[bump]

Delicious maternity t-shirts from Australian born Renae Plant, [bump] feels so smooth on mommy-to-be's ever growing belly. Made with 100% combed cotton fine jersey, [bump] t-shirts come in long sleeve, short sleeve, tank, v-neck, and scoop neck. Most shirts are available in just two sizes - small/medium (2-6) and large/x-large (8-14).

Each shirt has a cute slogan and some are encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Celebrities that have been [bump]ed include Gwen Steffani, Brittany Spears, Brook Burke, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, and Salma Hayek. You can find [bump] at {lovechilde} on the "mom & dad" rack.

Christmas 2009

Season’s greetings!! I can’t believe I haven’t checked in with you guys all week. It’s been a little hectic over here as I’m sure it’s been for you as well. I’m so glad to have survived another holiday season. This year’s theme was, “Too blessed to be stressed.” I really thought the Christmas tree was going to look a little hungry this year. With three kids and one steady income, it has been challenging these past 12 months but God is good and we always seem to find a way to make it work.

What I realized this year is that what we want for our kids is not necessarily the same thing as what they want for themselves. I grew up an only childe and received so many gifts for Christmas year after year it was almost embarrassing. I have a picture of me when I was about 6 or 7 sitting in a room surrounded by gifts. I couldn’t move because it was literally a wall-to-wall toy store. As I got older, the gifts began to dwindle peaking at the year I just received socks and underwear. It was a real shock to me and I swore as a parent, I would give my kids meaningful not commercialized Christmases to avoid potential let downs.


But as most parents know, what you say pre-parenthood and what you do post-parenthood are usually two different things. I was unable to control the gift giving and found myself doing what I swore I would not do. This year, since money was tight, I was forced to scale back. And my children were perfectly fine with this. What I noticed is that they are completely happy with anything they get and it doesn’t have to be a lot. I’m grateful that they are appreciative and not spoiled that way.


Is the recession God’s way of telling us to ease up and focus on the necessary? Focus on what truly matters? Sometimes it takes a force of nature so to speak to make you see things clearly. This was a great holiday season in which I let go of the stress and focused on my blessings. This is the example I want to set for my kids. Hopefully I can teach them to be thankful for the things they have. I think next year we’ll scale back just a tad more on Christmas and explore the African American tradition of Kwanzaa.


Hope your holiday is filled with joy and a multitude of blessings.

Should Elin be Entitled to Half?

Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard so much talk about Tiger Woods, his mistresses, and what appears to be an inevitable divorce. It’s been reported that Elin Woods has hired one of the most fearless high-powered divorce attorneys in the industry and may be re-tweaking a not-so rock solid prenuptial agreement. The Woods own a mansion in California and if Elin is able to claim California residency, she may be entitled to half of Tiger’s fortune.

What do you think about this? I am all for spouses receiving some form of alimony and/or child support. I also think that support should be an amount that is comparable to the lifestyle the couple led together, taking into account the earnings and assets that both parties have. I do not, however, understand the need for absurd amounts of money such as what is being discussed in the Woods’ potential divorce.

Tiger Woods has a billion dollar fortune at stake. They have been married 5 years and have 2 children. Woods’ was a well-established golfer long before Elin came into the picture. Infidelity hurts. It breaks up families. However, I cannot find any reason why this woman who has not contributed one penny to that fortune would be entitled to or deserving of 500 million dollars.

I have never been a big fan of Tiger Woods nor do I condone his Cheetah ways. I do, however, believe the majority of his earnings should be just that. HIS earnings. Is that what it’s all about? Money? If Elin married him for money does that make her any better than him? Please share your thoughts.

A Birthday Party - Recession Style

Today was my first-born’s birthday and I didn’t plan a thing. I usually get overwhelmed in the month of December due to the holidays, the holiday parties and my son’s birthday. The social calendar is always packed to the brim and I find myself passing out at the finish line on December 25th. Not this year though. I took a different approach. I took my time, let go of the stress and let go of the quest for perfection. I scaled back on teachers’ gifts by getting them gift certificates and handwritten notes and I allowed myself to be at peace with that. I didn’t volunteer for all the classroom parties where I have to bake a dish or two from scratch. And instead of trying to plan a Colin Cowey birthday party for my son, I asked him what he would like to do. Chuck E. Cheese. That’s it. He would be satisfied with a couple of hours at Chuck E. Cheese.


The day started with my son’s basketball game at 11. We then walked over to register him and Mini Me for Spring Pony Baseball which was having sign ups behind the gym. Afterwards we rushed home so my son could change into his Cub Scout uniform because his den had a Go See at the fire station around the corner. It was a fabulous tour, which abruptly ended when the firemen got a call. I couldn’t have planned a better ending to the tour. In between the baseball sign ups and the fire station tour, I texted one neighbor and knocked on the door of another to invite their kids to Chuck E. Cheese. That was the extent of my invitations. Again, I was okay with this and most importantly, so was my Big Boy.


