July Is Cord Blood Awareness Month

Every now and then I run across stuff that I think deserves attention. I was watching television and heard this woman say, "That cord blood saved my son's life." Now that peaked my interest right there. The way she said that simple sentence I wanted to know more about it. Especially after I kept seeing the commercial and parents were talking about how this cord blood was the best thing they could have done.
I found out the company is called Cryo-cell so I went to their website to find out how this works and what it was really about. Cord blood banking according to their site is a way to preserve precious stem cells immediately following birth. These stem cells once harvested have been able to help children with over 70 diseases and they have done well over 8,000 transplants from harvesting the cord blood. Now to me that's good news because that gives families hope that may not have it otherwise if they ever find out that their child is ill. This cord blood can be the answer but it must be harvested before the placenta is delivered and it doesn't hurt mother or child in the process of it being done.
Seems like they have thought of everything too because on the Cryo-cell website, they have all of these photos of children that are success stories that cord blood banking works. They have a wealth of information on the site about the value of cord blood banking, and how economical it is to have it stored. I mean who can really put a price on the benefits of cord blood banking though? It's obvious that with all the latest technological advances in stem cell research that this is a very good way to go.
Sounds all science fiction to some people but let me tell you something after reading about how this cord blood is being used to save babies lives, if Kevin and I chose to have another child I would most certainly go ahead with it if it meant that this new technology would help save my child's life if need be.
I like the fact that there is loads of information too and if you want to talk to someone there is a number on the site that you can call and speak with someone 24 hours a day!
I was touched I think ultimately because I wanted to take a look at all of the precious babies on the site that are able to live happy healthy lives because mommy and daddy took that step to contact Cryo-Cell. I was all welled up thinking I need to call my girlfriend and let her know about this now especially since she has not delivered yet. So I did and I urged her to think about it knowing that sickle-cell is in her family.
Who would have thought that there would come a day that someone would come up with a method of treating diseases with stem cells? I mean think about it, from the cords that sustained life inside the womb, technology has made it possible for them to continue to sustain and save lives outside of the womb! Amazing!
Something to think about right?
Check out this video on it then check out their website as well. There is a wealth of information that I KNOW can help someone out there.

Cryo-cell

Till next time.

Mamma

Mamma Misses Daddy

Hey all its been a busy past couple of weeks for me here with my partner home off the ship. He is a merchant marine and works in Galliano, Louisiana 28 days and then is home for two weeks.
Well he was only able to stay home for seven days this time since he has some physicals and some testing he has to do with the coast guard. As a family there is a time when you have to evaluate where you are and make adjustments that will affect the entire household. Thus he has decided to go for his engineering license. This will take us to a new level where we will be able to purchase a home, prepare for the future, college fund for the kids,.. that kind of thing.
So there are sacrifices that have to be made one of which is him having to go out on a ship to make money since where we live there are no jobs that pay over 10-12 bucks an hour. Which is why I choose to work from home as it would cost the family more for me to be in the workforce with day care and gas and other expenses.
So back to this situation. Since he is making this decision to move upward in his career now we are officially on the market for a house and new furniture and all of the fun stuff that comes with a house like extra utilities, and mowing grass ick!
There is also the sacrifice that comes with that which means mamma (me) is going to have to start working more hours to validate me staying home (in my opinion) so that I can do the swap meet, be home for commnunity things be with with the kids and still make money.
Funny I have not told him any of this, I just believe that it is my duty to carry my weight in this marriage and add more to the table including not letting him know how much we hate that he leaves like he does, how we worry when there are stormes out there on the water, how KJ cries for him for at least three days when he goes back to work, or how I can't sleep, or get sick the minute he drives away. Lets not even talk about how my nerves get shaken and I eat everything in sight that whole day after he is gone? All we do is just laugh and smile and enjoy the time that have together. Sure we disagree and have little spats but nothing to the point where we are not aware that soon he will be gone yet again.
So today I am having a blah day missing the love of my life, hoping that with my busy schedule that I won't think about it as much and that the next 28 days will go by quickly.

