Challenge Completed

I am so excited that I completed the #31WriteNow challenge!! When I first started, I thought it was a lofty goal but I made it. I wrote a mix of so many different things. I hope it doesn't make my blog seem like it doesn't have direction--I promise you, I'm going somewhere. A lot of days I had to just get something in but hopefully you got to know a little bit about me in the process.

Check out some of my favorite posts from this month and I hope you'll keep reading with me after the challenge.

Some faves from me:

Trust Your Decisions
Wonder Woman Does Not Exist
Be Encouraged

Take It Easy
Instant Inspiration 
Hold Each Other Up
Playlist

Here are some bloggers I enjoyed this month:

Stacy Australia 
I Develop Talent
A Bacon Flavored Life
Just Piddlin'
Janicia Loves

Top Ten 2013 Summer Highlights

I am sad to see summer going. Here are ten things I loved about this summer.



Beyonce Concert

1. Beyonce-nothing else to say about that. Best concert of the summer.



NJ State Fair

2. NJ State Fair-I LOVE fair food. I have been trying to get to the NJ state fair for years. I am so glad we got to go. My favorite part was the fried oreos...those things AMAZING. I had to get some more on the way out. We will be going back.



Family Vacation in Jamaica

3. Riu Resort Montego Bay Jamaica-This was my first all family vacation and it was awesome. I think we are going to make it an annual thing. I didn't have to plan anything. Drinks, food, and pool/beaches  everyday. It was so nice to have unstructured time without phones, e-mail, Facebook, etc.



World Trade Center

4. I may have already said this but this place is breath taking. I couldn't believe how long it took us to get inside but it was worth every minute. As I walked around and read the different names, I almost wanted to weep. There were sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, uncles, aunties, and unborn children to name a few. Such an awesome and humbling experience.

Watching fresh Krispy Kreme's being made.

5. These things literally melt in your mouth. If there was a Krispy Kreme doughnut eating contest, I swear I'd when. I think I am going to look into that for next summer lol.

Watching my nephew brush the grass of my grandparents grave. He's so sweet.

6. I love my grandparents. Without them Lord knows where I would be. I always go spend some quiet time with them whenever I'm am in San Diego. This wasn't my usual quiet time with two toddlers but it was even more awesome to be able to take my nephew and son there. I was blessed to know my great-grandfather and get a little sad sometimes that my son won't have that with my papa. This is as close as they get to get but I am still grateful and can't wait to share stories about both of them about their great-grandparents.

7. My son's birthday party. I must say, I out did myself. I am a baker. Everything pictured I made (and there is tons more that you can't see). I am pretty darn good (I say that in the most humble way possible). Who doesn't love to make something and have everyone raving about it? I am still on a cookie/cake high.


8. Wedding Anniversary-We have been trying to get a little more serious about getting in our couple time and doing things we love together. We are often caught up in the hustle and bustle of life so it was very nice to get flowers and hang out with the hubbs. I mean with two sets of grandparents in town how could we not go out? Nice benefit of having anniversary and baby's birthday so close. Not pictured are the flowers I got that I managed to keep alive for two weeks and counting---that's a big deal.

Pictured at my son's birthday party...that was some serious face painting.

9. Mom visiting-My house is really feeling like a home thanks to my mom's interior accenting skills (aka hanging all my pictures/organizing my stuff) and her gardening handy work. Who knew you had to trim your own trees?

10. Discovering Blogging-First I stalked my friends blog (check her out here) and then I did the #31WriteNow challenge for the month of August and found so many great blogs. I am glad to be a part of the blogging world. Who knew there were people out there that had really cool and relatable things to say? I feel like I have a whole different online sisterhood now. So many great stories. We are all growing, over coming, and conquering the world together.

I am going to miss the carefree days of summer. I will be savoring these last few days. I can't wait to see what next summer brings.

