How full is your bucket?

I miss you, my love

2012-02-06T20:19:00.001-05:00

Since it’s February, I decided that I wanted to write a post about love lost and found. When I was told that I needed someone like you last summer, I just shook my head in total disagreement. I can still remember saying I’m fine with what I’ve got. Well, how wrong I was. I so needed someone just like you to enter my life and change my world forever. We have spent so much time together in the past few months that I feel like you know what I’m thinking even before I tell you. Sometimes I feel like the girl from Jerry Maguire because I just want to tell you that you complete me. Before you, I wasn’t half the woman I am now. Now that we’re together, I feel cool, confident, and so composed. You really make my life so much easier. I should have known that things were too good to be true. We were cruising along and then you got sick. Oh my goodness, I had no idea how much I would miss your presence. I miss you laying beside me and waking up to the sound of your voice. I miss the way you feel and the way you make me laugh. I am praying that you will get well soon and that we can resume this wonderful love thang we got going on. Good-bye my love and I’m counting down the days until we are reunited. Who is this awesome lover?….it’s my Samsung Fascinate smartphone!!!!

2011 Reflections

2012-01-24T21:38:00.000-05:00

As I continue to work on my 2012 Goals Collage, I decided to reflect on 2011. Wow, 2011 was filled with so many twists and turns that I felt like I was literally on my own personal roller coaster. The year started off with a closure of sorts. I decided to let bygones be bygones and let go of any animosity toward anyone who I felt had done me wrong. Fortunately, my list was rather short since it only consisted of one person, my ex. I decided that I just couldn’t bring that hurt and disappointment into the New Year. I started the year with a cautious optimism that I carried throughout the entire year. The first of year was met with me returning to school to begin my specialist degree in Instructional Technology and Media. (What the heck was I thinking? Oh wow, online courses are no joke and they continue to kick my butt!). As the year progressed, I found myself mourning the loss of a close friend’s mother and truly pausing to reflect on my own mortality. The summer was met with the usual hustle and bustle of summer camps, family vacations (San Juan, PR) was great, and my part-time job of training teachers. As the school year quickly began to surface on the horizon, I was met was an unimaginable change. I was told that I would no longer be in elementary school but instead that I was moving to middle school. For the past 14 years, I had been an elementary school teacher and I didn’t even know that I was certified to teach middle school. I was less than happy to say the least. However, once I got settled into the routine of working with middle school girls (it’s an all-girls school) and having a later start time for work I was sold. As 2011 came to a close, I found myself purging and preparing to move to a smaller, cheaper apartment. In addition to getting rid of stuff that I no longer used, I decided to get rid of thoughts and situations that were no longer necessary or fruitful. As 2011 came to an end, I found myself settling into my new head space as well as my new place. The events of 2011 have helped me see that at the end of the day it’s all about courage. The courage to keep going when I don’t feel like it, the courage to stand-up for myself and my opinions, the courage to be unapologetic about my choices and finally the courage to accept that my HEA (happily ever after) doesn’t necessarily consist of a husband but rather it is rooted in my growing relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T20:25:00.000-05:00

This is the one day of the year that we can all think of at least one thing to be thankful for. From family and friends to good health and peace of mind, we can all rattle off the commonly named things to be thankful for. But this Thanksgiving, I’m taking a different approach and I’m thanking God for the confusion, tears, fears, and downright disappointments of the last year. I have grown so much in the last 12 months as a result of all the storms that have clouded my life. However, as I look ahead, I can see a rainbow and it’s beautiful. It represents so many things to me but most importantly, it reminds me that life is indeed about the everyday journeys , the pit stops and potholes along the way and not so much about the final destination. As this year quickly approaches an end, I am encouraged. I am looking forward to planting some wonderful seeds in the upcoming weeks and then I’ll be carefully watering them and making sure they get enough sunshine so that when spring arrives, my harvest will be “exceedingly and abundantly, more than I could ever hope, think or even imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20, paraphrased just a bit.) As always I will close with a question, what are you thankful for?

Book Review: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

2011-10-14T07:46:00.000-04:00

Do you like Star Wars? Is one of your favorite characters from the series Yoda? Have you ever wondered does “the force” really exist? If you answered yes to any of these questions then strap yourself in and get ready to go to a galaxy far, far away? Well, actually not that far away and I guess it’s not really another galaxy either. I guess I got a little carried away with all the Star Wars stuff. Anywho, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger is a quick read that will have you laughing out loud as you enjoy this tale of a middle school boy named Tommy who is trying to figure out if an origami puppet is really able to give sound advice. At the end of the book, there is even a diagram that shows how to create your own origami Yoda puppet. So grab your lightsaber (it will help you if you decide to read in the dark) and let the force be with you, young Jedi. Happy Reading!

Bye, Bye Spilled Milk

2011-06-05T16:39:00.000-04:00

Image from www.businesspundit.com

Last week, my pastor touched on the notion of letting go and getting over things and not crying over spilled milk. Well, at today’s church service it finally hit me, I have got to let go of the spilled milk in my past. I just realized that when we constantly replay events of the past it keeps them alive and unfortunately, it keeps us stuck in the past. We are unable to see clearly about our future and most importantly, our present. As I was sitting in church thinking last year this time I was in the midst of planning a wedding. Wait a minute, I am really thinking about some stuff I was doing 365 days ago, that has absolutely NOTHING to do with me now. What a major waste of emotional energy!!!! I told myself, “Self, you have got to let it go. You need to write down (or in this case, type) all the spilled milk you are no longer figuratively and some times literally crying over. So here’s my spilled milk list. These are things that I have held on to for way too long and it’s time to let them go…move on..and embrace the now and look expectantly to a better future. I am learning that it’s okay to let things go. You can still learn from the experience without fear of repeating the same mistake if you just let it go. Learn the lesson, apply the lesson but let the event (the spilled milk) go. So as I was saying, here it is my spilled milk list and just so that you can see how long I’ve been holding on to some things I’ve put the number of years that I’ve been holding on to it in parenthesis:

• The wedding that didn’t happen and the failed relationship (1 year- I never imagined that I would get engaged and then have to call off the entire relationship, not just the wedding. However, replaying the wedding details and the relationship won't change the fact that I didn't get married and that I stayed in a relationship long past it's expiration date.)
• The ex that I broke up with because he didn’t want to get married
(11 years- I know it’s sad but really I had no idea I’ve been holding on to this one so long. But I guess since I keep replaying it and even kept in touch for a bit it made it seem like just yesterday that we broke up.)
• The fact that I had a child and wasn’t married
(4 years and counting. Now this one I have got to let go of. I can’t change the past and no matter how long I hold on to this one it won’t change the fact that I wasn’t married when I had my wonderful son. So I need to accept the fact and forgive myself and focus on being the best mother I can be to my child.)
• The fact that I’m not married
(13 years and counting. I have been beating myself up for years about this one. I’m sure my close friends are happy that I’m publicly announcing that I’m letting this one go. Since, it’s become a bit of an obsession. I just think about it and try to make it happen and then I'm sad, depressed, angry, and downright mad that it hasn’t happened. So after 13 years and some change, I’m letting it go. I really feel like it’s time. I feel like it’s a monster I created that I should name since we’ve spent over a decade together.)

In closing, I am really saying that I’m trusting God’s Word and who HE is. In Romans 8:28, It says “and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJV- New King James Version)

So in other words, all things work for good to those that are called according to HIS purpose. It doesn’t’ say some things but it says ALL things so I have to know that all the spilled milk that I’ve refused to let go of has been meant to work for my good. It’s not easy but it sure is a more peaceful space to just trust God and know that in the end He has my best interest in mind. As always, I love to end with a question so what's the spilled milk that you need to let go of because it’s stinking up your present and your future?

Age of Dinosaurs

2011-03-20T14:48:00.000-04:00

This is yet another posting that has absolutely nothing to do with blog. I just needed to have a url for the following pictures so this is the fastest way I knew how to accomplish this goal. Seeing as though this assignment is due today. Time is no doubt of the essence.

Using our Senses

2011-03-06T17:13:00.000-05:00

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with my blog. However, I needed to get a url for it so this was the fastest way I knew how to accomplish this goal.

Entering the world of Blogging (Again)

2011-02-19T18:19:00.000-05:00

Well, it’s been quite awhile since I’ve last written on this blog. I guess when drama and chaos hits you like a runaway train broadcasting it to your friends and associates isn’t that much fun. Anywho, I have a few bruises that have no doubt healed but left a couple of scars and I’m back and ready to blog. I’m not quite sure what I’ll write about but hey I kinda feel like I have a few things to say so I’m back. Stay tuned for an update about empty buckets, bucket dippers and most importantly, learning how to fill your own bucket!

