Girl power

I watched the Beyonce interview with Oprah as well as the HBO special yesterday
Initially i was torn between feeling disappointed that it still felt scripted and guarded as typical B....but i also respect that there is a line between her personal and professional life
In one breath i feel entertainers/celebs give too much of themselves but i wont deny that i read People and US Weekly magazine

Is it the fascination with how the other half lives.... is it wanting people who seem to live the unimaginable unattainable lives to be normal..to feel and hurt and experience some things like us "regular" folks???

Beyonce said she hurts and feels just like everyone else and having all the money in the world doesn't change that

Do we want her to be the girl next door in love with a mogul...is that what we want?
I can't say i was a full time B hater as i do have all her albums and funny because i am more a B fan then i was Destinys Child.....

There were some takeaways that i got from both special
She still controls what we know and see about her and her life...which is how she stays stable and normal vs.... well others....she wants the focus to be on her voice her work her albums and not what her kid is wearing

Beyonce Knowles Carter LOVES her man...i must say i was very much awed at her love of her man..it runs so deep...they have a good 11 years under the belt their foundation is strong and it shows and it makes sense..to be in the arenas they are in.....but she is quick to credit being the woman she is because she goes home to him each day....that is just heavy

Men can be haters and say Jay Z isnt attractive or Beyonce is artificial but WHY... why do we have to dissect everyone... what if that was done to us....what if someone questioned or hypothesised as to why we are with our mates....how cruel....they are not together for show...their love runs deep...i took that away...it was so rare to get such an intimate look into their marriage and their love...its so real...so pure.....thats the kind of love that we read about and we all want....they are friends they are lovers....they are each others support.....

Whether B gets lighter or we feel she is selling out or changing the one thing that will make me support B now and going forth is she is all about the girl power....she may grind a lot when she dances but who doesnt....b is all about girl power and her songs are empowering so next time she comes on the radio i will turn it up because she is working this industry she is iconic... she is humble..she is human...she is woman.......

Mrs C :)

valentine's day from a new parents perspective

i admit years ago...february 14th was an EXCITING time...i would roll out the red linen and red towels and find a cute red outfit...plan a romantic dinner or make plans to go out....when i was dating..valentine's day meant something...i am not sure if it was a day i was guaranteed some romance or where the one i was with would proclaim their feelings through a hallmark card and maybe some chocolates and flowers...

not sure but now here i am the mother of an 18 month old and valentine's day means something completely different

i didnt want flowers and i didn't need a card to say that here on this special day i love you and appreciate you

instead this year i was the anti cupid

what made my day special

waking up to my hubby and my darling charming chatterbox daughter..seeing her smile seeing her excitement over her daddy...that to me is what LOVE is about...and that extended into this weekend and seeing Jordan with her Uncle Josh...omg...I can't even begin to describe LOVE and what it looks like through my child's eyes...she sees who makes her happy and who is fun and THAT is LOVE to her....which leads me to ponder WHAT is LOVE and how do we show it...

is it who makes us happy...who makes us laugh ...is it who makes us reach into our very depths and fine a smile that we don't show everyday

maybe love is as simple as what I see through my child's eyes....

vday is not about cupid...valentines day is about commercialism but in the great words of the man i wake up to...valentine's day is loving someone everyday and them knowing it everyday and not just on the 14th  of one month...is it about gifts..i hope not...although someone told me their girl wanted diamond earrings...is it really about the material..i mean maybe i feel a bit different about "asking" for gifts..i love when someone thinks enough of me to get me something on their own or because maybe i suggested i might have an affinity for something ..but to give a list as if it is christmas and you are 7..i think its tacky...sorry

cards...buy me a card another day or better yet just write me a personal email just your honest thoughts for only me to read and cherish

flowers...love them but on the day when every other guy is in line waiting to buy the biggest and most obnoxious flower arrangement in hopes of a good ending after the date.....

not anymore...and going forth....maybe once the kids are older it will be a night when mommy and daddy go out but for now i want it to be about love and what i love is my family and my child and my other half...

--

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
― Dr. Seuss

love this thought...love this idea

disappoint someone..disappoint everyone...just dont disappoint yourself

it doesnt matter where the inspiration comes from but i just heard the quote

and i love it

i think it means be true to yourself...i think it means you cannot live for others you have to live for yourself first and foremost

i think others can eventually forgive you and you can move on but if you disappoint yourself...it may turn into a regret and while we say we can have no regrets we all hold on to something

im currently in a class..the 7 habits of highly effective people and i am learning a lot...alot of things i know and its a matter of applying them  a lot of good quotes and food for thought but the basis of this just like my thought of today is that it all lies within ME....

if i am successful it lies within me...its on me to define what determines success for me

its on me to make a blueprint and start on a path and define and redefine if necessary 

so back to my quote...disappoint others and i do not mean go out of your way to piss people off but if you spend your life people pleasing and at the end of the day you cant say you lived for you or fulfilled your dreams then its not worth it

--

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
― Dr. Seuss

Paying it forward

We all remember the movie PAY IT FORWARD..we all cried and maybe just maybe we pondered the idea that to rebalance or somehow just put some positive energy in the atmosphere we could do small acts of kindness...

Acts of kindness this is nothing new and in the wake of the Newton shootings i have heard many variations of people trying to perform various acts of kindness.

I would like to challenge all of you and for you to challenge your friends and their friends that for the month of February.. the shortest month of the year...each day you perform some act of kindness..

