Welcome to my universe! I have so much to share with you: reviews, causes, personal experiences etc. I want to shine a light on the positive things in life, encourage kindness & praise good works, remaining hopeful that a better tomorrow is always within our reach. My heart belongs to my devoted loving husband & our exceptional 2 sons who, I believe, make this world a better place with their strong minds & tender hearts. They are my inspiration. I write to express not to impress.
Have you seen the latest Lane Bryant commercial? No? Probably because it's been banned by several networks for "showing too much skin". I saw it. I approve of it. And since this is my truth, justice and the American way forum, I'm posting it!
This Body is made for...
Turning heads
Proving them wrong
Being bold, powerful, & sexy
For love
Rocking denim
Style
Living!
Getting it on
Breaking the mold
Starting a revolution
What's your body made for?
And then there's actress extraordinaire Melissa McCarthy who addresses beauty and body image in the best way. Here's some of her best quotes...
What's up Melissa? Make us listen...
My message is that as long as everybody's healthy, enjoy & embrace whatever body type you have.
I've never felt like I needed to change. I've always thought, 'If you want somebody different, pick somebody else.'
I've been every size in the world. Parts of my twenties, I was in great shape but didn't appreciate it...if I was a 6 or an 8, I thought, 'Why aren't I a 2 or a 4?'
My weight? It is what it is. You could get hit by a bus tomorrow. It's about being content. And sometimes other priorities win.
I have experience dressing me as a 6, a 12 & more...& when you go above a size 12, you don't lose your love of fashion.
With women, there's this constant weird cultural thing where we're always supposed to be comparing ourselves with one another. Who wore it best? Whose butt's better? Instead, how about if everyone wins? How intensely boring would it be if we were all the same?
Couldn't have said it any better myself. See yourself in the best light. Work towards happiness. Be you, & love yourself.
Warning: the following subject matter may be too heavy for young readers. Parent discretion is advised.
I've always taught my boys to respect women. In general, just be respectful to anyone & everyone. Now that they are in the 5th & 7th Grade, our conversations have become deeper and I've been talking to them about more grown-up topics. Yes, we have talked & continue to discuss S-E-X, all age-appropriately & I try to make sure I'm only giving them the information they need at the moment that they need them. Surprisingly, I've fared rather well in dealing with this stage in parenthood. I would have predicted that I'd freeze up & choose hibernation as opposed to talking about these heavy topics, but I've realized that I don't want the boys to think of sex as something dirty and shameful. It's part of being a whole human being, and I want them to have a healthy mental & physical outlook.
Recently, I was told by a friend that one of the schools in my local area requires their female students to say "yes" to boys who ask them to dance at their school sponsored class dance. In giving this school the benefit of the doubt (and I'm being generous here), I can only reason that they enacted this requirement in order to foster some kind of peace between the genders and maybe, possibly spare the feelings of the boys. Again, I don't know & I certainly don't understand. With all due respect, I blatantly, wholeheartedly & passionately disagree with this rule & I would be in the front lines protesting if my children attended this school. I firmly believe dancing, dating, kissing & yes, sex is completely a choice that requires full consent. That means there is a no-negotiation open "no" or "yes" answer.
I relayed this "yes" rule to the boys while holding back my own personal opinions so that I could find out what their thoughts were on the topic. And if need be, influence my own thoughts & feelings on them (I am their mother after all). I couldn't be more proud of their reaction. My 5th Grader said, "I would never want a girl to dance with me if she didn't want to". My 7th Grader said something similar, appalled that there could be such a rule. Because yes, a girl has EVERY right to say "no" to any boy that asks her to dance. The boy will have to take the rejection. Learn from the rejection. Move on. That's real life.
No means no the first time. Yes is a go-ahead, unless it changes to no. Then it's a no. Full consent means a yes. No means no. And if you're unsure, just assume no.
And if you need more information on consent, watch this video. What is consent?
The word "consent": Comes from the Latin word con (together) & sentire (feeling).
Some consent is non-verbal.
Sexual script of our culture is that consent is "not opting out"--as in, not resisting, letting it happen as opposed to "opting in". I agree with the video that this should really only apply to partners that have a relationship with explicit consent or rejection.
There are many reasons people would not resist a sexual advance such as fear, embarrassment, intoxication etc...Even if you're drunk, that is not an expressed consent for sex unless it's discussed in advance as in "Let's get drunk then have sex!"
General rule: If you're not physically able to drive because of impairment, it's probably best you don't have sex.
Age of Consent: if you're underage, the answer is basically no. If you're under 18, don't have sex & don't have sex with people under 18 as well.
Consent is not the absence of a "no", it's the presence of a "yes". (I like that.)
Respect women. Respect your own integrity. When in doubt, ask. Or ask anyway just to be sure.
