DIVAS

This past Friday I had the pleasure of meeting up with some ladies I've known since my college days. We attended a birthday celebration of one of their grandmothers. It was great seeing them again. I haven't seen most of them in a few years. Time has been so good to them all. Just beautiful ladies inside and out. It's a blessing seeing each of us grow, mature and come into our own.
(Left to right) Ngozi, Arfasse, MEEEE!, Funmilola, Funmilola. Olufunmilola seems to be a common Yoruba name. I think it's a beautiful name. When I get married Ngozi, Arfasse and the first Funmi will be my aso ebi girls!

This next picture is of myself and Arfasse. She is a self descrived Oromo Queen. Love that gal!

Finally a shot of all the DIVAS from that night.

My entire outfit is comprised of thrift store purchases. Why am I so proud of that fact? lol.

God has blessed me with loving and supportive friends. I think it's sad when a woman says she doesn't get along with other women. I value sisterhood so I work toward building solid friendships with women who are inspiring and loving.

I give thanks to my Creator for bringing positive people in my life.

Down on my knees

Yesterday, I went home and made some boca burgers for the family. Then the rest of the night I either crocheted or watched tv. Heroes was on and I love that show. After that I IM'd a little bit then went to bed.

I had a bad dream last night and I woke up all sweaty and icky. It's a little bit difficult at night sometimes since my Kingman works the 3rd shift. I love sleeping next to him and having someone there to wake up to when I have an unpleasant dream.

I think it's time to burn some sage in the new apartment.

Before bed I accomplished 5 solid push ups. But I had to do the modified push ups on my knees. Tonite I'll do more push ups. Maybe I can work my way up to 10. Then I'll do some stretching and breathing exercises to relax my body and mind. And meditate for a little bit. After my Kingman leaves from work the apartment is quiet and still. It's sort of my moment to myself. I will utilize this time for relaxation and centering myself before I sleep. Hopefully that will ward off that negative energy seeping into my slumber.

New ways of living

As I continue to incorporate positive health habits I realize the the old habits are harder to break than I give them credit for. Randomly snacking at work is such a mindless thing that I do. Little treats, here and there. The next thing I know I'm salivating over a huge cinnamon roll. Mmmm, with pecans....

I started keeping a recipe book full of tasty vegetarian and vegan dishes. I've got to keep eating and cooking interesting for myself and my family if we are to get back to a vegetarian diet. I want to start adding some treats to that book. At least I can control what goes into it. I can substitute honey, or soy milk where applicable. I can better limit my consumption of dairy products. At home it's actually quite easy to control these things, when eating food (or junk) prepared by outside sources It's a struggle. So at some point this week I'm going to kick this thing off by making some peanut butter cookies. It's basically a cup of brown sugar (i actually use a little less), a cup of peanut butter and one egg. They were a hit back when I was on my baking spree. So simple to make and my Lil Prince can join in on the fun.

It's also time to set my juicer out on the counter next to the blender. Fresh juice and smoothies for all! If I have those tools out in the open, next to my fresh fruits and veggies, I'm more likely to choose that over something less nutritious.

Finally my Kingman and I have started picking out our workout equipment. We have a large attic above our apartment just begging to be a workout room. We purchased some push up bars over the weekend.

In the next few weeks we plan to purchase a weight bag and stand, along with a pair of gloves for each of us. After that we want to get some free weights. Somewhere in there I'm going to buy a yoga/stretching mat. The goal is to get our home filled with things that promote a healthy way of life. It all seemed so overwhelming at first. But as we plan out these purchases and view them as investments in our health, it's becoming more of a reality.
Now... if I could just get past 2 push ups...

Leaving work behind

Today has been such a high stress day at work. I'm looking forward to walking out of that door and not thinking about work again until Monday. I'm going to enjoy these few days off while I visit with friends and family. I just want to RELAX in my Kingman's arms and give my little Prince hugs and kisses. I want to laugh with my sisters and sister-friends. I'm looking forward to it. Now I just need to get a little more work done during these last few minutes. After that... I'm leaving this work locked up in this drawer until Monday.

