Hey I'm back again. Two days in a row. Woo hoo for me - and you :). Monday night wrap-up - had a great day off. Made challah French toast, whipped cream, and bananas foster for breakfast for the family and Anna's friend and her mom who are visiting from the Netherlands. I only had one piece with a bit of orange - its Monday and weigh-in day at WW so I'm extra careful on Monday's. Then I just spent the day leisurely - worked on some new cake pop ideas, played games with the girls, and then headed to Manhattan for the dreaded day with the scale. Well turns out I lost .6 this week :). Surprise surprise!!! I'm down 8.2 and I am prepped and ready this week to be down 10 next week. Let's see what happens.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about the sermon this past Sunday. We are studying the book of James and this week we read James 3:1-12. These verses talk about our tongues and how out of the same mouth come praises and curses. In verse 5 it says- "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." The pastor brought up the saying we learned as kids about stick and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me. How untrue that saying is. Physical wounds heal but words said against us stay in our minds and hearts for a very long time, some never going away. And the words we say about others can affect not only them but even others perception of them when we gossip. It was all so deep yet so simple and true. I personally can remember something hurtful said to me almost 20 years ago and when I see that person the sentence always comes back to my mind. Words really do scar our insides. We should use our words to lift others up, to defend others when people speak ill of them, to give praise and words of encouragement. The pastor challenged us to go a week without grumbling and complaining, without gossiping, without speaking negatively of others, without boasting about ourselves, not to make excuses, and to basically control our tongues. Upon leaving church, I got my eyebrows threaded ( basically plucked with a string for those of y'all who don't know). The lady was very slow which made the pain more uncomfortable. As soon as I left I began to complain to my boyfriend about it. But then I remembered what I heard only minutes earlier. To which of course I replied, I'm not complaining, I'm just staing the facts. Lol. I guess that makes it ok? No it doesn't....well....whatever. The point is our words have very powerful effects. When we are negative, we affect others moods and feelings as well. Whether we are putting someone down behind their back, which skews other perceptions of that person, or being negative right to someone such as judging them or spewing angry words we don't really mean in a moment of rage, our words really do have impact. The same can go in reverse- we can give a compliment that brightens someone's day- even a stranger, or defend someone being spoken poorly of, or lavish praise and affection on someone we love who we may not show it to enough. How many times in the past day did you complain and grumble as opposed to the amount of times you complimented, praised, or simply made someone smile? It's something to think about. I keep having to check myself when I start to open my mouth negatively. It's another stumbling block I have to work on as I'm sure we all do. So think about it before you say it. Will it help, or will it harm? We can't take back the words we speak. There's no rewind and erase button. So take a moment before you complain, curse, grumble, argue, yell, degrade, or begin a negative sentence. Really, what will it all mean in the end? Let's all take the challenge.
Let me know how you do :)
Goodnite
Xoxo
- me
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Sunday February 19, 2012 - I just learned.....
Oh my gosh! I just learned NEVER to type a long long long blog post on your iPad and then go to another open tab without saving and/or publishing your post! I just lost everything I typed so now to start all over again. Deep breath Lisa. Breathe in, breathe out.......&7)?7ygv7)?7&7(uhvukhvyiytvkn7(;46: okay I'm ready.......
Seems its been a long while since I last wrote so I guess there's lots to catch you up on. Life has just been kinda busy lately and when it's not too crazy it means it's time to sleep! So that about sums it all up. Lol
Let's begin with Weight Watchers. So yes, I have kept my commitment and have gone each week since I signed up. The first week I lost 4.2, then another 1.4, next week was 1.2 and another 1.2 the week after. That brought me down 8 pounds. But then last week I gained .4. So not as bad as I thought but I know I wasn't being on target the days before weigh-in. I was making tons of cake pops and eating a few more than I should. Plus when there's lots of cake pop activity going on there is less home-cooking so easy meals or take-out food suddenly appears. Tomorrow is my next weigh in and I expect to have another slight gain. Yeah I'm human. And though I haven't been keeping track, I have been paying attention. I know when I'm over indulging or when I'm taking care properly so it's not like it ever comes as a surprise either gain or loss. But I went grocery shopping and am back on target for next week. I'm not giving up. It's all a part of life. Each of has our ups and downs, some days and weeks better than others no matter what our circumstances. As far as Goodiebites, that's definitely been an up lately. We had a big Valentines Day cake pop order from Salvatore Ferragamo, the fashion design company. That netted us another nice order just a day later. Another highlight this week was sending a box of Valentines pops to Elvis Duran and the morning crew at Z-100. Not only were they talking about them and eating them on the air, but then my sister called and was on the air speaking with Elvis and promoting Goodiebites. That also got us a big order for April. This was all on top of a nice slew of Valentines orders and this week we have a few birthday orders going out. Slowly we are growing and now we are working on a few new flavors and designs as well as holiday themed pops for St Patricks Day and Easter so like us on Facebook and stay tuned.
I'm trying to figure out what the next steps are with Goodiebites - what is my end goal? A store? Internet only sales? A pop truck? Nahhh, not a truck. But I'm just still unsure what my vision is- and that sucks. Without the vision there's nothing to look ahead to. So that's my goal for the next few days- to figure where I want to take Goodiebites as we grow. I'm so happy to have tomorrow off. That will give me time to work on those new designs hopefully and perhaps it will inspire me with some direction for the future.
