mom – Page 2

Fun Facts

Filed under: Mom Life · January 3, 2018

This year I pledged to live authentically, bold, live life to the fullest, silly, fun and free to be …. ME! So I thought it would be fun to kick off 2018 with a few fun facts about me. There’s more but I will save some for my book! (The one I have been trying to write for 2 years) So here we go.

I’m the oldest of two siblings born and raised in Miami, FL.
My dream job was always to be in show business or entertainment. I always wanted to be a model and actress but I was told that I was too short. (So if there are any agents reading this, inbox me please)
I LOVE butterflies.
I was born with congenital scoliosis and had a life changing surgery when I was 17.
I struggle with being consistent.
I am a Cancer. #almost40
I could eat seafood every night especially shrimp.
I taught elementary school for 5 years before becoming a WAG/SAHM/WAHM.
I have lived in Miami most of my life but thanks to MLB I got to live in Minnesota, Oakland, and Toronto for a while.
I love my husband and three kids more than anything in the world.

XO,

Sharonda

So Long 2017

Filed under: Mom Life · December 30, 2017

As we inch closer to the new year and reflect on all of the ups and downs of 2017 one word stands out, PATIENCE. It was a long and trying year for almost everyone I know. Starting with the inauguration of the President and well shit just seemed to go downhill from there. Anxiety levels were sky high, racial tension reappeared like it was 1985 and well life as we knew it had changed. Then you add in all of our personal drama and it just seemed like a roller coaster ride that never quite stopped.

I know that I am not the only one that felt the strain. We talked about it daily on social media and in our small circles amongst our “real” friends. We argued over politics and we unfollowed people on Facebook. We marched in protests. We attended the weddings and funerals of our loved ones. We got bad news from doctors. We laughed and we cried. But we made it. We overcame some of the hardest days of our lives and that says a lot. 2017 will be remembered as a year of loss but also a year of finding the strength that we never knew we had. It was a year full of lessons for the future. I have learned so much about myself. I am definitely not who I was on December 30, 2016 and that is a good thing.

This year has taught me a lot about slowing down and letting go of the things that no longer serve me. I know you have probably heard it before but the mind is very powerful and when you learn to control your mindset things tend to go much smoother. It is not what happens to you but how you react to it. I have learned that relationships change and that it is okay if you don’t have the same friends or talk to them every week. I have learned that it is okay to say no to invitations or volunteering if you just don’t have the time. Most importantly, I have learned to say yes to me and my personal wants and needs. We as mothers tend to put ourselves last and as a result the burnout, frustration and fatigue will come in and hit you like a ton of bricks. But if we are patient and just as compassionate to ourselves as we are towards others we will live happier more fulfilled lives.

So I thank God for the lessons of 2017. The beautiful ones and the ugly painful ones. It was not at all what I expected. But I learned the power of compassion, forgiveness and self love. 2018 I am so happy to see what you have in store for us. I know it will be amazing.

Happy New Year,

Sharonda

Time Out Please

Filed under: Mom Life · December 9, 2017

My friend always laughs at me when I share with her my agenda for the day. Just about everyday we send messages to each other sometimes asking for makeup or wardrobe advice, to vent or just checking in to see how the other one is doing. And everyday she tells me how crazy my schedule is for someone who doesn’t work a full time job. #momof3

Being a SAHM/Mompreneur is more than a full time job and sometimes I have to admit, it gets to be pretty damn stressful. This week was one of those weeks where I was literally pulling my hair out. Then I realized while I was sitting in traffic trying to get to my next event that this may be why my hair has popped off in the middle of my head. I spend so much time twisting and pulling at the same part of my hair that over the past few months I have pulled it out. Okay that and a combination of pressing it one too many times.

I would like to blame it on Mercury Retrogade but my schedule this week was bananas. My middle kid called home sick twice. My oldest had 4 basketball games. The youngest a soccer game. Then there was the normal drop-off and pick-ups. Meetings with teachers. My son had his first round of treatments. Planning and hosting the holiday soiree and toy drive. Trying to decide on a Christmas card. Two play dates, a soccer game and a birthday party. Oh and homework we can’t forget about the hours spent at the kitchen table doing homework. It was cray cray!

So on Wednesday after hosting my last FemCity Miami event, I realized that I needed to take a break. I needed to do something for me. So, I made my way to a gentle yoga class to de-stress . It was a good step but during class the instructor asked if I get regular massages. I replied ummm no. Who has time for a regular massage? (I bet you don’t either) I think I get one like every 6 months. Usually from a gift certificate or something. She replied, no you should schedule a monthly massage. I thought about it and said hell yeah I should. I deserve it.

