Not Quite Two

Dealing with a toddler ain’t easy. Of course we have all heard about the terrible twos but living through them is an entirely different story. There are times when I have to repeat the Serenity Prayer to myself on numerous occasions because despite how hard I try, the will of my toddler is clearly stronger than mine.

Take for instance last night at dinner time (hell, take any evening at dinner time), my usually angelic son throws everything not tied down to his tray on the floor. And I am not exaggerating when I say not 5 seconds before I told him not to. But with his toddler bravado he decided to go "bombs away" anyhow.

To add insult to injury, when I tried to reprimand him he hit me. Yes, you read that correctly, he hit me. We’ve had numerous conversations about how it is “not nice” to hit mommy. So, it was straight to timeout for him – as I silently asked God for the patience of Job to deal with this spawn of Satan that clearly is not my child.

As he pondered his misdoings, I cleaned up the aftermath of his throwing fest. I inadvertently left him for longer than a minute and the sounds of him playing reminded me that I needed to check in (I know, bad mommy). When I arrived he was holding one of my boots (we check our shoes at the door in my household) and with a broad smile yelled “HI! Boot mommy” this was quickly followed by “Sorry Mommy” and all was right again in my world. I mean really, who could resist?

Apparently this is my little angel after all.

(Someone please tell me that the angelic moments will outnumber the defiant ones. Somebody? Anybody?)

Saucy Talk

I enjoy cooking but sometimes it really seems like a task. Regardless of how I feel during preparation, I always recieve joy from the response to my culinary creations. Although I am no Martha Stewart, I've only had positive feedback regarding my cooking. To keep my recipe box fresh and to prevent my husband from getting bored with my cooking, I am always on the lookout to try new things. When given the opportunity to try Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce, I immediately said yes. Country Bob has been making this sauce since 1968 and began selling it in 1977. I figured that if it has been around for two decades it has to be good!

For my taste test I tried Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce on salmon. After seasoning the salmon with various spices, I added the sauce and baked for about 10 minutes. I served the salmon with couscous and green beans (not in the photo). So I guess you are wondering, what's the verdict? Bob's sauce is tasty- not too sweet and not too tart, kinda reminiscent of Heinz 57, except better. This sauce is truly All Purpose, I know my husband will be using it on his steak, I have used it for my bar-b-que tofu (yes, this household has both meat eaters and non-meat eaters)and there are tons of recipes on Country Bob's website, as well as other products that he sells. In my area the products are available at Krogers and Wal-Mart and you can search for retailers carrying it in your location on the website. If it is not available at your local grocery, there is also an online store.

I like the All-Purpose Sauce so much that I want to give you an opportunity to try it. Leave a comment here about something you'd like to cook with Country Bob's (for inspiration you can always visit the website).

For extra entries: Follow Me Subscribe to my blog by reader or email Tweet about this giveaway There you have it, four methods of entry, good luck! This giveaway is open to addresses in the U.S. and is open until midnight,February 2, 2009. A winner will be chosen randomly, the name will posted here and contacted by email. For more Wordful Wednesday visit Angie's 7 Clown Circus and for WW visit here and here!

Congratulations! Angie! You are entrant number 11 and the winner of the giveaway. This was not fixed folks - random.org chose the winner!

Bedtime Routines

One of the things that I have learned as a mother is that children like routines. They thrive on it. Recently I had the pleasure of adding Haydenburri Lane’s Rascal’s and Routines Carry Me Everywhere Suitcase to Mekhi’s bedtime ritual and it is simply amazing. This little case is filled with 5 finger puppets, a board book and a silky soft blanket that even I would love snuggling up with. Each puppet is responsible for one aspect of a bedtime routine and in the story Bedtime Safari we meet each character: Chomper the crocodile, Page the elephant, Rory the tiger, Bubbles the Hippo and PJ the bear. The bedtime pals have quickly become Mekhi’s favorite toys, he calls them his “puppies.” Here is a video to illustrate my point.





Mekhi will carry this beautiful suitcase around the house all day and night if I let him but since I want him to associate it with bedtime I only let him do this as the clock approached the sacred hour. He has definitely become used to it and when he isn’t ready for bed he cries at the mention of the “puppies.” The tears quickly dry up when he sees his little friends. We read the board book and his pals accompany Mekhi on his bedtime adventures – brushing teeth, taking a bath,doing a pajama wiggle, a bedtime story and being tucked in. We usually read the bible and before we say our prayers Mekhi neatly puts his pals in the crib. In the morning Mekhi returns the puppets to the suitcase and says goodbye until the evening.

