I Choose...

Hey peeps! I hope y'all enjoyed the weekend, and you're looking forward to an awesome week ahead.

My last post was kind of heavy. At least it was for me. It helped me to get some of my thoughts and feelings out. It also caused me to find answers within myself and make changes where appropriate. We all have choices in this life.

I choose to love. Love is not just a feeling. It's an action. I make the choice to love others, and open myself up to being loved.

I choose to live. It's my journey, and I plan to find out what the future holds. But in the mean time, living out loud is the only option. I will.

I choose to learn. The only way to grow is to learn. I don't know everything, nor do I pretend to. Being both the teacher and student brings about a wealth of knowledge.

I choose to laugh. We all know that laughter is good for the soul. Go on! Laugh!! I mean one of those deep down, I can't breathe/my cheeks hurt kind of laughs. Feels good don't it? :)

I choose to be me. No one can do it better.

What do you choose to do, think, or feel?

Sweater - Old Navy 

Leggings - Deb Shops

Boots - JC Penny

Bag- Coach 

Better with time...

When I was younger, I heard grown folks say that they weren't getting older, they were getting better. And it wasn't just Furious Styles in Boyz in the Hood neither! Older people in my life used that phrase all the time. I never really knew what they meant until now. 

When I was a teenager, I thought that time would NEVER move. It took what seemed like an eternity to get from 9th to 12th grade! Not literally folks. Actually, it only took the normal four years, but I wanted to be grown so bad that I could taste it!

1995 Snow Daze Dance. I thought I was killin it in this dress! 

1996 in my high-school halls with the jailhouse pose 

Once I turned 18, I moved out. At the time, getting "old" (in my eyes old was 30) seemed light years away. 

Me with my best friend at our high-school graduation

In my 20's I didn't really think much about my age. I just cruised along. Hanging out with friends, raising my children, being a young wife, etc. Nothing could touch me! 

Then there was 30. The big 3-0 hit me kind of hard. I wasn't prepared! Where had the time gone?! I mean shoot, I still felt 20 something!

My 'Golden Birthday'. See what I did there? #solidgold

Time passed. I got older. My children got older. Life started moving a hell of a lot faster then it did before. All of a sudden, I look up, and I'm on the later side of 30, damn near pushing 40!! I decided to start taking better care of myself. To focus more on me. To look in the mirror and be proud of the woman who stared back at me. Thus began my weight loss/health journey. With diabetes, cancer & high-blood pressure running in my family I couldn't afford to ignore my weight anymore.

I knew that I wanted to lose some weight, but I never really saw myself as THAT overweight. Below is the first 'before/during' picture where I took a good look and realized that I didn't know where my weight had taken me. Well, I knew, but I didn't. I knew because as you can tell in the picture on the right, I tried to use that poor little clutch as a shield for my tummy. Sad, but true. I say that I didn't know because I actually thought it worked! lol! When I look at these pics, I see a different me from my hair, down to my knees :)

This 'before/during' pic was from a week or two ago. I posted it on Instagram as motivation for me to get to the gym. I was having a hard day, and I needed to let myself know that I don't plan on going back to the old me.

 This pic is from Dec, Jan & Feb. It was my goal dress. I went into Target, saw this dress for super cheap. I tried it on, and it was pretty tight around the mid section. Being that it was a medium, I gave myself until March to fit comfortably into the dress. I DID IT by February! YAY ME!!

I said all of that to say this. I'm not done. Not even close. Being active, and consistently making small changes to live a healthier life is ongoing for me. I slip. Hell, I fall! But I will never stop. And in the process I'm beginning to realize that, like fine wine, I'm getting better with time.

Do you feel like you become a better you as time passes? What are some of the things that keep you motivated to do better?

Until next time...

This was Friday of last week :)

Sweater - Old Navy

Scarf - H&M

Jeans - Old Navy

Boots - Target

Blog Thuggin'

Greetings and salutations!! I hope you all have had a fantastic holiday season, and an even better start to the new year!

I won't get into the fact that I've been gone a while. It's the same old song. What I will get into is the fact that I made a promise to myself (a resolution of sorts), that I will blog at least once a week. It doesn't matter if I have one picture or five, I need to get it together. I made the usual excuses. I don't have a camera, it's cold outside, there's no light, yadda-yadda-yadda. While, all of those things are true… Who cares?! 

I have found that not blogging has stunted my personal style growth. That may not make sense to you, but the very reason that I started blogging was to help with finding my style, and build upon it.

So, I stole borrowed the phrase "blog thuggin" from my blogger buddy Lynn. It basically means that we don't have a camera, so we're about that camera phone life right now. LOL! I'm not shamed. It is what it is. A new camera will come in due time. But for now, I will take my shots and blog until my hearts' content.

This outfit is basically courtesy of Old Navy clearance racks. The polo, the sweater, and the pants! And the best part is, the entire outfit was less than $20 (with the exception of the boots). The boots are from Target. They're a few years old, and I probably need to get rid of them, but I can't. They are my favorite boots, and it pains me to let them go.

Do you have that one item (or two) that you just can't part with? What is it?

Until next time...

Spotted...

