Just the Right Amount of Shimmer

My skin is extremely sensitive.  If I use certain cosmetic lines, I get massive breakouts.  So, I'm always selective when it comes to make up.

Even though I run the risk of my skin flaring up with pimples, I still love trying new products.  I came across Young Blood Mineral Cosmetics and I decided to try their line.

Now normally I shy away from bronzers, but decided to give Young Blood's Lunar Dust a shot.  According to the label, it's mineral oil, fragrance, talc, and paraben-free.  So it won't irritate sensitive or acne-prone skin types.  Can't go wrong the that!  Check out the video to find out more.

I'll be giving away all three shades.  I'll even through in some eye shadows and makeup brushes.  All you gotta do is leave a comment telling me you want them, and you'll be entered to get it.  I'll announce the the lucky person January 10th on my Weather Anchor Mama facebook page.  Good Luck!  Happy New Year!

Don't forget to become a follower of Weather Anchor Mama.  Just click join this site, and the rest is easy!

Potty Mouth

Okay I'll admit it, I have a potty mouth.  The thing is, I've been clueless about it for the past few years.  My hubby loves to bring it my attention every chance he gets, just to bust my chops.

"Every other word out of your mouth is a curse," he says.

"That's bull****!" I reply.

"You see?!! He shoots back.

The slippage of my tongue would only happen occasionally.  But it's gotten worse over the years, and I know exactly where it stems from.  My career!

I remember my first gig in TV.  A student by day, a traffic reporter by night, and one of the youngest there at the time.  My old co-workers would tell me that I'm green and wet behind the ears.  But, that quickly changes.  Not only do I become a seasoned traffic chick, I become experienced at  swearing too.  

Every other word out of my co-workers mouth is an expletive.  I would come home saying how crazy these people are, never thinking that all that profanity would rub off on me.  It seems to spread like a virus.  Every time I switch jobs, the amount of cursing is more frequent than at the previous one.  I start out being immune to it all.  But I slowly lose control over my tongue and succumb to this virus.  My hubby (my boyfriend at the time) begins pointing it out.   

He'd ask me something like, "Since when did you start cursing like that?"

I'd usually respond with something like, "Word?  I guess everyone at the job is starting to rub of on me."

When there's breaking news, profanity is the way everyone at the job communicates.  

If a live shot goes bad, someone would scream "f***!"

If the computer crashes, you'd hear "s***!"

When someone really gets heated, they'd form compound words using two separate expletives.  I'd give you an example, but I have to draw the line at some point.  

Things may get crazy at work, but it certainly doesn't justify using profanity.  I wouldn’t want my daughter repeating bad words.  I'd being lying if I say I never swear around her.  There's been some accidental slip ups here and there.  It's not something I'm proud of.  She learns new words everyday.  The last thing I'd want is for her to start repeating curse words. 

I'm taking the first step which is admitting I have a problem.  My next step is to do something about it.

So, I'm gonna make this one of my goals in 2012.  No more cursing for me, especially around Princess!  No more using my career as an excuse!

Do you have potty mouth around your kids?  What are your goals for 2012?

Weather Anchor Mama

It's a Wrap!

I don't always have time to go the extra mile with my hair in the mornings.  There are times when Princess just doesn't want to cooperate.  As of late, she's wants to play with her toys before going to daycare.  Needless to say, our morning schedule has been thrown off.  So far this week, I've been an hour behind each day which takes time away from me getting ready for work.

Luckily, I have short cuts to make up for the lost hour and I'm still able make it to the station on time.  I have no problems taking quick showers, slapping on my makeup, and cooking dinner in 30 minutes or less.  But, I save the most time on my hair.  It all begins with wrapping my mane before bed.  Here's a demo:

It's simple.  It's fast.  No heat necessary.  Now that's healthy stylin'!

What do you do with your hair before bed?

Weather Anchor Mama

Silly Face

Princess loves making people laugh.  Whenever she makes her silly face, she has everyone in stitches.  Sometimes a good laugh is all you need to brighten your day.  Hope this video helps!


Weather Anchor Mama

Follow Up to Toxic Sippy Cups

You may remember a post that I did, "Can Sippy Cups Be Toxic?"  After following up with another pediatrician, I found out it can be.

Princess's doctor said that it's mold!  Even though, you may wash you kiddos sippy cups often, fungus could still build up due to left over moisture.  It's always a good idea to remove the valve from the lid when washing the container.  But, make sure it's completely dry afterwards.  Otherwise mold will form.

