I am so glad it is the weekend! I might get to sleep past eight tomorrow. This week has been hectic as usual. Drop off, pick up, training sessions with Mike and Mari… not complaining I am just explaining. A special thanks to Tracey Seabrook for our first guest blog post yesterday. The Nordstrom Anniversary sale started today. I am looking to purchase a new pair of sunglasses, some shoes and a handbag. (Wish me luck) Another great deal is from my favorite spot “Field of Flowers” all roses are an extra 20% off their already low prices. I grabbed two bunches of coral baby roses yesterday and they are gorgeous. My kitchen looks fabulous. I’m off to shop. Have a fabulous Friday!!!!! Take time to smell the roses!

Happy Thankful Thursday Everyone!

As educators, my mother and I always have random conversations about the state of education today. We were talking about how discouraging it is to see today’s young people with such little value in education and wondering why this is happening? Is it because technology is evolving so quickly that we cannot hold their attention? Is it the lack of parental support or investment in their children’s education? Are kids today less disciplined and more disrespectful? Is it the politicized “Bad Teachers”? Or is it a combination of things? I recall mentioning to her that, as a child, it never occured to me to not attend and graduate from college. The way my parents, aunts, and uncles described it… it was just the natural progression after high school. So, here i am… 32 with not only a Bachelor’s degree, but 2 graduate degrees. And that is a blessing all by itself.

Last week, I had the privilege of attending a screening of the documentary ‘GIRL RISING’. It follows several young girls from different countries and their quests for one thing… an education. Here are young people doing whatever it took, under some of the most unfathomable circumstances, doing some very courageous things in order to get an education. They understood the importance of being educated. Because in the places they live… education is not a right… it is a privilege and a one way ticket out of heartbreaking circumstances. Things I could never imagine because of WHERE I was born. No one complained about how boring it was. No one failed to do assignments or turned in sloppy or incomplete work. No one was out of dress code. The teachers were respected by students and supported by parents. Teachers were not expected to provide materials. I am not going into detail about the film because I believe everyone should see it for themselves. But I will say that I left the movie feeling undeniably greatful and blessed for the oppirtunities that I had… because the education I always assumed I would recieve, is what many can only hope for.

Tracey C. Seabrook, B.A., M.S, Psy.S

Remember a few weeks ago when I said I needed a new pair of sneakers? Well, I got these really cool Nike Free 5.0’s for my birthday. They are so light and flexible. My last pair of frees are like 5 years old (lol). I wore them so much I changed the inserts several times. Thanks to my hubby, I got these oh so fashionable sneaks to rock. They make a statement every time I wear them because of the vibrant colors. You know what that means. I have to coordinate my gear to match my shoes. It has been fun and every time I step out of the house I get compliments. Who ever thought sneakers would grab so much attention. Here is a peak of my new kicks and some options to wear with them.

www.nike.com

It has been three days since the Trayvon Martin verdict. It was suppose to be the George Zimmerman verdict but it seems like Trayvon was the one on trial. This case is causing an uproar all over the country with no sights of it ending anytime soon. Today, I pray for peace. Peace for Trayvon’s family and friends and for this country. We have come a long way, but there is a long way to go before things are really equal. I pray for young boys, like my five year old son, that have no idea what is going on. Hopefully he will never experience anything like this. Peace love and blessing to you all.

You ever wonder why we put ourselves on the back burner as moms? I use to wonder, but I accepted the fact that once you are blessed with a child it is no longer all about you. It is our duty to raise these little beings into people that one day just might be the president, the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. One thing that I learned this year is even though we may have other priorities and duties, our passion should not be crippled. In other words do not use having children as an excuse to put your dreams on hold. Yes, you may have to take baby steps until they are a little older but keep working on whatever “IT” is in the meantime. This week take a step toward your passion, you will be so happy that you did. Live it up! There is no better time than now.

It’s the weekend baby! During the summer, every day feels like the weekend to me. My birthday week is coming to an end but I will continue celebrating “me” all month long! 35 and fabulous is my motto this year! Last night I attended the screening of Girl Rising. It was an eye opener. Sometimes we take for granted that we live where we do and have the freedom that we have. I try to remind myself of this every now and then but after last night, there are no more excuses. Women can do anything. We have the tools to do it all. (Don’t tell my hubby I said that.)It is a great thing to be a woman. Use your strength and talents to do whatever it is your heart desires. This film was an eye opening experience that I will never forget. CNN will be airing the film on July 16th at 9 p.m. Please try to watch it. Girls run the world!

Shilesa Chandler (Hey Girlfriend), Monique Spence (Positive Light Media) and Sharonda (Sporty Mommas, LLC)

It has been a fabulous week so far. I am so thankful for all of the birthday love. It is a blessing to just be here. There is so much going on in the world these days, sometimes the stress of life causes us to complain more than give thanks for the little things. So today I encourage you to list five things you are thankful for and live love laugh every day!

P.S.
Beyonce was AMAZING last night. My feet still hurt from dancing all night. Here is my outfit from topshop.com

It is a little over 8 hours until the “Mrs. Carter Show”! I have been waiting for months, no years to see her live in concert. We purchased tickets right after the Super Bowl when they had a pre-sale. My outfit is ready and I just washed my hair so my curls will be popping tonight. On another note, my birthday was fabulous. I got my workout in, shop on and enjoyed dinner at RED on South Beach with my handsome hubby. I am so blessed to be where I am today. I honestly can not imagine anything else. I will definitely post pictures from the concert tomorrow. Live, Love, and Laugh everyday!!!