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  • The Blogmopolitan Quiz

    I stumbled across this magazine style blog quiz, The Blogmopolitan Quiz, on XOXORebecca who got the quiz from Two Thirds Hazel.  Anyways, I thought it was a pretty cool idea since I’ve always been a fan of magazine quizzes.  They just remind of the all the times my older sister and I would sit in her bedroom with the latest YM or Seventeen magazine taking the boyfriend and beauty quizzes.  Of course, as we got older and grown we’ve upgraded to taking the quizzes in adult magazines like Cosmo.  
    While those surveys aren’t always accurate, most of the time they are spot on.  Plus, if you save them, it’s a nice way to look back on what your likes and personality are from year to year.  I have to admit that I’ve changed and grown a lot since my YM and Seventeen days.  So, I hope you enjoy reading my quiz answers and get to know a little bit more about me.

    What’s one thing that you definitely don’t get enough of?
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  • Thankful Thursday

    Happy First Thankful Thursday of 2014!  I’m so thankful to have been blessed to see not just another day but another year.  There are people who didn’t make it by a couple of minutes or seconds to see the New Year rung in.  So, I don’t take this for granted at all.  The Mr had to work and JJ fell asleep.  So, it was just Moo and I when the ball dropped.
    I am thankful though that the Mr didn’t have to work a full shift and was able to come home at 2 AM.  We wished each other a Happy New Year and had some alone time before JJ decided to wake up.  He did go right back to sleep but he had a hard time staying asleep.  He ended getting up again at 5 AM, but by 7:30 we had both passed back out for a nap and woke at 11.  I haven’t a clue what time Moo woke up because she was up with the Mr when I got up.
    I’m thankful he was up with her because she’s still at the age where she likes to dig.  Glue is like new obsession and I did not want to wake up to one of collages made entirely of important papers I might have needed.  I am thankful that all of my loved ones made it to see another year.  My family has a lot of older people.  And when you see your relatives getting on up there in age, you can’t help but try to prepare yourself or wonder what’s going to happen.  But God is good and He has blessed them to see 2014 with me.
    Speaking of family, I’m thankful that I found a bunch of my cousins from my maternal grandmother’s side on Facebook. It took a little googling and searching but I found them.  They don’t live in my hometown and I had lost their contact info (phone numbers, addresses, etc.).  It feels good to be reconnected again.  I know a lot about my grandfather’s side because they’re the ones who live in my hometown (a few moved to DC), but I would love to grow closer to the other side as well.
    Yesterday, I did a little research on the housing market here in the QC and I found some really great properties that I think we will have a good chance of getting.  I’m thankful for that.  I know that God is opening up this door of home ownership for us.  I’ve even been dabbling with the idea of looking into securing a loan to buy a house at auction, but idk if I want to take that gamble without a home inspection safety net.  I’m stepping out on faith, naming it, claiming it and putting in the work to make sure it happens. Faith without works is dead y’all.  We make the steps, He turns the NO into YES!
    I’m thankful that this past week of speech therapy hasn’t been quite as emotional for me.  Now for JJ that’s a whole different story.  I think he’s at a point where he feels overwhelmed because he can’t talk and when we try to get him to mimic words his inability to do it frustrates him.  So, he’s been having meltdowns and tantrums during his sessions and just shutting down.  If his tantrums haven’t subsided by the end of the month, we’re going to get him tested for sensory overload.  It could be sound, touch or any combination of triggers.
    Of course, that opens up the door to talk about the autism spectrum, ADD, ADHD and other learning disabilities.  It’s scary, but again I’m trusting in God that we will see improvement.  I have a list of stuff that I want to incorporate and try to see if it will help him.
    I’m thankful for all the good things that will be coming our way this year.  I’ve left behind my fear of rejection, disappointment and not being enough in 2013.  I’ve cried enough tears.  Now it’s time to get back to the smiles and the laughs.  To enjoy life regardless of what challenges we face because at the end of the day just being alive is enough reason to celebrate, to be thankful…..
    What’s on your gratitude list?

