YUMMommy

Blog

  • My 2017 Goals & Resolutions

    Happy New Year!  Hello 2017.  While I wouldn’t consider myself a traditionalist, one tradition I love repeating year after is setting my goals and resolutions for the incoming year.  This year was no exception.  I’m excited and anxious to get started crossing accomplishments off my list!  Keep scrolling to see what I’m hoping to accomplish over the next 12 months.

     Blog/Business Goals

    • Blog Consistently: Once upon a time I was the master of blogging consistently. Then I got married, had another baby and well…life happened I guess. Nevertheless, I’m determined to become more consistent in terms of sharing on this space like I used to.  Writing in this space has always been therapeutic to me.  I miss it.

    • Collaborate With Others:  I didn’t get to collaborate with as many brands or bloggers as I wanted last year, but I’m aiming to change that this year.  So, if you’re a brand or blogger interested in working together drop me line.

    • Create A Tribe:  Finding my tribe when it comes to blogging is something that I really want to do this year.  I’ve been blogging for coming up on seven years and still haven’t found a tribe of bloggers locally that I can get together with to talk blog stuff in person.  I have joined local blog groups, but often times I get a “Black blogger out” vibe.  And if I do happen up a group of Brown bloggers, they don’t think we can connect/network because I have a “mommy” blog and they’re strictly lifestyle.  I never knew that it would be so hard to find my tribe locally, but the struggle has been real and often times makes being a blogger feel so lonely.

    Charity Goals

    Giving back has always been something that I’ve been passionate about.  It stems from my childhood and growing up in a big family that a very limited income.  So many people gave to us and assisted us in our times of need that it would ungrateful and honestly wrong of me to not pay it forward by giving back to others.

    • Adopt a Family for the Holidays:  The holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas) are two of my favorite times of the year.  We all seem to be more cheerful, friendly and compassionate.  I want to embody these qualities even more by giving one to two families all the fixings for the perfect Thanksgiving meal.  For Christmas I’d like a gift a family of four with at least three items each from their Christmas wishlist plus a Visa giftcard that they can use to go towards bills, more gifts or whatever they want to spend it on.

    • Get Foster Parenting Certified:  My mom wasn’t an official foster parent growing up, but she took up in my cousins and a few non-relatives who needed a safe place to stay.  Our small home was already cramped, but somehow there was always space for a few more.  I admired my mom’s compassion for helping others (mainly children).  I put having a third child biologically on hold for the next year at least, but this summer I’d love to open our home to a preschooler, toddler or baby in a need of a loving family by becoming foster parents.

    • Volunteer in my Community/Church:  With the election over and all of the injustices I still see being committed against non-Whites and going virtually unpunished, it’s more important than ever that I roll up my sleeves and go above and beyond to do my part for my fellow people of color.

    Financial/Money Goals

    • Create Multiple Income Streams:  They say don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.  The same goes for income.  I’ve spent these last few months brainstorming different streams of income that I can start in 2017 to help me diversify my income sources and I’m excited to put my plans into motion.

    • Add $2500 to Kids’ College Funds: If I can help them afford their dream school, why I shouldn’t I?

    • Start Kids’ Saving Accounts:  Unfortunately this is one goal that we didn’t get to last year that is rolling over to 2017.  Moo has convinced me to start giving her and JJ an allowance.  Plus, we always seem to find loose change in the parking lots when we’re out and about.  Instead of letting that money sit around in a piggy bank, they’re going to each open a savings account in which they will be earning interest on their money.

    • Stay Within Our Mortage Budget:  Once upon a time we bought house.  Then life happened and said house was put back on the market because life decided it was time to say goodbye to the Queen City.  We’ve been house hunting for months now and it’s hard to not get distracted by all of these the pretty houses and finery.  However, I am determined to get house that has everything we need, but is also a financially responsible purchase.

    Home/Personal Life Goals

    • Work on my Existing Friendships:  In college I had five best friends.  Since then two of them parted ways with our group and last year I realized that another one of my BFFs had drifted so far apart we aren’t besties anymore, but just regular friends.  In the end I still have two besties that I was always the most closest too and had the most in common with.  This year I really want to focus on keeping those connections strong and show those persons how much I appreciate them for not throwing in the towel on our best friendship.

    • Make Local Friends:  While I love my two besties to death, neither of them live near me.  One of them doesn’t even live in the same state as me.  I do have local blogger friends, but outside of connecting for blogging events we don’t hang out.  And having two kids, dealing with JJ’s therapy sessions, etc didn’t leave me with much time to make friends.  However, my kids are older and this mommy is ready to mingle with other adults.  I’m not looking for more besties, but some coffee buddies would be nice.

    • Do Daily Prayers & Devotions:  This was one of my goals last year.  It was a total game changer for us.  The kids really looked forward to our morning and evening prayers as well as reading and learning about how we should conduct ourselves as followers of Christ.  I’m so glad to be continuing our journey to stronger faith as a family again this year.

    • Trust my Gut More:  I spent way too much time second guessing myself and my intiution last year.  Not this year.   See ya later Doubt!

    • Do More of What Makes me Happy:  Thee string of sudden celebrity deaths and terrorist attacks around the world in 2016 reminded me that life’s just too short to walk around being unhappy.  Happiness 2017 got my vote.

