Sisterhood Weekend- DST

This weekend I celebrated my 10 year reunion with my line sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. That’s right! Ten years!! Boy how time flies!! I’d been looking forward to this weekend for months! I have a busy life. I’m a “not so stay at home mom”, what I call a fully part-time business owner (my business is only open for part of the workday, but I’m working ALL day), wife, and help often with city events and fundraising efforts. Together my family and I participate in martial arts, help with church activities, partially host Bible study, and the list goes on. It is such a fun and exciting life that is full of love, fun, laughter, challenges, and busyness! I love my life, but this weekend presented a chance to get away (only for a weekend). Yes ma’am. I will take it. So James (my nickname for my line sister and close friend, Jaime) and I packed our bags and headed straight to Dallas for the weekend anticipating lots of laughter, fun, sisterhood, and catching ups. I hadn’t seen some of my line sisters since we graduated from the University of North Texas. Even though Facebook has created a world of being able to keep up with everyone, I looked forward to seeing them behind the “Facebook curtain” (bragbook is my nickname for Facebook). You only get to see the surface of what’s going on in everyone’s lives.

It was great to catch up with everyone. It was so nice to see how mature everyone’s lives have become. We were now mothers, wives, business owners, hard workers, actresses, etc… It was great to hear the success stories, and very heart felt to hear the struggles and life challenges. We were now spread far and wide across the US. Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Los Angeles, California. These were the women I started my journey to womanhood with. We experienced long meetings, crazy parties, careless relationships, our first taste of independence, road trips, and just a little too much fun together. We once cried tears together, fought about silly stuff, and had our first experiences with learning how to run a business. My times with these ladies were, and still are, absolutely priceless. There is a special place in my heart for each one of them. I was so grateful for the opportunity for every single 21 of us to be together again. And yes, we are still the best looking line to come through the Zeta Eta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta at UNT (a little something we always say about our line).

Because of this sorority, I have lifelong friendships. Some of these women are my closest friends that I’ve been through everything with. Relationships, marriage, children, and life altering moves. It’s such a blessing to still have the women in my life that I’ve shared all of these experiences with. This sorority has given me so much, and though not fully appreciated before, as I grow older and more mature, I appreciate all that being a part of this sorority has contributed to my life.

 

Thank you to Jason Blackwell for taking the priceless photos. You can book sessions with him at http://www.jblackproductions.com/

Round Rock Chalk Walk 2012

Every year Round Rock hosts its annual Chalk Walk. Artists from Austin and its surrounding cities gather on Main St. in downtown Round Rock to impressively chalk up the streets while observers walk from artist to artist in admiration. I’ve participated in this event two of the three years . It is an event that I look forward to every year. I run a business, a family, assist with church activities, and choose to actively stay involved in community events that require much of my attention (as part of my mission). Needless to say that I stay very busy, and because of this I have chosen to express my art sparingly. I only do it as a hobby or gifts. I've found that this keeps it fun for me. It helps me to appreciate my gift without the added pressure of business dealings and deadlines. That decision was quite a struggle for me. I felt that by labeling my art as a hobby and not a business, I wasn't using my God given talent. God has shown me a lot these past couple of years, including what to do with my art. I concluded that God has blessed me with this talent so that I may bless others. This is a conclusion that has brought much mental peace. Of course, my friends insist on tipping me, and that is a blessing I will accept:) Here are a few snippets from the chalk walk this weekend.

Little Ms. Allison helped me on the first day. The best part of participating this year was allowing all my dear friends that wanted to help me create my chalk art. The kids LOVED it, and it was such a joy to see how happy helping me made them.

  My dear friend Erika and her son YoSeb. I am so thankful for her. She has a heart of gold.

 

 Little Ms. Kylie has been waiting on this event for at least a month now. She is a talented aspiring artist. I love watching her grow with love for art in her heart. 

My dear friend, "Mama" Barb. This sweetie was the first one to show up Saturday morning, grabbed hot tea and hot chocolate for my helper and me, took me to H.E.B. to get medicine for my increasing allergies, and was the last person to walk the streets with me to observe the art. I just love her. She is called Mama Barb for a reason. She takes care of her people. Thank you for being such a blessing.

My baby girl, of course, insisted on helping. She wants to be an "artist" like her mama.

 

 

This is one of my favorites from some of the student artists at McNeil High School.

  My dear friend, Rhea Brown, is insane with how she uses color in her abstract portraiture. She is amazing!! I love having her around to inspire me to play outside of my realm of using color in an untraditional and creative way.

  John Howell, owner of the Cordovan Art School in Round Rock, is one of the most phenomenal artists I've ever met. He has a way with making his art come to life, and I’m in complete awe of him every time I watch him paint, draw, chalk anything up. When I last passed his work at the chalk walk, his highest bid was $500!

It was such a great event. It is definitely worth attending next year if you missed it this year. They are not pictured, but there were also lots of vendors, bands, and performers.

Trying the Maca Shake for body and mind

Lately, I've been quite obsessed with Chef Ahki. What!!! You don't know about her? Here is her site http://www.chefahki.com. I'm not sure if I could ever be passionate enough to go all out vegan like her (been there, done that, and let’s just say it took a toll on my stomach).  Well, that and my family is from Texas and Louisiana, so I dare not deprive myself of such yummy goodness at family gatherings, but I have been (for a while now) making an attempt to live, eat, and become a little healthier in all aspects of my life. Spiritually, mentally, and physically. While preparing my freezer meals this weekend, I stumbled across Chef Ahki's Maca Shake recipe. I couldn't help but be tempted by this yummy looking drink, and since the first sentence in her description of this drink was that it could be used as a coffee replacement, I was SOLD!!! It has been several months since I've owned a coffee pot. When my old one broke, I felt it was a great time to wean myself off coffee for good. Oh, how I've missed it. Other than social settings, I've not had a routine coffee habit in a good 8/9 months. Anyhoo, this Chef Ahki suggested drink turned out to be oh so yummy (once I added the honey that is). Is it worth it? I think so. Just read the medicinal benefits of this drink.

       "Maca is a root from Peru that offers an amazing energy boost without the caffeine headaches. It’s also considered a super-food due to the high amounts of minerals, vitamins, enzymes and all the essential amino acids. Maca also balances hormone levels through stimulating and nourishing the hypothalamus and pituitary glands which control your mood and libido."
                                            

Here are the ingredients:

1 cup almond milk
1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons cacao nibs
2 tablespoon cacao powder
1 teaspoon maca root powder

Don’t forget a handful of ice if you would like it in shake form

 

Here are a few other of our family habits.

Morning green tea with ginger and mint (the little mint left from the garden). The kids love their tea. If you are wondering if this is ok for the kids http://www.livestrong.com/article/309235-about-the-benefits-of-green-tea-for-children/

Yummy yogurt pancakes for a freezer breakfast meal (but a few to enjoy this morning)

 

A haul from Whole Foods for my son’s extremely dry skin, and peppermint soap (not shown) to assist with healthy breathing, and to hopefully help prevent night time asthma attacks.

…and not so healthy, but to get us in the mood for Fall. Yummy chocolate chip pumpkin muffins. I’ve got to keep these out of my house. They were heavenly, but not so healthy.