My Big Rocks

2010-04-15T16:08:00.004-04:00

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted something. As you can imagine I've been a tad busy. While the details of the wedding aren't consuming me, they have added just one more thing on my already full plate. Needless to say that I have begun pruning as spring appears to be a great time to do this. I'm in serious declutter mode. Most importantly, I am really trying to find time to do the things I LOVE. So while I like to blog, I have to admit that I don't LOVE it. My new goal for blogging is monthly. I wish I could blog once a week and I doubt if I'll ever blog once a day but for now once a month is definitely doable. This past month, I have started prioritizing my "big rocks" as Steven Covey would say. My current big rocks are: spending time with my son and my fiance, reading at least 30 minutes a day, exercising 3 days a week, getting more sleep and planning my wedding. It's taken some time but I now see that blogging is really among the sand, gravel, and water in my life. Over the past few months, I'm learning that everyone's rocks are different and that one's rocks can change with each new season in life. So as I recap the past month, I will focus on my big rocks:
1.) Time with my son and my fiance - Grade C
       Unfortunately, I don't really feel like I've been spending enough quality time with either of them. I also
       realize that I don't quite know what this quality time should look like. So my plan for this month is
       to read a story to my son everyday . (I'm giving myself permission to not limit this reading to
       bedtime. It can happen at any point of the day.) As for my fiance, my goal is for us to have at least
       one date night this month and play at least one board game a week.

2.) Reading at least 30 minutes a day - Grade B
      I managed to read 2 books this past month so I'm not doing too badly with this "rock". My memory
      isn't as good as it used to be and I don't have my reading journal with me. Therefore, I
     can't remember the books I read for March. Thank goodness, improving my memory isn't one of
      my big rocks. :) In order for me to reach my big goal of reading 35 books this year, I need to read 3
      books a month so hopefully I will be able to accomplish this goal for April.

3.) Exercising 3 times a week - Grade D+
      I suck on this one. I just can't get it together. It's either all or nothing. Some weeks, I do it and other
      weeks, I don't do anything. If there are four weeks in a month and my goal is 3 days a week, that's only
      12 days a month. Well for March I managed to work out about 7 days. (This is of course a guess
      since I don't have my calendar near me.) My goal for April is just do it. No excuses!!!!!

4.) Getting more sleep - Grade F
      I am failing miserably with this one. The only time I managed to get 7 - 8 hours of sleep this past month
      was if I was sick. I really am committed to this one because I really do feel better in the morning and my
     day goes so much better after a good night's sleep. My goal is to get in the bed by 10:30 p.m. I have a
      DVR so I can't use the excuse of watching television since I can record the shows I want to see.

5.) Planning my wedding - Grade A +++++
      Surprise, surprise, I'm doing a great job on this big rock. I have set up a website, secured the location,
      started making the invitations, located a harpist, decided on favors and weekend activities. Since this
      rock is pretty darn big, I'm happy that I doing well on this goal. Even though, I'm not consumed with
     wedding planning it's no doubt the one thing I'm doing well. If I look at why I'm making such good
     progress, it's because I have a specific list of things to accomplish and have set aside specific blocks of
    time to accomplish it. I guess I need to apply this same strategy to the other rocks in my life.

Now that I've shared my "big rocks", I'm curious to know what are some of the "rocks" in this season of your life?

I'm Engaged!!!!!

2010-03-12T13:55:00.001-05:00

This past Tuesday, I got engaged. As you can imagine, I am quite excited and still floating on cloud nine. It's kinda weird now when I look down and see my ring. It really helps me see that God's grace is truly amazing and things really do work according to His awesome plan. Last week, it seemed like manfriend and I had been dating FOREVER. When in actuality, it's only been 17 months. I guess when you hit 30, months feel like years. It's almost like I was counting each month in dog years or better yet, single woman over 30 years.

Now, that I'm engaged it's been hard to make the switch in titles. I keep telling the engagement story and saying my friend or manfriend instead of my fiancé. However, for some strange reason I feel like I need to be engaged a certain amount of time before I can call him by his new title. It's funny because I've waited for this moment for what seems like an eternity yet I'm finding it difficult to grasp. I really feel like I'm dreaming and that this can't possibly be happening to me.

After a few long-term relationships and oodles of hurt feelings and tears, I just can't believe that my day has come. I swear I used to cringe when people were like, "Guess, what?" Of course, I'd fake it and act excited. However, it felt like a jab in my side every time someone told of how they met some guy, dated for a few months or a few years, and now they're getting married. Meanwhile, I just felt like I was sitting on the sidelines waiting to get in the game. I kept feeling like that kid who nobody picks for their team. So now that I have officially been picked, I am so sensitive to those around me. While I can't front, my world is different in a good way and that a HUGE monkey has been lifted off my back. I don't want my happiness and excitement to cause anyone else any unnecessary pain. So I just pray that during this time of my life, I don't fill my bucket at the expense of dipping into someone else's. I pray that this season proves to be a source of joy for all those around me.

The Past Month....

2010-03-04T19:03:00.000-05:00

Omgoodness, I really can't believe that it's been over a month since I've blogged. It really does seem like it was just the other day. Since it's been a bit longer than a few days, I feel like I should catch everyone up.

Air cast Update: Gone, well kinda. It's in my trunk. I wonder if I can sell it on EBay. My foot is feeling a lot better as a result of wearing the air cast and now my Shape-Up Sketchers. Who knew that these tennis shoes would make me a mini-star? I'm not lying. EVERY time, I leave the house someone will ask, "How do you like those shoes?" or "Are they working?" My response to question number one is always, "Oh, I love them. They are sooo comfortable." Now, my response to the second question is a bit more detailed. Somehow I feel like I must look like a big frump because if my weight was in proportion to my height, would you need to ask? Wouldn't you be able to see that they were "working?" So, for the second question, I launch into this loooong explanation about the air cast and why I bought the shoes in the first place (which was to level out the air cast). I then go on to say that I didn't buy them to get in shape so I don't really know if they're working.

Doctor's Orders: 80 what??? This was my response when I found out that the "old" lady socks that my doctor prescribed cost that much. I mean really. $80 for some socks. Needless to say, I'm gonna have so stinky feet cause a sista can't afford to buy more than two pair of socks.

Reading: It's sad to say that February was a s-l-o-w month on the reading end. I only read one book. It's called The Conversation by Hill Harper. It was a really good book. I am currently reading 2 books so hopefully I will be able to finish one of them before the end of March.

Fitness: I swear, I 'm just so darn tired. It seems like I can't get enough rest. No matter what time I go to bed, I still wake up feeling absolutely exhausted. I am now taking a few vitamin supplements so I do hope this helps. I am currently looking for a Wii dance game. Any suggestions???

Family Life: My son currently has strep throat. When he had a fever the other night, I wanted to be near him just in case he needed anything so I slept in his bed with him. Well, guess whose throat is getting tighter and tighter by the minute. You guessed it....ME. I have already missed two days of work due to him being sick now I may have to miss another since I think I might be getting sick myself.

In conclusion, I am in the process of pruning and decluttering and re-organizing and all that other stuff..What I'm really trying to say is that while I do miss blogging, I realize that I don't have to beat myself up if I can't do it weekly. Hey, it's all about balance and adjusting so I may just be blogging once a month.

I know this post has been super long (for me) and I'm sorry. I really appreciate you reading all this.

90 Minutes in Heaven

2010-01-24T11:02:00.000-05:00

In an effort to switch things up a bit, I decided to read a nonfiction book. I must say that I've seen this book over the years and never really felt compelled to read it. However, a few months ago, when I was dropping things off at the Goodwill and ended up leaving with 10 books this one made the cut. It was definitely an interesting story. I feel like a bad Christian because I'm not moved by the book and probably won't read it again. It's kinda heavy and I was disappointed that there wasn’t some profound moral at the end. However, maybe it's just because I've been in a funk lately and this definitely wasn't the book to lift me out of it. So if you are interested in reading about one man's trip to heaven and back then you should no doubt read 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper.

God Bless the People of Haiti

2010-01-14T10:41:00.002-05:00

As I sit at home wearing my space boot, I am quickly reminded that my problems and inconveniences pale in comparison to the disaster that has hit Haiti. I feel a personal connection to this tragedy because one of my very close friends is Haitian. Her family has already confirmed the death of one family member and is anxiously waiting to find out about other family members and friends. I keep wondering what I can do. Well, I decided that my blog could be a voice to ask for help. Wyclef Jean's foundation is accepting donations and is committed to helping the people of Haiti. You can donate $5.00 by texting the word Yele to 501501 and the charges will appear on your next cell phone bill or you can visit Yele Haiti to a make a donation. I pray that you are able to forgo a small pleasure and find $5.00 in your budget to help Haiti. God Bless for your generosity and let's all pray for the wonderful people of Haiti.

A what? Oh, can I get one in pink?

2010-01-13T12:26:00.000-05:00

My Doctor: You're going to need to wear a walking boot.

Me: A what?

My Doctor: An air cast. I know you've seen one before. It's a plastic boot that will help your foot and make walking less painful.

Me: Oh, can I get one in pink?

Unfortunately, air cast/walking boots don't come in pink. They only come in this UGLY gray color that looks like it's a part of an astronaut's suit. It does however come with a cool hand pump so my son really enjoyed pumping air into mommy's cast this morning. I guess it's a good thing that I wear a lot of black since my walking boot will be a permanent part of my wardrobe for the next few weeks. The doctor's exact words were "You have to wear it until we figure out what's wrong with your foot!"