    • Drop 25 lbs & Tone Muscles:  Somewhere around summer I feel into a fit of depression (it happens) and I started stuffing my face with tons of things that I knew I should have been consuming in moderation.  When I went to see my doctor this past fall, it was hinted at that getting back on the exercise wagon would be in my favor.  I completely agree.  I worked too hard to shed my pregnancy weight only to let depression pack more on.

    Travel Goals

    • Take a Family Vacation: We took a weekend vacation to the beach last year for my cousin’s wedding and spent the month of July with my mom last year.  Idk if either those really qualies as a real vacation, but this year we’re determined to take one.  My mom suggested over Christmas that we take one big family trip and now we’re in the planning stages and trying to nail down our destination.

    What would like to accomplish in 2017?

  • Freeks | Book Review + Giveaway

    I received an ARC of Freeks.  I would like to thank St Martin’s Griffin (St. Martin’s Press) and Amanda Hocking sponsoring this review and giveaway.

    Author: Amanda Hocking

    Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy

    Pub Date: January 3, 2017

    Publisher: St Martin’s Griffin

    Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Macmillan|Books-A-Million

    Mara has become used to the extraordinary.  Roaming from place to place with Gideon Davorin’s Traveling Carnival, she longs for an ordinary life where no one has the ability to levitate or predict the future.

    She gets her chance when the struggling sideshow sets up camp in the small town of Caudry, and she meets a gorgeous local guy named Gabe.  But before long, Mara realizes there’s a dark presence lurking in the town that’s threatening the lives of her friends.  She has seven days to take control of a power she didn’t know she had in order to save everyone she cares about — and change the future forever.

    Book Review

    I’d never read anything written by Amanda Hocking, but when I saw the cover of Freeks, I knew had to give this book a read.  Judging a book by its cover is a bit of a gamble I know, but if a book even looks like it might have something to do with magic/the supernatural or have some type of mystery/crime/thriller element, then I’m all in.  I was totally getting the vibe that this book had a combination of all of the above.

    Told in first person, Freeks is suspenseful, mysterious and dark.  Nineteen-year-old Mara Beznik enjoys traveling around the States with her mom, her mom’s boyfriend Gideon and their band of supernatural misfits, but she yearns to know what life is like not always moving from place to place living in an RV.  She wants to be able to have a long-term boyfriend, put down roots and have all of the ‘normal’ young adult experiences that other teens are age are experiencing.  Another reason Mara is eager to live the ‘normal’ life is that her mom’s powers/abilities seem to be driving her mom toward insanity and possibly an early grave.  You can’t fault a girl for wanting to save her mom and only family.

    Before the caravan of performers even hit Caudry something is off.  Once inside the town limits though Mara gets a taste of what it’s like to be a regular young adult when she stumbles across a wild party at a mansion and meets Gabe (Gabriel) Alvarado and his sister Selena.  From the moment they meet she knows that Gabe is hiding a huge secret and that there is a darkness about him.  Despite the warning bells, Mara decides to ignore her intuition and enjoy one night of fun with Gabe.

    It’s not long before something starts haunting their campsite and hunting down Mara and her friends down one by one.  Right away I had my suspicions about who/what I thought was behind the attacks on Mara and the rest of carnival crew.  However, Hocking did add a twist to the mix and I was a little off about who/what the hunters were.  Freeks is paced just right and not too slow or too fast.

    There is a romance between Mara and Gabe but it’s well balanced and in my opinion, adds greatly to the suspense of the story as Mara gets closer to discovering his secret.  Also, I loved the secondary characters.  This book is roughly around 400 pages and Hocking did a great job of fleshing out each character to make sure that readers will get a feel for each character’s personality.

    The one thing I really appreciated about this book was the diversity.  The main characters are of color/minorities.  Mara and her mom, Lyanka, are described as having caramel/brown skin and being of Egyptian, Turkish, Filipino and German ancestry.  Gabe’s family is described as being of Latino descent on his father’s side.  There are also characters in this story who were part of the LGBTQ+ community and mental illness is touched upon briefly.

    Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Freeks and disappointed when the story was over.  I really wish it wasn’t a stand-alone read.  I’m holding out hope for a sequel later on down the line.

    About The Author

    A Batman and Jim Henson enthusiast, Amanda Hocking is a New York Times bestselling author.  She is best known for her Trylle trilogy, the Kanin Chronicles (this is on my 2017 TBR), and the Wateresong series.  She’s also written a host of self-published novels and made international headlines for selling over a million copies of her self-published works.

    She is a Minnesota native and resident who enjoys watching cooking shows, drinking Red Bull Zero and taking care of her pets.  Young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance are her writing specialty.  You can follow Amanda on Twitter, Facebook, GoodReads and her official website.

    Giveaway

    Amanda Hocking and St. Martin’s Griffin has graciously offered to give one of you a hardcover copy of Freeks.  Use the giveaway widget below to enter for your win if you’re a US resident 18 or older.

    If could have a supernatural power/ability what would you choose?

    amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”; amzn_assoc_search_bar = “true”; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = “yummommy-20”; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = “manual”; amzn_assoc_ad_type = “smart”; amzn_assoc_marketplace = “amazon”; amzn_assoc_region = “US”; amzn_assoc_title = “Also by Amanda Hocking”; amzn_assoc_linkid = “7a056956ee2d16b28d9c91990469d388”; amzn_assoc_asins = “1250084776,1250006317,1250049873,1250049822”;

  • And Then She Was Eight

    Before having children, I had no idea that I was so sentimental/emotional about birthdays.  The following is a letter that I wrote for Moo on her eighth birthday.