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  • Dreams, Visions And Resolutions 2014

    I know a lot of people are on the I-don’t-believe-in-setting-resolutions-train, but not me.  When people say that what hear is “I’m not setting any goals for my life this year.”  After all, a resolution is in fact another word for goal.  And I think that we should all set new goals for ourselves or make plans to attempt to complete the goals still in progress.  I have made a list of resolutions/goals for the year but each month I am setting short term goals to help me reach my year long goals.
    Before we jump into my list check out my Dream Board below.  It’s visual reminder of my most important goals I want to accomplish and mark off my list.  If you’re interested in making one here’s the link: http://goo.gl/j9Bduw

    In 2014, I want to:

    • Find a church
    • Continue working with JJ to make progress with his speech
    • Get Moo into a top rated kindergarten
    • Take a family vacation/trip
    • Secure 2 major/dream sponsors for YUMMommy
    • Publish my novel online & in print
      • Host mini book tour/signings
    • Vlog a minimum of once a month
    • Buy a second car
    • Pay off student loan (a little over $6000 left)
    • Attend 5 events
      • 1 Blog Conferences
      • 1 Charity Dinner/Event
      • 1 Local Blogger Meetup
      • 2 Family Events
    • Host a charity event online & locally
      • Blanket/Yarn Drive
      • Toy Drive
      • School Supply Drive
      • Scholarship Fund
    • Workout 3x a week
    • Continue cooking & eating healthy
    • Buy house/townhouse with at least 3 bedrooms & office space (foreclosures are cheap again in our area)
    • Build up savings
    • Find the kids a pet neither is allergic to
    • Get a new laptop and desktop
    • Nourish the relationships with my friends, family, supporters and God
    • Family portraits
    • Ditch the ponytail and try new hair styles
    • Continue revamping wardrobe
    • Take a class (already found three free classes online)
    • Redo logos
    • Think more positively
    • Enjoy life

    Some of these I think overlap.  For example, if we attended a family event out of town and made it an entire weekend trip, then that would count as a mini family vacation.  And of course, the things that I want to continue doing don’t require me to go out of my way to do anything different. So, I know this list looks long, but I’m going to try my hardest to cross off everything.  Thankful Thursday post will be coming later on today!
    What goals, resolutions or dreams have you set for yourself and family to accomplish in 2014?
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  • Happy 2014

