Merry Christmas. I Cheat. So What.

Ok, so hubs and I signed up for a new gym membership. So far so good. We signed up right before the Thanksgiving holiday. I've been trying to go at least (at most too) 3 times a week. Only last week was I so busy that I didn't get my 3 days in. Well, last night was the first time that I went to the gym by myself. I took the kid with me and he goes to play in the kids area. It's a real nice set up and he enjoys it. It was cold as all get out, but I was determined to go. Not because I wanted to work out all that bad, but because...well, I needed to go.

Ok, the real reason is because from time to time, you should reward yourself for all your hard work. I've been eating a lot better: no fast food, very little fried foods if any at all, lots of salad. (I swear I'm a rabbit.) And on top of the workouts, I think I am due to a little treat now and then.

Its Christmas time, and of course all the clients at work are bringing in treats for the office. Either its a calendar or something covered in chocolate. So far, I've already got 4 calendars...and yesterday, I simply ran out of options. I mowed down whatever was covered in brown cocoa goodness. I had nerve to even find out that there were this little chocolate covered sandwich cookies, like Oreos. OMG! Then it was the cashews, and the Kit Kats, and the Reese's bells...

I did eat my salad for lunch though. Hey, SHUT IT!

Don't Say That!

Ok, so we, well I am watching the words that my son picks up. He's in a home daycare during the day and of course anywhere he goes, he is impressionable and picks up what he sees. Even at home, we may say things around the house and he sees it as ok to say, so he does. Sunday night, JoJo was sitting in the bed with me and we were watching one of our favorite movies, "Hairspray". (The latest version of the musical with Nicki Blonski.) Ok, so we've seen it like 85 billion times, but at certain parts, (when he wasn't singing), JoJo would say, "Are you kidding me?" I of course took it as a reaction to some part of the movie, but later he said it again. I'm trying to figure out where he got the phrase from, and it didn't take long to realize that I SAY IT ALL THE TIME! OMG, HE GOT IT FROM ME! LOL! It already sounded so funny with his 2-year-old vocabulary and phonetics, but when I realized that he's heard me say it in plenty of phone conversations with the girlz, or with new news I've just heard, or when JoJo is trippin' and I use the phrase to get his attention. I couldn't get mad; there's nothing wrong with the phrase. But when he said, "shut up" last night...I almost tore his head off.

He was getting ready for bed and of course moving too slow. It was already late and past MY bedtime, so you know HE was running late. I must've been fussing about the whole process and JoJo thinking he was being playful said somewhat under his breath, "shut up." I stopped...backed up...and asked, "What did you say?"
JoJo very softly said, "Shut up."
I asked, "Who?"
He quickly thought and carefully answered, "Daddy."
Daddy wasn't home, so I know he wasn't talking to him. I looked at JoJo and my eyes said, "You little twerp! You were telling me to shut up and while you may be right and I may need to, you are a 2-year-old and nothing gives you the right to so rudely tell me to leave you alone because I AM THE MOMMA and I am in charge of you, and how dare you use the phrase in such a timely and correct manner!"
He knew he was wrong, and there was no point for me to harp on it.
I simply reminded him, "We don't say shut up. You don't say that. Ok?"
With a sheepish look, he said, "Ok."
Returning to the queen of mean I said, "Now get your narrow tail in that bed!"

I try to remind my husband that we can't say everything we want in the house. Yes, its our home and we should be comfortable enough to say and do whatever, but we must be careful because we have young, impressionable, LISTENING, ears in the house with us. Hubs and I say shut up, whether we're talking to each other or in a shocking conversation with others. I don't put it past that little boy that he's listening and absorbing every word! Kids are funny like that! They're listening to see fist of all, how engaged in your conversation you are so that they can see what they can get away with while you are not paying attention! Secondly, they're simply nosy and listening to the actual words you're saying. Trust me, that "Are you kidding me" through me for a loop because while I'm sure JoJo has no ideal what it means, he said it so correctly...and JUST LIKE I SAY IT! LOL!

My mom was telling me about my niece "Peanut" who stayed with her this weekend and the conversation they had over her saying, "What the heck?" My mom explained to her that she was cussin'. "Peanut" slipped and said it 1 or 2 more times, but then she reduced it to, "What the...?" Momma had to advise her again.

My cousin's son was visiting with my aunt (his grandmother) and she must've been getting after him for something. His reply, "Alright grandma,...JE-sus." She had to walk away to keep from laughing because he said just like she says it around the house.

I do monitor what he watches, because I wan't him to pick up good things if he's gonna watch movies at all! One of our favorite parts in "Hairspray" is when the clothier Mr. Pinky calls Edna to ask if Tracy can be his new spokesmodel for his store. Edna signals to Tracy that she's talking to Mr. Pinky. Tracy squeals, "Thee Mr. Pinky?" JoJo and I both look at each other and squeal just like she does. Weird I know, but its amusing to us!