    Dear Moo,

    This special day comes around every year.  You’d think that I’d be prepared by now, but I’m not.  At least not emotionally.  I know that for you birthdays are about spending time with your favorite people, getting out of school early, presents and special lunches with sweet treats.  Also, I know that you feel like it takes forever for your birthday to get here. (You spent all summer reminding us how far away December was).

    But for me it seems like the time in between each birthday isn’t long enough.  Time is one of the things almost everyone wishes they had an unlimited supply of.  There have been so many different moments your life that I wish I could have hit a freeze frame button on so that we could have dwelled in those moments forever.  Unfortunately time is ever constant.  Always moving forward and these years. with you (and your brother) seem to be passing by in the blink of an eye.

    On this special day, I want you to know that I am prouder than ever to have been chosen to be your mommy.  I speak for the family when I say that you fill our lives with joy, happiness and lots of sparkles!  I love that over the years you’ve taught me a lot of things.  You’ve taught me the importance of being carefree.  You’ve taught me so much about learning to love myself as I am in any current moment instead of focusing on how others (or even myself) wish I were.

    Your compassionate spirit and willingness to lend a helping hand to others have always been admirable traits.  I love that you don’t allow people (or yourself) to put your in a box.  You can be a quiet introvert one minute, then an adventurous extrovert the next.  You absolutely love dolls, but you keep a collection of Thomas & Friends mini trains.  Dressing up and dabbling in makeup are your all-time favorite activities, but don’t let being fancy stop you from getting down and dirty in the dirt either.

    The list of qualities that I love about you is endless.  And I’m not just saying this because I’m your mom.  You light up and bring sunshine to any and every room place you go.  You’re amazing like that!  Seriously, people stop to compliment me all the time on “what a happy, bright and beautiful child” I have whenever we’re out and about.

    My prayer for you on your eighth birthday isn’t for time to slow down, though I wish it would.  Instead I pray that you continue to be compassionate, kind, gentle, loving, adventurous, fearless and uniquely you!

    I love you, Moo!!

    You’re well on your way to changing the world.  I’m just happy that I get to come along for the ride and help navigate along the way.

    Happy Birthday,

    Mommy

  • Elegant and Inviting Holiday Celebration Essentials

    Disclosure: This post is sponsored by POPSUGAR Beauty and contains affiliate links.  All opinions expressed are my own.  Thank you for supporting the brands that support YUMMommy.

    I always get a rush of excitement whenever I get a POPSUGAR Must Have Box in the mail.  Why?  Because I know I’m getting quality (and sometimes exclusive) products that I will actually use and enjoy.  November’s box is no exception.  The theme for this month’s box is togetherness.  My box was filled with elegant and inviting holiday (or any time) celebration essentials.

    What I Got

    When it comes to building a great looking tablescape, your table runner lays the groundwork for rest of your table decor.  This simple, fringed wine and cream colorblocked table runner gives me elegant farmhouse/country chic vibes.  It can be dressed up for the holidays, but can be dressed down for everyday use.  This table runner is hand screen printed and machine washable.

    Discount Alert: Use code POPSUGAR to get 25% off your Pehr order by December 31st.

    I enjoy hosting holiday dinner parties for my family.  However, I enjoy dressing up for said dinner parties even more.  And we all know that best part of dressing up is accessorizing which is why I was stoked to see this Elaina bracelet from Kendra Scott in this month’s Must Have Box.  Not only is this bracelet beautiful, but there’s no tricky clasp to fight with.

    This bracelet can be adjusted to fit your perfectly thanks to it’s unique sliding closure design.  I wish all bracelets used a sliding closure.  There’s no great jewelry struggle for people with tiny wrists than trying to find bracelets that won’t fall off our arms.  I’m looking forward to styling a holiday look to show off my Elaina bracelet and be the hostess with the mostess !

    Discount Alert: Use code DNTCL-TPCCM to enjoy 20% off your next online Kendra Scott purchase.

    Although my mom has never been a fan of popcorn, she made it our Christmas tradition to purchase a large tin of gourmet popcorn that was split into three different flavors.  When the Christmas movies started playing after Thanksgiving, we’d sit around the television after dinner and each enjoy handful of the flavored popcorn of our choosing.  It’s no surprise that this Toffee Butter Popcorn from Oogie Snacks is one of my top 3 favorite products from this month’s box.

    Whether you’re looking for a sweet treat to send home with your holiday guest, an edible stocking stuffer or a delicious snack to enjoy while watching Christmas, this popcorn is the perfect combination of salty and sweet.  It’s also non-GMO, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, trans fat-free and contains only six ingredients (all natural)!

    While we’re still on the subject of edible holiday treats, I love dressing up desserts and hors d’oeuvres using party picks.  These silver and gold star party picks from Meri Meri are perfect for Christmas.  Why?  For starters, silver and gold are totally Christmas colors.  Remember Rudolph’s Silver and Gold song from the movie?

     And of course the star shape reminds me of the North Star and how it led the three wise men to Baby Jesus.  I can’t wait to use these to decorate my BBQ meatballs this year.  Moo and I both have birthdays coming up next month and these will make great toppers for our cupcakes as well.

    Putting together the perfect holiday look doesn’t stop with choosing the right outfit and jewelry.  Completing your look with the right makeup is just as important.  With this Dawn to Dusk palette from Stowaway Cosmetics, you’ll have no trouble creating a holiday party worthy smokey eye.  The best part is that this palette is compact- roughly the size of a credit card and ultra thin- to make it easy for you carry your palette in your holiday purse/clutch.