    Source: Studio 404
    Happy 2014 Y’all!!  How cute is the graphic above from my fellow BLM Girl, Angel, at Studio 404?  Be sure to check out her blog and show her some love.  She has some incredible freebies and an Etsy shop.  Anyways, I mentioned yesterday that I would be sharing the progress I made with my 2013 resolutions and goals.  Last year was a bit bumpy and rough, but I still managed to accomplish a few things.
    In 2013, my resolutions were to:
    –Get stronger in my faith and read my Bible daily: I’m happy to say that I accomplished this goal with my Bible 365 Challenge.  I also became a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid!
    –Workout 3 times a week minimum:  I started off good on this until the end of May.  I was working out almost everyday.
    –Cook healthier (sorry fried foods): I did really good on this one. I think fried maybe 20 times last year.  That’s really considering I was usually frying something once to three times a week in 2012.
    –Travel more and experience new places with the kiddies and Mr:  Sadly, due to the Mr’s work schedule, he wasn’t able to travel with us.  However, the kiddies and I enjoyed trips to New Orleans, Lake Junaluska and Myrtle Beach last year!
    –Secure my dream blog sponsors:  Dealing with JJ’s speech issues and the whole move crisis, I dropped the ball on this.  However, I still had some lovely sponsors.
    -Attend at least 2 blog conferences: This was a no go too.  The blog conference I was going to attend here in the QC was the same weekend as my sister’s wedding and I didn’t get a major sponsor to help cover the cost of BlogHer.
    –Build up my savings account and family emergency fund:  I was say that this was a little bit of a success.  I definitely started off 2014 with more money in my savings than last year.  But it’s hardly enough to be considered an emergency fund.
    -Become more present and here in the time I spend with my kids and husband: Again, I think I was present with the kids, but not the Mr.  1 out of 2 isn’t bad.
    -Publish this novel I’ve been talking about and do a mini book tour/signing: Still working on the novel.  If wasn’t self editing the process would run a lot smoother and faster.  Pretty much I needed to get out of my own head and just write.  I have met some pretty cool independent writers and they have been a wealth of knowledge and help.
    -Find an illustrator for my kids book series:  I researched and found that I just didn’t have the funds to afford any of the illustrators I wanted.  And I didn’t want to just settle anything crappy.  I’m toying with the idea of launching a Kickstarter or GoFundMe campaign to help.
    –Buy a new car (I’m not about this one car life anymore):  We got a new car, but sadly we’re still living the one car life thanks to those pesky deer.
    -Move to a bigger place (We’ve been cramped long enough):  Sadly, we ended up moving to a smaller place. 🙁  No worries, another move is coming up.
    –Increase my giving back and community service:  I definitely did this.  I volunteered at a charity in my hometown and we gave away a lot to charity when we moved in addition to me giving away JJ’s baby furniture to moms from our playgroup.
    -Grow YUMMommy:  I’ve seen growth in the pageviews and seen new faces in the comments.  I’ve also grown on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
    -Start an online magazine:  Sketched a layout, found a platform and decided on themes, but again with everything this just seemed like it would be a bit much to handle at that moment.
    -Revamp my wardrobe: I added a new pieces and gave away some pieces. 
    –Stay Team Natural:  Definitely accomplished this.  There were times I wanted to throw in the towel, but I didn’t. 
    –Do more for myself: Not a complete fail.  I treated myself to nail polish and a new camera this year.
    –Build and nourish new friendships:  I can check this off the list with certainty.  Thanks to my new Facebook groups I joined last year, I’ve met some awesome ladies and am  looking forward to continuing to build a relationship with each of them.
    So, there you have it folks.  I didn’t do too shabby.  I know it was pretty ambitious trying to accomplish a list this size, but I’m an ambitious person.  And honestly speaking, if we hadn’t had all the issues with the move and then the emotional trauma of JJ’s delayed speech, I probably would have accomplished more.  But what didn’t kill me has made me stronger.
    Lessons have been learned.  Connections have been made and I’m ready to make 2014 a knockout year.  I’ll be back tomorrow with  my goals, resolution and vision board for this year.  Hope you all a great time ringing in the New Year!
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  • Bible 365: Week 52

