The 2nd Inauguration of Barack Obama 2013

Images of the Day

January 20, 2013-Private Swearing In

January 21, 2013-Public Ceremony

Myrlie Evers

One Last Look

I totally love the girls.

God Bless our President

Getty Images

Flawless Friday-Final Results

Mrs. O

Happy Mother's Day!

It's good to be home.

Happy Birthday MVV!

 

Happy Birthday to the love my life-my Husband, MVV.

He's the perfect "Daddy" to his girls.

He's a great role model to his boys.

He's happiest when they're all together and we recently added to the brood.  He loves being a dad.

He's a devoted son to his mom.

He's a devoted son to my mom.

 His brothers and sister think the world of him too!

He's a good friend with a wonderful sense of humor.  Nod to C.T.

 And truth be told-he WAS a phenomenal athlete.  Go Quakers!

Love you with all my heart-Have a wonderful day!

Money Money Money Money! Money!

Sing the title to the tune of the O'Jay's infamous song.

The Mini Me's got their first checks of the summer!

One had already been to the bank.  Wonder how much he has left after the weekend?

Just Checking In

Needed to be quiet for a while.  I've been checking in on all my favorite blogs and trying to smile a bit more.
I'm also trying to appreciate how strong and fabulous I really am, and take more pictures of myself.  I am very critical of me and thus, camera shy.  My Mini-Me's, however, are not!
Enjoy!  I'll be back as soon as I can.

Happy Anniversary Baby+Mommy and Daddy

54 years ago, Virgie Boyd said "I Do" to Bernard Phifer.

15 years ago, I did the same after 4 years together.
Happy Anniversary to my mom and dad.
Happy Anniversary to my husband-he knows I'll go to the limit:



One More:

We're Off!

 AP

Heading out for the long weekend.  From my family to yours-Have a Safe a Happy Holiday!

Flawless Friday

She wore this-my beloved aunt.
There was always a bottle on her dresser.

Evening in Paris

Commentary: Lamenting the Death of Childhood

Originally saw this at The Savvy Sista  and knew it was worth repeating.  As a matter of fact, this article should probably be re-blogged, re-tweeted, and re-whatever else you do nowadays.  I firmly believe that proper parenting (or lack of it) is a HUGE part of our social problems today.  I had a tremendous childhood and every child should be able to have the same.  Read on:

Commentary: Lamenting the Death of Childhood

I have a serious gripe about the childhood experience in the new millennium.

It's absolutely and completely devoid of innocence. In fact, the concept of innocence as a basic right of childhood has disappeared. Whatever happened to the good ol' days when children were allowed to be children? They wore children's clothes. Played children's games. Talked about things children should talk about. And worried about things only children should worry about, like, How am I going to clean my room quick enough to go outside and play? Or, Will Johnny play with me when I get outside? Or, How fast do I have to pedal this bike to make it home before the streetlights come on?

Does anybody else remember these glory days?

Instead, today most parents are dressing their children like mini-adults, in smaller versions of the trashy stuff adults wear. I see little girls in miniskirts, tight jeans, high-heeled shoes and wearing training bras before they have anything to train. I see 4-year-old boys with pierced ears and diamond studs -- sometimes two. Everybody is in a rush for children to grow up.

On any given day in the parenting blogosphere, you'll find someone, somewhere asking if 10 years old is too young to start waxing legs, or some other mommy-angst over eyebrow- or lip-waxing for 8-year-olds. If a child is being teased because of excessive hair growth, then I may understand a parent giving it some consideration (depending on the child's age), but this excessive attention on grooming at such an early age is dangerous. It increases a child's self-consciousness rather than their self-confidence, as far as I'm concerned.

Meanwhile, our conversations, popular music and clothing have oversexualized our children and introduced them to "grown folk" concepts long before they are ready. Then we wonder why 14-year-olds are raping 7-year-olds, and what this world is coming to. My 10- and 6-year-olds barely watch any TV as it is, but when Disney Channel's Hannah Montana started kissing boys and Zack and Cody started "dating," I quickly cut those shows out of the approved rotation.

What's more, when I was growing up, if I wanted to know anything about "grown folks'" conversations, I would have to sneak. And hard. I would have to stay up past my bedtime, sneak down the steps (trying to avoid the creaky spots), squeeze my head in between the banister rails and listen really, really hard. It took serious work and planning in order to hear an adult conversation.

Today, things are just the opposite. Children are in the middle of divorce squabbles, money problems and babymama/babydaddy drama, and they use words they really shouldn't know. Parents don't work to protect a child's right to be innocent. And this is a problem.

When my son was in pre-K at a local Montessori school, a well-respected teacher that I generally admired would make constant joking references to my son's so-called "girlfriend." "Is that your 'girlfriend?' Say goodbye to your 'girlfriend,'" she would say. She thought it was so cute. I took her aside after the third time and let her know that I didn't think it was appropriate to introduce adult concepts like "boyfriends and girlfriends" to a 3-year-old. I told her that we don't use those words in our house, and that I would appreciate it if she would refrain from those types of jokes.

She looked at me like I was from another planet. And I am: the old-school planet. I'm all about preserving a child's right to be a child. My children have never watched BET videos, and they listen to my pre-made kid CDs in the car. Unfortunately, that has made my children misfits in the world, especially when they often don't know the songs, dance moves or popular video games (but they're highly advanced readers, and writing and math whizzes).

