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  • 3 Reasons Why Family Meals Are So Important

    I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions.  Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.
    Summer is still in full swing.  And if you’re from the Carolinas, you know the heat down South is nothing to play with.  One of the measures I’ve been taking to keep the house cool is taking a break a from turning on my stove. I may not be cooking as often these days, thanks to Wildscape, family dinners have been going strong still.  Eating dinner as a family is the one thing, I refuse to give up. While there are tons of scientific and medical studies about how beneficial family dinners can be for children, I’m sharing 3 of my own personal reasons why family meals are so important for my family.

    3 Reasons To Eat Dinner With Your Family

    It’s not what’s on the table that matters, it’s who’s in the chairs.

    So it definitely matters what’s on my table because I have picky eaters, but it definitely matters that we all eat together.  When I became a mom, I made a promise to myself (and my children) that we would always eat dinner as family no matter where we are.  And I can say without doubt that I’ve done a great job of keeping this commitment.  I can count on one hand the number of times my kids and I haven’t been able to eat dinner together so far and I’m hoping to keep it that way.
    While I always had dinner with my siblings growing up, it wasn’t until I reached junior high that my mom’s work schedule allowed her to consistently be home in time for dinner. Breaking bread as a complete family definitely mattered.  It always felt incomplete those nights she wasn’t there.  And I know that it matters to my kids that I’m sitting with them at the dinner table every night.

    Some of the most important conversations I’ve ever had occurred at my family’s dinner table. -Bob Ehrlich

    The first time Moo told me she hated public school was during family dinner.  We had just finished saying grace and I had asked her to tell me about her day at school.  I knew kindergarten had been rough, but she’d absolutely loved her first grade teacher and I thought she was adjusting well to second grade.  That summer we moved and it was during family dinner again that I told her she could homeschool with her brother.
    Family dinners have a way of putting us at ease and giving us the courage to be vulnerable.  Shoot thinking back on my own life, I can count numerous times when I had serious and important conversations with my mom and siblings while sharing a meal together.  There’s just a comforting intimacy when it comes over us that comes with sharing food as a family.

    This much I know.  If you are what you eat, then I only wanna eat the good stuff. ~Ratatouille, the movie

    Somewhere between going off to college and before having kids, my diet and eating habits were crappy at best.  Having kids, especially kids with food allergies, forced me to really take a hard look at what I was not only putting in my body but on our dinner table overall.  I quickly found out that all frozen and prepared meals weren’t made equally and it wasn’t long before I was cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner from scratch 365.
    Thankfully, frozen meals have come a long way and we now have brands like Wildscape who understand the importance of frozen meal options made with natural ingredients that I can actually identify and name.  They have 6 different recipe options to suit different dietary needs.
    • Gochujang Cauliflower: Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian.  Does contain soy and cashews. (P.S.-This one is my favorite! It’s spicy but not overwhelming.)
    • Peri Peri Portobellos: Dairy-free and vegetarian.  Contains coconut flakes
    • Seared Steak: Gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free.  Does contain soy.  (This is the kids’ favorite.)
    • Togarashi Beef: Dairy-free and nut-free.  Does contain soy. (I can’t wait until my store gets this one.)
    • Cilantro Lime Chicken: Gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and dairy-free. (This is delicious by itself, but it’s even better when poured over some tortilla chips.)
    • Chimichurri Chicken: Dairy-free. Contains almond butter.  (Waiting for my store to get this one too.)

    The best part of these meals, besides the natural beef and antibiotic-free chicken, is that each meal takes under 6 minutes to cook in the microwave.  And Wildscape has layered each meal in a special way to make sure everything maintains its proper texture and you don’t end up with chewy meat or mushy veggies.  Did I mention how I love that the bowls are resealable as well as recyclable?
    This is perfect since we’ve been doing a lot of eating outdoors and have been working on reducing our waste even more.
    Wildscape Meals are available at Publix, Harris Teeter, H-E-B, and AmazonFresh.  Click here to find a store near you so that you can pick some up for your next family dinner.  Be sure to follow Wildscape on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on new product releases, sales, and more.
    Do you do family dinners at your house?

  • Friday Five Recently | Week 6

    It’s a rainy Friday in the Carolinas but I’m not complaining.  This rain is greatly appreciated because we need it.  Our yard has been looking like a dry cracked desert for weeks.  We’re supposed to get more rain throughout the weekend.  So we’ll be hanging out indoors for the most part.  In the meanwhile though, let’s catch up friends!

    Recently . . .

    Ended |  Our 2018-19 homeschool year has finally ended.  Hello Summer Break!!!  These last 8 days of being able to sleep-in have been glorious y’all.  Although, the first day I forgot to turn off my alarms and ended waking up early.  This school year was a bit of a challenge.
    I’m definitely going to sit down and write out my thoughts to share with you all.  Homeschooling is something that I’m very passionate about but I realized it’s one of the things that I don’t really go much into detail about here on the blog.  I want to change that.
    Designed |  Remember when I told y’all that I restarted bullet journaling?  Well, I finally got around to designing the start of my June spread.  It’s nothing elaborate but I love the bright colors.  I’m toying with the idea of giving each week of this month a different spread design.  We’ll see how it goes though.
    Excited |  Our vegetable garden is really taking off and we’re so excited.  So far we’ve harvested two pea pods.  I know that doesn’t seem like a lot but it is considering everything else we planted takes about 3 months to harvest minus the collard greens.  We started everything from seed with the exception of our lone tomato plant.
    When you start things from seeds versus buying seedlings or plants from the store, it can seem like it takes forever for things to really get on and popping.  I am disappointed that our lettuce bolted though.  I’ve done some more research though and I’m ready to try my hand at replanting it.
    Watched |  We saw The Secret Life Of Pets 2 and it was adorable.  The overall theme for this movie was about learning to face and overcome our fears.  I think it’s worth a watch.  The kids have already asked to see it again.  I’ve also started watching the Charmed reboot now that the first season is available on Netflix.  So far so good.  I love that the Charmed Ones are POC/Black Latinas this time around.
    Participated |  Lashawn from Everyday Eyecandy started a #FifteenSecondsOfSummer project and I’ve had a blast participating in it.  I missed two days this week because I started feeling under the weather but I’m hoping right back on the wagon.  I love that once summer is over we’ll have these little clips to look back on.
    What have you been up to recently?  Let’s chat in the comments.

