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  • Vlogs And Other Saturday Randoms

    Happy Saturday!  Yes, to the weekend being here.  The kids and I are looking forward to a trip to either the park to feed the ducks or to the indoor playground at the mall.  We’ll just see which I’m feeling like doing after breakfast.  Anyways, I just wanted to share some randoms with y’all.

    Vlogs

    As of lately, I have been obsessed with daily vlogs on YouTube.  Like seriously, I have been watching one everyday for the last month.  I guess what draws me to them is just the curiosity to see other people’s lives.  We always say that we don’t what people are going through and in these daily vlogs, you get an inside look at the lives of strangers. 
     It’s like reality tv, but unscripted and much more relatable.  I’m sure I’ll do a post later on my favorite vloggers.  Also, I feel like I’ve gotten bit by the vlogging bug.  I recorded two vlogs yesterday but I only had time to edit and upload one of them.  I’m proud of myself because I am definitely a person who’d rather be behind the camera than in front of it.  So, check out my latest vlog here.  Don’t forget to subscribe, like and comment!!

    Hungry Caterpillars

    Moo and JJ certainly remind me of hungry little caterpillars these days.  Like seriously, they want to eat 24/7.  And a snack is no longer enough for them.  Moo, especially, expects me to cook for her all day long.  I can’t and I won’t do it.  So, I’m thinking that it might be time to get back to making smoothies and fill them up that way in between meals. 
    I’m even open to juicing.  I’ve heard great things the green juices and tried them for a short while!  And then of course, we’ll continue with our fruit cups as a snack option.

    Sleep Where Art Thou

    The kids have both been keeping long hours.  Call me old, but I need my shut eye.  I feel like between Moo’s late nights and JJ’s early mornings, I feel so tired and sluggish all the time.  I’m going to try put them both in the bed a little bit earlier and see if that helps.  What time you go to sleep makes a big difference.

    Books

    From romance to suspense, I have been adding a lot of books my Kindle as well as checking them out at the library.  And I’ve been stressing the importance of reading even more to the kids.  So, y’all already know this means a few more book reviews will be coming to blog.  I’m reading another Rachelle Ayala book called Taming Romeo.  Can’t wait to share my thoughts on it.  I’ve never adult books by Asian authors and I’m glad to be stepping out of my comfort zone and checking her out again.

    Weather

    OMG. This weather is all over the place.  And last night, or early this morning I should say, I ended up waking up due to the loud thunder we had.  It woke Moo up too, but JJ slept like a baby and was not phased  by it.  I hope this isn’t what we have to look forward for Summer.  Oh and our cable box got struck by lighting which jacked up our tv.  The Mr was able to get the tv working again and Time Warner replaced the box.

    However, the picture looks a bit fuzzy and out of focus sometimes and all of the HDMI plugs have been shorted out.  So, we had use this cord that splits into like a million different cables to hook up the cable box.  Also, I have the task of resetting all of our shows we were DVRing.  Oh the joy…

    Are your kids eating you out of a house and home too?  What books are you reading or plan on reading this year?
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  • My Most Used Beauty Products

    So, I took a break last week from Fashion Friday.  I really needed to get my book review for Knowing Vera up.  And if you haven’t checked it out yet, please click on the link and do so!  I’m in the process of reading another book by Rachelle Ayala and will be sharing that review soon.  So stay tuned!
    Anyways, some of you may remember that I did my first vlog video last year!  I know it was time, right?  I had been talking about wanting to blog for over a year and finally stopped making excuses and took the plunge.  I was very nervous, but felt such a sense of accomplishment once it was done and posted.  
    These last few weeks I have been feeling the itch to vlog again.  After all how I am ever going to get comfortable being in front of the camera and get better at editing if I don’t vlog or practice?  So, today I’m sharing with you guys my first ever YUMM Beauty vlog!!  I’m really excited.  I hope that you guys will check it out.  If you like it give it a thumbs up and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel  if you haven’t already!  So, just click on the photo or link below and it will take you to the video.

