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Beyonce Looks Amazing Pregnant

22 Sep

We talked about how Beyonce shocked the world by announcing her pregnancy at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.

Not surprisingly, Beyonce is still Running the World!!!

Before you say ANYthing negative about Bey, remember SHE IS ONE OF US NOW!!!

A glowing and barely showing pregnant Bey make an appearance Wednesday night at the New York launch party for her third fragrance scent called Pulse.

Is there any Kryptonite for Beyonce??? Nothing holds her down or steals her beauty.

She looked flawless and her legs of steel seemed to steal the show at her launch party.

In a recent interview she discusses her pregnancy and motherhood:

AP: Your recent fashion show in London (with mother Tina Knowles for House of Dereon) was about empowerment. This scent is about empowerment. Why is that important to you?

Beyonce: I just enjoy being a woman and especially right now, I just feel so empowered. I think that is sort of my place in the world, for people to see that you can be an entrepreneur. You can have goals and dreams and you can grow and be strong and have your strong opinions, and all of these things bring that out in you.

AP: Does pregnancy make you feel more empowered?

Beyonce: Absolutely. It is the most powerful creation for you to be able to have life growing inside of you. There is no bigger gift, nothing more empowering.

AP: You have the fragrance, the clothing line, a husband, career and a baby on the way. What is next on your bucket list?

Beyonce: Balance. I am still working on balance and still growing. I am starting my company, my label. I want to create a boy band. I want to continue to produce and do documentaries and music videos. I eventually want to start directing for other artists. Once I know that I have my stuff together and I trust that, I can do it for other artists. I see so many male artists building these empires and passing their knowledge on to other artists and development. I see myself doing the same thing and hopefully other younger artists when they grow up and they have been around for 15, 20 years, they can do the same thing.

AP: What advice have you gotten from your mother and sister on motherhood?

Beyonce: I have the best examples around me because my sister is the most incredible mother. My mother, I am so proud of her. I see her and I could cry every time I think about her because she is such an incredible woman, so I just pray that I have the same bond with my children, child.

AP: Will the baby go everywhere with you?

Beyonce: Yes, I will probably be that way. I am sure I will. I think that it shouldn’t stop you. I think of course my life is going to change, and I definitely will make sacrifices, but you know, I think I will be able to bring hopefully my little rider with me.

AP: You are pregnant but work nonstop. How do you keep your energy up?

Beyonce: I think it is just passion. When you are excited about something, you don’t have to think about your energy. It is natural and comes from adrenaline. It is important that I don’t look at this as like an illness. I am not sick. I am the same woman and I have the same passions.

AP: What is your pregnancy style?

Beyonce: I think I have been trying to find things that of course are flattering to the silhouette. I think a woman’s curves when she is pregnant are so beautiful. I don’t want to get matronly, and I still find things that are sensual and feminine and funky. I have been mixing different textures and suit jackets and blazers. I don’t want to be in the same dress every day.

See Ladies…all these years, women have hated on Beyonce’s beauty and success, and low and behold, she has the same issues just like us!

So excited to see the 30 year old beauty as a mommy.

She is the epitome of A Hot Mama: smart, stylish, and strong.

I won’t be surprised if this Mompreneur looks better post baby than she did 5 years ago.

I am anticipating a Beyonce maternity line, baby/lullaby CD, children’s toy line, baby jewelry and fragrances.

Motherhood is so inspiring and empowering.

Mommies, Listen up, I have a feeling this Halo wearing beauty will pop out her Baby Boy or Naughty Girl, fall Crazy in Love with her child,  then continue to Run the World Until the End of Time.

New Heinz Ketchup Packet

20 Sep

We are a ketchup family.

I don’t keep mustard or mayo in the house, so ketchup and BBQ sauce always get extra attention.

Like most families, we hoard the ketchup packets at restaurants.

When we get fries, Mo and B have fun wrestling with the ketchup packets trying to (unsuccessfully) open them.