Okay all this talk about food has made me want some dinner. Let's go see what healthy meal I can rustle up.
I'll work harder on blogging more and slacking less - in a variety of areas!
xoxo
-me
Seems its been a long while since I last wrote so I guess there's lots to catch you up on. Life has just been kinda busy lately and when it's not too crazy it means it's time to sleep! So that about sums it all up. Lol
Let's begin with Weight Watchers. So yes, I have kept my commitment and have gone each week since I signed up. The first week I lost 4.2, then another 1.4, next week was 1.2 and another 1.2 the week after. That brought me down 8 pounds. But then last week I gained .4. So not as bad as I thought but I know I wasn't being on target the days before weigh-in. I was making tons of cake pops and eating a few more than I should. Plus when there's lots of cake pop activity going on there is less home-cooking so easy meals or take-out food suddenly appears. Tomorrow is my next weigh in and I expect to have another slight gain. Yeah I'm human. And though I haven't been keeping track, I have been paying attention. I know when I'm over indulging or when I'm taking care properly so it's not like it ever comes as a surprise either gain or loss. But I went grocery shopping and am back on target for next week. I'm not giving up. It's all a part of life. Each of has our ups and downs, some days and weeks better than others no matter what our circumstances. As far as Goodiebites, that's definitely been an up lately. We had a big Valentines Day cake pop order from Salvatore Ferragamo, the fashion design company. That netted us another nice order just a day later. Another highlight this week was sending a box of Valentines pops to Elvis Duran and the morning crew at Z-100. Not only were they talking about them and eating them on the air, but then my sister called and was on the air speaking with Elvis and promoting Goodiebites. That also got us a big order for April. This was all on top of a nice slew of Valentines orders and this week we have a few birthday orders going out. Slowly we are growing and now we are working on a few new flavors and designs as well as holiday themed pops for St Patricks Day and Easter so like us on Facebook and stay tuned.
I'm trying to figure out what the next steps are with Goodiebites - what is my end goal? A store? Internet only sales? A pop truck? Nahhh, not a truck. But I'm just still unsure what my vision is- and that sucks. Without the vision there's nothing to look ahead to. So that's my goal for the next few days- to figure where I want to take Goodiebites as we grow. I'm so happy to have tomorrow off. That will give me time to work on those new designs hopefully and perhaps it will inspire me with some direction for the future.
Okay all this talk about food has made me want some dinner. Let's go see what healthy meal I can rustle up.
I'll work harder on blogging more and slacking less - in a variety of areas!
xoxo
-me
Monday, January 23, 2012
January 23, 2012 - Step By Step
Funny how fast time goes between blogs! Sorry I've been negligent here. It was best friends weekend and I got to hang with my incredible besties so please forgive me. So here it is, week 2 of doing Weight Watchers completed. Let me begin by saying that I have had everything I want this past week. That's the beauty of Weight Watchers - its just learning how to stop when your satisfied as opposed to gorging just because it tastes good. I went out to Mama's Food Shop - a southern food restaurant - for dinner Thursday. Then to Spice Thai for lunch on Friday and out to La Dinastia which is a Chinito place ( that's what I call it when Chinese people serve both Chinese and Spanish food) Friday evening. I decided to make wise choices and had roast chicken and roasted veggies at Mama's, chicken w veggies and brown rice at Spice - and even had the crispy spring roll appetizer, and chose a pan fried chicken breast over salad at Dinastia. I also enjoyed some stuffed peppers that Amy made, some chocolates that Lynne gave Daniel, and even a piece of rugalah at church coffee hour. All that said - I lost 1.4 pounds this week :). So two weeks makes 5.2 pounds gone :) That's like a bag of potatoes if you think about it. Okay, odd comparison but yeah, that's pretty cool. I'm not encouraging the indulgences. It was just for this special weekend. But even in those indulgences I tried to make wise choices while giving myself allowance to live and enjoy. So yeah, I'm pretty proud of me. Little steps on the big long winding road.
And I also took some me time yesterday. It's not something I normally do but know I need to get into the habit of. Even God took a day to rest. I used my time to clear old emails and catch up with some people I spoke of neglecting a few blogs back. And then it happened - I became an addict! A Pinterest.com addict. Oh my goodness! I spent hours just looking at the photos there and posting and pinning my own and then reposting others pins. It's basically a photo sharing site of various pictures from the web according to your interests. I looked at baking pics, graffiti, sarcastic quote pics, foods I want to cook - hours and hours went by. And there I sat again today at work on my iPad doing it all over again. ( check it out if you don't already know about it - you do have to 'request an invite' to become a member which takes a few days but it's well worth it). It's so much fun and free and addicting - and not fattening at all!
My little steps towards losing weight, making time for me, and interacting with people via the world wide web have all been small successes for myself this past week. Woo hoo for me!
Stay tuned......hopefully there's more successes coming soon :)
Xoxo
- me
And I also took some me time yesterday. It's not something I normally do but know I need to get into the habit of. Even God took a day to rest. I used my time to clear old emails and catch up with some people I spoke of neglecting a few blogs back. And then it happened - I became an addict! A Pinterest.com addict. Oh my goodness! I spent hours just looking at the photos there and posting and pinning my own and then reposting others pins. It's basically a photo sharing site of various pictures from the web according to your interests. I looked at baking pics, graffiti, sarcastic quote pics, foods I want to cook - hours and hours went by. And there I sat again today at work on my iPad doing it all over again. ( check it out if you don't already know about it - you do have to 'request an invite' to become a member which takes a few days but it's well worth it). It's so much fun and free and addicting - and not fattening at all!