One neighbor couldn’t make it due to previous plans but the one across the way could come at 4:30 and so a party was set. By the time 4:30 came, my Big Boy had invited another neighbor and I thought, “This is even better than I expected.” We spent three hours in Chuck E. Cheese, acquired three more kids, and won 1,270 tickets. I dripped not one drop of sweat because this was the party that planned itself. This was the party that I let my Big Boy dictate what was going to happen. This was the party that had no goodie bags, no bounce house, no clown with the balloons. It was total no frills and it was great!

This was also the never-ending party. As a matter of fact, it’s 11:30pm and a few of the kids are STILL here. My little Bam Bam finally went down for the count just a few minutes ago. Everyone came over to our house after the Chuck. Through all of my lack of planning, I forgot all about a cake. I could not let my Big Boy’s birthday go by without a candle to blow out so at 9pm, I found myself hunched over the stove whipping up some cupcakes with sprinkles on top. At 10:07pm we were singing happy birthday. Mini Me had a little slumber party going on in her room with the girls while Big Boy was playing his new Wii Sports game with the boys.

Out of all the seven birthday parties my big boy has had over the years, I would rate this one a 9.5 on a 10 point scale. He had sooooo much fun. It just goes to show you that it’s the simple things that make life so special. These big production birthday parties are for the parents, not the kids. I’ve gone to birthday parties so big that you never even get to see the birthday kid. They’re hidden in a sea of kids and parents and all the equipment that comes with the production.

I think I may have spoiled myself this year. I am not going to totally rule out a big production birthday because they can be a lot of fun and quiet is kept, I love planning them (it’s the execution that I suck at). But there was something really special about this intimate, make-it-up-as-you-go-along party that will make me hesitate to go big.

Happy Birthday Big Boy!! Mommy loves you! Mmmwwahhh!

Fav Five Friday - Lakers

This morning is a rather solemn morning. I’m going to try to make this quick because I have a funeral to attend. My roommate from college lost her father unexpectedly and I must go pay my respects. Leo McNally was the biggest Lakers fan on earth and I will spend the rest of my days trying to find a bigger fan than Mr. McNally. So in honor of Leo McNally, a wonderful man, today I will list my Fave Five Lakers of all time. Please understand. I am a diehard Celtic-lover-Laker-hater so this is a stretch for me. This is for you Leo!

5. James Worthy

Mr. Cool Breeze James Worthy. With his fly fish eyed goggles and his daisy dukes he was a demon on the court. Only Mr. Worthy could wear daisy dukes and still look like a man.

4. Rick Fox

This former Celtic turned Laker turned Celtic makes the list because he's pretty darn good looking and he’s a pretty decent actor. He wasn’t half bad on the court either.

3. Pat Riley

You cannot find someone more fitting to coach a team such as the Lakers than Pat Riley. In addition to his basketball knowledge and ability to win championships, he looked very Hollywood doing it. He made it look easy.

2. Magic Johnson

This is a stand up guy with a million dollar smile. Magic sometimes stumbled over his words but you can’t help but love him. He’s like a big teddy bear. What he has done post basketball is amazing. Bringing business and economic growth to the inner cities one neighborhood at a time. Laker haters can’t help but love Mr. Magic.

1. Shaquille O’Neal

Mr. Personality. I like Shaq so much, I almost cheered for the Lakers when he played with the organization. Instead I opted to personally cheer for him. His personality is just THAT big. He makes me laugh and I love the charitable work he does. I think he’s just a big kid at heart.

Well, that was for you Mr. McNally. I may even wear purple and gold to the homegoing service. Rest in peace.

Mommy Dearest

This morning I packed up Mini Me and Bam Bam and headed to LAX to pick up my mom. She is here for her annual trip in which she stays for a few weeks. This year she’s ONLY staying two and a half weeks and the stress is slowly creeping in.

Prior to becoming a mother, I would say my relationship with my mom was pretty good. When I left the nest for college, I moved just a couple of hours away and was able to go home anytime I wanted. The college years was when I began to appreciate my mom and enjoyed coming home. Things changed, however, when I became a mother. And not necessarily for the better.

It took me a couple of years to catch on to the fact that she was stressing me out, and a little self-analysis to diagnosis the problems. Why is she annoying the hell outta me? This is the same woman who raised me, who I would go on shopping binges with or lounge around in her lap during the holidays and be on around the clock joke time. We were now bumping heads at every turn and I could not figure out what went wrong.

