Thankful Thursday

Remember, a while back I wrote about how we were trying to find a church up here to go instead of me driving two hours both ways to go to church in my hometown?  Well, I'm thankful to say that I have found the church for us!!  It's been a long time coming (over a year but who's counting).  God and spirituality are very important to me.  Therefore, it was really bothering me about not having found a church here to go to.

Not to mention, one of the goals on my vision board was to strengthen my relationship with God.  So, I'm totally looking to getting more involved in the church.  Plus, now is the time I need to start making sure Moo and JJ have a great foundation on which they can build a relationship with God.  And this church seems to have some really great activities for children.

They also have some great activities and opportunities for couples.  And working on my marriage was another goal on my vision board.  I'm going to keep it one hundred and say that right now things aren't nearly as good as I would like them be.  A lot of that is stress due to this and that.  I think attending some of these marriage building sessions can really help us learn how to not let outside things stress our marriage.

I'm also thankful that both of JJ's top front teeth are almost fully out.  We've been having a time with this whole teething situation.  I think at this point we're both ready for a break from it.  We're on Walk Watch.  He's been itching to get down and do his own thing.  So, hopefully he'll be walking unassisted in no time.

I also did another two interviews this past week about YUMMommy and being a blogger.  So, I'll be sharing more about those over the summer.  I'm just incredibly thankful for everything positive that has been going on.  And if you picked up a copy of the book yesterday, I'm thankful for that as well.  If not be sure to get it or at least spread the work about it! 

I'm also thankful that today I'm featured over at Life of TOI as part of her She Rocks series!! Go check out my guest post here.

What's on your Thankful Thursday list?

Happy Easter!!

Hope that everyone is enjoying their Easter Sunday (if you celebrate).  Moo and I have been enjoying a lovely Easter weekend with friends and family.  Looking forward to Easter dinner later on!!  Well, we're off to church to give God some praise.

My Weekend WrapUp

Well, I didn't get much wedding planning done this weekend like I'd hoped to. Instead, I spent Saturday riding back to my home town for a surprise 21st birthday party for my little brother.  I feel so old because it seems like it took forever for him to turn 21 and he's about to graduate from college with his bachelor degree.  Anyways, he really enjoyed his party and the rest of the family was totally surprised when we walked in.  They had no idea we were coming.

I'm really glad that I went because I was in seafood heaven.  I mean we had crab legs, fried shrimp, fried fish, corn on the cob and spuds.  There was no shortage of sugar either between the cheesecake, cupcakes and the Paula Dean Flaky Butter Cake that I had on the way down.  We just had a really lovely time celebrating such a wonderful event.

It felt good to be back home and hanging out with my family.  It's been almost a month since I've moved and about three weeks since I was last home to visit.  They really enjoyed seeing Moo and how much she's grown.  Yes, it's amazing how much people change in so little time.  My niece looked so much more grown up and she's reading on her now!!!  Shocker because she just started kindergarten only two weeks ago.

I'm glad that some of the tension between my mom and I has eased.  I still don't think that she's 100% ok with my choice to be back with Jay, but she's learning to accept that it is what it is.  This is my life and I'm living it the best way I know how to live it for me and my family.  I can't keep trying to please everybody else because I only end up not pleasing myself and I'm tired of putting myself last.

Sunday was just a very laid back day.  I still haven't located a church for us to attend up here.  I feel kind of bad because  I really enjoy going to church and I want to make sure that Moo is developing spiritually as well.  So, I will certainly be scouting out a few places.  I'm actually leaning towards joining the church across from the college I went to.  I really enjoyed the services when I was staying on campus. 

The congregation is very nice and the pastor seemed very friendly and knew all his members personally even though there's like 200 of them not including all the kids.  Now that's true dedication right there.  I'm sure that I know 200 people personally but imagine if all those 200 people had kids and some even have grandkids and great grandkids.  It's crazy, but goes to show that not all preachers are in it for the money.  It's nice to see that preachers are taking the time to connect with their flock.

I'm hoping that this church will be the right fit for us.  If it isn't then I guess we'll just keep trying until we find the right one.

My Weekend WrapUp

It's Sunday and my weekend is officially coming to a close sadly.  Aside from the rain and thunderstorms, I had an enjoyable weekend.  Saturday started with a visit to the office, but thankfully I wasn't there for too long.  Then it was off to Rockingham, NC to shop, shop and shop.  I found some really great buys.  We went to Lowe's and I purchased Moo her very own lawn chair to sit in.  It was just her size too and came in this beautiful watermelon color.