My little steps towards losing weight, making time for me, and interacting with people via the world wide web have all been small successes for myself this past week. Woo hoo for me!
Stay tuned......hopefully there's more successes coming soon :)
Xoxo
- me
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
January 18, 2012 - Friends Near and Far, Old and New, and YOU
Life is so weird. Okay that's a pretty broad statement and maybe not even accurate. I guess I don't know the word I am looking for but whatever it is would encompass all the twists and turns in life and the stuff we pick up- or leave behind- along the way. If you think back over your life, I'm sure you'd forget many people that have influenced or enriched you along the way - some forgotten intentionally while others maybe just slip your mind. Within the past few years my circle of friends has grown from like 2 to maybe about 50. Okay really who can count - maybe its 50 or maybe 500, but regardless each one I can say I have honestly learned something from that helps me be a better person (I hope). So why is it that I tend to take these people for granted? Not that I use them or abuse them but just get so caught up in myself that I neglect them. I have a pen pal from Germany whom I used to write to all the time - back in the day of paper and pen and the postal service. Yet now with this new technology I hardly even electronically send her a Hi. Or the girl (lady? Woman?) whom over some weird intertwining in our own lives I became good friends with. More than just friends - we shared a lot. But then she moved away and yet again in the age and ease of instant messages and lightening fast emails I am still neglectful of that relationship as well. I recently heard from her- sounds like a lot going on in her life, and I feel like I've missed so much of the sharing and caring we used to have. These days with Facebook - and blogging- we get to share little bits and pieces of our lives. Yet the true investment in real relationships seems to dwindle day by day. We update our status, make our little comments, repost things we've come across, even tell people where we are by clicking the 'check in' box - but really, how much of ourselves are we really allowing others to know, and how connected are we to our friends lives? Okay great that you are at Starbucks (me) but when's the last time you invited one of your friends over to sit down with you over coffee and catch up on old times? A lady in my church whom I had become close to keeps suggesting we do this but life keeps interrupting our plans. Yet we never know when one day may be the last chance we have to reconnect with people who have touched our lives. I want to start building upon the foundations I've started over the years. So don't be surprised if out of the blue you get a text, email, or maybe even an old fashioned letter in the mail from me. Like flowers need water, my relationships need nourishment. On that note, I'm gonna go write my pen-pal a little note. And you, yeah, YOU - don't forget me :) Send me a note, update me with your life, or simply say Hi. Promise I'll respond :) I miss YOU and want to hear what's new, exciting, or just ordinary in your life. Let's share..... Sharing is caring :)
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
January 16, 2012 - Temptation
Today was my first week weigh-in at Weight Watchers. Down 4.2 lbs. Guess that's a pretty good start. It was a real good week of making much better choices. Spaghetti squash instead of real spaghetti, bagel thin flats as opposed to full bagels and rolls, one egg scrambled and nuked in the microwave instead of two bought from a greasy deli, (and one in puffs up and is even fuller than two eggs scrambled in a pan believe it or not!), a lot of fruits and veggies as opposed to candies and cakes. Yeah it was a good week. Only the beginning in a long journey, but thanks to the meetings and church I'm pretty ready to do this. See, church this past Sunday was on the topic of temptation. And in a weird happenstance that was also the topic at WW. The pastor spoke of ways to handle temptation, one being not to just not think about the tempting thing, because in trying to not think about it makes us still think about it in trying to not think about it ( did that make sense?) A better solution is to replace or remove the temptation. Replace those tempting things with things that are good and worthwhile instead of dwelling on the feelings of depravation. Or flee the tempting thing altogether when possible. This can apply to habits, addictions, environments, relationships, jobs - whatever it is that causes you to take a negative downturn. It gave me food to think about Sunday and made me think about food today. It all applies the same. The parallels are very similar - clean out your mind mentally, clean out your pantry physically. Don't patronize places that cause you to be tempted to do harm either mentally, emotionally or physically nor places that are filled with artery clogging physically harmful foods. Refocus on God when tempted mentally and physically, refocus on healthy veggies and sweet fruits when tempted food-ily, etc etc
So there you have it, my spiritually, mental, emotional, and nutritional sermon all rolled into one.
Goodnite
Xoxo
-me
So there you have it, my spiritually, mental, emotional, and nutritional sermon all rolled into one.
Goodnite
Xoxo
-me
Saturday, January 14, 2012
January 14, 2012 - Little Blessings
Oops! Seemed I skipped a blog last night. Truth be told being on Weight Watchers and eating healthier just in these past few days has given me more energy and I've been staying up pretty late this week watching tv, cleaning, gathering tax papers, etc. Well last night it finally caught up with me and I crashed. It was still kinda late when I drifted off and then I kept waking up in the night. I am addicted to this new iPhone game called Scramble with Friends - similar to Boggle - and all night long I kept having dreams that it was my turn and I was making moves. It was so annoying yet kinda funny. Anyway, that's totally off tonight's topic.
