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  • Thankful Thursday

    Yesterday I was a ball of nerves.  Recently, the Mr got a physical for his job and during the physical his doctor found something that could be have life threatening complications later on the down the line.  So, his doctor referred him to a specialist.  And being the worry wart that I am, I completely went into anxiety mode  Tuesday night as I sat down on the couch filling out his registration papers.
    You all already know about the struggles I have gone through with my kids and their health issues.  So, to find out that my husband might need surgery just put me back in a place that I’ve had a little break from until now.  Anyways, we got up 7 this morning and headed off to see the specialist.  I felt like the ride to the hospital took forever.  I just wanted him to go in the back, get checked out and tell me that nothing was wrong.
    In the end, the kiddies and I spent two hours waiting to get the final say on what was going with the Mr.  What did we do for those two hours?  Well, we played a little musical chairs in the waiting room.  It got crowded pretty quick in the waiting room.  Then JJ got antsy/borderline cranky.  I tried distracting him with some graham crackers from the free coffee bar. That worked for a while, but then I was left with cleaning up a mess of crumbs.
    Then, Moo started telling me over and over about how hungry she was and asking when “Daddy was going to be done?”  I thought I would distract her with a little walk out in the main hallway.  And guess what?  We discovered a full service Starbucks at the end of it!  Score!  After getting a snack both kiddies calmed down a lot.
    Why didn’t anyone tell me that Starbucks has the most delicious popcorn ever?!!  OMG. It was so good. Then I started getting anxious because I noticed that we nearing the two hour mark and still no word from the Mr.  I started pacing the floor.  It was driving me nuts not to know what was going on in the exam room.
    Then, he texted me and said that he was done.  We headed back into the waiting room and when he came out, he didn’t have to confirm that what his doctor had been worried about was indeed true.  But the silver lining and thing that I’m most thankful for in all of this is that they caught it in time and it doesn’t bother him at all (which is why he didn’t know anything was wrong).  Also, the surgery is going to be a routine procedure and God willing all goes well we’ll be in and out of the hospital in a little under 24 hours.
    I’m very thankful for modern medicine and all our medical staff.  I’m thankful his original doctor didn’t just look over the issue or brush it off as nothing.  I’m thankful that his condition isn’t as bad as it could have been and that we’re taking action to correct it. 
    What are you thankful for this week?

  • Bible 365: Week 23

    So, we officially wrapped up the book of Psalm and have started Proverbs.  I like to refer to Proverbs as the book of wisdom and pro righteous living.  I mean if you break Proverbs up it’s a combination of the words pro and verbs.  And we all know that if you’re pro something that means you’re in favor of it and verbs are things that you can do physically.  Seriously, the book of Proverbs is going to give us pretty much the game plan for how we should be living our lives.
    In fact, Proverbs 1:7 tells us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  I don’t know about you all but I’ve met a few fools in the Christian community.  They think they know it all and they want to live their lives according to their own terms instead of God’s.  They want to pick and choose what’s a sin and what’s not.  And honestly, I think it’s because they don’t have a healthy dose of fear of God.
    I’m not saying I’m perfect because I’m not. However, I’m smart enough to know that I don’t have all the answers.  Therefore, I listen and seek the advice of my elders and church leaders at time.  I also try my hardest to live my life as close to perfect as I can.  There are times that I still get angry and fly off the handle. However, you won’t catch me out in these streets stealing, killing, cheating or lusting over what’s not mine.
    But the point is that I’m trying to perfect my issues that aren’t pleasing to God, whereas a fool or foolish person could care less.  They just throw caution to wind and live life without morals or good standards.  And I think that we all know a few people who fit that bill.  
    I also like Proverbs because to me it speaks to our youth and young adults.  They’re getting on up there in age and getting grown.  Some of them are letting their heads get big and whatnot.  Proverbs 1:8-9 urges them to “…hear the instruction of your father; and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck.”
    I took these verses to heart.  When I lived under my mother’s roof, I definitely obeyed her rules (laws).  And I am proud that I did because I maintained a good reputation.  Guys knew not to approach me with any games because I wasn’t interested in sex, drugs or any of that other crazy stuff that can come with guys in high school.  I didn’t run with the crowd of fast girls.  I kept my head the in books and went to church religiously.  I was teaching Sunday school and VBS, volunteering at nonprofits and participating in other character building activities.
    Proverbs 1:18-19 warns about the side effects of greed saying, “But they lie in wait for their own blood.  They lurk secretly for their own lives.  So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners.”  Yep, greed is one of those 7 Deadly Sins!  We hear of all these celebrities dying young and you can often times look back and see that they started going down hill when they started to get greedy and cocky with their fame.  This can happen to anyone.  You get a dose of something good and then you OD on it.
    “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?” asks Proverbs 1:22.  I think the reason being a Christian is so hard is that in all honestly God is not a simple a god.  He’s complex.  He could have just created us and not given us any commandments, but He wanted to challenge us to be more.  The fact that He gave us the ability to create life through reproduction is proof that nothing about Him is simple.  If that were so, He would have just kept on creating adults like He did with Adam and Eve.  Instead, we get to watch and experience the different stages of life.
    I just really hope that as we make our way through the book of Proverbs that you will seriously open your mind to the wisdom and instruction that is being given.  Don’t take the simple way out but rise to God’s challenge!
    Week 24 Readings
    6/10:  Proverbs 3
    6/11:  Proverbs 4
    6/12:  Proverbs 5
    6/13  Proverbs 6
    6/14:  Proverbs 7
    6/15:  Proverbs 8
    6/16:  Proverbs 9