When I saw it, I knew instantly that she would love it.  And I was right. She pulled that chair all over the store and had a meltdown when I finally made her turn it loose and put it in the buggy.  She was scuffing up the floors.  Plus, that awful screeching noise was getting on my nerves.  Not to mention, I think she was getting tired of pulling it, but was too stubborn to just admit defeat. LOL.

After, discovering that something had bitten her on the elbow, we decided to call it a wrap at Lowe's and hightailed it to Big Lot's.  Now, I love Big Lot's!!  I'm a huge bargain shopper.  I like to get the most bang for my buck.  Being a single mom, I have to watch how much money I spend.  You never know when something is going to pop up.  And even though Jay is very helpful and involved in our lives, he lives 2 hours away and can't always get money to us quick enough.

So, I like to be prepared with a stash of my own.  Anyways, I've been posting on Facebook for two months now about my search for a more affordable sewing machine.  I can't afford the $400 sewing machine that I want.  But I was stoked when I came across the Pixie by Singer for only $30!!  Take about a steal.  Singers are like the top brand of sewing machines.

And since, I already know that I'm getting my dream sewing machine for Christmas, the Pixie will do until then.  Not to mention I will still be using the Pixie for smaller projects like making pillow cases and change purses. Yes, I'm one of those crafty people.  I'm a creative type and love expressing myself through my work.  Not to mention, I'm trying to build a brand.

My next great find was at Taco Bell. They have these great $2 Meal Deals that come with an entree, chips and a drink.  Totally awesome.  Who says you can't eat out for cheap?  And the great thing about Taco Bell is their Beefy 5-Layer Burrito.  It's so yummy and I get full off of one every time. So, it's not like I have to order anything else to go with it.  But it was nice having it on the $2 Meal Deals menu.

This morning Moo and I slept in a bit later than we usually do.  Perhaps that's because we went to bed late, but it felt really good.  I got up and decided to use the new blender to make a coconut smoothie.  Bad idea because I ended up smashing my finger with the hammer trying to crack the coconut and then the coconut bounced and landed super hard on the same finger. Ouch!!!! 

I will be sticking to berries for future smoothies.  But I wanted to try something a little bit more healthy for breakfast.  (BTW if any of you have any great smoothie recipes be sure to share them!!)  They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and they're right.  Even though I'm not a breakfast person, I still function better when I have a smoothie or a piece of fruit in my tummy.  I'm way less moody.

I managed to accomplish getting Moo's hair done without any major meltdowns.  She's part Black, part Native American and part Italian.  So, she has really fine curly hair that is characteristic of mixed children.  Everybody says she looks Mexican or Native American.   Anyways, we have trouble with keeping it styled because it's not your traditional Black person hair. So, braids only last a max of two days and then it's time to redo.

And that's when the problems start because she does not like anybody touching her hair.  Not to mention the curls make it hard to comb.  Combing from the root to the ends only causes tangles.  So, I have to start in the middle and comb to the ends then move up until I reach the roots.  And I've been searching for great products that will work for her hair type.  I do use grease on it because that's just a must in a Black home.

But her hair and scalp seem to suck it up so quickly.  So, I'm in search of a cream moisturizer that I can use in between greasings.  Too much grease can clog pores and eventually just cakes up.  But luckily, I've discovered that doing her hair in her bath is easier because she's distracted with her toys and splashing in the water.

Church went great. Our new pastor is getting better and warming up more to us.  I'm still waiting to see how he will interact with the children though.  That is key for me as a parent.  But I think he has great potential to stay around for a year or two.  And he actually brought one of his three children to church!!  We were beginning to wonder if we would ever see any of them.  Still waiting to see the other two though.  It's like celebrity baby watching. LOL

Well, I hope that everyone else has had an enjoyable weekend and will have a great work week. Be blessed!

My Weekend WrapUp

Well, good news everybody...Moo and I are moving!!!  I am so excited.  This weekend past, we went to check out our soon to be new digs.  It's a two bedroom duplex with one full bath, a living room and decent size kitchen.

There's hardwood throughout with linoleum in the kitchen and bathroom.  The master bedroom has two closets and a cute octagon shaped window.  In the backyard is an amazing deck.  I've already made plans to cookout and add some patio furniture as well as a few plants.  We have a clothing line which I will put to use in on hot days.