The next day I laid on the massage table and got my massage. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy it, I purchased the monthly membership and scheduled my next visit. If I would have waited, I never would have taken the time out for me. Sometimes we have to just do it. Don’t think about how much money you have or what activity you have to cancel or what’s next on your to-do list. Take an hour or two to do something for you. I woke up feeling so much better the next day. Paired with a Shot of Joy and the stress is truly gone. My husband even acknowledged that my frown disappeared lol. So my message for you is to just do it. Don’t wait until you are drained and stressed out. Do something for yourself today!!!!

XO,

Sharonda

Gift Guide 2017

Filed under: Mom Life · December 7, 2017

We are getting closer and closer to Christmas and if you are like me, you might not be ready. Our Christmas tree was in our home for 6 days before I even had a chance to decorate it. I literally just hung the lights up yesterday. That is how busy we have been over the past few weeks. However, I have purchased a few gifts and have been browsing magazines, the mall and Pinterest looking for cool gifts. Here are a few of my favorites for 2017! I also included a few of my favorite charities if you are interested in giving back this season.

Kendra Scott Earrings

Yoga Mat

Backpack

Favorite Charities:

The Miami Foundation (The Sporty Mommas Charitable Fund)

Honey Shine Mentoring

Holtz Children’s Hospital

Children’s Home Society

XO,

Sharonda

Twenty One Days

Filed under: Mom Life · December 4, 2017

My meditation practice started about 4 months ago. I tried it a few times in 2015 and 2016 but never really could get into it. I downloaded the Headspace App and listened to a few sessions but well that was that. I kept hearing about it and seeing other people on social media talking about it but it took me a few months to really give it a shot. It was over the summer when I couldn’t shake off the fear and uncertainty of the new autoimmune diagnosis and well the life of being a busy mom of three. There’s so much going on in the world and then we have our own personal issues and the pressure of being the best mom and holding it all together. We are always on the go. Drop off, pick up, soccer practice, basketball practice, play dates, doctor appointments. Even in my sleep my brain never stopped thinking about….life.

In July I attended a FemCity Miami meditation on the beach. I was exhausted and really didn’t think that I could make it to the beach by 8 a.m. But I had to go, I planned the event. The actual meditation lasted only about 35 minutes. It was pretty good but it was the conversation that the six of us had after that made me release all my preconceived feelings and fears and just surrender. I told them how I wanted to start a practice but I had a hard time being consistent and my friend Ana told me to just do it.

So I figured if it worked for Oprah, Gabby Bernstein and my FemCity friends well I better give this meditation thing a try. I began reading articles and looking for books that would help guide me. I came across a Russell Simmons’ book and paid closer attention to the Glow Maven. Yes, I was looking for people that looked like me. I was a little confused with prayer versus meditation and I was wondering did black people really do this? I know I am crazy for thinking that but hey I am keeping it real. I was raised in the church and all I know is that we pray. We pray for everything and keep it moving. But there is power in stillness. It is amazing what it can do for you.

I kept reading that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Good or bad. I pledged to give it a try for five minutes twice a day for 21 days and if I didn’t feel a difference then I would try something else. Well I made it to day 20 and Hurricane Irma started traveling towards Miami. I was so rattled and frustrated with the storm due to surviving Hurricane Andrew that my namaste turned to oh hell no let’s get up out of here. We packed up the car and headed north. It only took me 2 days to realize that I better find a quiet place real quick or I was going to be messed up. The anxiety and tension levels were extremely high everywhere we went. The hotel, grocery stores, the mall and the gas stations. We were all on edge. But once we got settled into our second hotel, I found a space to meditate. And so far I haven’t skipped a day since.

Meditation has changed my life. I still get a little rattled some days but I feel so much better. Whenever I get that anxious feeling I start to connect with my breath and try to find a quiet place. Sometimes it is in the car during pickup time or in a bathroom because I am hiding from my kids lol. I wish that I learned this in my twenties. But hey we live and we learn. The benefits of a daily practice include reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, aids in fat loss, better skin, increases fertility and better memory. Here are a few tips to begin your practice.

Start small (a few minutes a day makes a big difference)
Focus on your breathing.
Find a book, app, or website that will help guide you.
Get comfortable ( try a meditation pillow or even lay down)
Expect your mind to wonder
Be consistent

Namaste,

Sharonda

P.S.