Wishing I was on vacation

This weekend we finally picked out some new living room furniture. But we haven't bought it yet. We put down a substantial amount and tucked another chunk of it away in savings. I must say I am very proud of how my Kingman and I are handling finances now. We are enjoying the fruits of our labor in the from of MONEY SAVED.

I've been visualizing overal prosperity for my family and seeing it come in bits and pieces.

Today is quite the Monday. So much work to do and I'm sitting here blogging. lol. I suppose I'll keep this entry short and get back to work.

I give thanks to my Creator for another day, and another chance at life.

Master Cleanse Journal: Day 3

Mood: On this morning I felt energized despite going to bed just after Midnight and waking at 6am. Later in the morning around 10:30am I was feeling sleepy. I don't know if this should be attributed to the fast or only 6 hours of sleep when I've been getting 8 lately. But throughout the day I felt progressively worse.

Digestion: The laxative tea hit me around 4am. I woke up to mild stomach cramps and knew what it was about. Headed to the bathroom for a productive movement. Laid back down. Awoke 30 minutes later to more intense cramps. Wasn't terrible but was very uncomfortable. What was worse, not much happened that go round. BOOO! I sat there in a little pain for a few minutes, went and laid back down. I woke up at 6am since I didn't plan on doing the flush. I've been peeing all day. But what else is new?

Skin: Looks great. Pimples are gone. The little bumps on my forehead are almost gone. I've been told my skin is glowing.

Weight: Now 188 lbs. My Kingman says my face looks smaller. It looks the same to me. My clothes are fitting looser though. But I lost 10lbs prior to the fast and that was already happening. I still don't want to lose much weight. The plan is not to lose more than 5lbs during the fast. I don't think I have much control over that. If by chance I lose 5 lbs before 10 days, that will be the end for me.

Other: I've been extremely hungry. I want to eat, but I don't know what. My stomach has been growling all day. We planned on breaking the fast tomorrow since it's my Kingman's birthday and our anniversary and he wanted to have dinner at this fabulous restaurant called The French Meadow. They have tons of organic and vegan options. He wanted the crab cakes.

I developed a headache around 1pm. I was intensely hungry at that time. I thought the 3rd day would be a breeze. But it's not. Later that evening we met with my Lil Prince's teachers to discuss his progress and stayed for the Scholar Showcase they hold their monthly. There was pizza.


And I ate two slices of cheese.


And my stomach revolted.


Once I got home I made a tea comprised of freshly squeezed organic lemon, maple syrup and cayenne to combat the mucous build up that was almost instantaneous. I felt a little ill but it passed. Since I was already tired I went to bed around 8:30pm. The fast is officially broken. I plan on doing it again in the future. Possibly for the New Year. And prayerfully for longer than 2.9 days.

Lessons learned:
1. Fasting doesn't always equal zero energy.
2. The 2nd and 3rd day are HARD.
3. Lemonade with grade B maple syrup is quite tasty and will be a staple in my household.
4. Never eat cheese right after breaking fast.
5. Salt water flushes are the devil. Especially if you use the wrong measurement.
6. I CAN go more than one day without chewing.

Master Cleanse Journal: Day 2

Mood: I'm not tired at all. Didn't wake up hungry. But as the day went buy I'd be fine one hour with no hunger. The next hour I'm thinking of all the food I'm missing out on. I REALLY contemplated throwing in the towel and getting me some soup or a veggie sandwich. But I didn't. I'm staying strong. But today was very hard in the hunger category.

Later in the day, once I was home, I ALMOST gave up. I really wanted to. I even put a piece of toast in my mouth but quickly spit it out before ingesting anything. My Kingman is sticking to it and this was MY idea. So I'll be strong and stick it out. One day at a time.



