Blogalicious 11!

I have attended the Blogalicious Conference every year since its inception and the experience just keeps getting better! I had the honor of leading a fitness class sponsored by UbiSoft and utilizing Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012. Despite the early time - 7:00a.m., a great group of women joined me for a quick 20 minute exercise. We were able to burn calories and work on tightening our muscles with a brief workout that was NOT easy. I'll be sharing my experience working out with the fitness game over the next five weeks - look for it! 

Isn't she pretty????

I was also honored to speak on a panel about working with Brands and was able to highlight some of my work with Walmart (my sponsor for Blogalicious), Ragu, and others. 

I was able to hang out with old friends.....

                             Lorraine, Jennifer, Barbara, me and Karen. 

And new friends! Sadly, I was not the best shutterbug so I do not have photos of my new friends but I have to tell you they are awesome and way too many to mention! But I have to note Rene Syler, she is a ball of fire and was a keynote speaker talking about Reinvention of Self. Simply amazing. I am happy to be able to call her my friend. 


IF you have not attended a smaller conference like Blogalcious, I highly recommend it. The conference was low-key, fun and full of opportunities for relationship building.

Netherworld Haunted House - A Must See Atlanta Attraction!

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For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by the spooky, scary and supernatural. But unlike most people, I am not prone to be scared I simply enjoy the thrill of hearing other people screaming and working myself up to scream too! For the past few Halloween seasons I've been lucky enough to venture into neighborhoods where Halloween is a big event. I've actually been in two "haunted houses" that were so much fun and believe it or not, my son accompanied me and had a ball.


This year, I decided to fulfill my curiosity for the "fear factor" by visiting the nationally known Netherworld Haunted House in Atlanta. Netherworld is celebrating its 15th anniversary and after my visit, I wish I'd experienced this before!

This 3D monster greets you at the Haunted House

Netherworld is actually composed of two haunted houses. The short, intense Raw Meat Exhibit and the longer Nightmares. True to my nature, I decided to see Raw Meat first - it was right next to the ticket center and the line was much shorter than Nightmares. The experience began with me crawling through a tunnel so that I could enter the sewer. What followed was an experience I won't soon forget that is not for the faint of heart! 

After Raw Meat it was time for Nightmares...and as much fun as Raw Meat was, Nightmares really is the not to be missed aspect of the Haunted House. While waiting on line various creatures greeted me from a man holding a crazy "monster" that tagged me..

To a demon skateboarder

and skeletor

and

Their presence kept the crowd pumped and these are only a few of the characters wandering around. After about a 20 minute wait we entered the Nightmares. The organizers of the experience have this down pat, each group goes in individually which enables you to have your own experience. Of course, screams abound around you which adds to the fun. 

My favorite aspects of the haunted house were a circular tunnel that reminded me of something out of the Twilight Zone and when one of the creatures in the house put my friend and I in jail and refused to let us out until we sang a song! 

I honestly cannot remember the last time I had more fun. And although this wasn't a "workout" when I left both Raw and Nightmares I was sweating like I'd run a 5k! A word to the wise - go with someone you can hold on to! Netherworld is not to be missed! 

Netherworld is open for the rest of the Halloween season - be prepared for long lines this weekend I'm sure but trust me, it is worth it and you will certainly be entertained while you wait! Tickets are $22 for Nightmares and $28 for a combination ticket that includes Raw Meat. If you want to avoid lines altogether you can purchase a speedpass for $50.00 For more info visit the Netherworld website. And if you visit, please be sure to share your experience with me!!!

Disclosure: I was provided with media passes to experience Netherworld but all of the opinions, screams, and sweat belong 100% to me!

Bonding with my child after a C-Section

In the United States many women are opting to give birth by cesarean section for a myriad of reasons. In my case, it was a necessity. Like many women of African-American descent, I have fibroid tumors on my uterus and a year and half prior to getting pregnant, I decided to have them removed. Well, several of them removed because I still have fibroids there were just too many to get rid of all of them. Prior to surgery I was told that I would only be able to give birth by c-section.  As disappointing as that revelation was, relieving the pain of my fibroids was more important to me than giving a vaginal birth.