I don’t know if other moms feel this way but I needed and still need for my mother to give me space and let me mother. Her new role is grandmother and in order for there to be peace and harmony, I just need for her to be the doter not the disciplinarian. With 3 children, I have to pick and choose my battles. If I call them out on every single thing they do, I will be worn out and what I say to them will be ineffective.

As an only childe, my mother had it pretty easy with me. I respected my elders. I never talked back. I never got into trouble. I did what I was told. My cousins teased me and called me a goody two shoes. I just like to say that life is easier when you do what you’re supposed to do. My mom doesn’t understand that some days I’m just too drop dead exhausted to be concerned with Mini Me’s hair being out of place or my Big Boy’s shirt not being nicely ironed. I can’t sweat the small stuff because there is too much going on. My kids are way more involved in anything I was ever into and their extracurricular activities make for a busy social calendar.

As the years have gone by, mom has eased more into the grandmother role and less of the mother-of-the-mother role. Let us pray she is continuing in that direction this holiday stay.

The Twitter Culture

The Twitter Culture

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Wordless Wednesday - Celebs and their babes

Nicole Richie and Harlow

Madonna and Lourdes

David Beckham with his boys Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz

Lisa Leslie and her daughter Lauren

Carson Daly and Jackson

Will & Jada Smith with daughter Willow

Item of the Week - Pilloroo

Jenny McCarthy shows off her custom made Pilloroo for her son.

This week we're shining the spotlight on an item located in the gift section called Pilloroo. Pilloroo is a wonderfully unique gift for kids who travel or go to sleepovers replacing the teddy bear. Each pillow comes with a zipper and secret treasures tucked deep inside. For example, the Baseball Buddies pillow comes with a set of miniature dominoes and a set of two 2 inch baseball bouncing balls while the Craving Cupcakes yummy pillow hides a 7 inch chef beanie bear in its pouch. Kids love unveiling the little surprises hidden inside.


Check out Pilloroo in the gift section at {lovechilde}.

Top Ten Tuesday - Teachers Gifts

A few holiday seasons ago, I found myself in a bind. On the last day of school before the winter break when I went to drop my son off at school, I saw a lot of parents with arms full of gifts. I was already frazzled from preparing for my son’s birthday party as well as the holiday recital, which was the night before. Oh yeah, and there’s the dish I had to make for the potluck. My gas tank was empty and unbeknownst to me, I needed to get gifts for teachers and assistant teachers and after care teachers. Teachers, teachers, teachers. Arrgggghhh!! Nobody put “Get Christmas gifts for teachers” in my parenting handbook.

Needless to say, I had to hurry off and find gifts for two teachers and three after care providers within a few short hours. That was nothing compared to the following year when my daughter started going to the same school and those numbers doubled. YIKES! So in honor of the holidays, here are my top ten gifts for teachers.

10. Big Ticket Item

Team up with some other parents to get something other than the typical coffee mug. Maybe find out what kind of music teacher likes and get some concert tickets. Or try a day at an upscale spa such as Burke Williams. If it’s one thing a teacher can use, it’s some unwind time. Gotta make sure they are well rested when they return to educate our children.

9. Anything handmade

I’m personally a big fan of all things handmade. It shows you took time and that you care. I’m not exactly crafty so I don’t have any specific suggestions but look around Etsy, you may find some ideas.

8. Subscriptions

I call this the gift that keeps on giving. One of my girlfriends gave me a magazine subscription for Christmas one year and it was nice to receive a magazine in the mail every month. On top of that, you can get a subscription for under $15.

7. Food

We all have to eat don’t we? Fruit basket, flavored popcorn in a tin can, basket of cheese. Take your pick. My neighbor gave me a basket of miniature muffins after I had Bam Bam and I thought it was the absolute BEST gift. My S.O. enjoyed it too.

6. Philosopots

I couldn’t do this without a shameless plug from {lovechilde}. Philosopots are whimsical flower pots, hand 'quoted' in dozens of different colors and embellishments inscribed with various messages such as “Teachers plant the seeds that last forever” or “Teachers change the world one child at a time”. Your kid’s teacher can display it on his/her desk throughout the year.

5. Miniature spa treatment

If you’re unable to join forces with other parents on a big ticket spa package, maybe try a simple certificate for a mani/pedi at a local nail parlor. After all, it’s the thought that counts.

4. Movie tickets

What can I say about movie tickets that you don’t already know? Exactly.

3. Bath/Spa products

This is my third post on this list with the word ‘spa’ in it. Take it from me, you can never have too much spa. Visit your local Body Shop or Bath & Body Works. They are always running specials on bath and shower gels. The only time this would not be a good gift is if your teacher has sensitive skin.

2. Book

Share your favorite book or opt for the gift certificate so he/she can choose. The possibilities are pretty endless in the bookstore.