Here it is, 11:18pm, and my daughters are together, cleaning their bathroom. Okay so it's not exciting or anything special to the average person. But to me as a mom it puts a smile on my face and joy in my heart. Not because they are cleaning, although heck yeah that's terrific! But it's the relationship they have that brings me happiness. Annabelle is 10. An intelligent, funny, sometimes nerdy and quirky kinda kid. She loves to knit, read, play word games, do math, help me bake, and just hang around the house. Amber on the other hand is 19. She's a college student at FIT, has an internship with a fashion designer (who has made dresses for celebrities), has had the same boyfriend for like 4 years, was once manager at American Apparel while she was only 17 and still in HS, and was even invited and spoke at a pharmaceutical conference in Texas along with Montel Williams and Wynonna Judd. Both my daughters are amazing in themselves, and yet put them together and it's just a beautiful thing. I love hearing them laugh in their room in the morning while getting dressed, and seeing them singing the same songs and being silly around the house. The way they clean their room together, or play games on their iPhones against each other while they are sitting two feet away. They share similar interests and humor, and the booboo sensitivity they seem to have both inherited from me as well. 9 years difference and yet that seems to not be a factor. Annabelle's maturity combined with Ambers nurturing spirit make for a great sister relationship, and I am so proud and so blessed to be their mom. ( Even though Amber just told me she doesn't read my blogs! Shame on her!) Okay so maybe I sound like I'm being biased or bragging.... Well maybe so but I have every reason to. :). I thank God for entrusting me with these two beautiful kids and hope they will always remain close. ( and that someday that punk Amber will read my blog and see what's she's missing!)
Xoxo
-me
Here it is, 11:18pm, and my daughters are together, cleaning their bathroom. Okay so it's not exciting or anything special to the average person. But to me as a mom it puts a smile on my face and joy in my heart. Not because they are cleaning, although heck yeah that's terrific! But it's the relationship they have that brings me happiness. Annabelle is 10. An intelligent, funny, sometimes nerdy and quirky kinda kid. She loves to knit, read, play word games, do math, help me bake, and just hang around the house. Amber on the other hand is 19. She's a college student at FIT, has an internship with a fashion designer (who has made dresses for celebrities), has had the same boyfriend for like 4 years, was once manager at American Apparel while she was only 17 and still in HS, and was even invited and spoke at a pharmaceutical conference in Texas along with Montel Williams and Wynonna Judd. Both my daughters are amazing in themselves, and yet put them together and it's just a beautiful thing. I love hearing them laugh in their room in the morning while getting dressed, and seeing them singing the same songs and being silly around the house. The way they clean their room together, or play games on their iPhones against each other while they are sitting two feet away. They share similar interests and humor, and the booboo sensitivity they seem to have both inherited from me as well. 9 years difference and yet that seems to not be a factor. Annabelle's maturity combined with Ambers nurturing spirit make for a great sister relationship, and I am so proud and so blessed to be their mom. ( Even though Amber just told me she doesn't read my blogs! Shame on her!) Okay so maybe I sound like I'm being biased or bragging.... Well maybe so but I have every reason to. :). I thank God for entrusting me with these two beautiful kids and hope they will always remain close. ( and that someday that punk Amber will read my blog and see what's she's missing!)
Xoxo
-me
Thursday, January 12, 2012
January 12, 2012 - 25 Things About Me
Back a few years ago my buddies on Facebook were all filling out these personal surveys. I was thinking about those today and remembered one that was pretty open and deep. I pulled it up and am going to share it here on a google blog for all the world to see. Pretty brave huh? But do keep in mind, it is over 3 years old.. Ok here it goes -
1. I am a simple person - well, I suppose this is something many DO know about me. But I am not into makeup, manicures, fancy restaurants, brand names.... although I love these things as occassioanl treats, they are just that. I enjoy the simple things in life such as looking at the moon, reading, taking long walks ( when it's warmer! ), cuddling and watching TV, playing games with my daughters..... just enjoying the basic things and what God has given me in nature.
2. I am a Christian although at times - many times - I know my words and actions don't convey that. I am a member of Trinity Baptisti Church in Manhattan and teach the 4/5 year old Sunday school class there most Sundays at 9:30am. ( Don't ask me how I make it on time after hanging out with you guys till the wee hours on Saturday nites!) But I feel like I need to do more than just be a " Sunday Christian" and truly let God shine more through me by being more obedient to Him and patiently allowing Him to guide me instead of taking everything into my own hands and rushing forward.....
3. ....which I guess leads me to #3 - I am a pretty impatient person when it comes to certain things- like people who stand still for no apparent reason on a downward moving escalator during rush hour! HELLLLOOOOOO - I gotta get to to work so MOVE IT!. And people who drive soooo sloooowly up the block as you are deciding to cross with a red light - make up your mind already ! - will I make it or will you run me over??? I hate waiting for an answer, or people who begin a story, and then say "I'll tell you the rest later" or " there's something on my mind but I can't tell you right now" - Then why did you start it in the first place??? . GRRRR!!!! And worst of all - 60 minute weekly tv shows that need a winter break and a summer hiatus! Whats that about?? If " All My Children" can be fresh and new 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, why can't you give me a new hours worth of "Grey's Anatomy" each week as well?? Yet, other times I am so patient, like when it comes to baking and decorating a cake ( my true passion in life)... I could spend hours and hours getting it 'just right' and it's relaxing for me. It's funny - I am sitting here trying to think of at least one more thing I am patient about... and I can;t come up with ANYTHING ! LOL
4. My mother was my best role model in life. Good things and bad. She died almost 3 years ago of cervical cancer. I sat with my sister and one of my two brothers in the hospital room and watched as she tooks her last breaths. She made her own decision that she was "ready to go HOME" . She had polio as a baby - right before the vaccine was available- and had a tough childhood. Was told she would never walk without some type of brace, and yet went on to be on the soccer team, the basketball team, and was teachers pet in gym, defying the odds. She raised 4 children without much help - any help at all really- from any of the fathers. Had bouts with drug addiction and alcoholism, moreso before I came along. As she got older she needed the aid of crutches and then a wheelchair. Then in the fall of 2004, at age 66, she found out she had cervical cancer. ( contracted it and it is preventable, but thats another story for another day) Had to go for daily radiation treatments, in her wheelchair, all throughout the winter mind you. Yet she never felt sorry for herself through any of it. Never missed a day of work, never abused 'the system', never cried "why me?".... she had become a born again believer many years back and always knew God would take care of her every need. And He really did, until her very last moment. In the hospital my mom wasn't too coherant - could hardly understand, and when she did, she could hardly speak. Yet two of the few things she did understand and respond to - my little Annabelle said "I love you" and my mom replied" I love you too" - so clearly and dearly. And later I told me mom how she did " a good job with us kids" to which she responded " I know". It made me laugh and yet I am glad she passed knowing that she was loved and appreciated.
