I never imagined that when my marriage died, that some of my friendships would also. I just automatically assumed that the friends that I cherished would still be there, no matter what. Unfortunately, when I moved away from what I knew well, to a different city, I left my friends, my church home, my familiar shopping places and library and thrift store hangouts, my Bible study group, my house where my daughters grew up and my neighbors but most of all, friends. That's the part that hurts the most....leaving behind what I once knew. My familiar. I love the city that I live now. It's beautiful but I have no friends to call or to hang out with or to go walking with before the sun goes down. I don't have anyone that I can trade books with or recipes or stop by the house just to show her the bargains that I got or the books that I found. True, Boo is wonderful but he's not my girl friends...the ones that humor me, laugh with me, cry with me, get me. He's my sweetheart, m...

1) When there's a fly around, it never fails to nosedive into my glass. 2) I would like to be a garbage collector just for one day. I'm sure I'd probably get fired for stopping and collecting items that I could restore and that I find sentimental or cool. 3) Socializing and making friends just isn't easy for some 3 year olds. Baby Boo and I went to the park and a group of kids from the Tiny Tots program were on recess. Baby Boo looked at the kids for a moment. Just when I thought she was going to say, "Hi. Wanna play with me?" She says, "RRrrrrrr! I'm a zombie and I'm going to get you." Nice going, Baby Boo. The kids ran from her and no one, not even the boys wanted to play with her. 4) I'm totally shocked by the video below of the 2 year old that smokes two packs of cigarettes per day. I was speechless when I saw it. I still am. 5) As much as I've been honored to take on the position as managing editor of Hope for Women Magazine, I m...

I've relived the embarrassment of a three year old all over again. Baby Boo and I were shopping at Walmart. I think that is the worst store for embarrassing moments with her and I. This elderly lady passes by in a pair of leopard print pants and Baby Boo points to her and says, "Momo, why she wearing that? That pants? Ewww, that's ugly." I was mortified. I scolded her immediately and told her that it wasn't nice to make someone feel bad by what she said. Her reply? "Well, I still don't like it." *********************************************** Said to Boo after kissing Baby Boo, "Daddy, you need to shave that hair on your mouth. It hurts my face." *********************************************** Baby Boo announces at the table, "I farted. I always fart when I eat." She sniffs for a minute and says, "It don't smell, it went in the seat." ************************************************* Said to Single Boo who was readin...

When I was a kid, I did my best thinking, sitting on the curb. I don't know why but there was something about watching an ant carrying a piece of a leaf down the street or watching the water rush to the gutter. It mesmerized me and put me in a state of collecting my thoughts. I didn't realize that at 6 years old, I didn't have much to really worry or think about. I mean, I didn't have clothes bulging out of my closet or every toy I wished for, but I was content, loved and happy. Because I was happy though, I decided that my thinking wasn't going to be wasted on just me, that I was going to think until I came up with solutions to save starving children and to find homes for orphans and to find a house for every animal that didn't have a home. I would sit on that curb and think of a solution. I didn't always think alone either. My twin sister would also think with me. Together, we would think separately, and then together. One of us would burst out with an ide...

1) Having to say goodbye to someone you love has got to be the hardest thing ever in life. I saw one the cheeseburger bird's baby eggs, cracked and on the ground and I about lost it. I know the little nugget is flying around rainbow bridge. 2) My Wii Fit is a compulsive liar. On Tuesday, I got confetti and music for having lost 9 pounds and on Wednesday, I got the sad voice saying that I gained 6 pounds. Either she is playing with me or my balance board needs new batteries. 3) It's truly a blast interviewing people for Hope for Women Magazine . I interviewed Kari Jobe this past week and she is a doll! To speak to a teen who is truly humble and on fire for God was refreshing. She is a sweetie! 4) Thanks to Buckeroomama , I lost about 3 hours of sleep after seeing her "eensy weensy spider" . I felt something crawl on me and I was up the rest of the night, thinking that it was the EWS. 5)I'm loving this online site called Swap It Green . It's like a giant yard sa...

