Do You Work That
Jun 26, 2008 Unplugged Moments
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Makes no difference what you have. It is all about how you work what you got. Read Mary’s words and relate to what the words are really saying about working what ya got :
Mary J Blige Work That Lyrics
Songwriters: N/A
Work your thing out (4x)
Theres so many-a girls
I hear you been running
From the beautiful queen
That you could be becoming
You can look at my palm
And see the storm coming
Read the book of my life
And see I’ve overcome it
Just because the length of your hair ain’t long
And they often criticize you for your skin tone
Wanna hold your head high
Cause you’re a pretty woman
Get your runway stride home
And keep going
Girl live ya life
I just wanna be myself
Don’t sweat girl be yourself
Follow me (3x)
Girl be yourself
That’s why I be myself
And I’m gonna love it
Let em get mad
They gonna hate anyway
Don’t you get that?
Doesn’t matter if you’re going on with their plan
They’ll never be happy
Cause they’re not happy with themselves
Na na work what you got
I’m talking bout things that I know
Na na work what you got
It’s okay show yourself some love
Na na work what you got
Don’t worry bout who’s saying what
It’s gonna be fine
Work what you got
Feelin great because the light’s on me
Celebrating the things that everyone told me
Would never happen but God has put his hands on me
And aint a man alive could ever take it from me
Working with what I got I gotta keep on
Taking care of myself I wanna live long
Aint never ashamed what life did to me
Wasn’t afraid to change cause it was good for me
I wanna…
I just wanna be myself
Don’t sweat girl be yourself
Follow me (3x)
Girl be yourself
That’s why I be myself
And I’m gonna love it
Let em get mad
They gonna hate anyway
Don’t you get that?
Doesn’t matter if you’re going on with their plan
They’ll never be happy
Cause they’re not happy with themselves
Na na work what you got
I’m talking bout things that I know
Na na work what you got
It’s okay show yourself some love
Na na work what you got
Don’t worry bout who’s saying what
It’s gonna be fine
Work what you got
Work that (3x)
Girl don’t hold back
You just be yourself
Na na work what you got
I’m talking bout things that I know
Na na work what you got
It’s okay show yourself some love
Na na work what you got
Don’t worry bout who’s saying what
It’s gonna be fine
Work what you got
Work that (3x)
Girl don’t hold back
You just be yourself
Work that thing out (2x)
Work that thing out
Work what you got
Rules of the House And My Mother’s Helper
Jun 24, 2008 Unplugged Moments
Today I decided to let my so called Mother’s Helper go. It tried to be helpful and I hate the fact that it was my grandchild but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Here is the story.
She came to my house on Monday night and asked if she could stay up and watch a movie. I let her do it the first night but told her that after that it is lights out at 11 pm and that was stretching it. An 11 year old child is still growing and needs her rest, even in the summer time.
It was a true headache because my husband misread what was said because my granddaughter was telling only part of her issue with me and telling her momma something else and then me a whole other story. My husband and I had argument because he accused me of one thing when it was really something totally different.
Talk about some childish mess. I was just not having it, so I called her mother. Which she did not want me to do.
After speaking with Kiandre’s mother I realized that the child is just not used to rules. She did not want to go to bed on time or get up early. She wanted to nap when she was supposed to be assisting me with Brehane and I did not allow her to watch gangsta rap videos on the computer. She was also not allowed to text her mother and argue back and forth with her sister on her cell phone. I did not care who paid that darn bill. The child was getting phone calls from her own momma after 11 pm. Sorry, that just does not fly.
I don’t allow it with mine and I will not allow it with anyone else’s child. No matter who it is. My son AJ knows that momma just don’t play like that.
As I spoke with her mother I was informed that when Kiandre is home, she can stay up until all hours of the night, even during the school days as long as she gets up in the morning. I was then informed that Kiandre is not treated like a 11 year old because her mother feels that she is more mature than that and that Kiandre chooses not go over her other Grandma’s house because her grandmother is like my momma older and from the old school. So Kiandre would rather be where she can sit up and watch tv all night and sleep all day.
Not one time did I hear the term “respect the rules of someone else’s home” as I was taught.
What is wrong with this modern parent and wanting to be a friend over raising your child? Sorry I just don’t get it.
I let her mother know that in my home I do have rules and it is not a free for all. I also let her know that I do not appreciate being told untruths from Kiandre just so that she can keep on making money from working for me and yet she tells her granddaddy things that are not exact because she does not want to follow the rules and her mother will not tell her she has to.