Mamma

One Day At A Time Episode 3

I think this is a pretty good episode here. I have never been one to be jealous of an exes' new wife or whatever, I seem to be the one that gets the drama since I am friends with my exes the wives seem to be sick about it.
I can only say one thing. I want to keep a good relationship with the other parent because we are raising children and that is what is important. Now mind you I have not always been that way. But once I got a hold of who I was as person I was ok with the new loves in their lives.
Enjoy!

Mamma

Where The Party At!?

it's the weekend Baaaaaaaabyyyyy! So with that said it's time to get you party on no matter how you do that. I take 5 minutes with the little ones and shake a tail feather all over the living room! Then we enjoy more fun songs (as long as they are clean) And I'm such a hip hop head. I don't care what East Coast, West Coast, Derty South, Gospel

So here is my toast to Friday right here!
WHERE MY PARTY PEOPLE AT? GRAB THE KIDS AND HAVE A PARTY RIGHT NOW I DARE YA!



I'm going to go back to work now, then off to the building where we are setting up the swap meet. I hope to post pics of the place soon.

Hopefully we will be done before Aaliyah gets out of school

Chat later

Mamma

Purses, Men and Responsibility

I love my purse! Bottom line and I know so many of you can attest to that. It's a lifeline for so many of us.
I recently was out at the bank when I flipped open a huge purse I have to deposit funds into my business account when the clerk remarked at how wonderful the purse was.
Before long we were chatting about the many layers to it and how many pockets, slots and functions that this bag held for me.
Not only was it stylish but it offered me the functionality necessary through out my busy day with KJ, Aaliyah and my personal stash.
She giggled and said " My husband hates when I dig through mine to answer my cell phone"
I replied with a grin "Oh I can relate mine hates for me to have anything more than my credit and a cell phone it."
We both understood and knew exactly what we were talking about without saying any more.
Women are multitasters, thus we need a bag that reflects all that we can do in a single day. From holding diapers and bottles, binkies, bills, insurance cards, beauty supplies to stay fabulous on the go while you are conquering you part of the world! Hey some even come equipped to hold a laptop with style along with everything else! How about that?
What men do not understand like the one in my life is that he goes to work and expects me to do the bill paying, the cooking, the cleaning, the chauffering of children, run my business, run errands all over town all while making it look effort less in pumps and hair done just right. Is he for real? Yes. (kids in tow mind you) Men have no clue the responsibility that comes with being mom today and that purse even though it may LOOK like its in disarray is really not....we know where everything is in there and what it is for even down to the last receipt or mint at the bottom sitting under a pack of baby wipes next to the tampon. (Don't act like I'm the only one with a bag like that)
Somehow we get it done and quite well!
You know I have to put a link to some places you find some darn good deals on purses that are stylish and can handle all that you do while being your fabulous self!

http://www.target.com/ my favorite online

http://www.walmart.com/ another one but not as many cute bags

http://www.catofashions.com/ has some hot bags too

http://www.payless.com/ oh you know I had to go there

happy shopping

Mamma

Meet Me

Hello all! This is me in the corner of an elevator asking the photographer, "Did you get it the door is about to close!"

I was taking photos for my album I was telling you all about. At the time I did these there was only Timeka and Imani and they were both in tow that day. No day care for me.

I can remember when I was done we went out to like Chuck E Cheese had a ball, went home got in the pool and acted a fool, THEN we packed up and I was in the studio with both of them that night. I just could not see it any other way. First off I don't know about you but I don't trust people with my children, secondly I will hurt someone over my children. So the best thing to do is keep them with me cause no one will treat them like I can. I teach them what they need to know like I can.

My rule of thumb is this since I have daughters "This is a new century ladies, there is no prince charming, he ain't ridin' up on no white horse in shining armor to save you from jack. That my dears is up to you and you alone. You must learn how to work and make your own money and live your own life and be your own queen period bottom line." With that in mind I have taught both of my daughters the art of braiding hair so if need be they can mak money and they HAVE. Timeka was making $175 braiding micros this Saturday I must post them so you can see her work. Imani I taught how to lock hair and maintain it using the interlock method of dreads. So see she too at 14 is making her own school clothes money. Good for her.