    Also, before you check out the video let me know in the comment section here on the blog what kind of vlogs you guys enjoy?  Do you have any favorite vloggers?  And do you vlog yourself?  If so, be sure to leave a link to your YouTube page and I will check you out.  Thanks!

    Click on the picture (or here) to see my beauty vlog!

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  • Thankful Thursday

    Yes, it’s almost the weekend!   I’m excited because this the anniversary week of the Mr and I going steady.  On this upcoming Monday, we will be celebrating 9 years of being together!  I can’t believe it’s been that long, but I’m thankful that we made it.  I have no clue what he has planned, but I guess that I will soon find out.

    I’m thankful that JJ is continuing to make progress with his speech therapy and communication skills.  He’s incorporating hand signals or his sign language into communicating with others.  He’s also been saying Dada a lot. He gets bashful when we ask him to say it, but he says it all the time when we don’t.  I tried to record it the other day, but he clams up at first sight of any camera.  Fingers crossed that Mommy is next on the list of words he can say!  I’m just so thankful.
    I’m grateful for all of the positive comments.  They have truly been an inspiration when some times I feel like throwing a a pitty party.  I’m thankful that the cold weather was gone today.  I actually had to run the air today.  Our weather is all over the place!  I’m glad that Spring is almost here.  Looking forward to grilling out in the perfect weather.
    I’m thankful for all of the opportunities that have been coming my way.  It’s nice to see doors finally opening up.  Btw if you haven’t studied method.  
    What are you giving thanks for today?  .  
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  • Adventures With Toopy and Binoo

    Disclosure: I received Toopy and Binoo products in exchange for a post about the show.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.
    Moo and JJ absolutely enjoy watching cartoons.  So, when I asked if we would be interested in checking out the Toopy and Binoo cartoon, I said sure.  And after almost two weeks of watching Toopy and Binoo, I’m glad we did check them out.  In today’s society so many children’s shows are becoming more and more grown up.  It’s been refreshing to not have to screen every episode.

    Now for those who aren’t familiar with Toopy and Binoo, it is an animated tv series from Canada that takes kids on the fun adventures of a tall and funny mouse, Toopy, and his adorable best, Binoo, who is a white cat.  I know a cat and a mouse being friends seems strange but I like this unlikely twist.  This series is designed for toddlers and preschoolers ages 2 to 6, but I can see kids up to age 8 enjoying this as well.
    I like that Toopy and Binoo help to teach kids about imaginative play, the value of being a good friend, and using manners.  It’s been proven that kids learn better when they are having fun be it through play or watching cartoons.  I like that Toopy and Binoo is a show we can enjoy no matter where we are because it is now available for US audiences exclusively the Toopy and Binoo TV YouTube channel.  We can watch it at home on our TV since it has YouTube on it, the iPad, the computer or a smart phone if we are on the go.
    The Toopy and Binoo TV YouTube channel has over 100 episodes to choose from.  Each episode is roughly five minutes long which is perfect for younger children since they often get bored easily. And what I like most is that Toopy and Binoo remind me of Moo and JJ.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m24_JUH2xkg]

    Moo is more of a Toopy because she’s super friendly,  full of humor, outgoing and very talkative.   Then there’s JJ who is quiet, more cautious (sometimes) and logical like Binoo.  All in all if you have young kids check out this series and see how they like it.  You don’t have anything to lose because it’s FREE to watch on YouTube and like I said you don’t have to worry about filtering out unappropriate content.
    But if you want to know or learn more about Toopy and Binoo, feel free to join @ResourefulMom today at 1 PM EST for a fun Twitter party!  There will be some awesome prizes to win, too.  Make sure to follow and use the hashtag #ToooyandBinoo.  You can also like Toopy and Binoo in Facebook and follow them on Twitter!

