Sweeping Through Life

Hi I know that I have been away. Life happens. I have been busy on Instagram and Facebook but it is not the same as this. Since I have been away for so long, let me introduce myself. My name is Dana. I am a wife and mother of a 6 year girl. I spend my time crafting (trying to start my own Esty business), lots of community service and spending time with my family. I spend lots of time doing things at my church and with my sorority. I love mindless tv, crafting and playing on social media as a release from the everyday. I am a busy mom, with a busy life which I am learning to manage and make better. I welcome you to my sometimes dull and ordinary life while I try to make an amazing one.

I have a new, I guess it is not really new, but a renewed interest in something....riding my bike. No not a Harley but an actual bicycle. I have been enjoying taking evening rides with my daughter or just going on a spin by myself. The wind flowing and rustling to on my shirt makes me feel so free. I like to hear all of the different sounds I hear in my neighborhood, that I otherwise ignore when I am within my home. I like going fast down the hills and slow around the corners. I want to ride each night and get really bummed when it rains or it is too hot. I look forward to the nightly rides. I was so excited when city put in a new a bike path close to my home that I have added to my nightly journey. Riding for me is not only exercise but a daily freeing of my mind of the hustle and bustle of the day. I am going to enjoy as many of these rides as possible until winter falls upon us and even then I might try to find away to ride. Do you go bike riding or what do you do to free your m...

I am tired. I feel puffy right now and know that tomorrows doctor appointment is not going to be fun. I have been so busy this month already that I have not been really taken care of my self. I want a nap. I wish my laundry would wash and put itself up.  I love my bed.  I have been really enjoying the rain, it waters the garden for me.  I have been exploring the Viceland Channel. Interesting programming. I really enjoyed youth week this past week at church. I think that I am addicted to pretzel buns and honey mustard.  I am obsessed with eyeglasses and have started my daughter on the path.  I like that I can work in the community. I need to blog more. I need to get up and restart my morning prayer routine.  I love ice cream. Do I really want to take my daughter to see Kidz Bop with a whole lot of other screaming kids? I think I am going to keep my hair in braids.  Ready for my girls trip.  What are you murmuring about? Tha...

Dear World, I know I have not blogged in awhile, but I needed to let somethings out. This past weekend, has been emotional between all the politics, Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and watching Hidden Figures and An American Girl Story: Melody, I have been fighting back tears.  All  have thought about is the United States going back to a time when people of color or women did not matter? It makes me question about what opportunities will my daughter have? What will the world look like for her? Is it going back to separate bathroom, fountains and doors? At the moment, it sure feels that way. I can not shake this feeling and the closer the 20th gets the more worried I get about it. I really trying to keep hope alive but day by day, my hope is being chipped away. I have tried to distracting myself by not watching the news, but it still seeps in. I am trying to find the positives in all this but at this time, I only see one which is people starting to mobilize and band together fo...

Happy Founders Day to the ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.  I wish you all well in your endeavors and am proud to be a member of such a great sorority. EE-Yip!

As I grow another year older, I am thankful for seeing another year. This year I would like to continue to explore new experiences by myself and with my husband, continue with my healthy lifestyle changes so that I can see my next birthday, continue to make changes to become more financially secure,  to be the mom and wife that my family needs, explore some of those beauty videos on YouTube for some tips as I explore makeup a little more and as I go in to the this birthday I want to continue to work on the person that I am happy with. Soooo, happy birthday to ME, may it be a great one!

My birthday is the first day of spring.  Being able to spend more time outside since it is warmer and stays lighter in the evenings, even though we lose a hour of sleep. The scents in the air go from woodsy and masculine to more floral, feminine and light. Sleeping with the window cracked to enjoy a light breeze at night. Just glad to see the snow gone. Heeeellllooooooo Spring!

I have started and stopped writing in a journal for years. I just have just let life get in the way but I recently have started again. I have found it to be freeing and enlightening. I have also looked back on some of my old journals that I started and stopped and thought what the heck was I thinking.  What I have found helpful  this time around since finding a little time for me a little hard are these monthly list that I located on Pinterest . These list are full of questions can help jump-start your writing process or just help you think of thoughts to write about. A few of the questions for this month are: -What d you what more of? -Something letting go of -The best place to be -How do you focus? -Ten things you learned the past year? Click the  Pinterest link above for the complete list. If you journal what do you journal about?

priority

As my godchild, niece or my other child or one of the other names that her mother and I have for her for her,   Allyson started her rush week at Bowling Green University, I began to feel the excitement for her and exploration of the process that she was going to undertake. It made me reminisce about my process and how I feel about my sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. Here are my 10 reasons that I am a sorority girl... Sisterhood -- I have built lifelong friendship with several of the members of my sorority. Many of these ladies were in my wedding and even one is my daughters godmother. These friendships I know will sustain the end of time and I know that these ladies will be there when I need them. Community Service --I have the opportunity to serve my community through my sorority on a larger scale and make a larger impact. With this network of great women and as this years community service chair, it has pushed me to look for different programming as well as more soph...