In the article, Chrissie Hynde Under Fire for Suggesting Women Who Dress Provocatively 'Entice' Rapists, musician Chrissie Hynde is reported as suggesting that the way a woman dresses is the cause of assault. Chrissie herself is a victim of a violent sex crime & I will not directly attack her personal feelings or beliefs. I think she's been through enough. But I will vehemently disagree with her & suggest instead that ALL men are responsible for their own sexual choices. Even if a woman is walking naked in front of a man, he has no right to have sex with her unless she consents to it. Yes, go ahead. No, stop. End of story.
And that is the message I'm raising my boys with. That is my responsibility as a Mom--to raise them in a consent culture.
Ready for some laughter breaks?! Here you go. Enjoy everyone! :-D
Let's start it off with this nature prescribed PSA:
Warning: This video may seriously cause you to consider WTFrag you are doing with your life. :-D
Poems are hard. So, bacon. :-D
Chewie just tells it like it is, you know?
Just point me in the right direction. Thanks. :-D
Let's hear it for those amazing Dads who are there for their daughters! :-)
Best reason for a name change, I say. :-)
It's ALL about the hair!
Bigotry is stupid. Case in point...
I'm with the Juice on this one. *Chants* Long live the Juice!
Meh. What do they know? Laugh anyway.
Did I hear you, right?? Fists up!
And last but not least....
I've got lots more advice where that came from.... :-D
Hope you're having a great day & these funnies make it even better. If your day isn't going so well, I hope these cheered you up a bit. Life is often hard, so try to find the humor in it. XO Til next time...
It's about the journey...well, it's also about the destination. :-P
What made us decide to Go Metro? Here's the simple answer: We wanted to purchase Universal Studios Hollywood annual passes but didn't want to pay $17.00 every time we parked. Universal, unlike the other theme parks we've purchased passes from in the past, doesn't offer a parking pass option. The boys are not very familiar with public transportation (unlike I was growing up), so along with my husband, I thought it would be a good opportunity to expose them & have a little adventure as well. Plus there are added perks such as not having to deal with Los Angeles traffic, sparing our own vehicles from wear & tear & saving money (& the environment) from gas expenses. I was irrationally nervous at first just because it was a new experience for the boys, and I felt protective of them. But not only did they enjoy the journey, they also want to explore other parts of Los Angeles by going Metro. :-P I love that idea.
Go on the website & map out your journey. You'll need a TAP card if you're just starting out.
Universal offers a free shuttle at the bottom of the hill to pick up Metro passengers. Super painless process.
Here comes the Tram! Yay!
We were lucky enough to be part of the "Soft Opening" for the Wizarding World section of the theme park. The actual opening is on April 7.
"Please respect the spell limits".
So many photo opportunities.
This Hogwarts Express Conductor had a great British accent. Might've been real? Who knows. :-D
Sweet treat.
Butterbeer..."beer" the boys are allowed to drink. :-P Delicious!
Nostalgic Wizarding World fans...
The boys knocked, but Hagrid wasn't home. Must be in the woods feeding his creatures. :-P
We also enjoyed Universal City Walk. It's large in more ways than one & a feast for the senses.
Imagine the music that could come out of this gigantic guitar. :-P
Punny! Jurassic Park-ing! :-D
Big Juice!
We had such a great time on our Metro Universal Studios/Citywalk adventure day! Looking forward to doing it again real soon. I didn't have any celebrity sightings this time around, but I'm hopeful for my chances in the future. It is the "Entertainment Capitol of LA", after all.
Since February is National Snack Food Month, I'm sharing some awesome snack recipes I've discovered online. I love big bold flavors, but simple & easy to make. :-) I think the following selections fit the bill. First here's a little lighthearted snack humor!
Right?
Now let's get down to business...
Honey-Roasted Chipotle-Rosemary Chex Party Mix
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Corn Chex™ cereal
1 1/2 cups Rice Chex™ cereal
1 cup Wheat Chex™ cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup bite-size pretzels
1 cup garlic-flavor bite-size bagel
chips or regular bagel chips
3/4 cup salted butter
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves,
chopped
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Directions:
1.Heat oven to 325°F.
2.In large ovenproof bowl or pan, mix cereals,
nuts, pretzels and bagel chips. Set aside.
3.In medium microwavable bowl, melt butter. Stir in honey, brown sugar, chipotle
chili powder, rosemary and salt. Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture,
tossing well 3 to 5 minutes or until cereal mixture is evenly coated.
4.Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread onto paper towels to cool,
about 15 minutes (or just start eating!). Store in airtight container.
2 zucchinis, thinly sliced to 1/4-inch thick rounds
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
Directions:
1. Heat
vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. In a large
bowl, combine Panko and Parmesan; set aside.
3. Working in
batches, dredge zucchini rounds in flour, dip into eggs, then dredge in Panko
mixture, pressing to coat.
4. Add
zucchini rounds to the skillet, 5 or 6 at a time, and cook until evenly golden
and crispy, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
