Glimpse into the coming week

Last week when I gave you a little update I eluded to a temporary, part-time job. Well, I begin that tomorrow. Am I excited? Yea, kind of. What will I be doing? I'll be an office clerk for the Census Bureau. Before you leave a comment about my apparent lack of excitement; let me give you a little perspective.

1. Virgo's are resistant to change.
2. I've never been the single parent of four children and worked outside of the home.
3. I'll now have to pay after school fees and daycare costs, and I'm hoping it'll be worth it.
4. To follow up on #3, it's additional gas money needed and there's no paycheck on the first day! LOL.
5. To follow up on #3 and #4, I only have one business casual outfit and wondering what I'll do about that...
6. I'm nervous that my body and my medical issues will "act up" with the new, intense schedule.
7. I'm concerned about taking care of all my responsibilities and things going on (wish I could share it all here).

I'm just nervous, I understand that, but in addition to that I am looking forward to meeting new people and learning new things. And I'm excited about doing something different. Overall, I'm hoping that the entire experience, which I think will last about three months, will be positive for me and the children.

Okay, no more stalling (my nervousness is interrupting my productivity), I have to get ready for the week. There is laundry to wash and put away, outfits to iron, rooms to clean, dishes to wash, an errand to run and a writing assignment to complete. Oh, yea, and Andre has a project due tomorrow so we have to finish that.

I guess I better get started. If you don't see me much this week then you know why. Hopefully, I will get into an easy flow with the new schedule and accomplish everything I need to and most of what I want to.

What are your plans this week? Can you believe it's March already?

Meet Michelle Obama

Remember when I told you about Amareah being First Lady Michelle Obama at the Black History Program at her school? I thought you would enjoy seeing how beautiful she looked that day. I must say that she's as sophisticated as Michelle... Unfortunately, I've unearthed a monster who now wants to wear her hair out everyday and wear makeup more often. Oh well, it was inevitable, huh?

I think she looks like Michelle, don't you?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend...

March Group Financial Services

The March Group is a boutique investment banking firm that offers financial advisory services to middle market companies. They understand that companies are concerned about the confidentiality of their business when in the midst of selling. When the March Group meets with them they hold the information in the strictest of confidence and require representatives to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

The March Group provides "mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, restructuring, business plan development, company valuation, divestiture advisory, strategic growth consulting and advisory services. If this is a company you'd like to keep up with or follow then you can find the March Group on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

FBI Investigations?

It's been quite a few years since I've sat down and watched a television news broadcast. My boycott of the news began when I was pregnant with my first daughter almost 19 years ago. The reports of Desert Storm disturbed me so deeply (I was hormonal and enlisted!) that I had to stop watching. Over the past few months I've kept up with the news by reading Yahoo news blurbs, watching news previews and glimpsing a couple of clips here and there.

Most recently, I've started reading news stories online and came across an one that I thought you also may be interested in. While I was reading a story about Angel Food Ministries and their efforts to be able to see groceries to recipients online, there was information within the article that said the organization is being investigated by the FBI.

Interesting, huh?

I'm not going to restate the entire article here, but here the link to the AJC article. Leave a comment and let me know what you think about it after you read it.

I've purchased from Angel Food Ministries before and they have excellent choices for very low costs. My main reason for not buying from them more often is there are often several things per box that my family doesn't eat. If the majority is something we can use then I get it and share the rest with someone else.

Okay, off you go... get to reading. :)

Sleepy ramblings

What is it about the desire to go to bed that keeps me up late at night? I know I'm not the only mom who proclaims (everyday!) that she's going to go to bed at a descent time because:

1. She's exhausted and needs to get more sleep.
2. She hasn't been feeling well.
3. She has a busy day planned for the next day.

You're thought that before, haven't you? Thinking it and actually getting into bed on time is very rare. I think I've done that once or twice in the past six months.

I long for sleep. Sometimes I sit here and my eyes close. I have mastered the art of leaning my head back, closing my eyes (even dozing off sometimes) and continuing to type. There's always more to do, more I've committed to do or more I've forgotten to do. A lot of times it's all about making an extra dollar or two.

Here it is six minutes after midnight and I'm thinking about how fast I can make it to my bed and fall asleep. Especially since I have a lot to do in the morning. I really did need to go to bed early... Why do I even say it?

Find your wellness

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of wellnessdaily.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

As most of you know, about two years ago I began my quest to a healthy body and lifestyle, which included losing weight and taking care of my medical issues. When I began the quest I weighed a little over 200 pounds. Surprised, huh? I now weigh about 160 and tend to fluctuate between there and 155. My goal is to get down to 150, tone, strengthen and increase my endurance. I know this will also help with my medical issues.

To do this I'm trying to increase my movement through yoga and walking, and I try to keep track of my calorie and fat intake. If you're trying to increase your wellness factor as well, what are you doing?

I've tried online tools in the past, but it tended to be too time consuming and difficult to keep up with, but there's WellnessDaily.com that I recently visited. The site is an online community that links to healthy living blogs, opinions as well as easy, nutritious recipes and videos on weight loss, exercise and mental wellness. Visitors to the site can create custom news feeds to receive information on what's most relevant to them.

If you'd like the support of an online community to get your personal wellness in order then join www.wellnessdaily.com. Once you sign up then you can enter the Twitter contest for a chance to win a WellnessDaily.com prize package, which will include coupons for a year-long supply of Jennie-O Turkey Store products and a one-year gym membership, valued at $1,250.