  • 5 Reasons We’re Excited To See The Secret Life Of Pets 2

    This giveaway is sponsored by Illumination Entertainment.

    “Welcome to New York.  It’s been waiting for you.”  It’s been three years since we’ve hit the streets of the Big Apple with our favorite pet pals.  Now The Secret Life Of Pets 2 is adventuring into theaters on June 7th just in time to kickoff Summer Break!  Here’s a look at why the kids and I are beyond excited to catch up with Max and the gang.

    5 Reasons To Get Excited About The Secret Life Of Pets 2

    1- Big Changes | If you’ve seen the movie trailers for The Secret Life Of Pets 2 already, then you know some big changes have happened since the last time we got to hang out with Max and the other pets.  The biggest changes by far (in my opinion at least) are that Katie, Max and Duke’s owner, got married and had a kid, Liam!  Talk about a plot twist.
    Keep in mind that one thing we know about Max is that he doesn’t respond well to changes, especially when it pertains to his pack/family.  The main questions the kids having been asking is, “Do you think Max is going to like the baby?”  I’m going to go out on a limb and say that he will, but we won’t know for sure for sure until we see the movie.

    2- The Gang’s All Here | It’s nice to know that while we’ll be seeing how Max adjusts to being a big brother for second time, that we’ll also get to see some familiar faces from the first movie.  Yep, Chloe, Snowball, Mel, Duke, and Gidget are back.  They’ll have adventures of their own to tackle too.

    3- New Faces | While it’ll be great seeing familiar faces, there will also be some new faces joining the The Secret Life Of Pets family.  Two of the new faces we’ll meet are Daisy, a fearless Shih Tzu, and Rooster, a farm dog.  I think Rooster is either a Border Collie or Australian Shepherd, but don’t hold me to that.  Anyways, we’re eager to see if these new characters will be friends or foes.

    4- Allstar Voice-Over Cast |  When it comes the voice-over cast, I’m sure that I’m more excited than the kids are.  I love it when some of my favorite actors are a part of projects that are family-friendly.  The Secret Life Of Pets 2 is welcoming the talented and funny Tiffany Haddish as the voice of Daisy the Shih Tzu as well as Harrison Ford, my forever man crush, as the voice of Rooster.   And of course, Kevin Hart, Patton Oswalt, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, and Jenny Slate are all back voicing their original characters.

    5- Overall Theme/Messaging | At the end of the day, I’m most excited to see what themes and messaging this movie will touch upon.  I know the first movie gave way to a lot of conversation starters for us.  My kids really pick up on things in animated movies that honestly, I don’t always expect them to.  For example, in the first movie when Duke went back to his old home and the cat told him that his owner had died, my kids started asking questions about what would happen our stuff and them if I died.  They also asked questions about why there are so many stray animals.

    So I’m looking forward to seeing what themes and messages they will pick up on in this movie.  I know for sure The Secret Life Of Pets 2 will touch on changes in family dynamics (again) as well as friendship (again).  I suspect we’ll see more of the pets having to confront their fears and overcome other obstacles.  Either way, I definitely feel confident that we’ll be having some good conservations after watching this.

    I really hope that you and your family will have the opportunity to watch The Secret Life Of Pets 2 when it hits theaters on June 7th.  Speaking of opportunities, I’m proud to announce that I’ve partnered with Illumination Entertainment to give a few families in the Charlotte, NC a chance to attend an advance screening of the movie on June 4th.  Simply use the widget below to enter.

    Check out the official The Secret Life Of Pets website for more movie info, video clips, and more!

  • Rosie’s Easter Bash 2019

    Happy Belated Easter!!  After almost two weeks of being on house arrest thanks to the insane amount of the pollen that has been suffocating the Carolinas, we finally made a break for it and journeyed outside.  This past weekend, I loaded up the kids and we went into downtown Lancaster for the annual Rosie’s Easter Bash community event.  

    This was our second year going.  The weather was less than stellar because we had series of really crazy thunderstorms the day before and it was actually really cold the morning of the event.  Nevertheless we still lived our best lives and had a great time at Rosie’s Easter Bash 2019.  Take a look at some of our adventures below.

    What We Did At Rosie’s Easter Bash 2019

    • Petting Zoo |  We (Moo and I) were thrilled to see that the petting zoo was back again this year.  JJ was still a little weary of the farm animals but at least he didn’t run in the opposite direction like he did last year.  He stood patiently off to the side while I snapped animal photos until my heart was content and Moo got in her bunny cuddles.  