  • Thankful Thursday

    Whelp it’s officially summer break.  Most schools are out and all I think about is Moo starting to preschool this August.  I can’t believe that in two months the Mr, JJ and I will be walking her to class for her first day.  I’m thankful that she’s getting more excited about going to school.  She was going through a brief period where she was telling me that she didn’t want to go to school.  And that was not something that I wanted to here because I enjoyed school growing up.  Plus, I’m all about getting a great education.
    I’m also thankful that we got the opportunity to have another family outing this past weekend.  We went to celebrate one of my closest friend’s son’s birthday.  It help good to see her again because I hadn’t seen her since last year at her mom’s funeral.  And Moo who is typically shy around big crowds surprised me by actually bonding and making new friends!  I couldn’t believe how brave she was being walking up to kids and asking them to play.
    I’m thankful that she’s coming out of her shell.  I know that school is going to help her come out of her shell even more.  I’m thankful that JJ’s meltdown at the party was short lived.  He found a toy lawn mower and took off pretending to mow the grass.  He had a blast!
    Most importantly, I’m thankful that we’ve had two family outings with the Mr included this month.  That’s very unusual for us because of his work schedule.  I’m not complaining though but hoping that we can keep this up next month.  Happy Thankful Thursday YUMMs!
    What’s on your gratitude list this week?

  • Getting The Soft Touch With Palmolive® soft touch™

    Growing up one of my least favorite chores was washing the dishes.  While most teenage girls were into caking on makeup, I was all about caking on nail polishing and adorning my fingers with as many rings as possible since my mom didn’t allow us to wear makeup with the exception of special occasions.  If you know anything about having to wash dishes by hand, you know it can really take a toll on your hands.  I’m talking about chipped manicures and over dried skin.  Not a good look or feel at all.
    Fast forward to the present and I’m back to washing dishes by hand because our current place doesn’t have a dishwasher.  And with two kids and a husband that likes to drink out of a new glass with every refill, my sink fills up fast.  So, I’m roughly washing dishes two to four times a day!  And I’ve tried gloves but they make hands sweat and I’ve broken my share of glasses because wet gloves make for a slippery grasp.  What’s a woman to do y’all?
    Cue my friends at Influenster.  They me two bottles of the new Palmolive® soft touc™h dish detergents-Vitamin E and Coconut Butter- to try out.  Let me say that before trying Palmolive® soft touch™, I was a tried and true Dawn user.  That was the only detergent my mom trusted in our household as kids.  But let me tell y’all, after using the Vitamin E formula the YUMMommy household might be making the switch to Palmolive® for real!
    Seriously, my hands have never felt softer and not overly dried out after washing dishes.  Plus, it’s just as effective as Dawn at cutting through grease and grime and the scents are divine.  Now I know why their slogan is “Tough on Grease, Soft on Hands.”  I’m truly loving the fact that I paint my nails and not have to worry about my polish chipping the same day.  This dishwasher has definitely been made a fan of Palmolive® soft touch™ and will be heading to Walmart to pick up some more bottles!  I do recommend that if you haven’t tried Palmolive® soft touch yet, that you buy a bottle and see how it compares to your current brand.
    What is your favorite brand of dish detergent to use?

