Put it Down!

Release Those Bags by Keep Trusting God

  I came across the picture above earlier today while having a Twitter convo with a fellow blogger I consider a sister - she's motivated, encouraged and inspired me over the past couple of years in so many areas of my life - faith, entrepreneurship, motherhood, and so much more.

“What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now.”

~Author Unknown

 I was once asked if I regretted the choices and decisions I made earlier in my life - not going to college immediately after high school, not marrying my son's father (called the wedding off a week before we were supposed to say "I do"), staying in Texas as long as I did, the list could go on and on... 

My answer, without hesitating, was no.

The decisions and choices that I made all led to experiences that shaped me to be the person that I am today. While I may not advise others to take the road that I did, it was my road to take and I'm a better, stronger person today because of it.  Yes, I may have made things harder for myself in the long run. But I appreciate the struggle for what it is and rejoice in the rewards from completing the race.

Sometimes I reflect on some of the experiences that I went through and question "why me?" but I heard someone say once "why not me?"

There are some people and experiences that I've let burden me down over the years. I've held on to past hurts and disappointments - carried them around like some sort of badge of honor.  That can get burdensome and tiring.  I know I'm not the only one that's done that.

Somethings need to be put down and left behind.  Forgive, forget and move one.  It may be a situation or a person.  Whatever it is is, release it and move on to bigger and better.

Blessings Divas!

Weekly Reflection

I came across a blog recently that's extremely positive and uplifting...right up my alley, right :)

 Upward Not Inward focuses on God's power in an effort to uplift and encourage. Each Friday, they do Fab Five Friday where they reflect on their previous week and post 5 things about it. Definitely a great way to put things into perspective each week.

As I sit on  my couch with Law & Order re-runs playing in the background, my 4 year old son trying to sneak upstairs to my husband and evade his bedtime, my almost 10-month old daughter drooling on my shoulder as she finally succumbs to the sleep that's been creeping up on her for the past hour...this is my life and I wouldn't trade it for the world...hiccups and all!

This week I am grateful for:

A peace that surpasses all understanding - even mine at times.  Things haven't really been going the way I had anticipated them lately, but I have faith that all will work out the way it should.

This week I enjoyed:

My first networking night hosted by Divas With A Purpose and the company of 8 little ones all day Saturday (in addition to my 2 youngest - so 10 kiddos total!!!). I should get the Auntie / Big Cousin of the year award for that one :)

This week I learned:

Just how much patience I have as a result of having a mass slumber party for 10 kiddos all under the age of 10!

This week I accomplished:

Finally putting up the clothing I'd washed a couple of weeks ago. This is a no judgement zone, Divas!

I am looking forward to:

Getting some organization done this week and my oldest son's 11th birthday this week!

Have a fantastic week, Divas!!!

DWP Spotlight: Kita B.

I'd like to introduce you all to Kita Bryant - wife, mother, blogger at Say What U Wanna, and, now adding, magazine editor to list of many hats with the debut of KoKoa Magazine on August 1st.

What is your passion and how do you use that passion to better your family and community?  

 Why do you do what you do?

My passion is writing and I love helping people get information. I have always wanted to use my writing and my sense of humor to talk about subjects that real people who live like me want to talk about. I am tired of celebrities being the only things our kids see.  I want to focus on people who do extraordinary things without having money or klout to do it. I do this because I want to focus on real people doing real things. 

Who/what inspires you?

My upbringing and my mom inspired me. I never had a lot of money and my mom never made more than $40,000 a year but she owned her own home, never had a car note and dressed me in nice clothes as a child. She knew how to do big things with very little. In today’s economy people need that because if you know better you will do better.

Giveaways Galore - MVM Link-Up

Welcome to the best Giveaway Linkup on the web hosted by Moms with Voices Media! This is a great place to list and find giveaways hosted all around the blogosphere by some great bloggers.

• List your giveaways below.
• Hop over and enter 1 or 2 (or all) of the giveaways! If you're the lucky winner, we'd love to hear!