When we get children worrying about what's on the outside -- instead of what's on the inside -- at such an early age, we set a dangerous precedent and send a damaging message about what really matters. When parenting young girls and boys, we need to get our focus back on character and not on clothes, personal power or pedicures; on self-worth instead of waxing. And then we will see how truly beautiful our children really are.

Courtesy- Essence

Parenting

"A parent's only as good as their dumbest kid. If one wins a Nobel Prize but the other gets robbed by a hooker, you failed."  credit


For the record-both of my kids are brilliant but it's still incredibly tough being the parent of a teen and pre/teen.  
I'm gonna be busy for a bit.

Hope to be back soon. 

 

 

Road Trip

Hitting the road this weekend to see my mom!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers and Mother figures everywhere.

You are loved.

Courtesy

Flawless Friday

Happy Birthday to my dearest friend, ZEN.  I'm doing this in a big way because I have forgotten her birthday damn near every year since we've known each other (26 years) and I always promise to do something to help me remember, and here it is-a blog entry.  Isn't she gorgeous?  (She just screamed by the way).

She is a fiercely loyal "front" (sorority speak), a wonderful wife, mother, sister, etc...  ZEN has a wicked sense of humor (key to staying young and young at heart), and she takes enormously good care of those she loves.

She's been around through thick and thin, marriage/divorce, and marriage again, babies, trials, tribulations, and triumphs.  ZEN is so much fun to be around-her laughter is contagious and she's just plain cool.  This southern belle is ever the lady (i'm the catty one).  We've grown up together and I can say she is one of the best friends a girl could ask for and i'm honored she's my friend and i'm her "back". 

I haven't told anyone about this blog except her. I figured if someone found my ramblings, then cool. ZEN "got it", she knew why I needed to do this, and she's been nothing but encouraging and supportive.  Little did she know she ran the risk of being put on blast like this.

Why do I call her ZEN? She is a certified yoga instructor and I mean-she's been all through India and sh*t doing her Namaste thing, gone into the hills to meditate and such, but when she came down...she got her certification, and she's the best there is!  People swear by her.  BTW-the yoga thing is her ACT II and i'm proud she found it.  I can put you in touch if you're looking for the best.  

And finally......she still rocks a bikini and looks damn good doing it!!!

If you see her today-wish her a Happy Birthday and tell her she is loved.

Thanks to MGM for the pics.
TMH-I love you too-but I remember your bday every year!
irret
25-A-84

Flawless Friday

AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

My face immediately lit up when I saw this.
Can you think of anything more perfect than the mother-daughter bond?
Ok. Besides mother-son?
This could be my daughter and I (if only I'd take a picture). 
Have a great weekend.

Blue Willow Inspiration

The inspiration.

I came across this image and it immediately brought back the memory of my Great Aunt Margaret.  We called her "Smunk" and don't ask me why.  She was in her fifties when I was born, and as I never knew either of my Grandmothers, Smunk was it-and more.  I grew up in a time when there was extended family around to help out.  There was no such thing as day care centers-we went over to Aunt Margaret's.  She lived in a "colorful" neighborhood; Portner Place in northwest DC (wonder if it's still there)?  The 14th and "U" Streets corridor was a little rough back then, not at all like it is today and I was fascinated but a bit afraid of the neighborhood.  Aunt Margaret didn't blink and therefore, we didn't either.  From the time she got up in the morning, she was always impeccably dressed even to sweep off the front stoop.  Dress, hose, pumps, hair done, the whole nine. 

Anyway, her meals were wonderfully prepared and served on the "Blue Willow" china pattern that I'm sure everyone is familiar with.  My first marriage, I registered for a trendy Mikasa casual china pattern that was out at the time.  The marriage ended-I gave the china away.  Older and wiser the second time around, I bought the Blue Willow.  Some things are meant to last forever-like my memories of the only grandmother I've ever known:  My Great Aunt Margaret McClurkin.

Images via flickr:

Boxed China 

Fridge Magnets

Eggs

Tattoo

Sunday dinner

SMASHERS 2010 MLGBA CHAMPS!!!!

My daughter, Mini-Me, played Middle School League Basketball this season.  I posted here when they won the game that took them to the Final Four.  I forgot to update you on how they did.  The Smashers in a nail-biter won their game, and on Thursday, the 25th of March, they beat the hard fighting team led by Coach Gladstone (don't know the team's nickname-forgive me) to win the championship for the Main Line Girls Basketball Association (MLGBA) (in their age group-of course)!

Mini-Me didn't do it alone.  Although she's the only one pictured here (didn't want to post all the girls without permission), she played with an incredible group of girls.  They "jelled" early in the season and didn't look back.  I credit that to Coach Steve, and Coach Eric who managed to take girls of different skill levels and utilized their strengths to create a team that not only won, but more importantly, had a lot of fun.

We (the fabulous and sometimes obnoxious parents) all looked forward to Saturday/Sunday afternoons when the Smashers played ball.  The girls never gave up even when they were getting pummeled, and they ALWAYS displayed great teamwork and even greater sportsmanship.  I think this experience has served them well, but will stay with them as they really start forging bonds of friendship and not the middle school "cliques" that we as women know all too well!!!!!

Good job and congratulations ladies!

Go Smashers!

It's still March Madness in Philadelphia.  Temple and Villanova went down, but the Smashers Girls Team is still alive!  After a nail biter this weekend, the Final Four is set, and my mini-me is on one of the teams.  Check her out!
GO SMASHERS!!!!

Spring Cleaning