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  • My Weekend WrapUp

    This weekend we had the pleasure of attending a private screening for the new Disney movie Secret of the Wings. Earlier this year my baby sister got Moo completely hooked on all things Tinkerbell and fairies. So, it was no surprise that every time the commercial for Secret of the Wings came on, she would ask me a gazillion times “can we go see that?” She had started to sound a skipping cd.

    Anyways, when I got the invite, I knew she was going to be beyond stoked. I have to admit that I have never been a huge fan of Tinkerbell. However, this is Disney’s best fairies movie yet. I found myself really watching the movie and not just staring at the screen.

    Secret of the Wings is story of love, mystery and adventure that investigates the bonds of sisterhood and friendship. I don’t want to give away too many details but this is a must-see family movie. You’ll laugh and be on the edge of your seats with the little ones. I highly recommend you pick this up from your nearest Walmart or Target when it comes out on the 23rd of this month.

    Sunday was wet and cold. We had gotten a good shower the night before. So, we didn’t make it to church. Wet weather seems to make colds come on for the little ones. However, I still got a little word in with my devotions and watching a little Joel Olsteen.

    I made some awesome cube beef steaks with rice and brown gravy. All in all, it shaped out to be a pretty good weekend.

    Disclaimer: I was given a private screening of Secret of the Wings. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

  • Mind Right Monday

    This past week I did much better with checking my goals off my list.  We made it to storytime not just on time, but a bit early.  I wrote in my prayer journal everyday and did a devotional/Bible study 5 out of 7 days.  And I was able to post everyday!
    Yep, I posted 7 out of 7 days.  I even revived my Soul Food Sunday posts.  Moo’s Closet is up and running.  I stopped finding excuses and finally listed my first item.  The first step to success is well…taking a step. And I did.  I’ve also been good at drinking more water. No coffee or tea this week!
    My goals for this week are:
      1. Put up more listings on Moo’s Closet

      2. Post everyday

      3. Workout 3 nights/days (failed at this last week)

      4. Finish up my library books

      5. Get Thanksgiving decorations and purchase new Christmas ornaments (JJ broke quite a few last year)
      I am grateful for:

      • The Mr’s birthday coming up this week

    1. JJ is more stable walking

    2. Moo taking up more time to play with JJ

    3. Moo and JJ not digging as much with things they shouldn’t

    4. Food bloggers and Instragram recipes

    5. Pinterest

    6. My iPhone

    7. Blog sponsors

    8. HTML5 For Dummies (I made both my lists using HTML code!)
      9. What are your goals for the next 7 days?

    9. Memphis BBQ Pit Rub Baked Tilapia

      I’m back with my Soul Food Sunday posts.  I kind of got off track being down at my mom’s in August.  Then being a bridesmaids in my cousin and friend’s wedding in September.  But today I wanted to share a new recipe I created.  It’s different and really easy to make.
      I’m stoked because I get to share my Memphis BBQ Pit Rub Baked Tilapia recipe with you all.  I know some of you are giving the computer screen a crazy look like WTH?!  You don’t really see too many recipes that combine bbq and seafood.  However, I love tilapia and I’m always trying to find new ways to season and cook it for my family.  So, I was experimenting with some goodies GrillMates had sent me a while back.
      The results was something very yummy.  I hope that you’ll try it and like it.  The best part is that is only requires four ingredients and even then one of those is optional.  The fish goes great with white or wild rice and veggies.
      Ingredients
      Tilapia Fish (thawed)
      GrillMates Memphis Pit BBQ Rub
      Water
      Salt & Pepper (optional)
      Directions
      Season tilapia with Memphis Pit BBQ Rub on both sides.
      Heat oven to 350 degrees.
      Pour about 1/4 cup of water into a baking dish, then add tilapia.
      Cover with foil and bake for 10-15 mins or until done.
      Hope you enjoy the recipe!!