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  • Getting Fruity With Del Monte® Fruit Burst® Squeezers and Mango Pineapple Fruit Cup® Snacks

    Disclosure: The Del Monte® products, information, gift pack, and gift card have been provided by Del Monte®.  All opinions are 100% my own.
    One of the responsibilities that I take the most serious as a mom (and wife) is providing my family with healthy food options.  As many of you know, I cook from scratch 7 days a week for my family.  So, when it comes to snack options, I enjoy picking foods that require little to no prep and absolutely no cooking!  This is why I was delighted when I got asked to try out the Del Monte® Fruit Burst® Squeezers and their new Mango Pineapple Fruit Cups® Snacks.

    What I (we) Loved

    Taste: We all loved the taste.  I have three favorite fruits-strawberries, mangoes and pineapples.  So, I really enjoyed the Mango Pineapple Fruit Cup® Snacks.  I’ve had my share of fruit salads/mixed fruits and I never thought to mix mango and pineapple together.

    Moo’s not a fan of pineapples, but to my surprise she liked them mixed with the mangoes.  JJ, who is a devoted banana lover, even got in on the action.  He’s going through his picky eater stage and it was nice to see him trying something he has never had before.

    So, as much as Moo loved the Fruit Cup® Snacks, she told me that her favorite were the Fruit Burst® Squeezers.  Y’all we got out package the day it started snowing before it got really bad out and by night fall she demolished a whole box by herself. (Note to self: hide all food packages from Moo in the future.)  We even made a special trip to Walmart yesterday to stock up on more.

    Again healthy foods don’t have to taste bad!!

    They were sold out of Mixed Berry.  So, we got Blueberry instead.

    Nutrition:  I come from a family that has been affected by generations of health issues caused by heredity, lack of exercise and mainly lack of getting good nutrition.  Therefore, it is very important for me to make sure that whatever I’m feeding myself and my family has good nutritional values. We only get one body and one life and it’s important to take care of it by watching what we eat.

    That said, I was happy that the Fruit Burst® contain 1 1/2 servings of fruit (Simply Fruit) or fruit and veggies (Fruit + Veggie).  They don’t have high-fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors.  They also rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C.  There’s nothing like being able to pronounce and know what all of the ingredients in our food are.

    The Fruit Cup® Snacks are great source of Vitamin C.  They’re also stored in a light syrup made from sugar and water and instead of high fructose corn syrup.  There’s been a lot of dilemma over whether high fructose corn syrup being used in products and I’m glad to see that Del Monte is keeping simple by using a simple syrup instead.

    Packaging:  We are an ecofriendly family.  So, I loved that the packaging is recyclable.  The Fruit Burst® pouches are also BPA free.  I love that the pouches are kid friendly as well.  This is something that I can pack lunchbox or throw in my purse and not have to worry about it spilling.

    The Fruit Cup® Snacks are the perfect serving size and easy to open.  Thank goodness because I hate struggling with trying to open things.  These will definitely be staples in Moo’s lunchbox when she starts kindergarten this August.

    Price: Y’all already know that I’m a frugal shopper.  I don’t like feeling as if I’m being robbed when I shop.  Both of these products are reasonably priced.  The Fruit Burst® Squeezers retail for $2.42 each and the Fruit Cup® Snacks retail for $1.98 each here at my local Walmart.  Honestly, you can’t get much cheaper than for a prepared snack.

    Variety:  The Fruit Burst® Squeezers come in two varieties.  You have the Simply Fruit (all fruits) variety in which you can choose form three flavors-Apple Cinnamon, Mixed Berry and Strawberry.  Then, there is the Fruit + Veggie (75% fruit, 25% veggie) variety with two flavors- Peach-Mango and Blueberry.  So, far we’ve tried the Mixed Berry, Peach-Mango and Blueberry flavors.

    What I (we) Didn’t Like

    There wasn’t anything that I didn’t like about the products themselves.  Like, I said taste, price, nutrition and packaging all get a thumbs up from me and the family.  These products are recommended by me.  I encourage you to try them out.