    It also comes with a dual end eyeshadow brush and not one of those flimsy foam applicators.  The angled brush end is going to allow you to have more precision and control over defining your crease and adding color to those hard to reach places like the inner tear duct and water line.

    Discount Alert: Get 25% off a purchase of $50 or more using code MUSTHAVE

    I can officially mark one item off of my Christmas and Dream Home lists.  I am a Southern girl through and through and am currently in the process of creating my dream farmhouse.  In my opinion, wire nest bowls scream Southern charm to me.  They make great fruit bowls during and after the holiday season.  You can also add in decorative ornaments to give any flat surface in your home a more festive and effortlessly elegant makeover.

    Overall, I am very pleased with the offerings of this month’s box and can’t wait to see what December’s box will contain.  I’m hoping I’ll be able to cross another item off my Christmas or Dream Farmhouse list.  The products in my November box came to a total of $164.99.  As usual the products in the Must Have Box have more than paid for the box subscription itself ($39.95/month).

    With Christmas being literally around the corner, I encourage you to treat yourself and/or a loved one to the December Must Have Box.   You can use promo code SHOP5 to get $5 off your first Must Have Box.

    What is your favorite holiday essential?

  • My 31st Birthday Wishlist

    Sagittarius season is finally upon us!  I’m over-the-moon with excitement that my 31st birthday is less than a month away.  I know it’s not quite a big deal at turning the BIG 3-0 is for some, but for me seeing another year of life is always a cause for celebration.  So to kickoff off birthday celebration and to give you guys some gift ideas for a loved one who has an upcoming birthday, I’m sharing 13 gifts from my birthday wishlist.

    Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links.

    1. Ankit Home Bossy Mug Set| How cute is this mug set?  I mentioned in my POPSUGAR October Reveal post that I collect mugs and I can’t wait add these to my collection.

    2. Kate Spade New York Darla Wallet| To say that I’m overdue for a new wallet is an understatement.  I’ve had my current wallet for over ten years.  It’s beyond falling apart and I couldn’t part with it until this year because it’s the first birthday gift my husband got me when we were still in the dating stage.  I’m thinking this Kate Spade Darla Wallet would make a nice replacement.  And who knows, it might last another ten years.

    3. Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Hel’s Bells Lipstick| I don’t wear a full face of makeup everyday.  For starters, my skin is way too sensitive and needs to breathe.  However, I try not to leave home without putting on some sort of lip product.  Sometimes I opt for a sheer gloss, but lately I’ve been wearing lots of reds and plums.  I love this deep plum shade, Hel’s Bells, by Charlotte Tilbury and can’t wait to try out it.

    4. Forever 21 Studded Pumps| I’ve always wanted a pair of studded pumps, but never got around to actually paying some.  I saw these at Forever 21 and now I have to have them.  I’d love to pair them with dark wash skinny jeans, a fitted black blazer and a light colored top to create a chic mompreneur look that I can wear to a casual brand meeting and a teacher’s conference.

    5. KitchenAid Professional 5 Qt Mixer| I can’t believe that I still haven’t invested in a standing mixer.  I’m a cook-off winner for goodness sake!  With the kids getting older and their stomachs becoming bottomless pits, we spend a lot more time in the kitchen baking and cooking.  This 5 quart standing mixer would definitely come in handy and pay for itself.

    6. Geek Chic Mug| This mug pretty much sums me up in two words.  Also, I happen to wear glasses.  I can’t wait to add this mug to my collection as well.

    7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Illustrated Edition| My family can tell you that I am a huge Harry Potter fan!  I watch the movie marathons everything they play on TV.  And I’m currently rereading the J. K. Rowling iconic Harry Potter series.  I was ecstatic when I found out they were rereleasing the books in illustrated editions.  I put the first book on my birthday wishlist and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on my Christmas wishlist.  I can’t wait until the rest of the series is released next year.

    8. Olivia Burton Rose Gold Watch| Call me old fashion, but I still enjoy wearing a watch.  What I love about this watch from Olivia Burton is that it has a bigger face than a traditional women’s watch which will highlight the slenderness of wrist, but the band isn’t chunky.  Also, I like that the rose gold is more muted than other rose gold colored watches I’ve seen.  Plus, this watch is budget friendly- only $98.

    9. BeautyBlender| After watching tons of beauty tutorials on YouTube, I’m convinced that I need to hop on the BeautyBlender train to give my foundation a smoother application and finish.

    10. Canon PowerShot SX710| I’m still not sure if I’m ready to invest in a DSLR, so this Canon PowerShot is the great in-between camera.  Plus, after recently finishing my first photography course, I’m anxious to try out what I’ve learned.

    11. The Magnolia Story| I adore Chip and Joanna Gaines.  They seem so sweet and down to earth on their HGTV show, Fixer Upper.  I love that they’re outspoken about their faith and are family oriented.  I can’t wait to read more about their story and how they build their Magnolia brand from the ground up.

    12. Gold Spotty Dot Day Designer| I feel like I wasn’t nearly as organized as I should have been this year.  I’m committed to getting my act together and have heard that when it comes to planners and organizers, Day Designer is where it’s at.

    13. Clarisonic Aria Cleansing System| As we age, our skin changes.  This is especially true for the skin on my face.  It’s changed so much over years and I’ve found in the recent months that my skin needs a deeper cleaning than my usual exfoliating cloth can give.  So, it’s time to step it up and invest in a Clarisonic.