I just would rather they be resourceful and look within themselves before seeking help elsewhere.

But back to me.....so I want to do another photo shoot one day but sister girl has to keep getting on the treadmill on the daily first. And I have new song's waiting on me but life has a way of putting other projects in front of you like the swapmeet still working on the building, I still work from home, the book series but I know you moms out there know what it is like right?

I know I'm busy but how busy is too busy?

mmmmmm

Chat later

Mamma

The Six List Rule

You know being a mom and a business woman has its interesting tales. I am sure many of you out there can attest to that! I am always on the go with diaper bag, changes of clothing, stroller and pack n play playpen in the trunk of my car and my purse and laptop in the front seat of the car! No matter where I go I just come prepared to handle my business right where I am.
Sometimes I can get so busy that I have to refer back to a strategy that I learned from reading a great book by Zig Ziglar years ago and then Mary Kay Ash started using it.
Its the six list.

Here is mine for the day:

1. Go to swap meet building clean up debris from partitions put up
2. Install MS Office onto laptop
3. Redo first book in Lili series and upload today
4. Call Ministers Alliance to get timeline for advertising for back to school event
5. Contact historical society for press release on musuem restucture
6. Work out

Serious this is my list for the day. Now according to the six list rule you cross off the things on your list that get done, if they don't get done that day you just add it to the next days' list of six. No more than that because you get bogged down.
To be honest with you this list helped me with loads of projects that I do and helped me put out my album yes (shameless promotion) and start the Lili and Friends book series.


Here are photos of proof it works right here because I have finished product.

Sometimes I slack off but as a mom and mogul in my own right, I am going back to what works for me right now.
I am suggesting that anyone that wants to see some results and you are stagnant right now that you use this method and let me know how it turns out for you!
Also I did some research on line about the six list, there are loads of websites out there trying to sell this productivity software based on this idea. Why? I use a simple black composition book and cross off and continue with the next day by just writing it down. My goodnesss how hard is that? Or your cell phone pda or a palm whatever...(that's a sidebar note) Just follow the simple rule of make a list cross off what you do and what you don't do that day put it at the top of the six list for the next day. Simple right?

Chat Later

Mama

Meet KJ

And this is KJ! My sweetheart. Well they all are but he is my only boy. So somehow he is special to me somewhere else in my heart I guess. I know when I had the ultrasound done and my OB told and showed me it was a boy I started to cry! Can you believe that!?
But it was such an exciting time for me. To be expecting a son.
Welp nuff of that I was happy with all of them really.
But he is a year old now and such a ball of energy! I never would have thought that he would be this way.
He beats on everything, climbs on everything and demands all of the attention from all of us in the house. And when daddy comes home he is really spoiled.
But he is a happy baby that loves to pull his diaper off and run away from you so he won't have to put on another one. Hmmmm wonder that is a sign of?
Naaaah I don't think I'm ready for that yet. Let me just enjoy the baby, cause honey he is IT.

Mamma

One Day At A Time Episode 2

Alright Moms out there here comes episode two! Enjoy!

Meet Lili

This is Aaliyah here. She was three years old when we started the "Lili and Friends" book club series. This book is the first in the series. We actually got up to book number five before I had to pull it and revamp everything that we were doing. I wanted it to be done right so I'm working like a fiend to make sure that I have all my ducks in a rowv (yes along with opening the Swap Meet and working from home) to make it happen the way that I see it in my mind. The other part is that I don't have a publisher out there pushing for me to get the exposure on this book so guess who is doing it on her own? Yep .

So back to Miss Lili. She is now five years old and is about to graduate from Pre-k to kindergarten. When she started pre-k it was because she was not talking and was a bit behind in all of her different levels like speech, coordination and the like. So I got her some help immediately. About three weeks ago we got the word in her sixth month review that they were releasing her from all of the therapies because she is now working at age six or above.