     Also, I want to add that we make mini cobblers using some of the Mango Pineapple Fruit Cup® Snacks.  They came out very well and I will be sharing the recipe here on the blog next week.

    Snack within a snack
    Be sure to follow Del Monte® on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter to stay updated on exclusive offers, promotions and new product releases.  Also, one lucky YUMMommy reader will be winning 2 Del Monte® VIP coupons and a $25 Walmart gift card!!  So, be sure to use the Rafflecopter form below to enter if you’re a US resident 18 & over.  Giveaway ends Tuesday, February 25th.

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  • Pull-Ups® First Flush Ambassadorship Kick Off

    Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Pull-Ups®.  I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
    Happy Monday YUMMs!  If you all follow me on Facebook (Young Urban Modern Mommies) or Twitter (@YUMMommies), then already know that my Valentine’s Day started off with some great news.  I am happy to announce that yours truly is now a Pull-Ups® First Flush Ambassador!!  Over the next seven weeks, JJ and I will be getting serious about this potty training business.  The best part is that we get share this journey with you guys and I promise not get all gross on you.
    Mostly, I’ll be sharing things like our experience this time around using the Pull-Ups® brand, what difficulties we had and of course our successes like his first Big Flush or first accident free day.  Some of you reading this may be on the fence about starting potty training, looking for tips on how to start or what brand of training pants work well and that is where these post will come in handy.  Or maybe, your child is potty trained already but your have niece or nephew who isn’t and their parent/guardian is looking to start.  If so, be sure to direct them to this post. 

    I have to admit that this is not my first potty training rodeo.  Three years ago, I embarked on my first potty training journey with Moo.  During that process I learned that being persistent is the key as well as monitoring your child’s bathroom schedule.  For example, I knew that Moo usually had to use the bathroom first thing in the morning, around lunch (noon) and right before bed (8-9 PM).  So, I would ask if she had to go and we would sit on the potty until she went.
    This time around things will be somewhat the same.  JJ’s a boy and that of course adds a different aspect to whole potty training game because there’s the choice to decide well do I teach him how to urinate standing up first or just by splash guard and let him urinate sitting down and let the Mr teach him the other stuff later?  I am leaning more towards the splash guard option simply because we’ve attempted that before.
    Also, we’ll be using Pull-Ups® as our training pants of choice again.  Duh, right?!  I like that they have so many different styles and types, but they all fit and look almost like real underwear.  And that’s important because I don’t want them to feel like just another diaper or his mind won’t make the connection as easy to use the potty.
    With our earlier attempt at potty training last year, I think the challenge was that he wasn’t quite ready and he hated that his feet didn’t touch the floor while he sat on the potty.  Also, the seat we had might have had an opening that was a little too big.  So, we’re going shopping for an actual potty that will be perfect for him.
    I definitely plan to utilize the different tools and resources available on Big Kid Academy via the Pull-Ups® website.  They have tons of printables, charts, activities and expert advice that will help us keep track and help me to make this a smooth and positive experience for him.  We’ve already got our Mickey Mouse Potty Progress chart ready to go!
    Once we reach the First Flush milestone, I am going to be most excited about being able to do away with buying any type of training pants and going official underwear/boxer shopping with JJ.  I’m sure along this journey he’s going to look forward to the routine of getting stickers, high fives and treats for each success or milestone we reach.  Well, we’ll check back in soon with updates and more.  Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out Pull-Ups® on Facebook and Twitter for more updates, coupons and exclusives from them and  their Big Kid Academy!

    Are you starting/have started potty training?  All of you boy moms, share some advice with me below!

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  • Knowing Vera

    Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

    Secrets.  Nothing kills or causes more damage to a relationship or potential relationship faster than secrets.  But what if the secret you were keeping from your significant other had the power to rock their whole world (not in a good way either)?  What if the secret you were keeping from them was that your father was responsible was for death of his/her mother?  Would you spill the beans on your secret?

