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Top 10 Family Portrait Ideas

Today, I’m sharing my top 10 family portrait ideas as inspired by some late night Pinterest surfing. Truly that site is addictive. Anyways, I don’t know if you remember but getting family portraits done was listed as one of my resolutions/goals for 2014. (See it here). So, I’ve got two potential photographers lined up and now all I need to do besides decide what we’re wearing is narrow down a concept, style or theme for our shoot. Check out some of my favorites from Pinterest below.

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Pinterest

I love this follow the leader/tallest to shortest style family portrait option. And with the possibility that we might able to get a dog (more on that later), wouldn’t it be cute to have JJ holding the leash with our furry friend being on the end? I already have of what this would look like for us in my head.

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We’d definitely have to wait until it warmed up for this one because there are no lush fields around here yet. But I love the thought of capturing something so intimate like a kiss. I’m a firm believer that kids need to witness affection between parents in order to know how to reciprocate to their spouse when they’re grown. I, also, like this picture because I’m a country girl gone city and this would be a great way to incorporate country upbringing.

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How gorgeous is this? Family, sunset, open field…. What could be better? I’m loving this silhouette style shoot and can totally see myself holding JJ and the Mr holding Moo of course. And maybe our little furry friend can sit in the middle?

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I’ve always been a fan of the picture in a picture photos. This is cute. I would love to get a really ornate frame and dress up black tie style. Plus, we could do one of the kids holding the frame with me and the Mr in the background and then switch it up and put the kids in the background. Lots of fun possibilities with this one.

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I just know the kids would have fun with this one. Of course, they would each want to take turns hanging upside down. Plus, I like that this gives the kids a chance to be the main focus. They grow up so fast that I don’t mind one bit having them be stars.

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I know that Christmas is gone, but we could spruce the wreath up with hearts and little cupids to make it look appropriate for Valentine’s Day or switch it out for a box of heart shaped chocolates or a stuffed bear. And we don’t have snow, but I love the idea of being out on a flat surface with trees in the background and capturing the true essence of the season. Not to mention, I don’t have a ton of pictures with the kids that I am in.

We could take turns shooting shots with the kids individually, then the Mr and I got do a couple shot and at the end do one big family shot. Again there are a lot of possibilities with this one.

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Nothing like going the traditional route. I remember taking photos like this when I was younger with my family. The girls would coordinate or match outfits with my mom and my brother would wear something coordinated with us.

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Incorporating the initial of our last name would be cute! And we could play around with how we wanted the initial pop out. Like it could be hiding or hanging somewhere in the background. It could be leaning against something on the ground or one of the kids could be holding it.

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There’s just something appealing and almost rustic about abandoned train tracks. I’ve always wanted my picture taken on one but never got around to before I moved into the city. I’d love to hunt down some nearby and go for it. Why not make it a family thing while there, right? We could even bring a trunk or rocking chairs to use as props for the kids to sit on.

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Family photos taken on bridges and docks just seem so peaceful and full of joy and happiness. We took pictures on a bridge over a pond for my sister’s wedding and they turned out great. I’d love to try the same concept with my family. There’s this one park we go to here in the QC that has a love arched bridge that I think would be the perfect setting if we did something like this.

So, as you all can see, Pinterest has given me a lot of inspiration to choose from. I’m looking forward to deciding on a style/concept for the shoot and keeping our family portraits done finally! Oh, don’t forget to stop by the Facebook page and share a post related to motherhood, parenting or family for Motherhood Monday. Just click on the badge below and it will take there. Also, Happy MLK, Jr Day!!

When was the last time your family took pictures together?

January 20, 2014
5 On Friday

Who’s excited that the weekend is here? I can’t say that I’m too excited because the Mr has to work this weekend. Not to mention, our warm days have passed and it’s back to being chilly and ice cold. (Insert sad face). Anyways, check out my five shares for this Friday.

Bree Earrings

Elle Magazine has named orange the new black for this upcoming Spring! I like this because oranges and reds are what you’ll catch me in during the warmer months. But more importantly, I’m really feeling those cute Bree earrings above from LuCe & Elizabeth! They’re more of a reddish orange which is perfect because I could pair them with more things.