Admittedly, I had some concerns about bonding with my child because I knew before being able to spend time with him, I had to recover from the actual surgery.

To read the rest of this post visit the Million Moms Challenge

Reinventing Meals

I titled this post reinventing meals because that is what I like to do with what is formerly known as leftovers. In the latest episode of Moms the Word on Dinner my friends Whitney, Kim and I are discussing are ideas for meals using leftovers. I have a lot of great tips for using pasta which is my favorite. Check out the video and join the conversation on the Ragu facebook page. Share your ideas for meals using leftovers! 



Disclosure: I am a Ragu Moms The Word on Dinner and this is a sponsored post. As usual, all opinions are my own. 

More Birthdays!

It is my honor to serve as a member of the American Cancer Society's Blogger Advisory Council. ACS is here at Blogalicious asking how we will fight for more birthdays.  As you know, I run for more birthdays- for both myself and fundraise to help others too.  I love celebrating having more birthdays with cancer survivors, current fighters and even honoring those that put up the good fight like my Great Aunt Helen and my cousin George. 

This afternoon Susan, a member of the ACS Blogger Advisory Council  shared her story.  

She is currently fighting Metastatic Breast Cancer. Susan is a fighter and came to speak right after her radiation treatment.  I have to tell you there was not a dry eye in the room. She truly is my hero! 

After Susan's presentation we sang Happy Birthday in celebration of More Birthdays! 

Visit MoreBirthdays.com for information about the More Birthday campaign! 

Going to Blogalicious? Workout with me!

Tomorrow I leave for my old home, Washington, DC for the third annual Blogalcious conference. This year I have the pleasure of not only speaking on a panel but I will also be leading a fitness class inspired by the new game Your Shape Fitness Evolved by UBIsoft. 

If you've been following my blog you know that I lost over fifty pounds and I did it at home. No gym membership, no trainer, I utilized tools at my disposal at home to do it. Virtual fitness games played a big role and during the workout on Saturday morning I'll demonstrate just how effective they can be! 

Join me! 

Work out inspired byYour Shape Fitness Evolved 2012

Where: Gaylord National Hotel -Chesapeake D-E Room 

When: Saturday, October 22nd, 7:00 am

RSVP: HERE

Wear comfortable workout gear that lets you move and stretch -- and be prepared to sweat!


Disclosure: This post and the morning workout are Sponsored by UbiSoft

I ran (and walked) 12 miles today!

Admittedly this is not the best photo of me but after running (and walking) 12 miles I just went with the first photo I took! Today was my last "long" run before the Savannah Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon on November 5th. You'd think since this is my fourth 1/2 marathon running would be old hat. To a certain extent it is but during my training I am constantly trying to find new ways to challenge myself.  


Today for the first 5 miles or so I ran fairly hard for 10-11 minutes and walked for about 30 seconds. This is a great combo and I'm hoping that on race day I'll be able to keep it up. But by mile 9 I'd run out of water and out of steam. It was a struggle from that point. I know I should have had some fuel to keep me going - lesson learned. On long runs be sure to have my energy jelly beans on hand otherwise I'm in trouble. 


Although I hate to even say it, I believe that this 1/2 marathon I will set a PR. We will see but I am going to hook up with another woman running the 1/2 marathon with Race & Relax and I'm sure we will finish  significantly faster than I ever have before. 


At the end of the time for me running these races is all about finishing - and the bling of course! I'm setting my sights on a PR but I will certainly be happy any way it pans out just crossing the finish line! 
This time around I'm running to Beat Cancer and each step I take is a step closer to winning the fight! 


Speaking of which, I'm about $450 away from my fundraising goal and I implore you to join me in the fight by donating today! I really want to make my goal by Friday so I can just focus on getting my mind right for my upcoming race! Any amount helps!!!!

My new puppy Marley

My entire family loves dogs. As a teenager I had a Chow named Ling Ling and loved her so much. As an adult I have not had a pet of any kind with the exception of a fish. One. Fish. A beta. I actually loved my fish too but not in the (wo)man's best friend kind of way. After a rash of break-ins in my area, I decided the best protection would be a dog. Although in Georgia just about everyone I know is armed, I am not trained nor do I want a gun in the house with a young child. So, a dog was my best option. 