Plus, I try to be as Green as possible.  Another plus, we don't have to worry about landscaping.  The landlord handles all of that.  However, the down side is that beyond the backyard a pony.  He's cute as a button but not people friendly.  Therefore, there will be no petting the pony.

Another issue is that we will be the only Black family in the neighborhood.  The landlord has assured us that we will be welcomed warmly though.  I hope that he is right because I remember when we moved into an all white neighborhood when I was five.  We got all kinds of notes calling us 'niggers' and telling us 'our kind' wasn't welcomed.  My mom did the best she could to protect us from the racism.  We weren't allowed to play beyond the front yard for years. And most of our dogs ended up getting stolen. 

But I'm hoping that since we are going back to the city, we will be living amongst more open minded white people.  They all seemed pretty nice as they passed us by.  They didn't shoot us any nasty glares. Curious yes.  There is a great plus to living in an all white neighborhood here.  The crime rate is super low!!  It's so low in fact that they leave their doors unlocked.

Crime seems to be its highest in the Black and Hispanic neighborhoods here.  It's a shame, but true never the less.  So, I am looking forward to being able to sleep peacefully at night.

I'm really excited that I get to decorate and hang pictures.  It's a duplex, but I look at it as an upgrade from an apartment and certainly an upgrade from my current situation.  I'm one step closer to home ownership.  I've been researching and looking into some low income housing programs.  And I think that by next summer, I will be ready to make a down payment on my own place.

Besides checking out the duplex, I went to the mall with Moo, her daddy and step sister.  It felt great to be all together as a family.  Our year a part has helped us both to grow and mature.  We are co-parenting very well and communicating much better than before.  He's learning to give me space when I'm upset and I'm learning to be more sensitive to his feelings when dishing out criticism.

Sunday was another family bonding adventure.  We went to church.  And I'm happy to report that our new pastor is getting a little warmer.  I think that he's getting used to us and likewise we are getting used to him.  Following service, we had lunch at my uncle's church and on the way I busted my booty on that slick wet cement ramp. Talk about a pain the ass! LOL!  I'm still sore back there.

While waiting for Jay to arrive, we watched 'The Marriage Counselor,' an original screen play written, produced and directed by the great Tyler Perry.  That man is awesome. He is taking Black cinema to places it's never been.  And rumor has it that he is looking to take over TBS and turn it into the Tyler Perry Network.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he can strike some kind of deal with them.  We need more Black networks out there will positive Black shows.  We're more than just thugs, criminals and baby mamas.

Anyways, I think that my mom is finally warming back up to Jay.  She actually accompanied us to Rockingham and we had a lovely family dinner afterward.  So, here's to miracles and God being able to heal wounds.  Looking forward to a wonderful week of packing.  Hope you guys had a great weekend as well.

My Weekend WrapUp

Well, the three day weekend is officially over and it was back to business as usual. For me that included a day at the office, collecting some stuff from my sponsors (giveaway coming soon), Mommy Duty, and running other miscellaneous errands.  Anyways, I hope that everyone had an enjoyable weekend.  I certainly did. I felt so refreshed this morning that I rolled out of bed before 7AM.

And as my family can tell you, I'm not much of a morning person.  Although, I've been trying to change that.  I think that I'm improving. I'm a lot less grouchy for sure.  But back to my weekend...  It was totally awesome from beginning to end.

Saturday, I enjoyed nice social outing that was great for me and Moo.  We went to birthday party for my friend's son.  He turned a big, fat 1!!!!!   The theme was Curious George/Pool Party.  Moo did not enjoy the pool however.  I got her the cutest little bathing suit with pink Hawaiian.  She was content to just stand on the sideline and look pretty.  She did have fun playing basketball with her daddy and riding the tricycle.

We looked at our potential new home. Yes, we're moving hopefully the end of July!!!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed. However, I wouldn't mind waiting October or later. Most leases end in the winter.  Plus, I'm hoping to find a house and not an apartment. I'm really ready to move into a place that I can call my own and actually make my own decoration wise.  I'm the creative type who likes to put up curtains, paint the walls, hang photos and mirrors, update the lighting fixtures, etc.

I've found a few other nice places online Sunday and can't wait to see them in person.  Sunday was bittersweet.  Our beloved pastor is going into retirement the end of this month. :( Although, I haven't known him for all that long because I was in college when he came to our parish, the almost two years that I have been back home and getting to know him has been wonderful.  He's done so much and improved the church for the better.