No need to adjust your eyes, or refresh your browser :) After almost two months of allowing dust to cover my blog, I'm finally posting. I haven't been completely incognito though. I've been around… Reading blogs, tweeting/retweeting, commenting and "liking" on IG and Facebook. I promise, I have! Even though I haven't put hand to keyboard here, I've seen and interacted with most of you on other social media outlets, so trust me when I say, I haven't forgotten about you.

To the peeps who don't currently "follow" me elsewhere, please take a moment to do so if you can. I'm on Instagram & Twitter for the most part. I also have a FB Blog Page. Now, admittedly I'm not very active on the FB blog page, but I promise to pop up every now and then :)

After my outfit post for date-night, there's a few pics that I've also posted on Instagram. Stick with me though! I mean, you've come this far, so why not?!

Now, about this outfit… For some reason, blogger buddy Kim of The Natural Fashionista has me thinking that I can sport crop tops!! Yea, I said it!! Crop tops!! And ya girl drank the Kool-Aide. I saw this cute crop at H&M and couldn't pass it up. The polka dots caught my eye, and it's right on trend with the now fading comic art craze. Not that I'm super trendy or anything, but I do like to try new stuff sometimes.

Let's talk for a second about this high-waisted pencil skirt!! I picked this bad boy up at Stella Blue, a little boutique in my area.They normally don't carry plus sizes, but I always stop by just to see what they have, and to try a few things on. Plus they sell some really nice smelling body oils. I was drawn to this skirt. The $10 price tag may have had something to do with it, but I digress. But when I saw that it was a size M/L, I got a little said. Something told me to try it on. Again, it could have been the $10 tag, but I can't say for sure. I tried it. The end result?!? It fit, and I loved it! Throw it in the bag! 

It started raining outside, hence the final pic in my basement ;) Ha!

Top - H&M

Skirt - Stella Blu

Shoes -DSW (Steve Madden)

I received this shirt from a fellow IG buddy. Check out her on-line store for more styles of tees for ladies with natural hair! 

Bella Donna Kinks Tees

Tee - See link above

Shorts - Calvin Klein (DIY Distressed)

I just kind of loved the color of this wrap dress that I picked up from Old Navy. I paired it with my leopard print babies from Target to add a little flair :)

Dress - Old Navy

Shoes - Target

Until next time (which I promise will be sooner than later)…

Better Late Than Never...

Hey peeps! I hope you guys are enjoying your weekend!! I know I am. Currently Hubby and I are working on getting our pool & hot tub together so they can be in usable condition by the 4th of July. We're almost there. All we need now is for the weather to cooperate, and it will be all good.

For those of you who rock with me on Instagram & Twitter, you can look forward to a plethora of pics that include me chillin by/in said pool with some sort of cold beverage (which may or may not be of the alcoholic variety). #dontjudgeme ;)

Moving on to the OOTD. As I've said in a previous post, I am a "repeat offender" when it comes to clothes. You might read other blogs or have friends/family who you never see in the same thing twice. I am not one of those people. And since my blog reflects me, you will see some of those things once, twice or three tiiiiiiiiimes (a laaaaadaaaayyyy) here. *sorry about that Lionel Richie reference, it just came to my mind*

I was trying to get my life together to participate in the #StyleMeFriday segment of Eboni's blog, but I didn't make it in time :( It was all about peplum. Since I only have one item in this style (I actually JUST purchased a shirt from Target today), I had to dig deep to figure out ow to re-work it since I've worn it twice on the blog already here and here.

I think this worked. It turned out just as I saw it in my head. Don't you just love it when that happens?

Until next time…

***Remember that Google Reader is going away next week. Check out my previous post regarding migrating all of the blogs that you read to Feedly so that you don't miss any updates/new posts***

Dress - ASOS

Jeans - Old Navy

Shoes - Payless

Just Peachy...

Hey peeps!! I hope you all took time to remember and say a prayer those who gave their lives, as well as those who continuously put their lives on the line for our freedoms and liberties. And in the midst of being thankful, I'm sure that everyone hit up a BBQ somewhere & did some serious damage! lol

I had a great weekend. I took Friday off work, so it was a nice 4 day weekend for me. Why is it that no matter how long you take away from work, it always feels like it was never enough?

Anyhoo, on to the OOTD…

Today, I wore this easy breezy peach top. I snagged it on clearance at Herbergers (Boston, Carson Prairie Scott) for around $4 last year! I've only worn it a few times, and every time I put it on I ask myself why don't I wear it more often. I love the color and the fabric is so soft! I'm wearing a scarf because this cool Minnesota air just doesn't understand that it's supposed to be Spring! I want warmer weather, and I want it NOW!!

I picked up the jeans from Old Navy. They are my new favorites! These bad boys were on clearance for under $10, and now I'm kicking myself for not buying more than one pair. I try not to wear them as much so my "chub rub" doesn't ruin them. Ha! No really. I would hate to have to throw them away. I would probably shed a tear or two. I'm serious.