She did assure me that if swallowed, the enzymes in a baby's stomach will destroy it.  So the odds of becoming sick from the mold would be pretty slim (unless your little one has a sensitive tummy, or if he/she ingests it over long periods).

She also said it's a great idea to toss the sippy cup after a few months, just to be on the safe side.  Hope you find this info helpful!

Weather Anchor Mama

Humidifier & Vaporizer Dangers

Now that the Winter season is here, a humidifier or vaporizer could come in handy.  Both are often used to relieve congestion.  But, how safe are they?

According to my daughter's pediatrician, harmful mold could be lurking inside your humidifier and vaporizer which could be harmful.

Princess with her pediatrician

Like most babies her age, Princess has been dealing with congestion from teething.  The doctor advises that I should use steam to loosen the mucus.  The cool mist humidifier that my own doctor recommends for me seems to help.  But, I remember someone mentioning that a vaporizer may work even better.  The machine heats water and produces hot steam which should help with her stuffy nose.

I've been using this vaporizer without knowing about hidden dangers that could affect my baby girl.  The pediatrician tells me that mold will eventually form inside the machine which could aerosolize and cause respiratory distress like wheezing.  As she's saying all this, I am completely dumb founded.  So many people use these products!

She also adds that the moisture from them may also get into curtains and the carpet in her room.  In addition, there could be water damage in wooden furniture.  We are fortunate that there hasn't been any damage to the decor.  But, all this information is a lot for me to swallow because I've been using a vaporizer for the last few months.  Thank goodness Princess is ok!

While it's important to clean our vaporizer after every use, there's no way to get to every nook and cranny.  Mold eventually builds up no matter how much you clean it out.  I always go through the container with a fine tooth comb, and change the water every day.  However in order for me to clear away all the mold from the filter, I would have to take the darn thing apart.  The instruction manual advises not to tamper with it, so that's out of the question.  Besides, who has time for all than anyway?

If you look closely, you can see mold in the filter

Instead of using a humidifier or vaporizer, the pediatrician says that the steam from a hot shower should do the trick in clearing up congestion.  So if you have either of the two, your best bet would be to toss it in the trash or get a refund.

Weather Anchor Mama

Christmas Well Spent

I'll keep this post short and sweet.  Hope you all enjoyed your holidays.  Princess was extremely busy!
It was a jammed packed holiday weekend.  Since we hosted Thanksgiving this year, we thought it would be fair to head to both grandmas for Christmas!  We went to my mom's on Christmas Eve, and my hubby's mom on Christmas day.  We also made time for church Christmas morning.

Here are some pics with captions completed by Princess.

Opening presents with Grandma and Auntie Sophia

I got a cute purse and potty.  I can't wait to try my potty out!

Me and Grandma at church!  Mommy had to stick this paci in my mouth to keep me from losing my mind. 

Hangin' with both Grandmas

Sad!  This is the only picture of me and mommy!  Gotta change that next year!

I had a blast trying on cousin Katie's bracelets.  Daddy and Grandma loved watchin' too!

This thing is bigger than I am!

Gotta call Grandma to tell her thanks for the presents!

How did you spend the holiday?

More Cute Christmas Pics

Despite a couple of fractures in her wrist, Princess helped mommy wrap Christmas gifts.  I took these cute pics.  At one point she cried because she wanted to take all the ornaments off the tree.  But she beamed with laughter, once I whipped out the camera!

Have you wrapped all your presents yet?

Happy Holidays!

Weather Anchor Mama

Learning Made Fun

I have to admit I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed growing up.  Don't get it twisted, I always had common sense.  But when it came to school, I had to work hard for those A's and B's.  I wonder if Princess will have the same problem when she starts elementary school.  I know it's kinda early, but I'm a planner in case you haven't noticed.  I breezed through subjects pertaining to the arts such as English.  However, I struggled in classes like Math and Science.

You're probably thinking that it's a bit ironic, since my profession weighs heavily on Math and Science.  The truth is that I never planned on being a weather anchor.  A news director at a local station in New York offered me a gig forecasting the weather out of the blue one day.  The opportunity fell right into my lap.  How could I have said no?  We made a deal that required me to do features and entertainment in addition to signing on as the weather anchor.  My agent at the time, encouraged me to take classes to help with weather forecasting.

I signed up to take some online courses, which I thought would be pretty easy.  Boy, was I wrong.  I didn't realize that there was so much numbers and symbols involved!  I had to hire a tutor to get me through my calculus courses.