Instant Inspiration

A few weeks back I posted about my obsession with school supplies. Well this week I finally got to whip them out and right when I was starting to get a little tired in my last class (7:15PM-9:20PM) I got hit with this on the inside cover of my notebook:

Isn't this awesome?!?! I don't know when Jesus took over school supplies but I LOVE it. You hear me? LOVE it and like want to go snag all the books for Christmas gifts. This is the kind of stuff you need when you are in school or work. Falling asleep in class? All you have to do is glance over and see: God has you, and your day covered. Frustrated during the work day? It's all good. God chose you. Doesn't that make you smile? Instant inspiration and motivation. I don't think my son will appreciate these kind of school supplies (they are very girly...see below) but the message is awesome. Would it be crazy if I found some boy ones and saved them for him? They probably won't even be using notebooks when he goes to school but I digress.

Here are my two faves for today:

Yes, you are on purpose! You are right where God wants you to be.

God has great plans for you!

Hope you had an awesome day. 

Be lifted my friends.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask

One of my favorite woman at my church once quoted the familiar scripture that we have not because we ask not to me (see James 4:2). This same scripture came up in my devotional a few days ago. Why are we so afraid to ask for what we really want or help when we really need it?

A lot of times, I don't personally ask out of fear. I also don't want to owe anyone anything and I feel like very a few people genuinely do things for me out of the kindness of their heart. A while back though, I was even afraid to ask God for things. I thought that some of the things I wanted were to trivial for God's time or I had created my own mess so I needed to deal with it instead of asking to be delivered from it. Over the years though, I have realized that I wasn't getting what I wanted because I did not ask or really seek it out. Once I started asking God, burdens were lifted over time.

The key though is asking and not giving up when we don't get it right away. There is always a reason for delay. I have had to accept the fact that at times I was not ready for what I wanted or sometimes what I wanted was not really what I needed.

It isn't so hard to ask my father in heaven for what I want anymore--I talk to God about a lot of random things now.  But, the real difficulty lies in asking people or taking help when it is offered. This comes with a whole different list of issues--that could be a whole different post--but when someone offers us help we need, we have to get better at accepting it. Wonder woman does not exist--see my previous post on that here. Sometimes, people don't follow through--that is on them even if it ticks us off--but we cannot allow fear cause us to be overwhelmed because we did not seek help.

I am totally guilty of passing up help or not asking but I am starting to find that when I accept help, I am more times than not better as a result. I am going to need a lot more help soon so I am going to practice asking in the mirror so I can get more comfortable with it.

Doesn't it feel great after you help someone who really needs it?

See Matthew 7:7-12 for more on this and tell me what you think.

Information Overload

I don't know about you but I hate having to process a lot of important information at once. This has been happening to me a lot lately. Often times, informaation overload is created by ourselves or situations out of our control. Here are some tips I used today to keep me on track and not pull all my hair out--I am going to keep this list short in the interest of not overloading you with too many tips :).

1. Recognize that information overload is happening. During my grad school orientation, I really questioned if I was ready for this multiple times but, I had to stop myself and realize that I was just getting a lot information at once (and I had skipped breakfast--big no no).

2. Don't make any quick decisions. Quitting grad school while I am hungry and overwhelmed probably not a smart idea in the long run. Give yourself some time to decompress so you process the information clearly and act accordingly. I had to sit by myself for two hours to really get myself together today but I felt good at the end.

3. Do something that brings you joy. I didn't have a lot of time after my information overload--in fact I had another meeting that added more information. So, I grabbed a caramel latte and still made it in enough time to get more information lol. Easy pick me up. 

4. Talk it out. I took the time to speak to some other students in my program and found out we had some things in common (i.e. working full time with school, feeling overwhelmed, etc , so I didn't have to feel alone or like I was the odd ball out. That helped. You are never alone in whatever you are dealing with trust me. 

5. Recognize your limitations and don't panic. After orientation, I realized that I had about 2-3 hours worth of reading to do and no time or books initially. Instead of panicking, I spent an extra hour on campus getting what I needed (I wasn't happy about this but I problem solved instead of panicking).  After work, I stayed a little later to get myself organized  for my classes and when I finally tucked my son into bed, I set a timer and did what I could in thirty minutes and moved on. Staying up all night isn't going to help me so I did what I could and I can start fresh tomorrow. 