**Do you have a favorite pair of jeans? Do you want to keep me from crying? If you answered "Yes" to at least one of these questions, please leave the brand/style in the comments. I'm always taking recommendations.** Thank ya kindly!! ;)

Until next time…

Top - Herbergers

Scarf - Target?? (I tore the tags off)

Jeans - Old Navy

Shoes - Target

***Bonus pics!!***

Swimsuits that I tried on at Old Navy. I got the purple one. It was $9!!! The pink one was the winner in my Instagram poll, but I didn't feel comfy with no straps. Gosta keep "the girls" in check, ya know?

My aces/family (l to r) Shontelle, Regina and myself. Whenever we get together, we always TURN UP! We got it in on Sunday!!

Forever in the gym these days & I'm better for it ;)

Repeat Offender...

Hey peeps! Hope you guys had a great weekend. I sure did. The sun has finally come out to stay in good old Minnesota and we're trying to spend as much time outside as possible these days. This past Winter was terrible and lasted longer than anyone would have liked. Our last snow fall was just a little over a week ago!! Ok, enough about the weather. On to my #ootd.

I love me some Old Navy. If you take a peek at a lot of my previous posts, you will find that I frequent that place often, and their clearance racks have me dancing in the isles. No really. Sometimes I do a little dance when I find a steal of a deal. #dontjudgeme Ha!

You've seen this skirt before, and I have no problem showing it again. It's actually the same skirt from my previous post, just in a different color.Yes, I am a… dare I say it?! Repeat offender. I wear things in my closet more than once. So sue me. And, if I find a cute way to wear it, you just might see me rocking it that way again. Shocking, I know. lol! That's just me. And here at Spoon Full of Sugar, that's what you get. Me ;)

This look is also my link up entry to last weeks Style Me Friday segment over at Eboni's spot The Fashionista Next Door. Head on over her way to see all of the other lovely ladies who linked up in their white Tees!!





Until next time…

White Tee - Dots
Striped Pencil Skirt - Old Navy
Shoes - Target

Life Happens...

Hey peeps!! Let me start by giving a big fat THANK YOU to all of you!! You didn't delete me from your readers because I've been MIA, and for that I'm thankful!! I've been around, reading blogs, looking at pics, reading tweets and "liking" Instagram pics. I just haven't had the time to get back to blogging until now. 

I have so much to say/show!! But, I'm gonna try to keep my first post relatively short as I get back into the swing of things. Please hang in there with me if you follow me in IG and have seen some of these pics. This won't be the norm now that I can get out and do OOTD pics again. 

First thing's first. Hubby and I purchased our very first (and hopefully last) home! We're homeowners y'all!! I love our home! Packing, moving, and unpacking is a monster, but I wake up smiling, feeling blessed, and thanking God every morning. This pic was taken in April... And yes, that's snow in April! O_o

Secondly, I haven't given up on my health/fitness/wellness journey. I must admit that I have stumbled a bit here and there with my eating habits, but slacking on being active is not an option for me. Exercising at least four days a week as helped me to reach my 2nd weight goal. I'm not comfortable with sharing that number just yet. Not sure if I ever will be, but it damn sure felt good to get there. I now have a new goal, and I'm working everyday to get there.

While two great things were happening in my life, I also lost someone very close to me. My Aunt Berda was called Home to the Lord. Her passing was devastating to my family, as she was/is our backbone. She was one of the most kind, loving, passionate and family oriented people that I know. She had a significant role in raising me to be the woman that I am today. I know she's watching over me and I am comforted knowing that she's no longer in pain and can be forever young. Rest in Peace my Angel.

The next thing that I'm going to mention makes me smile every time I catch my reflection. My hair. When I tell you that I love the way my natural hair is shaping up, I mean it! There were times when it was growing out that I wasn't so sure about it. I'm sure now. From braid-outs, to twist-outs, to afros, to this cute little bun that I recently learned how to do, I LOVE IT!!

And last but not least... (I know I said I would keep it short, but I just couldn't. Ha!) An outfit post. Let me just say, I just love this Marilyn Monroe top. 

Thank you guys again for hanging in there, and shout out to those of you who checked up on me to make sure that I was ok. I'm good. BABY I'M BACK! Please stay tuned. Until next time...

Tee- Target

Tank - Old Navy

Striped Pencil Skirt - Old Navy

Leopard Flats - Target

Keep Calm… It's only White

Yes, I'm wearing white pants and there's still snow on the ground in my neck of the woods. Although I don't adhere to the "no white until Memorial Day" rule, I normally wouldn't wear them until the snow has melted. Eboni over at The Fashionista Next Door sped up the process for me with her Style Me Friday series.

I'm linking up over there with other fashionistas who have pulled their white pants and jeans out and worn them proudly before the so-called time comes. I love the colors in this outfit. We didn't have any sun, but my coral cami provided the brightness that I needed. On another note, never mind my crazy fro. The wind and moisture in the air made it do it's own thing ;)

I hope you guys have had a fabulous weekend. I know I did. Well, I'm off to get ready for the week. Every week that passes is a week closer to our closing date on our new home :) And stay tuned, because I'll be doing an update on my fitness/health journey in my next post.

Until next time…

Blazer - Converse - Target

Coral Cami - Torrid

Pants - Old Navy