    10. Up And Running

      Well, folks I can scratch one thing off my Mind Right Monday goal list.  Moo’s Closet is officially up and running!  Granted I only got one item listed, but I couldn’t be more proud of myself either because I’ve been dragging my feet on this for some time. It’s always been dream to own my a boutique. After all I was a fashion merchandising major.  So, Moo’s Closet is my first project to see how well I will do as a boutique owner.
      I commend other online boutique/shop owners like Christina from over at Being Mrs Jones.  I admire her commitment to Chic Chanta.  And shout out to Mimi from Lipgloss & Binky for taking it to the major league with the launch of Divinitee.  It takes a lot of time, brainstorming and staying up after the kids are in bed to run a shop.  Or any business really for that matter.   You have to come up with a banner, store policies, an owner bio, background info on your brand, etc.  Don’t even get me started about pictures.
      The point I’m trying to make is that this is something that I’m going to take serious and work hard to flip into a success.  My ultimate goal is take Moo’s Closet beyond Etsy and eventually turn it into a brick and mortar storefront in the next year.  Big dreams I know, but half of the most successful boutique owners and designers dreamt big and it paid off.
      More importantly, Moo’s Closet is more than just a passion or my third baby.  It’s putting us in the position of being closer to our dream home.  Yes, folks we’re about to kickoff another round of house hunting.  (Pray for us!)  And this time, we’ll even be taking a look at a few land parcels.
      I’d much rather buy something already built and renovate instead of contributing to tearing down more wildlife homes, but hey we gotta do what we gotta do at the end of the day.  I’ve had with attached living-apartments, condos, duplexes.  Sure I’ll miss having a landlord who gets to foot the bill for repairs like $250 valve sensor replacement on the gas tank, but we’ve had a slew of crappy and loud ass neighbors for the past few years..  And I’m ready to get in a place where when we make memories I don’t have to feel guilty because we’ll be leaving the place we made them behind once a lease expires.
      Anyways, I don’t want to make this a long post.  So, while you can’t cop an album from me, you can scurry over to my shop and cop a scarf.  Christmas lapel/sweater pins coming soon as well as other merchandise!
      The Pastel Moo Scarf 

    11. 5 Healthy Habits To Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

      October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  And I’m pretty sure we all know or have heard of someone who has had or has breast cancer.  I have personally talked about how my paternal grandmother losing her battle to breast cancer at a young age affected by father and his siblings as well as how those effects trickled down into my childhood.  However, what I want to everyone reading this post today to remember is that you have a fighting chance (males that included).  So I’m linking up with the BLM Girls Go Pink to share 5 healthy habits that can help your reduce your risk if breast cancer if you don’t have it and help you to stick it to breast cancer if you do have it.
      1-Eat Healthy: This is something that a lot of struggle with but the truth be told we are what we eat.  When we eat healthier foods our bodies our better able to fight our sickness and even cancer.  Plus, fruits and vegetables are very rich in antioxidants that help to fight cancer specifically.  One change that I’ve made is trying to Dr Oz’s Anti-Cancer Breakfast Shake to help reduce my chances. Check out the recipe here.
      2-Get Active:  Eating right alone won’t make our bodies strong.  We have to turn off the tv and the computers and get out in the yard with the kids and run around.  Don’t have kids?  Well, invest in a gym membership and get a workout buddy to help stay motivated.  Exercising our bodies not only helps us to keep our curves in shape but it also releases positive disease fighting hormones too.
      3-Limit Drinks:  I’m not talking about KoolAid, juice or water either. Getting wasted (or tipsy) every night of the week might make you feel like the life of the party in the long term it’s only destroying your body inside and preventing your immune system from being able to function properly.  As, with all things if you’re going to have alcoholic beverages drink in moderation.
      4-Touch Yourself:   Yep, you read correct.  Doing daily, weekly or bi-weekly self exams is the best way to catch breast cancer or changes in your breast period.  It’s not just breast cancer that affects your breast.  Women and men can get cyst, scar tissues and more.  Don’t know how to administer a self exam find out here.
      5-Professional Checkups:  You may be doing your self exams at home, but you still need make checkups with your doctor every six and of course schedule your yearly mammograms.   Some of us are going miss lumps due to improper technique.  Others of us might just write a little lump off as having had too much caffeine   Whatever the case, a professional exam and mammogram are the only ways to be certain or not you have breast cancer.
      Have you gotten your professional breast exam or mammogram?