1. Gift Certificates

Although somewhat impersonal, gift certificates are super easy and you can control your spending. Pick the denomination that works best for your budget. Most stores sell gift certificates including the grocery store. Starbucks is a popular choice as well as Target.

Please do not do like me and wait until the last minute. The last day of school is a mere three days away and my son’s birthday is in four days. What have I gotten for the teachers and the birthday boy? I have some quick decisions ahead of me. The joys (and pains) of the holiday season.

Heavy Heart (Once Again)

My heart is so heavy right now after reading a post on Twitter. This is what it said:

@ShellyKramer: RT @MichelleinCal: Please keep @Military_Mom & her patriot husband close to your heart as their child drowned today.

This brings back terrible memories of something I experienced a few short weeks ago. You guys may have read about it last week here on the Misadventures. We were fortunate to have a survivor story but this woman did not fair as well. The pit of my stomach is churning because I know that feeling of seeing a childe laying at the bottom of the swimming pool. It is surreal and ironically serene. I guess water has that kind of calming effect. Unlike other tragedies such as getting hit by a car, there is silence in drowning and that silence is eerily powerful. There is no screaming or commotion so there is no way of knowing someone is in distress.

I sit here with a heavy heart for a woman I've never met. A woman who will forever be haunted by the image of seeing her 2 year old at the bottom of the pool. A woman who will probably be consumed with guilt for years to come because her baby died under her care. My heart is so heavy for this stranger and I am moved to tears.

Say a prayer for this family before you go to bed tonight. Parents are not suppose to bury their children.

Beautiful Genes

This is so unfair..........


You can't be beautiful AND have beautiful babies......


With a beautiful man............


Some girls have all the luck...

Celebrity Baby Blog

Earlier this week I did my Top Ten Guilty Pleasures but I failed to mention my love of celebrity gossip. Yes, I have to admit, I'm a sucker for TMZ, Access Hollywood, Perez Hilton, and all the like. I guess celebrity gossip gives me an escape from my mundane existence. It's great conversation for the water cooler and it's much lighter than talking about war or the economy.


As a parent, Celebrity Baby Blog gives me the best of both worlds. I can find out who's pregnant, who just had a baby, what the baby's are doing, and so on and so on. Click on the widget on the right hand side of this blog and see for yourself.

Counting Blessings

The holiday season around my house usually means a dozen Christmas parties from school potlucks to company sponsored open bars. There are secret Santa gifts to get for classmates and presents to remember for teachers. With two kids of school age, it seems the giving never stops in December. And then there’s my son’s birthday, which falls less than a week before the big day.

A few years ago I thought I was going to have to check myself into the psych ward. I was totally overwhelmed and had no plan of attack for conquering the December rush. The thing that really took me over the edge was when I saw other parents coming with gifts in their hands as they were dropping the kids off at school. I had not even thought about teachers’ gifts and between the assistants that helped them and after care providers, that was SIX additional last minute gifts I had to get within a few hours.

Now with a few years under my belt, I’m able to manage duties a little better. I know what I have to get, who I have to get it for, and I (try) not to wait until the last minute. Even with the new addition to the family and a house that’s feeling the effects of the recession, I’m riding the waves that December brings without succumbing to that overwhelming feeling. My son had a recital this past Wednesday and my daughter had one in her classroom this morning. There were scores of parents cramped in to this little classroom all to witness their little ones sing holiday tunes like ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’.


I couldn’t help but think about the school my daughter attended 3 years ago. It was more of an inner city school in comparison to the suburban school she attends now. In the suburbs, you have to get to events on time, if not early, if you want to get a decent seat. Parents support their children’s activities in the suburbs no matter what the scale. It could be a small potluck such as the one Mini Me had today or it could be a grand recital. Parents in the suburbs support their kids. At least in these parts they do.

In the inner city ….. not so much. At Mini Me’s other school, there were three parents representing almost 50 kids. THREE! And that included me. In all fairness, it is not necessarily a situation where they are not there to support because it doesn’t matter to them. It is usually the complete opposite. A lot of these parents work minimum wage jobs where they are required to be at work and do not have the flexibility to take off. If given the green light for an excused absence, many won’t take it because if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. And so you have events such as the holiday party, where children are underrepresented by their parents.


How does this make the children feel? I’m not sure of the long term effects and can only speculate. My guess is you can’t miss what you never had. Kids love sharing their life’s experiences with their parents and I can see the look of excitement on the kids’ faces when they see their parents in the audience. On the flip side, if your parents never attend your parties or recitals, then the kid doesn’t really know anything different.