I truly cannot express how much I love the Carry Me Everywhere Suitcase. This product is so well made and it is truly beautiful. Everything is the perfect size for a toddler. Although the recommended age for use is 3 and older, at 20 months Mekhi is having no problem understanding the bedtime routines and the role his friends play. If you have a challenge in any part of your bedtime routine or simply want to add some fun I highly recommend the Bedtime Safari Series.

The Carry Me Everywhere Suitcase is a limited edition in the Bedtime Safari collection. The regular series has a board book and an accompanying plush toy. At $17.98 I believe that adding at least one of the books and animals to your child’s collection is worth it. Right now you can get the Carry Me Everywhere Suitcase for $24.99, by using the code safarimoms. Act fast, this offer is only good until February 1, 2009. I know that you and your child will love these toys. Please let me know if you purchase something from the series, I am interested in hearing your feedback.

Super Bowl Pack Winners

Congratulations to #76 Paula, #63 JanetFaye and #46 Paul ! Since I didn't hear from Paul I chose the most original comment:

Ismail "the Great" said...

I would like to sit down in front of the big screen, place my pistachios in my hand and shake them up like I am about to throw some dice, and when something happens in the game that excites me, I will throw my pistachios in my mouth and smile. Not smile because of the game , but smile because of the delicious taste sensation provided by Cutie Booty Cakes and my Super Bowl package.

Yeah, I know I am stupid.

Enjoy your Super Bowl Pack! Remember you have 24 hours to respond to my email or I choose new winners!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

76 63 46
Timestamp: 2009-01-27 05:02:24 UTC

Modern Mom Challenge Week 4

This week I have an interesting update and discuss how the Modern Mom Challenge is not just about "dieting" for a finite period of time but really about changing my lifestyle.

Are you ready?

Are you ready for some football? The Super Bowl is a little over a week away and I know that it is the most watched game of the year. Personally I am no football fan (truthfully, I am not a fan of any sports) but I do enjoy the Super Bowl. A big screen tv, a gathering of friends, the halftime show (my favorite was Prince), and the snacks. Oh the snacks!

During the Super Bowl those high calorie snacks always make an appearance and while caught up in the midst of the action, one can’t help but munch on some of those treats. In keeping with my goal of living 2009 fit and healthy, I need to be mindful when enjoying treats. And I have been given an alternative snack that is both tasty and heart healthy.


I had the distinct pleasure of trying out a Super Bowl package and it was packed to the rim with one of my favorite nuts, pistachios! Here is a quote from PistachioHealth.com

“Pistachios are good for you and heart healthy: among snack nuts, pistachios have the highest content of phytosterols, a plant sterol shown to reduce cholesterol absorption from other foods. Most of the fat in pistachios is “good” unsaturated fat that can help lower the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death among Americans today. In a new study published in the September 2008 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that eating one to two handfuls of pistachios a day resulted in a nine to 12 percent reduction in LDL “bad” cholesterol levels respectively.”

The perfect snack! And let me tell you, as much as I enjoy plain pistachios, the salt and pepper pistachios were da bomb! A mix of salt, pepper, onion, lemony, you have to taste it to appreciate it. But my husband said it best “ After trying these I am only eating Salt and Pepper pistachios from now on!”

The Super Bowl package was also filled with goodies – a button (to show your affection for this nut), a sticky note holder, a comic book, fun, fun, fun. I loved it!
And if this sounds like a great snack to you visit WonderfulPistachios.com or EverybodysNuts.com. to find retailers that sell these nuts.

And guess what? You have a chance to win one of these fabulous Super Bowl packages in time for the big game. I am giving away three, yes, three of these packages! Here is how to enter:

Leave a comment here telling me why you want this fabulous package.

For extra entries:
1. Subscribe to Cutie Booty Cakes
2. Follow me
3. Send this tweet about my contest. Are you ready for the Super Bowl? Visit Cutie Booty Cakes to win a tasty prize pack! http://tinyurl.com/cwehjq

FOR EACH METHOD OF ENTRY LEAVE A COMMENT!

There you have it, four ways to win this great package for your Super Bowl Party. The contest ends on Tuesday morning, January 27th, be sure to check your email frequently so we can get the package out to you in time for the big game! I will give you 24 hours to answer or I will pick another winner. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and the contest is open to US addresses.

Good Luck!

The Celebration!

We celebrated. Oh yes, we did. Not with the fanfare of an inaugural ball but with a nice intimate gathering that was fun for all. First, Mekhi posed for some photos with my Inaugural '09 cake from Eli's Cheescake of Chicago. That's right, my party cake was flown in from our President's hometown and it was spectacular. Thanks to my friend Kim, I was able to debut this cake at the party. It was a plain cheesecake topped with whipped cream, red, white and blue decorations topped with a disk of white chocolate and a map of Illinois. This cake was absolutely delicious! So light, not too sweet, sheer perfection. It was like a party in my mouth. Seriously.