So now let me explain. Oh, about 15 years ago, my left foot started swelling up. It would be fine in the morning but by the end of the night it would be huge and a little stiff but nothing super uncomfortable. So I would casually bring this up at doctor's appointments and most times, it was dismissed as nothing major. Well, last week my foot started to swell in its normal fashion but then it started to really hurt to walk and by the end of the work day I was limping down the hall to my car. Thankfully, we were off from school on Friday so I had the entire weekend to rest. I soaked my foot in Epson salt, took a few Tylenol and all was well. So on Monday morning, I was "fine" and had decided to postpone visiting a doctor until spring break. Since by then I would have a little bit more time on my hands. Well, by around 9 a.m Monday morning, I was back to limping and promptly called my doctor. I had an appointment yesterday morning. Somehow I thought she would just give my some medicine and send me on my way. Boy was I wrong! I had to get blood drawn, x-rayed, and pick up my walking boot. Needless to say, I didn't make it to work yesterday and am off today and tomorrow. It's actually a very weird feeling because since I'm wearing a moon boot and now my ankle is killing me, I'm stuck sitting in my recliner with my foot elevated. I keep trying to figure out how to use this "extra-time" wisely. I thought I would scrapbook but it's hard to do with your foot elevated. I have of course been reading but hey I need something else to do. Most every one I know is working so I can't really call anyone. I guess this means that I can catch up on all the stuff I recorded on my dvr.

I love my Snuggie

2010-01-10T14:42:00.000-05:00

Okay, I just wanted to take a few moments and sing some LOUD praises for my Snuggie. OMGoodness, the commercials look so hokey. Manfriend bought me one for Christmas. He got me a Pitt Panther one since that's where I went to college. I thanked him for the gift but thought why would he get me a blanket when I'm ALWAYS hot. I, of course, thought that I wouldn’t like it because it would make me sweat and just be quite uncomfortable. Boy was I wrong. I absolutely love it!!!! The weight is perfect. So it keeps me warm but I'm definitely not hot. I also like the fact that my hands are free while I'm wearing it. So now I can stay warm while attempting to read 35 books this year. Many people think it's just like wearing a robe backwards, it really isn't. I love it and am so glad that I have one. Do you have a Snuggie and if so, do you love it?

If you need a good laugh....

2010-01-06T15:01:00.000-05:00

then you definitely should read Sellevision by Augusten Burroughs. It is absolutely hilarious. Omgoodness, it is truly one of the best books I've read in a long time. So, what's it about? The book centers around four hosts of a retail television show. Think QVC or HSN meets Jerry Springer. As you know, one of my goals for this year is to read 35 books. Well, I'm so happy that I stumbled upon this one. One down, only 34 more to go. Have you read anything good lately?

2010 Goals

2010-01-02T17:02:00.000-05:00

Well, as we are now a few days into the New Year, it seems only fitting that I post my 10 goals for 2010.

1. Read the Bible daily. (So far, so good. I have read the Bible two mornings in a row. I'm off to a great start.)

2. Read a story to my son every night. (Well, I actually might need to revise this one to daily and not limit it to bedtime. Since last night we got home kinda late and I didn't get a chance to read a story to my little one.)

3. Volunteer once a month. (I am currently looking for ways to "give back" each month. Suggestions are encouraged and welcomed.)

4. Go to bed at 10:30 p.m. Sunday - Thursday. (Well, since I'm currently on vacation, I've haven't started this one yet. This Sunday will begin the test.)

5. Read 35 books. (You might remember that last year, I attempted to read 52 books in 52 weeks. What was I thinking? I didn't reach my goal but I did read 29 books. Well, this year, I have decided to be a little more realistic. I wanna read my age in books.)

6. Exercise 4x's a week for 30 minutes. (Ummmm...I've been rather sick these last few days and so I haven't actually started this either. However, Sunday (or shall I say tomorrow) I plan to start.)

7. Take my son on a vacation. (I want to take him to SeaWorld in Orlando or possibly a place with a beach and if worst come to worst, I can count the yearly trip home as a vacation.)

8. Save $1,000. (I am truly hoping to accomplish this goal by June.)

9. Weigh 135 lbs. (I currently weigh 160 and it's just too darn heavy. I wear an expensive size 6 and a cheap 12 (i.e. Jones of New York, size 6 and Wal-Mart size 12). I really would like to wear an expensive size 2 and cheap size 6.)

10. Get married. (This has actually been a "goal" of mine for the last 10 years. However, I've decided to put it down on paper and see what happens. Clearly, this is a goal that I can't really control unless I want to be like the girl in Leap Year, which I don't. But hey, I decided to write it down and see what happens.)

Bonus Goal: 52 posts in 52 weeks. (Ideally, I would love to post more than once a week but I'm going to start small and commit to publishing at least once a week.)

So what is something you would like to accomplish this year?

2009 Goals Review

2009-12-29T12:45:00.000-05:00

Wow, I can't believe that we're days away for 2010. I really do feel like this year has flown by. So as I begin to work on my dream collage for the upcoming year, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on my 2009 goals. Here are the results:

1. Get closer to God (I think I should have been a bit more specific. I mean, how can I really measure my closeness with God? While I do feel closer in some ways, I also feel further away in others.)

2. ~~Help my little cousin graduate from high school~~

3. ~~Help my little cousin as she enters college~~

4. ~~Enroll my son in softball~~

5. Save $3,000 (I didn't reach this goal. However, I am happy that I was able to pay off about 3,000 in debt this year. I guess technically that might count for something.)

6. ~~Maintain/sustain a loving relationship with manfriend~~ (We're still together so kudos to me and my manfriend since we're still going strong.)

7. No new debt (While I was paying stuff off, I feel off the wagon a few times and whipped out my credit card for a few purchases.)

8. ~~Create multiple streams of income~~ (This one is huge. I went from being unemployed to having to turn down jobs. God is definitely soooooo good.)

9. Eat Better (I think this one should have also been more specific. Overall, I really can't say. Some days are better than others but I don't think I accomplished my big goal in becoming a healthy eater.)

10. Lose 15 lbs. (How about gain 15 lbs? It's sad to say that I didn't even come close to this goal.)

5 out of 10...ummm, if this was a test, I would have no doubt failed. However, since it's not a test. I can applaud myself for the goals accomplished and possibly revisit the missed goals in 2010.

My Early Christmas Present

2009-12-07T14:06:00.001-05:00

Greetings from the wonderful world of contentment and never-ending smiles. I come to you live and in full effect. For the past year, I have been coveting a Kindle and most recently, the Barnes and Noble Nook. Since I love to read and often wish I had a book while waiting in line or when I have a few extra minutes, an ereader would be the perfect solution. However, as many of you know I am committed to getting out of debt ASAP and just can't rationalize spending over $200 bucks for an ereader. I mean come on...think of how many books you could buy for $200. I decided to do some research because surely there had to be a more "budget -friendly" ereader. I'm happy to say that I found one. It's called the Ebookwise -1150 and I LOVE it! Now don't get me wrong it is not as sleek looking as the more expensive ereaders and you can't download books wirelessly. However, I'm okay with having to download my books using a USB connection and a computer. The biggest bonus is that the Ebookwise can read a variety of formats so now I can access FREE materials from my local library. As Christmas quickly approaches, what present would add a never-ending smile to your face?

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-11-22T08:50:00.000-05:00

On November 3rd, I turned 35 years old. I must admit that over the past few weeks, I've have a full wave of emotions surrounding this big milestone in my life. Since I'm a big birthday person, I knew I wanted it to be memorable. Three is my favorite number and I tend to do things in threes. So here are the 3 big things I did for my b-day:

1.) On my actual birthday, my son, manfriend, and I went to see MJ's This Is It movie. OMGoodness, I loved it. First, the music was awesome. It included all my favorites. Even though he didn't sing P.Y.T., I still enjoyed watching MJ do his thing. My son who is only 3 absolutely loves Michael Jackson and couldn't sit still. He just clapped and sang throughout the movie. Well, actually he did this for the first hour after that he fell asleep and missed his favorite MJ hit, Beat It. The movie taught me to give it your all, all the time because you never know it could be your last act.

2.) Cavalia, Cavalia, Cavalia (note I'm singing this in a high pitched, opera-like voice) For weeks, I'd been hinting well actually downright begging manfriend to take me to see this show for my birthday. After he watched the trailer showing some men in tights riding horses, he immediately responded as I expected. I think his exact words were HELL NO. However, I guess love got the best of him because not only did he get tickets he got the best tickets you could get. First, we attended a welcome session which consisted of wine, shrimp, and great desserts. We were the only Black people except for the people working the event. It only took a short time for the other attendees to realize that I couldn't direct them to the nearest restroom, that no manfriend did not play for the Atlanta Falcons and that actually we were just some plain ole' folks attending a live performance. The show was fabulous. It really was amazing seeing over 60 horses interact with humans and do some extraordinary things. Manfriend even enjoyed himself so it turned out to be a wonderful date night for us.