270? How 'bout 364

I in no way mean for this to be or become a political blog. I try to stay away from following or even being involved with politics. But I guess you could say, I'm still excited. President Elect Barack Obama has won the electoral votes from states (North Carolina) that haven't elected a Democratic candidate since the late '70s! Is this awesome or what?! I have been constantly blown away that Obama only needed 270 electoral votes to win the election, but to push it beyond that number and blow the entire election away with a whopping 364 of those bad boys is flabbergasting! See story here: http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/11/obama-wins-north-carolina-now-001318.php

I love the poise that the Obamas carry. I just read from a story dated from February 2008 that Michelle told Barack that she would agree to his running for the presidency if he agreed to quit smoking. Obviously, they came to terms on it. He was smoking 3-4 cigarettes a day. She warned him that if he wanted to campaign for P.O.T.U.S, the stress would make that 3-4 become more. I believe Michelle had him do it for his health reasons and for his image. Ain't nothing like an intelligent black woman. See story here: http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/817951,obama022808.article Another point to ponder: did you notice on election night, after the family and the Bidens had come out after Barack's speech that when it was time to leave the stage, Michelle walked behind everyone as they cleared out? She then stopped and waited for Barack, who was having his shining moment and was still out waving to the people at Grant Park in Chicago, IL. Then as a wife showing her support, put her arms around him (again) and walked with him off stage. I thought that was absotively posolutely classy! It was like, "Ok, Obamas and Bidens, clear the stage and let my man have his moment to shine!" She did it all so gracefully. I love folks that know what they're doing!

I admire the Obamas for being in the spotlight but remaining normal. On the day of election, Michelle sent the girls to school. When their school day was over, they got their hair done in preparation for their dad's big night. Michelle's mother cares for the girls during their school days and says she was hoping Michelle wouldn't make them go, but that if she did, she was going to take them. Now, think like a "momma with a mission": You're trying to help your husband win a presidency, and all has come down to this 1 day where we get the results. Would you keep your 2 kids at home with you while the 2 of you are pacing the floor, wringing your hands, and full of nervous excitment? Case closed.





The Obamas were recently spotted exiting the girls' school after parent-teacher conferences. Could you imagine being the teacher and having the next president and first lady of the free world coming to visit you in your classroom? You talkin' 'bout peeing your pants! Hopefully, everything fared well for Sasha and Malia.


Alright, I'm out. I gotta call Jo Jo's caregiver and have a parent-teacher conference of my own.

OMG! I cried...didn't you?!

Okay, so like, how excited are you right now? Its the day after the presidential election and so much history has been made that it makes our future all the more promising. I stayed up after hearing all the projections and predictions to wait until the final vote count. I heard Senator John McCain's concession speech. I watched the people in Grant Park in Chicago as they waited with baited breath, as I did, for our nations 44th president-elect to take the stage. I wanted to roar with them when his name was announced before he hit the stage, but my family was asleep.

President-Elect Barack, daughters Malia and Sasha, and wife Michelle Obama hit the stage at the end of election night.

Instead, I cried like a baby. It was so overwhelming. It was all a culmination of the last year with all the campaigning, voter registration drives, and urgings for voter turn out.

President-Elect Barack Obama seemed pleased, but tired. It seemed he needed to breath a sigh of relief, but witheld it only because his work is just beginning. I simply pray that God blesses him, gives him strength, guidance, and insight on how to lead this nation. And just as important, I want him to go home and rest until his inauguration in January! Let's have a fresh start all around.

I'm looking at CNN online, watching their video posts and I came across the one showing Barack Obama arriving and voting with his family.


I am going to vote after work. I'm going home to pack a bag of activities and snacks for my 2-year-old. Then my husband, son, and I are going to get in line at the poll. I am so excited. I got emotional watching the video of Senator Obama voting. I loved the fact that he had his daughters with him. My hubby and I were discussing last night what we were going to do with Jo Jo while we go to vote. My mother lives nearby, so we were considering taking him to her house while we wait in line. I so honestly wanted Jo Jo to be with us. He may not remember this in 10 or 16 years, but I want to remind him later in life so that he'll be able to recall that he was part of this historical event. No matter what the result, this election in itself is historical. There is so much at stake and so many possibilities of change, that this election will not soon be forgotten.

I truly believe that we are in God's hands. God is sovereign and he knows what's best for his people, and the people that rely on him....and those that don't. For example, gas was over $4/gallon like a week ago. Yesterday, my neighborhood gas station had gas at its lowest for the week at $2.09/gallon.

The Lord knows my money is funny and my change is strange!

I believe that our country will have the leader that will be best suited to lead our people. We have gotten so far away from morals and standards that this country was first built on, and as a result we are witnessing (or have witnessed) its decline. I do so hope that things will get better. But all is just a sign of the times: the wicked become more so and the day gets more evil. But God is still on the throne and as long as our will is His will, he will take care of his own.