    I fell in love with this one goat that I named Billie (pictured above).  I’m not sure if it’s a he or a she but it was so cute and friendly.  Billie greeted everyone that passed by and enjoyed being in the spotlight.  Also, like last year one of the alpacas was not thrilled or amused by us humans and tried its hardest to eat through the fence bars.  Watch my vlog below because I got its attempted breakout on camera.
    We did miss the sheep this year.  They were replaced with Billie’s crew but the baby/miniature goats were back again this year.  And just like last year, Moo tried to talk me into talking the farmer into letting us take one home. LOL.  The country is finally growing on my city girl and it has done wonders for bringing out her animal lover side.
    Now if we could just get the country to work its magic on my little guy.  So far the only animals he gets remotely excited about are birds and horses.  Like he loves horses a lot.
    • Train Station |  Unfortunately by the time we arrived at Rosie’s Easter Bash, the egg hunt for JJ’s age group was already over.  This may have been a blessing in disguise as he is NOT a good egg hunter in crowds.  He gets overwhelmed and freezes up.  We learned this the hard way last year.  However, there is one thing that he loves without fail no matter what the crowds look like and that’s trains!

    So we were both happy to see the “Train Station” roller coaster ride.  The “conductor” was very nice and did a great job of interacting with the kids.  As you’ll see in the vlog, he hoped on and off the train with the kids several times throughout their ride around the tracks.
    • Egg Hunt |  JJ missed his hunt but Moo was right on time for hers.  This year the egg hunts were split into three different categories.  The last group to go were the big kids and the adults.  At first I didn’t think any adults were going to join in.  I seriously thought they’d leave all the egg collecting to the older kids and teens.  I was so wrong.  Watch the vlog to see some of the egg hunting action.

    • Balloon Animals |  I don’t think they had a balloon artist at Rosie’s Easter Bash last year.  If they did, we definitely missed it.  Thankfully, we didn’t miss it this year.  While Moo went back to play with the real bunnies, her brother got an adorable balloon bunny bracelet made by the balloon artist.

    Let me tell y’all, I was just as mesmerized as my little guy looks in picture above.  I love watching balloon artists made their creations.  I mean their hands move so fast while they’re twisting and tugging those balloons this way and that way.  This is definitely a skill that I wish I had the patience the master.
    • Face Painting | So one of the last thing that we (Moo) indulged in before leaving Rosie’s Easter Bash was the face painting.  To our delight our favorite face painters were back.  I can never remember to grab their names but those two ladies are awesome.  They work quickly to keep the line short but man do they do some amazing work in such a fast time period.  Moo opted for a rainbow and JJ opted not to get his face painted.  I wanted to get my face painted but adult acne is currently ruining my life right now. 😩

    Do you see that orange AirHead peeking out?  Also a special thanks to  TapSnap for the complimentary Easter Bunny photo.

    • Easter Bunny Photo |  Originally, I thought we had missed out on our chance of getting a photo with the Easter Bunny as well.  Thankfully though we didn’t.  That was actually the very last thing that we did.  Unfortunately, my little guy would not let our photo be great.  Right as we got in position for our photo, he decided to put the big wad of AirHead that his sister gave him in his mouth.  So he couldn’t smile properly and he refused to look at the camera. 😑 At least we got a photo, I guess.  Also, they handed out free stuffed bunnies again this year. Yay!

    Other Activities At Rosie’s Easter Bash 2019

    So there were a few things that we bypassed this year.  The first was the bouncy houses.  If my memory serves me correct the bouncy houses that they had last year were bigger.  My kids are not fans of being in small enclosed spaces.  So they both nixed the bouncy houses.
    Also, we passed on the Fire House experience this year.  So the Fire House is a mobile unit that they fire department uses to teach kids about how to safely put out fires as well as how to safely escape their homes in case of a fire as well as what to do if you can’t get out and have to hang tight until help arrives.  They stage a real fire with smoke from a smoke machine and kids get to learn how to climb out of a window.
    Since I’ve been doing this experience since I was a kid in school, Moo’s done it 2 or 3 times already, and JJ has done it once, we decided to pass on doing it again.  There were some food trucks available but we passed due to our food allergy issues.
    There was also some kind of sand art craft but by the time we got done with all the other things the kids really wanted to do they were packing up the table to go.  I don’t remember if there was a craft last year.  If so, we missed out on it then as well.
    And as always, they had a great DJ and an amazing hostess.  They played some of my jams while were there but the kids threatened to disown me if I started dancing or singing along.  Y’all see how kids will try to suck away our fun but not their own?!  No worries next year, I’m inviting Grandma for backup.  She loves to get down in public, especially if they drop the Electric Slide. 

    Overall, we had an amazing time.  It was nice to get out of the house.  The kids are already asking what I think Rosie’s Easter Bash 2020 will look like.  Honestly, I’m just hoping that the weather is warmer and less wet.  Also, I will be prepared to get in on the egg hunt action as they give away prizes if you find one of the special eggs with a ticket inside. 
    If you celebrate Easter, what are some of your Easter traditions?

  • Friday Five Recently | Week 5

    TGIF!!  Y’all have no idea how happy I am that it’s finally Friday.  And it’s no just any Friday either.  Nope, today is the Friday before Spring Break.  Which means starting this weekend, I get sleep-in for the next 11 days!!  Won’t He do it?! 

    So since it’s Friday, that mean it’s time for another catch up session.  Also, this post does contain affiliate links.  So if you click on the link and purchase something, I could potentially receive a commission.

    Recently . . .