5. Okay, something less serious - and don't think badly of me for it - I don't wash my feet much during winter. Let me explain - my feet are in socks and shoes all day, and then slippers at home. I take a shower EVERY day, lots of times twice a day - and I wash from head to - well, to ankles - i just figure the soap will continue down and circle my feet , and I dont wanna get all slippery and fall. in the summer it's a must considering I live in flip-flops.... but winter, well, not so much. And no - they don't smell! Hmm....maybe this 25 things thing wasn't such a good idea after all! LOL
6. My daughter Amber is 16 and is my best friend. She and I share so much...even though at times we can be distant, we both know that we can count on each other at any time for any reason. We have been through so much together - sometimes I wish I could go back and erase some of the stuff I have put her through. As I watch her grow into adulthood, I can already feel her slipping away. But even still, I know we will always be best friends no matter what life may throw at us. I am truly blessed that God has entrusted me to raise not only a daughter, but given me a truly wonderful friend.
7. The thing I could eat as a staple for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day - CEREAL. I love a wide variety of them. As a kid my favorite was Fruity Pebbles - which I now detest! My mom used to take Frosted Shredded Mini Wheats and put milk and a little butter and heat them in the microwave - YUM!!! As an adult, my favorite is Quaker Oat Squares, although I can still get down with Honey Combs, Apple Jacks, Honey Nut Cheerios, or a simple bowl of Corn Flakes but only skim milk on my cereal. Whole milk is like glue and onlu good for hot coffee ( right 'Cisco? LOL)
8. I have always struggled with insecurites as to my weight. I look back at the countless times I joined Weight Watchers ( 2 years ago being most recent where I lost 19 pounds). On one hand it gives me comfort to see that I have remained in the same weight rage give or take 5 pounds since before I even got pregnant with my oldest daughter 17yrs ago. ( At present I am on the under-side of that number thank goodness) Yet on the other hand, I get annoyed that I can't stay motivated long enough to get rid of those extra pounds. I try to think of myself the way God does - as the child He created in His image and loves and sees as beautiful no matter what. I don't judge people by their outward appearance and yet for me I never feel 'pretty' enough. If only you could see me try to prepare for a simple A&D gathering - trying on each and every item in my closet to see which one looks "least fat" on me! ( and those few who have experienced me do this know what I mean). I must open and close that closet door about 20 times - always thinking maybe something new has magically appeared in there. It is only very recently that I have begin to accept myself for who I am - faults and all -with a little help from some of you. So thanks... there's still a lot more work to be done.
9. I have declared bankruptcy twice - I'll leave it at that.
10. I have never dated a white man - I'll leave that one at that too.
11. I have been a birthing partner to one of my best friends and watched her baby being born. Cool!
12. mini facts - I have lived in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and almost the Bronx ( Washington Heights - kinda Bronx-y??? ) before settling in Roosevelt Island;, my 2 daughters and I myself were all born in the same hospital ( St Vincents in Manh) ; I don't like cherries but LOVE cherry-garcia frozen yogurt, and I dont like avocados but LOVE guacamole; I'd rather IM than talk to on the phone; my favorite TV shows of all time is a tie between Facts of Life and Melrose Place; I wear a size 9 shoe - and HATE sneakers ('cept when working out- and we all can see how much i do THAT) cuz they don't feel 'feminine' to me for some reason; I've always wanted to move to Vermont; I am geographically and history-aly challenged and never paid much attention to those subjects; I love Starbucks green tea lattes and pumpkin spice lattes as occassional treats; i enjoy watching Jeopardy! and think Wheel of Fortune is a waste of time; I can't swim well ( no comments about 'floatation' please! ); God's best fruit - a mango:
13. My first experience with alcohol was at age 14 , sitting with Amy Frank and my other friend Lynne Freeman and drinking a Passion Fruit Calvin Cooler. I got all giddy and Amy kept shhhhing me to be quiet so her mom wouldn't hear us. After that I really didn't drink much - till hanging out with you A&D people!
14. I have been in an abusive relationship - emotioanlly and physically at times - not too extreme, yet any abuse is still abuse.