We got Moo’s assignment for kindergarten this fall. Thankfully, we’ll have moved and rezoned by then. Plus, we are looking into other schools. It was suggested to us by a professional that we try to get her into one of the Alpha schools because she might be too bored in a traditional public or private school. To say that I was not a fan of the school that was selected would be an understatement. I hate that there is such a noticeable divide in the quality of education and resources offered at the different schools here.

And no the teachers aren’t necessarily to blame. They work with what they have. At the end of the day, the blame of having a low rated school should be shared by the school district, school staff and parents (and depending on the age, students). The Queen City is going places and I hate to see a lot our children getting left behind.

I’m pretty sure that JJ said Daddy the other day. How did it happen? Well, the kids have been sleeping in later instead of getting up at the crack of dawn. I’m not complaining because I get have quality with the Mr when he gets home in the mornings. Anyways, when Moo got up and saw the Mr, she started jumping up and down yelling “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, I’m so glad you’re home.”

Yes, she does this almost every morning if she wakes up late. I think it’s sweet. But the JJ didn’t to join in on the action and I’m 100% sure he said Daddy at least twice. Now, I’ve been trying to get him to say it on his own since then but he acts all bashful. I don’t want to get my hopes up too much, but if we can get him comfortable with repeating words, he could very well be talking up a storm by his third birthday!

via Pinterest

This is pretty much self explanatory. Dreaming of doing something is one thing, but in order to have success you have to put in the work. Maybe even a little blood, definitely some sweat and there will be some tears.

Lastly, thank you to everyone who has been sharing and/or participated in one of the hops on the Facebook page! I appreciate it. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, then stop by and see the timeline for yourself.

Happy Friday!

Disclaimer: This post does contain affiliate links.

January 17, 2014
Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday y’all! One more day until the weekend. Is anyone else in and around the Queen City area bummed that we didn’t get our snow last night? That is exactly why I don’t like watching the news. They get your hopes for being able to have a little snow and then nothing happens.

Oh well, I still have a lot to be thankful for today. I’m thankful that we seem to have turned a corner in JJ’s speech therapy sessions. He did very well again both days this week. His speech therapist was a little shocked because I think she thought that last week was some sort of “good luck” behavior. Nope, I’ve been steady praying and writing in my prayer journal for JJ to have great sessions and he has. Won’t He do it?!

I’m thankful that I know have an accountability partner!! We’ve agreed that every night we will share three things on our to-do list that must get done the next day. Then, we’ll check in with each other around noon to see how we’re progressing with our to-do list and offer words of encouragement and a little motivation to help light a fire underneath each other if needed. I’m super excited because while I have been staying somewhat on task with completing my list everyday, yesterday I had lazy day and that cannot be a repeat.

My accountability partner is a very positive and upbeat person. She’s very successful in her business and has been helping a lot of other young ladies grow and get into a position where they will one day be able to become their own bosses. She’s Christian like me and doesn’t mind talking about her faith. She’s also a mom and a wife too. So, we have quite a bit in common.

I’m thankful that BFF is starting her own business! I know that her clothing company is going to be successful because she has a great work ethic. Her drive and motivation right now is to provide a better life for her family and have more time to spend with them. Plus, we both have degrees in Fashion Merchandising that were kind of just collecting dust. I’m glad to see her blowing that dust off. I’m blowing the dust off of mine too with a project that I have in the works.

I’m most thankful today that God had his angels around my two little cousins and their friend who were in a really bad car wreck the other day. Seriously, his mom posted a picture of the car this morning on Facebook and it was totaled. The top was crushed in from where it had flipped, the tires were bent out, the hood was a mangled mess….. They had to crawl out of the broken windshield to get out of the car, but I’m thankful that were all ABLE to crawl out.

Somebody could have been seriously hurt, but they walked about with scratches, cuts and little swelling. Our family has lost our share of younger loved ones to car accidents. So, it’s gets us anxious when you hear so and so was in car wreck. Your mind immediately begins to prepare you for the worst. I’m thankful that wasn’t the case. Life is precious and I know that my cousins know that it was God’s grace and mercy that saved them.

What are you giving thanks for today?