    Watched |  So I took a break from watching YouTube vlogs to watch The Umbrella Academy.  It’s a Netflix show based on the comic book series of the same name written by Gerard Way and illustrated by Gabriel Bá.  It’s about a group of adoptive siblings who were born with extraordinary abilities and then were groomed to be superheroes as kids.  Anyways, things went left and they all ended up going their separate ways but a family tragedy brings them all back together only for them to discover that they have 8 days to save the world from an apocalypse.  I definitely recommend giving this a watch and am looking forward to the second season already.

     While we’re talking about Netflix shows and second seasons, I started the second season of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.  It took awhile for me to get into the first season and I was pretty much just watching it because of Ross Lynch but it’s grown on me a bit.  There have already been so many surprises this season and I still have 4 episodes left.  I would like to note that this is NOT a show you want to watch with kids or really anybody under the age of 17.

    Also, if you’re not familiar with the Sabrina the Teenage Witch series, then let me warn you that this show deals with witchcraft.  If you don’t like shows or anything that deals with the supernatural, then steer clear of this show.

    Read |  The folks over at Harlequin and Park Row Books were nice enough to send me an ARC of Beautiful Bad last month and I loved it!

    Thrillers have always been my first love when it comes to books.  When I was growing up the Young Adult genre didn’t exist.  There were children’s books, middle grade books and then it seemed to skip straight to adult. Anyways, back to Beautiful Bad.  This book is about a love story that goes bad.  It’s told mostly from Maddie’s (the wife) point of view.

    Here’s the thing you should know about Maddie though.  She’s not the most reliable narrator/storyteller because she’s suffering some mental health issues after a head injury.  So as a reader, you have to kind of decide how much of Maddie’s telling of things to believe.  I will say that this book keeps you on the edge of your seat.  Also, if you think you have the whole mystery of “The Killing” figured out, you don’t. 

    This book has all kinds of twists at the end.  Pick this up for sure if you love thrillers as well.

    Re-started |  The kids and I had a great workout routine going after the New Year.  Then February aka my Depression Month hit and we (I) fell off the wagon.  Well we hopped back on it and have been doing some workouts from the POPSUGAR Fitness page on Facebook.  Listen those workouts DO NOT Play! 

    However, I know that results that will come from resuming our nightly workouts will be worth it.  Plus, I really want to set a good example for the kids when it comes to taking care of their bodies through exercise. 

    Excited |  Would you believe me if I told you that it snowed here last week?  It’s crazy, I know.  The kids and I were super excited about it as it snowed everywhere around us this past winter.  It only lasted a day but I was a little worried because we had just moved our seedlings outside to the garden.

    Some didn’t survive but that was okay because I just direct planted some seeds to replace them.  And this week, the garden seems to be really taking off.  I’m sure it’s because of the all the rain and the melted snow and ice from last week.  There’s just something about rain water that makes crops grow faster.  We’re excited to continue to watch our garden grow and can’t wait until we have our first harvest.

    Loved |  Moo loves snapping pictures with my phone.  Last week she took the photo below and I love it!  She took the time to adjust the brightness and focus.  I think I might have a mini-photographer on my hands.  I’m thinking about getting her a camera for a birthday.

    Is your area still getting snow?  Is your family on Spring Break?

  • Friday Five Recently | Week 4

    via GIPHY

    Hello February! The month of my people aka Black History Month is officially here! I’m looking forward to continuing to celebrate my culture with my family.

    via GIPHY

    This month also marks my official start of working towards knocking out my goals for the year. I used the entire month of January to really focus on what I want to accomplish and come up with plans on how to get those finish lines. So I’ll be sharing a few of my goals and resolutions for this year later on. For now let’s catch up. 

     Recently . . .

    Celebrated |  Moo and I celebrated our birthdays right before the holidays.  I totally forgot to document it here on the blog.  However, I did vlog Moo’s birthday which just so happened to fall on the same day as our town’s annual Christmas Block Party.  Watch the vlog below.

       

    I’m pretty sure I vlogged a bit of my birthday, but my video editor stopped working.  So, I haven’t gotten around to editing the footage yet.  I’ll save that for a Throwback Thursday or Flashback Friday post.  Also, we had a good time celebrating Christmas at my baby sister’s.  
    She and my brother put together a very delicious spread.  And we got the best Christmas presents which were my aunt coming from the hospital on Christmas Eve and my mom’s doctors were finally able to get her condition under control.  So she didn’t have to be admitted to the hospital at all during the hospital and she was feeling much better since they had finally found medicines that worked.  And I just want to say thank you to everyone who lifted her up in prayer!

     Pissed |  So since the whole Jussie Smollett incident folks on social media have been sharing their personal experiences and resharing other incidents from the new of other people’s experiences with racial and homophobic attacks, both physical and verbal.  Reading all of the stories has me even more pissed and more than a little hot under the collar that we even have to deal with these things STILL.  I’m pissed because I’m tired of feeling unsafe as a Black person, as a person with brown skin.

    I’m pissed because this “great” country is supposed to allow everyone the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness, but it seems that right is only applies to a select few.  And folks want to take about how much this country has come a long way and how we should be content with that for now.  Must be nice for those folks to feel safe enough to even think about feeling content with the way things are now.

    For people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, we’re not safe in our communities, in own homes, in our schools or churches.  We’re not safe walking down the street or coming out of a Subway restaurant.  Living in a constant state of having to always be on guard and hyperaware is mfing exhausting af.