Get more information about the contest on the promotions page. Entering the contest? Use this for your tweet: “Enter to win $ towards a gym membership & JENNIE-O turkey products. Just follow @wellness_daily & RT this! http://bit.ly/tbd123.". The Twitter promotion runs from February 24th to March 10th.

Extra mini me

When Amber, my oldest, was a young child I would occasionally here the name "Little Petula" when someone referred to her. A lot of people said she looked like me. (That's her 1st grade picture to the right.) Now that she's older we're always asked if we're sisters with comments like, "Y'all look just alike." We used to glance at each other with raised eyebrows then smile politely at whoever said it. We don't see the exact resemblance, but we get that others see our similarities.

When Anna was born, about 16 years later, a lot of people said, "She looks just like Amber!" I thought, 'Well, that must mean she looks like me.' It's amazing to see Amber and Anna's baby pictures because there are some where they look like the same baby. Andre and Amareah (the two middle children) often mix up Amber and Anna's pictures. I can't wait to put Anna's 1st grade picture next to Amber's.


That my girls, except Amareah regardless how much I try to claim her, look like me is heartwarming... Well, that's the only word I can think of. There's something about having mini mes. (Andre, my only son, is a combo of me and his dad.)

Anna happens to be an extra mini me. When I say that I'm not referring to her looks; I'm referring to her size. All of my children have been petite (Amber's about 5'2"), but Anna wins the petite award.

(Don't you just love the model pose she gives here?... Oh yea, I received my camera cord today!) When I took her and Amareah to the doctor they weighed the girls and Anna's weight came up as about 35 pounds. I was so excited. When I mentioned to the pediatrician how proud I was that she gained weight, she said, "Mama, did she have on those boots?"

"Yea, but they aren't that heavy... you think they're five pounds?"

"What scale did they weigh her on?"

"Uh... well... the one right there." I pointed at the door while I was thinking that I didn't know there was more than one scale.

"I ask 'cause one is broken. ... There's no way she gained more than five pounds."

I kind of chuckled, "You just gonna burst my little bubble."

She laughed with me and we eventually had her re-weighed on a different scale.

She's 25 pounds. She gained one pound in three months. My baby will be 3 years old in May and she's still about the size of a 1 year old. The pediatrician doesn't seem to be concerned since she was a premature baby and she's steadily increasing in head circumference and slightly in height. In fact, at her last well-baby check she was finally on the chart and in the fifth percentile.

I'm a little disappointed that she's still so small. Not because I want her to be big, but because like any mom I'm concerned about her health. She has had about four ear infections in six months, but then I remember Amber had a lot of ear infections when she was between the ages of 1 and 3, and she grew out of them. Then I think about the last 2 years and 9 months of Anna's little life and realize she's a vibrant, busy, healthy, intelligent little girl who's also sneaky, disobedient, stubborn and sweet. She's perfect.

It doesn't matter if she's extra mini...

Anna - January '10

New & improved skin care products

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dermajuv Skin Care Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's funny how I am excited about being able to mention skin care products twice in one day. It's no secret that I'm addicted to them. It's possible that my addiction is a result of all the new trendy skin care and anti-aging products or it could be because as I get older I notice the changes my skin has been going through.

When my mom was in her 20s and 30s I remember her using Ponds facial cream or Olay, which at the time was called Oil of Olay. The cream was simply spread on the skin on a regular basis and, for a lot of women, that was all they needed as far as their beauty regimen. There were some who used Vaseline on their lips or to remove makeup (I still do that now), but for a lot of women the advanced ingredients in today's products are highly sought after.

For instance, most products have an entire line that includes daytime moisturizer with sunscreen, cream cleansers, facial scrubs and masks, acne treatments and anti-aging products. Dermajuv Skin Care is one of those companies that produces quite an extensive line of products. They have an Eye Revolution Gel that uses Matrixyl®, Haloxyl®, Eyeliss® and Stem Cells to reduce dark circles and shrink puffy bags under the eyes as well as lift wrinkles. These revolutionary ingredients are in a lot today's aggressive scientific skin care products.

To have a product that reduces the appearance of dark circles would be great... exciting even. Over the last couple of years I've developed dark circles under my eyes so I would love to try the Eye Revolution Gel. I've tried a gel, in the past, that reduced eye puffiness so I have no doubt that would work and I've tried creams that minimize wrinkles, which were also effective.

The question is will these products remain on the market and continue to change and develop or will we get back to the way things were in the past? I, for one, enjoy trying all the new and more advanced skin treatments - anything to assist in my quest to stay youthful.

It's on and poppin'

If you haven't been keeping up with my health and weight loss journal then you don't know that I gained four or five pounds in the past month or so. I would love to blame it on someone else, but I can't really. However, I can blame it on those bags (yes bagS) of peanut M&Ms. Then I discovered the dark chocolate ones. They are sinfully good. I dawned on me that I had been doing some emotional eating AND I was PMSing. Talk about snack attacks!

I've been vowing not to gain anymore weight 'cause after a five pound weight gain it sometimes gets out of control. So, when I went to the grocery store I bought one Peppermint Patty instead of the M&Ms. Okay, I have to admit that I sent a text to my oldest daughter expressing how much I wanted to buy a large bag of M&Ms and she said, "NO!" Then she suggested the Peppermint Patty... That was the.best.peppermint.patty.ever.