6. Sleep on it. Speaking of starting fresh, I know how much better I feel when I actually get sleep. My lovely Up Band has really helped me know more about healthy sleep patterns. So, getting some rest will give you fresh start and a chance to dive into whatever you need to with a sound mind. As I start to think of routines and systems I need to put in place next week, as grad school and work kick off together, getting enough sleep is a high priority.

What are some things you do that help you when you are overwhelmed with information?

Early Bird Gets the Worm

Some times I think that all moms have to get up really early in the morning--I apologize to my non-parent readers but, I am in a mom zone here lately--these posts are cool for women in general though. A co-worker of mine once told me that she got up at 5AM or earlier just to get her day started--she has 5+ children. I used to think she was nuts but getting up before 6AM really helps me to start my days off in the right direction. Everyone is still sleep so I can read my devotional, workout (before my treadmill was busted), start breakfast, and have some time to just wake myself up at my own pace before having to really interact with anyone.

My problem is I can't seem to maintain any sort of plan like this for a whole week. How do you keep your routines going when things get hectic or you just don't feel like it? I have a ton of things going on this semester (my life has been divided this way since first being a college student and then as a teacher). The key is really sticking to it. Every article or blog about routines really all boils down to sticking to them. Here is a funny one I saw today. This  is one working moms schedule before she even gets out of the door. I thought this was funny because most moms have a solid 2 hours worth of work before getting out the door...bless us. It all sounds so simple but throw a crazed toddler or a lot of work in a day and my routines are shot.

My biggest fear is that if I don't get a handle on this routine thing is that my son will pick up my wayward ways--in my defense though his routine is the only one I really stick to as close a possible everyday so he probably has no clue that I let routines own fall by the wayside.

When I don't get up early, my mornings are kind of like this:



Yes that would be a sippy cup with milk for my cereal...this is what no time in the morning reduces me to!










I don't know why I am so obsessed with this. Maybe it's because summer is winding down and I feel like I need to get my life together. For now, I think I am going to commit to making morning and evening routines and sticking to them no matter what for September--YIKES. I'll keep you posted. I may go down kicking and screaming but I want to see if it actually helps me. 

How do you all stick to routines when the going gets tough? Do you even have them? I'd love to hear.

Monday is coming

and I'm not ready.

Actually tomorrow won't be bad at all but weekends are so great. The weather has been awesome. I haven't really done much but that is just my cup of tea so I am in heaven.

I have a bunch of things going on this week but there is more to look forward to than I am dreading. 

Here's what I'm looking forward to:

1. Make up tutorial/drinks with cool people (look for a follow up to my post Beauty Queens this week).

2. Grad school starting (studying the right thing this time around...therapy here I come).

3. Last week of PD/planning before kids fully start school (I really have to get some work done this week--pray for me saints).

4. Looking at photo's from my son's second birthday taken by the great @kristensigler and making cute thank you cards for the people who came/sent gifts.

Me and my loves again

Birthday boy

I am also finishing up the #31WriteNow blogging challenge. I can't believe how fast a month has flown by. I have so many drafts that I'll really need to narrow down to make my final posts of this challenge count. 

How are you getting ready for this week? Anything cool going on?

Is it just me...

...or are mosquitos on steroids this summer?  I was outside today and have at least five more bites in the most random places. If they sucked fat y'all...you wouldn't be able to tell me nothing.

Today was so beautiful out. I can't believe summer is winding down. Do any moms out there find that kids are much more agreeable on the weekend? I mean if I could get a little of this joy after being at work all day I'd be in business. I am soaking it in today and hopefully tomorrow too.

Grandma finally got him to actually hit the ball with the bat.

Little gymsters

Gold medals in our future?

Ahh to be a kid again. 