    I did it!!  Seriously, y’all have no idea how proud and happy I am to have read the Bible in its entirety in 365 days.  This has been a goal of mine for quite some time and to be able to mark it off my list is definitely an accomplishment.  I took a HUGE risk writing about my faith and my thoughts on God’s word here on the blog.  You hear all of these dos and don’ts for bloggers when you first start out and usually the first two things on the list of things NOT to blog about are faith and politics.  
    And honestly, that’s just sad.  It’s disturbing to think that because I want to share my views and beliefs that I would be labelled a blogger to avoid or not follow.  Well, I stand firm on what I believe in.  Furthermore, at the end of day this is my blog.  As such, I deem the right to talk about any and every thing that I want to.  I follow and read blogs of other people who aren’t Christian and don’t believe in anything.  That’s their right.  I don’t pass judgment on them in the least.
    Now, this week was all about the detailing the return of Christ, the purging of the evils from the Earth and Heaven and rebirth.  We get to read about what signs we need to be on the watch for, how the Earth and those who have renounced God will be destroyed and more importantly we get an inside glimpse of what Heaven is really like.  We’ve seen movies try to recreate it but reading about how Heaven will look just leaves me in awe of the opulence and luxury that God is surrounded by on a daily basis.
    I’ve learned to “[b]e merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear- hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” (Jude 1:22-23).  At the end of day we have the power to lead to others to Christ.  And I think a lot of times, we as Christians do ourselves a disservice by not showing mercy to those we consider sinners.  We’re all in their face with it’s my way or the highway, when it really should be God’s way!  The saying tells us that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
    Likewise, we can lead and entice more followers to try to at least read the Bible by extending a merciful hand to help save from a life wrong living and eternal damnation.  It’s all about approach people.  Also, we need to look at ourselves and “[c]onsider how far you have fallen!  Repent and do the things you did at first.  If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5).  Remember to let him who is without sin cast the first stone.  See what’s in your closet that you need to repent for before even attempting to condemn someone else.
    “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.  I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days.  Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown” (Revelation 2:10).  Always trust in God.  Always keep the faith.  People ask me how can I stay so positive in the mist of everything I have been through and this scripture is it.  God is with me no matter what I’m going through.  These trials on Earth are worth the rewards I reap later on here on Earth and definitely in Heaven. 
    God has assured me that “I know your deeds.  See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.  I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8). Better days will come and for now I choose to hold on to the thing and one person who is forever with me-my faith and God.  It’s always my hope that no matter what material blessings God gives me in the future that I will stay humble and never adopt the mindset that I can buy way into Heaven or that I don’t need God at all (see Revelations 3:17).
    “Then war broke out in heaven.  Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.  But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.  The great dragon was hurled down-that ancient serpent called the devil , or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.  He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him” (Revelation 12:7-9).  Honestly, it still puzzles me as to 1) how could Satan turn his back on God who created him and gave him life, 2) think he could defeat God and take over heaven and 3) convince other angels to join in on his foolish and clearly not well thought out scheme?
    I mean seriously, Satan, you tried to go to battle against God who’s immortal and can’t be killed.  He’s all powerful remember?  So, even if you and your angels had killed all of the good angels and other hosts of heaven, with a wink God would have been able to destroy and defeat you and your army. 
    Revelation 21:19-21 describes Heaven as have wall “made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.  The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth and the twelfth amethyst.  The twelve gates were twelve pearls each ate made of a single pearl.  The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.”  You got yourself thrown out of the most loving, peaceful, wonderful, luxurious, comfortable, compassionate, joyful and righteous place ever!!  Like really y’all was trippin’ fo’ real!  
    Trust me, when I make it to heaven, I’m not even trying to sneeze wrong and get kicked out of there.  To be able to be in a place where sickness doesn’t exist, where I will be safe and where I won’t have any needs except to continue giving thanks for God and all he’s done is a dream I’m working hard to achieve by following God’s commands.  If you think not living right isn’t fun or worth the effort then you need to read about the seven wraths of God in Revelations 16.
    There’s the wrath of sores, the wrath of the sea turning to blood and all the sea animals dying (bye bye seafood), the wrath of the fresh water turning to blood (bye bye drinking water), the wrath of the sun (got sunblock because you’re going to need it and them some), the wrath of the beasts’s defeat, the wrath of preparation that dries up the Euphrates and unleashes three demonic spirits and last the wrath of the world’s worst and most destructive earthquake ever!!  Nope, I don’t want to have to experience or suffer through none of that.  I rather live like I’m supposed and getting ascended into Heaven along with his other faithful servants.
    At the end of the day I try to remember this “It is done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.  Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.  But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars- they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  This is the second death” (Revelation 21:6-8). We have the power to determine where we end up.  God has given us free will, He has sacrificed His son and now He’s shown us what we have to look forward to if He keep our hand in His and repent when we fall short.  I hope pray that each of us chooses well!
    I’ve been humbled and grateful by the support that I have gotten for my Bible 365 posts.  I’ve said this a million times before, but thank you, thank you, thank you for reading and commenting.  I can’t properly put into words how much your support has meant to me.  I hope that in some way if you’re a Christian, I have inspired you to become closer with God.  And if you’re on the fence, I pray that I inspired you to at least see what the Bible and being a Christian is really about.
    Also, Happy New Year’s Eve!!  I’ll be posting a recap of how I did with my resolutions/goals from this year tomorrow.  And then Friday, I will post about what I will be working hard to accomplish in 2014.  Hope to see you in the New Year!

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  • 2013 Recap

    My Week 52 Bible 365 post will up tomorrow.  I didn’t want to post it today since it actually doesn’t end until tomorrow.  Today, I’m doing a recap of all the adventures, ups and downs that was tossed our way in 2013.  It’s been fun revisiting some of these posts and I hope that you will check them out.  Also, I noticed some posts have comments on them that I thought I had replied but didn’t.  So, you might get an email notifying you about a comment I’m just now replying to that’s a couple months old.

    January

    We started out 2013 with a everybody in the house getting sick.  What a way to celebrate the New Year huh?  I also started on one of my New Year’s resolution with the introduction of the Bible 365 Challenge.  Most importantly, YUMMommy turned three years old this past January!