It’s an unfortunate situation when parents who want to be there are unable to do so because they have to work in order to provide. I’ve been in that boat before where I could not or should not take the time off to attend an event or two. It sucks to say the least and I am thankful that I don’t have to compromise these days. Being able to be there gives kids a sense of confidence and security. They believe they matter. Ahhh, the holidays – that time of year that reminds us of our blessings AND our misfortunes. Please think of those who may not be as fortunate and count your blessings.

Living in Fear

Last night I almost overheated my baby and I’m still trembling at the thought of what could have happened. In addition to the thick wool pajamas he had on, we slept with the heat on automatic. Something we never do and something I will never do again. I heard him crying but due to going to bed at 2:30am, I was just too tired to move. My S.O. was knocked out too and I think we were both waiting it out. It wasn’t one of those – I’m-hungry-feed-me-cries because I fed him before I crawled in the bed. It was, however, a cry I had not heard before. I don’t know how much time passed before I jumped out of bed but something told me this cry needed attention.

I took him out of his crib and he was on fire. My heart was racing at the thought of him being overheated so I rushed to strip him down to bare bones. I told my S.O. to hurry up and get some water and then took him closer to the window for some cool air. I held him in my arms so tight until his skin began to cool down, feeling guilty all the while because I did not heed his cry sooner. I’m not quite sure if I would have been this frantic a couple of months ago but after the pool incident on October 24, I have been living in fear of losing one of my kids in my presence.

On October 24, the family and I went to a friend’s to celebrate her son’s third birthday. It was a small gathering of three families and six kids. None of us had any idea our lives would be forever affected by day’s end. After singing happy birthday and cutting the cake, the gentlemen went to the store while us three ladies stayed behind with the kids to chat. The hostess lived in an apartment complex similar to Melrose Place where the pool is located in the center and a deck is on a level just above the pool. The upper level is where we were chilling out while the children played.

Unbeknownst to us, one of the kids ventured over to the pool and ended up at the bottom of 7 feet. I’ll spare the suspense and let you know the 3-year old girl is all right. The hostess was the first one to jump in the pool. I grabbed the first phone I could find with my 7-month-old baby on my hip. My hands were shaking so bad I could barely dial 9-1-1. I noticed my girlfriend was holding on to the edge of the pool. She tried to go under but was paralyzed and in shock over the whole situation.

The little girl’s mom could not swim so I frantically screamed for someone to take my baby so I could jump in. Residents started coming out of their apartments when they heard the commotion. Once I had my hands free, I jumped in. All I could think about was this baby girl’s mom is standing at the top of the pool helplessly watching. What I learned at that moment was that not only am I out of shape but I’m not a strong swimmer. For the life of me, I could not get to the bottom of the pool. It was the worst feeling in the world.

To make matters worse, the residents of this community could not swim. Not one resident that came out was able to swim. In their defense, the average age appeared to be about 65. One of them had a walker. A couple of residents grabbed pool cleaner poles and began pushing the little girl to more shallow water. I don’t know how much time passed but the gentlemen returned and as soon as my S.O. realized what was going on, he had the baby girl out of the pool in the blink of an eye. My girlfriend’s husband started to give mouth to mouth as water continually gushed out of this childe. I finally heard sirens and ran to the front door. Unless someone buzzes you in, you cannot enter the complex so I didn’t want any time to be wasted. The first police on the scene scooped up baby girl and the mom was right behind him. With the Lord on our side, a hospital was right around the corner. What we later found out is that the officer did not feel a pulse, which is why he whisked her off so fast. What we were going through at this point was unimaginable and surreal. We didn’t know if she was dead or alive and I can’t imagine being in that moment knowing she did not have a pulse when she left.


There is a God and he was watching over this baby girl that day. The staff at the hospital was ready to pronounce her dead but there was an angel in the form of a nurse who refused to quit. So she pumped and she pumped and she pumped until she got a pulse. And a pulse is what she got! Once she was stabilized, they were able to transfer her to Children’s Hospital where there was medical staff who specialized in pediatrics. The night was long for me so imagine how long it was for this precious girl’s mother.

Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. After being at the bottom of 7 feet of water for an undetermined amount of time, this little 4-year old walked out of the hospital 2 weeks later just as exuberant as she was before she fell into the pool. No brain damage or problems to speak of. It is the grown ups who are left to heal. And this is why I live in fear. This is why I am more vigilant over my kids than I have ever been before. This is why I wake up in the middle of the night to see if my three kids are still breathing. This is why I vacuum with reckless abandon, paranoid that my baby boy will catch something in his mouth that he shouldn’t have.

As a Christian, faith and fear cannot coexist. I grapple with my worry and put my faith in Him. However, the human side of me who experienced this near loss of life can’t help at times, to be overzealous in my quest for safety.

Guess who's 10 months old today?

