getting my act together... well kinda (okay maybe one day)

So as you may already know one of my best friends is getting married soon. Not only am I super duper excited, but I am also going to be in her bridal party. I have decided that because of that I need to get a hop on getting my act together. I have a few months to decide if I have enough will power to buckle down and loose some weight or at least tone up (lets see how that one goes), get my skin in glowing condition, and stop playing stupid games with my hair. 

This time last year I had an unfortunate "hair don't" for a while after a power surge while curling my hair, which ended up with me smelling like burnt toast and a HUGE lock of burnt hair in my bathroom sink. Thanks to that unfortunate occurrence I was left with the decision to cut my hair shorter than I had ever cut it before. It was great for a while. That is until I remembered that I am a mixed girl & the half black side seemed to take over and turn the "style" into a curly fro no no of sorts. Ever since that "hair don't" I have been growing it out into a bob hairstyle. Now it is all nice & good, but summer heat always makes me wander towards the scissors & in all reality I know that I will look much better with longer hair in any and all wedding photos.

I have also decided to take charge of my oily/combination skin & tell it who the boss really is (so far I am not quite the boss but on a fast track to management in that area). In an effort to calm any skin issues and kinda equalize the playing field I recently purchased some fancy Dead Sea mud silt soap that is supposed to work wonders. Yup I said WONDERS. So far it seems to have calmed my skin and evened the tone a bit, but that is only when I remember that I have this fancy soap to use. On top of the fancy mud soap I got some super face scrubby machine thing by Olay (ProX advance Cleansing System). I just used that little guy this evening & seem to be on the fence. It just seems like a big face sized electric toothbrush. I am not sure how it will help my skin, but it gets rave reviews. I used it with my fancy mud soap to do a double whammy on my face tonight. So far I feel smooth & clean, but then again I never used to pet my face after washing it normally to compare the difference. Eh who knows? I also have to remember to be cautious in the sun this summer. I tend to be a bit addicted to the sun. Really it is just to prove that I am in fact half black & my melanin does work when it wants to & that I sometimes won't look paler than my white friends (it's a complex really). Although I am a sun addict, nobody wants a bridesmaid that looks like a faux leather couch. That my friend is NEVER a good look on anyone (let alone a couch).

So as I am on my way to becoming a glowing, more toned, and all around amazing bridesmaid, please help me remember that this is not only so that my friend's pictures look good . . . but maybe in this process I might just catch me a man!! Regardless I am hoping for the very best.

HUGE LIFE DECISION!!!

i have just made a huge life decision . . . if i ever have a baby girl i have decided not to name her lola. just because i don't believe that whatever lola wants, lola gets is a good way to raise a child. just sayin'!! okay that's it.


p.s. just in case you didn't notice . . . this post is: #black&yellowblack&yellow

it's the simple things

Sometimes it seems to just be the simple things that make life worth it. The small things that add up over time that turn a frown upside down, or make you laugh out loud to yourself. These are the things that I have decided to embrace in life. I am trying to make a conscious decision to stop and enjoy those special moments, commit them to memory, and share them with those lucky enough to be around at the time. By stopping to fully enjoy them, I am trying to give myself the opportunity to fall fully into the good/goofy/happy or just plain pleasant feeling in that moment. The idea of committing the simple moment to memory is just so that when times are tough or annoying I can look back onto the good times and hopefully lift my spirits and remember and have faith that there will be many more good times to come. And by sharing these simple things, I will be spreading more little bits of happiness that I hope continues to spread like a the best possible virus you could catch (yeah yeah I know, bad visualization). 


This past weekend was Memorial Day weekend. Yes it was a beautiful hot and sunny weekend down here in South Florida. Many many people went to the beach, bar-b-qued, and spent time with family and friends. I must admit that yes I did the same. But while I was busy tanning in the yard with my bestie, working, and manning the bbq I was also taking the time to cherish each and every minute of this weekend. I am able to enjoy myself fully because so many people have committed their time, service, and lives to me and my country. Memorial day weekend is often looked at as the official start of summer (hurricane season down here), or as one of the biggest annual sale weekends the year has to offer. That weekend and more importantly Memorial Day itself is there to help us to remember what so many have sacrificed and continue to, so that we can enjoy the simplest of freedoms. Although it seems like we have come such a long way from my Grandparents era, we are living a parallel that many people choose to ignore. We are living in a time of constant war and fighting. A time where both men and women's rights worldwide are being trampled and at times just plain not acknowledged at all. We are blessed to have so many brave men & women fighting for people worldwide, so that they all have the chance and opportunity to do just as I do on a day to day basis (enjoy the simple little things). Without basic human rights that we are continually fighting for, nobody would be able to have self worth, emotional or mental stability, and the physical ability to be able to breath freely, relax, and enjoy those basic simple little things that life has to offer. 


I would like to take this opportunity to thank God and all the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for my rights. Thanks for the simple things that lift me up, make me smile, and remind me that life is a precious gift made of many many little simple pieces that if appreciated and built upon, can build a happy life.


Just a few simple pleasures:

• any Jackson 5 song
• a warm sunny day with a beautiful breeze
• laughing over stupid things with my besties
• a home cooked meal
• a wonderfully sweet and appreciative customer
• walking into the stock room at work & hearing my jam on the radio
• my turquoise toe nail polish
• the DELISH treats made & shared by my coworkers
• my kitty when he is sleepy (he blinks a lot & it is just too cute)
• my new favorite soap (birthday cake by ivi scents)
• pita chips and hummus 
• looking back at the old times and making plans for my future
• those perfectly humid days that make my hair stay curly for more than 3 hours
• getting a surprise email from my grandma (I taught her how to email)
• news that one of my besties is newly engaged & I will be a bridesmaid
• exciting news that friends and family of coworkers/friends are expecting little bundles of joy
• the Real Housewives of New Jersey ( I know, I know but you gotta love some table flipping fun sometimes!)
• a nice cup of hot cocoa
• my fave candle from anthropology that gets me all cozy & zen at home

Yes those may seem stupid, but they are just a few of the simple things that I am grateful to be able to enjoy. I hope that you are able to take a breath during your simple pleasures to be able to take a hold of and appreciate fully. Sit back and be thankful that simple is sometimes good enough, and should be treasured.