  • Bible 365: Week 22

    “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us.  And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!”  Psalm 117 is the shortest Psalm in the Bible folks. It only has 2 verses.  As many times as I have read the book of Psalm, I never noticed this little fact.  Although short, Psalm 117 reminds us that we should give God thanks for all that He has done.
    It reminds us that no matter what lies and foolishness we as men and women put into the word, the truth according to God will always reign supreme!  The longest Psalm is Psalm 119.  It has 176 verses!  When I first read the 119th Psalm as a teenager, I thought it was written by multiple people.  However, that’s not the case.
    Those strange symbols and words at the top of every 8 verses aren’t names but are actually letters from the Hebrew alphabet and the word tells you how to pronounce it.  Learning something new every day with this Bible studying I tell you.  I really like the 119th because it’s one big poem about how great God and His word is.  If you’ve never read the 119th Psalm, I suggest that you do so.
    And while you’re reading be sure highlight or right down any verses that stand out to you.  Then mediate on those verses daily.  You’ll definitely notice that small things won’t bother you as much.  You’ll be too busy reminding yourself of how wonderful God is and thinking of all the great things He’s done for us already!

    Week 23 Readings
    6/3: Psalms 130-134
    6/4: Psalms 135-137
    6/5: Psalms 138-140
    6/6: Psalms 141-144
    6/7: Psalms 145-150
    6/8: Proverbs 1
    6//9: Proverbs 2

  • Light And Refreshing With Minute Maid

    Disclaimer: This giveaway is sponsored by Minute Maid.  All opinions written below are 100% my own!

    If there’s one thing about my family that I take seriously it is their health and nutrition.  I come from a family history of obesity, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and heart issues.  The best way to keep these diseases at bay is by eating and drinking healthy.  This can be hard for me because I struggle with the selecting healthier drink options part.  I love fruit juices, but the problem is that most of them are loaded down with added sugars and way too many calories than my body would care to burn off.

    Being the juice addict that I am, I was excited when I opened the big box above and discovered that my friends over at Minute Maid had sent me some goodies in the form of fruit juice to try out.  Like me, they are concerned about the lifestyles of their consumers and now offer a variety of drink options to suit everyone’s nutritional need.  Included in that variety is their line of Minute Maid Light juice beverages.  They recently added 3 new flavors-Light Raspberry with Tea, Light Peach with Tea and Light Mango Passion- to their lineup as well as a No Pulp Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Light Orange Juice joining their Low Pulp Light Pure Squeezed Orange Juice with calcium and Vitamin D.
    I got a chance to try the Light Raspberry with Tea, No Pulp Light Pure Squeezed Orange Juice and picked up some of their Light Pink Lemonade (not pictured below).  Let that all of the juices tasted yummy.  Healthy doesn’t have to mean flavorless.

    The Light Raspberry with Tea and Light Pink Lemonade both have only 15 calories per 8 fl oz serving which is 85% less calories than other fruit drinks.  The Light Raspberry with Tea was very light and refreshing.  Kind of gave a spa like vibe.  I will definitely be using it as a liquid base for my berry smoothies in the future also.  The Light Pink Lemonade really has some kick to it.  That was perfect for Moo because she’s crazy about lemons and love their tangy taste.
    I enjoyed the Light Pure Squeezed No Pulp Orange Juice too.  I’m not a pulp drinker at all when it comes to juice!  It has 50% fewer calories and 50% less sugar than most orange juices.  And you get 50 calories for every 8 fl oz you drink.  Pretty easy to work off compared to those orange juices with 100 or more calories. It’s also not made from concentrate.  So, you can rest assured that you’re getting mostly pure squeezed orange juice and a pin drop of orange juice with tons of artificial flavoring.
    Well, I’ve given the new Minute Maid Light juices my two thumbs up, I would love to give you guys a chance to try it out for yourselves.  So, I’m giving away 3 coupons for a FREE (up to $3.99) One 59 fl oz Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Light Orange Juice Beverage (any variety).  Use the Rafflecopter widget below on how to enter.  You can also check out Minute Maid on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products releases and coupon savings!
    a Rafflecopter giveaway
    //d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js

  • Light And Refreshing With Minute Maid

    Disclaimer: This giveaway is sponsored by Minute Maid.  All opinions written below are 100% my own!

