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

Tell it all Tuesdays (Tiana edition)...

Hey peeps!! I haven't done a post in a while, so I'm a little rusty. My daughters 13th birthday was Sunday. I'm so proud of that girl, that I don't know what to do with myself. I look at her getting older and growing into a wonderful young lady everyday (I won't even speak on the fact that she has about a half inch to go before she's taller than me). Thank you guys for allowing me to share my life, style and family with you. Anyhoo... this Tell it all Tuesday will be dedicated to my "Chic-a-dee".... I hope she's cool with me sharing my nickname for her with everyone. =D


Hubby and I had Tiana at the tender ages of 19 & 20 (I was 19, he 20). We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

She loves to draw, design clothes, knit, ice skate and hang at the mall with her friends (don't worry, she'll be getting a job ASAP for that mall part =D).

Tiana is an awesome writer. She's won statewide awards for her writing, and has even been published!! 

She loves her natural hair, and has decided to stay that way for now. Cornrows, Afro's and twist-outs are what she loves. I think the level of confidence that my baby girl has is unprecedented. I know how hard it can be to maintain your confidence at such a young age. She never ceases to amaze me.

While she doesn't consider herself to be a fashionista... she has great "Tiana Style". I tell her all the time when she puts an outfit together, "Wow, you're looking very Tiana today!" Her response, "Thank you!!".

And to top it all off, she's the best big sister that a little brother could have. I could say so much more, but I don't want to make this post the longest ever. lol! Can you tell that I'm a proud momma?

Until next time...



Tell it all Tuesday... Pt 2

Hi!! Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas! I'm back with another edition of "Tell it all Tuesdays". Thank you all for reading my last one, and for all of the sweet comments. It really means a lot to me. This one won't be as long as the first one because I realized that I need to save some things for future posts. I guess I can be a blabber mouth sometimes. It will still be as random though. lol

A few of my favorite songs in the whole wide world are, Overjoyed by Steve Wonder, As We Lay by Shirley Murdock, Grandmas Hands by Bill Withers and Moody's Mood for Love by James Moody. I have more, but these are a few that represent special people and specific periods in my life. The songs make me think of my childhood, and I get all warm and fuzzy when I hear them.


I'm 1/4 of the self proclaimed "Wine-Oh Clique". Three other ladies and myself get together once a month to hang out, drink different kinds of wine, and go to different restaurants. We have so much fun!

I was Snow Daze Queen in high school. I really liked my powder blue dress and dyed shoes from Payless.  =D

This is my most favorite picture in the whole wide world. Hubby and my daughter. It was such a sweet moment. It warms my heart to know that it was captured.

My family has a reunion every year hosted in Chicago. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!

Can you spot me??

I don't have a favorite food or color. But I don't like most veggies (I recently took a liking to zucchini). And I'm drawn to neutrals. I don't really like to cook, but I can. I know it's therapeutic for some people,
but it's mostly just work for me. I love it when Hubby decides to take the wheel and get down in the kitchen! I really like his chicken and fries.                                      

I can be quite confrontational if I need to be. I don't shy away from it.

I'm a good listener. I love being the shoulder to cry on for my friends and family (as long as it's not about the same thing over and over again).

I'm kind of a procrastinator. I do some of my best work under pressure... Really, I do!

I'm a Virgo. But I'm not a neat freak like they say most Virgos are. Some of the other traits are so me though. That always confused me.

One of these days, I want to go natural with my hair. I have such hair envy of my daughter. Little known fact about me... I secretly wanted a Jheri Curl as a child. HA!

I'm a homebody, but I get restless sometimes. Especially in the winter time. Cabin fever sets in during the cold winter months and drives me stir crazy.

My car covered in snow last winter. Crazy!

Well, that's it for now. Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks again for reading! Until next time... =D

Tell it all Tuesday...

The beautiful Kiah over at From the Rez to the City created a blog post about who she is as a person. I felt like it connected me to her on a whole different level, and for that I am grateful. Judging from all of the sweet comments on her post, I know I'm not the only one. Kiah and I had a brief Twitter convo and she said something that rings so true... "We all know we love fashion, but that does not define us." I loved her post so much that I decided to jump on in and share a few things about myself (I got her blessing =D).  I've done a similar post previously, but it didn't dive as deep (see here). I decided I would start a new segment titled, "Tell it all Tuesdays". This is all very random and all over the place, but hang in there with me y'all. Here it goes...

I was born in Chicago (Cabrini Green) and raised by my great grandmother and great aunt. My granny passed away when I was 12 years old, but I feel like I learned so much from here in the short time that I was blessed with her in my life. I moved to Minnesota when I was 14 years old. I hated it like crazy. I never would have guessed that I would meet some amazing people, and have such wonderful life long friends.

I like a good game of paintball. Nothing like shooting your friends in the leg with a semi-automatic paintball gun. =D

I have one tattoo. I tattoo'd myself like a big old fool at the tender age of 12. Before you ask, yes it says "Fe-Mac". Anybody remember the rapper chick MC Smooth?? I finally got it covered at the ripe old age of 33. Bout time! HA!

Before

After

This is my first haircut (8th grade). It was supposed to be like Salt N Pepa, but ended up every bit of horrible. BTW,  I was in my late 20's when I finally waxed my eyebrows. I was so bushy!! lol! Don't judge me!                            

                                     

I loved my high school years. Some of the best times were had. I never went to college, and that's not to say that I won't go in the future. I was just one who got right to work after high school.

                                     

I'm outgoing and I love to laugh. I found out from my husband that I laugh just like my mother. LOL! Now when I laugh, all I hear is her. She'll be happy to know that.

My Momma                                      

People say I'm an old soul. I feel like it sometimes too, but I sometimes I don't like being a voice of reason. Sometimes I just want to let go and do stuff!!

I have 3 brothers and one sister. I'm the oldest, so I'm in charge wether they know it or not.

I do not like pets of any kind. Not even fish! I don't want to take care of them.

I don't like people that much. **wait let me explain** I have a huge family. A lot of which I lived with until I moved from Chicago. Even though I love my family, I always wanted to be by myself and have my own space. With a family so big and so close, there was never a need for too many friends.

I feel like I'm at my best when I know my family is happy.

I don't wear make-up other than a little eye shadow and lip gloss.

My first application of eye shadow

I have been married to the most wonderful husband a gal can have for almost 10 years (this February). Together for almost 15 (this March).

Although I love Minnesota for it's diversity, school system and NO CLOTHES TAX, I want to retire in a warmer climate. North Carolina preferrably.

I work in the insurance industry, and have since I graduated from high school in 1997, except for the few months that I worked at Comcast. Hey, it was free cable and internet!! I love the service aspect of my job. Even though I said I don't like people (don't judge me), I love building business relationships and seeing that customers return because of a service that I provide.



I think I may have rambled on for too long, that's all for now. Join me next week for another edition of "Tell it all Tuesdays". I'm going to try to keep doing this until I run out of things to say about myself. I hope to learn more about each and every one of you who take the time to stop by my little space and check up on me. Thanks for reading!! Until next time...