    As a parent raising two Black children, I hate that enduring racism, homophobia, and police brutality (just to name a few) is still considered “the norm” for us.  Non-black people love saying, “Well, look how far your race has come” or “Slavery was years ago.”  And I just laugh because if we seriously take a look, we’d see that my race hasn’t come very far at all and that a lot of what we’re still fighting against today is still a form of slavery and Jim Crow!! 

    via GIPHY

    I’m over people trying to silence us because sweeping these issues under the rug doesn’t get anything solved.  And furthermore, why should we shut up, sit back, and just take it?  We literally can’t afford to sit in a corner and hope everything works itself out.  We’re losing our lives, our moms, our dads, our sons, our daughters, our husbands, our wives, our friends, etc. 
    Fail |  I had such high hopes for NaNoWriMo 2018.  I really wanted to reach the 50k word goal.  The universe had other plans though.  I’m not going to beat myself up about not hitting 50k in 30 days.  I’m still working on my novel and making good progress.

    I’m loving my current cast of characters and their story.  I can’t wait until this project is done and I can put it out into the world for consumption.  Plus, I’ll have another chance to hit 50k in this year’s NaNoWriMo.

    Survived |  We survived the first half of the school year!  Praises!  Homeschooling two kids in different age groups and grades isn’t for the weak.  We’re already counting down the days until Summer Break gets here.  This year was definitely a lot more challenging than last year.

    Also, I’ve realized that I need to do a better job of chronicling our homeschool journey.  There are so many stereotypes about homeschooling and even more about Black homeschoolers.  I want to be a voice and advocate for other parents, especially Black parents and parents of children with learning disabilities and special needs.

    Restarted |  Last year I tried to take up bullet journaling.  It started off well, but I didn’t stay consistent with it.  I started looking at other people’s bullet journals and getting a little frustrated with how beautiful their layouts looked compared to mine.  Comparison is indeed the thief of joy.  So I should have known better.

    This time around, I’m staying in my lane, coming to terms with my artistic limits, and just enjoying the process.  That said check out my bookshelf I drew to keep track of all the review copies of books I receive from publishers.  I think it turned out pretty good.

    Let’s chat in the comments.  Do you bullet journal?  Or are you counting down to Summer Break like me?


  • Natural Hair Chronicles | Garnier Fructis Curl Treats Voxbox Review

    This post is sponsored by Influenster and Garnier Fructis. This post contains affiliate links and I may receive a commission from purchases made using these links. All opinions expressed are my own.
    Happy New Year! I hope that 2019 got off to a great start for everyone. These past few weeks I’ve been planning and mapping out my goals and what I want to accomplish this year. One thing new thing I did this year was set self-care goals. Last year, I didn’t make self-care a priority like I should have and it showed.
    This won’t be the case for 2019. I’ve already started tackling my main self-care goal which is to master the art of doing my curly hair. It’s been about 10 years since I made the decision to go and stay natural. But despite being 10 years deep in this natural hair journey, my biggest struggle remains styling my hair when it’s in its naturally curly state.
    For years, I would just flat iron it, blow it out, twist it up, or braid it back. Frizz and lack of curl definition are two of the main reasons I’ve shied away from wearing my natural hair down often. The few times I have done so, things started good but by the end of the day my hair would be a frizzy and tangled mess.
    And ain’t nothin’ cute about that! So over the summer, I tried about a Coconut Extract Nourishing Treat 1 Minute Hair Mask from Garnier Fructis. It was a divine y’all. My hair was so soft, maybe the softest it’s been in a long time. Plus detangling was a breeze. 

    So when I found out that Influenster was sending me the Garnier Fructis Curl Treats Voxbox, I was excited to see what products I would get. I was also curious to see if I would have another positive experience with Garnier.

    Products I Received

    There are 3 products in the Curl Treat line – Curl Smoothie for defining curls, Curl Jelly for shaping and holding curls, and Curl Butter for hydrating for curls. In my voxbox, I received the Curl Butter and the Curl Jelly.
    The Curl Butter, infused with shea butter, is designed to keep hair drenched in moisture as well as reduce frizziness for up to 24 hours. This product is meant for normal to coarse hair with a spiral curl pattern. Keyword spiral. (If you have waves or thin hair, the Curl Smoothie is designed for you.)
    I also received the Curl Jelly which is infused with coconut and is appropriate for usage on all hair types. It’s formulated to give hair lightweight moisture and a firm hold in addition to keeping hair frizz free for up to 24 hours.

    All of the leave-in stylers in the Curl Treat line have biodegradable formulas and 98% naturally derived ingredients.  They have zero parabens, silcones, sulfates, artificial colorants, or mineral oils.