January 16, 2014
YoYummy

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received this product directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to sample this product and post my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are 100% my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product!

One of my goals/resolutions for 2014 is to continue providing healthy food options for my family. Therefore, I was excited when I found out I was going to have the opportunity to sample YoYummy yogurt from Green Mountain Creamery. For the most part our main meals are healthy. The snack department, not so much. We definitely have an affection for sweet treats. So, since Moo’s pediatrician encouraged me to try giving her a milk product to see where her allergy levels are now, I thought this would be perfect. We could elminiate other unhealthy sweets and replace them with one that is much better not only for her but for me and the Mr as well (JJ’s milk allergy is too severe, so he sat this sampling out).

What We Received

The Goods

~3 boxes of YoYummy yogurt
~Decals
~Coupons
~Refrigerator Magnets
~Nutrition/Information Flyers

Why We Loved It

~Flavor Variety: YoYummy comes in four delicious flavors- Mixed Berry, Strawberry Banana, Strawberry and Cotton Candy. We got to try them all. Mixed Berry was my favorite, Cotton Candy and Strawberry Banana were Moo’s favorites and Strawberry was the Mr’s favorite.

~All Natural: I’m not a fan of artificial sweeteners if I can help it. When it comes to drinks, yogurts and fruit snacks, I prefer those to be naturally sweetened. YoYummy actually has 10% less sugar than its competitors. I’m also not a fan of additives or preservatives either. So, I loved that YoYummy didn’t have any.

~Taste: Healthy food, especially ones made with all natural ingredients often get a bad rep as not tasting as good as processed foods or foods with a lot of artificial flavoring. Not the case here. I’ve had my share of all natural yogurts and YoYummy definitely has earned a spot in my Top 3! You seriously have to try this stuff for yourself. I was up at 2 AM enjoying a pouch of yogurt. See the Instagram proof below

~Gluten Free: Gluten is still an issue for Moo. I don’t know if her gluten tolerance levels will ever increase. While you might think yogurt would be gluten free anyway, that’s not really case. Gluten goes into pretty much everything now days and you really have to search hard to find products that have it. Thankfully, YoYummy is one of them.

~The Pouch: Finally, someone gets it! It’s important for snack foods to be on-the-go ready. And that means that it needs to be packaged in materials that are kid friendly and that are as mess/accident free as possible. I love that this is a pouch and it has a little spout it as opposed to the traditional containers that yogurt comes.

I don’t have to worry about carrying any spoons or anything. You just twist off the top and squeeze the yogurt in your mouth.

~100% Made in the USA: So much of what we use is already imported. The last thing I want is for my food to be imported as well. I like knowing that my food is as fresh as it can be and hasn’t been exposed to too many elements and climate changes, which can back on the nutrition value and freshness of your foods.

YoYummy is made by Green Mountain Creamery in Vermont. So, it goes from Vermont to the Carolinas. And that I can deal with.

At the end of the day, this is a really great tasting yogurt that is a great snack option for your family, especially your kids. I didn’t have any dislikes about the product itself. My only complaint is that more stores aren’t carrying YoYummy yet. Of course, that has nothing to do with the quality of the product though and isn’t something that YoYummy can really control. Stores get decide what products they want to carry when it’s all said and done.

If you’re interested in trying YoYummy out for yourself you can find it at Wegman’s, Costco, Hannaford, Stew Leonard’s, Fresh & Easy and Sprout’s Farmer Markets. A 4-pack will run you $4.99, a 12-pack $9.99 and a single $1.29. This is a reasonable price considering what I pay $9.99 for a 6-pack of soy yogurt for Moo currently.

Speaking of Moo, she tolerated this non-soy yogurt well. We did have a little break out but no stomach aches, swelling or throwing up like before. I’d say she’s making progress. Be sure to follow YoYummy and Green Mountain Creamery on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter to keep up with updates in terms of new flavor releases and exclusive discounts!