These clowns after playing in the kiddie pool.
I think this is one of those good embarrassing pics for later on hehe.

Trust Your Decisions

This week has been a mix of fun and typical work nonsense. I was a little behind on sleep after a fun weekend last week so I am sure that added a little extra drag to the week but lets face it, I don't think you can ever really get enough sleep sometimes.

 

Anyhow, I have been coming to terms with a very calculated career decision I made earlier this year. While I think in the long term it was best, right now I am not feeling it. You know when you go to a store with a really good coupon only to find out it's expired or the day before you can use it---I feel irritated like that lol. I hate when I find myself complaining and in a little funk because let me tell you I am grateful for EVERYTHING I have but sometimes the big picture gets a little far out reach for even me. But after jamming to some songs on my playlist this morning, I got to thinking about how we really have to trust ourselves once we make difficult decisions and really back off and let God do his work

I don't want to lose the zeal for my big picture goals because of the bumps that I may really need to hit along the way in order to be prepared. Preparation is key. I want to be ready so I really have to keep myself centered while I am going through the growing pains. I want to grow and as a Mary Mary song says, we all need a little bit of dirt to grow--listen below. I HATE being dirty but I get it. Nothing blossoms without dirt and I want to bloom into something big so that I can have a bigger impact, let others see Christ through me, and do a little more good in the world. At times I will be uncomfortable, but that is okay. You can miss some really great opportunities and experiences because we want to be comfortable. I've learned to work through the uncomfortableness because most of the times, once it's over, it wasn't as bad any ways. For God has not given us the spirit of fear ;but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.-2 Timothy 1:7. And for that reason, we have to trust ourselves and the decisions we make. Even if we don't get the desired outcome, everything happens for a reason. Think about it.

 

Dirt

 

I'm Running

 

I will be thinking about meditating on that this weekend. Be lifted my friends.



Work Avoidance

Have you ever had a day where you had a lot of work to do but get distracted at every turn?

That was the story of my life today. I made a detailed list of things that I needed to get done and to be honest, I didn't get much done. I mean I got a few key things accomplished and even few important meetings in but on a scale of 1-10, today I'd give myself a 6 (maybe really more like a 5).

I did learn though that I am not the only person who finds ways to avoid work when they actually have a lot work to do though---very comforting. To show you how even more of a mess I was today, I even set goals with myself to continue with my lazy behavior--finish this play a little Candy Crush,  respond to this e-mail, play some more LOL. Why Lord why?!?! Usually I can conquer a to-do list like nobodies business, but today not so much.

 

Tomorrow, I am going to get myself together for real. No country for people who do work at home or on the weekend so I have to make tomorrow count---if that's the good Lord's will *winks*.

Do you get distracted at work or when you have a lot to do? Any tips to work through it? I'm starting to think that avoiding work is normal--just not everyday of course.

Hope you had a great day!

Beauty Queens

 

I don't know about other moms and/or working women out there but, the first thing that gets thrown on the back burner when I am super busy and/or tired is any type of beauty regimen. I have no desire to sit under the hair dryer for an hour when I could be sleeping or doing something else. Free time? I am not going to the nail salon then either.

Recently though, I have been trying to get out--and stay out of that slump.  I began conquering getting rid of baby phat last year and after getting my make up professionally done earlier this year, I decided to take on hair and makeup too.

Please note that a profesional did this...I am not walking around like this everyday.

The hardest part for me though is finding time. Why get up early to do makeup when I could snooze or do something else in the morning. Yesterday one of my co-workers and fellow rockin' mom Jasmine told some of us that she could get her make up done in the morning in five minutes or less. Yeah right?!? Her makeup was flawless yesterday by the way. 

So, to show us it could be down, she made us a cool tutorial that you can check out here . She made it seem so easy breezy that I put on eye make up this morning even though I was running late. When you look better you feel better. Right? We all think so.

 

We have decided to get together to share more tips and tricks to get us on track. Let's see if we can keep this up.

 

What is your beauty regiman? Favorite products? I'd love to hear.