    February

    I got busy in the kitchen and made some savory bbq meatballs for the SuperBowl.  I’ve made them a few times since then and will probably make them again this upcoming SuperBowl.  I opened up about how both of my maternal grandparents died from complications related to heart disease.  I’m still very passionate about supporting charities that work to help raise awareness for this disease.  And Moo morphed into mini mommy mode with her brother. Seriously, it’s still the cutest thing ever!

    March

    I took a big step and purchased the YUMMommy domain for the blog!  I also got a great head start on my Christmas shopping for Moo at an awesome Spring toy sale at Walmart.  Hoping to be able to catch a good sale after the New Year’s and this upcoming Spring too!

    April

    We did something different this year and made our Easter baskets!  It was a big hit with the kids and will be doing it again this upcoming Easter.  I went to Lake Junaluska for the first time and fell in love!  I’m really aching to go back and would love to live there some day.  I can definitely see the Mr and I growing old there.  Moo got her first pets, but sadly they passed away. 

    May

    My little guy turned two!  Who knew time would fly by so fast.  My entire family (minus the Mr) and I took a road trip to New Orleans for my older sister’s wedding.  Hands down the best trip I have taken in my adult life!  The jokes, fun and family bonding was like no other.  We’re trying to plan another trip to New Orleans and I know it’s going to be even better.

    June

    We beat cabin fever and enjoyed a wonderful day at the ImaginOn.  When I say that place is cool, I mean it’s sweet!  Ipads, toys, exhibits, workshops and so much more make this library one of best libraries I’ve ever been to.  It’s definitely the best library here in the Queen City!

    July

    I’ve always been a fan of crafting and decided to get the kids in on the action too with an Arts & Crafts Bucket List.  Moo and I wasted no time getting started and made homemade playdough hand imprints.  Life started throwing us lemon after lemon starting with our last landlord terminating our lease because he didn’t want to make any repairs.  Check out that story here.

    August

    The Mr asked me to marry him all over again. Needless to say I said yes of course.  Who would turn down the change to have a wedding after eloping?  Life is more complicated and we’ve been thinking about putting the vow renewal ceremony on hold for another year, but I’ll keep you posted in the New Year.

    Septmeber

    I had pregnancy scare that had me wondering about if there was a right time for us to have a third child and if we were pregnant would be able to handle it with everything that was already going on.  Well, the results came back negative and honestly I was kind of crushed about it.  While we aren’t playing to have another baby for a while, I had allowed myself to get my hopes up anyway.  I also bit the bullet and filmed my first vlog!!  Talk about nerve wrecking.

    October

    Things went south with our current rental, but again God opened up a window to help things workout in our favor.  Won’t He do it?!  Life may get hard but I refuse to just stand still and take it.  After the shenanigans that went down with our last landlord, I have learned to take action from the jump start.  I am about my business when it comes to my family, making sure where we stay is in order, my money and my brands.

    November

    The Mr’s work schedule got crazy busy and to avoid missing out on being able to put the Christmas tree up as a family, we put it up after Halloween!  Too early for some, but just right for our family.  We discovered what it was like to live next door to college students and how sometimes it can bring out the inner mean girl in me.

    December

    This month Moo turned five and I cried again!  I had the pleasure of writing for Kokoa Magazine!  It was a wonderful experience and I look forward to doing it again in the future.  I celebrated my 28th birthday with my loves.  Christmas came and went leaving me with the reminder of all that I had to be thankful for.
    Overall, this year has been a year of ups and downs.  However, everything that happened went down for a reason.  I think our bad times have made me stronger, wiser and smarter.  I’m looking forward to taking everything that I’ve learned into the New Year.  By applying these lessons in 2014, I know that my family and I will be elevated to higher heights and better able to deal with issues as they come our way.
    What was the best highlight from your 2013?
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  • Thankful Thursday