    If you have a family member or loved one with an upcoming birthday, I hope that you’ve gotten gift ideas from my birthday wishlist/gift guide.  These gifts will also make great Christmas presents as well since we’re in the thick of the holiday season.  Happy Holidays y’all!

    What is your ultimate birthday gift?

  • Going Beyond The Reef With Moana

    Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Walt Disney Studios.  We attended a complimentary screening of Moana to facilitate this review.  All opinions expressed are our own.

    Dubbed the “ultimate anti-princess movie” by Time Magazine, the kids and I have been waiting for what feels like forever for Disney’s Moana to hit theaters.  Well, our wait is finally over because Moana is finally here!  Now usually have a rule about not having family movie nights (outside of the house) on school nights.  However when we got invited to attend an early screening right here in Charlotte, I knew that I couldn’t pass this opportunity up.

    Why all of the hype and excitement?

    Diversity matters.  No this is NOT up for debate.  While Moana is Polynesian, she’s still a brown girl/girl of color.  As a multiracial woman and mom of color raising children of color, I will ALWAYS be here for supporting inspiring movies and stories about main characters of color.  This movie is not only a win for Polynesians but brown people everywhere!  The first thing Moo pointed out about Moana when she saw the first colored illustrations of Moana, was that Moana had light skin like her and curly/wavy hair.

    Our children need to see the diversity of our world represented in movies, television shows, books and other forms of media.  Because again, diversity matters.  Also, this type of diversity opens up the door for us to talk about, research and experience different cultures.  And I’m firmer believer that more we open ourselves and our families up to those who are different from us, the better we can fight ignorance when it comes race and ethnicity.

    Not a damsel in distress + life lessons

    While Moana is considered a “Disney Princess” Moana herself sets the record straight.  She and Maui, a demigod, are sailing across the open sea when he makes the mistake of referring to her as princess in a way that hints that she’s a damsel in distress.  “I’m not a princess,” she fires back.  While there’s nothing wrong with being a princess, I felt like this scene was so powerful young girls.  Watching it I wanted scream “You go girl.  Let him know!”

    She’s daughter of Chief Tui and future chieftess of Motonui.  She’s strong, brave, smart, head strong and determined.  She is NOT a damsel in distress.  She does NOT need Prince Charming to sail up on his shiny white boat to save her.  In fact, it’s just the opposite.  Moana actually the one who tries to do the saving as she heads out beyond the reef to search for Maui to help save her people and their island.

    And as much as I love a great romance, I was so glad that there were no romantic elements in this movie as far as the main characters were considered.  For a while I was concerned that they were going to have her ending up in love with the demigod.  This is NOT a spoiler as Disney and the stars of the movie have already revealed and made it clear that Moana is not the typical princess movie and there will be no smooching going on.

    Secondly, I appreciated that Moana was so much more than a story of a 16-year old trying to save her people.  It was about teaching us how to go beyond the reef.  Casting aside our fear and safety nets to go outside of our comfort zones.  This was story about the importance of passing down the history our ancestors to our children and encouraging them to do the same with their children.

    Maui taught us that even the strongest warrior can be crippled fear/doubt.  However, it’s up to us to defeat that fear or that doubt so that we can rise up to our full potential.  Also, Maui taught us that it’s important to remain humble and not sacrifice our integrity trying to be people pleasers.

    Culturally stimulating and rich

     I’m going to be honest and admit that Moana was everything that I had hoped Princess Tiana would be.  Don’t get me wrong, The Princess and the Frog will always be in my Top 3 when it comes to Disney Princess movies.  But . . . I really wished Disney had made Tiana a true African princess, left Prince Naveen where he was at and delved more into the richness and uniqueness of African cultures.

    Like mentioned earlier diversity matters, but so representation.  While we’re not Polynesian, we did feel immersed in the Polynesian culture.  From the music, to the dancing and mythology, everything felt so rich and authentic.  We truly loved getting an inside look at what their culture looks like.  It’s so much more than hula dancers and floral necklaces.

    Just learning that Maui the island was named after Maui the demigod was educational for me.  Since watching the movie, I’ve actually been googling Polynesian culture and mythology to learn more.   At the end of the day seeing Moana gives me hope that Disney will go to the drawing board in future give us another African princess movie that will really delve into the richness of African cultures.

    Great cast

    Dewayne Johnson aka The Rock is like a Disney pro by now.  Prior to this movie, he’s worked with Disney twice – The Game Plan and Race to Witch Mountain.  Couple that with that fact that he’s Polynesian and was born and raised in Hawaii, he was the perfect choice and fit for Maui.  And when I say you guys are going to be pleasantly surprised by his singing chops, I mean it.  Like he’s been holding out on us.

    We knew he had acting chops, but who knew he had such jazzy and smooth baritone?!  I would love to see him do another animated film with singing or even take a stab at Broadway.

    Did you guys know that Auli’i Cravalho, also Polynesian, was 14 years old when she started recording the vocals for her role as Moana?!  She turned 16 today!  Happy Birthday Auli’i!  She truly nailed Moana.  I’ve heard so many seasoned adult actors talk about how much harder it is to narrate an animated movie than it is to do a live action movie.

    Why?  Well, because in a live action movie, there’s a set, other actors, costumes, makeup and the whole shabang to help them get into their role.  When you’re narrating or voicing over animation it’s often times just the actor in a box watching the characters on the screen.  There are no props, wardrobe or set to help your mind slip into character easily.  I truly admire Auli’i for being able to master this at the age of 14.  I mean she delivers her lines like a pro and her singing voice is amazing.