Having this cake gave me a sense of connectedness to the Inaugural Hoopla in DC because Eli's was also responsible for making a 500 pound cheesecake that was served at the Commander-In-Chief Ball, which honors active duty and reserve military. And in keeping with our President's call for us all to be of service to others, Eli's is donating any leftover cake to the Capital Food Bank. I highly suggest that you try an Eli's cheesecake. You can place an online order for one of these delicious cakes. Please have no reservations about having the cake shipped, it arrives frozen, on dry ice and you can either thaw it for immediate enjoyment or place in the freezer. As an added incentive, use the code Inablog9 and you will receive 15% off your entire purchase! This is not valid with any other offers and is available from now until February 15th.


All of the folks at the party raved, I mean RAVED about the cheesecake. Speaking of the party. Here are a few flicks, please excuse the photo quality. I am really in need of a new camera, the one I have is completely temperamental! The party was held at Club 281, a jazz club in Atlanta, the owner Henry is in the photo. He is one cool cat. *snaps*

We enjoyed cheesecake, had "The Barack" cocktail, and watched history unfold. A beautiful, beautiful day.

And because I can't resist, here is a short clip of my son saying his favorite word!

For more Wordful Wednesday check out Angie's 7 clown Circus.

Hello, Mr. President!

I am unable to craft a witty post, a prolific post or even a post that says much more than has already been said about this historic day. I am elated that we have a new President of the United States and completely overwhelmed by emotion. Our 44th President, Barack Obama is a capable, determined, hopeful man.
The CHANGE WE NEED!

Kool Of The Gang / Celebrate Good Times

Happy Birthday Dr. King!

Tears stream down my face as I write these words, I am completly overwhelmed. Today we celebrate the birthday of one of the most important leaders in history, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And this is the eve of the inauguration of Barack Obama, our first African-American President. In celebration of this occasion I have posted the "I Have A Dream" speech in its entirety. Have a listen, and celebrate the life of Dr. King by participating in the National Day of Service. Today join millions of people that are celebrating this day by serving others.

Happy Birthday Dr. King, we have come full circle and I believe that your dream has been fulfilled.

Modern Mom Challenge - Week 3

I am still going strong with the Challenge. Despite a couple of setbacks - an injury and a little bit of emotional eating, I think I am doing well. This week my goal is to get my exercise and eating in sync. By doing this I believe I will start to see some results by the end of the week. How are you doing with your goals this year?

Bloggers Give

I love highlighting great work that is being done in social media, especially as it relates to generousity and helping others. Today I am highlighting Trisha of Momdot. She has started Bloggers Give, a movement that utilizes the power of bloggers. This initiative encourages bloggers that do reviews/giveaways to request an additional item that will be donated to a charity specified by Bloggers Give. The current charity is The Center for Courageous Kids, a non-profit that has camps over the summer for special needs children and family weekends during the rest of the year. Bloggers Give has a goal of collecting 1000 items for donation by May 2009. I think that you will agree that this is an amazing initiative and you can find out more about it by visiting Bloggers Give.

Feeling Orange Again

Feeling Orange But Sometimes Blue - Ledisi

Are you familiar with Ledisi? No? You. Must. Listen. To. Her. The music is truly beautiful. Somehow she seems to capture my thoughts and feelings in song. Perhaps you will feel the same way. Maybe not. Although I think that we will all agree that she is amazing. Today I was doing my usual, trying to get things done and heard "Feeling Orange Again but Sometimes Blue" and thought - exactly! I feel orange today but there is no guarantee that I will feel this way tomorrow or even for the rest of this day. Just yesterday I felt overwhelmed (and still do to a certain extent) but I am letting Orange rule today.

I wanted my inspiration to be fueled by music and on twitter I asked for recommendations to help bring music into my day. I heard from @Blinkystjames, a young woman that has a positive attitude in the midst of chaos. Her energy is orange and I think it is contagious. Ms. Blinky is a teenager named Katie. She and her mother are homeless in California and Katie is blogging about their experiences at Anywhere But Here. Please visit her blog, if you feel so inclined perhaps you can send a donation to the family.

When I think about stories like Katie's, I remember that life sometimes gives us lemons but we can choose to make lemonade. I am feeling Orange today. I make way for the Blue sometimes, but I am truly thankful that my entire life is more orange than blue.

ETA: Here is one more reason for me to feel orange, I was interviewed on Lucky Start-Ups, a live webcast that highlights new businesses. Please stop by the site and watch the recording of the show.

Modern Mom Challenge Week 2

It is week 2 of the Modern Mom Challenge and I am going strong. You can check out my vlog to hear about my progress.