January 15, 2014
5 Truths To Share With Our Children Everyday

Today, I’m sharing 5 truths to share with our children everyday thanks to a little help from my Word Play board on Pinterest. As a parents, it’s very important that we teach our children life lessons and truths on a daily basis. After all how else will they learn these morals, values and code ethics? My mission as a mom for 2014 is to make sure that Moo and JJ know the following not just because I tell them, but because I’m living it:

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For some us, we think that just telling our children that we love them everyday is enough. While I agree that we should verbalize our affection for our children, love in its true form is a verb. I hit on this point several times in my Bible 365 posts last year. God defines love as the actions we perform for others.

Before my dad left, I never questioned whether he loved me or not as a child. It wasn’t because he told me. I was and never will be big on lip service. I needed to see to proof. And for a few years, he did just that. He showed up to science fairs, taught me about cooking and even brushed my hair on occasions. There was even one year when my mom was out of town for Halloween, he got creative and made all of costumes out of things around the house.

That for me was him showing love. And I strive to do the same for my children. I see a lot of myself in Moo. Lip service doesn’t do it for her either. I never want her wondering if I love her now or even years down the line when she’s, married and has a family of her own. I want to be conscious to show her and JJ what love and loving others is all about through personal example. No do as I say and not as I do here.

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Taking the easy way out is for cowards. No ifs, ands or buts about it. When it comes to doing the right things, we should be teaching our kids to not even question it. The best example, I can give is that we see all of these videos on the internet and tv of how crowds of young kids and teenagers will gather around to record fights and other nonsense, but nobody ever does the right thing by going to get an adult or calling the police.

I don’t want that to be my children. One day they may be in the position where they are getting bullied and I hope that their peers doesn’t just there and watch or worst cheer on the bully. At the end of the day, aren’t we, the parents, responsible for instilling good values and morals into children? Aren’t we suppose to be teaching them right from wrong starting at day one? Don’t wait until Bobby is 15 to teach him that using his fists to solve problems is wrong. Show kids the right way by your example.

I tell you right now, if I see something wrong going down, I call the proper authorities. At the end of the day, not only do I have my kids watching my reaction, but I have a conscience that I have to answer to when all is said and done. Hopefully, with enough a practice doing what is right will become easier instead of doing what easy becoming more right in their minds.

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Kindness sometimes seems like a foreign language in today’s society. And that is sad. Actually this is beyond sad. So many of us are like the strangers from the story of Good Samaritan who passed the beaten and dehydrated man left to die by the road side.

Kindness doesn’t take much or a situation that drastic. Just the act of smiling at those you pass or speaking a friendly hello when you enter a room filled with people is showing kindness. There are numerous ways that we can teach our kids about being kind to others. Need a few ideas? Check out the Random Acts of Kindness website: www.randomactsofkindness.org.

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Whether good or bad, every moment in life is meant to be enjoyed. Every moment we have in our lives will show us just how blessed we are. And that we should enjoy and take pride in. Enjoying every moment also means taking the to enjoy the people and/or places that are a part of those moments.

This year I am definitely striving more to be in the moment with my family and enjoying the memories we’re making. There will be times when memories of those moments will be all that have.

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Besides the Bible, the second most powerful set of words are the the words we tell ourselves. Not only can our words have power over others, but they have power over us for sure. Negative affirmations reap negative rewards. Start telling yourself and reminding your children to tell themselves 5 positives traits they like about themselves everyday for a month. The transformation will be awesome.

When we tell ourselves that we can, we do it! Let your children see you speaking your positives into existence. (Don’t forget to back that speech up with a little action too!)

What is one truth or life lesson that you share with your child?

P.S.- Don’t forget to link up for Motherhood Monday over on the FB page.

January 13, 2014
5 On Friday

Rain, rain, please go away and let us be. Yep, this month is looking it’s going to be one where it rains every weekend. I don’t have to tell y’all that our plans are to stay in, keep dry and just chill out. Well, the kids will be chilling out. I have some work to do; some plans to get in motion

We’re still growing and expanding over on the Facebook page. Almost to 600 strong and I couldn’t be more excited. It’s been so great connecting with new supporters from the SITs Girls Facebook group. Also, I’ll be adding some link up opportunities for everyone to stop by the page and share some posts. (See here.) I’m really on a mission to connect better with all of you as well as interacting more.

