It's our Anniversary!

If I wasn't so tired right now, I would make this a tad bit longer. But I can barely keep my eyes open, and my couch is calling me for a nap; such is the life of a pregnant woman :) Today is our wedding anniversary...5 years married, although we have been together for16 years. We met at the young age of 18, and well...I'm sure you can do the math. He truly is my better half, and I feel blessed to have such a wonderful man to walk through life beside me. My desk calendar features a quote that seems appropriate for today: "When two people choose to become one, you become something even greater than that if you ask God into the circle,"for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer." Because when times are better, God blesses you, and when times area worse, God will bless you even more.

Biracial Best Friends

I have spent a lot of time pondering how our daughter will respond to her first day of kindergarten. She seems to get the general understanding of what lies ahead...but I can't help but be a little skeptical. Her very best friend in the world is a little girl in her class that is also biracial. Our daughter and her act as though they are old lost souls. I always wondered what drew them together. They have a large class filled with many diverse kids, but they have a connection that is unbreakable. Lately, our daughter has been wondering why her friend will not be coming along on the journey to her "new school." Her eyes fill up with tears, and she seems lost when I try and explain to her that she will be able to make new friends. While I know that we will always stay in touch with her best friend; I am praying that her new class will be just as diverse as her preschool, and that there will be at least another little girl who our daughter will be able to relate to. As we watch her grow, a new sense of reality is starting to set in and realize soon enough the challenges of what lies ahead.

Baller on a Budget

It seems that unless your Oprah or Bill Gates, the rising cost of gas, food, and other commidities will have you re-thinking your budget. In our family, we try and watch our spending by eating out with our Entertainment Book, which will typically give you 50% off one entree, or buy an entree and get one free. We go to movies at the local dollar theater, and subscribe to Netflix, where we get a great rate for unlimited movie rentals per month. We also make frequent trips to the local library, which is a great resource for books, cd's and movies, all for free!

Check out these sites for a few extra ways to save your money!

http://www.thegrocerygame.com/ coupons, tips and ideas on how to save money at the store!

http://www.thecouponclippers.com/ start keeping track of your coupons

http://www.craigslist.com/ it's one big garage sale...and a whole lot more

http://www.potterybarn.com/ i only shop the clearance...it's 75% off, and a great way to update your home without breaking the bank

http://www.overstock.com/ they have a great assortment of everything, plus shipping is always cheap

http://www.platoscloset.com/ if you have a teen that was born to shop...fab consignment store

http://www.ouac.com/ Once Upon a Child stores carry everything from baby gear, kids clothes, and maternity

http://www.aaa.com/ i cherish our membership and if you plan on traveling, they have wonderful deals on family vacations.

Cocoa Babies...

I stumbled upon the cutest baby and kids gear last night, and want to share with everyone! The website is: http://www.cocoababies.com/ ; and they are very reasonably priced. Here is a sample of some of my favorite picks

Skin Color in the World of Modeling

I just finished reading a not so surprising yet still disturbing article out of Newsweek on Sunday. It focused on the latest edition of Italian Vogue. This month's edition featured all black models, which is supposed to give impetus to other magazines and modeling agencies to hire more diverse models, other than the standard iconic Barbie type. This article is a must-read. I know how important building self-esteem is in young girls, and we have to get past this steroeptyped beauty that is only blond hair and blue eyes. Just when it seems like we take one step forward....

Please click here to read full article...

Congrats to Venus!!

We always like a good match at Wimbledon...But when the Williams sisters take center court, we pay attention! They are nothing short of phenomenal, and they are always on point when it comes to this dynamic duo match-up. They are great role models on and off the court, and for that: we say thank-you and Congrats Venus!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Backyard BBQ & Desserts

Rocket Pops: http://www.kraftfoods.com/

Firecracker Cupcakes: http://www.kraftfoods.com/

Midwestern Style Brats: http://www.foodtv.com/

BBQ Spareribs: http://www.foodtv.com/

Individual Fruit Pies: http://www.foodtv.com/

My Top 5: July 4th Fashion Finds of the Week

http://www.jcpenney.com/

http://www.target.com/ http://www.nordstroms.com/

http://www.oldnavy.com/

http://www.macys.com/

Jacquelyn Johnson...BGS Girl of the Month

A big congrats to our first BGS Girl of the Month.

Name: Jacquelyn Johnson

Brief Bio: A four time NCAA heptathlon champion from Arizona State University; she has qualified to go to Bejing on this year's 2008 Olympic Track & Field Team.

Fun Fact: She loves chicken parmesan from the Olive Garden; and eats it at least one time during the week of her meet.