Ten-Twenty-five-O-four

So that time came around again. This date marks the 4th year since my dad passed away. I keep it in my calendar as "Dad's Death Anniversary" because I'm not sure what else to call it. My hubby said, "Why is it called an anniversary. I think anniversaries are for happy celebrations. His death wasn't necessarily something to celebrate." But again...I don't know what to call it!

My dad passed away after suffering from complications with diabetes. He of course died too soon. He had been sick and sometimes weak for a few years, but we weren't ready when it came time for him to go. He was days shy of turning 55 years old. (This isn't what I want to revisit, so I'll move on.)

This year, I was with my husband and his side of the family for game night. I didn't talk to my mom, sister, or brother about "the day" so we made no plans for us to do something together. Sunday I was with my mom and sister and my mom said she went to the cemetary. She asked if I'd been recently. I told her it had been a while and now that I think about it, I was pregnant the last time I went, so that would make it about 3 years ago. My sister said she's never been. The year of his death, my mom did the sweetest thing when daddy's birthday came. We had a birthday party for him and we went to dinner. She had bought each of us a gift...(I'm sorry.)

Dwight D. McCarter, Sr.

11/13/1951 - 10/24/2004

We of course sang happy birthday and talked about dad and laughed. It was nice. We've never been the types to share our emotion in front of each other. We try to be strong for one another, so I think we all must cry in private. I do anyway.

The first father's day was rough for my mom. She stayed home. My sister and I were with the rest of the family. My grandmother stated that she knew it would be a hard day. People were so sorry for us, but we were fine. I mean, by July, it had been months since he passed so, we were cool. We took turns calling to check on mom and she said that she was ok. She just wanted to stay home that day.

Ever since then, we still talk and laugh about dad. His passing of course still stings as if new. I have my moments from time to time and I try to keep my feelings supressed until I'm alone. I think my hubbs still knows when and what I'm thinking at these moments. He's right there to comfort me, but he knows how to back off just far enough to let me have my moment...(whew...I'm sorry.)

My dad still lives through us. We still do what he taught us. Some of us still carry his mannerisms. My son does too. It's so weird! He sits in his chair the way my dad did when he was relaxing. When he was really young, Jo Jo would babble in his sleep. Hubbs said he was talking to my dad. I kinda believed it. He likes his food HOTT like my dad did. (What kid doesn't mess around and wait until the food is all cold and soggy before they eat it?!) Sometimes I can feel his presence around me. Its a feeling like a familiar presence is there with you. I don't believe in ghosts and I never ask to see my dad in that form, but I do feel him from time to time.

My point here is that I would like for us to let our guards down and talk about what happened leading up to that date. We could even cry in front of each other if need be. Not that there would exactly be closure, but I think talking about "the day" together would help us with our feelings and bring about a sense of comfort amongst one another. Crying in private about feelings we all share isn't working for me. I wanna talk about how I felt and what my mom, sister and brother were feeling. How scary and disappointing it all was. How it still affects us to this day. For a long time, none of us could even drive past the hospital area where he died. I still get a little uneasy driving through there.

I just don't want to carry on like we have no feelings about the whole thing. The date is gonna come around year after year...and I don't wanna act like it doesn't exist.

Can't Lose What's Still There

My grandfather passed away on August 23, 2008. He was 85 years old. He was not only my grandfather, but my pastor. So, you can imagine how many lives have been affected. If not, let me give you the rundown:

• He was 1 of 13 children
• Father of 7 children
• Grandfather of 18 grands
• Great-grandfather of 12
• Pastor for 55 years
• Husband for 65 years

John R. Gaudy

11/11/1923 - 8/23/2008

You catch my drift?

About a week after his funeral services, my hubby and I attended a birthday party for one of my cousin's wife. He made a speech at the end and mentioned Granddaddy and said, "I won't say that I lost my grandfather, because he is still with me." Those that were there agreed: Granddaddy's teachings, legacy, mannerisms, outlook on life, example and other traits are things that the people he left behind will cherish and keep with them forever.

Mrs. Florine & Pastor John Gaudy

He was the coolest! He would go to different places around the country, and those that knew him would know he was coming because of his walk. They called it the "Gaudy walk." If you were in his company, you would find yourself doing the walk too. People would say hello and his response wouldn't be a wave...that was too flashy. He would lift his fore-finger, and give a short nod of his head. Baby, he was COOL! He never raised his voice. You never saw him upset. You knew when he wasn't playing, but you could never get a rise out of him. He was the sweetest and gentlest man I knew.

One of my most endearing moments of him was when it would be summer time and church was over. All the kids would be on the porch, and because of all the fresh rushes of perfume in the air, the porch attracted bees. Well, we'd be up there freaking out! Granddaddy, after greeting the other saints, would come out and grab the bee in his large hand, shake him, and throw him to the ground. We would be in awe! Laughing, but in awe! We'd be jumping around saying "thank you for saving us!" He'd give us the nod and a smile. He truly was our hero.

A person like that is someone that will never be lost to me. My memory may go and the pictures may fade, but Granddaddy will always be in my heart.