Ah, life with a puppy. I have to tell you that I believe this has cured me of any inkling of wanting another child. A puppy is so much work! I am potty training (aka housebreaking) him and my goodness, it is hard! I love my puppy so much but this is a trying process. I've decided that we are going to puppy training. Hopefully we will start on Monday!  And I will be bringing my four year old along so that he too can learn how to deal with our newest edition. 

Mekhi actually helped pick Marley (and named him) we adopted him from a no-kill shelter in my area. The adoption was not free but I'm happy to assist in enabling the shelter to provide a safe home for dogs. I've since found out that you can also adopt animals for free from PetCo although I doubt I will be adding another member to my family perhaps this is information that will be helpful for you in the future!

As challenging as house training and teaching him to obey has been I wouldn't tried my puppy Marley for anything in the world! I plan on updating you periodically on the progress of my puppy. Things can only get better!

Halloween Glam Make-Up How To....

Halloween  is around the corner and we are having a Falloween celebration with the kids at my church. I am going as Bat Girl and the outfit is pretty sexy. I know, church, kids, sexy, may not fit but believe me, I am never over the top and hey this suits my personality! Anyhow, I need make-up that focuses on my eyes because I'll be wearing a mask, however the mask is quite hot so even if I end up taking it off I want my eyes to be the focal point. The photo above is the finished product, I used brighter colors than I normally wear, false eyelashes and gel eyeliner to really hype up my eyes. I kept the rest of my face pretty natural so that the focus is always on my eyes. And here is how I did it!

I started with just my usual foundation (I am a fan of the Maybelline FitMe line) and I also tweezed and filled in my eyebrows. Next I applied Revlon Perle sparkle gold as my base. 

 I applied it below my lower lashes too. Unlike most eyeshadows, in this instance I used the applicator that came with the product because when I tried to use my shadow brush the sparkles were all over my face. The applicator allowed for a more even application of the product. I followed the gold with Milani Baked Eye shadow in Teal.

Again I used the applicator brush enclosed in the product and really liked it because it has dual tips. One for dry application and one for wet application. I chose to use the wet application for a more intense pigment and it did the job extremely well.  Next I applied Revlon Perle in Violet on my lids. 

Next I applied my false eyelashes, I know many people are afraid of falsies but seriously, with a little practice you can do it! 

I used the Revlon Fantasy Lengths in Intensifying. There is a range of lashes to choose from but I liked the look of these. Although the package suggested applying the eyelash adhesive with a q-tip I found it easier to simply apply directly from the tube.  Finally I applied my eyeliner.

I used Maybelline Eyestudio liner in charcoal. Again, gel eyeliner takes some practice to apply but I find that it is the most intense liner and you can easily adjust the intensity by the thickness of the line. The trick with the liner is to apply it over the line of the false lashes so that they have a more "natural" look. Of course, it is obvious that I am wearing false lashes but I can still make them look as natural as possible.


I finalized the look by using mascara on my lashes again, I want to glam it up! And here is my final look with some products from my personal collection including Red Velvet Cake lipshine from Philosophy which sadly is no longer available and a MAC blush. 

Glamorous! If I were more adventurous I think I could actually wear this look on an evening out but I generally keep my make-up a little bit more low-key. I am extremely happy with this look and I am sure it will be a hit with my Bat Girl costume! 


Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and was provided with a giftcard to purchase products used and compensation for writing this post.  As usual, all opinions are 100% my own. 

Gluten Free Cupcakes for Halloween!

As much as I love to bake I have NEVER made cupcakes before today. So, this was an experiment of sorts but given my inexperience I have to say I think I did pretty well! I can't take all of the credit, my 4 year old son, Mekhi was a big help in the kitchen. So, although the cupcakes are not perfect, the experience of cooking together and the final product was amazing! 