    My Suggestions & Thoughts

    Right out of the box, one of the things I loved about both of these smelled amazing. The scent isn’t overpowering and the compliment each other. Please note that these products are designed to be used on wet hair, not dry. Therefore, I would suggest detangling your hair during your hair washing routine and sectioning it into quadrants. 
    This will help to make the process of applying the products faster but keep a spray bottle of water handy in case some of your sections air dry before you get them. Speaking of air drying. These products are designed to be used on hair that is going to be air dried. I did not and will not be experimenting with using a hair dryer in conjunction with these products. I don’t want to damage my hair or risk compromising the effectiveness of the products.
    With my hair sectioned off, I then broke each quadrant into smaller sections adding a quarter size amount of the Curl Butter followed by a nickel size amount of Curl Jelly overtop. I made sure to smooth both products from my roots to my ends making sure all my strands were coated. For the most part, I used my fingers, but there were 1 or 2 sections of hair that I needed to comb the product through. 
    I wouldn’t suggest using a ton of the Curl Jelly on sections though. Less is definitely more with that. I learned this the hard way my first go round with this product and had lots of flaking once it dried. Since then, I’ve adjusted how much I use and have only experimented minimal flaking that isn’t really noticeable.
    So the picture above is what my hair looks like once it dried for 24 hours. I absolutely love the results. My curl definition is on FLEEK! And there’s not a hint of frizz anywhere in sight. Seeing my curls look this great made a little emotional because I’ve never had natural curls this defined and frizz free as an adult.
    To be honest, I didn’t think my hair was capable of producing these kinds of results because I’ve used curl-friendly products in the past and didn’t achieve anything even remotely similar to this. This mommy is shook! In a good way. 
    Something else I wasn’t expecting was how light my hair would feel. If you have thick, full hair then you know how heavy/weighted our hair can feel some times when you had product. That wasn’t an issue for me this time around. And the Curl Butter definitely had my hair feeling like silk.
    Thank God these products help fight frizz because I couldn’t stop touching my hair. The kids couldn’t either. And speaking of kids, these products are safe to use on children. The slip from the Curl Butter was pretty good and I could easily rake it through with my fingers for the most part.
    So overall, I really like these products and would recommend them to other curly girls who haven’t had much luck with other curl-friendly products. The Curl Treats line is under $7 making it one of the most affordable lines on the market specifically for curly hair.
    I definitely think the Curl Jelly has the most room for improvement so that it won’t flake at all. But for right now, I think Garnier hit it out of the park with these leave-in stylers. I’ve already ordered more and I’m going to be trying out their Curl Nourish Shampoo, Conditioner, and Air Dry Butter Cream next. So expect a full review on those in the future.
    What products do you used to treat your curls? Have you set any self-care goals for 2019? Let me know in the comments below.
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  • Giving The Gift of Love and Appreciation

    This post is sponsored by Artsy Olive.  All opinions expressed are my own.

    “Give me my flowers while I’m living.  Show me that you love and appreciate me while I’m still alive.”  Growing up my mom preached (and still does) the importance of showing and consistently letting those closest to our hearts how we feel about them before their time runs out on Earth.   Once our loved one depart permanently, you can’t rewind time and say all of the loving things you wished said or do the loving things you wished would have done.  Trust me, I learned this the hard way (again) when my surrogate grandmother passed a few weeks ago.
    It had been a while since I’d talked to or seen her and surrogate grandfather.  Last Christmas Break I put going to see because long story short, I thought I’d have time to see them this Christmas Break.  I didn’t.  
    Since my grandmother’s death, my mom’s words had really been resonating within my spirit.  I’ve mentioned here that this year has been really tough on my family, especially my mom.  She’s been in and out of the hospital and then there Hurricane Florence.  So, I knew that before 2018 closed out, I really wanted to give my mom a gift that would tell, show, and remind her not only how much I love and appreciate her, but how much her grandkids love and appreciate her as well.  That’s exactly why I decided on this personalized Amazing Mom print from Artsy Olive. 
    As a lover of words and writer, one of the main ways I like to show my love and appreciation for my loved ones is through words.  I know we all grew up with the whole “sticks and stones may break bones” saying, but the truth about words is that what we say (and don’t say) can really affect people.  My mom like me is a lover of words as well and would appreciate this gift and she would get why I gave it to her.

    It’s a gift that will last for years to come.  It’s a gift that she can put on her table or hang on the wall and whenever she looks at it, she’ll be reminded that she is loved and she is appreciated by me and the kids as well as what we love and appreciate about her.  I don’t get to see my mom everyday and there are times when play phone tag and miss each other’s calls and/or texts.  Knowing that we have given her her flowers so to speak for those days when we can’t be there, gives me a bit of peace.
    I can’t say how grateful I am to have been been introduced to Artsy Olive.  Finding out about this family-owned print company came right on time because I was really struggling with coming up with a gift that served a purpose, was cute, but yet could be personalized that I hadn’t already given her.

    And now that I’ve given her a print, I’ve been eying some of the other prints from Artsy Olive that I want to add to our home.   I love the variety of print designs and print sizes that they offer.  And customizing the prints is pretty much a breeze.  No rocket science required.  Also another big plus is that the prints come framed and you have a nice selection of different frame colors you pick from.  This is perfect, especially if you have rooms with different wall colors and tones.

    So whether you’re looking to give a loved one a gift of love and appreciation or just want to add a little positivity to your own home, an Artsy Olive print is definitely worth considering.  You can use the code blog15 to get 15% off your order.  Also, you can enter this giveaway to be one of 5 winners to receive a FREE print from Artsy Olive.

    How do you show love and appreciation to your loved ones?

  • 20 Gift Ideas For Disney Lovers Of All Ages

    This post contains affiliate links.  I may receive a commission for purchases made through links in this post.

    When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you. 🎶🎤  

    There’s no denying that Disney is one of the world’s most loved brands.  Ask any Disney lover to describe Disney in one word and I’m sure they’ll say “magical.”  And whether we’re celebrating the holidays, a birthday, or just because, you know the one thing we Disney lovers appreciate and want?  More Disney!   So I’ve put together this list of 20 items that will make great gifts for the Disney lovers in your life.

    20 Gifts Perfect For Disney Lovers

    1. Pictopia: Disney Edition |  Who doesn’t love Pictopia?!  This game is sure to give your family hours of play time.  Definitely pick it up.

    2. Disney Tie |  Guys are show their Disney side with this understated, but still cute Disney tie.  Honestly, I’m hoping to find a bowtie version of this tie as well.  Can you imagine the adorable father and son pictures you could take, moms?