Then I give it a go, tussling with the right corner, then the left, going back and forth between using my teeth and fingernails…

*FINALLY* that fateful moment when the clouds open and the ketchup is free from the lil packet…

Well, after 42 years, Heinz has re-designed the Fort Knox ketchup holder.

The orignal packet has been challenging ketchup connoisseurs since 1968.

After 3 years of design modification, it has been unveiled to the public.

This is almost as big as VW revealing the new model Bug.

The re-designed Heinz packet holds 3x more red gold than the original. This is great bc I end up using about 20 packets anyway just for one large fry.

The other big change is that it can be used in ”squeeze and pour” or “dipping” mode. KEWL. Kinda reminds me of the chicken nugget dipping sauces.

I see a couple downfalls though:

1. The cost to produce these new “high tech” packets costs restaurants 3x more than what they pay for the original rectangular ones. Since fast food chains give these away FREE, my 8-ball forecasts these prices later being passed on to the consumer.

2. It uses a lot of plastic. Prolly not a good thing with the world becoming more and more environmentally conscious.

I guess only time will tell.

Chick Fil-A and Dairy Queen have started carrying the new crack packets.

Heinz will also be selling the packets in packs of 10 for a suggested retail price is $1.99. You can find them at retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Target, Kroger and Safeway stores.

I can’t wait to get my hands on 20 a few.

P.S- Now I’m craving french fries.

 

Best And Worst At Trader Joe’s

8 Jul

Apparently, I am not the only one who looooves Trader Joe’s.

I have a blog category devoted to Trader Joe’s.

But a dude named Nathan has devoted an ENTIRE BLOG to What’s Good At Trader Joe’s. He and his wife Sonia review various products, along with their friend Russ Shelly and his wife Sandy.
Pretty cool.

These guys then did top 5 ratings for The Daily Meal .

Quite a few of these items are on my regular TJ’s shopping list. A few others, I plan to try next time.

Here are their findings:

Top 5 Vegetarian
1. Veggie Sausage Patties (9 points)
I’m a meatatarian by nature and nurture, and sausage is by far one of my favorites. These veggie patties come extremely close to matching the real thing. If meat grew on a tree this is how it would taste.

2. Trader Jose’s Mildly Spiced Vegetable Burritos (8.5 points)
I was amazed at how good these were. I love meat, and I love spicy, but there’s something about these that make them surprisingly and undeniably good. The burritos definitely have more of a kick than expected, too.

3. Paneer Tikka Masala (8 points)
One of my wife’s favorites, and it’s up there for me too. The masala sauce is intoxicating, and it ties together a very good, somewhat off the beaten track microwave lunch.

4. Lentil Soup with Ancient Grains (8 points)
This stuff seems straight from another time from another part of the world. It’s thick and chunky and extremely filling. This ain’t no canned soup. We make a beeline for it when shopping.

5. Apocryphal Pita and Roasted Garlic Hummus (8 points)
Pitas and hummus make a classic vegetarian pairing, and this combo should not be missed.

Top 5 Breakfast
1. Organic Mango Passion Granola (10 points)
Finally, a breakfast cereal worth waking up for. It actually puts a smile on my face early in the morning and keeps me full until lunch. The Mango Passion Granola truly has my respect.

2. Breakfast Scramble (8.5 points)
Quick ‘n easy potatoes, onions and eggs, and shockingly good out of a microwave. Tough to beat for a hot meal on a busy morning without a drive-thru involved.

3. Frosted Maple and Brown Sugar Shredded Bite Size Wheats (8.5 points)
A tasty twist on a cereal classic. The maple and brown sugar flavor make for an easy morning for the taste buds and the biscuits are crispy crunchy to the last spoonful.

4. Organic Lowfat Yogurt Wildberry Probiotic Smoothie (8.5 points)
Quick and portable for a quick grab. They could be a little bigger, especially if you wake with the hunger of a bear coming out of hibernation, but for what they are, they’re pretty darn good.

5. Heart Healthy Whole Grain Blueberry Instant Oatmeal (7.5 points)
Some mornings only oatmeal will do. Sorry Wilfred Brimley, this stuff is tough to beat.