     Overall Moana was and is an amazing movie.  We laughed, we (mainly I) cried.  The kids were mesmerized from the start to the finish.  We all left feeling inspired, motivated, empowered and most of all proud.  Disney knocked it out of the park with this.  Moana hits theaters on November 23rd and we encourage you purchase tickets for your family to see it.
    amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”; amzn_assoc_search_bar = “true”; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = “yummommy-20”; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = “manual”; amzn_assoc_ad_type = “smart”; amzn_assoc_marketplace = “amazon”; amzn_assoc_region = “US”; amzn_assoc_title = “Related Products”; amzn_assoc_linkid = “d5ba572bf5b92ac4cfddafe5c5602e3c”; amzn_assoc_asins = “B01MRNUJUO,B01BOYCMJM,B01J8PBBQO,B01CQTW89I”;

  • Thankful Thursday

    Happy Thankful Thursday y’all!  I hope this week has been good to each and every one of you.  Last week was a bit draining and I ended up not getting a post up last Thursday.  This week has still been draining, but overall better than last week.  So I’m happy to be back sharing all of the things I found in my life to be grateful for this week.

    For example, I’m so thankful that we had a three day weekend.  Halloween was on Monday and schools in our area were out.  Although, I forgot to turn off my alarms, JJ and I got to sleep in.  Moo is an early riser for the most part and still woke up bright and early.  However, she did a great job of entertaining herself with breakfast, her dolls and some YouTube for Kids so that I could some extra rest.

    Speaking of Halloween, I’m grateful that our Halloween raining streak came to end this year.  The kids were good sports about not having costumes because I really thought it was going to rain and we’d end up stuck in the house like the last three years.  We were able to get out and go trunk-or-treating at one our favorite churches.  My little guy did well the entire night, especially when the crowd got bigger.  He stayed calm and when he had had reached his limit, he politely asked to go home and was patient as we worked our way back to our car.

    It’s such a blessing to see all of the progress he’s made and continues to make everyday.  I still weep sometimes when I remember the days when he couldn’t even day “Mommy” or he’d freak out in crowds or totally lose it when he heard music or other loud sounds.  I remember when his pediatrician wasn’t sure he’d walk without therapy and maybe even leg braces because the muscle mass on one side of body was so much less than the other.  If ever I need a reminder that God is real, I don’t to look any further than my son.

    While we’re on the subject of JJ, he’s totally rocking out in homeschool and for that I am grateful as well.  I’ve taught other people’s children, but for some reason it’s so much scary teaching my own.  The first month of homeschooling, I definitely worried whether or not I was doing a good job, but now I know that I am.  I’ve reminded myself that part of the reason we’re homeschooling is so that we can move at a pace that is best for him and so that he can be in an environment that gives him the freedom to learn in the ways he is most comfortable.

    Moo is such a busybody and is always twirling, trying to do flips and practice gymnastics on the furniture.  She took a bit of fall a few days ago and caught her arm in rather uncomfortable position on one of our couches.  I’m so grateful that she didn’t break her arm because as I watched the fall happen I thought she had.  It’s hard watching your children get hurt because you’re too far away to get to them to catch them.  We’ll be heading to the doctors probably tomorrow because she said that it started back hurting today, but I’m giving thanks in advance that we won’t leave with any bad news.

    Lastly, I’m thankful that I’m making progress on my goal/resolution to improve my photography skills.  I’ve been really reading, researching and even taking a photography class – Become a Better Photographer on Udemy (sponsored link) –  and I feel like all my hard work is paying off.  I was very pleased with the photos from my POPSUGAR post.  I still have more room for improvement, but this is a start.

    What are you giving thanks for this week?

  • Recently | November Edition

    Happy November y’all!  2016 is coming to a close in give or take 60 days.  As usual, I feel like this year went by way too fast, but I won’t complain about it.  This year been full of changes for me and my family that I know will lead to bigger and better things in the upcoming New Year.  Since I haven’t been updating you guys on all of the happenings around these parts very often, I thought a Recently post was in order to bring y’all up to speed.

    Started | I’ve been keeping a secret from you guys.  For almost two years I’ve been having a strong desire to officially become a member of the BookTube aka YouTube for book lovers/nerds (like me) community.  I thought I was going to start my BookTube journey last year, but chickened out.  Also, I chickened out earlier this year.  It just felt like some sort of elite club that I might not be cool enough to be a part of.

    Anyways, this year I’ve really been working on getting more comfortable being in front of the camera and shooting videos.  So last month I decided that enough was enough.  I took the plunge and became a BookTuber!  You check out my first video below

    So far everything has been great.  My channel is still fairly new but already I’ve made some new friends and even gotten my first BookTube shout out from another more known and established BookTuber, Olivia from iLivieforbooks.  I’m super excited to have a dedicated space to fangirl over my favorite books and authors as well as to talk about writing.

    Loved | Last month I was cleaning out the kids’ iPad and realized that I’m raising a future model and a mini photographer/videographer.  Can who’s going to be which?  Maybe the pictures below will give y’all a clue.

    I absolutely loved this pictures of Moo with her personality really shining through.  I’m pretty sure I shared them with all of my family members as well as on my Instagram and the YUMMommy Facebook page.  They were just too adorable not to share.  This wasn’t her only photoshoot either.  Not to be outdone JJ snapped these pretty decent shots of his bff Thomas the Tank Engine and Luke.