I weighed myself yesterday and found that I'd lost the four to five pounds. Talk about a release of a deep breath. Later on last night I read Renee's (Cutie Booty Cakes) post about her weight loss. (She's the incredible shrinking woman.) In total she's loss 33 pounds and she's at 169 now. Isn't that awesome? Well, that's only about nine to 10 pounds away from me so now I've gotten into competitive mode. She's headed for 150 pounds and I'm determined to meet her there. I don't necessarily have to beat her there, but I have to keep up. I've been really impressed with her progress and hard work so the last couple of days I've kept her in mind to motivate me.

One of the best parts about this is that I recently won a workout DVD from Jocelyn at Hip Mama's Place. It's the Pulse Yoga II DVD with Argie Tang. I tried doing some of it today and I can see why it's number two. I need to get the first one so I can build up to it. I did about 20 minutes and then watched some of the rest. The information on the back of the DVD case actually recommends watching it first before trying it and that makes so much sense because of the way Tang gives her instructions.

Instead of saying the opposite foot, arm or leg that she's on so the participants will be on the same foot as she is, she says the foot she's on so when you look up you're on the opposite side. It can throw one off a bit. And I'll have to get used to her. I currently have The Firm Slim Solutions Yoga Workout DVD and it's the first one. I've gotten adjusted to it and it's not quite a challenge anymore, but the Pulse Yoga II is definitely a challenge. It's described as combining "all of the best elements and disciplines of Pilates, Core Fusion and Yoga." I've also been doing random stretching, toning and yoga (I have a book with yoga instructions) so I'm pleased to be moving again. My goal is to keep the momentum going and lose another 10 pounds... Piece of cake (that's low-cal, sugar free cake).

Do you love Louis Vuitton handbags?

Most of you know I'm addicted to chocolate and bath & beauty products, but you may not know I have a small addiction to handbags and purses. It's not quite as bad as my longing for all things dark chocolate and the feel of high-quality skincare products on my skin, but I always gravitate towards the accessories area of any store.

Lately I've been window shopping for the perfect bag and although I would like a name brand bag, I know it's not in my budget. It's a luxury - for sure. I've never seriously considered buying one, but now that I've found information about replica handbags I've learned a lot. Finding out that those types of bags are made much better than they used to be is great information because you never know when I want to purchase one of the Coach brands. I took a peek at some Louis Vuitton handbags as well and although I've always liked the general style, I'm not sure it's the one for me.

Now I want to know what type of handbags you're wearing. Come on admit it, you've been hiding Gucci or Chanel purse, right? Tell me who your favorite designer is and if you've splurged to buy it.

One-on-one time with "Little Michelle"

My 5-year-old daughter Amareah had a follow-up doctor's appointment today for her breathing. I don't think I've ever mentioned she has been on a nebulizer and now has an inhaler, which she was/is supposed to use everyday twice a day. Her appointment went very well and I told her pediatrician that we haven't been using it everyday just as needed and hadn't used the nebulizer at all.

Really?

Her words: "If it ain't broke don't fix it." She explained how the meds were intended to be used, but because I keep a close eye on Amareah and check in with her on how she feels then we can just keep treating her the way we have been. She recommended that she begin taking it around allergy season to prevent or forego any problems and gave me a sheet to remember the different times, doses, etc.

Anna, who has given just about everyone her cold, was also seen and has a mild ear infection in one ear. I'm glad I took her, but it's a little frustrating that she's had so many ear infections this is the fourth one I think in about six months. Today I was thinking it could very well be a "symptom" or "result of" her being a preemie and we are probably lucky (blessed!) that it's all we're dealing with. Besides her weight! (Funny story about that later.)

After the appointments, Amareah said she didn't want to go to school. I glanced at the clock at it was about 10:40. Yesterday when I told her teacher about her appointment she said that if it was 11 or after then I might as well keep her home. (Amareah doesn't attend public school, but the head start program.) So, after a little warning on being on her best behavior, I told Amareah she could stay home with me.

So here we have some impromptu one-on-one time. We arrived home, washed off the germs and made lunch. Amareah did a great job making her own sandwich. After lunch I showed her a small clip of First Lady Michelle Obama that I had saved for her on the DVR because Amareah is portraying Mrs. Obama during the Black History program at her school this Friday.

After that we looked at some pictures of Michelle Obama on my laptop and I found a video about her on YouTube. The video, which I couldn't resist sharing with you, is a really nice biography of her that's narrated by her mother. It makes me feel like I know Michelle Obama and I feel even more proud to have her as First Lady of the United States (I even feel sort of bad about that dream I had of her hubby Barack Obama.)

I wanted to give Amareah an idea about the person she was representing and portraying so that when she gets up to say her part, ("My name is Michelle Obama; I'm the first lady of the United States of American and this is my husband...") she will feel the power behind what that means. Then after her husband introduces himself and they shout, "Yes, we can!" My hope is that she'll always know she can.

I've enjoyed my one-on-one time with Little Michelle today despite her singing a variety of different songs (cartoon theme songs, Christmas carols and more) while she plays with Dora cards at my feet. Maybe one day she'll be our President. Heck, I'll settle for First Lady. Well, that is if I can get around the fact that right now she wants to be a ballerina. Insert big smile here. Regardless of what she wants to do, this mom will be behind her - and all of my children - 110 percent.

