Writer's Block - Thursday's Rambling

There's a lot going on this week. It's a busy week at my job as say good bye to the students and get ready for the summer. It's funny that my students think that since they leave, I must go on vacation. I have to remind them that college is not like high school. I work ALL year long. *kicking rocks*. But i'ts fine. I love the summertime because I get to blast Pandora while I work on projects without any interruptions. My hope is to take some time for a real vacation. My parents own some property in South Carolina, maybe I'll get to lay on the beach.

BB's first year of preschool is coming to a close. Seems like only yesterday I was stressing over what he would wear on his first day and filling up his backpack with supplies. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to keep him in the Montessori school or explore less expensive options. I love how much he has grown this year, but it does come with a price. I've been thinking a lot about my finances and adjustments I need to make if I want to buy a house. I honestly long for the day when I no longer have to pay for childcare and school. I am in search of quality public education, is that too much to ask?

Another issue is what is BB going to do this summer. He will be returning to Florida to spend time with his Dad but I'm not sure he'll be there the entire time. Last summer it was rough to be separated for so long. We'll see what happens this time around.

*in my Al Roker voice* What's happening in your neck of the woods?

Kid's LiveWell - Revamping Kid's Menus

If my son had his way, we would eat out every night. I don't think I'm a lousy cook, but he likes coloring on the place mats and eating things I don't normally cook. More often than not the kid's meals consist of nothing but greasy and fried foods. If we are lucky there may be a side of carrots or apples. Now that he is able to read menus and order for himself I want him to have healthy options to choose from. As I continue to make lifestyle changes, I want to change the culture in my household when it comes to food. This is why I was excited to be contacted by the National Restaurant Association and Healthy Dining to learn more about their Kid's LiveWell program.

Some of Chick-fil-A's options. They offer grilled chicken nuggets!

Since launching last July, Kids LiveWell includes 96 restaurant brands across the country. The newest additions are Chick-fil-A, Applebee's and Kraft Foods. Each participating restaurant has agreed to provide menu items that meet certain nutritional criteria. There's also a  free mobile app that allows you to search for participating restaurants in your area. Another reason why I need to upgrade my phone. I had to view the mobile app on friend's iPhone and it's very snazzy!

Dawn Sweeney, CEO and President of National Restaurant Association announcing the
newest additions to the Kids LiveWell program, Chick-fil-A, Applebee's and Kraft Foods.

With 96 restaurants (national chains AND locally owned) participating in this program, in every state, there are affordable and healthy options available for you and your family. I'm happy that the National Restaurant Association is listening to consumers and taking our health and well being into consideration. Can't wait to see how many more jump on board!

·     Disclosure: I received compensation from the National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWell program for my time reviewing and writing about their program.  The opinions expressed are solely my own.   

Heart of Haiti - Mother's Day Reflection

 

This Mother's Day, I'm working with Clever Girls in support of Macy's Heart of Haiti to shine a light on the "trade, not aid" program, which provides sustainable income to Haitian artisans struggling to rebuild their lives and support their families after the 2010 earthquake.


What is Macy’s Heart of Haiti? Heart of Haiti is a “Trade, Not Aid” initiative launched by artist and social entrepreneur, Willa Shalit, The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund and Macy’s. Already, Heart of Haiti has led to employment of 750 artists in Haiti, providing financial benefits for an estimated 8,500 people in the country.

Each item is a one-of-a-kind design and handmade by a Haitian master artisan from raw materials such as recycled oil drums, wrought iron, papier-mâché and stone. The collection features more than 40 home decor items including quilts, metalwork, ceramics, jewelry and paintings and is made almost entirely from recycled and sustainable items such as old cement bags, cardboard, oil drums and local gommier wood.

Heart of Haiti products are available online at Macy’s.com


----------------------------


 When my son was born I often found myself on autopilot and lacking the energy to really enjoy anything, not even sleep. When I decided to move back to Illinois to be closer to my support system,  I finally had a moment to breathe and it was due in part to my Mother. While I was working on my masters degree, she would pick up my son from daycare and care for him while I was in class. She would would care for him on weekends so I could work on papers and attend conferences. She remembered what it was like work on her doctorate while raising 3 children. She would often joke when I told her I was tired, "Try doing all of this with 3 children!" I will be honest and say that I don't think I ever realized how amazing my mother was until I had my son. I think as children it's very easy to take our parents for granted. We think they are supposed to do things because, well, they are our parents. I don't want to dwell upon the sacrifices we make as parents, more so our ability to love our children so deeply and unconditionally. This is no easy task but many of us do it every day like breathing. My mother is that woman. I know there have been many days where she wanted to wrap her hands around my neck but she kept pushing me to be the best Laila I could be. She gave advice when I didn't want to hear it. She gave hugs and kisses when I needed them the most. My mother has helped me understand that mothering is about challenge and support. The trick is to find a good balance between the two. 


This Mother's Day it has become important for me not to focus on what my Mother has done for me, but what I can do for her. Every day. 

Thank you to Macy's Heart of Haiti for sponsoring my participation in this “Share Your Heart" promotion. I was selected for this sponsorship by the CleverGirls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Mamavation Monday : The Color of Weight Loss

Thanks Sara @Saving4Someday for tweeting a link to this article "Black Women and Fat" by Alice Randall yesterday. It made me think of a conversation I was having with my new beau about my weight loss goals. His response was that he liked me at my current size but that he would support me in my desire to be healthier. It's not to say that I blame Black men for the reason why Black women are obese and have a boatload of health issues. However, I do think that the Black community has different standards of beauty and health. For me, beautiful women are curvy with full hips and butts.  However, if those curves come with diabetes and heart disease, I don't want it! There is no one cause for the many health issues that are prevalent among Black women. This Black woman takes responsibility for her health and is committed to leading an active and healthy life. The more I spread the more frustrated I become.

Photo Credit

This weekend I visited a few of my favorite thrift stores and was upset that I couldn't fit into 3 perfect pairs of jeans I found. Perhaps that was another push I needed because I came home and did 30 minutes of Tae Bo. I also got excited about Kohl's sale on blenders since I want to make smoothies for  breakfast. I haven't done a good job at eating breakfast which makes no sense. I make my son breakfast every morning and don't eat myself. I'm also reading a book that says that I should divide my weight by 2 and drink that many ounces of water each day. Yikes! I do drink a lot of water but I don't think I'm hitting that mark at all. Baby steps.

This week is no different from any other week. I need to get in my 30 minutes of activity, drink my water and stick to my meal plan. Let's go!