Top 5 Appetizers
1. Heat & Eat Falafel: (9.5 points)
Ridiculously easy. Ridiculously satisfying. And ridiculously good paired with some TJ’s hummus. They’re spicy, homey, and have instant comfort. They’re restaurant quality for a fraction of the cost.

2. Thai Joe’s Coconut Curry Chicken Stix (8 points)
The stix are good enough to rival spring rolls at many Thai restaurants. For being a one-trick pony, Thai Joe did pretty well for himself here.

3. Parmesan Pastry Pups (7.5 points)
Not a lot of Parmesan, but good pastry, and thankfully, no pups involved. A good twist on the classic pig in a blanket, especially since the mini-dogs are beef.

4. Scallop Bites (7 points)
More delishy than fishy. These certainly make a decent seafood snack, and would be sure to please a crowd.

5. Mini Chicken Tacos (7 points)
A little plain, and not for those who are weirded out by miniature foods. Still, a pretty good facsimile, however smaller, of a pretty decent taco.

Top 5 Biggest Winner Versus Expectation
1. Baker Josef’s Chocolate Cake and Frosting Mixes (10 points)
Nathan and Sonia’s biggest pleasant surprise was the Baker Josef’s Chocolate Cake and Frosting Mixes. Neither one of them is really a “chocolate cake person,” but they might be if all chocolate cakes tasted like this one.

2. Green Plant Green Food Beverage (6 points)
Okay, it’s not highly rated, but it was definitely one of the biggest pleasant surprises for me. It looked disgusting and I had to swallow hard before trying it, but the green beverage actually turned out to be fairly good overall. I definitely thought I’d score it much lower.

3. Heart of Darkness Mango Passion Fruit Blend (8 points)
After the very unsuccessful Organic Mango Nectar, we were a little hesitant to try this one, but it’s really tasty. A bit oddly inspired, to be sure.

4. Chicken & Cheese Tamales (8 points)
Frozen microwavable tamales that actually taste good? That’s possible? In a word, yes.

5. Omega Orange Carrot Juice (7.5 points)
One of the most uniquely delicious tasting juices we’ve ever tried. It’s so good, it doesn’t taste healthy.

Bottom 5: Worst. Stuff. Ever.
1. Turkey “Meatloaf Muffins” (0 points)
Easily one of the worst things I’ve ever put in my mouth since being old enough to know better. And that says a lot. To date, still the only 0 we’ve ever granted. My wife Sandy was smart enough to never even try them. I wish I was as wise.

2. Fat Free Spicy Black Bean Dip (2.5 points)
If you like hummus-fied dark super vinegary matter, you’ll like this. Not spicy at all and we cannot verify if there are really black beans or anything other than vinegar in it.

3. Satay Peanut Sauce (3 points)
Tastes fishy. Literally. That’s not even close to what satay peanut sauce is supposed to taste like.

4. Chile Spiced Mango (3 points)
Way too much chile and not enough mango. Flavor combinations can’t be this one sided.

5. Trader Joe-San’s Green Beans (3 points)
A little too out there texture-wise, and very inconsistent from one bite to the next. Pretty bland as well

Biscoff Knockoff

25 May

One of my favorite things about flying Delta is those little cookies you get. Yup….you know the ones wrapped in the shiny red paper that taste soooo amazing.

I love when my friends fly and they bring me back the scrumptious souvineers (yes, I am not too proud to beg for free cookies).

Well, I finally discovered you can actually buy these cookies. They are made by BISCOFF.

They aren’t cheap though. A few times I caved in to my cravings and ordered online a few times. Then I realized I’d prolly come out cheaper just booking a flight on Delta and grabbing handfuls when the flight attendants weren’t looking.

But low and behold, TRADER JOES comes along to save the day!!!!!!!

They are now selling a Biscoff knockoff.

They call their Biscoff imposter, Bistro Biscuits.