    If there’s one thing about my family that I take seriously it is their health and nutrition.  I come from a family history of obesity, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and heart issues.  The best way to keep these diseases at bay is by eating and drinking healthy.  This can be hard for me because I struggle with the selecting healthier drink options part.  I love fruit juices, but the problem is that most of them are loaded down with added sugars and way too many calories than my body would care to burn off.

    Being the juice addict that I am, I was excited when I opened the big box above and discovered that my friends over at Minute Maid had sent me some goodies in the form of fruit juice to try out.  Like me, they are concerned about the lifestyles of their consumers and now offer a variety of drink options to suit everyone’s nutritional need.  Included in that variety is their line of Minute Maid Light juice beverages.  They recently added 3 new flavors-Light Raspberry with Tea, Light Peach with Tea and Light Mango Passion- to their lineup as well as a No Pulp Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Light Orange Juice joining their Low Pulp Light Pure Squeezed Orange Juice with calcium and Vitamin D.
    I got a chance to try the Light Raspberry with Tea, No Pulp Light Pure Squeezed Orange Juice and picked up some of their Light Pink Lemonade (not pictured below).  Let that all of the juices tasted yummy.  Healthy doesn’t have to mean flavorless.

    The Light Raspberry with Tea and Light Pink Lemonade both have only 15 calories per 8 fl oz serving which is 85% less calories than other fruit drinks.  The Light Raspberry with Tea was very light and refreshing.  Kind of gave a spa like vibe.  I will definitely be using it as a liquid base for my berry smoothies in the future also.  The Light Pink Lemonade really has some kick to it.  That was perfect for Moo because she’s crazy about lemons and love their tangy taste.
    I enjoyed the Light Pure Squeezed No Pulp Orange Juice too.  I’m not a pulp drinker at all when it comes to juice!  It has 50% fewer calories and 50% less sugar than most orange juices.  And you get 50 calories for every 8 fl oz you drink.  Pretty easy to work off compared to those orange juices with 100 or more calories. It’s also not made from concentrate.  So, you can rest assured that you’re getting mostly pure squeezed orange juice and a pin drop of orange juice with tons of artificial flavoring.
    Well, I’ve given the new Minute Maid Light juices my two thumbs up, I would love to give you guys a chance to try it out for yourselves.  So, I’m giving away 3 coupons for a FREE (up to $3.99) One 59 fl oz Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Light Orange Juice Beverage (any variety).  Use the Rafflecopter widget below on how to enter.  You can also check out Minute Maid on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products releases and coupon savings!
    a Rafflecopter giveaway
    //d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js

  • Thankful Thursday

    “It doesn’t matter if a million people tell you what you can’t do, or if ten million tell you no.  If you get one yes from God that’s all you need.”

    ~Tyler Perry
    We don’t always have the opportunity to have family date nights because of the Mr’s work schedule.  It’s hectic still.  Needless to say it’s just the kiddies and I a lot of the time going out and about doing stuff.  And I’m not complaining in the least because my husband is an excellent provider.  I’m thankful for that.
    I know that if he could spent more time with us doing family things, he would.  And I’m thankful that this week we got to have a Family Date Night!  He had told me that when he got off work, he wanted to take us out and have a nice dinner together as a family.  I was over the moon excited because our last time out as a family was in January!
    I knew Moo would be just as excited because she’s a daddy’s girl and she loves going places.  She’s definitely not a homebody.  So, I told her that he was taking us some place special and that it was going to be a surprise.  I wish you all could have seen the way her face lit up.  It wasn’t just the fact that we were going somewhere, but that fact that Daddy was tagging along too.
    That made my heart melt.  I’m thankful that the Mr is a good father and that the kids look forward to spending time with him.  Thinking about the relationship my kids have with the Mr also made me think about the brokeness of my relationship with my father.  It hurts still knowing that he’s missed out on so much and that I haven’t seen him in years.  I’m grateful that my kids don’t have to experience this heartache that I have.
    I’m thankful for all of the doors that God is opening.   I know that the things He is doing are preparation for something even bigger and grander.
    What are you thankful for this week?

  • Thankful Thursday

    “It doesn’t matter if a million people tell you what you can’t do, or if ten million tell you no.  If you get one yes from God that’s all you need.”