    12. Thankful Thursday

      As of late, I’ve been feeling very blessed.  I’m not trying to brag because it has nothing to do with material things.  I’ve just been feeling blessed on an emotional level if that makes any sense.   It’s like this week a cloud parted and I was seeing my life through clear eyes.  And in this clarity, I’ve gain a whole new level of thankfulness.
      I know I’ve mentioned it a million times already on here, but I’m thankful that JJ is walking.  I haven’t shared this on the blog but we were really worried if he was going to be walking any time soon because the pediatrician discovered that one of his legs has more muscle density than other.  They wanted to give him a chance to start walking before any tests were ordered.  It’s not common for one side of our bodies to be stronger than other but their concern was that neither side would be strong enough to hold his weight and enable him to walk unassisted.
      Thank goodness that wasn’t the case.  I’m tell you this motherhood thing comes with a few scares every now and then.  I wouldn’t trade my motherhood status for anything in the world though.  And I’m thankful for that too because I hear and know a few moms who REGRET having had their kids period.  They say motherhood wasn’t what they thought it would be or how media made it look.
      I try to sympathize with them, but a part of me is like duh nothing is ever what it seems with the media.  No two experiences in motherhood will be exactly alike.  I’m thankful that my childhood and just my ability to remain open minded helped to go into motherhood with only one expectation-being a great mom.  I feel for any mom who raises a child that they regret having.  I also feel for the kids because on some level those kids feel that regret and as they get older they will recognize it and not feel good about themselves.
      I’m thankful that I finally got my iPhone!  Just when I thought the drama was over because we decided to leave Sprint, we got drama from AT&T about not being able to port my same number over to my new phone.  Now, I have hundreds of business cards with my number on it and I’ve just sent out proposals with my this number on it.  There was no way not having this number was an option.  
      Long story short, we’re now with Verizon and I didn’t have to wait 15 to 21 days for my phone.  They had it in stock at the store.  Thanks LeeAnn from over at Life of Rylie and Bryce Too for the suggestion that we go with Verizon.  You were right.  They are much better.  Great customer service, plans, the works.  I miss my EVO, but I’m quickly falling love with my iPhone.
      I’m thankful that I get to help my older sister plan her wedding.  I adore her fiance and love that he’s really big on family.  He welcomed Moo and I with open arms during our almost three month stay in New Orleans.  I can’t wait to go back and see if Moo still remembers him because she had grown a little fond of him when she was a baby.  
      Most importantly, I’m thankful that my sister has found love again.  She went through a lot in her previous marriage and I know most young women would have just sworn off love completely.  This just goes to show you that sometimes you have to go through a few frogs to get to your prince.  Funny thing alert:  We were talking about the open bar last night and Moo says “Well, the kids need an open bar too Mommy!”
      I thought I was going to die laughing.  She thought it was something similar to the monkey bars.  Oh the innocence of kids.  Thank goodness she’s forgotten about the open bar and has mentioned it this morning.  I’m thankful that we got invited to a private screening for the new Disney movie Secret of the Wings.  Moo has been asking to see it since they started airing the commercials.  She’s going to be stoked to see this weekend.
      Do you have anything to be thankful for this week? Share it with us in the comments.

    13. Meltdowns At Storytime

      We made it to storytime ON time today!  Yay!!  We were actually early for a change.  No sleeping in this morning.  We were up, getting dressed, eating breakfast and out the door before 11 AM.  I’m really proud of myself.
      Moo was excited to be back at storytime when we first got there.  I think she missed having other kids her age to play with.  JJ on the other hand was not exactly thrilled to be at the library.  This is a shocker considering for so long the library was the only place he would walk for us.
      Anyways, we’re in the reading room waiting for storytime to start and out of nowhere he starts having a full blown meltdown.  There were waterworks, screams and even some flailing arms and legs action.  I was completely clueless as to what set him off.  I mean we’re past the stage where being in a room full of strangers makes him cry. Or so I thought.
      I guess because we haven’t been in a while, he became unacquainted with the entire experience.  The room was filling up pretty fast and the librarian was ready to get started.  So, I was doing my best to soothe him. Offered the sippy cup, but he didn’t want it.  Offered him the key, but they weren’t interesting today.
      Meanwhile, there’s this lady across the room and she’s giving me this side eye like she has some kind of issue. She just kept on glancing every couple of seconds.  Let me say that I’m not a morning person.  My family and the Mr can tell yall that.  So, I returned her side eye with some full on ‘Do We Have A Problem’ stare.  Thankfully, she was fluent in The Look language and put her side eyeing to rest.
      I’m not one of those moms who acts like I’ve never ‘been there’ when another mom is having an issue with a child having a meltdown.  I think that parents who put the holier than thou, my kid would never act are full of it!  Yeah, I said it.  My kids aren’t perfect.  They cry in public when they’re uncomfortable or can’t there way, but I won’t allow anyone to make me feel apologetic about it.
      Long story short, the meltdown was short lived.  Once they passed out the rattles for our rattlesnake song, he was having fun until he saw Moo had a bright pink rattle and his was a not so bright light green.  He’s obsessed with having the exact same things as his sister in terms of toys.  This is good because he’s grasping the concept of differences and similar.  It’s not so good because it often leads to toddler-toddler tug-of-war and more meltdowns.
      No sooner had the meltdown over the rattles ended did Moo start up about wanting to take her bows out.  Now, I worked hard before we left to tame her curls into two strand twists and hunted 15 minutes for those bows.  So, I told her no and she wasn’t the least bit happy.  However, once I told her we were going home if she didn’t get it together, she got happy again.  Storytime is her life right now.
      I’m hoping that next week is better.  More than anything if a meltdown happens again, I hope I don’t have to pass out any more looks because of other parents acting like they’ve never been in my shoes before.  It’s storytime for toddlers.  Toddlerhood is almost more of an emotional roller coaster than teenagehood. 
      How do you deal with public meltdowns? How do you deal with other parents getting you the side eye?