To think they wanted to diagnose her as autistic. People here at the school told me go ahead and sign her up for social security and just let her grow up with a stigma on her head. I flat out fought them on it period. She went to day care regularly ...then she would come home and get more education from me. Like speech and jumping on the trampoline for balance and just having fun. I never made a difference in her and the other kids. She has chores, she helps in the kitchen with simple tasks. Next is learning how to tie her shoes!

All I can say is I'm glad that I made the decision to follow MY GUT on MY CHILD and not let them, people in the city that saw this as an opportunity to get a check or anyone else keep me from my goal.

I'm so proud of her and I can't wait to see her in her white cap and gown.

Till next time,

Mamma

You Must Think I'm Stupid

So goes the story here......."Rules are rules" ,..especially in MY HOUSE. Why am I saying that? Well lets start off with one rule I have in my house.

1.If you mess it up, clean it up
2. Keep your clothes picked up in your room.
3. No phone calls after midnite in the summer, 9pm during the school year.
4. No internet after 9pm and you only get one hour of that
5. Take out the trash daily
6. No boys calling my house for you and you not talking to them until you are sixteen and for KJ you don't talk to girls on the phone until YOU are sixteen.

Sounds easy enough right? Not a lot of rules because I'm home working all the time not like you can get into a lot right under your mother's nose.
In terms of going out and hanging with friends, I'm the one in the city that does all the events for the kids. Like parties and other fun things so guess what?...I'm always in your face.
So why do you feel the need to break a rule when you really for all truths sake got it easier than most kids?
You party with your friends at these events I throw, you make money helping me market and promote...you get the picture.

Which one did it? Who is the culprit?

I found out that my fourteen year old was talking to a seventeen year old boy on the phone named Andre'. I was cool I got on the phone and told him she was not allowed to chat with boys on the phone. He sucked his teeth in disbelief but said, "Yes Maa'm" and hung up the phone.

She begged, cried and told me I didn't understand. Oh no? I don't understand? By all accounts you have the coolest mom in the A state right now who plans events for you and your classmates. You get to go to Drill Team Camp, you get to make money online and off, you have your own computer, I let you buy your own clothes, you get your hair done, you have sleep overs with your cousins and classmates, shall I go on? Not only that but I am still thinking of ways to teach you how to get your own paper (money) and still have fun.

I can't be that bad because she got up this morning and I pulled out the tshirt press for her so she could make a tshirt for that last day of drill team camp. And pressed the doggone shirt for her! Then turned around and took her to camp and gave her money for lunch and for the new football shirt they have to have. MMmmmmmmm - All while I am angry because she disobeyed me and then flat out lied to me when I asked who she was talking to. And I STILL got up and did all of that for her.

So I called her Dad and explained the situation and he agreed. He stated that he will be sure to call her and give her a new set of rules. (along with the secret that he will be in town soon....good)

So my question to the audience at large is this.......am I being too hard, un realistic or what or is it "what i say goes cause i'm the mamma?"

Holla at me on this one give me your thoughts.....

mamma

One Day At A Time Episode 1

Watch for episodes weekly. I couldn't find a better tv show in terms of classics. Single mom, making decisions, I thought this would be fun to see. So once a week be on the lookout for new classic episodes! Enjoy!

Meet Timeka

Boy I have some great looking kids! This is Timeka. She just graduated from high school in Milwaukee where she decided to live with her dad since where I live there was "nothing to do".

I am very proud of her and all that she did to graduate. She worked and was in all kinds of school activities along the way to getting her diploma. So that itself is great. Now she is trying to decide what she is going to do with herself since graduating. She was accepted into college at UW-Milwaukee but knows she really wants to do hair. Her father thinks she should get a degree of some sort. She called me and wanted to know what I thought.
I told her to follow her dreams if she knew she would be happy as a cosmetologist then do that. I would hate to see her go to college and drop out because she was not sure. I went back to school so many times and graduated, but right now I'm still thinking about going back yet again. She was not sure if she liked my answer but I assured her that it was ok to take some time and figure it out. Don't rush.
So she calls me the other day as she was waiting on the bus to get to work,.... she's going to cosmetology school.
You know what? Thats great! I'm happy she made a decision to do something. You know what some people are shocked I told her to follow her heart but look "I'm the Mamma" and secondly too many people graduate from high school, go to college and graduate or not and never end up in their field. They end up like I did working as a cashier or something else looking crazy trying to figure out what happened to their American Dream.
One thing about it people are going to always want their hair done so she will never be broke unless she is just lazy and secondly if she decides she wants to go to college and get a degree you know what? She CAN.
Good luck Timeka!