 

I'll keep you posted on how we do.

 

Playlist

 

I love music. Here are some songs in my current rotation--some of which are oldies but goodies. They are in no particular order except for #1 and #2. And yes I listen to Jesus music, hip hop, R & B, and Reggae together...hehe.

Enjoy!

1. Can't Hold Us 



This video is NOT the video I had  up in my head every time I rock out to this song in my car. Why is there a pirate ship, a camel in the hood, and a man getting a haircut on the beach?!?! But this is still my jam...seriously my son even claps along now and sings a few parts--that's how much I play it.

 

2. Grown Woman

When is this album coming out?!? I love Beyonce. You can't help but roll your neck when you hear this. I RUN THIS!!

 

 3. Trumpets Blow

I love Kierra! Fresh music for Jesus. Are you ready??

4. Can't Give Up Now

 

When I first heard this verison, I wasn't really feeling it but I gave it another listen last week and it gives me goose bumps. I wish I could sing.

 

4. Take Me To The King

 



I don't have anything to say about this but have some tissue ready.

5. You Are

 

Young people for Jesus--I'm all about it! If I could sing y'all...

6. Pusher Love Girl

JT is not playin' with this one.

 

 7. Fire We Make

 

This song!

 

8. King of the Dancehall



Rediscovered my love with this song after the BET awards.

9. Brand New Me

 Definitely feel like I have reinvented myself these past few years. If I could sing about it, this would be the song.

10. Differntology

2013-2014 school year as a teacher and a student again...I'm ready!

 

 

What are some songs on your playlist right now?

Hold Each Other Up

I'm sure we have all experienced being torn down by another woman, especially a black woman (I would also venture to say that this is true for any woman of color in general here). Sheryl Sandberg talked about this Lean In. Last week I read a blog by Stacy Australia that almost brought me to tears about black men bringing us down at times too. Her post titled Black Power is for Black Men really got me thinking (check out her post here ).

I must admit that my worst work experiences were when I was supervised by a black woman (in two different locations). Why is that? I for one, hold black woman to a high standard everywhere and in everything we do. That is probably an issue for a lot of us. But isn't it possible to lead without being a jerk--especially to your own people? You can definitely feel it when a woman of color is in charge and is trying to prove herself and feels she has to act a certain way in order to do it. Leadership is tough, especially for woman of color but, we have to find a balance between being ambitious and going to hard at the detriment of others. Pride comes before the fall. So we have to be careful. We have to get to the real root of the issues we are having that cause us to mistreat and undervalue others in the workplace. Often times, it is something we are dealing with on the inside that causes us to lash out at others on the outside. If we are not careful, we may become known for character traits that we would never assign to ourselves. If this is something you need to work on, it is ok. Eat that slice of humble pie and start over.

Additionally, we have to take those coming behind us under our wings. The world is changing. Men have no problem training and mentoring other men. So why can't we? There are so many young women that would benefit from what we have learned along the way. Think of a young woman in your workplace or life right now. Maybe they legitimately never had anyone show them how to prep for an interview, write a proposal, or do cool things in excel. Why not show them? If they work for you, everyone wins right? We all have gifts so when you can, help someone develop theirs. It takes a village for real.

We have to do better my sisters. There are enough people tearing us down and screwing us over for us to have to worry about each other. We must lift each other up-- when we see a sister struggling and when they are doing well. There is no need for jealousy and cattiness, there is room for all of us. There is no need to demean and belittle, there is power of life and death in the tongue. We do not want to be responsible for pushing another sister over the edge.





Here's a poem I found to help lift us up this week.

You.Are.Amazing.

As. you. are.
Stronger than you know.
More beautiful than you think.
Worthier than you believe.
More loved than you can ever imagine.
Passionate about making a difference.
Fiery when protecting those you love.
Learning. Growing. Not alone.
Warm. Giving. Generous.
Quirky. Sexy. Funny. Smart.
Flawed. Whole. Scared. Brave.
And so, so, so.much.more.