Let me know what you think, or if you have any questions.

Give Thanks

Filed under: Mom Life · November 30, 2017

You know the phrase “What a difference a year can make”? Well mommas, it has been one hell of a year. Last Thanksgiving morning my son was sick. We thought he had a stomach virus because there was one circulating around the third grade at his school. He was so ill that he could not enjoy his Thanksgiving dinner at all. We would go months without knowing just what was causing his symptoms. Around the same time, my father in law was experiencing unusual symptoms as well. We all tried our best as a family to keep going and enjoy the holiday season but it wasn’t quite the same. To make matters even worse our neighbor and a close friend passed away just a few days after Thanksgiving.

I have been so hesitant about sharing this with you all. I am a pretty private person but hopefully through sharing our story, I can help someone else. This has been a very painful time. I often found myself questioning God. Why so much at one time? Why is my son sick? What did I do wrong? It would take months to find out his diagnosis. Chrohn’s disease. At first I was in denial. I didn’t think that kids could even get that. I thought it was a disease in adolescence or older adults. I really had never even heard of black people having the disease. I hate to even label him as pediatric Chrohn’s. But test after test showed signs of this disease. We have been to several doctors, reached out to specialists, tried a holistic approach, acupuncture and all. He even got better but 6 months later it reappeared.

Choosing a treatment path is one of the hardest things to do. As parents we only want the best for our children. I really don’t like medicines. I will use them if nothing else works but the thought of giving him the wrong medicine or over treating his symptoms at such a young age scared the shit out of me. But here we are a year later and we had to make a decision. I have to trust and pray that the doctor knows more than me and take her advice. In a few weeks we will be starting treatment. I hope and pray that it is the right decision.

After talking to several friends and even strangers over the past few weeks, I have learned that so many of us are going through challenging times. When you are going through it, you think that you are the only one going through hard stuff, or no one understands what you are going through. Everyone paints the perfect picture on social media. But when you take a step back and look around your trials are not hardly as bad as others. I have also learned that we can heal by helping others during their difficult times. Sharing our stories can help too. I have met so many new moms from sharing my story.

So this Thanksgiving we are so very thankful for all of our blessings. We are thankful that we are able to enjoy this thanksgiving dinner together. Our family is a little smaller now. My father in law lost his brief battle with stomach cancer in February. But, sometimes that’s just the way life goes. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband, beautiful children and supportive family and friends. Most importantly, I am thankful for being alive and able to make a difference in the lives of others.

XO,

Sharonda

Fashionista Friday

Filed under: Fashion, Fit Moms · October 13, 2017

Omg! The hubby and I are heading to a concert next week and I am so excited. But what should I wear??? I need something cute and comfy cause I plan on dancing all night long! Hear are a few of my favorites from Zara. Which one do you like?

2.3.

Breast Cancer Awareness

Filed under: Fit Moms · October 10, 2017

I met Cindy a few years ago through a friend actually a fellow Fem when I was trying to connect with a local breast cancer charity. We spoke for about an half hour and I knew that she was special. She shared her story of survival and the work that she continues to do in Miami and around the world for women affected by breast cancer. She is currently working on filming a documentary. We have been trying to meet in person for about two years but something always comes up. This year I made the extra effort to make sure that I could get to her annual fashion show at Bloomingdales. After attending Blogalicious yesterday and waking up feeling under the weather, I knew that I had to keep it moving and get my a$$ to Bloomingdales. I still haven’t given Cindy a hug in person because I had to rush off to my son’s basketball game (#momlife) but I am so glad that I made it to the show.

Cindy

The show wasn’t just fun it was educational. I learned that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. I learned that dogs can get breast cancer too. Did you know that most of the funds that are raised do not actually go to treatment or research? I also learned about METAvivor . METAvivor is dedicated to the specific fight of women and men with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. It is currently the only organization in the US dedicated to awarding annual stage 4 breast cancer research. Ironically, a friend of ours Lizzy is currently fighting metastatic breast cancer as I am learning about all of this. Lizzy is a beautiful mom of 2 that also needs our prayers and support. Her home was recently destroyed by Hurricane Irma. Her family has set up a gofundme page to assist with their unexpected expenses.

Lizzy

Throughout the fashion show, beautiful women (all breast cancer survivors) strutted down the runway. Most were moms just like us. Some were diagnosed as early as their late twenties. It was so amazing to see their strength and to hear some of their stories. It was inspiring to see them walk the runway with pride and radiate beauty. Watching them reminded me of my aunt Karen Pendergrass, who passed away at age 39 from breast cancer. She was a beautiful wife and mom of 2. She is the reason why I am so passionate about fundraising and finding a cure. I know that medicines are getting better and better but I pray that one day they really find a cure.