Meet Imani

Pretty Girl huh?

Meet my 14 year old daughter Imani in the white coat. I couldn't begin to tell you who the child is on the other side of her but I take it they are friends. She is my second oldest child and the one that is trying her best to do it ALL as a freshman in high school and the school year has not even started!

For starters she made the Cardinal Drill Team which I'm happy for her on that note but I am officially the taxi cab driver for her since there is no public transportation here where we live.

Not only that but all of her classes are AP or Advanced Placement. So I am expecting her to keep her grades up if she plans on doing this dance thing. Which by the way is not cheap well over 300 dollars for camp attendance and outfits! Are they for real?!

Lets talk about the drill team dance camp that she is attending this week. She has to be there at 9am. Aaliyah has to be on the bus by 7:45 and then I will be taking Ms. Thing to the high school or the camp. Now on top of that I have to be at work at a decent hour to clear my cases and have room for more AND I have a new project called the South Arkansas Swap Meet Expo that needs my attention in terms of advertising, promotion and all of that good stuff like filling it with vendors and just getting the building ready. (all mind you with KJ in tow) Then I have a Juneteenth meeting tomorrow which I volunteer my time for.

Oh did I mention there is laundry that has to be done, and Kevin comes home off the ship this weekend? OMG I didn't even mention that I have to cook and keep a clean house in between all of this other stuff!

Imani is a lucky girl she really is cause she has me to be there for her to get to and from her own life and then rejoin mine. Not only that I'm proud of her so I'll do my best to support her.

Next child , Timeka.

Mid Summer Already?

Well here we go again...yet another year and the kids are deep into summer already! Wow it seems like only yesterday that I was saying this last year. (That makes me laugh) only because I'm thinking that this cannot be another year already. What have we done so far as a family?
Well let me tell you.
1. We had a very successful Juneteenth Celebration this year! Four days of celebration and fun! Even though we did the majority of the work 22 thousand people can't be wrong now can they!?

2. We went to Magic Springs water park in Hot Springs, Arkansas and we got rained out. we had just gotten there too. We had time enough to eat a meal and walk around. I was really bummed about it too cause I had purchased swimwear for Lili and Imani was all dressed up. KJ even had on little swimmers ready for me to sit with him in the little wading pool. But alas it rained and we ended up running to the car for cover.

3. Timeka graduated and that went off without a hitch. I flew there rather than drive which was actually cheaper. Then I made sure to make a note.,,the next time I go anywhere where my famioy is....I'll get a hotel and rental car. Let me just say that there is nothing like your own, bottom line. So next time I go home to Milwaukee it will be an Enterprise and a Holiday Inn in the budget, period.

4. No I'm working on another project. My flea market idea has come to a new place. I moved it from the fair grounds to about a mile and half away from where the new super Walmart is going to be! Talk about wonderful and God looking out for you! So what we are doing right now is just getting the place ready updating the contracts and paying for advertising and banners and all of that fun stuff.

This project is fun because I'm getting a chance to work with my daughter Imani and KJ is there too. All while I work on the swap meet and all of our ideas are becoming real right before our eyes which is great. We have two more weeks to get things ready, but I'm going to start setting up booths now. I know I'm going to set up one and sell somethings and I know I have at least two others who would be willing to set up as well. At least there is going to be sellers here and thats important because people asound here in this tiny town are nosey. Which by all accounts is a great thing.

Welp now I'm ranting I just wanted to get you all up to speed on the things that have been going on in Mamma's life.

Til next time ...tomorrow

Mamma