3.) Last but not least, I got to spend a few days with manfriend in one of my favorite places, LAS VEGAS. I like to gamble and wasn't quite sure if this trip would adversely affect my relationship with manfriend. It didn't. Instead, I think we were able to connect on a different level and get a clearer understanding of our long-term goals. We had so much fun!! There was a karaoke bar at our hotel, Imperial Palace and we even got a dvd of manfriend singing. I got an ice cream sundae pedicure at the Canyon Ranch Spa that was nothing less than perfect. It was a bit pricey but hey it was my birthday so I figured I would splurge. I did get to keep the polish I chose, I guess that's one of the perks you get when you pay 95 bucks for a pedicure. (Thankfully I had a gift card.) Finally, we gambled. We both did pretty good at the roulette table and even found some time to souvenir shop.

If I had to give my birthday celebration a grade it would be an A+++. What's your favorite birthday memory?

Grey Skies in search of Rainbows

2009-10-23T20:51:00.000-04:00

It's Friday night and I'm all alone. Well, not exactly. I'm actually home with my lil one and my cat but minus my manfriend. It's interesting that lately I've been feeling such a sense of melancholy about my life. I'm not exactly sad but I know that my happy moments don't seem as numerous lately. I can't quite figure out why I'm in such a grey area. I mean I absolutely love my job. The kids are great and the other teachers are becoming more friendly. My money situation is greatly improving. I feel like I'm getting closer to accomplishing my fitness goals (even though it's much slower than I anticipated.) Manfriend and I are cruising along and my son is well...wonderful. So as I sit here typing this post and listening to my son sing in the bathtub, I can't help wonder when will I be back in color. Right now, I feel like someone in a black and white movie. Things are just blah. I need some color in my life. I can't imagine that I'm the only one who has ever felt like this so please share. What are some things you do to get your color back?

All About Me

2009-09-20T10:45:00.000-04:00

(I haven't read this book yet but I love the title so I have added it to my books to read list.)

First, I really appreciate everyone tuning in to the adventures of Ms. Lady last week. I hope you enjoyed meeting my alter-ego but now I would like to re-introduce myself as I feel like the Me 2.0 version now. Over the past few months, I have quit a job, got hit by an 18-wheeler, was unemployed for 3 months, gained about 15 pounds, and battled depression almost on a daily basis. I didn't realize that all of these events were helping shape the new me. Each event forced me to make a much needed change in my thinking thus positively affecting my actions. The first major change was embracing that God is really in control and worrying is absolutely pointless. I spent a lot of time just worrying myself about situations and circumstances that were completely out of my control. It took me months to see that worrying won't solve my problems any faster. So I decided to quit worrying or at least not worry as much and make the best of my situation. Here are 5 good things that have happened as a result of being in my "valley":

1.) I learned to really live on a budget and spend within my means.

2.) My son and I spend quality time together EVERYDAY. Even if it's only for 15 minutes,I stop and give him my undivided attention. (I must admit though Candy Land isn't as much fun when you're an adult.)

3.) I learned how to cook and I actually enjoy it.

4.) I get up at 4:30 a.m. to workout at least 4 days a week.

5.) I landed my dream job. I'm a technology teacher at an elementary school.

As I continue to reflect on the past few months in my life, I can't help but pause and just thank God for His Grace. As always, I must end with a question (that will hopefully move you to leave a comment), what bad has caused some good in your life?

Lifestyles of Ms. Lady, Part 3

2009-09-17T19:59:00.000-04:00

Well, it's official. My adventures with my new BFF are coming to an end tomorrow morning. I spoke with someone from GM who was calling to arrange the pick-up. I asked if there was any chance I would be able to keep the car longer and continue my blog adventures. He told me, "Nope, because the car was scheduled to go to another blogger Friday evening." Of course, I was extremely hurt. I won't even front I think I might have shed a tear. Then the GM man said something that made my heart skip a beat. He said,"Oh, I might be able to put in a good word for you so that you can keep it permamently." WHAT..COULD THIS REALLY BE HAPPENING!!! MY BFF AND I WILL BE A TEAM FOREVER (or however long Buick's last). But then I realized what he was REALLY saying. In the words of the Great Whitney Houston (sidebar-I love her new album) HELL TO DA NAH!!!!!! Of course, being the good Christian woman that I am, I didn't actually say this aloud but I was thinking it. Are you kidding me? A car note? What would Dave think? What would my son think when he went to bed hungry a few nights each week because mommy had to use the food money to pay for her new BFF? I politely told the gentleman that I wouldn't be interested in "keeping my BFF permanently" and quickly got off the phone. When I hung up, I really began to rethink this BFF thing. I mean, I'm a simple gal with simple taste(except for when it come to engagement rings..I want a big rock that you can see sparkling even when my hand's not moving). So this luxury car thing is so not for me. I won't lie I have no doubt enjoyed the ride but at the end of the day, I'm holding out for my true love, the Toyota Prius. I hope you have enjoyed reading about Ms. Lady's adventures. Tune in next week for the return of ...me!

Lifestyles of Ms. Lady, Part 2

2009-09-16T20:15:00.011-04:00

First, I would like to congratulate all the people who blog on a daily basis. How in the world do you find the time?

Well, today, I would like to focus on the things I like or shall I say LOVE about my BFF.

1.) XM Radio - OMGoodness, for all you music lovers XM radio is a must. I have been jamming to old school rap and r&b. I mean I've heard songs that I haven't heard in like 20 years. (Wow, I can't believe I'm old enough to say that.) This morning, I heard Girlfriend by Bobby Brown.

2.) ONSTAR - Forget about needing a GPS, now you can call and speak with a live operator who has the directions sent to your dash. Gone are the days of turning too soon, now you hear a ding then the sound of Mr. Automated Voice saying, "Turn right on Luxury Way now." In addition, to the navigation system, there is also handsfree calling. It's so fabo! You call someone using a keypad displayed on your dash and then your car speakers turn into the ultimate speakerphone.

3.) Keyless Ignition- You just press a button while your foot is on the brake and BAM the car starts. Every time I do this I feel a little James Bond-ish.

4.) Parking Brake - No more feeling like you're doing calf exercises when it's time to put on your parking brake. All you have to do is press a button and on it goes. Press this same button to turn it off. It's great!

5.) Last, but certainly not least, Her Look - I guess I'm kinda shallow because I really love my BFF because she's so attractive. I mean she turns heads wherever we go.

I'm sure gonna miss her when she leaves. I'm still hoping that maybe she'll get to stay a little longer. I hope you enjoyed Part 2 of my adventure. Tune in tomorrow for another episode of Lifestyles of Ms. Lady. As always, I would love to know what you think, so leave a comment and let me know.

Lifestyles of Ms. Lady Unleashed Part 1

2009-09-14T22:13:00.005-04:00

I had a busy and interesting weekend cruising around town with my new BFF (i.e. the 2010 Buick LaCrosse). First of all, if you are trying to be inconspicuous then this is DEFINITELY not the car for you. While at my son’s first t-ball game (he’s such a little rock star but that’s a story for a later post), several of the coaches asked me about the car. Unfortunately my car knowledge is ummm let’s say below average so I wasn’t able to provide any intelligent answers for almost half the questions. I actually didn’t realize that the car hadn’t even been releashed yet. Later that same day, I was driving and this man motioned for me to roll down my window. Under normal circumstances (i.e. when I’m driving my 2000 Mazda 626), I would have completely ignored him. However, now that I’m driving a luxury car, I’ve decided to unleash my alter-ego named Ms. Lady. So, Ms. Lady rolled down the window or shall I say gently pressed the button to roll down the window to see what he wanted. He preceded to ask me where I got my car and what kind of car was it. Thankfully I was able to answer these questions and of course seized the opportunity to tell how I was test driving the car for the week and how much I absolutely LOVE it. I tell ya it was a long light because I actually got through the whole story. Then on Sunday, I was at the Daisy Festival handing out flyers inviting people to follow my blog this week and read about my adventures with my new BFF. I’ll admit I kinda felt a little superstar-ish telling people my story. Everyone was like, wow, how did you get picked to test drive this car. My reply was short and simple, “Jesus.” After the festival, I took my son to the park and lo and behold, my new bff was the topic of conversation AGAIN. This man talked my ear off for about 25 minutes. OMG…I wish I would have known that if I wanted men to notice me I just needed to get a really nice car. So single ladies, if you want to be a man-magnet, get a not-yet released luxury car and out they come. I hope you have enjoyed reading today’s edition of Lifestyles of Ms. Lady Unleashed. Tune in tomorrow for another exciting episode and don’t forget to leave me a comment letting me know what you think.

Day One In the Lap of Luxury

2009-09-11T23:26:00.006-04:00

So it all started with an email inviting me to participate in a local arts and crafts festival. Now, it's turned into me spending a week in the lap of luxury. This Sunday, I will have a booth courtesy of Buick LaCrosse, to promote my blog. How cool is that!!!! But that's not the best part, how about I get to test drive a new 2010 Buick LaCrosse for a week. It was delivered to my house today and I almost fainted. IT'S GORGEOUS!!! Now as a single mama of a toddler and a college student there is absolutely no way I could afford such a grand car so I will no doubt enjoy this adventure. Starting tomorrow, I will share one feature about the car. Sit back and come enjoy this ride with me.