Note about photos: I would post a picture of Amareah today, but my teenager (don't tell her I talked about this again!) still has my cord to my camera. Hopefully, it'll get here soon! :D

Hello?

Like most grown ups, I have a list of resources and information I've received from "reliable" sources. You know what it's like to need information or assistance and someone gives you a list of numbers or names, right? Well, I was doing a little phone calling, which I strongly dislike, this morning and all I heard was a busy signal. One of those places where you can't walk in that you can only call between a certain time period to get an appointment.

I called and heard a busy signal.

I redialed for about an hour beginning at 9:10 a.m. and only heard a busy signal.

At 10:01 a.m. it rang.

Victory!

False alarm - I shouted too quickly. I got a recording that instructed me on which extension to choose. Then I got another recording that instructed me to call on Monday mornings beginning at 9 a.m. and that leaving a message would not result in an appointment.

SIGH...

A lot of companies are letting customer service lag with the advancement of all this wonderful technology. I mean, if a company has a customer service department then how are they serving me - the customer - by sending calls to a voice mail where there is no resolution?

I'm just saying.

Mini moments

A couple of days have been quite a blur, but here are a few moments that I clearly remember:

• I had a Lean Cuisine for dinner... I'm still hungry.
• The sound of my son's voice as he reads a few pages of a book to me. HE CAN READ!
• My youngest daughter's little arm wrapped around my neck.
• News of getting a temporary, part-time job.
• The V-Day gift my oldest sent me - body cream from Body Shop - made my day 'cause you know I'm addicted to bath and body products.
• Close to finalizing the details with a new client!
• Mending my memory, fueling my spirit, resting my body and nourishing my creativity.

 What have you been up to?

Minivan conversations

If you're a parent then you know how much children can talk so I don't need to expound on that fact. You also probably know that they can say the funniest, silliest and most amazing things at times. Sometimes, when I'm not daydreaming or tuning them out, I "eavesdrop." Today their conversation covered just about every topic. My son Andre and my middle daughter, Amareah, were talking about something that she used to have and I suppose Andre felt the need to explain to Anna, the youngest, what they were talking about.

Andre, 6: You were born yet, Anna. (Yes, he said "were.")

Anna, 2: Oh.

Andre: You were still in mommy's tummy.

Amareah, 5: Yea.

Anna: Oh.

Andre: Babies get milk from mommies' tummies.

Anna: (Looks blank.)

Normally, I let the children have their conversations without interrupting, but there are some times when I can't resist.

Mommy: Andre, the milk doesn't come from the mommy's tummy.

Amareah: Yea, Andre.

Andre: Where does the milk come from?

Mommy: Mommy's breasts.

Andre: Huh?

Mommy: Milk comes from mommy's breasts. That's what breasts are for - to feed their babies.

Andre: Do you still have milk?

Mommy: No.

Amareah: I remember getting milk from mommy, didn't I?

Mommy: Yes.

Andre: Me too?

Mommy: Yes.

Andre: I remember. (I glance in the rear view mirror to catch a little bashful smile on his face, but it looked like a happy smile. That made me smile and I thought I wouldn't tease him about the time he was watching me nurse his sister and I asked, "You want some milk too?"   ... Andre: No.



Amareah: Mommy, you don't like milk?

Mommy: Amareah, (I'm laughing) it has nothing to do with whether I like milk.

Andre: Why don't you have milk?

Mommy: Because I don't have any babies.

Amareah: I want you to have another baby.

Mommy: I AM  NOT having another baby. You guys are enough. You three and Amber. That's enough.

Amareah: I want to have babies.

Mommy: When you grow up and get married you can have your own babies.

Boy, did she look happy! Funny how that's a natural feeling for little girls.

Andre: I can't grow babies in my stomach.

Mommy: No, boys can't grow babies in their stomachs.

That was one heck of a conversation and it just dawned on me now that they haven't asked how the baby got into mommy's tummy. Well, Andre asked eons ago, but he doesn't remember. Having conversations with your children about the way the body works - in an age-appropriate manner - is very important.

By the end of this conversation we had pulled into our driveway, but that didn't stop them from talking they just switched to a different topic. I was thinking about getting an MP3 player. LOL... just kidding. A little.

The Lady & the Bug

Do you know how to get a depressed person off of a couch?

"Arrange" for a bug to crawl onto the couch. Make sure they see it.

You should see a lot of jumping, throwing of pillows, focused cleaning and vacuuming...

And, hopefully, a little smiling and chuckling ... well, after they stop screaming.

Fountain of life

My fountain of life overflows onto the deep green of my grass
It constantly trickles and runs into the clear blue of my sky,
sometimes blocking my sun and covering my clouds.
But only when the fountain is murky.

To clear it, there are small pebbles laying about
Some clear and white, mostly blue, a lot of green, a little yellow
Just toss them in, wait a spell and gaze upon the magic.
In no time the fountain is crystal clear again.

It's often translucent, sparkly like diamonds so bright
eyes must be shielded.
There's twinkling, sprinkling, gurgling and
all who drink from it are dancing in rhythm.

At the first hint of change the dancers stumble
They weave and stomp through my green grass
Stealing my pebbles, taking the ones they gave me
Leaving my fountain of life to thud absently.