Digestion: I HATE the salt water flush (see below)! I went to bed last night earlier than usual. I woke up this morning around 4:30am realizing I had 30 more minutes before the alarm went off. So I just laid there resting. When the alarm sounded I got up and prepared my salt water flush. I want to throw up just thinking about the taste. I just can't take it anymore. Again I only got through half of the recommended amount. I drank it faster than yesterday but it took twice as long to take affect. So I was still on the toilet 2 minutes before it was time to leave. And even a while at work I just felt icky from the whole thing. Just a nasty feeling in my stomach, like I ate something bad. And there wasn't much solid waste eliminated either. So I'll for sure skip the flush tomorrow morning.


Skin: No change from yesterday during the morning hours. As the day went on I notice two distinct pimples forming. I was a bad girl and popped one of 'em. I'll treat it with some aloe to prevent scaring. Later in the day my skin started to feel tender. Kinda like a sunburn. I don't know what that was about.

Weight: 190 lbs. I know that seems like a lot. But you've seen my pics. I'm quite muscular in stature. I stand 5ft 7inches tall. I prefer to weigh in at 180lbs by the end of the year. Not so much for appearance, but so that I'm only carrying around 180lbs on my bones rather than 190. As previous posts indicate I've shed 7 lbs over the last 2 months just from eating better. I hope that I don't lose too much weight during this fast. I don't like the idea of rapid weight loss because I believe a person will gain it back just as rapidly. When it comes to weight loss I like slow and steady.

Other: After sharing my complete revulsion to the salt water flush I discovered I was putting waaaay too much salt in there.

*falls over*

I could have sworn I read the measurements right. But I was thinking tablespoon when it was teaspoon. And anyone who bakes knows there is a huge difference between the two. But I'm so turned off by the salt I still may not do it tomorrow. I need a break from sea salt. I rebuke it! lol



I had a comment that suggested I try a laxative tea. I'm strongly contemplating it. I bought some Smooth Move tea from Traditional Medicinal. I drank a cup this evening around 8pm. I'm praying to God that it hits me when I wake up so I don't have to be in the bathroom at work worried that someone will come in and witness what may occur.

One day at a time...

Tonight I'm up late putting tiny twists in my hair. I wish I would have started earlier in the day. But I'm determined to get these bad boys in before midnight.

Master Cleanse Journal: Day 1

Mood: I felt great this morning. No real hunger. I looked for treats for a quick second then realized I was doing that out of habit, not hunger. I'm hoping to get that habit of eating in check by the end of the cleanse/ fast. No big changes in my mood through out the day.

Digestion: The flush cleared my bowels out this morning. I've been peeing all day from the lemonade. No other bowel movements. Which is a cause for concern. The book says I should have them more often on the fast. In the back of my mind I wonder if the salt water flush is throwing things off.

Skin: Today my skin is ok. It's not radiant by my standards. I've put some honey and olive oil on for moisturizer. My nose gets oily by midday but a dab of a Kleenex takes care of that. I have these tiny bumps on my forehead. They have been there for a few days now. They don't itch, but I wonder if it's from not washing all the soap or conditioner off when I wash my hair or face. There is a slight flare up on my cheeks. Hardly noticeable to anyone else. But I feel it there. I plan to keep up with my normal, wash in the morning while I shower. But now I plan to get back to washing my face at nite, before bed. Then I'll slather on some aloe vera gel with tea tree oil over night.

Weight: I didn't even weigh myself. *shrugs*

Other: I really wanted food about an hour before I was done with work. By the time I was heading out the door and picking up my lil Prince I was good. No real desire for food at the end of the day either. All in all the first day wasn't bad at all.

Pre Cleanse Pics

The pictures are not of the best quality. However, that works in my favor since I'd prefer not to have half nakkie pictures of myself on the net. At least not ones that clearly reveal my identity. The pictures are just another way to monitor changes due to the fast. To be quite honest I'll be fine If I look the same after the fast. I've already dropped a few elle bees and I don't want to get too small for my own liking. A reduction in the belly would be welcome. More so a more flat appearance sans sucking in. When I suck in now I look fabulous! lol. The above pictures are of me NOT sucking in, but not poking out my belly either.