If you're in the Atlanta Metro area, I would love for you to stop by my booth and see me. I will be at the Daisy Festival in Stone Mountain, GA this Sunday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

2009-08-11T13:45:00.017-04:00

It's been a few hours so I've had some time to gather my thoughts and figure out which direction I want to go with this post. I hope that by the end of this, I will have caused you to think harder and longer about your actions and more importantly how they may or may not reflect God's love. NACA an organization that helps people modify and refinance their home loans held a four-day event here in Atlanta. I originally found out about it Sunday after church and signed up. However, I didn't have all the necessary paperwork with me and I also had my 2-year son with me. Since the process can take several hours, I decided to leave, complete the paperwork online and return today (Tuesday) without my little one. So Sunday night, I went online, completed all the forms, and registered for a home save event scheduled in two weeks. But since I was off today, I decided to catch MARTA(our transit system) downtown to attend this event instead. In hopes of getting my ARM set to a reasonable fixed rate. The mortgage company had recently agreed to fixed it at the current rate of 10.99% (of course, I declined this offer. But that's a story for another post) Sorry, I do get a bit distracted at times. So when I arrive downtown the line to attend the event and receive housing counseling is unreal. It's like probably a thousand people in line. Keep in mind it's about 10 a.m. and it's already around 85 degrees. So I'm like okay I sure hope I see someone I know. Well don't you know I see someone from my church and I'm like omgoodness, I'm so glad to see you. To which she promptly replied, Oh no, you need to go to the back of the line. God must have put His hand over my mouth because my reply was just a polite, "oh, okay."
Of course on the inside I was like WTF(what the freak)...did I just see someone from Church, i.e. a fellow Christian and she said no.

Now please let me explain why I'm more saddened that angered at her actions. First, I am pretty sure that she knows I'm a single mother (since she's seen and spoken to me and my son at church numerous times.) Secondly, this wasn't a line for concert tickets but for people trying to save their homes. (Now, while my house isn't on the brink of foreclosure...she doesn't know that.) Thirdly, where's the Christian love? I know that it's wrong to cut in line BUT!!!!!!!! Honestly, I really can't imagine that if I saw Jesus in line, He would have told me to go to the back. I am saddened because:
what if my house was in foreclosure?
what if as a single mom, i had a limited amount of time and had to pick up my son?
what if i was feeling like crap and this was my last hope?
i could of course go on and on with the what ifs but i won't. Instead I will challenge all of us to pay it forward. We are here to be a blessing to each other. I feel blessed that I signed up online and will be attending the other event but I do hope that we remember we are not judges. Just think if the mortgage lenders had the same attitude as my fellow churchgoer, the event wouldn't even be happening. Instead the general consensus would be that you shouldn't need or expect someone to help you and that you should just deal with it. In closing, I have to ask, am I wrong for feeling some kinda way? If Jesus had been waiting in line for hours and saw someone from His church (who could potentially be losing their house), do you think He would have let me cut the line? I'm excited to see what other people think.
(p.s. i have no idea if the person i'm referring to reads my blog, but if so, i sincerely don't have any hard feelings against her. instead, this experience has helped me be more committed to sharing and showing God's love to others.)

Finding my purpose

2009-08-08T16:14:00.000-04:00

in the stillness of the night, i find myself wondering and reflecting about my purpose. why am i here? as a christian, i believe that i was created for a specific purpose that will be a blessing to the world. wow, it's scary to think that we are really here to make this place better. i was watching michael jackson's dangerous tour and it was amazing the effect he had on people. his mere presence was causing fans to scream, cry and some even fainted. i wonder at what point in his life he realized that he had found his purpose. he got it!!! i read somewhere that Michael Jackson is in the Guinness Book of World Records for giving the most money to charities and other causes. How cool is that!!!!! this season in my life is filled with countless light bulb moments. while i still don't know why God created me, i am confident that i must be getting closer to discovering this mystery because i have an unexplainable peace in the midst of one of the biggest storms of my life. i am learning to use my powers for good and not evil. i'm being intentional about my actions. do you believe that everyone has a purpose and if so, have you found yours?

Money vs. Happiness

2009-07-15T11:42:00.011-04:00

Oh my goodness, I am so excited to say that a comment I left on J. Money's blog was quoted in a MSN Smart Spending article. J. Money posed a great question: Would you rather be rich with a job you hate or poor with a job you love? Well, as I remain unemployed and unable to find a teaching job, I chose the second option. I really believe that at this point in my life my happiness is not tied to money. I also think the word poor is relative. My current goal is to find a job that will cover my monthly expenses while allowing me to save a bit too. This job however can't compromise my time with my family, my church, and myself. I'm just not willing to work 70 - 80 hours a week and then not be able to enjoy the fruits of my labor because I'm stressed and downright tired. In the past few months, I have had to make some major changes in my spending. I don't eat out as much, I don't rent movies or even go to the movies as frequently, and I don't spend as much on scrapbooking stuff. However, I have an unbelievable amount of peace because I really feel like I'm getting closer to God's purpose for my life. With each passing day, I'm learning that the acquisition of stuff and fancy titles isn't what life should be about. Instead it's about relationships. Since I've been unemployed, I have settled into a much slower pace that has truly benefited my relationship with my son. Of course, I know that all of us need a source of income. However, I think many of us are confused about WHO is really the source that sustains us. So I think it's only fitting that I ask you the same question: Which would you choose: money or happiness?

Facebook: Friend or Foe

2009-07-13T10:25:00.007-04:00

I must admit that I really didn’t think anyone could invent something that would top caller id but then came FACEBOOK. I absolutely love it!!!!! At first, I loved the idea of chatting with ex-boyfriends seeing if they still remembered those little special things about me. Then it turned into the comparison game : Who was married?, Who has kids? Who’s changed the most? Who still lives in my hometown? However, now I have truly arrived at a space that makes Facebook great. It’s a place I can go on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis to recharge my battery. Someone always has something funny, witty or inspirational posted on their wall. I also enjoy seeing how people spend their time. I’ve gotten some vacation ideas by looking at my “friends” photos. I’ve also learned of some cool books and music. While I know that people either love or hate Facebook, in this age of busyness, it really is a wonderful tool to help people stay connected. I might go so far as to say it’s therapeutic. At any given time I can log on and at least one of my virtual friends is online. Overall, I think Facebook is an excellent way to keep in touch. You will find people that you haven’t spoken to in years. Just recently I found my bff from sixth grade. If you haven’t joined FB, I encourage you to jump on the bandwagon. However, be warned that it can be addictive. So, how do you feel about Facebook?

Lowering My Limbo Bar

2009-07-06T13:32:00.011-04:00

I just listened to a sermon by Pastor Paul Shepherd that was right on time. (Doesn’t that always happen…you listen to a sermon and feel like the pastor is speaking directly to you.) This sermon was talking about “staying low” and being humble. Don’t get all full of yourself and your accomplishments. Well, recently I let my limbo bar get a little high. I have been unemployed for several months and I finally got a call for an interview. But my good fortune didn’t stop there, one day later I got another call for an interview. So now as I was preparing for these two interviews, my head was getting bigger and bigger. Whhhhhaaaaaattttt!!!! You couldn’t tell me nothing. I was telling my mom and my manfriend and anyone who would listen that yeah, my track record for interviewing and getting the job is outstanding. I started recounting the ONLY time I went on an interview and didn’t get the job was 13 years ago and that’s when I was fresh out of college. I even started asking them what should I do if I get offered my second choice job before my first choice offers me the job. You couldn’t tell me that I wasn’t about to get a job. Well, God has a way of helping our heads get a little bit smaller when they get too big. So I go on the two interviews a little cocky, really feeling like I am the best thing since sliced bread and why wouldn’t they want me at their school. So at the end of each interview, I’m a little stunned, huh???? Where’s the job offer? Oh, I rationalized they don’t want to seem too eager so they will call me tonight. Well, as you probably guessed, I didn’t get a call that night. In the meantime, I’m all telling my folks that I don’t even want this one job but hey beggars can’t be choosy so if they offer me the job, I’ll just have to suck it up and take it. Well that place did call me the following morning and guess what??? They promptly let me know that they had chosen someone else and wished me luck on my job search. After I picked my jaw and pride off the floor, I thought that’s okay…I didn’t really want to work there anyway. Well, it’s been five days since my interview and I still haven’t heard from the other job. It’s safe to say that since the job would start in less than a week, I don’t think they chose me for the job. These past few days have had a sobering effect. I was actually feeling a bit down and depressed thinking what if I can’t get a job. But, Oh then God sent His angels by way of a sermon and I quickly realized why I didn’t get either job. I so wasn’t staying low and being humble. Instead I was acting like it was my doing and actions that would get me the job. I wouldn’t have given God the glory because I would have thought it was all because of me. Well, as I remain unemployed with no job prospects in sight, I realize that my source is not me, it’s God. So I’m letting go and letting God. I know that all things work according to His purpose and that the interviews were sent to teach me a lesson about humility. I pray that the next time I’m preparing for an interview, I will turn to God and ask for His Guidance and acknowledge His Presence in all things. So where in your life do you need to lower your limbo bar?