Be Strong. Be Confident. Be You.

 ~ Copyright: Tia Sparkles Singh, 2011

Your Life YOUR Way

www.yourlifeyourway.net

Be lifted and lift someone up this week.





Feeling Accomplished

Who doesn't love planning something and then seeing it come to fruition? Today my son's birthday party was a huge success. All glory to God because everyone had a blast and we didn't get totally rained out. Jalen's sweet second birthday was definitely a memorable one. 

This cake gave me all kinds of problems but it turned out beautiful!

Two of my favorite people in the world at the same time!! ZPB stand up!

Face painting was taken to a whole new level by Patty Sweet Cakes. If you are in North Jersey check her out here. 

.

This was a ton of work but I had so much fun. I could do this every year, however in the interest of my sanity (and my wallet) we'll revisit a themed party when Jalen is five. We will be going out for the next few years. It is going to be hard to get through work tomorrow. I need a day to recoup. I can't wait to share more pictures later.

Hope you had a blessed Sunday!

We Love to Party

Actually I am not really big on parties. I like small get togethers with my friends and family. Get a few people together, throw in some food, some drinks, and bam that's my kind of party. I don't need any fancy plans. But with that being said I am throwing my son's second birthday party tomorrow and while at times I thought my head would explode, I think it will be quite fun. It will be nice to see all my hard work come together and see a lot of my friends who don't live close. In fact I'm already celebrating with a late night mimosa.

I'm telling y'all I made 700+ cookies (it's a cookie themed party), a cake, and food. I need to go to bed.

This weekend is uniquely special in that today is my sixth wedding anniversary too. My anniversary and my son's birthday are forever tied together. Next year though, we'll have to do a better job of separating the two.

I get to love on my husband and baby boo in the same weekend...in this case, I guess I do love to party. 

Wonder Woman Does Not Exist

So this article slapped me in the face today. Women can't have it all? What?!?! Get the heck out of here. In case you missed it here is this gem. I don't typically read Glamour Magazine but this is good! You can click here to read the full article. Below are some of my favorite parts.

Update: If you would like to read Debora's Spar's book that inspired this post and learn more about her and work, check her out here. I still have to remind myself of these facts daily. I may need to need to post these on my mirror.

Why the Woman Who "Has It All" Doesn't Really Exist

by Debora L. Spar

You know that girl who "has it all"—perfect job, relationship, body? No, you don't, because she doesn't exist, argues Barnard College president Debora L. Spar in her explosive new book Wonder Women. Her radical message to you: Stop trying to be so good at everything.
I'm pretty sure I remember the moment I knew I was having it all. On a December day several years ago, I was in the women's bathroom at New York's LaGuardia Airport. I had an hour between flights, so I rushed for the stalls. Cramming my bags against the door and pulling off my blouse, I perched on the seat, took out my little Medela pump, and began feverishly expressing my breast milk. After several minutes of whirring and fumbling, I pulled myself together and stuffed my five- weeks-postpartum belly back into my business suit.

And that's when I realized—wryly, ironically, totally deprived of sleep—that I was experiencing the superwoman dream.

It wasn't supposed to be this hard. Like many women, I grew up believing we were equal to men, that we could have sex whenever we wanted, children whenever we chose, and work wherever we desired. For years, as a professor at Harvard Business School, I was the only woman in a room of alpha men and still I always felt equal. And I was. Then five years ago I was offered the chance to become president of Barnard College. There was barely a man in sight, and the change gave me a front-row view of what women are thinking and feeling now. We have opportunities today—to choose our educations, careers, spouses—that would've stunned our grandmothers. But now we're dazed and confused by all the choices. Feminism was meant to remove a fixed set of expectations; instead, we now interpret it as a route to personal perfection. Because we can do anything, we feel as if we have to do everything.