    I know Christmas was yesterday, but Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!  If I could describe yesterday in one word, I would describe it as blissful.  Last year, we started the tradition of not traveling on Christmas Day.  Wherever we are is where we celebrate and so far we’ve been home.  I’m hoping that next Christmas the Mr can take some vacation days and we spent Christmas week up North or in the mountains with snow!
    I’m thankful foremost that we got to celebrate the day, we reserve as being Jesus’ birthday!  The gift of his birth is so special that I don’t ever think we can repay God for what He did.  Moo got her wish and we made Jesus a birthday cake.  I didn’t have any birthday candles to put on it, but I’m sure he appreciates our gesture all the same.  I tweeted about it on Twitter and was surprised to find that other families make a birthday cake instead pies or other desserts for Christmas as well.  I think this will be a tradition we add on from here on out too.  It’s the least we can do to show our gratefulness. 
    I’m thankful that Moo gets what Christmas is all about.  I know so many kids her age don’t even know the true meaning of Christmas or what it’s like to have the Christmas spirit.  They’re so young, but caught up in commercialization already.  I wasn’t raised that way and I’m not raising my kids that way.  I want them to be able to celebrate Christmas whether we’re exchanging gifts or not.  I’m thankful for the fact that Moo is so thoughtful.
    She told me Tuesday and yesterday, that she and her brother have enough toys and that wants to share them with other kids who don’t have any.  I’m telling y’all this little girl and her compassion are melting my heart everyday.  As parents, we’re constantly doubting and worrying about what kind of people we’re raising our children to be and things like this just show me that I’m on the right track.  I’m not perfect, but I’m definitely putting some good values and morals into her and JJ.
    I’m thankfully that while JJ has been having complete meltdowns during his speech therapy session, except for the one that the Mr was able to join us for, he’s making a little progress.  He’s been making the M sound a lot and I think we’re getting close to him saying Mommy or Mama.  I feel like it’s right on the tip of his tongue and all we need is a little breakthrough.  I’m thankfully again for all the words of encouragement I’ve been getting still.  No meltdowns for me this week.  I’m staying positive.
    I’m thankful for my wonderful friends.  We don’t see each other often because we live in different states, cities or have a lot going on,  but we’ve all been keeping in touch on a regular basis as of late.  I’m hoping that we can get a reunion of some kind going this summer or next fall.  I miss them!  They have been my support through so much.  They know things about me that my family doesn’t even know.  I can tell them anything and know that it’s going to the grave.  Friendship like that is very rare these days.
    As this year comes to a close (this is our last Thankful Thursday for 2013!!) I just want to say thank you to all of you for riding with me this year.  Your comments, emails, and tweets mean so much to me.  Know that I don’t take your taking the time out to read what I have to say for granted.  At all!  You all have been nothing short of a blessing.
    I hope that you will stick with me as we go into 2014!  I’m looking forward to getting more personal and talking subjects that I’ve never delved into before here on YUMMommy.  I’m hoping to get to know each of you better and inspire or uplift you in some kind of way. 
    Thank you, thank you, a trillion times THANK YOU!!!!

    What are you most thankful for?

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  • My Weekly Ambition


    I missed linking up over at Ambitious Curls for My Weekly Ambition for the last couple of weeks.  But I am back on the wagon.  About my last MWA post, I totally did not exercise for 30 minutes like I was suppose to everyday.  Does chasing after kids count?  I have been managing to write for an hour everyday.  However, I tend to self edit as I write and that doesn’t make for very good progress.  I did manage to start and end my days on a positive note though! 









    To exercise for 30 minutes everyday.  I’m not working out to drop pounds because I think I’m good where I’m at weight wise.  However, it’s time to tone this tummy and these legs back up.  I have drifted away a little ways from the college freshman body, I had when I first met my husband.  He’s not complaining, but I sure as heck am!




    To work on concepts for my book cover.  My book is not finished but it finally has a title (click here to find out what it is) and I have a rough mental picture of what I want the cover look like.  I need to just refine it a little bit and then get busy networking and making some calls to get the proper people on board to help me execute the vision.  

    This book is like my baby and I’ve been guarding it with my life.  I don’t just want to be putting a bunch of words out there.  I’m so passionate about writing because it is my art and I want readers to be able to feel that from cover to cover.



    To have more patience.  I am more patient with kids, but I still need to work on my patience with the Mr.  I think that the year we took apart and then all the time we had been growing apart up until that point got me used to having my space, coming and going as I wanted and interacting more people my age.  When I first met my husband, gestures of affection (i.e.-hugging, holding hands, cuddling) weren’t something he was into at all because of how he grew up.  He just didn’t see affection, but the opposite.