15. My father was married when I was conceived. His name is not even on my birth certificate. We had very little contact when I was younger, only seeing me when he knew his wife wouldn't find out. He would send money for Christmas and my birthday, and took care of my dental bills ( weird!). He moved to Florida when I was about 16 and then would call or write sometimes. His wife knew about me, yet didn't want him to have anything to do with me. And him, being termed by mom as "wishy washy" , did his best to "obey" her wishes as far as she knew. Which meant me NOT calling him. He and I had many a conversation about religion - him being Jewish ( although not practicing) and me being Christian. In a weird twist, as my mom was in the early stages of her illness, my brother told us a joke to lighten the mood. It went kinda like this - " 2 bears find 3 men in the woods. They tell the men that they are gonna eat them and if they have any final words. The first man scribbles a note to be left for his wife, and then the bears eat him. The second man says a heartfelt farewell to his other friend, and then gets eaten as well, The third man says " Wait, I am a Christian"... so before they eat him, the bears pause and say grace." Such a stupid joke ( and I didnt even tell it right) but I relay it to my dad in an email. He writes back how he's not a Christian and to stop " forcing" my religion on him!! From that day forward he never spoke to me again.....
16. I have been on 2 cruises in the past 2 years - one 5day to Canada and the other a 4day to Mexico. Am hoping to do a longer one sometime although I haven't figured out a destination yet.
17. I was raised with the biblical principle of "never take the Lord's name in Vain". It was a rule in our home and if ever spoken, the offender would have their mouth washed out with Tide.( I never did it, but saw the results when my siblings did). I hate it when I hear others do it. Imagine every time something went wrong, people would yell " Oh _______ !!!" ( fill your name in the blank) as if YOU are the reason for the problem. GRRRR it drives me crazy!
18. My dream would be to take a year off from my everyday life and attend the French Culinary Institute and learn everything about baking and decorating cakes without having to worry about tuition, child-care, work, or anything else.
19. I have a pen-pal from Germany named Helga who I met through responding to a letter she wrote to a store that used to be located in the apartment building my mother lived in. We began corresponding over 10 years ago and she even came and stayed at my apartment for a week a few years back. It was a great experience and I did touristy things I had never done even though I was born and raised here in NYC.
20. I used to chase my cat around when i was kid with a broom handle. She would get so scared that when I put down the broom I could hold her and she wouldn't move. It was my way of getting attention since my mom worked the midnite to 8am shift as a deskclerk and slept during the day, and my brothers were out doing their own things, so Smokey was my only friend.
21. Ha! Speaking of friends - I used to have an imaginary friend named Mary Ann. Whenever I did something wrong , I'd say " it wasn't me, it was Mary Ann". ( hmmm.... i guess mom never seemed to buy it since I was the one to receive the punishment)
22. I have 3 scars on my forehead, although I've never had any stitches. First was when i was like 3 and I was running to show my mom a picture I colored and ran smack into a corner wall. It bled like crazy, and my mom slapped a band-aid on it and said " it'll be fine". Second was when i was watching TV at a neighbors house and leaning on the wooden handrest and it came loose. It fell into the small garbage pail next to the chair and swung up and hit me in the forehead. Once again my mom slapped a Band-Aid on it. The smallest and last one came from the abuser and lucky for me I dont even remember what caused it. Live and learn........
23. I am usually a nite owl...I just wish i could/would learn to sleep later after being up so late. My internal clock will wake me ( when my daughter doesn't!) at like 8:30am and if I sleep past 9, I usually feel as if I've wasted the day.
24. My favorite month is September and my favorite season is the fall. I love the kids excitement in going back to school, pulling out my comfy sweaters, getting ready for the holidays, and watching the leaves change and fall from the trees. And the best part is when the red cups get into circulation at Starbucks, That's a true sign for me that the holidays are begining and my first Peppermint Mocha latte brings a smile to my face.
25. I am not into chain letters, FB applications, nonsensical (sp?) questionaires, and things of that sort, but this has been kinda interesting. I see myself as an open book, never one to hide things about myself..... which kinda made this task a little challenging since I kinda think most people who know me know most of this stuff already. I haven't re-read this since it has taken me like 5 hours to complete as I am working at the same time ( LOL ) so please forgive any grammar/spelling errors. But now that all is said and done, I encourage ya'll to so it as well.... you may re-discover some things about yourself that you forgot, and want to share some of that with us as well.
Haha. After re-reading all this, most of it is still true. Hey, don't judge me :)
Xoxo
-me
1. I am a simple person - well, I suppose this is something many DO know about me. But I am not into makeup, manicures, fancy restaurants, brand names.... although I love these things as occassioanl treats, they are just that. I enjoy the simple things in life such as looking at the moon, reading, taking long walks ( when it's warmer! ), cuddling and watching TV, playing games with my daughters..... just enjoying the basic things and what God has given me in nature.
2. I am a Christian although at times - many times - I know my words and actions don't convey that. I am a member of Trinity Baptisti Church in Manhattan and teach the 4/5 year old Sunday school class there most Sundays at 9:30am. ( Don't ask me how I make it on time after hanging out with you guys till the wee hours on Saturday nites!) But I feel like I need to do more than just be a " Sunday Christian" and truly let God shine more through me by being more obedient to Him and patiently allowing Him to guide me instead of taking everything into my own hands and rushing forward.....