Now, wait a minute, I don’t support knockoff purses or jewelry, but I go all in for a knockoff Biscoff.

They taste almost identical, and the Trader Joes brand is only $1.99 for a 7 0z pack.

WARNING: You cannot eat just 10, these things are addictive.

Enjoy!!

P.S- The kids love these too. When my boys were teething, they used these to knaw on as teething biscuits.

Mo’s Soul Glo

25 Apr

One of my favorite movies is Eddie Murphy’s Coming To America.

I can watch it over and over. I was so happy to introduce this work of genius to Mo. We both laughed together.

Hands down, my favorite scene is when 3 family members sporting jheri curls get up from a couch and we see their Soul Glo residue. The other day Mo had a Soul Glo moment and I had to share.

Soul Glo sponsors, please hold the phone lines. Mo isn’t wearing curl activator. His locks use natural fruits and berries. JK. The couch imprint is courtesy of EVOO…extra virgin olive oil. (It does wonders for his hair).

Origins Perfect World Gift Set

21 Apr

I don’t really wear/buy make up. I’m a lip gloss and mascara kinda girl. When occasion calls for getn fancy, and I attempt makeup application, the results reflect those of a lil girl who snuck into mommy’s makeup bag.

Soooooooo…..since I save so much money by not buying makeup, I do try and follow a regular face skin care treatment. Afterall, between sunbathing in the LA sun, outdoor playdates with the boys, and numerous sporting activities at the park, I really should take care of my skin.

I have tried all kind of skin care products from the high end (La Mer, Epicuren, Ole Henricksen, Chanel) to the drugstore brands (Neutrogena, Loreal, and Aveeno). My favorite skin care lines have been the middle of the road priced brands (Kiehil’s, Aveda, Origins,).

My number priority with skin care is: ♥SMELL♥!!!!!!!

The middle price range products really seem to focus a lot on natural ingredients which means great smelling ingredients: (peppermint, fruits, berries, etc). I feel like my skin is damaged naturally (sun, toxins, hit in face by Hot Wheels, etc) so the best way to repair/maintain is naturally.

Right now, I am goo goo for the ORIGINS line. It promotes recycling, plants trees when products are purchased, uses 100% essential oils and certified organic ingredients,and no animal testing.

One of my favorite products is their moisturizer,  A Perfect World SPF 25,

First of all, it smells REALLY good. It has a nice sweet clean citrus smell that I love. It also has SPF 25 which should be imperative for any facial moisturizer these days.

*This super-charged, antioxidant moisturizer with White Tea, Maritime Pine and UVA/UVB sunscreens surrounds skin in a protective bubble to help delay the appearance of premature aging signs. Oil-free.

*In a test that simulated ground ozone pollution, it demonstrated 76% less environmental damage*.

  • Best for age fighting protection
  • For combination/dry skin

The best thing about this moisturizer is that Origins is running a great ♥Mother’s Day promotion♥ now. For just $4 more than the price of the moisturizer, you get the mositurizer PLUS their regular sized cleanser, mask, eye cream, and application sponge. HELLLLOOOOOO……it doesn’t take a genius to recognize the bargain here. I have been using all these products and I love them.

A Perfect World™ gift set ($66.50 Value) for $42.50

Includes:

A Perfect World™ Antioxidant cleanser with White Tea net wt. 1.7 oz./50 ml

Clear Improvement™ Active charcoal mask to clear pores 1.7 fl. oz./50 ml

A Perfect World™ SPF 25 Age-defense moisturizer with White Tea 1.7 fl. oz./50 ml
A Perfect World™ for Eyes Firming moisture treatment with White Tea 0.17 fl. oz./5 ml
Facial Sponge

This makes a great Mother’s Day gift or get it for yourself, just because you deserve it!!!!

Don’t wait til you’re old and wrinkly to start taking care of your skin. Prevention and maintenance is key.

Lice Removal

15 Apr

Growing up in the South, I always thought lice was something that affected uneducated people in the deep back woods of Georgia who went to UGA.

However, this myth was broken when Mo was sent home early with LICE.