So there you have it.
I let her mother know as well as my husband that Kiandre can stay in her home and forget the job with me because this Momma ain’t Burger King and she cannot have it her way. I will not bend my rules because she is used to no rules and is treated like a grown woman by her mother as opposed to an 11 year old child.
Needless to say that I had a monkey wrench thrown into my day.
Do you think I am wrong?
What Is Your Family’s Weird-O-Meter List
Jun 23, 2008 Whatever
My friend Jo Jo Tabares added an interesting blog post over at the Pink Collar Club. She created list of what might make her her family weird in society’s eye and I just had to jump right in. After I replied to the post, I thought it would be interesting to come on over here and post my list.
This is my list of what makes my family weird:
- We homeschool
- Love being with my kids and family
- Started vaccinating Brehane but stopped at the age of two after I did some research. My husband was against it from the start but I fought it.
- We own our own business and homeschool our children to know how to own their own.
- I made all my own baby food
- We are totally into natural remedies and home care.
- We are Sabbath Keepers -which means we worship on Saturdays
- We don’t attend “normal” church on a regular basis because we are looking for something outside of the norm
- We do house church and will build upon that once we relocate to Oklahoma
- Watch movies like “Call of the Wild” and nature stuff
- Are mainly vegans ( my oldest son and I still eat a little meat about four times a month)
- We write our own worship songs
- We are looking forward to growing our own food
- My youngest son only watches PBS and movies we pick out.
- I make my teenager wear pants that fit and a belt.
- Oldest son has no girlfriends but is allowed to talk to girls.
- Encouraging and supporting him to stay pure until marriage -really strange for a boy
- We eat things like bamboo shoots and sea weed.
- We are fascinated with simple things like watching the actions of and feeding the squirrels outside of the house.
Ok is that enough to make you think we are weird? So what is your Weird-O-Meter List.
Pear Budget Review….Oh Yeah A Contest Too!
Jun 21, 2008 Unplugged Authentcity
My mommy friend Jenny Decki over at Mommy Blog Reviews invited me to try out a new budgeting tool. Now I have to tell you that I am not big on budgeting tools because, well, they just give me a headache. Trying to figure it all out and in which column to put it. What if I don’t have a boat or house? How in the heck do I change that?
Many of the budgeting options available online just did not work for me so I gave up and went back to the notebook and what I could figure up in my head. When I told Jenny I wanted to give Pear Budget a try I thought, “Ohh Man! Here we go again!”
But to my surprise Pear Budget was just so simple. I kept waiting for the millions of slots to “stick this there” and “that over here”, but it never happened. So I have to say I was thoroughly pleased. Truly I was.
The owners of Pear Budget are Charlie and his wife Charlie and Sarah are a couple who wanted to make budeting a simple process and they did just that. They are so confident of their system that will even give you a 30 day trial to see how it works. Now, that’s a good deal.
A monthly membership to Pear Budget is only $3 and that is another good deal.
I am giving away a lifetime membership to Pear Budget. From now until June 30 all you need to do is comment and let me know about your budgeting goals and why you think Pear Budget will help you with accomplish those goals. That’s it!
The winner will be announced on July 1.
I invite you to give Pear Budget’s 30 Day Trial a spin and enter the contest too. If you win you get to budget free!
What is your cardboard testimony?
Jun 21, 2008 Power Source
I watched this and the tears started right away. Then I thought about my cardboard testimony. What’s yours?
My cardboard testimony:
Molested and raped of my innocence
Became a Victim of Circumstance
Fearfully and Wonderfully
Living Life Authentically
No Fakin’ Here!
Jun 16, 2008 Unplugged Authentcity
My friend Alyssa asked an interesting question. She wanted to know “how real are you on your blog?“. I thought that is a very interesting question so I decided to answer it.
What you see or read is what you get. There is not faking it with me. I don’t know how to fake it. When you read my blog posts it is all about me and mine. There is no reason to lie are pretend to be something I am not.
I love who I am and sharing my journey is a my way of testifying, witnessing, and revealing God’s will and direction in my life. It is always my hope when I share that people think and are encouraged to change.
So just know that this is me and that is all I will ever be.
Grateful To Be In Need and To Be Needed
Jun 16, 2008 Whatever
Another week, another opportunity to talk about why I am grateful to be a work at home momma. This week I want to focus on one main reason.
Last week it came across my mind that I need some help with my little one. I was finding that my days were getting beyond me and I couldn’t keep up with my work. The idea of a Mother’s Helper came across my mind and I started praying for direction on who to approach.