    ~Tyler Perry
    We don’t always have the opportunity to have family date nights because of the Mr’s work schedule.  It’s hectic still.  Needless to say it’s just the kiddies and I a lot of the time going out and about doing stuff.  And I’m not complaining in the least because my husband is an excellent provider.  I’m thankful for that.
    I know that if he could spent more time with us doing family things, he would.  And I’m thankful that this week we got to have a Family Date Night!  He had told me that when he got off work, he wanted to take us out and have a nice dinner together as a family.  I was over the moon excited because our last time out as a family was in January!
    I knew Moo would be just as excited because she’s a daddy’s girl and she loves going places.  She’s definitely not a homebody.  So, I told her that he was taking us some place special and that it was going to be a surprise.  I wish you all could have seen the way her face lit up.  It wasn’t just the fact that we were going somewhere, but that fact that Daddy was tagging along too.
    That made my heart melt.  I’m thankful that the Mr is a good father and that the kids look forward to spending time with him.  Thinking about the relationship my kids have with the Mr also made me think about the brokeness of my relationship with my father.  It hurts still knowing that he’s missed out on so much and that I haven’t seen him in years.  I’m grateful that my kids don’t have to experience this heartache that I have.
    I’m thankful for all of the doors that God is opening.   I know that the things He is doing are preparation for something even bigger and grander.
    What are you thankful for this week?

  • Big Easy Wedding

    Three weekends ago, I roadtripped with my extended family- my mom, siblings, aunts and cousins- to the Big Easy aka New Orleans aka NOLA.  We left out on JJ’s birthday to enjoy of a weekend of celebrating my older sister’s wedding!  I was very excited to say the least.  It had been a while since I’d seen my sister and even longer since I’d seen her fiance, whom I had bonded with met three years ago.
    Plus, I was looking forward to the food!  I celebrated Thanksgiving with them one year.  Let me just say his family can throw down.  They also know how to treat company right!  They opened their arms and welcomed me and Moo (then a baby) into their family with nothing but love and happiness.  So, I was also looking to see some familiar faces and catch up with everybody.
    At first, I wasn’t sure how well the actual traveling part was going to go because we had four little kids with us.  13 hours in an enclosed space sitting down isn’t exactly their cup of tea.  However, to my pleasant surprise the kids did very well.  No major meltdowns at all.  Now, it did end up taking longer than 13 hours to get to New Orleans because we made several stops along the way to get gas, for food, to use the restroom, etc.
    Let me tell you riding in the back seat of a passenger van is like being on a roller coaster.  You literally bounce and rock over every little bump in the road.  That was good for JJ because he sleep peacefully in his carseat for almost 8 hours.  He likes being rocked and bounced to sleep.  But for me and my little sister it was a game trying not to get a neck sprain or not bumping your head.  I got some sleep but in intervals.
    The best part about riding in the passenger van with everyone was that we had some good laughs.  My aunts kept us rolling with funny stories from their childhood and stories from being a mom.  We laughed until we literally cried.  And I totally forgot how good loaded hash browns from the Waffle House could be!  Y’all I went in one in Alabama and I was in pure heaven.  If they would have had more than one cook and the wait wouldn’t have been so long, I was going to order two more to go on the road.
    Anyways, we reached New Orleans and everyone got to meet my sister’s fiance for the first time.  I think he was a little overwhelmed at first to be meeting everyone all at once but they loved him instantly.   They loved him even more after he cooked a delicious spaghetti and meat sauce complete with fresh peppers and seasoning for us.  After lunch, we divided up.  
    My baby sister and I went with the maid of honor to pick up our dresses for the wedding.  I was the matron of honor by the way.  Then we had to go pick up shoes.  That almost turned into a major problem because the DSW we went to didn’t have the shoes my sister and the maid of honor needed for the wedding in stock anymore.  But we found a similar style and just agreed that I would give my baby sister my shoes so she could match the other bridesmaids and that would leave me and the maid of honor wearing the same shoes.  That was perfect because our dresses were also different from the other bridesmaids too.
    That night we all went shopping.  We had to get flowers for the bouquets and some other stuff.  I was definitely feeling tired and ready to pass out by that point.  But with the help a cocktail, I made it through a late night session of putting together bouquets and wedding favors.
    Me and the maid of honor before the wedding
    The wedding turned out great the next day!  Everyone was super emotional and there was definitely some makeup retouching.  At one point I had cried and dabbed at my eyes so much that my lashes came off during the reception.  I’m so happy that my sister has found her soul mate.  I’m even happier that she has a life partner who understands her and accepts her for who she is-flaws and all.  That was something she has been wanting for a long time and now she has it!
    The ceremony. My mommy was the officiant!