the kitchen.  I'm feeling a little better today because my nose isn't as runny.

{~FOUR~}

I have been crocheting up a storm over here.  It feels good to be back on my hooks after a long break.  I'm currently working on a cute Christmas blanket.  And I've already started designing and outlining some other blankets and little hats that I'm going to make and add to Moo's Closet.  I also have some Christmas gifts to get started on making because I've had family members request that I make them something.

{~FIVE~}

We're down to one month and two weeks before Moo's 5th birthday!!  I can't believe how fast her birthday is coming around again.  Yes, I'm turning into an emotional mess again like I was last year.  She's already so independent and such a big girl at age 4 that I'm almost afraid at age 5, she's going to need me even less.  She's really come out of her shell so much.

And she's leaving behind her tomboy side more and more each day. She still loves digging with rocks and playing ball, but she's tracked in playing trucks for playing dress-up.  She's all about make-up (which she is not allowed to wear) and nail polish and hair and shoes.  And she's reminded me that she still doesn't have any diamonds! LOL

What's going on in your world?  Does your 4 year old ask you for diamonds too?

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Thankful Thursday

And just like that, it's Thursday!  Hard to believe that the weekend is almost upon us.  I know I haven't been on the blog in a few days.  I've been trying to focus on some other issues happening right now.  

I think that I mentioned last week that JJ would be seeing the pediatrician soon.  Well, we went on this past Tuesday.   He's pretty healthy for the most part. The pediatrician did mention that his bmi was on the leaner side for kids his age but nothing to be overly concerned about.  I was thankful for that.

However, what she (and I) was worried about was JJ's lack of verbal communication skills.  He failed his communications test but passed the comprehension part.  So, we are off to see a specialist for an official evaluation and diagnosis.  Talk about being a scared parent.   The last thing I want is for JJ to have a permanent learning disability.

Not being able to talk and properly express himself can be a huge issue, especially as he gets older.   It's challenging sometimes now because there are times he'll cry and I can't understand what he's trying to tell me is the matter.  I am thankful that I'm not in denial about this issue because I have read stories from other moms who were and waited years before getting help.

I am thankful to the pediatrician for listening to me and my concerns.  She is genuinely  as concerned as I am about getting him back on track. Having a pediatrician who stays onbthe same page with me when it comes to my kid's health is super important.

I am thankful for my new phone! I am back being Team Android as I mentioned on Monday.   I have come to peace with having lost all almost all of my photos on my iPhone.  I am thankful that it won't happen again because I have a memory card that my phone stores my pictures and videos to now.

I am thankful to be one step closer to re-opening Moo's Closet.  I kind of took a break from it but I am back.  We need the extra money right now. We'll need a second car since I'll be taking JJ to speech therapy and we won' t know the time or days until after his evaluation.

Also, I have been talking about finding a way to give back on a regular basis and found a way to do that with Moo's Closet.   More on that later. But I am thankful for the chance to continue being a blessing to others.

Most importantly, I am thankful for all the support I have been getting from you guys. Your prayers and kind words are truly welcomed and appreciated!

What are you thankful for this week?

Bible 365: Week 40

Happy Monday!!  Hope everyone had a lovely weekend.  We did! Saturday, we hit up Ikea and I got lost in all the wonderfulness of looking at the bathroom setups.  Nothing like daydreaming about your dream bathroom, right?  I also got started on a blanket.  Sunday, I had a mini meltdown in Verizon because they couldn't port my 1021 photos from iPhone to my Samsung G4.  I uploaded as many pictures as I could to Flickr and Photobucket, but the kids got antsy and the Mr was getting on my nerves.

That made me get frustrated and I was like screw it.  So, out of 1021 pictures that were on my phone I think I managed to save about 200.  And I started to get pissed about it but after looking FB and Instagram, I realized that some of the most important pictures had already been saved on those sites.  Needless, to say I'm happy to be Team Droid and have a memory card to save my photos again!!  I've learned my lesson with iPhones and their wanting to milk your wallet dry by making you purchase more memory. I take way too many home photos and videos for that.

Now, let's talk about Week 40 of this Bible 365 Challenge.  Can y'all believe we have just 12 more Mondays left before this year over?!!  I'll be doing the Week 52 on Tuesday since that's the last day of the year and I will have read my reading at midnight.  So, in the Week 50 recap, I'll have to include the readings for both weeks 51 & 52 for those who will read early in the morning too.  If not, I'll also include Week 52 readings in that Monday's post and then you can just check the blog after you've read on Tuesday for the recap.

So, of course Luke was another retelling of the works of Jesus and his parables.  However, if you've been reading Matthew, Mark and Luke, you'll notice that there are some differences.  Some of the key verses are worded differently and some parables and happenings are not retold in each of these books. It's been interesting to see what Luke, Matthew and Mark each saw as important and how they documented their journey as Jesus' disciples.  And more interesting is seeing how some verses and passages below stuck out to me despite having read a similar version in Matthew and Mark.

1-"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will opened" (Luke 9-10).  A lot of times we have not because we ask not.  Sure God knows what we need, but that doesn't mean that we don't have to ask for Him for His help to get it.  Whether it be more time in the day for Bible study or an increase in pay to keep your family afloat, God is always there waiting for us ask for what we need.

2-"But He knowing their thoughts, said to them, 'Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls'." (Luke 11:17)  You can't make any progress if everyone is on a different page.  Jesus can't be on one page and we're on another if we're going to make it in to Heaven.  Likewise, within our homes and marriages, we should strive to be on common ground with our spouses and families.

3-"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters." (Luke 11:23)  Enough said. Jesus wants us to be ride or die when it comes to our faith.  After all, we're always talking about how we're ride or die for our mates.  Doesn't He deserve an even higher level of commitment?

4-"But He said, 'More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it'." (Luke 11:28)  We all fall short, but it is possible to become more and more godly if we put forth a sincere effort.  There are different levels of blessings.  I don't know about you, but my goal in life is to unlock them all!

5-"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:7)  Does God care about us?  Of course, He does.  He cares so much about us that He's taken the time to count the hairs on our heads.

6-"Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses... Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing." (Luke:12:14, 23)  We all heard Jesse J say it's not about the money or the bling and God agrees.  Life is not about seeing who can collect the most red bottoms or fancy cars or who can eat the finest restaurants.  We are called to a purpose way more higher and of more substance than that.

7-"For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more." (Luke 12:48b)  We are indeed our brother's and our sister's keeper.  This is verse is exactly why I take a step back to reevaluate the messages I put out here on my blog.  I know that my blog is read by more than just myself and it is my duty to make sure that I'm not on here tearing someone else down or encouraging wrongdoing.

What are you seeking and asking God for this week?

Week 41 Readings

10/7: Luke 22
10/8: Luke 23
10/9: Luke 24
10/10: John 1-2
10/11: John 3
10/12: John 4
10/13: John 5-6