Yes, of course the kid with the thickest, longest, curliest hair gets lice. OMG, what a pain!!! It had been going around in this classroom and Mo got it.

Lice seems to be somewhat of a taboo subject. A lot of parents don’t talk about it or volunteer that their child has had it…UNTIL you say your kid has had it. I even had problems finding message boards and personal experiences online about lice.

For those who don’t know, lice are little insects that live on the scalp. It is spread easily among young kids because small kids tend to play closely.

So…….leave it to me to break the silence!

I will start by saying, LICE IS A PITA!!!!!!

The process to remove lice is a tedious one bc head lice can survive up to 30 days on a human and their eggs can live for more than 2 weeks. Their tiny eggs look like flakes of dandruff. However, instead of flaking off the scalp, they stay put, hatch, and the process starts over again.

The big question with lice isn’t how your child got it. It’s actually pretty common and has nothing to do with education or social class. The big question is HOW DO YOU GET RID OF LICE?

Lice is so common there are companies that specialize in lice removal. They are a little pricey, but because they are really hard to completely remove yourself, many people say it’s worth it.

However, me being the cheap DIY mom that I am, I went to battle with the lice myself…AND WON!!!

Here’s what worked for me:

*I disinfected the entire house (vacuum, changed sheets/pillowcases, Lysol, etc)

*When Mo came home from school, he undressed before entering the house. I washed his clothes, sheets, and comforter in HOT water twice, and seperately from the other dirty clothes.

*I used the Hair Fairies Lice Goodbye Removal System. It comes with the special comb that helps comb out and catch lice and their eggs. I also recommend a metal nit comb bc the plastic one kept breaking since Mo’s hair is so thick. This product is Non-Toxic, pesticide free Lice removal Kit. It eliminates both Lice and their eggs (nits).
no harmful chemicals.

*The Lice Goodbye System took 2 hours for me to comb thru and make sure I got everything out of his head. After that, I washed his hair with Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Shampoo. I also washed my hair and Bronson’s with this as a prevention method.

*When he got out of the shower, I doused his head with olive oil, tea tree oil, and a few sprays of Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Spray. Since Mo had been bit a little, this spray burned slightly when I sprayed it. The olive oil helped to sooth his scalp a little.

*From this point on, 3 products became daily staples: OLIVE OIL, TEA TREE OIL, and a SHOWER CAP. This concoction helped to keep his scalp moist and the smell of the tea tree oil is a deterrant for lice. It did make him look like he had a jheri curl. He could pass as a lost member of Ready For The  World, but it works!!!

* I used my at home method at least 3x daily and once before he went to the bed. He slept in the shower cap.

*Since he has long flowing locks of a Pantene model, I braided it into 3 braids after applying the olive oil and tea tree potion.

*In the future, don’t share combs, brushes, hats, or helmets.

*When kids play in wooded areas, check their hair regularly.

Luckily, I got rid of the lice in 1 day and stopped the spread to the rest of the household. However my psychosomatic senses will prolly have me scratching my head for the next month or 2.

Jheri Curl Mo getn ready to sing “Oh Shiela”…lol

Of course B wanted to get in on the shower cap action

Olive oil, tea tree oil, and shower cap worked great for lice removal/prevention

Mariah Carey’s Life & Style Cover

6 Apr

Soooo….as we all know, my Bestie, Mariah is expecting.

She should deliver within the next few weeks.

She is currently on the cover of the April 18, 2011 Life & Style Magazine sporting her pregnant belly.

Not sure when they shot it, but her belly looks tiny in comparison to the tweetpic she posted last week.

The nude pregnancy shot showing of the baby bump has gotten really popular. I think Demi Moore started it a while back in 1991.

I did belly shots with Mo (Demi had all us moms thinking we were shooting with Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair). I couldn’t tell you where the pics are though.

I thought it was a great idea at the time….ooh, look at my big fat tummy, check out that cool equator line from my sternum to my pube, so great to have a chin to represent how many months I’ve been pregnant, wow-my chubby feet are so SECK-C….umm, yeah, once I delivered him, I never wanted to look at those pics ever again.