Yamilla

Preventative Tips

Annual screening begins at age 40 unless your physician recommends it sooner
Regular Exercise
Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Eat your fruits and veggies
Consider taking the Brac Analysis Test
Perform monthly self exams
Control your weight
Quit Smoking and resort to alternatives such as Snus thailand

Tamara & I

XO,

Sharonda

P.S.

Don’t forget to schedule your mammograms!!!!!

Self Love

Filed under: Mom Life · October 7, 2017

Moms, we have so much love in our hearts and we are constantly giving it away freely. In fact, we are so busy sprinkling our love dust on everyone, we forget about caring for ourselves. Making the choice to show ourselves a little love daily, can replenish our hearts and souls so that we can keep giving without feeling completely drained. Try one of these self-love suggestions today!

1. Drink your coffee while it’s hot. Every morning my coffee goes cold. That delicious, invigorating caffeine aroma fills the air, making its way to my nose. But before I can finish raising my cup to my lips… someone is crying or pooping or my husband has lost something that he needs right away. Moms are wired to respond to everything immediately. It’s like we think the house will fall if we don’t attend to every situation in that very instant. But we need to remember to tend to ourselves too. No one will collapse if you sit for 2.5 minutes to drink your coffee.

2. Get in touch with an old friend. In the last year, I found myself so wrapped up in the work of motherhood, I barely saw my friends. I could count on one hand the number of times I met with anyone outside of family. Last week I had the chance to go to lunch with 2 girlfriends. I had an amazing time. We shared our joys and struggles and we laughed and laughed and laughed (I had way too much wine). I felt like my soul had been refreshed. Even texting or video chatting with an old friend and sharing about life, can help us moms feel renewed. Motherhood can be isolating and it’s important to connect with people that we love and trust.

3. Get moving. There are a million reasons or excuses why we don’t get active, but there are so many more reasons why we should. Movement and exercise releases stress and gives us more energy. Toddler won’t nap? Put on your favorite dance song and teach that little one some moves. If they’re napping, take 10-15 minutes out of that nap time to do a short workout. There are numerous free exercise apps that can give you suggested workout routines that suit your particular body goals.

4. Beautify. Ask a trusted friend or family member to babysit for an hour or two, so you can spend some time on you! Get a haircut or a mani/pedi. If money is tight you can do it at home! Treat yourself to a “diy” pedicure or facial after the kids are in bed. Take an extra-long shower and put an olive oil treatment in your hair. A little self-care goes a long way to help us remember ourselves and feel human and beautiful again.

5. Meditate. Motherhood is overwhelming and all-consuming. Moms can get bogged down and depressed by the never-ending chores and tasks that come along with the job. When you can, take a few quiet moments for yourself. Sit in a comfortable spot, close your eyes, and take some deep breaths. Let your mind be filled with all the things you are grateful for in your life. Some relaxing music might help the process too! Just a few minutes of this can change your perspective and outlook for the day.

Love yourselves today moms, you deserve it!

Have you downloaded our free mommy wellness self check? Take this opportunity to reflect on your own wellness and make the changes you need to live a happier and healthier life!

Download my free mommy wellness self check!

Written by:

Nicola Rios Nogales

Ispeakmom.com

Quick Recipe Idea

Filed under: Recipes · October 4, 2017

Don’t you just love when people ask you what do you do all day? As a stay at home wife/mom/mompreneur /school volunteer/tutor/housekeeper, I know that you don’t just sit at home all day or play tennis. We wear many hats. Most of us have mastered the art of juggling running the household and our businesses. I must admit, #Momlife definitely isn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be. After running around all day the magic question comes out, “what’s for dinner?” It can be very challenging trying to feed your family healthy nutritious meals every day. A few weeks ago I discovered stir-frying. I never really thought much about it. (I don’t know why not) It is so easy and makes a great meal in like twenty minutes. It’s perfect for those long days after basketball or soccer practice. Try mixing your favorite veggies with chicken or shrimp and add over jasmine rice or pasta and voila dinner is done! What are your favorite go to meals? Share them with us at info@sportymommas.com! Happy Hump Day!

P.S.

Most grocery stores have a prepackaged stir-fry mix ready to go!!!! #wholefoods #freshmarket #publix

XO,

Sharonda