Only to sneakingly return when my pebbles grow again
Nurtured from the smallest grains of sand
The dancers want to indulge... but
No more free sips from my fountain of life.

The fountain is free flowing, speaking its own language
Playing with my pebbles and quenching my grass.
It reflects my sun and my sky overflowing to
strongly exist as my fountain of life.

Tears, cold feet & chuckles

There are only so many bricks to hinder the succession of thoughts and feelings

Even without acknowledgment the crocodile still sneaks through.

Take time to reveal it to the masses

And the discovery will be black, silent without truth and understanding.

Chisel a hole through the bricks for cold feet without permission

And the toes curl against the warmth and awaken the light.

Briefly there is a moment of humanness; a pause from the thought and feel

Then an opening registers a foreign sound from without...

Wonder follows. Interest peaked. 

Not before the bricks return with cement, steel and plaster.

It covers, blocks, ignores.

The crocodile still creeps looking for a way out.

Thought I won one

My two middle children are on winter break so they were out of school yesterday, are out today and will be out on Monday. SIGH. Oh, and this is my weekend.

Their dad picked them up (the the youngest) Wednesday night after he got off of work so I had a wonderfully quiet and kid-free time until this morning when he bought them home this morning. They seemed to be in good spirits and then the unhappiness began.

The baby is relatively happy, but the two middle ones have been at odds. About the second or third time they started to fuss I had a brilliant idea: 'If you're going to argue then you won't play together. Amareah play out here and Andre play in the room."

Then the crying really began. Amareah begged to play with Andre, but I stuck to my guns. After about 20 minutes and a snack for Amareah, she politely and calmly asked to play with her brother. She went in the room and they were quiet...

MOM: 1
KIDS: 0

...20 minutes later it started again.

MOM: -1

And it's only 10:14 a.m.

Big Apple returns to ATL

The excitement of the Big Apple returns to Atlanta and, I don't know about you, I can't wait to see it. This is a show that is sure to have children of all ages on the edge of their seats in anticipation and wonder. My children and I are going on Monday and I'm looking forward to seeing the look on their faces when they see the Big Apple for the first time.

The Big Apple show, Bello is Back!, features Bello who is known as the humor-making, hair-raising daredevil clown who debuted in New York with the Big Apple Circus. Bello was recently named "America's Best Clown" so you have to get some tickets so you can see him in action.


Now for the details; the fun begins tomorrow:

Atlanta, Georgia
Stone Mountain Park
February 12 - 28

And there's more good news: DISCOUNTED TICKETS.

To purchase your discounted tickets to the Big Apple Circus:

Online: http://bigapplecircus.org/atlpop.aspx and submit the code POP10 in the Promotional Codes box

By Phone: CALL 888-541-3750 and mention code POP10

In Person:  Big Top Box Office  10AM–6PM daily. No service fee. Bring a copy of this blog post

*Offer good on select seat locations and performances. Must present this blog post to receive discount at the box office. Performance schedule subject to change. Offer is subject to availability; not valid on prior purchases; cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions. This offer can be revoked at any time. Discount amount varies. Limit 8 tickets per order. No refunds or exchanges. Telephone and Internet orders are subject to standard service fees.

Right now t ickets for performances at upcoming venues are currently on sale to Big Apple Circus members only. Membership helps kids in need and benefits include discounted tickets, VIP seats, invitations to exclusive member-only events and more. Click here for complete information.

To keep up with news, check out @BigApple_Circus on Twitter and the Big Apple Circus Facebook fan page.

If you live in other areas, not to worry. Here is the rest of the tour schedule:
Dulles, Virginia
Dulles Town Center
March 6, 2010 – March 27, 2010

Boston, Massachusetts
City Hall Plaza
April 3, 2010 – May 16, 2010

Queens, New York
Cunningham Park
May 22, 2010 – June 6, 2010

Long Island, New York
Eisenhower Park
June 11, 2010 – July 4, 2010

New NYC Metro Venue
To be confirmed
July 9, 2010 – July 25, 2010

Have fun and come back next week to see how we enjoyed our Big Apple experience.

Raw carrots

My 2 1/2-year-old daughter likes raw carrots. .... But that's not really important.

I'm sure you thought I was going to go into a long, cute story about getting her to eat them. Right? Well, this time you're wrong. I was going to define carrots for you then tell a well-reported story of how vegetables are necessary for good nutrition then give you a solution for getting your children to eat vegetables.

Phooey! That's a freaking lie. It's my sarcastic way of bringing up the fact that someone, who will remain nameless at this time, said that I have not been a writer the entire time I've been doing this blog. Or something along those lines. They said, in so many words, that what I write is filled with "thinly veiled advertisements" and "bitch and moan" sessions. They said I HAVE NOT been a writer.

Can you hear me growling? And it's not my stomach.

Although I am a journalist by degree and have worked in that profession in the past, I have in no way stated that my blog is filled with journalistic writing, in-depth reporting and solution-oriented text. In fact, the blog descriptions I have used in the past contain the following text (give or take):

"It's about the everyday life of a 40-something freelance writer of 15 years and mom of four children from pre-schooler to teenager. I post book, web and product reviews; health and weight loss successes; random thoughts and creative writings, parenting dilemmas as well as the ups and downs of normal life. The goal is to be entertaining, enlightening, encouraging and educational."