My girl Christina from Being Mrs Jones has done it again!! She released her second novel, Strictly Professional , this week via Amazon! I couldn’t be more proud of her. And when I tell y’all this book is good, I really mean it’s fantastic. It was such a delight to read and I couldn’t put it down.

If you’re read her novel, Love & Other Things, then you know she has a talent for not just writing but creating this characters and situations that draw you in. I firmly believe this is just the beginning for her. She can definitely moves in the world of Contemporary Romance and African American fiction. Be sure to keep up with her because she has more projects in the works! Also, I’ll be doing an author spotlight on her soon.

Gotta support those who have been unconditionally supportive of me and YUMMommy. And Christina has been one of those people. If I have a question about graphic designing or writing, she doesn’t hesitate to answer it or help in some way. And I truly appreciate that.

Reasons to Dress is officially one of my Top 5 favorite fashion blogs now! Over the last few days I’ve been connecting the with the blog’s owner, Angie, and I just adore her already. I love that what sets her apart of some of these other fashion bloggers is that she actually works in the fashion industry! I know that you don’t have to have a degree in fashion like I do to be able to have an opinion about fashion or have a sense of style, but there’s just something so official and legit and creditable when you have experience in the industry or topic that you’re discussing.

She’s real and genuine in her writings and sharing of her personal life. Plus, she lives in one of my dream countries, Italy!!! Omg, I so want to live there for at least a year. For a fashion and food lover like me it would be heaven. Not to mention all of the old world charm just speaks me. I crave to live somewhere that’s modern but just not modern at same time.

I may or may not have googled houses there. At the very least, I am determined to vacation there and explore to see if the if the Mr has any family left there and to find out where his family lived and how they manged to make from Africa to Italy and then to America. This will be just as much of a history lesson and a self discovery trip as it will be a vacation. Please stop by and tell Angie that I sent you! You can also keep up with her on Facebook.

I got my first pair of skinny jeans this past Christmas (shocker) and I’m hooked. I don’t know why it has taken the Mr having to buy me a pair for me to try them. I considered myself such a straight leg and boot cut kind of girl, but now I don’t know. I’ve had these skinnies from Amazon to my wish list until I can decide which pairs I’m going to get first.

Indigo Saints by BLANK NYC Womens Petite Fit Skinny Jeans

WallFlower Juniors Foil Wash Sassy Skinny

WallFlower Juniors Foil Wash Sassy Skinny

Pinterest

This pretty much sums up where I am right now in my life and what I’ll be doing from here on out.

Happy Friday!

Disclaimer: This post does contain affiliate links.

January 10, 2014
Thankful Thursday

“Life if full of give and take. Give thanks and take nothing for granted.”

~Anonymous

Happy Thankful Thursday! I thought the quote above was very befitting for what I want to give thanks for this week. Y’all know, a lot of times we take our small victories for granted. It could be finding a parking space at the front of the store, $5 in the bathroom stall at Target, etc. However, I’ve learned to truly live life taking nothing for granted.

As y’all know, JJ has been in speech therapy for two months now. His therapist comes out twice week. While she’s here she’s teaching us different communication technique like sign language, but she also works with him on getting him to actually make some sort of verbal communication, be it a noise or word. And the for the longest, he had been throwing these major tantrums. He cried so much at her visit after Thanksgiving that he cried himself to sleep.

And even in his sleep, he was still kind of sniffling. That was by far one of the hardest sessions for me. I didn’t have a breakdown while she was there, but that night I let myself have an ugly cry y’all. I just felt helpless that I couldn’t help him not be so frustrated to the point that he had a meltdown of that magnitude. That guilt that I’ve mentioned on here before wanted to flare up, but I didn’t let it. So, Monday’s session got cancelled due to an emergency with his therapist.

I didn’t sweat it. I keep a prayer journal in which I write down my prayers everyday that I pray to God and myself at night. So, I’ve been consistently asking God to please let us have a meltdown free session. To just help JJ unwind and adjust to having this stranger all up in his space. Kids he can handle but not adults. Last night, really meditated on him having a great session today.

Low and behold, he did! We had zero meltdowns. No tears or anything. He did really well and I could tell his therapist was shocked. She’s so used to him running to hide as soon as she comes in door. But today God gave him a sense calm and at ease when she was here. We built castles, counted blocks, named the colors and even got him to verbally respond to a few of her questions. Of course, everything was answered with a “No!” but we’ll take it!