    3. Minnie Mouse LEGO DUPLO Block Set |  If your kids love building and love LEGO, this Minnie Mouse building blocks set will be the perfect gift for them.  Plus, the added bonus is that blocks help kids to build up their motor skills.  So this gift is a win-win for parents and kids.

    4. Family Feud: Disney Edition |  Who knew that Family Feud came in a Disney edition?  I didn’t.  Board games are such a great way to bond with family (and friends too).

    5. Let’s Go To Disney Shirt |  Whether you’re visiting a Disney Park or taking a Disney Cruise for the first time or millionth time, this shirt is a must-have.  I’ve snagged it and can’t wait to wear it on the drive to Disney World for our first visit.

    6. Pua Pillow Pet |  Pillow Pets are one of the greatest things invented.  They’re pillows, toys, and “security blankets” all in one.  And the Disney themed Pillow Pets the most adorable.  The lovely folks at Pillow Pet sent the kids this Pua one as an early Christmas present and they were beyond thrilled.  From Target to road trips, Pua goes EVERYWHERE with us now.  He’s an official member of our crew and that he’s celebrating his first Christmas with us.

    7. Mickey Mouse Dad Cap |  Dad caps seem to have made a comeback this year.  Although down here in the South, they never really went out of style.  Anyways, you can show off your Disney love and keep the sun out of your eyes with Mickey Mouse cap.

    8. Disney Stamp Set |  If there’s one thing kids really love, it’s arts and crafts.  My kids in particular really love stamp sets.  Also, stamp sets aren’t just for kids either.  I got Moo a Disney stamp set for Easter and have used it to decorate the outside of birthday card envelopes sent to family and to decorate a spread in my bullet journal.

    9. Princess Tiana Water Bottle |  If you’re a parent then you know kids detest drinking water . . . unless you put in a water bottle or sippy cup with their favorite character on the outside.  Moo and I are partial to this Princess Tiana water bottle.  And I mean considering Tiana is a chef and restaurant owner, this food and drink related Disney merch is totally true to her character.

    10. Princess Bedtime Stories |  Do you have a princess who loves to read?  Then Moo and I recommend getting her the Princess Bedtime Stories book.  It’s collection of stories from some of the most beloved Disney Princesses and the perfect way to get a glimpse of that what the princesses have been up to after their movies ended.

    11. Disney Princess Beauty Set |  Moo got one of these beauty sets the year before last and we actually just finished using up the last bottle of nail polish over the summer.

    12. Black Panther RC Stealth Hunter |  My little guy has been asking for one of these and I think I’m finally going to give in and get it for him.  It’s remote controlled.  So besides keeping him entertained, it’ll help with his motor skills.  I keep telling y’all that the best for kids to learn is through play.

    13. Maui T-shirt |  “What can I say except you’re welcome!”  Moani is still a crowd favorite around here.  “You’re Welcome” still gets bumped through the speakers on full volume, especially the Jordan Fisher version.  This is a men’s shirt but I’m so getting one for myself.

    14. Mickey Mouse Earrings |  Aren’t these cute?!  Just the right amount of flash.

    15. Snow White Purse |  I absolutely LOVE this purse.  The pops of red just does it for me.  This would be perfect to take on a Disney trip to hold a few essentials like your wallet, sunscreen, portable phone charger, etc.  If you have babies or toddlers, you can could even squeeze in a few diapers and a slim pack of wipes into this purse.

    16. Fix It Felix Mini Arcade Game |  What kid isn’t into video games?  My kids have been asking if Fix It Felix was a real game since Wreck-It Ralph came out.  Of course, I shared my experience with playing it but they’ve been wanting to try it out for themselves.  This is the perfect way for them to enjoy a game from my childhood.

    17. Black Panther Backpack Set |  Love this backpack set.  It comes with a matching lunchbox.  For us this would be perfect for my  little guy when we go on road trips.  He can pack toys and a blanket in the backpack and snacks in the lunchbox.

    18. Minnie Mouse Phone Case |  Show your Disney side with this super adorable phone case!

    19. Beauty & the Beast Snow Globe |  Y’all already know my love for Beauty and the Beast runs deep.  This snow globe is at the top of my Disney trinkets wish list.  If you’re looking for some Disney merch to collect that won’t take up a lot of space and looks beautiful, snow globes are the way to go.  You can set them virtually on any flat surface to add some extra decor.

    20. Disney Villainous Board Game |  My son loves villains!  Sos this game would be perfect for us.  We get our Disney fix and he gets to walk on the dark side for a bit.

    There you have it folks!  I hope really hope this gift guide helps you out if you’re wondering what to get for the Disney lover in your life.  Be sure to share this with your friends!
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  • My Ultimate Birthday Wish List

    This post contains commission links.  I may receive a commission for purchases made through links in this post.

    🎤 Yo shawty it’s almost my birthday.  So, I’m gone party cuz it’s almost my birthday!! 🎉 Okay, corny rap bars aside, y’all I’m so excited that birthday is pretty much right around the corner.  This year has been trying, heartbreakingly sad, and draining to say the least.  I know some you noticed my absence here on the blog as well as my lack of posting on social media.

    And at the end of the day, I’m incredibly grateful to still have my life, my health, my strength, and my family.  And honestly those are the main things I’ll be celebrating on birthday in addition to having made it 33 years on God’s green Earth.  If this year has taught me nothing else, it’s that life is precious and we need to cherish every second of it.