That's right - Bam Bam, my little munchkin



Rarely seen without a smile



That's all folks!

Top Ten Tuesday - Guilty Pleasures

10. Driving through nice neighborhoods

Back in college, my roommate and I use to drive out to Potomac, Md to see all the big, beautiful, oversized houses. It was like motivation for higher education. Plus, it gave us a chance to get out of the city. Sometimes you need to change the scenery to clear your head or rejuevenate your creative juices. Now that I live in California, Beverly Hills and Bel Air have become my Potomac, Md.

9. Turning the ringer off

Please don’t tell anyone this but I loathe talking on the phone. Today’s technology has made it easier for me to stay connected without spending too much time on the phone. I know it’s impersonal but with 3 kids and an online business that I’m trying to grow, the telephone just gets in the way.

8. Street festivals

I am a street festival whore. If there’s a street festival, I’m trying to crash it. Give me a bunch of food vendors and live entertainment in the middle of the street and I’m about as satisfied as Tiger Woods in a Denny’s restaurant.

7. Shoes & handbags

I have a hard time picking out clothes but I can buy out a shoe boutique or handbag store. There is something about a swanky shoe that makes my heart skip a beat. I may not have anything in my closet that remotely goes with my latest zapato or clutch, but I can somehow convince myself that the clothes will come. They never do. So I’m left to use my shoes and purses as art to be admired not worn.

6. Border’s bookstore

I don’t get to escape like a use to but there was a time when I could spend hours on end in a bookstore. Perusing how-to books, interior design, starting your own business, etc. I feel like the world is at my fingertips when I walk into a bookstore because I can learn about anything under the sun in one place.

5. Magazines (decorating, scrapbooking)

Is it possible to walk pass the magazine racks in the grocery store without opening up one or two while you wait for your turn? They always seem to suck me in with their beautiful covers and intriguing titles. I especially love the design and scrapbooking magazines. I don’t even scrapbook but I keep telling myself I will one day. I’m such a sucker for that type of stuff.

4. Hiding in the bathroom

It’s the only place in the house I don’t feel guilty about shutting and locking the door. It doesn’t matter whether or not I have to go to the bathroom. People tend not to bother me when I lock the bathroom door. It’s a little piece of heaven at home.

3. Cherry cobbler

My Aunt Christine is not one who is afraid to take risks so when it comes to the kitchen, you never know what she’ll create. She came up with this cobbler dish that is so addictive, Tiger Woods would stay away from cocktail waitresses for it. The recipe?


A cup of sugar, a cup of self-rising flour, a stick of butter, a cup of milk, and a can of whatever fruit you would like. Use the cans that you use for pie filling. Cherry is my favorite but apple, blueberry, and blackberry are good as well. Mix the sugar, self-rising flour, melted butter, and milk together until the lumps are gone. Pour in a small bowl or bread pan. Pour selected fruit in the middle and throw it in an oven at 375 degrees for about 70 minutes. Melts in your mouth when served hot. Let me know what you think if you try it.

2. Reality TV

I believe I am on the down swing of my addiction but I can’t quite stay totally away. I watch shows that I know, as a grown a** woman, I should not be watching (the Hills for example). Life is so hectic and serious; reality TV is still a great escape.

1. Social Media (Facebook, Twitter)

My name is Naivasha and I’m a social media junky. I’m a facebooking twitterer who’s StumbleUpon a lot of useful information using these avenues. Social media is a great tool for small businesses such as mine but I must admit, I mix business with pleasure.

"Soldier of Love"

Sade's first album in 10 years is due to be released February 8, 2010. Epic Records has released the first single from that album "Soldier of Love" today. Here's a little piece of heaven. Enjoy!

zSHARE - 01 Soldier Of Love.mp3

Is It Ever Okay to Fire a Bridesmaid?

By Michelle Lindsey



When a woman first becomes engaged, one of the first things she does is spread the happy news among her family and friends, which often includes inviting her best friends to be in her wedding party. It sometimes happens that down the road, the bride finds herself in the sticky position of regretting having asked one of those women to be her bridesmaid. This leads to a difficult question: is it ever okay to fire a bridesmaid?



In general, the answer is no. Take your time evaluating your choices, because un-inviting someone for the role of bridesmaid is a terrible insult. It is definitely one of the biggest social cuts anyone can make, and it should only be done in extreme cases. In other words, if the bridesmaid had an affair with your fiance, giver her the boot! Anything less, you are pretty much stuck with her.



If you ask yourself why you want to fire a bridesmaid, you may well realize that you are overreacting about something. After all, you thought highly enough of her to invite her to play a role in one of the most important days of your life; what has changed so much since then? Many brides get annoyed with bridesmaids who do not seem to be sufficiently excited about their weddings or helpful enough with the planning, but that is far from just cause to dismiss her from the wedding party.