I get it….I’m not saying being pregnant isn’t a beautiful thing, it is. And many women say the same thing:

1. They feel sexy pregnant- Umm…the last think I was thinking about pregnant was being sexy. I didn’t mind being pregnant, I just liked to eat and kept focusing on the fact that once I delivered I would be badazz in a few months…THEN take some pictures.

2. They wanna remember the experience- There is this new invention called a journal. I can document my thoughts and feelings in there and remember the experience just fine.

3. They plan to show their child the belly shots when they grow up- COME ON! Do you really think your 15 year old is gonna wanna see his mama half naked? They don’t even wanna mom give someone a peck on the cheek, much less their mom trying to be a SI cover model while knocked up.

Well, needless to say, by the time I was preggers with Bronson, there were no belly shots. However, I do recommend a belly cast. It makes great art and they are fun to make. I did one for both pregnancies and they make great baby shower gifts. The best part is that there is no air brushing or Photo Shop required.

P.S-if the Life & Style folks wanna shoot me when I’m preggers with my 3rd I might would consider. But only bc Mimi did it! :)

Mo’s New Toy

21 Mar

So, Mo loves money. We don’t call him “Money Mo” for nothing.

He does chores suitable for a 6 year old (cleans the gutters, replaces the plumbing, and daily landscaping maintanence)….JK. Ya know, the usual stuff, make his bed, doesn’t annoy me or his brother too much (yes, I pay him for that!), keep his room clean, put his dirty dishes away etc.

For extra funds, he also helps me with extra things around the house (wash my car, tend the garden, move furniture, etc). Is Social Services reading this?

Anyway add funds earned from these chores with saved up birthday/holiday money and his salary earned “working” for his dad, and Mo is PAID IN FULL!!!!

He loves having money and doesn’t like spending it (except on someone he REALLY loves like his little brother or mom :) ). But sometimes he will splurge on Legos or other annoying toys that I conviently give to charity or toss in the trash as he sleeps bc he only plays with them for 2 days then totally ignores them.

So when he said he wanted to buy an Apple iPad (yes a 6 year old wants to by an iPad) I had mixed feelings. My 1st thought was:

There is no way on Earf a 6 year old needs an iPad. That is absolutely ridiculous!

But the more I thought about it, the more the idea of him owning an iPad made sense:

*All the money he spends of toys that he tires quickly off adds up and just junks up the house

*I am not spending a dime, he is using 100% of his earned money so he’s learning the power of saving and responsibility

*It is somewhat educational and not just useless junk like stuffed animals

*I CAN USE IT

*I CAN USE IT

*I CAN USE IT

Ok, I caved….I let him buy one…Don’t Judge. I just typed this blog on it :) Mo’s Money well spent!!!

Gucci Loves Jennifer Lopez and Her Twins

18 Jan


Forget about her new gig with American Idol.

Jenny from the Block has landed the deal of the century!!!

On top of being beautiful, sexy, smart, and talented, we now have one more reason to hate Jennifer Lopez.

She and her twins, Max and Emme are the new faces for Gucci’s first children’s collection.

The new line features apparel, footwear, accessories and leather goods for newborns to children age 8.

I would love to support JLo and her kids. I mean I’m sure they’re gonna need the funding for college…err….but umm, if I’m buying Gucci, it will not be for my 2 or 6 year old!!!

I love Mo and B, but COME ON! I mean yes, the line is SUPER DUPER cute. Mo and B would be the Kings of the playground in their Gucci jeans, logo tees, and red stripe tennis shoes. But yeah, mama would much rather be rocking a new Gucci Marrakech shoulder bag!

So happy for JLo and her new gig though. Must be a great experience to work with your kids, get free gear from Gucci, and have mother/kiddie pics shot by some of the hottest photographers (Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott) on a Malibu beach. Niiiiiice.

I guess there is new meaning to “GUCCI GUCCI GOO” in her household.

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