Before we head out of the door for any occasion, I have to make sure my children look neat, nothing on their clothes, and most importantly, that I snap a gazillion pictures. Sometimes, my picture-taking can cause us to run behind, but it’s like a Jedi mind trick or something. I honestly cannot help myself. I always want to capture these moments—these forever memories—that one day, will seem so distant.
Timmy’s first time at one of Jillian’s favorite places to hang out.
I know I’m not the only Mommy-razzi
around here, so no judging.
I learned early on that if you don’t get a good picture as soon as you’re leaving the house, you probably won’t ever get one. If you, indeed, do get a good picture later on, the child(ren)’s clothes have at least one stain. It’s inevitable! I just like to see my hard work come to fruition. Let me have my pictures!lol So here’s to introducing two of the world’s most beautiful, lovable little humans, Jillian and Timothy II.
Feeling a little down every now and then is simply a part of life. There can be no happiness without sadness. But sometimes, we need a little push to improve our moods and combat the blues. Here are 5 tips for when you’re feeling low.
Redirect that sad energy into something constructive.
Begin a new project. Complete a meaningful task. Distracting yourself from wallowing in those sad feelings can definitely be a real pick-me-up, especially if you have made progress on something important or that you’ve been meaning to do.
Do something thoughtful for someone else and/or help someone in need.
A good deed always warms the heart. When you can genuinely brighten someone else’s day, that sincere happiness can instantly become contagious.
Reach out to a trusted friend, relative, or mentor.
Having a confidant in your time of need can be crucial to keeping you balanced/sane. If you feel your person cannot be of help to you, do not be afraid to reach out to a therapist.
Blast some music and sing to the top of your lungs!
A good scream never hurt anyone. Ask my two year old. He does it all the time.
Write, paint, or color.
Everyone needs an expressive hobby. Even if you suck at coloring, painting, or writing, do one of them anyway. You can get your feelings out both quickly and inexpensively. You can even write a stranger. If you need a response, you can always write in to me anonymously, and I would be glad to provide an encouraging word, should you need it. Head over to the Contact tab, leave your questions/comments and then refer to Ask The Coleture for a response or the Power Bank to recharge yourself.
Bonus: Partake in the smoking/inhaling of some cannibus sativa (if it is legal and you are of age).
*Note: Not recommended for those struggling with sobriety).*
I guarantee you that if you do at least one of the things off this list, you will experience a more positive mood change.
***if your problems are more severe and you find yourself contemplating suicide, please contact someone who can better assist your needs:
An old photo of me, showing you what etiquette looks like from the back. Photo credit: Debut Photography
Three things your mother should have told you about.
Sometimes, tough love is exactly what you need. Sometimes, it takes a friend (or a stranger) to tell you what your parents should have taught you. Sometimes, someone just has to say the thing you’re not supposed to say. Well, today is your lucky day! I’m the friend that’s going to tell you what your mother (and/or father) didn’t. Yes. I do have time today. The Etiquette No One Taught You:
If a parent is throwing a birthday party for their kid at any facility not their home, they are probably paying a per capita fee. That means, unless you have specifically cleared it with the birthday kid’s parents, do not bring extra people. Please read this next line carefully.
Multiple children from the same household still means multiple gifts for the birthday kid.
The birthday kid may be friends with one of your children. That does not give you the right to bring all of your kids to the party. Why should the birthday parents have to foot the bill for all of your children at their child’s celebration?
In the event that you do bring all of your children, then all of your kids should have separate gifts to give. Or, your gift should be a nicer, more expensive gift.
And I don’t want to hear that the birthday parents say that it is okay to bring your other children. From experience, you know it costs money to feed and gift each and every child. It is still very impolite for you to take advantage of their kindness by showing up with all of your kids and one cheap present.
Baby Showers/Sprinkles
Countless times, people ask for things that they themselves wouldn’t do for others. This is bad behavior. If someone you know recently had a baby, and you gifted their baby nothing, you should not feel comfortable asking for a gift from them. Whether they had a baby shower or not, they are still birthing a baby. Why have your hand out to receive, when you gifted nothing? Not okay.
You get married and have a grandiose wedding, with your guests spending thousands to participate and celebrate you. Soon after, one of your guests gets married in a courthouse ceremony and maybe doesn’t invite you at all. Guess what? You still owe them a grandiose gift.
The moral of the story is: Treat people the way you want to be treated. And if people have treated you a certain way, return the favor unapologetically.
We often talk about showing people how to treat us in relationships, but that doesn’t just apply to romantic partners. Some people are users and some simply don’t know any better. Someone has to let the people know. I know it seems unfair to have to raise someone else’s grown children, but sometimes, you have to educate for the greater good. If for nothing else, just #doitfortheColeture. Finally, you have been enlightened. The Etiquette No One Taught You.