Bridesmaids who do not display a ton of enthusiasm about your wedding are often just busy with their own lives, something which all too many brides forget. Not every bridesmaid is going to be willing or able to drop everything to focus on someone else's wedding; showing up on the big day ready to go may be all that some attendants can realistically do. As disappointing as that may be, if someone is truly your dear friend, you may have to accept that and aim to simply be grateful to have her by your side on your wedding day.



There are far too many cases when a bride gets carried away by her own excitement and starts inviting friends to be bridesmaids left and right. Before you know it, you have ended up with a bridal party that is ridiculously large. You may even start to worry about the expense of buying bridesmaid gifts and rehearsal dinners for a huge gaggle of girls. So what can you do? Look for ways to cut costs without cutting bridesmaids. Find pretty but affordable bridesmaid gifts online, hold your rehearsal dinner in a casual venue, that sort of thing. Whatever you do, don't try to uninvite someone, unless you are willing to lose her as a friend forever.



In very limited circumstances, firing a bridesmaid might be necessary. As was mentioned before, if she had an affair with your fiance, by all means drop her (and maybe him!). Bridesmaids who say a lot of nasty things about the groom and make it clear that they disapprove of the marriage also have no place in your wedding party. Since you don't need those sort of people as friends, it won't matter if you lose them over firing them. Other than that, you are obligated to include in your wedding party anyone you have invited, so the best advice is to choose wisely.

Bridget Mora writes for Silverland Jewelry about weddings, etiquette, and gift ideas. Thank your attendants with beautiful bridesmaid gifts.

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Peace My Heart

I received news today that I have been dreading to hear for the past couple of weeks. My old roommate from college lost her father this morning after a quick battle with pneumonia. Mr. Leo McNally was a man of few words but when he spoke, he made big statements. He was the biggest fan the Los Angeles Lakers, or any team for that matter, has ever seen. His kindness and values are evident in the children he produced and the woman he called his wife. And now the Lord has called him home to watch over those he loves. You will be sorely missed Mr. Leo McNally!


Peace, my heart, let the time for the parting be sweet.
Let it not be a death but completeness.
Let love melt into memory and pain into songs.
Let the flight through the sky end in the folding of the wings over the nest.
Let the last touch of your hands be gentle like the flower of the night.
Stand still, O Beautiful End, for a moment, and say your last words in silence.
I bow to you and hold up my lamp to light you on your way.

~Rabindranath Tagore

The Ridiculous Life of a Musician

I received this story from a friend of mine who is a local musician here in the LA area. This is a story that made me laugh out loud and I needed to share it with my four followers. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The funniest things about it is that it's TRUE!

#10: Wedding Crashers (DISCLAIMER: This one's kinda gross.)

I know it's been a LONG time since I did one of these, but a combination of things have prevented me from writing. Typical gigs have been slow, and I've been doing a lot of low key private classes, parties, funerals, and um...weddings...

I played at this wedding reception in October. It was in a really nice hotel near LAX, but I was really unprepared for this gig...in more ways than I realized. Of course there was no parking, so I had my limo driver drop me off and park on a side street...Or I lugged all of my gear from like 5 blocks away. Things are cloudy. I'm sure it happened one of those two ways. haha. So, I get to the reception desk in a sweaty mess, and I realize that I have no idea what's going on! haha. I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go. I couldn't even tell the guy who's wedding reception I was supposed to play for. The receptionist finally figured it out and sent me downstairs. I went downstairs, and apparently there was a random Hot Wheels Convention going on at the same time in some other ballrooms. So, I would see these snot-nosed kids running around, but also these older dudes with their little hot wheels cars. It was a weird circus down there. Anyway, I show up and set up my equipment. The rest of the band arrives, and they are all wearing black shirts. So, um. yeah. haha. You guessed it. I had no idea that we were supposed to wear black shirts. The shirt I brought to change into was definitely blue. haha.

This gig was already turning out to be "one of those gigs," but all hell broke loose when I went into the bathroom to change. Now, you know the routine when you have to change in a public bathroom. You change in that one stall way in the back, or you might even snag that handicapped stall if u ain't got no conscience. haha. So, I found a stall in the back, but that's also where I messed up. You see, there's another reason why you go to a stall in the back of a public restroom. And that reason is because your butt is about to explode in a hellish fury that you think is not possible for mortal man to endure! hA!!!