    Celebrated | For the last three years it has rained on Halloween here.  We purchased costumes for the kids the first two years, but skipped buying them the third year.  We were only going to be home chilling on the couch with our favorite snacks and watching our favorite Halloween movies anyway.  Fast forward to Halloween 2016 and we skip costumes again because I’m expecting our tradition of Halloween Rain to continue.  Guess what y’all?

    It didn’t rain this year!  The kids asked to go trunk-or-treating at our favorite baptist church and I obliged them.  Although we didn’t have official costumes (Moo found a Doc McStuffins dress up shirt and JJ wore a ‘Zombie Ate My Homework’ shirt), we still had a blast celebrating Halloween with some friends from our old neighborhood.  The kids got to play games like pin the nose on the pumpkin, JJ took his first hay ride and we got to get inside a real fire truck!  Next year we’ll be back to buying costumes.

    Last month we also celebrated the fact that Moo has pretty much tested out of her grade level according to the standardized testing they took at the beginning of the school year as well as the gifted and talented test.  The testing only allowed for second graders to test to a fourth grade level.  Moo maxed out in the reading department and did pretty much the same in the math.  She’s already exceeded her end of the year goals for both.

    She had been mentioning being a little bored in classroom, but I thought that she was only saying that because she wanted to homeschool with her brother.  I’m glad we have test results to prove that she’s actually bored because she’s so far ahead of her classmates.  Her teacher has recommended some apps and learning sites for us to use at home so that she can be more stimulated on her intellectual level.

    Watched | Let me just off saying that I’ve pretty given up watching cable tv.  Between the horrible campaign ads and just not being able to find anything to keep my attention, I’ve spent a lot of time on Netflix these past few months.  I was beyond hyped when I found Marvel was filming Luke Cage and stalked Netflix for it daily just in case they released it early.  When they finally did, I binge watched it and y’all that show did NOT disappoint.  I’m already wondering when season 2 will start filming.

    I finally watched the last episode of Orange Is The New Black.  I know I’m super late, but I had been putting it off because with everything going on in our society, the race issues and inequality issues were just hitting too close to home and I needed a moment to not get swept up even more in my frustration and anger.  Needless to say I cried some angry tears and a few tears of sorrow.

    So I’ve become a bit obsessed British and foreign crime shows.  The Fall, featuring Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan, is my favorite and it felt like it took them forever to release the third and final season on Netflix.  I was not prepared for the way it ended.  Also, I binge watched Marcella, another British crime show, that really had me on the edge of my seat.  I don’t know how to talk about these shows without spoiling it so I’ll say just check them out, but be aware that they are a bit graphic and dark.

    Disliked |  There’s no easy way to put this.  So I’m just going to come right out and say it.  For the past few months I have really disliked having neighbors.  A few specific neighbors to be exact.  I don’t want to go into details, but let’s just say that we you have share parking spaces, a lawn and other property, please considerate, clean and respectful.

    The kids and I are looking forward to moving to the country where we can have our space.  Will we miss the convenience of city life?  Of course, having Target two miles away is hard to give up, but my sanity and detached living are more important.  I’m looking forward to the New Year when our closest neighbor will be several yards away.

    What have you guys been up to?

  • Cozy Fall Essentials

    Disclosure: This post is sponsored by POPSUGAR Beauty and contains affiliate links.  All opinions expressed are my own.  Thank you for supporting the brands that support YUMMommy.
    My POPSUGAR October Must Have Box finally arrived.  I had been patiently awaiting its arrival and felt like a kid on Christmas morning when I got a notice from my rent office that it was in.   June was my first time partnering with POPSUGAR and then we partnered again for their September box.  Each box has gotten better and better in terms of its offerings.  The October box had a bit of weight to it and I knew in my gut that I wasn’t going to be disappointed this time around either.  Come on let me show y’all the goodies that made this month’s box selection.

    What I Got

    This month’s box came with two “Special Extras.”  Lisa Sugar’s new book Power Your Happy: Work Hard, Place Nice & Build Your Dream Life was one of them.  If you didn’t guess from her last name, Lisa is the founder of the POPSUGAR brand.  Without her this post wouldn’t be happening.  Thank you LISA!

    Power Your Happy is filled with advice and tips from both Lisa’s professional and personal life experiences.  With a current 4.6 out 5 stars rating on Amazon, I have placed this book on my Nonfiction November TBR and can’t wait to haul it in a video on my BookTube channel.  The book nerd in me celebrated when I saw that I got a book in this month’s box.  I’m ready to be inspired and learn some tips on how to take YUMMommy to the next level.

    Fun fact about me, I like to collect mugs.  I’m glad to have this Rise & Shine one to add to my collection now.  It’s cute and the design has a clean, minimalist feel to it.  This diner style mug has some weight to it which I love as well.

    Dairy-free, non-GMO, gluten-free hot chocolate anyone?  Why I don’t mind if I do!  One of the things I really appreciate about the POPSUGAR Must Have Box is that they always try to include at least one or two products that fall into the green/honest/healthy living category.  And with only two ingredients- cocoa and sugar- this rich dark chocolate is definitely a Fall must!

    The weather here in the Queen City has been a bit chilly.  So a few nights ago Moo and I treated ourselves to some of the Dark Drinking Chocolate topped off with some marshmallows.  We give two thumbs up.  We would have given it three but the way the human body is set up, we can’t physically.