When I turned 40 two years ago, I really thought that I was going to die. I was not looking forward to it or even wanted to talk about it. Maybe that is why my husband gave me a surprise party to help me ease into it. The other day I had an Aha Moment, like Oprah says, the 40's have not been that bad so far. They have actually been pretty good. Here are my thought about my 40's so far; I am really feeling myself. I decided to transition to natural hair and am really loving it.  I really have come into my own. I have taken on a more healthier lifestyle so that I can live a long life. I must get more sleep to keep up with my 3 year old. My friendships that I have are the one that I will have for life.  My relationship with God is more important and I continue to nurture it and mature it daily.  I love to relax. Watching my  money is more important since I realize the older I get the closer I get to retirement.  Sometimes I need to wear a wedge instead ...

When did blogs become lifestyle sites ? Did you all that you wanted to do this summer? Are you ready for fall? 

Well since my hair continued to break off, I have decided to not get a perm in my hair anymore. I have not had a perm since March of this year. I have been trying lots of new hairstyles with hair pieces and braids, and looking at YouTube daily for more ideas. I have decided to do this to try something new, especially since I have a broke off spot. I have been really inspired by the loveliness of natural hair ( hair with no chemicals). I really do not want to do a Big Chop ( this is when you cut all the chemical out of your hair), but I will probably have to do a mini-chop within in the next year or so. If you are transitioning to natural hair, I would suggest check out YouTube or Facebook for inspiration. For more inspiration check out Tiffany Nichols Designs , I follow heron Instagram and on YouTube and recently found her blog. Below are some photos of some of recent hairstyles I have been trying. I will keep you posted on my hair progress.

Here are some more of Team Pancakes questions.  I am alittle behind but I am still chuggin along. 1. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how. I know that I do not have 10 people, but I do have the person that has influenced me.....my mom.  My mom has shaped me into the woman that I am today. Her views, the talks with me as a child, the discipline recieved, the opportunities given and the love and respect shown were all apart of my shaping. I am truely grateful. 2. Describe your most embarrassing moment. I think that my most embarrassing moment was when I was in 6th grade and was playing softball in my white and blue uniform and during the game I had cycle started.  It was the first time I had every gotten a cycle. Ugh. 3. Describe 10 pet peeves you have. People who talk to much. A dirty kitchen A slow movie Ignorance People who drive slow in the fast lane Ashy feet. Burnt popcorn smell in the work cafeteria. Undone projects Not being ab...

Here are some more questions from Team Pancakes....... 1.  What's is your dream job, and why? I think that I am currently In my dream job. I am a service coordinator who works with persons with disabilities in coordinating services for them. I enjoy my clients and the ability to work in the community.  Each day is a new experience. Sure there are things I would change, but it takes time. 2. What are 5 passions you have? - Baking a good cake. - Being a good mommy. - Being a good wife. - Reality tv. - Having a good life.

Here is more from Team Pancakes challenge of getting to know you..... 1. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now? My 16 month old daughter and my hubby. My friends. I have some good girlfriends.  My mommy. I enjoy our evening talks. Velvet triple vanilla ice cream Flip-flops 2. If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for? A safer world for my daughter to grow up in. Losing of 50 pounds.  More sleep.

Here are some more things about me,with the questions from Team Pancakes. 1. How do you describe your relationship with your spouse?  One word......comical. We love to laugh. We make jokes all the time. If we did not laugh, we would not know what to do. 2. 10 things you would tell your16 year old self? - Enjoy being 16. - Love living with your mom and having to pay bills. - Absorb everything at your first job, so you know what you don't want to do for the rest of your life. - Realize that your high school sweetheart is not going to be your husband. - Take advantage of all opportunities that life affords you. - Keep the same friends. Most you will have for the rest of your life. - Still compete for your first chair in orchestra even if you are nervous. - Try new things. Some of them you will still enjoy when your older. - Cherish your green Volkswagen beetle. It was a good car. - Follow your heart. Are you playing?

It begins there are my thoughts for the link up at Team Pancakes. Today's questions are the following A) List 20 random facts about yourself. I am trying to grow my hair out of a perm. My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I sleep on glasses. I am a want-a-be Martha Stewart. I unfortunately like lots of reality tv. I have a 15 month old daughter. I love the Golden Girls. I have been married 4 years. I love seafood and Mexican food. Just started liking Converse tennis shoes. I sleep with the tv on . I have several scrapbooks that I need to complete. I attended two high school graduation parties this weekend. I get my nails done every two weeks. I am trying to create a morning routine where I have some me time. I am an only child and love it. I just got an IPhone in December 2012. I love cereal. I work with adults with disabilities . I love Jesus. B)  Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears I do not like thunderstor...