    In Knowing Vera, a multicultural suspense romance, by Rachelle Ayala, this is exactly the dilemma faced by Vera, the main character.  Hurt and scarred after having witnessed the murder of Lillian Spencer, her beau’s mother, and her father’s suicide to protect their family, Vera struggles with whether she should come clean with Zach and break things off or if she should give in to her true feelings, take a chance on love and fight to their relationship to the next level even after the truth is out.  Her world is turned even more upside down when she starts receiving messages( text messages on a burner phone, comments on her YouTube page, etc) from someone claiming to be her dead father.
    As if things aren’t already complicated enough, her supposed father is now claiming to be innocent decades later and wants Vera’s help to clear his name by finding the real killer.  Will she do it?  And what about Zach; will accept the fact that the father of the woman he loves is the only known killer/suspect in his mother’s death?  Will he able to forgive Vera for having kept this secret from him the entire time?
    Ayala does a great job of keeping readers in suspense as she unfolds Vera’s journey of trying to make sense of her relationship with Zach while trying to figure out if her father really did survive his suicide jump from the Golden Gate Bridge all those years ago.  This book is fast paced as well as filled with tons of surprises, twists and an ending readers won’t see coming.

    Knowing Vera is the third book in Ayala’s Chance For Love series.  Filled with mystery, secrets and romance, this book is definitely a good read.  So, be sure to add it to your Kindles.  Don’t forget to pick up the previous books from the Chance For Love series as well!

    You can find out more about Rachelle Ayala by reading her blog here as well as following her of Facebook.

    I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
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  • Thankful Thursday

    Good morning and Happy Thankful Thursday YUMMs!!  If you’re like me and millions of others, who woke up in a winter wonderland this morning, I hope that you are safe and warm.  I’m thankful that we woke up to still having power this morning.  I had a restless night with JJ and decided to browse some media until he drifted back to sleep.  I was sad to hear that I few of my fellow bloggers and they families had been without power for upwards of over 6 hours.
    They had no backup heat or anything.  They snuggled under stacks of blankets and slept in snow suits to keep warm.  My heart goes out to them.  It’s no fun being stuck in a cold house, especially when you have children and/or pets as well.  Thankfully, we invested in a kerosene heater and some kerosene just in case because don’t have a fireplace that could have served as our backup heat.
    The heater can also serve as our backup for a stovetop as well to heat up food, but we do have bread and meat so that we wouldn’t necessarily need to cook.  We also have a cooler and that way we could just stick out meats in it, cover it with snow and leave it outside to stay frozen.  Yes, growing up poor and being a former Girl Scout has taught me how to be prepared in situations like this. And I’m passing these survival tips on down to Moo and Bud.

    I’m thankful that so many wonderful opportunities have been coming my way.  I’ve been being bold in my faith and daring to ask God to pour out His favor on me and my family.  I feel like the doors He’s opened are His confirmation that He has done just that.  My Bible 365 Challenge maybe over, but I’m still learning and I’m still growing daily in my spiritual walk.  I by no means pretend to be holier than the next person, but I am working on making sure my actions are falling more into line of where they need to be.

    Monday started off with an emotional meeting with JJ’s speech therapy caseworker and a rep from the school district to discuss what direction we want to take after his third birthday since he’ll be over the age limit for the state’s sponsored infant-toddler program that he’s in now.  It was a little overwhelming just knowing all the options and the choices I have to soon make for him before this month is over.  It’s scary because I want to make sure that I make the right ones.

    Having a child with special needs is more emotionally exhausting than anything else.  I don’t think anything could have ever prepared me for this emotional roller coaster that I’ve been on since last year. But I’m grateful to have the caseworker that we have and to have had the rep that we had come out with her on Monday.  Of course, I cried because I’ve been doing so good this last 3 weeks at not having a meltdown and it all just crashing down on me like 2 ton weight.

    But they let them me get out and listened as I voiced my frustrations and pains in dealing with this.  Then, they comforted me and reassured me that I was doing the best for him and making the best choices.  I also, got a few resources that we are going to look into that could also help.  Once this snow goes away, we’ll be getting out of the house more because they agreed that the more stimulation JJ gets with other 2-3 years the more improvement we’ll see.