**Edit - For more information on becoming a member of BeautyFix go here Have you ever been stuck in a beauty rut? I know I have - a rut where I don't know what product to use for my hair, moisturizer to use for my face, the right type of eye shadow to match my skin tone and the right type of accessories to go with the makeup. BeautyFix is a company that introduces products to you based on your needs and wants for your hair, face, nails and skin. Based on a personalized evaluation, you are given a wonderful selection of products to choose from that suits and fits you perfect. I had the opportunity to try an all natural melon cucumber moisturizer for my skin which I fell in love with. Another one of my favorites was a masque that cleansed and made my face tingle and feel really clean. The products are shipped to you quarterly. You have plenty of assistance in finding the beauty products that not only smell good, feel good and look good. Member benefits include: • Personalized...

Blogging has become quite real to me. It's filled with real people with real lives who do "real" things. Yet, it's easy to sit in front of the computer screen and not necessarily feel the realness. It would be more easier to feel their pain, their anguish, their emotions, if they were sitting right across from me, right? Wrong. I've been blogging for two years. I have many followers that have followed me from the beginning and I've gotten to know them, their kiddos and their hubbies or loved one. So, upon hearing that my friend, Hallie had lost her beautiful boy, CJ, I was shocked to tears. Hallie is one of the most beautiful, giving women that I know. Her dad's life was saved as a result of organ donation so in return, she held a raffle and pledged money to organ donation as a result. This wasn't just any ol' raffle...there were things pouring in from all parts of the world to be raffled for a pretty cool cause. Unfortunately, we can't always...

I have an honest admission to make....I don't hear fast enough to understand rap music. I don't like rap music but even when I tried to even understand, I'm still computing the first sentence and the rapper is on to the fourth sentence. But, I also have another admission. I speak too quickly. I'm one of those people that think ahead so if a person is talking very slowly, I'm already a sentence ahead of what he/she is going to say, and I've already gotten my answer ready to burst out of my mouth. I'm not proud of this. In fact, I realize that I need to work on being a better listener. I didn't always used to be this way. When I had my girls, I was so keen on hearing their every breaths that I swear I could hear a mosquito sniff. As they got older, I learned to listen to them talk and laugh together and talk on the phone at the same time. I called it my dual listening capabilities. I'm praying that I'm not losing my touch. I want to be a good liste...

1) Sam, my shih tzu with one eye can SEE! After a trip to the vet, we were told that his eye is retracting from the light enough for the nerves to send signals to the brain. Although we don't know how much he can see, he can SEE!! 2) After watching the documentary, Food, Inc. I can honestly say that I'm going to shop more at Trader Joe's and Fresh and Easy. I won't become a vegetarian but I will have more veggie oriented meals. 3) I'm getting so tired of food recalls. Lettuce??? Eventually, the only safe thing to eat will be food grown here at home. 4) Summer is here when out comes the pool for Humble to play in. It also signals that the tile floors will be difficult to keep clean for the next 4 months. 5) I never thought I'd say this but I'm burned out on grits. When I ask Boo what he'd like for me to fix to eat, it never fails, he says, "Grits". So sad too...I used to love grits. 6) I'm really loving people with accents, although I still ...

I couldn't resist posting the video of the cute turtle and puppy. I totally identify some days with Hope the dog and other days, Carl, the turtle. There are those days, (like today) where I felt melancholy and like I could cry over a squished loaf of bread. In that case, I could be Hope in a heartbeat, needing a lift or a ride. Those are those times when I'm grateful for friends to carry me through or maybe not necessarily carry me but to hold my hand and not let go. Then, there are those days when I just know that someone needs me to be Carl the turtle. Sometimes, although not asked, I know that I am needed to lift up or encourage. Those are the days when even though I am slow, like Carl, I'm able and ready. Which one do you identify with the most? Carl the turtle or Hope the dog?

Boo is a closet hypochondriac. (He doesn't read my blog which is a good thing because he'd deny it every step of the way.) First off...he has allergies. Allergies that he refuses to take allergy meds for because "they make him weak and tired". In the meantime, he snooks and snorts (my terminology for the sounds that comes from his nose when he sniffs). He just announced that his allergies are at a stage 4 which means that he must be incurable. I've learned to keep most of my ailments to myself because, bless his lil heart, he can outdo my symptoms with his own. For instance, I might say, "My wrist sure hurts from all that writing." He'll say, "So does mine. Mine REALLY hurts. Do you think I should go to the doctor and get an x-ray?" I dare not complain about pre-menstrual cramps because I'm pretty sure he'd think of a symptom that "beats" mine. In fact, he repeats some stories that he finds are traumatizing. His prostate e...

