been so long

i have been turning into a Josh and neglecting my beloved blog....this used to be a huge source of release and peace during my day at work but lately as with most situations..we are in the Easter or new season of BS...and as a result I have been left with little time to surf the net, write a blog, or any of my other daily musings...

so whats been up with me....hmmmm just the usual...work work...and missing family

now i have some family who are not even blood or legal relation but are FAMILY and some of them are the ones i miss the most

here in DC...its me and Devon and Bella and a handful of close friends but i crave and miss that familiarness and close knit family

i think of all the places i would love to move...Chicago, Michigan, Ohio, even Minnesota (although that idea was quickly shot down by a former resident) but to me happiness will be achieved when I am within an hour 2 tops of FAMILY

i sometimes wonder what it would be like if i lived closer to say Josh....as fun and dreamy as that would be...Im pretty sure Josh would find me clingy and annoying and we'd revert back to High school days AND in the meantime we would both be obese

then again...and maybe because i am a dreamer....i watch shows like the Kardashian and despite the hype and EVERYTHING and EVERY reason that some choose to not like them..the one thing you cant deny is their closeness

another classic family like that is the SMITHS...the bond between the sisters is FIERCE...I would love to have that with my sibs ...regular visits...being a part of each others daily lives.,.,even my Dad's siblings...they are ALL in the same city and they have each other's backs...the SMITH prior generation...once again all the Aunts are in the same area with the exception of one who is like an hour away

to have that support to have that strength beyond all else..is WOW

next topic..the ROYAL WEDDING....so my question is WHY is the world SO obsessed!! Don't get me wrong I do read my fair share of LIFE AND STYLE and PEOPLE magazine BUT i dont feel my world revolves around WILL KATE WEAR HER HAIR UP,, WHO IS PERFORMING AT THE CEREMONY, WHAT DRESS WILL SHE WEAR , HOW WILL IT COMPARE TO DIANA's

dont care dont care dont care

and for the slightest bit of caring im sure when i go to the grocery store on saturday or sunday i can quickly  peruse and be updated CASE CLOSED

well tomorrow is FRIDAY...how will YOU make this weekend different from the last...what will YOU do to make it better...WHY wouldnt you create a new memory

DO those around you KNOW where they stand in your life???? if not ...why

the tornados and storms last night force me to end with this thought and i am not on the soapbox-josh..BUT 

material things, tangible things....what is their value in our life VS the people who we spend our time with

the people we say I LOVE YOU to..the people who are there on a bad day AND a good day

the people we wake up next to or dream about

how do THOSE real life people compare to those other things, activities, and commitments

if we are too absorbed with the spa and the wheelings and dealings of others and extracurricular activities

you may just be missing out on life and memories that will ultimately mean the most

i would hate to wake up and be 80 and say i wish i had more time...more time with those i love...because im sure it wouldnt be more time with a tv 

--
april janelle

Sunday sentiment

Sitting here outside the spa about to go indulge but I was just overcome by the feeling and emotion of how small I am in this world and yes my loved ones think I'm funny and other things but what is my bigger contribution...what am I doing in this world to make it a better place ...do I have any selfless contribution to the world ..to the next generation that appears hopeless....we can walk around existing....but i want more...I want to leave footprints...positive ones....maybe its my other halfs impending birthday and feeling like the world is so much bigger than me and us n...sigh

aj

Black Colleges

this blog goes out to anyone who has experienced the joys and headaches of a HBCU

I attended Hampton (the REAL HU) for a year and a half before my mass exodus back to the crisp mitten of Grand Valley....

part of the reason for the departure was Josh would be leaving VA the next year and I didnt want to be left alone in VA..yes yes..i have attachment disorder BIG TIME

However...Hampton is touted as one of the premiere HBCUs and with a price tag to go with it...BUT despite all that there were ALWAYS some MAJOR hiccups and road bumps along the way

From standing in the financial aid line because they lost paperwork of mine and didn't have me enrolled to roommate issues 

memories i will NEVER forget and I can say that I know Tuskegee U has similar "Fun times"

So my DH attended the fabulous FAMU..."GO RATTLERS"....so as we approach the birth of Lil Crumpy I decided Lil C needed a bit of mommy and a bit of Daddy!!!

On 4/06 I ordered a adorable FAMU onesie for Lil C and one from GVSU my school

by 4/11 the GVSU-all the way from Allendale MI onesie and hat had arrived and yet the FIRST onesie i ordered from FAMU is STILL as of 4/16 is nowhere to be found

This might surprise some BUT not me...i feel that maybe i should have ordered the FAMU onesie when i got a positive blue line

hopefully it will be here before Lil Crumpy comes

All I can do is SMH

--
april janelle

WTH

OK so I promised no more serious blogs so I will TRY to keep this one light

 

I am doing a combined blog today ..my regular blog and my pregnancy blog….I think this is an issue that straddles both worlds

 

All of my life I have been a certain size…when I diligently worked out I was a small sleek size 2 and in later more lazy days I am a plump size 4…and I am ok with it…as long as I float between those two and not climb to higher numbers

 

I attribute that to good genes…as my bestie says some people have it..most people don’t

 

There are some folks who are cursed with a metabolism and body type that requires heavy cardio daily

 

Josh and I have been blessed with the opposite

 

Josh got more of the  naturally thin gene as did my cousin Charles and Roderick which is a crying shame because they are men…hell make them go to the gym, they will never have to birth a baby…even my dad who SIMPLY cut out ice cream is looking thin and trim as I don’t know what

 

Now I understand at 5 months pregnant I should NOT be worried about my weight

 

Not in a EAT WHAT I WANT kind of way which I make a point to NOT do..BUT I am by no means on a diet

 

On to my POINT

 

I have gained 15 pounds thus far…and before anyone sucks in air..my doctor said I am doing really good and NOT over gaining or going crazy, so that makes me feel better and I am trying not to dwell on it BUT

 

As someone who even on her worst day wasn’t over 140…..carrying 15 EXTRA pounds-OMG!!!

 

Let me tell you

 

I do not know how people do it…I don’t say this in a mean way but 5 pounds I could see the change..10 pounds I could not avoid the change and 15 pounds…I FEEL THE POUNDS

 

I do not know how the average person continues to gain…I am very in tune with my body and I PROMISE you..my body aches …my knee which was already bad..I can feel it MORE

I creak  and I can feel it in my back…honestly I can feel it everywhere

 

Which really got me thinking how overweight kids do it…how obese adults do it

 

Working out may not be fun and it may not be trendy amongst all but if it prevents me from feeling like this…I won’t find another excuse to miss the gym

 

Now like I said before I am able to not fully give to the gym and I can manage that through healthy habits and such and maybe moderate exercise but right now with this unavoidable gain

 

 

I want to warn EVERYONE..do not gain weight if you don’t have to..if you are pregnant FINE

Otherwise get up off your ARSE and sweat and there is a cardio for everyone

 

I’m sitting here at my desk now and my BACK hurts

 

WTH

 

If I had an extra 50 or 100 pounds on my frame….I wouldn’t make it

 

Sigh…anyhow…just wanted to share…..it’s amazing to watch my body grow and grow for a cause versus just growing

 

Not to be graphic but now my belly kinda eclipses all else so I can’t imagine not being able to look down and see whatever it is I want to see on a normal day

 

I recognize my state is temporary but it has given me a totally new perspective on the world of gaining weight and being round