3. ....which I guess leads me to #3 - I am a pretty impatient person when it comes to certain things- like people who stand still for no apparent reason on a downward moving escalator during rush hour! HELLLLOOOOOO - I gotta get to to work so MOVE IT!. And people who drive soooo sloooowly up the block as you are deciding to cross with a red light - make up your mind already ! - will I make it or will you run me over??? I hate waiting for an answer, or people who begin a story, and then say "I'll tell you the rest later" or " there's something on my mind but I can't tell you right now" - Then why did you start it in the first place??? . GRRRR!!!! And worst of all - 60 minute weekly tv shows that need a winter break and a summer hiatus! Whats that about?? If " All My Children" can be fresh and new 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year, why can't you give me a new hours worth of "Grey's Anatomy" each week as well?? Yet, other times I am so patient, like when it comes to baking and decorating a cake ( my true passion in life)... I could spend hours and hours getting it 'just right' and it's relaxing for me. It's funny - I am sitting here trying to think of at least one more thing I am patient about... and I can;t come up with ANYTHING ! LOL
4. My mother was my best role model in life. Good things and bad. She died almost 3 years ago of cervical cancer. I sat with my sister and one of my two brothers in the hospital room and watched as she tooks her last breaths. She made her own decision that she was "ready to go HOME" . She had polio as a baby - right before the vaccine was available- and had a tough childhood. Was told she would never walk without some type of brace, and yet went on to be on the soccer team, the basketball team, and was teachers pet in gym, defying the odds. She raised 4 children without much help - any help at all really- from any of the fathers. Had bouts with drug addiction and alcoholism, moreso before I came along. As she got older she needed the aid of crutches and then a wheelchair. Then in the fall of 2004, at age 66, she found out she had cervical cancer. ( contracted it and it is preventable, but thats another story for another day) Had to go for daily radiation treatments, in her wheelchair, all throughout the winter mind you. Yet she never felt sorry for herself through any of it. Never missed a day of work, never abused 'the system', never cried "why me?".... she had become a born again believer many years back and always knew God would take care of her every need. And He really did, until her very last moment. In the hospital my mom wasn't too coherant - could hardly understand, and when she did, she could hardly speak. Yet two of the few things she did understand and respond to - my little Annabelle said "I love you" and my mom replied" I love you too" - so clearly and dearly. And later I told me mom how she did " a good job with us kids" to which she responded " I know". It made me laugh and yet I am glad she passed knowing that she was loved and appreciated.
5. Okay, something less serious - and don't think badly of me for it - I don't wash my feet much during winter. Let me explain - my feet are in socks and shoes all day, and then slippers at home. I take a shower EVERY day, lots of times twice a day - and I wash from head to - well, to ankles - i just figure the soap will continue down and circle my feet , and I dont wanna get all slippery and fall. in the summer it's a must considering I live in flip-flops.... but winter, well, not so much. And no - they don't smell! Hmm....maybe this 25 things thing wasn't such a good idea after all! LOL
6. My daughter Amber is 16 and is my best friend. She and I share so much...even though at times we can be distant, we both know that we can count on each other at any time for any reason. We have been through so much together - sometimes I wish I could go back and erase some of the stuff I have put her through. As I watch her grow into adulthood, I can already feel her slipping away. But even still, I know we will always be best friends no matter what life may throw at us. I am truly blessed that God has entrusted me to raise not only a daughter, but given me a truly wonderful friend.
7. The thing I could eat as a staple for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day - CEREAL. I love a wide variety of them. As a kid my favorite was Fruity Pebbles - which I now detest! My mom used to take Frosted Shredded Mini Wheats and put milk and a little butter and heat them in the microwave - YUM!!! As an adult, my favorite is Quaker Oat Squares, although I can still get down with Honey Combs, Apple Jacks, Honey Nut Cheerios, or a simple bowl of Corn Flakes but only skim milk on my cereal. Whole milk is like glue and onlu good for hot coffee ( right 'Cisco? LOL)
8. I have always struggled with insecurites as to my weight. I look back at the countless times I joined Weight Watchers ( 2 years ago being most recent where I lost 19 pounds). On one hand it gives me comfort to see that I have remained in the same weight rage give or take 5 pounds since before I even got pregnant with my oldest daughter 17yrs ago. ( At present I am on the under-side of that number thank goodness) Yet on the other hand, I get annoyed that I can't stay motivated long enough to get rid of those extra pounds. I try to think of myself the way God does - as the child He created in His image and loves and sees as beautiful no matter what. I don't judge people by their outward appearance and yet for me I never feel 'pretty' enough. If only you could see me try to prepare for a simple A&D gathering - trying on each and every item in my closet to see which one looks "least fat" on me! ( and those few who have experienced me do this know what I mean). I must open and close that closet door about 20 times - always thinking maybe something new has magically appeared in there. It is only very recently that I have begin to accept myself for who I am - faults and all -with a little help from some of you. So thanks... there's still a lot more work to be done.