In other words, women today face towering expectations: a pileup of the roles society's long heaped on us, plus the opportunities feminism created. Every day I meet young women who dazzle me. But I also see the pressure they're under. To be mothers and astrophysicists. Hard-bodied size 2s with perfect 4.0s. To be perfect. And these expectations aren't limited to a few spheres of their lives. They're everywhere.

Remember, Wonder Woman doesn't exist. She is fiction, and you are real. Building a life on fantasy is never a good thing.
Learn from the guys. Men know there's only so much they can do at once. If the budget report's due, the lawn goes unmowed. Women try to keep everything going, all the plates spinning. It's OK to set down a plate. Just choose which one.
Stay close to home. As your life gets more complicated, having family around is a godsend, so live by parents or siblings. Find the right partner. Sheryl Sandberg said it in Lean In, but it bears repeating. Marry someone you love and like; finding a person who doesn't care if you're perfect is a good start.
Banish guilt from your social life. You don't have to accept every invitation. Before you RSVP, ask yourself: (1) Is it required for work? (2) Will it help you professionally or intellectually? (3) Will you enjoy it? If the answer to all three is no, don't go.
Commit to a workout regimen. It feels like one more gotta-be- perfect obligation, but exercise is a stress reliever: If I didn't run, swim, or lift weights, I almost certainly would have killed someone by this point in my life.
Pick a job you love. If your career is satisfying, you're more likely to stick with it after having kids. Women flee consulting and banking in droves; female doctors, though, tend to stay put, perhaps because no one enters medical school on a whim.
The most crucial thing for women to know today? No one does it all. We each, if we're lucky, will have our chance to leave a mark on the world, but we are trying too hard to be perfect. So don't emulate Wonder Woman; think about what's wonderful to you instead. Then boldly, audaciously, joyfully, leave the rest behind.

Beating The End Of The Week Blues

Work weeks don't really get longer but man some seem to drag on forever.

In order to avoid letting the "I'm working too hard" or "people are really testing me" blues set in, we have to be prepared so as soon as we see ourselves falling into a slump, we can pull ourselves out and not waste a precious week of life. We can't get minutes we are miserable back so we have to be smart about it.

Here are some things I think will get you through the middle of the week so you can make it to Friday without pulling all your hair out..

1. Set yourself up for success. I know going to bed early can be a challenge so at least give yourself enough time in the morning to wake up fully and get in a good head space before you walk out of the door or into your workplace. Implement some time saving routines to save you time in the mornings like laying out your clothes, packing your lunch, packing your work bag, etc the night before. 
2. Take a brain break at least once a day. Do ten jumping jacks, stretch, try luminosity, or google brain breaks for other ideas.
3. Do something you like to do that relaxes you during the work day. Pinterest, Facebook, Words with Friends, Candy Crush, or whatever--make time for it when you start feeling the blues creeping in. Even if it is only for ten minutes--set a timer and go for it.
4. Phone a friend. And by phone I mean text or GChat too if you can't call someone. Sometimes you need to just hear from someone outside of you work world. Been meaning to call mom or dad (or whoever)? Now would be a good time to take your mind of things.
5. Do something nice for someone. else Doing something nice for other people always makes you feel good. 
6. Get outside. While the weather is nice, getting some sun or a short walk can be a simple game changer in your day. 
7. Snack smart. I love Special K snacks (and they have a TON), nuts, and fruit. If I must have some candy becasue sometimes chocolate is necessary, I keep a stash of fun size candies around that I like too.
8. Read some ecards. These things are so funny. If they don't make you laugh, you need to loosen up.
9. Laugh. Speaking of ecards, taking a break to just have a good laugh can brighten any ones day. You tube some funny videos or share a funny story with someone.
10. Make sure you are taking care of yourself. Make sure you are eating and getting lots of water. I am sure we have all seen the snickers commercials that tell us who we become when we are hungry. Take care of yourself first, you are your own first defense.

How do you fight the mid-week blues? I'd love to hear.

To Do List

Do you ever look around and wonder where the time has gone? Well my son'a birthday is on Sunday and these e-mails really got me to thinking about how fast 2013 is passing by.