Let me address the "thinly veiled advertisements" posts. I do have a disclosure policy, which clearly states,

"... This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog, but do not influence the personal opinions expressed by the writer and editor. That content, advertising space or post may or may not be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content...."

That is the nature of a portion of the blogging business and I simply follow the guidelines of the advertisers through the companies or of the advertisers who contact me directly. I do this because I want and need to get paid.

"Bitch and moan sessions." Excuse me for relaying what goes on in my life and how I feel about it on MY BLOG. It is obviously "a woman's world." If you don't like it then move the hell on. And that's not a moan! Now, in a more ladylike fashion, let me share the posts that have fallen under other categories:

Beautiful pictures of my children for Wordless Wednesday and Looking at the Sky on Friday.
Talking to my son about Black History.
Sharing my middle daughter's photography talent.
Telling about her birthday celebration here and here.
Adventure sale tales with me and Amber or her activities with her siblings.
Tributes to my friends.
Sharing friends' talents, products and daycare services.

It appears I've run out of steam... I just had to get that outta my head and off my chest. Why? 'Cause it was keeping me from writing, blogging and sharing. It was keeping me from talking about what's going on in this woman's world for fear of the judgments, opinions, criticisms and whatnot. Some would say that should be like water on a duck's back. I might normally agree. Possibly. But when so much is going on in life it's sometimes hard to get certain things out of your mind.

Is that talking in circles?

Let me try again...

I have some very difficult, stressful situations to deal with and there isn't a solution readily available. Readily apparent, I guess I should say. For me when I am dealing with a lot of difficulty, negativity and downright fear, I am hyper aware of everything. I'm already super critical of myself so something that I think is unfair or brushed off as a simple black and white issue will bug the heck out of me.

It's time to end this 'cause I think I'm starting to ramble. I need something to relieve a little stress. Maybe I'll go grab me a handful of baby raw carrots.

Real Estate Tax Benefit

It seems like a little while away, but the filing tax deadline in April will be here before you know it. To best take advantage of the credits you deserve, make sure you do your research. And, if you're a homeowner, tThere's a Real Estate Tax Benefit that you should be aware of. Here are some of the details:

1. First-time homebuyers, or those who have not owned a home in the last three years, can receive up to an $8,000 tax credit.
2. Homeowners living in their current home consecutively for at least five of the last eight years can receive a credit of up to $6,500. This group's property must be under $800,000. Look for the term "move up buyer" when you do your research.
   
3. All qualified, future homebuyers should get busy to take advantage of this. Get a written, binding contract by April 30th (which is when the tax credit expires) and close no later than June 30th.
4. The income cap has been raised to $125,000 for singles and $225,000 for married.

This is a positive thing for homebuyers, but it's important for our economy as well. Every time a home is sold in this country it creates a job for the next 12 months and $60,000 (per sale) goes into the local economy. (Check the National Association of Realtors for more details and statistics.)

For additional information, be sure to click the link in the first paragraph and view the video.

If you can't view the video try switching to Internet Explorer.

Looking for pep

Yes, I know you're tired of seeing that bowls of ice cream post at the top. You must be 'cause I know I am. I haven't really felt the vibe to post. I have some "bigger" post projects rolling around in my head and don't have time to do them so I've been a little un-post motivated. LOL

I've definitely had pep to hang out with Amber yesterday (brunch and shopping) and Friday night (dinner and a Redbox movie) so now it's time to get the energy to meet a deadline and get the house in order for the week. It's sunny outside, but I think I have the lazy Sunday mindset. I'm about to get off of the couch for a moment, grab a refreshing bottle of water, bang out some writing for a weekly assignment and get this party started.

Maybe I'll take a break later and do a little yoga. Even though it's relaxing, in a way, it does give me a little energy - wakes up those muscles that are trying to make me lazy. (Yup, blaming on the muscles.)

Overall I'm enjoying my day though and I'm sure I'll get a little pep in my step soon. Hey, maybe I'll find it in another cup of coffee! Sounds like a plan to me.

What are you up to today?

Bowls of homemade ice cream

I would love to make some healthy ice cream in an easy-to-use ice cream maker! I entered this giveaway... You gonna check it out too?

"Pull up a stool to the ice cream counter in your own home. 

Check out the great giveaway at The Creative Side of Me."

 

... make the bed rock (GIVEAWAY)

GIVEAWAY CLOSED.

WIN a $25 gift card to MyPleasure.

Entry deadline extended to February 10th!


Yea, I "stole" that line from The Bedrock. Now don't tell me you haven't heard it. Take a little pause and listen to it on YouTube (hip hopish rap - my own phrase), but I think you'll like it. Sing with me, "My room is the G-spot, call me Mr. Flintstone... I can make your Bedrock..."

As you can see that's where I got my inspiration from for this post's title. Well, that and Valentine's Day. Thanks to MyPleasure.com one of you lucky readers will win a $25 gift certificate to MyPleasure.com.

MyPleasure.com, which is the official online store for Dr. Berman (you've seen her on Oprah), sells books, sex toys, lotions and creams, lingerie and anything else you can think of for your sexual education and spicing up that part of your life. The company is, according to their site, "...dedicated to providing the finest adult toy shopping experience possible. We don't use pornographic images or cheap marketing tactics to make money; we try to appeal to a broad, upscale and mainstream audience by offering only the highest-quality products in a clean, comfortable and elegant online shopping environment."