Cleanse starts tomorrow morning! I've already prepared my lemonade for drinking. I plan to wake up an hour early to do the salt water flush. Pray for me! lol. I don't want to be late because I can't leave the toilet.

"God bless me with the determination to get through this fast. Show me how strong I am."

Salt Water Flush (SWF) Trial run

Preliminary Results: Please, there has got to be a better way. I followed the directions and proportions for the salt water flush according to the Master Cleanse e book I previously linked. That stuff is very difficult to chug down. So difficult that I only was able to drink half of the suggested amount before starting to regurgitate it. So I stopped there. Right now I'm waiting for it to do it's work. I pray it happens soon because my mother will be here soon so that I can braid her hair :

*I'll update final results later today*

Final Results: Well I realize that I don't have to drink an entire recommended portion to empty my bowels. I was cool and very skeptical for about an hour. Then on the way to my moms house I had to clench because it was a working. Up until that moment my stomach felt VERY icky and my tongue tasted like salt. It was unsettling to keep tasting all that salt so I grabbed a banana on my way out the door to cover the salty taste. Well the salty taste didn't go away until the flush started working. And boy did it work!

I arrived at my moms and went straight for the bathroom. Without going into much detail it was as if I had diarrhea but minus any cramping, sweating or discomfort. Once the flush started working I found the experience OK and wouldn't mind doing that again if it wasn't for the disgusting salt water. lol. How do I get around that? My good friend who did the fast somehow managed to do the flush each morning. I do not see myself doing the flush each morning. I would likely do it in the evening once I'm home for the night. I'd have to wake up much earlier than I'd want to as to make sure the flush had run it's course (it took 45 min to 1 hr today) before venturing off to drop my little Prince off to school and heading to work.

Overall, I give the experience one thumb up. It did what it was suppose to do and I only drank half of the reccomended portion. But the taste was horrible.

Again, the official fast starts on Monday. I'm looking forward to it. And my Kingman says he's on board. I'm excited to get started!

Picture This

I've always love blogs that post pictures of what's going on with them. And craft blogs are a new personal favorite of mine. I'm a crafter myself and I have a lot of respect for other creators. I recently got in a few orders for crochet items from some good friends of mine. I'm so honored they liked my stuff enough to want to buy something. Here is a sneak peak at a hat for one of the sets. This one is made for a Goddess from Oromia. She wanted to incorporate her national colors. Then finally a picture of my recent creation to add to inventory. Check out some other items at http://public.fotki.com/Knotty-Gal-Knits/ .

Dear sleepy feeling,

Please stop. I have mucho work to do right now. That is all.

Love,

The one who needs to keep her eyes open.

Fall Cleaning

I plan to try my hand at the Mater Cleanse pretty soon. I've been mentally preparing myself for this over the last week or so. A good friend of mine just finished her 10 day fast and gave me daily updates on how she was feeling. She even took some before and after shots. I know many folks are facinated by this "lemonade diet". To me it has never been a diet. But a fast and detox. To each their own. My reasoning for trying the cleanse is to try and detox a bit and get my body and mind back on track.

I've read so much about the benefits of fasting and Have never gone past one day. I'm told the first day is the hardest, after that it gets better and easier. So I'm ready. I'm going to pick a start date soon and hopefully do a daily update on how I'm feeling and how my body reacts to the cleanse. I want the break down to be updates on my skin, digestion, mood and overall body.

Information on the cleanse can be found here. I'm using my lunch break today to read all 30 pages. From there I'll figure out any modifications I plan to make to the plan. But my prayer is I can follow it as written so I can really see how it works.

This weekend I plan to buy all the supplies. I may even start this next week. I pray for the courage to just DO IT. I was hoping my Kingman would come along on this journey with me. But he doesn't seem to mentally be ready for it. But I want to do this for me so I may go it alone.

God bless me with the strength to do what I know I need to do.