    My parents on the other hand were very affectionate before things went down hill and as a result, so was I.  But I eventually adjusted to my husband’s comfort levels as time passed.  We split.  Now, we’re back together and I just don’t feel like making the adjustment back to the old me.  Therefore, when he’s in my space a little too much , I tend to get annoyed easily.

    Honestly, I feel like old me who was more affectionate and wanted him in my space got her heart broken.  So, new me still has a wall up because I guess at times the hurt still feels fresh and the fact that this one car situation makes it hard for me to get out as much as I want to.  However, I am devoted to my marriage and will work on getting this wall down and finding a way to bump up my income so that I can get this second car fund back up.




    What’s one challenge that you want to overcome this upcoming week?  Did you notice anything different about the blog today?



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  • Bible 365: Week 51

    One week and a day left and my Bible 365 Challenge will be officially over!  I will have read the Good Book in its entirety straight through.  Anyways, I hope that everyone had a blessed weekend.  I did.  I celebrated my birthday on Friday and we finally got car.  I was kind of sad to see our lovely BMW rental go.  That thing was sweet!
    Saturday, the Mr braved the craziness at the stores to go hunt down a gluten free turkey and finish his Christmas shopping.  He said it was almost like the grocery store scene from Christmas With The Kranks at Walmart.  He had to race this lady to get the last gluten free turkey.  She even offered to pay a little extra for it, but he turned it down.  Thank goodness because y’all know my babies on a gluten free diet thanks to allergies.  Next year, I think we’ll try prime rib or something because I’m anxious to start switching up our holiday menus.
    Anyways, the scripture readings from Week 51 talked a lot about how we should live right and follow God’s commands to show and prove our love and devotion to Him.  And I couldn’t agree more.  He knows that we will stumble, but there are some out there who are just sinning to max and not even trying to get it right.  Yet, we see them talking about how they love the Lord.
    Newsflash, 1 John 1:6 says, “If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.”  Being a Christian or loving truly loving God isn’t about lip service.  I’ve said this a million times on this blog I’m sure, but love is an action.  You show someone that they are loved by what you do for and with them.  “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18)  The same applies to God.
    He wants to see us putting in the work to attempt to live as Jesus did.  And I understand better than anyone that this can be a hard task to live up to, but “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3).  He didn’t send us unprepared to live a righteous life.  The Bible is our guidebook, Jesus is our guide and the tools to experience this journey are within us.  It’s just up to us whether we use them or not.
    And if you do find yourself having one of those days where you have been less than perfect in your walk with Christ, just remember “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just as will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  We serve a forgiving God.  An understanding God.
    We serve a God whose love is unconditional.  How do I know?  “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16).  God had one biological child in this world and He graciously and selflessly sacrificed him for us because we couldn’t get our bad habits under control.  We couldn’t stay faithful to Him despite the fact that He has stayed faithful to us!

    With the New Year coming up, I think the one resolution that we all need to take up is to do away with fear.  For the simple reason that “There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).  How many of us are walking around with fear in our marriages, in our roles as parents, at our jobs or just walking out of our front doors?

    I want to be fearless in 2014, in every aspect of my life.  I want to know the joy of experiencing perfect love.  A love so unconditional and pure.  Oh the bliss that will come from that.

    Week 52 Readings
    12/23: Jude 1
    What fears are going to give up in 2014?
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  • Secret Santa: Libby’s Library

    I think Secret Santas are cool.  Being a Secret Santa gives you the opportunity to do something special for someone other than your loved ones.  And as a person who enjoys giving, this is right down my alley.  So, when I saw that Social Fabric was hosting a virtual gift exchange, I jumped the opportunity to sign up.  This was my first year participating, but I’m already looking forward to signing up again next year!  Now on to my virtual gift recipient. 