    So, I’ve decided that we’re going to invite some playgroup friends for weekly visits to the ImaginOn Library and just have a blast exploring Uptown.  Also, I’ve found a library branch here that does a storytime that is specifically designed and targeted for children with special needs like sensory overload disorder and other disabilities/special needs as well.

    We’re going to try to fit it in so our schedule, but it’s on the same day as his speech therapy and we might be cutting it close with time.  We’ll see though.  Either way, this will not defeat us.  I won’t let my son fall into the cracks and just accept his diagnosis and disabilities without being proactive.  I will make sure and do everything within my power to help him overcome and live as close to a regular life as his sister and future sibling will have.  I won’t allow him to feel defeated or neglected or less than.

    Whelp, we’re giving potty training another go.  So, keep us in prayer.  I haven’t the first clue about potty training boys.  We’ll figure it out as we go along though.  Continue to be safe and stay inside if you’re trapped in this snow storm!

    What are you giving thanks for today?

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  • 4 Ways To Teach Our Children About Black History Month

    Black History Month isn’t over yet folks!  And if you haven’t taken the time to at least talk to your children about what Black History Month is and why  it is so important, I encourage you to do so.  And please don’t think that this is something that only Black or African American children need to learn about because it isn’t.  I truly believe that children of all racial backgrounds need to gain knowledge of struggles and triumphs experienced by African Americans (and non-American Blacks) to help them better relate.  Today, I’m sharing 4 ways that we can teach our children about Black History Month.

    Books

    For centuries now books have been used to educate our children.  So, why not use that as a starting point to get conversation started about Black History Month?  I think this is an especially great place for non-Black families to start because they may find it difficult to find an angle to introduce the topic their families or simply might not know how a lot about the topic themselves.  After all you can’t speak on what it’s like to be Black unless you’re well…Black.  Thankfully, there are tons of children’s books out there about famous African Americans and Black History Month. 
    A few of my favorites are: 

    Music

    Now, what child doesn’t like music?  From babies to teenagers they all like a catchy tune.  And you’d be amazed at how many songs today sample lyrics and beats from older songs.  So, why not use music as a way to introduce children to Black History Month.  You can talk about how Louis Armstrong was one of the founding fathers of jazz or learn the words to ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’.  

    Crafts

    I’ve come to learn that nothing excites younger children more than a trip to playground or candy except crafts.  They absolutely love arts & crafts time.  Therefore, seize that excitement and jubilee as a teachable moment.  Going back to music, you could make instruments like the African harp or fiddle out of items like paper towel rolls, boxes and other household materials.  Or you could keep it really simple and do coloring pages.  Kids love crayons!  Check out this gallery of printable Black History coloring pages: click here.

    Museums/Tours

    I come from a hometown that is rich with history from slavery and the Civil War to being the home of Dizzy Gillespie.  And every year, we have tons of tourist who come through for our Spring Festival to take tours of our historic district and visit our only museum all in the name of learning more about the past.  And much of that past has to do with Black History, slavery and the Underground Railroad.  As a child, I remember going on several different walks (tours) of my hometown and seeing houses that were used to help hide slaves on their journey to freedom.

    It was definitely interesting for me.  And I think that as long as you keep trips to the museums or tours under two hours, kids will be interested too.  Also, it helps if you try to go to places that are kid and family friendly.  They tend to have items that children can touch or interactive displays.

    So, there you have it, 4 simple (and inexpensive) ways to teach your children about Black History Month.  And remember that Black History is something that can and should be celebrated 365! 

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  • My Fab 10 Fashion Survey

    On one of my previous fashion posts, I got a few questions like where I studied fashion at, etc. That got me to thinking that it would be a neat idea to do a fashion survey about myself and share it with you all.  So, enjoy My Fab 10 Fashion Survey.  Hopefully, you’ll learn something new about me that you didn’t already know.
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