I just can't get enough of Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T11:01:00.011-04:00

As I sit here glued to the television, I can't help but feel a weird aching. Even though I never met him, I feel such a connection to him. His music has touched my soul and often times lifted my spirits. As I watch the world mourn his death and celebrate his life, I am searching for peace. It's hard to not feel like this is a mistake and just can't possibly be true. How can he be gone? In the midst of my doubt, I know that it's true and he is gone to a better place. I pray that his family can find peace in the outpouring of love shown by the world. I pray that they know that Michael has touched us in an unexplainable way. He will be missed but in his passing, I pray that he has finally found peace because he sooooo deserves it. I plan to continue to celebrate his life by sharing his legacy with my two year old son. We have been listening to his music and watching his videos nonstop. He has so many great songs that it's hard for me to pick one favorite. But if I have to choose, it would be P.Y.T. So what's your favorite M.J. song?

Potty Training SUCKS!!!!

2009-06-01T14:47:00.006-04:00

My wonderful son is 2 years old. So of course the pressure begins, other mothers begin to ask is he potty trained yet or how long has he been potty trained. What????How long?? Oh no, I’m a bad mother or worse a slacker mother because I didn’t get the memo that the moment my child turned 2 he should be or begin to be potty trained. I have finally decided to start and boy was I in for quite a surprise. Honestly, this ordeal is reminding me of breast-feeding. This just takes so much time. I decided that I just couldn’t do those little potty chairs. YUCK, I am so not cleaning that out. So I opted for the little toilet seats. I love them!!! I even bought a new toilet seat that has a little seat already on it. Perfect. I also bought a stool.
Like any good mother, I checked the internet for tips and tricks to potty-training a boy. I found some cool ideas like: create a m&m basket and every time he goes, give him a treat. ( This could have worked except my son doesn’t like chocolate. I learn something new about my child every day.)
Sit him on the toilet in specific intervals (i.e. every hour) ( This could have worked except by the time I sat him on the toilet he had already gone in his pull-up diapers.)
Just let him run around the house with no underwear. (UH! What the heck was I thinking???? This could have worked except he kept peeing on my rug.)
Buy him “big” boy underwear ( I was of course reluctant to do this because I felt like he wasn’t ready for underwear yet.) Well, I ‘m happy to say that it worked. He loves to wear his tighty whities. NO MORE DIAPERS!!!!
So, what sucks in your life? ( of course, as I make an effort to fill buckets, I really hope nothing sucks in your life. However, feel free to vent if you like.)

Happily Ever After

2009-05-25T09:07:00.005-04:00

As a woman I must admit that I have fallen victim to the Happily Ever After theory. It seems like I have been brainwashed into thinking that all my woes will be healed when Prince Charming comes and rescues me by making me a Mrs. However, with each passing year of being single, I must admit that the Happily Ever After motto doesn’t quite seem as appealing. I mean really isn’t that a lot of pressure to put on a guy. Clearly, no one can make all things right and heal all the bruises of life. I do think that Happily Ever After should be expanded to a counsel type approach. At any given time in my life, I have a counsel of friends that collectively meet all of my needs. I have a friend who provides me with wisdom as I continue to develop my relationship with God. While I have friend who is uninhibited and encourages me to take risks and try new things. I also have my financially savvy friend who is always willing to share her latest money saving tips. Finally, I have my man-friend who continues to fill my bucket in new and creative ways. So what do you think, does happily ever after just occur in fairy tales?

I'm back....well almost

2009-05-18T09:40:00.010-04:00

hi all, i've had a few things going on and haven't felt much like blogging lately. I recently heard this song, Favor by Karen Clark - Sheard. So even though i'm still not up to writing yet, i hope this song will touch you as it has touched me. have a wonderful week.

What's your favorite emotion?

2009-04-26T14:31:00.006-04:00

I was listening to a sermon and the pastor asked, “What’s your favorite emotion?” Ummm…I never really thought about it. However, isn’t it a good question? I mean we experience so many feelings throughout the day that it’s likely that we should have a favorite. So I began to think what is my favorite emotion? Well, I really like the feeling of happiness but it’s not my favorite. What about anticipation? I love this one, especially around my birthday and Christmas, I can’t wait to see what I’ll get. But it’s not my favorite. My favorite emotion by far is relief. You know that moment when you can exhale, breathe, and think, that wasn’t so bad after all. So, what’s your favorite emotion?

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T10:30:00.017-04:00

I must admit that I have never been so excited about the arrival of Easter. I mean I have been counting down the days for the past two weeks. The sad thing is that it had nothing to do with celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. Even though, I attend church almost every week and am quite involved at my church,I totally lost sight of the meaning of Lent. This year, I decided to give up something BIG for Lent so I gave up eating at my favorite restaurant, McDonald's. I usually go to McDonald's at least once a day and it's sad to admit that the people know me and my order depending on the time of day: sausage Mcgriddle and a large sweet tea for breakfast, a hamburger happy meal with an orange drink for lunch, and a #2 with no cheese and a diet coke for dinner. So for the past 40 days, I have not eaten any food from McDonald's and have been counting the days until I could. Last night, I even tried to stay up until 12 so that I could get a #2 with no cheese and a diet coke but I feel asleep. When I awoke this morning the first thing on my mind was....you guessed it....McDonald's. In fact, as I'm typing this post, I'm also sipping on a large sweet tea from Mickey Dee's and I've already eaten my sausage Mcgriddle. After church, I plan on having my Easter lunch at my favorite restaurant. As I reflect on the past 40 days, I have mixed emotions. On the one hand, I'm so proud of myself for accomplishing my goal. However, when I think about the Lent season and Easter, I wonder how have I grown closer to God by giving up McDonald's? I realize that growing closer to God was never my goal. It was really all about exercising self-discipline. So I've decided to challenge myself for another 40 days but this time, I'm going to intentionally focus on my relationship with God. I'm giving up 30 minutes of t.v. and replacing it with reading the Bible.

Shades of mii

2009-04-05T14:45:00.010-04:00

Recently my man-friend and his squad (a.k.a his 3 children) were at my house. We decided to play wii and started by creating our mii profiles. I had already created mine. She was..well representative of me or at least how I wanted to be. My mii was the chocolate brown ,slim, mole having, hair fly,funky-fresh glasses wearing diva that I hope to be. Back to the original story, man friend’s baby girl got to go first and this is the conversation that ensued while she was creating her mii.

Baby girl: Oh, I like this one.

Me: Ummmm, are you going to make her a little darker and change her hair color? You’re not white and you don’t have yellow hair.

Baby girl: NO, I like her this way.

Me: But I thought our mii’s were supposed to look like us. She doesn’t look like you.

Baby girl: I don’t want to change her. Daddy, do I have to change her?

Man Friend: No, sweetie, you don’t have to change her. She’s fine.

Me: Oops, I’m sorry. I guess I just thought that mii’s should look like us.

So baby girl’s mii stayed peach with yellow hair. Now, as a black woman, I am very concerned about baby girl’s self image. She is surrounded by mostly black people however she absolutely adores Hannah Montana. Since she is only 6 years old, I’m concerned that she might not like her color and wishes she was white. Tell me what you think, am I overreacting or do I need to expose baby girl to more woman of color?

What's your wagon?

2009-03-29T09:50:00.007-04:00

Over the past few months, we’ve all heard someone say, “ I’ve fallen off the wagon.” In fact, I find myself saying it much more lately. Oprah recently announced she had fallen off the wagon by gaining weight. While on the campaign trail, President Obama stated that he had fallen off the wagon by having a cigeratte. So I began to wonder, what’s the point of the wagon? I mean do we ever acknowledge that we’re still on the wagon or loudly sing our own praises about being wagon-riders. Of course, we don’t. But if we fall off we feel ashamed of ourselves. I think we should set goals for ourselves and try our best to reach them. I also think that we should realize that we aren’t perfect therefore we will always “fall off the wagon” at some point. So from this day forward, I am embracing the fact that I will occasionally fall off the wagon. I’m also happy that wagons are pretty low to the ground and tend to move pretty slowly so when I fall off I won’t get hurt too badly. What’s your wagon?

My Lunch @ the Sun Dial Restaurant

2009-03-22T19:07:00.005-04:00

Recently, I was attending a conference and had an opportunity to dine at the Sun Dial Restaurant. I truly had no idea what to expect but had heard some good things about the view. Well, the things I heard were definitely an understatement. I have never felt such perfect peace. The view was unbelievable. However, the fact that I was alone permitted me to be still in the moment. I could just gaze out the window and just be. As I sat there having my lunch, I began to wonder how can I capture this peace more often. While I still don’t have an answer, I feel so blessed to know it exists. If you are ever in Atlanta, I strongly recommend you eat at the Sun Dial. In the meantime, have you ever experienced perfect peace and if so, when?