Man......this dude came into a stall across from me. Sounded like he was pouring out a never-ending pot of hot chili onto wet concrete. He was making the most god-awful sounds, but believe it or not, it smelled even worse. So now I'm holding my nose and still changing my clothes, but then this kid comes into the stall next to me. He's crying and moaning, and I'm just praying that he's not about to do what I think he's about to do....and then he does. Lil' man started throwing up, but it sounded disturbingly metallic, like he just swallowed a box of rusty nails or something. It turned into a war zone in there. I swear it was a biological attack from Al Qaeda. This kid's got it coming out the front. This guy's got it coming out the back. And, I'm stuck in the middle trying to change my doggone clothes!! haha. Do you understand how traumatic that junk was? I was holding my nose for the guy and trying to cover my ears for the kid while dressing up for a wedding reception for newlyweds I didn't even know! haha. Needless to say, I changed REALLY fast and got through the gig. haha. And, of course things wouldn't have been complete without a $45 parking ticket...Stupid limo driver.

Ridiculous.

jMAN jR

Fave Five Friday - Tiger Jokes

I told myself I would not speak on the Tiger Woods situation because it simply doesn't mean much to me and I think it's gotten way more attention than it needs. However, I could not resist posting a few of the many jokes I've heard this week. Here are five of my favorites.

5. Most sports advocates believe Tiger Woods' incident with his wife will actually improve his golf game. Let's face it; when you get hit in the head with a seven iron, you are going to see a lot of birdies.

4. Ping has a new set of irons called Elins....clubs you can beat Tiger with.

3. So a third woman is admitting to having an affair with Tiger Woods. I’m beginning to wonder how many holes Tiger played.

2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Hoes.

1. I guess a Tiger CAN change his stripes..he's now a Cheetah!

Christmas Time is Here!!

Every year around this time, you notice people start getting into the holiday spirit. The lights are going up all over the houses, the malls have kids lined up to see Santa, and the UPS man starts working overtime. Yes, it is that time of year once again.

This time last year I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. My son’s birthday is less than a week before Christmas and along with all the school and work functions, December tends to be a little overwhelming. I had additional pressure a year ago when my new boss of one month decided my position was no longer needed and on the day before Thanksgiving, I found myself packing my belongings. In addition to that, I was 7-months pregnant.

Yes, this time last year was extremely stressful but like everything else in my life, we some how made it through. The tree was lined with gifts, the refrigerator was full of vittles, and my spirits were up. There’s something about the holiday season that can either bring immense joy or intense pain. I’ve been on the latter end of the spectrum before but since having kids, I’ve found a new sense of happiness around the holidays.

Many people have their traditions such as tree trimming parties or not decorating until after Thanksgiving --- whatever it is, it is a benchmark that says the time has come. For me, it’s not holiday season time until I’ve heard that one song that I’ve heard my entire life. So many Christmas songs remind me of my childhood and take me to a happy place but there is one song that tells me it is officially the season --- “This Christmas” by Donny Hathaway.

After I dropped my boy off at school this morning I heard it and it was like receiving the green light to pull out the decorations and bring home the tree. “This Christmas” is my indicator that it is the most wonderful time of the year and that I must start moving full speed ahead because the countdown is own. Children aren’t sleeping well these nights in anticipation of the 25th of December. I can make them do whatever I want right now because they know they have to be on their best behavior at least until Christmas day.

Ahhhhh, the sweet smell of Christmas. Now I must go and dig out those lights. Have you gotten into the holiday spirit? What is your benchmark?

pop!life -- a view from the other side

hello again! first of all thanks for all the feedback from my initial post! you guys are wonderfully positive and supportive.

it's been a craaaazzzzy "news" week, to say the least! what with all the "crouching tiger, hidden cheetahs" and white house-"crashergate" 72-hour news spin-cycle, it's been hard to focus...

i have always said that all knowledge is experiential - you don't know anything until you've had the chance to experience it. so i am always looking for new experiences for the crew (the kids). this past spring, i took the crew to benihana in anaheim.

in college (and after) benihana was my spot! love the flying knives, the food...and the mai tai's (in the ceramic buddha) ! WOOOOOO! i digress.... anywho, i did a cellphone photo blog of the "experience"....enjoy!

life experiences (or benihana w/ kids....)

took the fam to benihana in anaheim last night.... i thought the kids would enjoy the "experience" of watching someone cook on the table, and flip the utensils and what not.

the range of emotions i witnessed, in order, were:

bemusement - "look at his silly hat!"

amusement - "he can cook on the table! cool!"

amaze - "wow!"

interest - *no words* :-)

indifference - *talking amongst themselves*....

to....

"past my bedtime silliness"

this all happened in the span of time between the onion volcano (my favorite!) and the shrimp appetizer hitting trey's plate.

trey, looking at his plate, says, "i'm full!"

ms. lovechilde looks at me and says, "oh, don't worry, it will get eaten!" me: "i know that's right!!" **parents high five**

all in all, it was a great time and the kids did experience something different....

-pop!life