This is progress and I’m thankful for it. It’s a little step compared to how far we still have to go to get him talking but I’m still don’t take it for granted. I’ll keep putting this in my prayer journal because truly the less meltdowns he has the more productive our sessions can be. I holding on to the hope that an “I love you, Mommy” is right around the corner!

What are you giving thanks for?

January 9, 2014
Call Me Crazy: My Goal To Live A Life Of Abundance

Call me crazy but this year I’m on a mission to live an abundant and wealthy lifestyle. I know some of you are looking at your screens and thinking this chick has fallen off her rocker! But let me be clear and say that I’m not just talking financially. I want to be abundant and wealthy spiritually, emotionally, mentally, in my health, my family life, and professionally.

I’m just fed up with my current situation. As a matter of fact, I’m past fed up. To see just how comfortable I had gotten with living a mediocre life of these last few years has me both disappointed and borderline ashamed. I’ve been looking back at some stuff and I had big plans for my life but threw them out the window because of stumbling blocks. Well, last year was my wake up call.

I’m determined to not make this year a repeat. Here are 5 key practices that I’m adopting for moving forward in 2014:

5 Key Practices to Living Abundantly

1) Decide to Live Abundantly

I’m letting go of this “I can’t” mentality. Joel Osteen postesd on Facebook the other day “God is not limited by our circumstances, by how you were raised, by what you don’t have. Start believing big. Have an abundance mentality.” With that said I’m setting target working towards earning $30k every 30 days. It’s ambitious yes, but if you aim low, you reap low. It’s as if you haven’t totally changed your mindset. Having big dreams, adjusting our mindset to believing that we can achieve those dreams and then actually putting in the work to make those dreams come true is what separates those who achieve success and those who just stay content with getting by. I don’t want to be someone who aspires to obtain a higher level of success but is too afraid to admit out loud and even more afraid to work to achieve it.

2) Get Motivated

My desire to provide a better life overall (financially, emotionally, educationally, and spiritually) for my family, give back to the community and church like I want to, continuing to better my relationship with God and having a successful career and getting The YUMMommy Project off the ground are my main motivations right now. My son is in speech therapy right and while it’s going ok, he could be making a lot more progress if we could afford to try out some of the other alternative therapies we available here.

Moo’s will start school for certain this August and I want her in a school that is safe, will expose her nontraditional learning techniques, doesn’t have overcrowded classrooms, has great teachers who not only love what they do but who are held accountable and are monitored as well as lots of opportunities for parents to be involved. Also, want my husband to be able to spend less time working and more time doing things with us.

3) Surround Yourself With Abundant/Wealthy/Successful People

Listen, I know when I mentioned earlier that I wanted to make $30k every 30 days, some of you probably rolled your eyes or thought “she’s not being realistic.” And that’s why I have to surround myself with people who have proven that it is realistic. Let me tell you, Pat Flynn raked in $55k last month mostly off of blogging, affiliate marketing and eBook sales. And this past July he raked in $116k! He went from unemployed and making $7k his first month of unemployment to making $200k during his first year of working for himself.

Imagine what would have happened if he had listened to the naysayers. I’m on the hunt for my mentor. That person (or people) who’s willing to take me under their wing, push me when I feel like giving up and continue to help me keep my mind open to an abundant way of thinking.

4) Work For It

“Mama need a house. Baby need some shoes.” I have put on my Ace Hood hat and I’m hustling hard. Just like faith without action is dead, having a dream to live abundantly and no work ethic or hustle is pointless too. I’m getting my face and my brands out there. In 2012, I was featured in a national magazine and I dropped the ball on the spinning that into some other major opportunities like I should have. No more ball dropping this year.