Happy Birthday Man-Friend

2009-03-15T10:22:00.004-04:00

This past weekend, I helped my man-friend celebrate his birthday. I made this heart using 33 tealight candles. Each candle represents one year of his life. I'm happy to say that he LOVED the heart. What the most creative thing you've done for someone's birthday?

The Innocence of Childhood

2009-03-08T08:38:00.008-04:00

During one of the Inauguration events, I saw a brief clip of a concert in honor of the new first family. Malia Obama, 12, had a digital camera in hand and was taking pictures of the performers, in particular Usher. I chuckled to myself thinking sweetie don’t you know who you are? You don’t have to take a picture of Usher from a distance. You’re the President’s daughter and not just ANY president but the first Black one. That means you can meet anyone your little heart desires from Usher to Oprah to Hannah Montana to the Jonas Brothers. But then I remembered the innocence of childhood. Children are so innocent in their thinking and while the Obama girls are two of the most recognized people on the planet it hasn't gone to their heads. The Obamas have done a fabulous job of maintaining an unbelievable level of humility. Clearly, they (the children) have not gotten caught up in the hype. Kudos, to the Obamas for keeping it real and not letting the hype destroy their children's innocence. As we all grow older, we unfortunately lose our innocence and often times become quite sarcastic, ego-centric, and just downright mean. Let’s think back to our childhood, if you could reclaim your innocence and optimism what area would you apply it to in your adult life?

What does success mean to you?

2009-03-01T12:13:00.007-05:00

Recently, I was reading PINK, a magazine for professional women that focuses on tips and tricks for balancing the demands of a career, family, and self. This was my first time reading this magazine but I think I would probably read it again. As some of you regular magazine readers know, there is often a question posed of the staff and their responses are printed next to their names. The question in this issue was, What does success mean to you? As I read through the staff’s answers, I was pleasantly surprised to see a variety of answers ranging from material things to spiritual awakenings. Of course, I then began to think what DOES SUCCESS mean to me? I will attempt to answer this question relative to specific areas in my life in opposed to one broad answer. So here is what success means to me:

Spiritual: To lead a life that reflects God’s grace (i.e. my actions and interactions clearly show my desire to encourage and love others.)

Mental/Emotional: To spend the majority of my moments being content regardless of my circumstances

As a Mother: To have the children in my life shine brighter as a result of my parenting

Relational: To be in a committed relationship with a man that inspires me, encourages me and loves me in an especially different way (all you Jill Scott fans know what I’m talking about)

Financial: To be debt-free!!!!!!

Of course, the cool thing about success is that it can be measured on many levels and in many different ways. As I review my success criteria, I’m so happy to see that it encompasses my vision of life being a journey not a destination. I am aware that some days I will feel more “successful” than others and that’s okay. So what does success mean to you?

I WON!!!!!!

2009-02-26T13:21:00.006-05:00

OMGoodness, a few weeks ago I entered a contest at singlemommyhood to win a book called, The Successful Single Mom and I found out today that I won. How cool is that? Of course, it's just great!!! Now I have one more book to get me closer to my 52 books for the year.

The Love of My Life

2009-02-21T22:12:00.014-05:00

Since this is the last Sunday in February and thus my last post focusing on love and relationships, I decided to write about the love of my life.

Have you ever loved someone so much that…

You secretly wish that he would never leave your presence and that you could
spend every single minute together?

You watch him sleep because you just can’t take your eyes off of him?

You literally hang on to his every word, just waiting to see what he’ll say next,in fact sometimes you ask stupid questions just to hear his voice?

You would rather spend a lifetime in hell with him, than be in heaven without
him?

You know in your mind, body, and soul that you all are absolutely perfect for
each other?

You can’t remember what life was like before you met him?

You smile so big when you see him that sometimes your face hurts?

You talk about him every chance you get to anyone who will listen?

You spend way too much money buying him stuff he probably doesn’t even
need?

You thank God for him so much that God must be sick of hearing you say his
name?

At this point, I know you all are wondering who is this person?
The love of my life is …my son!!!!!!!!!!!

My Heart Song

2009-02-15T20:05:00.008-05:00

I tell ya my church is sooooo creative and I love it. Yesterday instead of a sermon , each pastor shared his/her heart song. The song was then performed by the choir or the original version was played. So in honor of Valentine’s Day, here is my heart song.

What's your heart song?

80/20 Rule

2009-02-08T09:12:00.006-05:00

Tyler Perry’s movie, Why did I get married? brings up an interesting concept. Basically, the theory is that we need to find someone with 80% of the qualities we like and not think that a person who is only bringing 20% is the answer.

I absolutely love this theory because for at least 5 years, I’ve been trying to decide on what are my deal breakers in a relationship. But now I like this approach of applying the 80/20 rule. If I have a list of 10 things and I find someone who is 80% of those things most of the time then I have found myself a WINNER. So now, you might be wondering what’s on my top 10 list. After much thought and consideration, I have finally settled on the following 10 things (please note: this list is subject to change without notice.):

Disclaimer: This list is not necessarily in order of importance.

1. Constantly improving
2. Generous
3. Funny
4. Financially Stable
5. Has an active relationship with God
6. Loves kids (and preferably has some of his own, like maybe 3:)
7. Likes to travel
8. Physically Attractive
9. Romantic
10. Likes doing “manly” stuff (ex. Washing a car, cutting grass, etc.)

So, now that I’m armed with my list I feel like I can actually assess whether someone is what I’m looking for and not get distracted by physical attributes since that’s only 10 % of my list. What’s on your top 10 list?

My Life Pie

2009-02-02T14:36:00.007-05:00

Since the most romantic holiday is found in February, I've decided to spend this month focusing on love and relationships.

Recently, I met an amazing man who is constantly on my mind. So much so that it takes a deliberate effort to not write blog post solely about him and how he makes me feel. He and I have debated about this topic because he feels like love and relationship posts are more interesting. My argument is that while I am sooooo enjoying this season with him, he is not my entire existence. I still have myself , my children, my friends, my church, work and a whole host of other things that bring me enjoyment. I am hesitant to have my post focus primarily on my relationship with him because in the big picture it should not consume me. It should really only constitute a slice of my Life Pie, not be the entire pie. What do you think, how much of your Life Pie do you devote to romantic relationships?

Letter to My Man-Friend

2009-01-25T20:38:00.003-05:00

Hi Sweetie,

I’m sad to say that things aren’t all peaches and cream. Instead they seem to be a lil …ummm, sweet and sour. To be honest, I just don’t feel like a priority. It almost seems like I’m an afterthought. Lately, your schedule has been quite busy with man time activities (i.e. hanging out with your boyz). Now don’t get me wrong, I would never want to discourage male-bonding time but dag can a sister get a little quality time. I mean every time I try to do something with you, you’re like “Sorry, I had told Craig and ‘em that I would chill with dem. Sorry, see ya when I see ya.” I do hope that this is just a bump and not a pot-hole on our journey. I really am confident that you will become better at balancing Craig and ‘em , and me. Have a wonderful day and I guess I’ll see ya when I see ya.

Until Later…
me

I want to be THAT ONE!!!

2009-01-18T08:57:00.006-05:00

OMG….can you believe that the day has come!!!!! We are days away from watching the First Black President being sworn into office. For many of us, we never thought we would see the day or we thought we would be much older. Isn’t it great to be a part of history? Now, we can tell our kids and grandkids that we voted in one of the most historic elections of our nation’s time. I waited in line over 4 hours to cast my vote and while I was waiting I realized that the crowds were all there because of one man. Everyone was there to either vote for Barack Obama or against him. It made me think of how one person really can make a difference. It also made me think what can I do to make this world better. We all know that there are countless social ills plaguing our world and we don’t have the time or resources to effectively address/solve all of them. But what if we each made a pact and pledged to focus our energies on just one. Wow, think of how much positive change could occur. I challenge you to be THAT ONE…who makes a positive difference this year in the world, in your neighborhood, in your home, in your life. What positive difference would you like to make in 2009?

2009 Dreams/Goals Collage

2009-01-11T15:08:00.006-05:00

After seeing Single Mom Seeking’s collage, I was inspired to finally create a dreams/goals collage of my own. A girl at my church shared her dream poster a few months ago and I absolutely LOVED it. I, of course, vowed to make one and never got around to it. So what better time than the new year to get caught up on projects. This past weekend, I got out all my old magazines (this consisted of 2 magazines because since I’m always decluttering I don’t keep magazines after I’m finished reading them.)

Armed with cardstock, scissors, and glue I was ready to get to work and 2 hours later I had my wonderful masterpiece completed.

2009 Dream / Goals

1. Become closer to God
2. Eat better
3. Save $3,000
4. No new debt
5. Maintain/sustain a loving a relationship with my man-friend
6. Enroll my son in baseball
7. Create multiple streams of income
8. See/help lil' cousin graduate from high school
9. Assist lil'cousin as she enters college
10. Lose 15 lbs.

Do you write down your goals and if so, do you really think it helps you accomplish them?