    Meet Elizabeth aka Libby from Libby’s Library! 
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    I’m actually excited that I got selected to be Libby’s Secret Santa because we actually have a lot in common.  For starters, we’re both named Elizabeth.  She’s also a wife and mother like me.  She has 10 children and 18 grandchildren.  I come from a big family.  So, 10 kids doesn’t really seem like a lot to me. 
     Honestly, if the Mr and I win the lottery, we might revisit adding more kids after our third.  The amazing part is that Libby has given birth to a few of her children naturally seeing as to how she didn’t quite make it to the hospital in time.  
    We both love tweeting (follow her on Twitter @LibbysLibrary).  Seriously, if you’re like me and love giveaways, reading product reviews and craft related posts, then you’ll definitely want to check out her Twitter timeline.  She stays up to date on all the best giveaways, reviews and I’ve found more than one cute holiday craft tutorial since following her.  While we’re on the subject of crafting, she likes to do that too just like me.  She’s really into making jewelry and tutus.
    Now, I really knew Libby was a woman after my own heart when I discovered that she likes to cook!  Y’all know I love food and I enjoy cooking it and being in the kitchen.  
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    She is too sweet because she shared a picture recipe of her homemade spaghetti meat sauce recipe using Pompeian Olive Oil.  Now, I like to make my spaghetti sauce from scratch too.  If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen more than one picture of my famous sauce.  However, you won’t get my recipe or any pictures of my secret ingredients.  So, hats off to Libby for revealing her recipe!

    Needless to say, she’s also a blogger like me.  I recently read her review for Standzout and now I’m talking the Mr into getting us one.  If you have an iPad, you’ll definitely want to check out her review and see what Standzout is all about.

    She enjoys reading!  I imagine that like me her night stand must have pretty decent stack of books on it.  I’d love to swap book recommendations with her.  Most likely though, we’ve probably read a lot of the same books since we’re so similar.

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    She’s a fellow dog lover.  She has 4 adorable fur babies!  And she’s not shy about getting creative with their names either.  There’s George Henry Lester the Fawn Pug, Gracie Lou Freebrush the Carolina Dog, Gung Poe Wigglebutt (my favorite) the Black Pug and her service dog Gabriel Guardian Angel the Plott Hound/Wemaraner.

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    I have to admit that I am slightly jealous because due to the kids’ allergies, I can no longer have dogs.  And this girl who’s always had a dog that is just heartbreaking.  Thankfully, I can live vicariously through fellow dog lovers like Libby and just adore their pooches from the safety of my computer screen.
    Other interesting facts about Libby is that she’s from Baton Rouge, LA!  That’s close to NOLA and y’all know I love me some NOLA.  I love Louisiana period because the soul food and sea food there no matter what city you stop in is just heaven on a plate.  No wonder Libby enjoys cooking.
    O Negative.  If you don’t know, people with O Negative blood type are very unique in that their blood type is compatible with other blood types but they can only accept blood transfusions from another O Negative donor.  She’s a hard worker.  She’s worked in home sales, been substitute teacher (another thing we have in common), served as office manager (me too) and is currently a writer/blogger (again me too!).
    Her family motto is: What doesn’t kill us…makes us stronger.  And let me tell ya, Libby is strong.  She suffers from severe food allergies (y’all know that I know all about these with the kiddies), Reynauds Disease, Hypo-Thyroidism, Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.  Lord bless your heart Libby.  You’re really going through, but still you keep so positive.
    I know it’s difficult and that you probably have your days where you wish you could snap your fingers and make it all go away.  My children suffer from severe allergies, asthma and a few other things and it just kills me sometimes when I have to watch them battle it all.  Life can be really unfair sometimes.  However, I love that you have not let any of your health issues get you down.
    Libby says that she has “chosen Joy over Sorrow.. an Attitude of Gratitude and instead of living with a woe is me mentality, I try to look at hardships, as a way to learn and grow.”  Well, I take my hat off to you.
    I’ve learned so much from Libby after spying on her via her blog and social media sites these past few weeks.  She’s truly an inspiration.  And the one thing she wrote that stood out to me most was “I live, love, and laugh as much as possible.”  Well, with the New Year upon us, I am going to try my best to adopt this as mantra for 2014.  Libby has inspired me to not let all the negative things steal my joy.  I too refuse to live a life of sorrow, but to set a better example of making lemonade out of lemons for my children.  Thank you!
    If you want to get to know Libby, here’s where you can find her hanging out at:
    Check out some other Secret Santas writing about their virtual gift recipients in the linky below.

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