Mary Mary sings it best in my theme song Go Get It, “You were made to live a good life and that’s what I believe. So hit the floor say a prayer, start working; you got to do something. It’s alright to crawl before you walk. It’s alright to walk before you run. But if you wanna get what you never got, gotta do something that you never done.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADGnIi9KrLQ]

5)Invest Don’t Spend

I’m finding ways to invest in myself and brands that will give me a return. For example, I’m getting to start a business class the week after next on Coursera. I’ve purchased books to help me brush up on my marketing skills. Did I ever mentioned I passed my marketing class in college with a perfect score?! Yea, I’m brushing the dust off that knowledge. I’m investing time get a Kickstarter page going.

I also, I’m looking to invest in others by sharing what I’m learning and what I know. No need in hogging knowledge. I’m all about each one, teach one. I love giving back. It’s just part of who I am. When I give to others it pays me back in happiness, joy and a feeling of self-pride because I did the right thing.

I’ll also be investing in new business cards, stationary, etc. If I want to businesses and other brands to take me seriously when I’m pitching them or sending them letters, a plain old letter template is ok, but something with my logo and printed on quality paper will stand out more.

The gospel song says “Our God is an awesome God. He reigns…” And that is true. I refuse to be one of those “O ye of little faith” types. John 10:10 says “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

So go ahead, tell me I’m nuts and that my goals are too high, but at the end of day I feel more focused and driven than I’ve been in my life! It might not happen overnight, but I feel like I’ve been through so many rainy seasons that the sunshine is just over the horizon. And I’m beyond ready!

What is one of your biggest dream or mission that scares you the most to admit aloud? And what is holding you back from achieving that dream? Is lack of faith, fear of being mocked or fear of failure?

January 8, 2014
Sharing Is Caring

Sharing is caring. This is something I’ve been thinking a lot. Y’all know that I’m a firm believer in giving to others. Couple that with my want to better the utilize my Facebook page in a way that not only benefits me but my followers as well, I came up with the following memes below over the weekend.

Motherhood Monday

This will the day that everyone can stop by and share a link to anything post on their blog related to motherhood (or fatherhood because we do have a few men who support YUMMommy). It can be anything from sharing your breastfeeding experience to talking about successes in potty training.

Tasty Tuesday

Did you try a new recipe from Pinterest? Well, the link up on Tuesdays will be all about sharing recipes from main dishes to cocktails.

Whatever Wednesday

Think of it as Freestyle Friday, but in the middle of the week. Any post/vlog goes. Just no spam. Whatever post you need some love shown to, just drop by the Facebook page and link it up in the comments.

Thankful Thursday

I’ve been finding that a lot of bloggers actually do Thankful Thursday posts. Why not share them all in one place?

Fashionable Friday

I’ve been feeling the itch to get back into fashion again. I never stopped loving it and now I’m ready to share more fashion related posts on the blog again. And I’m also interested in checking out other fashion posts. You never know where you might find inspiration for that next great outfit.

Social Saturday

We all know the fastest way to network is via social media. Hence, Social Saturday will be all about sharing the two social media accounts that you want to build/grow the most. Be it Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Bloglovin or Instagram, you choose whatever two you want to link up and we’ll stop by and show you some love.

Shareable Sunday

This all about sharing tips. When I started blogging, I had no clue what I was doing. I searched for easy to follow tutorials and tips posted by blogging geniuses. After all the saying does say “each one, teach one.”

I hope that you guys will join me on Facebook next week when I start these up. Bloggers who support together, grow together is my motto.

Which link share will be your favorite?

January 7, 2014
500 Strong

Whelp folks, YUMMommy has it another milestone! We are now 500 Strong on Facebook!! I couldn’t be more excited. One of my goals for this blog was to grow my social media audience and thanks to the new SITS Girls Facebook group page, I have done that. If you don’t know about the SITS Girls, you should really check them out.

They are awesome for bloggers. The community over there is like no other. I’m convinced that’s where all the blogging geniuses hang out because you can truly go over there and find all kinds of resources. They’ve covered everything from html codes you need to know to teaching about monetization. I honestly don’t know what took them so long to start a group on Facebook.

But just the support and helpfulness going on just seconds after people found out the group was open blew me away. This is what blogging is all about. It’s about sharing with others-our resources, our ups, our lows, a helping hand, support… So to everyone who’s stopped by from SITS Girls whether it’s here on the blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or wherever and even to those of you who have just been rocking with me since the beginning this is for you guys:

January 5, 2014