The original idea of having this giveaway was to help you celebrate Valentine's Day, but if you notice you probably won't receive this in time. That wasn't smart of me, now was it? Actually it was 'cause I want to encourage you to keep the hotness going in your bed (and the movement!) every single day after that. Okay, within reason (talking to you fellas!).


Enough chatter... go ahead and enter now. Good luck!

How can you win the $25 gift certificate to MyPleasure?

Mandatory entry: Leave a comment on this post sharing a detail of a memorable Valentine's day (good or bad!). If you don't have a blogger profile that includes your email address, be sure to include that in your comment.

Optional entries: (Please leave a separate comment for each entry.)

1. Visit MyPleasure.com, look around for a bit then come back here and leave a comment telling me something you think is interesting about the site.
   
2. Subscribe to my blog by clicking the "subscribe in a reader" at the top right of the page. If you're already a subscriber, please let me know that in a comment.
3. Write a post about the giveaway and link back here. Leave the exact URL (not the main page) in your comment.
4. Follow me on Twitter.
5. Tweet about the giveaway and leave the link in the comments to let me know that you did.

Who is eligible?
This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents.

The contest ends on February 10th and the winner will be announced Thursday, February 11th on this post and a separate announcement post. The winner, who will be chosen by Random.org, will receive an email and have 48 hours to respond. If a response is not received in that time then a second place winner will be chosen.

Now, come on, get to commenting for your chance to make your bed rock.

Special thanks to MyPleasure.com for providing the gift certificate for my readers. The opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by the company. No compensation was received.

Enter another giveaway while you're here. EdenFantsys.com has a $25 gift card to giveaway. That's beds rocking all over the place.

Wordless Wednesday: Busy bodies on pause

Take a peek at the last WW I posted. My then 4-year-old daughter took pictures with her camera.

More WW participants at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Organized? Extroverted? Hmmm...

I saw this at I'm The Mommy I'll Blog If I Want To and I just had to take the test myself. I was tickled by her result, which was Romantic Self-Knowing Tree Hugger, and hoped mine would be as interesting.

I took the 43 Things Personality Quiz and found out I'm an

Organized Extroverted Self-Knower

I'm glad it said I'm organized 'cause maybe that means I can finish the challenge!

Heat things up (GIVEAWAY & Review)

Give away closed! Congratulate the winner AMES!

WIN a $25 gift card to Eden Fantasys.
 
Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I know some of you gals (and guys!) would like to spice things up a little in your love lives. That's why I knew hosting another EdenFantasys.com giveaway would be the perfect way to get you and your honey in the mood.

Literally.

EdenFantasys.com, which offers adult toys, books, products, resources and community, has been generous enough to offer another $25 gift card to one lucky winner. Winning this giveaway would be a great opportunity for you to introduce something new into your love life (especially for us mommies who focus more on others than ourselves), but let me recommend a tried-and-true winner: Sexy lingerie.

Thanks to EdenFantasys.com I tried the Sheer halter mini dress in red. Just thinking about it makes me smile... Hey, not for the reasons you're thinking! Getting this item is totally outside my comfort zone so I'm pretty pleased that I chose the mini dress. Eden Fantasys has some very sexy pieces. Whether you're looking for a little babydoll, a racier corset with thong or a sheer revealing gown, there is something that will appeal to everyone.

My review: The red mini dress has lace trim, a three-snap closure at the neck and floral garters with thigh-high stockings. Surprisingly, it's quite comfortable because the material is very soft. One of my "issues" was the lace around the neck - after a moment it was a little uncomfortable for me. That may have been due to the fact that it's sized as "one size fits most" and according to the sizing chart I was on the larger side of that.

Although the item looked exactly like the image on the site, I was still a little surprised that the tights (what they called stockings) were so opaque. I would have liked the look much better had they been sheer like the dress portion. But, there's no doubt, it's a very sexy piece of lingerie.

How can you win the $25 gift card to Eden Fantasys?

Mandatory entry: Leave a comment on this post telling me what your plans are for Valentine's Day. If you don't have a blogger profile that includes your email address, be sure to include that in your comment.

Optional entries: (Please leave a separate comment for each entry.)

1. Visit EdenFantasys.com, look around then come back here and leave a comment telling me something you didn't know about the site.
   
2. Subscribe to my blog by clicking the "subscribe in a reader" at the top right of the page. If you're already a subscriber, please let me know that in a comment.
3. Write a post about the giveaway and link back here. Leave the exact URL (not the main page) in your comment.
4. Follow me on Twitter.
5. Tweet about the giveaway and leave the link in the comments to let me know that you did.

Who is eligible?
This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents.

The contest ends on February 7th and the winner will be announced Monday, February 8th on this post and a separate announcement post. The winner, who will be chosen by Random.org, will receive an email and have 48 hours to respond. If a response is not received in that time then a second place winner will be chosen.

Now, come on, get to commenting for your chance to heat things up this Valentine's Day.

Thanks to EdenFantasys.com, I was provided with a Sheer halter mini dress to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by receiving a complimentary product. No other compensation was received.

28-Day Organizing Challenge

The Organizing Junkie's 28-Day Organizing Challenge began yesterday and I didn't get around to putting up my post. Here's why:

• This has already been a busy week.
• I'm not sure I can do this.
• Thinking about it gives me anxiety.