    Retailing for only $12 this travel-sized makeup remover towel lasts up to 1,000 washes.  Do you know much makeup you can with this?!  Think about it.  If you wear makeup everyday, then you can ditch buying liquid makeup remover, cotton facial pads or makeup remover wipes over and over and just get one of these instead.
    You’re not going to find another makeup remover that will only cost you $12/year.  And if you only remove your makeup once a day, you can get at least two years worth of usage out of your Makeup Eraser.  It also doubles as an exfoliator!  Two products for the price of one. Winning!  Beauty lovers add this to your Christmas and birthday wish lists ASAP!

    Growing up in large family and motherhood has taught me the art of efficient and quick showering.  With that said, I’m grateful POPSUGAR included this luxurious shower oil and bubble bath the October box.  It was a subtle reminder from the universe that I’m overdue for a little self-care.

    The holidays are right around the corner, I’m going to take a day or two before it gets really hectic around here and enjoy a nice long uninterrupted bubble bath.  I’m talking candles, a good book, spa music- the works pretty much.   My body and skin will thank me for it.  Oh did I mention that this shower oil and bubble bath are sulfate, paraben and phthalate- free?!

    While we’re talking about makeup, Autumn is the perfect smokey eye season.  Nothing sets off a great smokey eye better than a great eyeliner.  Whether you choose to add a wings for a smokey cat eye or keep it simple by outlining your water lines only, this Revlon ColorStay™ Liquid Pen goes on like butter.

    It also lasts for up to 16 hours of wear.  This is a great for those of us who have busy schedules and can’t always be running to the bathroom to touch up our makeup every few hours.  This was the other special extra in this month’s box.

    I can’t speak for other parts of the country but April isn’t the only month that brings lots of rain showers in the Carolinas.  As we get into the thick of fall, the rain is going to start back up again.  Thankfully, I will be prepared with for any surprise showers with this Henri Bendel umbrella that is just the right size to carry around in my purse.  Featuring the classic Henri Bendel print, this compact umbrella comes with a sleeve/jacket that you can pack your umbrella back in so that you don’t have to worry about any water droplets getting all over your other valuables in your purse or diaper bag.

    I’m already getting excited about November’s box because I know that it’s going to be even better.  All of the products in the October Must Have Box totaled out to $152.98.  A POPSUGAR Must Have Box subscription is only $39.95/month.  The Henri Bendel umbrella alone has paid for this box.

    If you plan on trying out a subscription for November or December, be sure to use code SHOP5 to receive $5 off your FIRST box!

    What are your favorite Fall essentials?

  • Thankful Thursday

    Happy Thankful Thursday y’all!  Please forgive the absence/lack of Thankful Thursday posts around these parts.  Somehow Thursdays have become my busiest days.  Also, homeschooling JJ has completely taken over my life and free time, but I’m NOT complaining.   I had a few unfinished Thankful Thursday posts from last month just chilling in my Drafts folder.  Today I woke up determined to get this week’s post published and not dumped in Drafts with the others.  So let’s jump right on in.

    My baby sister recently celebrated her birthday y’all.  I’m so grateful that she was blessed to see another year of life.  Although, life has always been unpredictable and something meant to be cherished, I feel like in today’s society it’s even more imperative that we truly cherish what a gift it is to get older and celebrate our birthdays.  There so many folks who haven’t and won’t make it to their next birthday this year.  Just last week a school near our county was shot up by another kid.  A few people were injured, but one little boy died from his injuries.

    This tragedy was a very sobering moment, especially since it was so close and happened in my home state.  Then a fellow creative in one of my creative groups on Facebook loss her 8-week old baby yesterday.  She said that she had the perfect pregnancy and delivery.  Her daughter was doing fine and had just had a checkup, but then she stopped breathing on Monday and things just went downhill from there.  We can be here one moment and gone in the blink of an eye.  Celebrate life EVERYDAY!!

    Moving on to happier news, I’m thankful that JJ is crushing this homeschooling thing.  The first few weeks I told I was going to go out of my mind because I was putting so much pressure on myself.  Then, I remembered that God put it on my heart for me to homeschool my little guy.   He never gives us more than we’re capable of handling.  While everyday isn’t smooth sailing, JJ is definitely learning  and his passion for learning is really blossoming.

    However, JJ isn’t the only one excelling in school.  Moo is doing great in second grade at her old school.  They got tested for their reading levels the second week of school.  Guess what?  Moo tested over her reading level and has already met her end-of-the-year reading goal!  I’m so proud of her, but also a little worried because I hope that I’ll be able to keep her entertained once she joins us in homeschool next year.

    Lastly, I’m grateful that we got to have a mini-vacation recently.  One of my older cousins got married at the beach and we decided to make it a weekend trip.  The kids and I packed up, met up with my mom and then drove to stay with my brother for the wedding.  When I say that the reception was lit, I mean it was LIT!  Whenever our family gets together, especially us cousins and siblings, we party and turn up.  I even got a chance to go out sans the kids with my brother and sister for a sibling turn up session.

    Before I let you guys go, I just want to say thank you to everyone who continues to support this blog.  I greatly appreciate you.  Also, to all my fellow East Coast readers, be safe as we wait for Hurricane Matthew to pass.  Pray for us y’all.  Here in the Queen City, we’re already getting lots of rain and winds are expected to pick up over the next day or so.

    And if you haven’t already, go enter my latest giveaway!

    What are you thankful for this week?