For more giveaways, sweeps and contests, check out our Giveaway Group on Facebook.

FLASH GIVEAWAY: $50 Home Improvement Gift Card

$50 Home Improvement Gift Card of CHOICE 6-Hour FLASH Giveaway!!!

It's "Home Improvement Week"at 

Show Me the Money!!!

A few AWESOME Bloggers have teamed up 
to give you this wonderful 
 $50 Home Improvement Gift Card of Choice! 
We believe in quick, small, and easy giveaways! 
Our giveaways only have a FEW entries to
fill out and you will know if you WIN in just a couple of hours!  

WHAT FUN!

 Good luck on this 6-hour giveaway! 
See you back on Monday for other great FLASH giveaway!

Here are our WONDERFUL participating sites 

for this 6-Hour FLASH Giveaway!!

Check out these awesome sites when you have time! 

* You can choose Home Depot, Lowes, Amazon, PayPal or Walmart if you are the WINNER!!!

Divas With a Purpose

Mama Luvs Books

Emptynester Review

Acadiana's Thrifty Mom

Mommy's Memorandum

Mom To Bed By 8 

Mom Blog Society 

Powered By Mom 

Deals By GenGen

Coupon Hauls

Deal Doll

Building Carpenters 

Mom Does Reviews 

I Love My Kids

Lady and the Blog

Full Price? Never!

Couponing 4 You

Blush Mamas 

Choly Flower

Keekoin 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thankful Thursday - July 26, 2012

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
― Marcel Proust

Happy Thursday Divas :) 

I love quotes if you haven't noticed by now! And this one really made me reflect on the people who've kept me balanced and smiling this past week.

My family reunion was this past weekend and I got a chance to spend time with relatives I don't see much during the rest of the year. While my relatives have their moments (who has relatives that don't, right???) they are mine and I love them all the more for it.  We can have a spat one moment and be laughing and reminiscing the very next.

Whether it's needing to vent, share some exciting news, needing to be cheered up, or just plain bored or needing adult conversation after being around my 3 kiddos on a regular basis - they are always there in whatever capacity I need them.

Blogger Series Part 5 - Content Control

I'm back with another segment to the blogger series. Even if you're not a regular blogger, I'd love your input on any of the topics. We, bloggers, love to get constructive feedback from our readers and find out what keeps you coming back to our blogs regularly.

As a blogger, there are days when the inspiration for my posts come from the most random, off-the-wall places. There are days when ideas just come tumbling out and I can come up with almost a week's worth of writing in one setting. And then there are those times when I have nothing...a blank wall...empty space...BLAH...I hate those times because it usually means I'm in a completely uncreative space and being unproductive in other areas too.

As a blogger, how do you decide what information is shared on your blog? How do you balance giveaways, reviews and regular content? As a reader, what type of balance do you expect from your favorite blogs? What keeps you coming back for more?

FLASH GIVEAWAY: Bed Bath & Beyond

$50 Bed, Bath and Beyond Gift Card

12-Hour FLASH Giveaway!!!

It's "Home Improvement Week"
at Show Me the Money!!!

A few AWESOME Bloggers have teamed up
to give you this wonderful
 $50 Bed, Bath and Beyond Gift Card!

We believe in quick, small, and easy giveaways!

Our giveaways only have a FEW entries to fill out and

you will know if you WIN in just a couple of hours!

WHAT FUN!

Good luck on this 12-hour giveaway!

See you back on Friday for other great
Home Improvement FLASH giveaways!

Here are our WONDERFUL participating sites
for this 12-Hour FLASH Giveaway!!

Check out these awesome sites when you have time! 

*NOTE: You can choose PayPal/Amazon GC in substitution of the Bed, Bath and Beyond GC.