    14. My Weekend WrapUp

      So, my weekend wrap up has moved to Tuesday since I’ll be linking up for Mind Right Monday on OK Dani for a while.  Anyways, nothing too interesting to report.  This weekend Fall officially set in.  Friday was warm but that night it got significantly cooler.  Then around 1 AM Saturday morning I got up to get a drink of water and it was raining cats and dogs and still chilly.
      The Mr said it rained for a good bit and started back around 7:30 again.  I wouldn’t know because the kids and I slept in until after 10 AM!!  That was great because my kids have been notorious for waiting up at the crack of dawn like they’re going to work or something.  I guess all that rain really helped to soothe them and keep them in Dreamland.  It did drizzle off and on a little bit.
      I decided to dub Saturday as my thorough cleaning day.  We couldn’t really go anywhere because the weather was awful.  So, I steam cleaned the couches, mattresses and the floors.  I put up new curtains in the living room and kitchen, washed all the dishes, washed and folded clothes, etc.  I was in full blown cleaning mode.  The Mr helped out by tackling the bathroom.
      Sunday we didn’t make it to church because we slept in again.  Plus, I had a bit of a scratchy throat and wasn’t sure if I was coming down with a cold or what.  JJ also had a bit of a runny nose.  So again we opted to skip going out in the chilly, wet weather.  
      However, something wonderful did come about from us staying inside all weekend though.  JJ finally started walking by himself!!  Talk about being a proud mommy.  I was starting to get worried about him not walking on his own but I’ve been praying on it and God answered my prayers.
      Now that he can get around, he’s already starting to get into everything.  He’s climbing on any and every chair in sight and swiping things off the coffee tables.  I was trying to put clothes in the dryer the other day and as fast I could put them in, he was taking them out and throwing them on the floor.  Hopefully, he’ll get the hang of being my laundry helper.  It’ll take a little practice.
      What was your weekend like?

    15. Mind Right Monday

      This week I’m on time with my Mind Right Monday post.  Don’t forget to link up over at OK Dani and your goals and gratefuls for the week.  If you’re new to YUMMommy or missed my post from last week check it out here.
      Anyways, I did okay with following through on the goals I set last week.  Of course, somethings are rolling over to this week’s list.  I will do better this week for sure.  
      This week my goals are to:
      -Write in my prayer journal and do my Bible study daily ( I failed miserably at this last week)
      -Post everyday (I did five out of seven days)
      -Make it to story time ON time. (Last week we arrived at the very end of story time after all the stories had been read)
      -Get photos uploaded for Moo’s Closet (The grand opening is in sight)
      -Continue to see sponsors for YUMMommy Christmas charity event
      -Work more with Moo on her reading and word recognition skills
      -Drink more water (Did you know caffeine and Mirena don’t mix?)
      -Work out 3 nights this week
      I’m grateful for:
      -My loving husband who takes great care of us
      -The remake of Steel Magnolias and it’s reminder of how diabetes and kidney disease affect the Black community.
      -Heat
      -Not renewing my contract with Sprint (see why here)
      -My baby sister and all her words of encouragement and love
      -My Hoover TwinTank Steam Mop (check my review here)
      -The Jehovah witness ladies who stop just to check on me and share a scripture every so often (They’ve been very nice at not trying to convert me over but just allowing me to enjoy their company and fellowship in Christ)
      -JJ is finally walking unassisted!!!!!
      Share a goal or grateful with us!

    16. My Fall Bucket List

      Now that fall is officially here, I’ve been thinking about things that we can do as a family.  Moo’s at the age where the memories we make now she’ll be able to remember when she’s older.  JJ is a toddler this Fall which means that I don’t have to be so overly concerned about taking him out like I was last year because he was a baby.  And while my husband’s work schedule is still busy, his schedule is a little bit more consistent.  So, here’s my bucket list of activities I want us to try to get in before the New Year:

      What’s on your Fall Bucket List?