Before I could actually start making the cupcakes I had to get the right utensils. Wilton sent me a package of goodies including recipes to inspire me but I was missing a key component - a mixer! And although arm power and a wooden spoon can work, mixing batter and icing by hand was not something I wanted to do. So, courtesy of Walmart I picked up the Arm & Decker 6 speed 250 Watt Mixer.

I love that it comes in its own storage case and has attachments but the best part was the price, only $19.88!  Armed with a mixer (I burned out my last mixer and considering it was over 30 years old, I guess that was be expected!) I was ready to rock and roll. 

My son and I mixed  the batter together.  I used a Wilton recipe for butter cupcakes but substituted Jules Gluten Free flour for regular flour. And just a note, if you are looking for a "healthy" cupcake and icing, be forewarned, this is not it! I used both butter and Crisco solid vegetable oil in the recipe when I'm more proficient with baking cupcakes I'll try something else but in the meantime I'm sticking to the basic recipe. I also used vanilla almond milk instead of regular milk - being lactose intolerant almond milk is a staple in my house! 

We lined the cupcake pan with liners from the Wilton Halloween cupcake kit. And placed them in the oven to cook. Meanwhile, I went to work on the icing. I made a buttercream frosting which was simply confectioners sugar, butter, vegetable shortening, vanilla, and some milk. I followed the recipe and here is the buttercream icing.

Okay, admittedly it wasn't THAT easy, since I was missing a key tool - a sifter. So, I had to McGiver it and used a grater as my sifter and it worked! 

I finished off the icing by adding some icing coloring. Word to the wise, only use a toothpick worth and blend until you get your desired color. A little really goes a long way! 

Next my son and I got to decorating! 

His works of art! 

Overall I am happy with my Halloween cupcakes. We only made 12 because who is going to eat all of that sugary goodness? Not me! And my son is currently running around here with a ton of energy after eating two cupcakes. But he was a great helper and he deserved the treat! 

All of the products I used with the exception of the gluten free flour are available at Walmart and the recipes I used are also on the Wilton website and at Walmart for free. These basic recipes were really easy to make, later in the month I might try my hand at cookie decorating....that is a bit more advanced but we will see! 

Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and I was compensated for this post but as usual all opinions are 100% my own. 

And I'm Batgirl!!!!

(photo taken by my four year old in the family room!)

I can't believe that it is almost time for Halloween again! This year is flying by and since I have a young son, I have gotten into the spirit. He has had a costume every year thanks to grandma but last year I decided to dress up with him for the first time. And now, a tradition has begun!  In honor of my love for comic book characters (I'm a geek, what can I say?) this year I am Bat Girl! 

I know there are tons of people out there that do DIY costumes but that has never been my area of expertise so I turned to the place where I got my quality costume at the lowest cost I could find last year, Walmart! And yes, I am a Walmart mom but last year I absolutely searched high and low for my costume (I was queen of Sheba) and Walmart had the lowest price. 

This year when I was asked to try out the free shipping now offered when you make purchases online in certain departments including beauty and clothing, I decided that I'd once again look for a costume at Walmart. For $36.00 my BatGirl costume includes a cape, dress, arm sleeves, a belt, mask and thigh high boot coverings. The skirt is pretty short and since I'd like to bend over (LOL) I decided to add some leggings to the outfit and purchased two pair of faded glory black leggings for $10.00.  This was perfect because free shipping is offered for purchases over $45.00.  I ordered my costume on Friday and received it today - three days earlier than the expected delivery date! 

For my costume I decided to use my new boots with five inch heels - I won't be trick or treating in them but I will wear them to the party we are going to with church. In my photo, I'm not wearing the thigh high boot coverings but when we actually go out trick or treating I'll wear flats boots and the coverings. The mask is pretty hot, I only had it on for a few minutes and I was sweating bullets. I plan on doing my make-up to look like a mask and highlight my eyes instead, stay tuned for a tutorial in the coming weeks! 

Overall, I am happy with the quick shipping and the quality of my costume and leggings from Walmart. Stay tuned for some more posts in the Halloween spirit! 

Disclosure: I am a Walmart Mom and was compensated for this post but as usual, all opinions are 100% my own.