Like really Pampers...Preschooler?!?! Where did my baby go? Time is flying people! We have only four more months left in 2013 so we better reenergize ourselves to conquer whatever goals we set out to accomplish this year. 

Here are ten of the things on my to-do list before 2013 is done:

1. Finish Produced By Faith.
2. Pay off one credit card.
3. Finish the second book in the Beautiful Creatures Series.
4. Lose 5 more pounds.
5. Take another kickboxing class.
6. Read at least two new books to my son a week.
7. Take a cooking class making something that I haven't tried before.
8. Make plans to spend more time with my friends that don't live nearby.
9. Try a new hairstyle.
10. See a Broadway show.

What are some things you want to do before 2013 is over? Let check in at the end of the year and see how we did :).

Dealing with Jealousy

Today I am sharing a great post I read this morning about jealousy written by Tamera Mowry. I love helping other people and seeing other people live out their dreams but I know at times jealousy can creep in if we are not careful. It can be really hard when it seems like some people are getting everything or have everything but you are stuck. We have to work hard to keep the "J" word out of our vocabulary.

This post highlights why we should not be jealous of anyone. We are all unique and have different gifts---gifts that will develop and blossom at different times. I believe that if we are all shining, we can light up the world.

Devotional: How to Come in First Place

By: Tamera Mowry

Being a twin and coming from a family of actors and producers, I’m constantly asked about how I work in this industry without becoming jealous of those close to me. People always seem baffled by how we try out for the same things in the same industry, yet don’t become bitter or jealous when the other succeeds. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate even the word – “jealous”. By now, most people have realized that green-eyed monster only hurts you more than helps you.
My secret? My mentality. One of my favorite inspirational leaders states it perfectly, and I wanted to share it with all of my blog readers today. I've even added a prayer for those who struggle especially hard in this area. You truly will be inspired. Your life will change once you adopt this way of thinking, I promise :) Ready? Here it is:

"Self-focus and striving to be number one at others’ expense does not make life work the way it was intended to work and is definitely not God’s will for our lives. Instead, He wants us to be aggressive about loving others and helping them get ahead. Love must be more than a theory or a word; it has to be action. It must be seen and felt. Love is and has always been His idea. He came to love us and to teach us how to love. When we do this, life is exciting, beautiful and rewarding."

-Joyce Meyer

Isn't this beautiful?

Love someone today:
Lord, help me not to disregard or compete with others in an effort to be number one. I pray for opportunities to show love to others by helping others get ahead and reach their goals in life. Amen.

Can I Just Say...

God is good. Have you ever prayed for some thing--for days, weeks, and months even--and then God not only shows up but shows all the way out?? Well that happened to me today so I'd thought I'd share. I think it's important to share our struggles so we can all learn from each other but, it is equally important to also share our triumphs too. It's not all dog poo right?

So as far as Monday's go it was one of these kind of days:

 But then at the very end of the day I learned that I was getting a bonus I was suppose to get a month early. ..a MONTH early. God must've saw me calculating today and saw fit to move his hand in my favor (and in that of my other co-workers too). I will make sure my tithing envelop is full Sunday cause Lord knows I didn't see a way other than Jesus.

And then I got ANOTHER blessing of groceries from my sister. Man I almost did a praise dance when I saw that envelop days earlier than I expected. We shall be eating good for the rest of the week and at my son's birthday party.


And lastly, I came home to toddlers in a good mood--must've been the day home with grandma. You might not think this is much but it is a big deal. We had some good belly laughs tonight.

When I say this kid is a little ninja. He's a mess.  I'm trying to make dinner and he is clowning around.

This kid has so much personality. I can't take him.

Thank you Jesus.

When they say God is on time....honey he is for real. If no one ever told you, I am telling you tonight. Ask and you shall receive. Be patient and get ready.

And the kiddos are sleep at a decent hour?!?!! I told God was showing OUT today.

*Throws up deuces and runs to play candy crush.*

Be lifted my friends.