If you have not joined already please consider becoming a part of the Challenge. We have a great group of women that are sharing their health and fitness triumphs and obstacles.

Tomorrow Lolita and I will be the guest experts for the Mom It Forward (formerly Girl's Night Out) twitter party. It is sure to be fun! You can RSVP for the Party Here.

On the campaign trail!

Today I come to you on a much lighter note. On Tuesday I was a guest co-host on The Classy Closet Radio show. There is a playful competition going on and all of the guest co-hosts can ask for votes. Well, the polls are open and I need your vote! Please click HERE and vote for me. The competition is heavy but with your help I know I can win! Thanks in advance!

ETA: Thank you for all of your votes! I really appreciate the support. The new co-host for The Classy Closet is Sugar Jones - a great choice!

Fear Factor: The Oscar Grant Story

On January 1, 2009 the life of a young father, Oscar Grant, 23, was taken by the San Francisco BART police. Mr. Grant was unarmed, handcuffed, lying face down and restrained by officers when the fatal shot was delivered.* The family has filed a $25 Million lawsuit. According to the family, over the last year he was changing his life for the better. Unfortunately, he was killed during this transformation.

This sad story is not the first and surely not the last regarding the loss of young life at the hands of the police. And while I will not call this racially motivated, it does cause me concern as the mother of an African-American boy. There are just too many stories of police brutality involving young black men – Oscar Grant, Sean Bell, Amadou Diallo - for race not to be a factor. There is a long litany of men of color subjected to fatal treatment at the hands of the police. The Oscar Grant story is reminiscent of Rodney King, a bystander documented the scene for the world to see. Unfortunately, in this case, a man that was clearly subdued lost his life.

There are times when I optimistically believe that better police training will prevent tragedies like this one but in reality it is a crapshoot. Like any profession, sometimes training does not make much of a difference –especially when those participants are truly unwilling to learn.

I am frightened about releasing my only son into this world of unknowns where statistically he is at risk because of the color of his skin. And yes, I can teach my son how to respond if he is ever stopped or questioned by police. However, his responses and behavior are subject to interpretation. God forbid the officer he encounters is having a bad day, a bad life or worse just dislikes his job and mistreats my son because of a misunderstanding.

I honestly am at a loss because sometimes, following all the rules is not enough.

My heart is heavy with sorrow for all the mothers that have lost their sons because of police brutality. It is also filled with fear. My son is in danger and it comes from the place where you least expect it.


*I have posted the video of the Oscar Grant shooting, at most he may have been resisting arrest but that surely is no reason to use deadly force. View it at your own discretion and form your own opinion.

ETA: A protest was held on Wednesday. Click HERE for the story.
The police officer that fired the deadly bullet resigned before his appointment to be questioned by internal affairs. Click HERE for that story.

In the blink of an eye

Yesterday while Mekhi and I ate breakfast a plane flew overhead. Mekhi looked up toward the ceiling and stated with ease, “airplane.” His enunciation was crystal clear and I was astonished. Immediately I praised him and my heart almost burst with pride. My son has a large vocabulary for a 19 month old and it amazes me how his mind is like a sponge, sopping up information like water. His father taught him about airplanes when we were at the airport last week. While they bonded I fussed with my computer, it was their time and I didn’t pay attention.

Obviously Mekhi did.

He retained everything his Daddy taught him. His days of being a baby are quickly growing short in number.

Today I give myself these words of advice: Be Present. Look. Don’t Blink. You might miss it.


And for Mekhi: The airplane is flying high my son but so are you baby, so are you.

For more Wordful Wednesday visit Angie's 7 Clown Circus.

Pssssst......

I speak therefore I am

Today I am the guest host on The Classy Closet Blog Talk Radio Show. If you are free at 12:00 noon E.S.T. please listen. If you are really inspired call in. This is an audition and I need all the support I can get!

Edited to Add
If you missed the show you can still hear it. Just click HERE.

I Get High With A Little Help From My Friends

I get by with a little help from my friends
Gonna try with a little help from my friends
- The Beatles

John and Paul took the words right out of my mouth. Inevitably whenever I need a kick in the pants I receive encouragement from friends. During my journey to fitness and health the women participating in the Modern Mom Challenge will be my fitness buddies. Every Monday I will post about my progress.

Initially I had grand visions of vlogging in a way cute outfit before I did my workout. When the “cute” outfit did not fit (providing me with more inspiration to exercise) those hopes were dashed. Instead, I am completely exposed, no make-up, slightly breathless and totally exuberant because I completed my first workout.

Oh, and about the title of this post. I know it is titillating but I am referring to my endorphin high. Although the first few minutes of the workout were brutal, by the time I was midway through the endorphins kicked in and I had that high. One day down and at least three to go.

2009 is my year and this is just the beginning.