I have never been a person who enjoys cooking. In fact, when I was younger, I always thought how rude it was for people to say that “the woman” is “supposed” to cook. That is partly the reason I never learned. I was going to prove all those misogynists wrong, if it was the last thing I’d do!
My kids don’t miss any meals, but I’m rarely the person who cooks it for them.
Fast forward several years later, I’m now a mother and still struggling with daily meals. When my boyfriend and I first moved in together, he, being an excellent cook, attempted to “learn” me a few things in the kitchen. I’ve tried my hand at a few things—shrimp pasta, spaghetti, steak, etc. But I know my strengths and my weaknesses and cooking is simply not for me.
That listed prep time is usually inaccurate.
It’s so time consuming to have to look up meal ideas and recipes. Watching tutorials makes the prepping take even longer. I also don’t like touching all those ooey gooey things, I don’t know what seasonings make what taste like what, I get nervous standing over fire, and I cannot successfully cook more than one item at a time… It’s just a very frustrating process for me. And after all is said and done, half the time, the food doesn’t even taste good! (Okay, okay. More than half the time, but who’s counting)? On top of that, I’m a picky eater and our two little humans are very challenging to feed, as well.
If you’re from the South, you’re automatically supposed to know how to throw down in the kitchen and everyone eats spicy seafood. *insert eye roll*
Let me just give you slightly more insight on the latter. I am originally from Mobile, Alabama, and my other half is from New Orleans, Louisiana, which is where we reside. My Atlanta-born, but New Orleans raised daughter despises spicy foods of all types (how?!), and my two-year-old son loves spice! When we go to restaurants, my daughter wants to order scrambled eggs… She doesn’t even eat seafood! Like, really?! My son, on the other hand, has a more diversified palate. The problem with him is that you never know when he is going to eat something, even if you know for a fact that particular food is something he likes. He has a tendency to beg for chicken nugget-French fries, (please read that as one word); however, he does not often eat chicken nuggets. In short, I’m usually ready to give up with “figuring out food” by the middle of the day.
If you have someone around you who can really cook, why even bother?
I actually come from a family full of professional cooks,
some who were even restaurant and café owners back in the day when it was rare
for people of color to own their own businesses. Here we are in the middle of 2019, and I
cannot even tell you the last time I put food on the stove that I didn’t “outsource.” I’ve never even cooked Ramen noodles
before. (I ate well in college). But. I’m turning over a new leaf.
Although my man cooks, it isn’t fair that cooking and making dinner is solely his responsibility.
I have come to the realization that I need to make a change, and that change starts with the way I look at cooking. If I were to view it less as a task and more as a crafting experiment, perhaps I can learn to revel in it. (I love crafting)! So, I decided to look up several different meals to try. Because the man of the house has such a refined palate, I wanted to be somewhat creative, but not too far from my relative “comfort zone.” I began by choosing the meat and planning the meal around it. Ultimately, I decided on Fettuccine Alfredo, Green Beans, and Parmesan Pork Chops. After researching recipes, I headed to the store to grab all of the ingredients, and then off to the kitchen to prepare this grande meal.
Parmesan Pork Chop on the stove.
After spending hours on a supposed forty-five minute meal, (I told you I couldn’t cook more than one thing at a time), dinner was ready to be served. The best thing was the Fettuccine Alfredo, and it was still missing something. I added stuff to it, too. At some point, I had to give up. It was bed time and we hadn’t even eaten! I don’t know guys. Clearly, I need some help in the kitchen. As it stands: Cooking is Not for Me.
If any of you have a favorite or go-to recipes you’d like to share, please leave me a comment below.
We do like well-seasoned food and we don’t have any dietary restrictions. Help! How do you decide what’s for dinner?
The Coleture has arrived! It is a dose of something you’ve been missing in the blog world. In short, it’s a dose of ME! I’m a thirties something mom of two, (but my daughter believes I am 8), based out of New Orleans, Louisiana. #GeauxSaints But fret not, if you’re not a Saints fan, you will be by the time you leave this blog. #justkidding #kindof
I am a licensed Realtor, who travels back and forth to Atlanta, Georgia, because I am also licensed there. Please know that I am happy to assist you with any real estate needs and/or questions you may have. Feel free to shoot me an email any time.
When deciding to become a part of the Blog World, I couldn’t quite figure out what voice I wanted to use. Ultimately, I chose to give you guys me! I am a multi-faceted, multidimensional person. I love Real Estate, I love Fashion, I love my Family, I love Empowering others, and I am ever-so-opinionated. I wear many hats. I’m sure that resonates with many of you.
I am originally from Mobile, Alabama, so I’m definitely here to give you a Southern perspective on things. Let’s explore some topics together and hopefully we are able to successfully learn and help one another grow. You don’t know what you don’t know, but I am excited to share with you in the meantime. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so. Please subscribe to my website. #doitfortheColeture