I Love a Full Plate

2009-01-11T14:47:00.003-05:00

As if I don't already have enough things on my plate, I just couldn't help add one more thing. So my latest endeavor is contributing to a blog titled 52 books in 52 weeks. As a contributor, I have agreed to read a book each week and then post a review. Now, I absolutely LOVE to read but what was I thinking when I signed up for this? To be honest, I didn't really think I would get picked to be a contributor. But since I'm a woman of my word, I am committed to completing my obligation. What have you committed to completing in 2009?

Don't Force It

2009-01-04T15:34:00.007-05:00

Ouch…is all I can say about a recent encounter at work. I absolutely love to read. So as I was walking past someone’s office I noticed a book I had heard great reviews about. I peeped my head into this person’s office and asked,"Have you read that book pointing to the book?”, I should I have known that things were quickly going downhill when the person didn’t turn around upon hearing my question. But hey…I kept going and asked if possible could I borrow the book? I could immediately since the tension my question created and quickly said, “Oh is it special to you. No problem, I check out books from the library all the time. Don’t worry about it. I can definitely find it at the library.”

Office Mate: Oh, it’s just that whenever I’ve loaned out my books, I don’t get them back.

Me: Oh, I totally understand (even though, I really don’t. I just wanted this whole awkward situation to end as soon as possible.)

Office Mate: You can borrow it if you can find me another book to serve as a bookend.

Me: No, that’s okay. I can definitely find it at the library. Have a good day.

What I’ve Learned from this encounter……
This situation could have totally been avoided if I had kept my mouth shut.

Keep it short and sweet at work and don’t force interactions.

Has this ever happened to you…you’ve tried to be too friendly to someone at work?

2009 New Year's Spirit Award

2009-01-03T12:53:00.005-05:00

Thanks to KGW at Joan of all trades, I have been tagged as a recipient of the 2009 New Year's Spirit Award! At first, I was a little hesitant in accepting this award because I knew it would require me to post on a day other than a Sunday but hey it's a new year so I'm working on being a tad bit more flexible.

Here are the rules for accepting the award:
1. You must be a true lover of the New Year to receive this award. The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with the New Year.

2. List 5 things that you love about the New Year. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space.

3. Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 50. It's up to you! But keep the New Year cheer going.

4. Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving a comment on their site. Also, link back to the person who gave you the award.

5 Things that I love about 2009:
(1) It's the start of something new so it gives me 12 months
to improve.
(2) I will turn 35 this year. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(3) I am blessed to have a wonderful son, a great man, and
fantastic friends.
(4) I am one year closer to working part-time.
(5) I am officially a blogger.

Now that I have officially accepted the award, it's time to pass it on to the next victim, oops, I meant honoree.

My 2009 New Year's Spirit Award goes to........R.J.

and KGW

Being a Team Player

2009-01-02T19:29:00.004-05:00

okay...i have been tagged and now i have to post a picture of what i look like right now. since, the eyes are the windows to the soul, i thought it only fitting to post a pic of my eyes.

sorry, christie, i didn't follow directions completely. hopefully, i'll get some cool points anyway.

What's your platinum-level gift?

2008-12-28T14:37:00.007-05:00

I received a text saying – I MADE IT! from my 16 year old cousin. I knew immediately that she had made the dance team. I was very excited for her and wanted to get her a congratulatory gift. So when I got home, I asked her what she would like. I gave her some options: a platinum level, gold level, silver level, and bronze level gift. She thought hard for a moment and began to tell me her “leveled” gifts.

Platinum level = An IPod or any MP3 player
Gold level = A pair of jeans
Silver level = A promise to come to a least one performance
Bronze level = I don’t know I can’t think of anything else

Since Christmas has just passed, I began to wonder what gifts I would have liked to receive. Here is my “leveled” wish list:

Platinum level = The Kindle
Gold level = An IPod
Silver level = An hour massage at Spa Sydell
Bronze level = Bath and Body’s New Fragrance – Black Chamonille

As I was thinking of these items, it was great to see that “technically” I could buy all these gifts myself. However, I’m really trying to get out of debt and don’t NEED any of the above gifts. I really can’t rationalize buying anything, other than a few Bath and Body products.

Sooooooooo, what's your platinum-level gift?

Free Stuff

2008-12-24T12:15:00.004-05:00

Christian Personal Finance is giving away some great stuff. This is a really cool contest for things that you can actually use. How do you win? Visit Christian Personal Finance for all the details. It's really easy to enter! Hurry, the contest ends December 29th at 11:59CST

The goodies up for grabs:

8 GB iPod Nano
1 GB iPod Shuffle
6 months subscription to NeoBudget
Neobudget is virtual-envelope system of budgeting that is similar to Mvelopes, but a lot cheaper. You can find out more about Neobudget.
3 Silicon Scrapers from Pampered Chef
Our scrapers are a staple for every kitchen. Heavy-duty silicon heads won’t crack, stain or melt. Handles won’t separate from the heads. Heat-safe to 650°F. Slim size gets to the bottom of small or narrow containers. Find out more about Pampered Chef.
H&R Block Taxcut Premium 2008 (2 copies)
A few details from the Amazon Page…
TaxCut includes up to 5 free federal e-files and H&R Block expertise in every version
Get extra assistance and money-saving advice to maximize deductions; plus, turn your donations into big tax savings with the included DeductionPro
Receive additional guidance for complex tax situations to give you the confidence and assurance that your return is accurate
Save time and reduce the chance for error by quickly and easily importing last year’s tax and financial data from TaxCut, TurboTax, Quicken, Microsoft Money, and H&R Block DeductionPro software, as applicable
In the event of an audit, receive personal assistance from an IRS-licensed Enrolled Agent with audit representation expertise–not a self-serve Web site or FAQ page
C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce Audiobook
From the Amazon page: “The Great Divorce is C.S. Lewis’s Divine Comedy: the narrator bears strong resemblance to Lewis (by way of Dante); his Virgil is the fantasy writer George MacDonald; and upon boarding a bus in a nondescript neighborhood, the narrator is taken to Heaven and Hell. The book’s primary message is presented with almost oblique tidiness–”There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’” However, the narrator’s descriptions of sin and temptation will hit quite close to home for many readers. Lewis has a genius for describing the intricacies of vanity and self-deception, and this book is tremendously persistent in forcing its reader to consider the ultimate consequences of everyday pettiness.”
The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets by Peter Schiff
From the Amazon Page: “Written by seasoned Wall Street prognosticator Peter Schiff–author of the bestselling book Crash Proof: How to Profit from the Coming Economic Collapse–The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets reveals how you should protect your assets and invest your money when the American economy is experiencing perilous economic downturns and wealth building is happening elsewhere. Filled with insightful commentary, inventive metaphors, and prescriptive advice, this book shows you how to make money under adverse market conditions by using a conservative, nontraditional investment strategy.”
Overworked, Overwhelmed & Underpaid by Louis Barajas
From the Amazon page:
“Overworked, Overwhelmed, and Underpaid is about creating a human experience through the coaching tools Louis Barajas uses with his clients. Perfect for people who are frustrated and struggling to express their full potential and live their highest purpose, this book takes readers through a four-step process to develop the self-confidence to not only build wealth but also live the life.

It's so distracting to meet a new man...

2008-12-21T18:30:00.002-05:00

I really have found that I absolutely HATE to meet someone new because I tell ya, I get so distracted. I can’t concentrate. Instead, I find myself daydreaming about the possibilities and replaying our most recent conversations. Or now in the age of technology, I am rereading emails and text messages. It’s totally ridiculous!!!! I swear I don’t get anything done because I’m so distracted by the possibilities. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about…Is this my Neo(like from The Matrix)?,Does he like to travel? How will our next date go or shall I say first date since at this point, I’ve only seen him once (and that was when we met.) I really am embarrassed that I’m so easily distracted from the more pressing issues in my life…like how to be debt-free, or what’s for dinner? Anywho…while I do really hate that I’m so distracted, I do LOVE the fact that I have someone to daydream about who is hopefully daydreaming about me too. So what's distracting you from being more productive these days?

Are You a Filler or a Dipper?

2008-12-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

I just finished listening to a great book on tape called How Full Is Your Bucket? The focus of the book was that the majority of our interactions are either positive or negative. We rarely have neutral interactions. So the book begins by asking the reader to think of his/her last interaction, was it positive or negative? If it was positive, then she had just filled someone’s bucket and if not she had dipped from someone’s bucket.

I, of course, immediately thought of my most recent interaction and am proud to say that I did indeed fill someone’s bucket. However, the book clearly defines that one must fill buckets without dipping into other’s buckets. Now, it gets tricky. Did I just make someone feel good at the expense of someone else? In my most recent interaction, I didn’t. But I can sure think of some times when I’ve done some serious dipping to fill someone else's bucket.

The book posed a challenge to make a conscience effort to fill at least one person’s bucket everyday. You could put a “drop” in their bucket by giving verbal praise, lending a helpful hand, giving an unexpected gift, leaving a voice mail, or sending an email or text. How cool would it be if we all began to make a conscience effort to be fillers and not dippers?

So, I’ll ask the question again…are you a dipper or filler?