He's done an exceptionally great job at starting programs to keep our youth involved.  As a parent and young adult, I appreciate that.  The way he takes time and stands up for them is amazing.  And to see that some of those kids and teenagers have a better relationship with him than their own parents is mind blowing.  He has truly made a lasting impression that will not fade anytime soon.  So, we put together a surprise Appreciation/Farewell Service for him on Sunday.

There wasn't a dry eye in the building.  The most touching part of the service was when the young girl's mime team presented him with a cute card that said he will missed and that it's not goodbye but farewell. It even had a check inside.  He went to pieces crying in front of all of us. Whoever says that strong men don't cry never met this man.  He is stronger than most men will ever be.

This man has the courage and boldness to say things to our congregation that many pastors wouldn't dare. However, we are still able to take the chastisement in love and not be angry with him.  So, it would be an understatement to say that he will missed.  He has agreed to keep in touch and come back for visits.  I'm going to make sure that he visits at least once as he will be performing my wedding ceremony when the time comes.

Memorial Day, we gave honor to all our family and friends who are serving or have served in the military. I have to say that it takes a brave and courageous soul to fight for the freedom of millions of strangers.  I am not that brave or courageous.  So, my hat is certainly off to those men and women who leave their families behind to put themselves in harm's way so that we can have freedom and an equal chance at living.  I thank God daily for making this nation.

I hope that you all took the time out to thank all the military personnel that you know.  You'd be amazed at how much they appreciate just a word of thanks and acknowledgment.  I also grilled out. Yes, Mother Nature thought she was going to rain on our cook out, but thank God for covered porches and silicon cooking utensils too!!!  We moved the grill on the porch and kept the flame blazing.

It felt wonderful to have just about all the family under one crowded roof.  We laughed, argued and ate.  But most of all we loved.  My family is very dear to me and any chance we have to get together, we do it.  They're not a lot of the older generation left. So, each year that we make it through without a lost is a blessing.  It's scary when you see family members from your parents generation dying off. It just hits home that much harder that death is unpredictable and that you truly have cherish the time you have.

That is part of the reason I write this blog. I want to cherish my life and share what I can with as many as I can.  Like I said in my very post on here, if I can inspire or touch just one person then I'm happy.  I truly love to write and believe that words can have power....

My Weekend WrapUp

Well, the weekend is officially coming to close. I hope that everyone had an enjoyable weekend like I did. Saturday, I finally went to the eye doctor and got my eyes checked for some new glasses. And I must say that I am still blind as a bat almost. My eyesight is 20/70.

That's almost bad enough to qualify for bifocals!!! I have certainly learned that I need to keep my prescription up to date. Anybody who knows me personally will tell you that I believe in wearing and using my stuff until it falls apart.  You can call it cheap but I call it my way of being green and getting my money's worth.  However, somethings like eyeglasses and shoes and cars shouldn't be placed into that category.  So, I will be scheduled for yearly eye exams in May for the next couple of years at least.

On a good note, I did get these totally amazing pair of CoverGirl specs.  Can't wait for them to come in this upcoming week.  I am going to look so chic and fashionable in my new glasses. Not to mention, I'll be able to see. I've been kind of sticking to only going places I know really well because I don't have to strain to read street signs or anything.  And I haven't been driving at night. My night vision is awful without my glasses.

So, I'm glad that I will be driving legally again since it states on my license that I shouldn't operate a vehicle without my glasses.  Shhh....that will be our little secret.  After my visit with the eye doctor, me, Moo and her father journeyed to my local park.  He commutes every other weekend to spend time with her.  And this just happened to be one of his weekends.

Now, Jay (as I will call him) and I have quite the relationship history.  We were together four years before I finally got preggers with our first child together (he has one daughter from a previous relationship) and had been engaged for 3.  Yes, long engagement I know.  Then at the beginning our our fifth year everything just seemed to fall apart. I'm not exactly sure why.

I think it was the stress of being a new parent all over again, trying to put together the perfect wedding still and change in careers that did us in.  Plus, while it might not seem like it, I'm not exactly an open book when it comes to talking with him. I tend to get defensive or shut down completely.  What can I say, I learned it from my father.  And I'm not a fan of confrontation within my immediate circle.