Ive already begun to think of ideas i might do...and yes sometimes its easier to let the spirit move you or the situation dictate but some you can plan...sending a card to someone sick...or i know occasionally when im home from my parents church i send a get well card to someone who is sick and shut in...i hear stories about people picking up the tab for the person behind them in the toll booths or the cleaners or at a restaurant and your act can be as big or as small as you like

But you cant tell me that when you hear about these stories these selfless moves your faith in humanity isnt restored just a bit...its so easy to tear each other down and get caught up in our day to day chaos but guess what..your worst day is better than some one's BEST day and guess what you are having a day..some didnt get that option

What if everyone started being kinder..gentler what if everyone started affecting some type of change...what if society was less critical and more understanding.... what example would we set for our kids...what world will we leave them.....

So its just an idea..just food for thought..maybe be nice to someone who no one likes...you never know their story....the person who never goes to lunch...maybe they have no money or are struggling....lets take a month to pull our heads out our butts and look around and the world and reevaluate our perspective

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID

The Real Housewives Curse

I was perusing the newspaper headlines and it seems another couple who participated in the Real Housewives franchise is getting a divorce

What strikes me is could there really be a fatal element when you put your family and your marriage under the microscope of reality tv
What is it about these shows and the reality/not reality tv stage that is bringing marriages with 7 and 8 years behind them to a close

Now i have never been on a reality tv show...but i can more understand the high failure rate for new couples and newlyweds who choose to open their lives to public scrutiny and a birds eye view of a new couple trying to establish who they are...

If the stations were not so greedy and worried about ratings...having couples meet with a family psychologist while they participate in this would be a good idea...but i guess functional doesnt bring in ratings..

I think its a shame and when i hear about anyone who divorces its sad..but after 9 years i think wow u got past the hard part...

Marriage is not for the faint of heart on a good day....so having your fights arguments strengths and weaknesses play out on tv....smells like a recipe for disaster to me

But thats just my 2

Mrs A Janelle Crump

Somber thoughts

I had a fun cute blog last week but that was before the CT massacre
Then i was going to write about it and my thoughts
But i wasnt sure where to start
The pain and horror from a human level and from that of a mom
I shed many tears and wondered what the future for my child and her generation look like
I hugged my child with the utmost appreciation and i hugged my child with tears in my eyes because so many parents wont be afforded that opportunity again
I wont delve much deeper into the how could they and the raw emotion and anger that i feel
But i did read a nice post from a friend of mine a teacher
And it stated that we as parents drop off our kids every morning 5 days a week...teachers are there to laugh with our kids educate them know them comfort them discipline them and so when something stands to harm them they will 100% protect them even if it means them being harmed or killed
Because after all they are their kids too
That was so profound to me
And i LOVE my friend for this and i love the teachers because they do spend more time with our kids by the sheer makeup of the day
So teachers fireman and police officers....i love you i respect you...you are my heroes and i will be sure you are not unsung because you are the foundation of our society...you run towards danger when others run the other way or stand on the side.....so i want to tell everyone...hug a teacher.. hug a cop...kiss a firefighter....bake them cookies....let those who are grossly underpaid considering what they do and its importance versus a stupid football or basketball player who are there for our entertainment not our well being....... just remind them that you appreciate them.....
The same should be said for all our loved ones....remind them EVERYDAY... dont let them ever wonder and if you are with someone who doesnt make u lose your mind in love then do them a favor and let them go and find the one who makes your skin crawl in a good way and that you cant live without.....

Today I am thankful for DETOX

This morning I had an appt for a hour long infrared sauna wrap...I got it on Groupon and it seemed like a good idea at the time...so since it was about to expire today i went..

now i am definitely the chick who is self indulgent and all about some pampering...it just makes for a better person
so the lady tells me ahead of time to bring an extra pair of undergarments because mine would be completely sweaty after
I get there get on the bed under the thin blanket and then the lady comes in and begins to seal me in..first layer is the blanket and then the layer of plastic and finally i am covered in what looks like a HUGE sleeping style heating pad...she informs me she will check on me every 10 minutes and if i do get really hot i can take my arms out but for maximum detox and sweating stay in there
The first 20 minutes were a breeze..i wasn't sweaty and I thought maybe i'm just not a sweaty person..so i am laying there enjoying the peace and serenity and brainstorming all kinds of things..and THEN around 30-35 minutes the HEAT kicks in...I can feel the sweat..I tried to not focus on it ..I tried to think about my happy place CHRISTMAS and my HOLIDAY MOVIES but the heat was overhwelming...I was begining to sweat from my toes and ears and everywhere in between...I was determined though to get the full benefit and keep my hands tucked in...

somewhere during that last 20-25 minutes i thought this DETOX is a great metaphor to life and to the current season we are in...
I went in to this place feeling fine but thinking I would love to have a glow and so in order to get there I decided to DETOX

I think DETOX can apply to so many areas of our lives..
Sometimes we have unhealthy habits and we are saying we will change for the new year or maybe we have unhealthy relationships and we don't want to go through the drama or the pain of sweating them out...
But I think the lesson is that sometimes we have to get to the HOT sweaty part of something in order to get rid of the toxins..and then feel better and lighter....
i am currently trying to detox my eating..its hard because you KNOW i love food...so it's a challenge for me..but when i wake up and feel energetic and alive ...i have to think it's worth it..

our friends..sometimes we have unhealthy relationships with people.codependent realtionships and we KNOW they are not functional but if we are honest with ourselves if someone is not helping you become a better person or if you have to hide who you really are...maybe it's time for a DETOX..

Detoxing requires laying there in our sweat or in our situation and being still and trying to find better alternatives and finding a better way to become a better person....

at the end of my session..i was ready to jump off the table ..especially because i had been eyeing the glass of water she brought in 20 minutes prior..but i left out of there feeling awake and alive and full of energy....i had a new calm and new peace

so while this is just my two cents.....detoxing was good for me