9. I have declared bankruptcy twice - I'll leave it at that.
10. I have never dated a white man - I'll leave that one at that too.
11. I have been a birthing partner to one of my best friends and watched her baby being born. Cool!
12. mini facts - I have lived in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and almost the Bronx ( Washington Heights - kinda Bronx-y??? ) before settling in Roosevelt Island;, my 2 daughters and I myself were all born in the same hospital ( St Vincents in Manh) ; I don't like cherries but LOVE cherry-garcia frozen yogurt, and I dont like avocados but LOVE guacamole; I'd rather IM than talk to on the phone; my favorite TV shows of all time is a tie between Facts of Life and Melrose Place; I wear a size 9 shoe - and HATE sneakers ('cept when working out- and we all can see how much i do THAT) cuz they don't feel 'feminine' to me for some reason; I've always wanted to move to Vermont; I am geographically and history-aly challenged and never paid much attention to those subjects; I love Starbucks green tea lattes and pumpkin spice lattes as occassional treats; i enjoy watching Jeopardy! and think Wheel of Fortune is a waste of time; I can't swim well ( no comments about 'floatation' please! ); God's best fruit - a mango:
13. My first experience with alcohol was at age 14 , sitting with Amy Frank and my other friend Lynne Freeman and drinking a Passion Fruit Calvin Cooler. I got all giddy and Amy kept shhhhing me to be quiet so her mom wouldn't hear us. After that I really didn't drink much - till hanging out with you A&D people!
14. I have been in an abusive relationship - emotioanlly and physically at times - not too extreme, yet any abuse is still abuse.
15. My father was married when I was conceived. His name is not even on my birth certificate. We had very little contact when I was younger, only seeing me when he knew his wife wouldn't find out. He would send money for Christmas and my birthday, and took care of my dental bills ( weird!). He moved to Florida when I was about 16 and then would call or write sometimes. His wife knew about me, yet didn't want him to have anything to do with me. And him, being termed by mom as "wishy washy" , did his best to "obey" her wishes as far as she knew. Which meant me NOT calling him. He and I had many a conversation about religion - him being Jewish ( although not practicing) and me being Christian. In a weird twist, as my mom was in the early stages of her illness, my brother told us a joke to lighten the mood. It went kinda like this - " 2 bears find 3 men in the woods. They tell the men that they are gonna eat them and if they have any final words. The first man scribbles a note to be left for his wife, and then the bears eat him. The second man says a heartfelt farewell to his other friend, and then gets eaten as well, The third man says " Wait, I am a Christian"... so before they eat him, the bears pause and say grace." Such a stupid joke ( and I didnt even tell it right) but I relay it to my dad in an email. He writes back how he's not a Christian and to stop " forcing" my religion on him!! From that day forward he never spoke to me again.....
16. I have been on 2 cruises in the past 2 years - one 5day to Canada and the other a 4day to Mexico. Am hoping to do a longer one sometime although I haven't figured out a destination yet.
17. I was raised with the biblical principle of "never take the Lord's name in Vain". It was a rule in our home and if ever spoken, the offender would have their mouth washed out with Tide.( I never did it, but saw the results when my siblings did). I hate it when I hear others do it. Imagine every time something went wrong, people would yell " Oh _______ !!!" ( fill your name in the blank) as if YOU are the reason for the problem. GRRRR it drives me crazy!
18. My dream would be to take a year off from my everyday life and attend the French Culinary Institute and learn everything about baking and decorating cakes without having to worry about tuition, child-care, work, or anything else.
19. I have a pen-pal from Germany named Helga who I met through responding to a letter she wrote to a store that used to be located in the apartment building my mother lived in. We began corresponding over 10 years ago and she even came and stayed at my apartment for a week a few years back. It was a great experience and I did touristy things I had never done even though I was born and raised here in NYC.
20. I used to chase my cat around when i was kid with a broom handle. She would get so scared that when I put down the broom I could hold her and she wouldn't move. It was my way of getting attention since my mom worked the midnite to 8am shift as a deskclerk and slept during the day, and my brothers were out doing their own things, so Smokey was my only friend.
21. Ha! Speaking of friends - I used to have an imaginary friend named Mary Ann. Whenever I did something wrong , I'd say " it wasn't me, it was Mary Ann". ( hmmm.... i guess mom never seemed to buy it since I was the one to receive the punishment)
22. I have 3 scars on my forehead, although I've never had any stitches. First was when i was like 3 and I was running to show my mom a picture I colored and ran smack into a corner wall. It bled like crazy, and my mom slapped a band-aid on it and said " it'll be fine". Second was when i was watching TV at a neighbors house and leaning on the wooden handrest and it came loose. It fell into the small garbage pail next to the chair and swung up and hit me in the forehead. Once again my mom slapped a Band-Aid on it. The smallest and last one came from the abuser and lucky for me I dont even remember what caused it. Live and learn........
23. I am usually a nite owl...I just wish i could/would learn to sleep later after being up so late. My internal clock will wake me ( when my daughter doesn't!) at like 8:30am and if I sleep past 9, I usually feel as if I've wasted the day.
24. My favorite month is September and my favorite season is the fall. I love the kids excitement in going back to school, pulling out my comfy sweaters, getting ready for the holidays, and watching the leaves change and fall from the trees. And the best part is when the red cups get into circulation at Starbucks, That's a true sign for me that the holidays are begining and my first Peppermint Mocha latte brings a smile to my face.
25. I am not into chain letters, FB applications, nonsensical (sp?) questionaires, and things of that sort, but this has been kinda interesting. I see myself as an open book, never one to hide things about myself..... which kinda made this task a little challenging since I kinda think most people who know me know most of this stuff already. I haven't re-read this since it has taken me like 5 hours to complete as I am working at the same time ( LOL ) so please forgive any grammar/spelling errors. But now that all is said and done, I encourage ya'll to so it as well.... you may re-discover some things about yourself that you forgot, and want to share some of that with us as well.
Haha. After re-reading all this, most of it is still true. Hey, don't judge me :)
Xoxo
-me
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