I have yet to master the art of expressing my feelings and emotions without starting a shouting match in which I end up the only one shouting. Then I fall into a heap of tears on the floor, couch or bed.  It's horrible really.  However, I'm trying to work on my communication skills with Jay. It's been a year since we split and our relationship has been wonderful except for those few bumps in the road last October.

But now that we have ironed those out, it's been smooth sailing. I love him still dearly and honestly can't see myself being with anybody else. I've tried and failed miserably at it.  So, Saturday we talked about how much we still loved each other and how we both let outside things and people and our stubbornness break up our family. We would love to try to work things out again and I honestly I hope that we can.

Jay and I both know what it feels like to grow up without our father being in our lives on a daily basis.  And I don't want that for Moo. If the problem with our relationship is fixable then why shouldn't we fix it? Now the hard part is breaking the news to my family.  They're not exactly a fan of his anymore. However, I hope they will respect my decision and support me on it.

Today was just as great because I was still on my love high from yesterday with Jay. I had a great time at the House of the Lord aka church.  Our pastor is retiring and we're in the transition of getting a new one. Not sure how we are going to like him, but I'll give him a chance.  It's always hard being in the United Methodist Church because you have to switch pastors every so often. By the time, you get used to one they're charge is up and they're office to a different parish.

I have to say though that we have been blessed to have had some awesome leaders.  They have all come in and loved us like family and kept it real. Our church is in a much better position than I ever remember us being.  So, in a way I'm looking forward to meeting the pastor and his family.  I hear he's on the younger side, quite tall and has kids.

I take my religion and faith very seriously. So, if this pastor does not come correct, trust I will have no problem going elsewhere. I can't have my daughter raised up in a dead church. Her spiritual growth is very important. These are the crucial years for her and I am responsible for shaping her.

Well, it's off to bed. Tomorrow is another day and I have to get busy job hunting as I will no longer be manning my current post at my current job after the 31st of this month.  It's proving to be a tough process, but God will make a way and open up the right doors.

My Weekend WrapUp

It's Sunday and the weekend is officially coming to a close.  I can't say that I'm particularly sad about it though.  Saturday was the public debut of my KE Original accessory line in Chesterfield, SC.  Somehow, I got bamboozled into renting a booth at their Yard Sale of the Carolinas.  Hahaha...never again.  It was absolutely awful.

To start off, the $15 booth rental fee turned out to be nothing more than a fee for renting an empty booth space. There was no actual booth provided.  Thankfully, it had dawned on me that I should pack a table and I did.  And my booth space was nothing fancy.  We were smack dab in the middle of Fire Ant Central and Bee Haven. LOL.  Not to mention the sun came out around 9 AM and it started to cook us like hot dogs on a grill.

Yes, I got quite the tan, but no sun burn this time.  I took small breaks in shade whenever customers were stopping to look at my booth.  Oh let's talk about the customers.  Those people don't appreciate quality handmade items at all.  They were too busy buying up dusty shutters, a lawn mower motor, tents and one lady sold her dog for $15.  It was a total bust.  So, I loaded up my goods with the help of my brother and little sister and we high tailed it back home to head out to Chinese buffet.

I admit that I had been looking forward to making a small fortune at that thing.  I mean the way they advertised it, made it seem more like an arts & crafts festival than an actual junk sale extravaganza.  If I would have known those people wanted to buy junk, I could have emptied out my closet and storage.  But as my mom said, "At least you got the experience and know what it's all about."  However, all I want to know is can I get my money back?

While I did enjoy having my little brother home from college and spending time with the rest of the family, I was desperately missing my Moo. This weekend just so happens to be the weekend she visits with her father.  I missed her so much and was going a little nuts worrying what she was doing, if her diaper was wet or if her tummy was full.  I just wanted her back home with me.  That little girl is the light of my life.

And today I'm just enjoying a lazy Sunday.  Didn't quite make it to church like I intended thanks to some people who shall remain nameless. LOL.  But I know that God won't hold that against me. He knows that I have a good heart and that I'm usually at church every Sunday unless there is an emergency. 

So, I hope that you all have enjoyed your weekends and that you're getting prepared for the start of a brand new week.  I know that I am. Don't forget tomorrow is What I'm Making Monday around here.  And I'll be doing my FIRST Giveaway!!!!!  Check back to see what I'll be making and visit Baby Makin{g} Machine's blog to see the other What I'm Making Monday posts that will be linked up on her page.