Divas With a Purpose

Mama Luvs Books

Emptynester Review

Acadiana's Thrifty Mom

Mommy's Memorandum

Mom To Bed By 8 

Mom Blog Society 

Powered By Mom 

Rewards Station

Mom Does Reviews

Coupon Hauls

Deal Doll

Africa's Blog 

Building Carpenters 

Lady and the Blog

Mom Generations 

Full Price? Never!

Sweepstakes Mama

Choly Flower

City Grips

Couponing 4 You

Every Once In A While...

Often times we get caught up in life - being a wife, mother, sister, friend, worker, entrepreneur, the list could go on and on and on - and "forget" to pamper and compliment ourselves.


Take a moment and pat yourself on the back. Share a recent accomplishment.  

Revel in the success of yourself - no matter how minute it may seem. 

Today my biggest accomplishment was making it to work without throttling myself or my children. I know I'm not the only one that has those type of mornings!

So, every once in a while make it an all about you kinda day (or morning or hour, if that's all you can spare) and encourage a friend to do the same. We deserve it!

Blessings Divas!!!

Growth through Errors

There have been instances in your life over which you have regret - let them go. Know that everything happens for a purpose and that you have learned from all things that have transpired in your life. You will come to understand that the many incidents, issues and interactions you have experienced - in which you were tested - were all part of your growth process. From that understanding, you will become a strong proponent of how we live our truths. You will become a teacher of others, for through your struggles you will come to see the simplicity of it all. Do not struggle with it. Allow the insights to come.

I came across this quote over the weekend and it spoke volumes to me. 

No one walking this earth is perfect. We all make errors and mishaps.

The key is growing and learning from them.

Is there a mistake you've made that caused you serious growth in your personal and/or professional life?

I can think of a few - but one that stands out the most right now is not mistaking everyone for a friend or ally. Just because we're friendly with one another does not mean that we're friends. I've, also, learned over the years that being cordial, showing gratitude and just treating others (no matter who they are or what they've done to/for you) as you'd want others to treat you will take you far.  People will appreciate and respond to a genuinely positive attitude and reciprocate.

Moms With Voices Media Giveaways

Welcome to the best Giveaway Linkup on the web hosted by Moms with Voices Media! This is a great place to list and find giveaways hosted all around the blogosphere by some great bloggers.

• List your giveaways below.
• Hop over and enter 1 or 2 (or all) of the giveaways! If you're the lucky winner, we'd love to hear!

For more giveaways, sweeps and contests, check out our Giveaway Group on Facebook.

Financial Friday: Money Fix

My husband and I recently had the opportunity to work with two financial counselors and receive a plan to help us with our finances as part of The Money Fix sponsored by DailyWorth. If you're not familiar with DailyWorth, you are missing out! It's a financial website with tips and stories geared towards women. They discuss real life topics that apply to real women - from savings to investing to entrepreneurial ideas.

A little back story - my husband and I have been married for almost 6 years and never successfully combined our finances. Neither of us really knew what personal bills the other had and it often led to misunderstandings and, sadly, arguments over what needed to be paid or wasn't.  We even got off to a very rocky start with The Money Fix with my husband missing one of our sessions. I was angry, disappointed and embarrassed.  That opened the door to us having a very serious heart-to-heart and beginning to repair some of the communication issues we'd let simmer (and finally boil over) in our marriage.

Thankful Thursday

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. 

~ Brian Tracy

Happy Thursday Divas!!! I hope you're all having a fantastic week! It's been an interesting week around these parts but I'm thankful that I've been able to keep a smile on my face and laugh at my husband's corny jokes.

This week I'm thankful for:

~meeting my youngest niece and my sister and her family making their transition back to the East Coast from the West Coast. The baby of the family was born in April and I was unable to make the trip with my mom to visit. The little diva is absolutely gorgeous.
Here's a picture of the 3 newest additions to our family. My little diva is in the middle :)

~a reprieve from the heat
~my husband taking over cooking duties this week
~the awesome support network I have in my family and friends
 ~my oldest son calling to tell me he loves me
~random hugs and kisses from my youngest son
~my little diva's first tooth "almost" making an appearance

What's on your lists this week, Divas?