Well my grandaughter’s name came across my mind. For those who don’t know, my husband, Rupert, has 4 grown children and they all have babies so that makes me a grandma. My oldest grandchild is 11 and she is the one that I thought of.
We contacted her mother and told her we needed her two days out of the week. Turns out that his worked perfectly for everyone. My granddaughter’s mother works security and her shift is 3 to 11. That means that there may have been times when no one was available to watch Kiandre and she would have to go to work with her momma or there was a time when she had to stay home alone. Unfortunately there are many latch key kids in America.
When we told Taniesha the days we wanted Kiandre to be my Mother’ Helper, she was thrilled because on the days that we don’t need her, Taniesha happens to be off from work. Kiandre will be picked up the day before we need her and dropped back to her momma on the days we don’t. And she gets paid $10 a day, so she is loving that.
I am grateful that I had a need and through the fulfillment of that need, I was able to fill a need. That is the beauty of being at home. You can adjust your schedule a bit to do things that those who work outside of the home may not be able to do.
Now we don’t have to worry about Kiandre is and her momma does not have to worry either. She is a good momma but she is also young and there are somethings she will not hear when we talk to her. So it is through prayer that we have been able to remedy this problem.
All because I work at home and need some help with the little one.
You Just Gotta Get Involved
Jun 16, 2008 Whatever
My buddy Jen over at Boutiques Bargain challenged us to take a pledge to help others in need. I won’t sit and explain too much, just watch the video and take the pledge.
Hey, pass the word!
WW: Kitty and Me!
Jun 11, 2008 Wordless Wednesday
For more Wordless Wednesday pictures, visit 5 Minutes for Mom
Come back tomorrow for the story behind the picture, Tell Me Thursday.
And He Sat Still
Jun 11, 2008 Unplugged Authentcity
When Brehane was between 16 and 18 months old his doctor was concerned that he was only saying a few words. I just thought he was a slow talker. Anyway the doctor arranged for him to have weekly in-home speech therapy.
His first therapist, Sandy, was wonderful. She followed what he did and played with him the whole hour. Sandy understood that Brehane was a very active child and would also get distracted with his favorite toys; cars, trucks, and trains; and she worked with that, using it in the therapy. When I met her she had informed us that she had cancer but was in remission. Some time she came out of remission and had to take a break from her weekly therapy sessions with Brehane.
I was not sure who he would get next or how they would handle Brehane.
Well, in enters Helene and I knew that we were in trouble. She was not exactly thrilled that my boys were homeschooled and she often remarked that they needed more outside activities. Now she never once inquired about their day to day activities. She simply made an assumption.
Assumptions can lead a person into some dangerous territory.
Helene spoke about Brehane as if he were one of the most unruly children she has ever come across. She would say that he got distracted to easily and it posed a problem for her. Forget the fact that she was a woman who never got up to play. She sat on the floor the entire hour and expected a 2 year old to do the same thing. Get real!
One comment she made really bugged me. She said that no day care would ever take him because he was too active and did not sit still. And then she mentioned the fact the he and AJ were homeschooled.
This momma was through. But you know what, that comment stuck with me. I would often find myself measuring my child with others. Was he moving too much? Did he need more interaction than what he already had? Would a day care really not accept him?
Last week I signed Brehane up for the CPL (Chicago Public Library) Summer Reading Program. Today was the first day. Brehane has been around others kids but he has never been to a program like this before where he would have to actually sit still and listen; except when we do story time at home. I was a little concerned.
We get to the library, return the DVDs we borrowed last week. and head upstairs to story time. At first I make Brehane sit next me, but he ask if he can move up to the front seats and proceeds to sit front and center. Kids and moms start to come in, sit down, and prepare for story time. Brehane is still sitting still, looking back at me from time to time for reassurance that everything is ok. I simply smile and nod.
Story time starts with a song and then the leader tells all the children to come have a seat closer to her on the floor. For the next 30 minutes Brehane follow instructions, sits and stands as he is told, sings and jumps when it is time, and still peeks back at me for the smile and nod that everything is ok. We then go over to another room where the kids color.
As I sat and observed Brehane, I thought of Helene and that silly comment that I let tug at me for the last year and a half. I was wishing that she was there to see just how good Brehane really was. I thought that maybe I would write her a letter and let her know that she needs to stop assuming that she knows and learn to ask and observe with a more open mind.
I was so thrilled the he just sat still!