I have learned not to place any expectations on my day. I wake up in the morning and open my eyes and the first thing I do is to praise God for letting me see another day. From that point on, I have no idea what lies in store...totally leaving it up to Him. Today was one of those days where I was reminded of how loved I truly am. Boo started the morning out by making a special Mother's day brunch. I love that he put his whole heart into making a sandwich for me. Then, Married Boo and Son In Boo and Single Boo arrived and the fun began. The house becomes alive the minute they all walk in the door The dogs start barking and running for their toys, the music seems tog get louder and even the sun shines brighter. To sum up the day, it couldn't have been any better. Vegetarian Cuban Black bean tacos, ceviche, guacamole, salsa and Earthquake cake...a Mother's day dream come true! I'm blessed beyond measure. Tonight I'm going to sleep with a smile on my face. How was your ...

One of the greatest joys of my life was becoming a mommy. Not just once but twice. Being a mommy is a badge of honor. Once you receive that badge, there's no turning back, it will always be there with you. The first time I realized I was a mommy was not when Married Boo had slathered Vaseline all over her body and came out naked while I was interviewing prospective day care parents. It wasn't even when she chewed up a whole pack of gum or pulled 5 teeth out in one day because she wanted more money from the tooth fairy. The second baby girl came along and I realized that I was a mommy again. It wasn't because she clung to me every waking minute. Nor was it that she learned to read and write at 3 years old. It wasn't even when she told me that I was pwetty and had pwetty bwown eyes. It wasn't even the sweetness of her saying that she was going to mawwy Stevie Wonder when she grew up. No, I realized that I was a mommy when I held them in my arms for the very first time...

I can't believe how fast time is flying by! Summer is almost here. I'm trying hard not to complain this year about how hot it's going to get. It won't be easy but I'm going to try. On to the things I've learned.... 1) Baby Boo is petrified of flies. She could be having the time of her life outside but once a fly flies by, she is done and ready to head indoors. 2) I miss Mother's day when my girls were little. One year, they made their own "perfume". They put some weeds that smelled like rain in a bottle of water and gave it to me and called it, "rain". It did smell like rain but I was afraid to wear it for fear my neck would break out. 3) It was hard not taking it personally when Baby Boo smacked me in the but and said, "Look at that fat butt!" 4) It's becoming a habit that my dog wake me up at 6:45 am to pee just so that she can get a treat. She really needs a 12 step treat intervention. 5) I've got the greatest bloggin...

Before I go any further, I have to beg, no that's a bit harsh...ummm...ask, implore, cajole, seek to turn your attentions to....my twin sister's new blog. She has only one follower and that follower is me. I don't want the dust to start collecting on her blog so can you pretty please visit her blog? Go here: ************************************** Have you ever found a friend in someone that you'd never consider a likely friend? When I was young, although I was born in Los Angeles, my family moved away to a small town, when I was three. We did attend church in L.A. though. There we (my twin sis and I) met an unlikely friend. She was one of 11 kids. Her father was a scary guy because he was strict and didn't take any nonsense from the kids. Her mom was just as sweet and non-stressed even with that many kids. Yet, my friend was more or less a bully and wasn't exactly the sweetest girl to hang with. She told lies and was mean to her siblings. She often shined me and...

Not me, although I've had my share of those too...but Baby Boo. She is truly female when it comes to emotions. Yesterday, it was sugar rush from the birthday party fun she had but today, it was just plain ol' being tired. Nothing was agreeable to her. I know how that feels because I do that sometimes with clothes. I will pull out and try on at least 4 outfits before I find one that feels just right. In this case though, everything meant meltdown. Three year olds are more independent but much more know it alls. They know how to do something but when you offer to help as they struggle, they don't want your help. They also know how to say, "Oopsy!" when they spill all over the floor. Then, "That's okay, the dogs will eat it." Three year olds are also good at fibbing but trying to make it sound believable. Such as, "My mommy lets me drink coffee all the time." or "My mommy gives me toothpicks to put in my mouth." Three year olds are a...

I've been photo tagged by the infamous Xmas Dolly . To play along, I was to pick the 8th folder of pictures and the 8th picture in that folder and talk about it. So here's my 8th photo: Baby Boo is the epitome of making my heart sing. The time that we spend with her is a treasure beyond measure. I've been teaching her a little bit of the piano and while we play, she likes to sing. A kid after my own heart. I'm not very good at playing by the rules but if you'd like to play along, go ahead and tell em that Simone sent you!