Divas With A Purpose, Your Virtual Network, Oh! My Heartsie and Central Bargains & Giveaways would like to wish you all a happy Thursday! 

Thursdays on the Divas With A Purpose network are dedicated to showing gratitude.  A group of wonderful bloggers have gotten together to thank you, our readers, for your support and contributions to our blogs and social networking communities.

One of our readers will receive a $10 Amazon e-gift card. This contest runs from 12:01 AM Thursday, July 19th through 12:01 AM Friday, July 20th.

Winner can receive $10 Pay Pal cash if they'd prefer.

Enter  below on the Rafflecopter form and GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GIVEAWAY - Newman's Own Organic

Hey Divas :)
Welcome to the Newman's Own Organic giveaway ~
Hosted by A Dollar Saved and sponsored by Newman's Own Organic! 

Head over to A Dollar Saved and check out her review on these awesome products!
Say hello and let her know you're a DWP Reader.

One lucky winner will receive a Newman's Own Organic prize pack including the four products that A Dollar Saved reviewed as well as some surprises!

Enter below on the Rafflecopter
~~~ALL entries will be verified~~~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pressing Forward

Ever had something happen or be said that makes you just stop and question yourself. Did I just see or hear what I think I did???

I had one of those moments earlier over the weekend. My first reaction was disbelief. A very unfair allegation was made towards DWP and its motivations in a public forum.

Let me be very clear about what Divas With A Purpose stands for and has stood for from day one - when I was pretty much writing for myself it seemed.  It is about uniting and uplifting women. It is about supporting each other in our personal and professional endeavors.  I truly believe in the village concept when it comes to helping people out.  That's something that was instilled in me as a young child and I hope I'm doing a good job at instilling those ideals in my children.

Yes, there will be times when your work and assistance go unnoticed and unappreciated. I'm okay with that - because for each of those times, there's someone that will send a "thank you" or virtual hug that completely wipes away the negativity.

Marketing Monday: Supporting and Networking

I truly love, embrace and support the spirit of entrepreneurship!

The premise of Divas With A Purpose was to support women who had a vision, a dream, a plan but just didn't know or have the resources to take the next step.

There is definitely power in numbers and I encourage anyone with a small business (direct sales, webstores, Etsy shops, etc are all included in that umbrella) to connect with others, share your knowledge and support one another with our endeavors and dollars. 

Today on my Facebook page, I have a thread dedicated to marketing your small business, service or product - please list them and connect with others.  The purpose of my monthly mystery box giveaway is to bring attention to small businesses that may not have the dollars or following to get their information out there to others.  If you haven't entered yet, you'e missing out on the opporutnity to learn about some great products and possiblyu win some awesome free stuff.  If you're a small business owner and would like to participate in future giveaways, please reach out to me.

MVM Giveaways & Link-Up!

Welcome to the best Giveaway Linkup on the web hosted by Moms with Voices Media! This is a great place to list and find giveaways hosted all around the blogosphere by some great bloggers.

• List your giveaways below.
• Hop over and enter 1 or 2 (or all) of the giveaways! If you're the lucky winner, we'd love to hear!

For more giveaways, sweeps and contests, check out our Giveaway Group on Facebook.

GIVEAWAY: One Direction Amazon Download

Have you heard the group One Direction? Yep! It’s a boy band from the UK, but if you haven’t heard their music, you’re missing out on one of the hottest music trends of today. 

Here’s your chance to win your own mp3 copy of their CD. If you don’t fall in love with at least one of the songs, you can always send it to the tween in your life! They’ll think you’re the coolest aunt/mom/grandmother/friend in the world!

Need to up your ‘coolness ranking’? Hop over to Amazon and listen to a few of the songs. Now, you’ll be ready to talk musical trends at the next family reunion.

Fill out the entries below to win 

a free download of Up All Night. 

This is an Amazon download. You MUST have an amazon account. You can easily import the music into your Itunes account if you desire.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friendship Friday: Summer Fun

Happy Friday Divas!!!

