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I LOVE cooking from recipes, and making up meals, I LOVE spending time with my boys (all three) and entertaining my family and friends, I LOVE bargain shopping (vintage stores included), I LOVE flipping through fashion and design mags, I LOVE the smell of libraries and how often I could get lost there, I LOVE scanning realty websites, I LOVE Trader Joes and LUSH, I LOVE fresh flowers and all four seasons, I LOVE Cincinnati and am always ready to travel, I LOVE stationary and stamps, I LOVE diamonds and pearls, tulle and lace, I LOVE smelling coffee and drinking tea, I love marshmallows and chocolate, I LOVE cozy sheets and morning sunshine, I LOVE me and I love GOD!

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Cabin Fever Busters: Kid Tested Mommy Approved

Winter Family Activity

Winter Family Activity by mrsrjdean on polyvore.com


As this cold, rainy weather continues we are trying to find fun things to do at home. We have been watching movies, reading books and of course playing games! I am going to start journaling with the boys soon so we can improve their writing skills. Right now, they are particularly fond of Connect 4 and UNO.

Challenge: getting past the "I won" "you lost" phase and explaining to them that it's just a game for fun. We are working on it. It's a work in progress, as everything in life.

What are some of your fun ways to cope with cabin fever?

xoxo,
Ronita

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Style Muse.... I LOVE

While everyone is obsessed with the big sister I LOVE the little sis!







(via)

I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!! Her hair her style... goodness SOLANGE don't kill em.


HAPPY THURSDAY!

xoxo,
Ronita

Sidenote and updates: I have been taking a break from the blog to focus on me and my familia but I'm back and have some fun things to share. I actually picked up a paperback (which I'm trying to do more of this year), The Help, which I read and loved. I have been cuddling with my little men and connecting with my husband. I have been playing with my hair and creating some fun styles and am ready to get back in the gym!!

I can't wait for SPRING!!!!

Friday, January 13, 2012

BEHIND EVERY GREAT MAN is a great WOMAN







I love looking at these old family pictures of the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I can't imagine what it must have been like to be the wife of such a brave hero!
She, herself must have been brave.

"I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live."
Martin Luther King Jr., Speech in Detroit, June 23, 1963
US black civil rights leader & clergyman (1929 - 1968)

What are you doing to celebrate, honor and commemorate this weekend?

xoxo,
Ronita



Thursday, January 12, 2012

Support The Troops and the Lovely Actors (wink)

This movie is a must see next weekend! Be sure to tell your family and friends they need to support! Check out my girl Shelby's blog on a great conversation as to why!
xoxo,
Ronita

Styling and Photos: My Little Model in the Making




A friend of mine asked me if Tre' would be available for a styling session she was working on. Of course he was and boy what an amazing job she did.

Check out more pictures from the shoot, here. 

Thanks to Kiwi Street Studios and Lindsay Dewald Styling for the opportunity and outstanding pictures!!

HAPPY Thursday

xoxo,
Ronita

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

I Love My Thirsty Roots


                                                          I LOVE MY Thirsty Roots!!!



                                    

What a postive message.
Embrace your hair no matter how you wear it!

HAPPY Tuesday
xoxo,
Ronita




Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Happy 2012: My 30 Before 30 Revisited

(via)

If you have been following my blog a while ago me and some of my girlfriends got together and came up with some of our 30 before 30. 30 things we wanted to accomplish before we turned 30. Some may call get pretentious some may call it a waste but for me even if I can’t complete my whole list I am sure going to try.

Here is an update on some of the things I have been able to get accomplished. Some are a onetime deal and some are things I will work on for the rest of my life.

I love setting goals and completing them.
With that said my 30 before 30 revisited, tweaked and some additional events worth mentioning.

Here is to 2012 and beyond.

30 Goals before I turn 30: Sept 26, 2013


Pray more and worry less- continue to grow in my walk with God and understand that God is in control   CONTINUALLY

Continue to be the best wife and mommy I can be CONTINUALLY 

Visit my dad at least twice a year

Communicate more with my grandmother and Scott’s grandmother- pick their brains for family history and stories from “back in the day” - I find myself always with these two in my heart and whenever I get a free minute I love talking to them!

Take better care of my health and encourage my family to do better  CONTINUALLY

Master basic photography
Take a long train ride somewhere fun! - Probably not going to happen too expensive and boy does it take a very long time to get somewhere-with my work schedule and finances...we will see though...you never know....

Travel to visit all my girlfriends- by myself, no kids or hubby for some quality girl time (Texas; 2 parts, DC, Columbus, Cleveland, Cali, Arizona, Seattle, etc) A must THIS YEAR. So many changes!

Start a small business: I am too creative not to!!! - even if just on etsy (tooting my own horn)

Pay off at least 3 major bills: car note, student loan, credit card- become debt free - Thank God I paid off my car in 2011. Working on the others.

Organize a massive yard sale/purge all my stuff and donate the money to a battered women’s shelter

Volunteer with the boys at a soup kitchen - This past Thanksgiving we served with our church and it was such a great experience. I would love to do it again when they get a bit older and can truly understand what it means to serve the needing because in life you are only a day away from being in that position. This is something that I will want us to religiously do together.

Get on schedule to save $1,000/yr for each boy to give to them when they are 18 (set up accounts)- CONTINUALLY This year we were able to save for both boys! 

Go on a mission trip with my church - There will be a future post about this later looks like this is brewing for this year. Stay Tuned!

Get more involved at my church through a community group - Scott and I joined a couples community group and we really enjoyed it. It was very hard from a time commitment stand point but boy what a blessing. We hope to be able to reunite with our group again soon.

Skinny dip in the ocean

Reunite with Zeta- become a financial active member - I'm planning on attending the 1st meeting of the year next Saturday. Fingers crossed and saying a prayer. I think I am in a better place.

Master my sewing machine - I lucked up on a Groupon for a sewing class and I am taking it ..tomorrow...I will be sure to post some pictures!

Sew a dress from scratch

Organize a successfully romantic and super fun couples retreat for our close friends - I am crossing this off my list. although I didn't plan it for friends I did for family. We traveled to Gatlinburg for my mother's 60th birthday and we had a ball. Relaxing, beautiful and romantic.

Take French and Italian cooking classes

Write a memoir of my family’s account/story of surviving Hurricane Katrina- even if not published something to keep in the family

Make a really great gumbo without my mom’s help

Have 1 more healthy Dean baby - Everyday we go back and forth about this but as of today I am fulfilled and happy with my two amazing boys! They keep us so busy and on our toes.

Buy a house with a BIG kitchen, 4 beds, at least two baths, a man cave, big yard to share with all our family and friends - Well, with the market being the way it is right now we are content and blessed to be in our 3 bed 2 1/2 bath condo (in a great school district) and are fixing it up alittle at a time.
This dream house will be ours one day though.

Host a major holiday in my new house- where I do all the cooking

Visit vineyards in California- rent a convertible

Perfect making omelets

Howard Homecoming with Sorors

Travel to Italy and Greece - We are hoping for our 5th year wedding anniversary. We need to start planning now. This July will make 3 years!
 
***
Events worth mentioning:
I completed a 4 week cake decorating class
I started and grew my own vegetable garden which I will continue to do annually
Watched my boys spread their wings: swimming, starting school, learning to read- the list goes on...
Witnessed my husband give his life to Christ
 
Not matter the goals you set for your life know that nothing is impossible!
 
HAPPY 2012
xoxo,
Ronita