I've chosen my home office for this challenge and I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. I think one of the things getting in my way of being efficient with my business and personal paperwork is the fact that the office is dark and cluttered. It's relatively neat, but there's so much stuff in there. I don't have a budget for this, but I'm going to try to be creative and do what I can.

Despite my trepidations I'm going to post my before pictures. Take a walk around the room with me (from left to right):

My biggest challenge is going to be finding the time to get this completed and I'm wondering if I should consider a small space instead of this entire room. However, this room is most important to the function and success of my business and home.

I'm hoping the accountability (telling you about it and joining in on The Organizing Junkie's site) will keep me on target and the fact that a winner will be chosen at the end. The best part, and one of the things that fuel me, is the fact that a winner of the challenge will be chosen. The prizes are fabulous. Take a look at the 28-day organizing challenge information here along with the sponsors and the prizes.

Join in (you don't have to do an entire room; you can enter with a small space) and get a little organization going in your home/life. And, don't forget to wish me luck!

Lazy teachers?

Disclaimer of sorts: This opinion is in no way a blanket generalization about teachers. Although I realize there are educational professionals who go above and beyond to take responsibility for teaching the children under their charge, I am somewhat dismayed (?), disappointed (?), discouraged (?), irritated (!) by some of the experiences I've had with my new generation of children in school. Oh, side note, Shaunalynn: You can not use this post to tell me again about homeschooling (or un-schooling) the children! :-P

My plan is not to get into a long tyrade so let's see how this goes. Since the beginning of the school year in September my son's teacher has sent home "homework" that I feel is out of line - for lack of a better word. In the sense where it's homework that I have to do and not anything he can do alone.

After a parent/teacher conference with her I did get a little leeway with having to help him write complete sentences because that was the assignment: Write a sentence about XYZ picture. She said to let them write however they can and they knew what they were writing. SIGH! How is this helpful to just write random letters pretending there words? It's one thing to play at home doing that and it's an entirely 'nother thing to do it in school or as homework. How does one grade this? Well, I'm sure it helps them with their handwriting, but it seems to be a waste of time. And the fact that I have to read instructions to him is ridiculous.

When my oldest daughter was in elementary school, the teacher (even in Amber's advanced classes) sent homework home that she had 1) explained that day in class, and 2) that they knew how to complete by looking at the work or it was sentences and words they already knew. I know for a fact that my mother did even less work with me and my homework when I was a child.

My son has more homework in kindergarten than my daughter had in high school. Really, I am not kidding. He had two projects due this month alone: One that he's already turned in about Martin Luther King Jr. and one about Jamie Foxx that I think is due next week. And there has been a variety of other homework assignments that have required a lot of work from me. He has... Wait, I'm not going to rant about that anymore.

Tonight's homework (in addition to the required reading) was put a rock in a Ziplock bag. Part two was put dirt in a Ziplock bag. Now, truthfully, this is the kind of homework I like. I sent the boy outside for a rock then I checked under the sink for some potting soil and put that in a baggy.

My problem? Why in the world didn't the teacher take the class outside to find rocks and dig some dirt? Or get a bag of potting soil at the Dollar Tree and have them scoop it into a cup? Is it just me or is that lazy?

If it's for a science project then they could have done that during science period/time. Makes sense to me. I really think I'm missing something. I'm just saying.

Sharing history

Happy first day of February. Today begins Black History Month, which is an excellent opportunity for all children to learn about the contributions that Africans and Black Americans have made to our country. I think this is a pivotal time for us with a Black president in office and, on another level, Miss Virginia - who happens to be Black - was just crowned Miss America. I'm sure there are notable events in between both of those memorable moments, but I'm sure you get my point.

My oldest daughter and I often talk about facts in our history, but I don't regularly teach my children until a moment presents itself that they can relate to. For instance, when President Obama was elected the children watched history unfold on the television at their school. We talked about the President and his family for days. Last week, they both learned about Martin Luther King Jr. and my son had a project due on him for school. Both children - Andre and Amareah - were fascinated to learn about King and recite the facts they remember about him.

Andre also has to do a project on Jamie Foxx. Although Foxx has many fans; I must admit that I'm not one of them and I was extremely disappointed when I saw that Andre was assigned to him. I know very little about him and although he has made great strides in the entertainment industry he's not someone I would choose for my son to learn about at this time. With an assignment of MLK, all I had to do was pull several books off of my shelves and make copies (I have a copier here) of the pictures for Andre to include on his poster board. I don't have one book or magazine with Foxx's image in it and my computer isn't currently attached to a printer. We'll see how this turns out. I will find some videos of him singing and of his show so that Andre can see who he's writing about, but this one is going to prove a bit difficult to complete.

Since this is Black History Month, I will only tout the interesting and accomplished things I have learned about Foxx so Andre can have a positive image of him. I, on the other hand, will be groaning inside of my head. LOL...

I'm looking forward to the Black History presentations the children will do at their schools this month and to learning more about (and being reminded of) the contributions and achievements of those who came before us. It's something we should do frequently throughout the year and not just once a month, but it's better than nothing.

How will you acknowledge Black History Month for your children? Is there a project you'll do or a program you normally attend? If you're not African American, do you teach your children about Black History Month? Please share what you tell them.

While you're here, take a peek at my post from last year. There are some adorable photos of my children participating in their Black History month program at the head start.