I hope you've all had a fantastic week! I'm looking forward to a weekend filled with laughter, family and friends. I absolutely love the summer time because there's something pretty much every weekend between my family and my circle of friends. My son has made me promise to take him to the beach this weekend (I grew up on the coast and totally take it for granted 94% of the time!).

 

Create With Joy's Friendship Friday

Question Of The Week

Question Of The Week
What’s your favorite way to beat the summer heat?
Please share your answers with us!  

GIVEAWAY: Mystery Gift Box

Welcome to the first official Mystery Gift Box Giveaway hosted by Divas With A Purpose!  We've got some fantastic sponsored gifts for one very lucky diva :)

Entries will be accepted through 12:01 AM on Saturday, July 28th via the Rafflecopter below.

Prizes have been donated by Dorinda's Diva Shoppe, Simply Accessories, Crafty and Sassy Girls, Thirty-One Gifts by Michelle, the MK Diva, and Rosalyn's Scent.

Still accepting sponsors for this month box through the weekend and for future month's! Please email me at divaswithpurpose@gmail.com if you're interested.  There's no fee to participate - you just have to sponsor a prize relevant to your business.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thankful Thursday: Thankful through the Storm

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has." - Epictetus

Just as I started to type this blog post - the rain came down and our satellite has frozen.  My son nonchalantly turned off the television and ran to his room to grab some trucks and cars for him and his sister to play with.  He didn't miss a beat. He didn't complain that he was going to miss the ending to the television show (even though he's probably seen it umpteen times). He just quickly and quietly moved on to the next thing.

Favorite Quote

 

This quote by Henry Ford is one of my absolute favorites.  

Too often we block our progress by telling ourselves that we can't do something based on fear of the unknown, a challenge, new territory, etc.

What's your favorite quote, Divas, and why?

 

Dancing In The Rain

My husband thinks I'm on the verge of losing it most of the time but my kids think I'm the coolest mom ever most of the time. Why? Because I'll do crazy things like eat dessert first on a random occasion or start singing silly songs and have tickle fests out of the blue.  I love to laugh and have a great time.  More so, when it seems like life is determined to make me crawl into a corner and just bawl my eyes out. The past few years have seemed to be a roller coaster of one mess after another. There have seriously been times when I've been scared to ask what next because I just new something else was on the horizon.  What's helped me to keep my sanity? Laughter and having a good time at the most unexpected moments. When it seems like I'm about to just lose it, I find something - anything - to bring a smile to my face.  During the work day, it could be savoring a piece of chocolate from my "in case of emergency" stash or sneaking off to watch my kids play and just enjoy a carefree life at daycare.

My absolute favorite memory is dancing in the rain my sons last year.  I'm sure some of the rain drops mixed in with my tears that soon turned to laughter as I saw the look of pure joy and the stresses and worries of my pregnancy at the time were forgotten for just a brief moment in time...

Please don't think I don't have my breaking moments - the tears do come, the anger or hurt or resentment does bubble over - but at the end of the day if I can't change it I leave it to a higher power and focus my energies on what I can directly influence.

And at the end of the day, everyone knows....

Many thanks to everyone who stopped by yesterday from The SITS Girls - the love, support, kind words all brought a smile to my face and heart! As a blogger, it's great to be shown love from other bloggers who know and appreciate the time and dedication you put into your little space on the web.  You divas rock and I look forward to sharing and growing with you all!!!

Welcome SITSahs!!!

Happy Monday Divas!!! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend - plenty of rest, relaxation and family time! I'm overstuffed on BBQ - I celebrated two weekends in a row with each side of my family AND tossed in a first birthday celebration on the 4th with my BFF of almost 30 years for her youngest son.

Excited to start off this week by being featured on The SITS Girls - a group of 40,000 women bloggers dedicated to supporting one another.  Whether it's through the awesome forum where ideas and questions are shared, through comment love and blogger how-tos and tips.  I've met some wonderful bloggers through this site and welcome those of you visiting for the first time!

Directionally Challenged