    All that said, I’d be lying if I said, I wasn’t looking forward to seeing what presents will be coming my way.  According to my horoscope in next month’s issue of Essence Magazine friends want to spoil me and that “Lena Horne might show up looking fabulous and bearing gifts.”  I don’t know who this Lena Horne lookalike is, but if my friends want to spoil me, who am I to say no.


    Instead, I’ll just help these friends (and family *cough, cough*) out by sharing my ultimate birthday wish list.  And if you have any friends who love being in the kitchen, Disney, Harry Potter, or looking stylish, then hopefully my wish list can serve as gift guide and give you some gifting inspiration.

    20 Gifts I Want For My Birthday

    1. Calvin Klein Wallet |  I’m past due for a new wallet.  My current one has rips in two of the inner pockets/compartments.  I avoid putting cash or anything in those compartment for fear it getting lost.  Also the fastener on it is starting to not fasten.  So it’s time for a new one and this CK wallet caught my eye.  And it’s in my power color!
    2. Pedestal Bowl |  I’ve been eying this bowl for some time now.  My dream color scheme for my home is white, copper, grey, and navy blue with wood accent furniture.  This bowl would look great on either the coffee table of dining room table.
    3. Juicy Couture Socialite Watch |  I miss wearing a watch.  Whenever someone asks me if I have the time, I always look to my naked wrist before realizing I can just use my phone.  And while my phone is convenient, I’d definitely like to get back in the habit of using a watch to tell time.
    4. iPhone XS Max |  This present actual came early.  I was surprised with a rose gold iPhone XS Max last week and I’m loving it!  I can’t wait to play around more with the camera.  I actually shot our Southern Christmas Show vlog with it. 
    5. Slipper Socks |  I’ve wanted some cute slipper socks for a few years now.  Hopefully, this will be the year that I get them.
    6. Sam Edelman Caprice Knee-High Boot |  I’ve had my eye on these boots for over two years.  And now that my current pair of boots is about to be laid out to pasture, I’m hoping these will be my next pair.  I hear that they’re super comfy and the quality can’t be beat.
    7. Book Lover Enamel Pin |  Listen, are you surprised that there’s something book related on this wish list?  Nope, me either.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m book lover.  Now I can rock my book lover status proudly.
    8. Marble Rolling Pin |  You know, I used to have a nice rolling pin to roll out cookie and pie dough, but then my kids got a hold of it.  And let’s just say my poor rolling pin did not survive.  I only paid $2 for it from the Target Dollar Spot.  So I wasn’t expecting it to last forever.  However, I’m hoping that this one will or at least close to forever since it’s marble and a lot more sturdy than my last one.
    9. Becoming |  Everyone and their mama has been raving about Michelle Obama’s new book.  Honestly, I’m kicking myself for having not pre-ordered this one.  I can’t wait to read it for myself though and report back to y’all with my full thoughts.
    10. Kate Spade Glitter Studs |  I love Kate Spade, God rest her soul.  I used to own one of her change purses and my siblings and I have gotten my mom a few Kate Spade pieces over the years.  It’s about time that I add another Kate Spade piece to my collection and these glittery earrings just spoke to me.
    11. Harry Potter Wand |  My love for J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter knows no bounds.  In fact, I’m currently rereading the Harry Potter series with JJ. 
    12. Glitter Moccasin Slippers |  How cute are these slippers?!!  This mommy is overdue for a new pair of slippers and these are perfect.  Besides the being super sparkly, I love that inside is lined with faux fur to keep my feet nice and toasty.
    13. Coconut Body Scrub |  I’m all about exfoliating.  Usually I make my own body but every now and then I like to try store bought scrubs.  And this one is made for dry skin which I definitely suffer from.
    14. Martha Stewart Tea Kettle |  Again, I’m obsessed with copper.  Also, I’ve wanted a stovetop tea kettle for some time now.  I had one years ago, but I think it got broken in a move or something and I never replaced it. 

    15. Espresso Mugs |  These cure double wall glass mugs have been everywhere.  I think they’re adorable and as a coffee and tea drinker, they will definitely get lots of use.
    16. KitchenAid Stand Mixer |  Just think about all the things I can mix up and make with this baby!  I’ve been wanting to get into bread making, especially since I’ve stumbled across some gluten-free bread recipes.  If I got this stand mixer, I would be one happy baker!
    17. Oral-B Pro 7500 |  We’re making the switch from manual toothbrushes to electric ones.  They can give a bit of a deeper clean.  Also, in the past I’ve found that the brush heads on electric toothbrushes are slightly smaller than ones of manual toothbrushes which allows them to fit better in the back corners of our mouths.  Back teeth need love too!
    18. Minnie Mouse iPhone Case |  A new phone requires a new case.  And since y’all know I’m about that Disney life, this Minnie Mouse iPhone case is too cute to pass up.  I’m hoping to find cases that are Beauty & the Beast as well as Princess Tiana themed in the future.  Gotta have options folks. 
    19. She Believed She Could Graphic Tee |  This is my motto for all 2019.  I’m working harder of kicking my self-doubt to the curb and believing in myself more.  We limit ourselves way more than other people ever will because of self-doubt.  This shirt will be my reminder that I can do whatever I put my mind (and effort) into doing.
    20. Beauty & the Beast Snow Globe |  I can’t remember the last time I got a snow globe, but I need this one in my life.  Beauty & the Beast is one of my all-time favorite Disney stories and movies.  I can related to Belle on so many levels.  This snow globe would look great on my bookshelf.

    Well, that’s it guys.  To all my fellow Sagittariuses, HAPPY BIRTHDAY/SAG SEASON!!  Let me know down in the comments what is or was on your birthday wish list this year.

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