Ever been lost? Completely turned around? No clue how you got where you got and no one around to help you out? What did you do? Did you keep trekking forward knowing that someway and somehow you'd run into either the right place or someone or something that could get you in the right direction? Did you back track and try to see how or when you got off course? Did you just stop and try to call or flag someone down to help you out?

Ever notice the way you handle being lost physically correlates to how you handle being thrown for a loop in life?

No matter how you handle your challenges, a few things to keep in mind to help you navigate your way back on course:

~Don't overreact and lose control of your emotions.  This makes you lose focus on your goals.  Keep calm and try to think as rationally as possible.

~No blame game...it won't solve anything and we are ultimately the final decision makers in our lives as adults.  Yes, there may be people who guide and offer advice (solicited or not) but at the end of the day we have the final say.  Even if the actions of others seem to have gotten us in the rut that we are in - just pick up the pieces and keep moving.  No need wasting valuable time and energy on arguments and trying to determine who's right or wrong.

~Don't compare yourself to others or think "if only I had done this, then..." - guess what you didn't do it so move on and accept where you are. You aren't Susie or Sally or Jane and really don't know what they had to endure to get what or where they are.  If you're not happy with that place, then put a plan into action to get you to where you realistically can get to.  What's for you is for you and what's for them is for them.

Over the years my GPS has become my best friend in the car.  I rely on it heavily and I've been thrown off course more times than I care to admit because of user error (entering the wrong address) and technical glitches - it's become a crutch and I'm  learning to trust myself more and rely more on road signs and pre-planning to help determine my course of action.  This applies to road trips and the trip of life.

How do you handle being lost - physically or with life challenges? What's worked for you to help get back on course?

Friendship Friday: The Little Things

Happy Friday Divas!!!

This week has flown by and it's time to enjoy the weekend! One more family reunion to continue the 4th of July festivities! I love July because I get a chance to spend time with family and friends - lots of good food, laughter and bonding!

Create With Joy's Friendship Friday

Question Of The Week

Question Of The Week
Which of life’s little pleasures
Are you most enjoying this summer?

Thankful Thursday - July 5, 2012

Happy Thursday Divas!!!

I hope you all had an enjoyable 4th. For those of us that had to return to work this morning - it was mighty rough but I made it!

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." ~Albert Schweitzer

I absolutely love that quote! How often have you been feeling a little (or a lot!) down and one small act or kind word by someone else brightened your entire outlook? It's not easy being cheerful on a regular basis when life throws you curveballs, but purposely finding ways to spread joy and happiness does something to you and makes it hard for you to be down and out.  Today, I'm extremely thankful for the many people I've crossed paths with that have brightened my outlook, brought a smile to face, and an extra pep in my step - often without even realizing the effect of their words and/or actions. I challenge each of you to be that person for someone today - even if it's a smile to someone looking frumpy, a kind word or two, or a pay-it-forward act of kindness.  Those little acts may very well be someone's lifeline today.

Happy Independence Day!

Today we celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence 236 years ago from Great Britain.  John Adams wrote these words to his wife prior to its signing:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Mr. Adams was off by a couple of days but his words ring true centuries later.

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. 

 ~Author unknown

Childhood Reflections

The events and actions of our pasts shape us in many ways to be the wonderful individuals we are in our adult lives.  No matter the type of childhood we had, we strive to create memories and improve on the lives we had for our children. We want them to look back on their childhood years and have fond memories that overshadow any type of negativity that may creep in.

Overall, I had a great childhood. My parents did their best to protect me from the adult issues that children really shouldn't have to face before their mature enough to process them. For that I'm eternally grateful to them and strive to do the same for my children.