All these math classes have got me thinking about my daughter's education.  We're so fortunate to have such a great daycare.  Princess actually learns lessons having to with cognitive, language, social, and physical activities.  We get a toddler link, which is a report that keeps us up to date with her daily progress.

Princess at Daycare

In just a few years she'll be starting kindergarden, and I hope that her education will be just as detailed and enjoyable as it is at daycare.  I found this great website that incorporates differentiated instruction. It teaches kids math through fun games.  Obviously sites like this didn't exist when I went to school.  In fact, learning math was tough and my teachers didn't exactly make it fun.  Most times I'd stare at the clock until school ended.  If there was a site like this one that combined learning and fun, maybe I wouldn't have had such a hard time with math growing up.  Princess has a while before she starts elementary school, but I hope that her school will take advantage of free sites like this when the time comes.

Does your child's school incorporate websites that build math proficiency into their curriculum?

Weather Anchor Mama

Princess Has a Fractured Wrist!

Kids fall all the time.  As soon as they hit the ground, they get right back up as if nothing happened.  Princess is no different.  Ever since she started walking she falls non-stop.  I would never have imagined that she'd seriously get hurt though.

While at work the other day, my hubby told me that Princess fell.  But, it wasn't one of her usual falls.

"It was a different cry.  I just knew something wasn't right," he said.

He explained that she actually fell on her face with her right arm tucked underneath her body.  I gasped at the thought of my baby girl on the floor in pain.  My hubby went on to say that she didn't cry for long.  But, advised that we should have it checked out.  We made an appointment to see the pediatrician, before dropping her off at daycare.  

I expected the doctor to say it was a minor sprain and that it would heal on it's own.  Instead she said, 

"It looks swollen.  I'll have to order an x-ray today."

"Today?  Is it serious?" I asked.

"We just want to make sure it's not fractured," she replied.

That's when I began to worry.  

On our way to the x-ray center I called the daycare.  I told Princess's teacher that we were running a bit late, and filled her in on all the details.  Ms. Jenn was so sweet!  We talked for a while.  She seemed really concerned.  It was obvious that she cared, which meant a lot.  Our conversation put me ease before walking into the office.  

That moment of ease was quickly replaced by anguish.  I can't say the x-ray went well.  Princess cried the entire time, which was surprising.  She never cries when getting a shot, but she cried when the technician took pics of her arm.  I guess my baby girl was in shock.  After the x-rays, we had to wait.

The doc finally called and gave us the bad news.  Princess had two fractures in her wrist, and she needed to have a cast put on right away.  I called by boss and told her I wouldn't be able to make it in to work.  

We had to rush back to the pediatrician's office so that the doc could look at the x-ray.  She basically confirmed that Princess's wrist was fractured in two places, gave me the info for the orthopedist, and off we went.

After being stuck in holiday traffic, we finally made it!  

Princess got her cast!   She wasn't exactly a happy camper.  

But, the Christmas tree in the lobby seemed to cheer her up a bit. 

Can you imagine if this incident went unnoticed?  The doctor said that this happens quite often.  Babies bones are extremely soft and can get fractured easily.  She said it would have eventually healed on it's own, if left untreated.  But, she wanted to put on a cast to protect her arm from further injury.  Thank goodness Princess's dad acted on his instincts.  Often times these things happen, and we think noting of it.  

Last Minute Holiday Shopping on a Budget

With Christmas just around the corner, you may be squeezing in some last minute shopping.  But, who has a lot of money to shell out for expensive gifts?  I'm paying two mortgages, my house and daycare.  If you're on a budget like me, here are some cool gift ideas to consider.

 7.  If your loved ones are out of town, you don't have to stand on that long line at the post office to mail their presents.  Act fast and take advantage of some pretty nice deals online.  Many stores offer free delivery before Christmas.  You'd probably have to spend a minimum of 50 to 100 dollars at most places.  But you can luck out and get something for much less.  For instance, Children's Place is guaranteeing delivery before Christmas Day until 11am on the 23rd.  However, there is a delivery charge of 5 bucks, if you spend under 75 dollars.  It's worth it because you can buy your kid an entire outfit for 10 dollars.  You'd only end up spending 15 which includes shipping.

 6.  Photos are priceless, and make wonderful presents.  I wanted to get a digital frame for a family member.  It seemed like every store sold them for around 100 bucks!  My budget was 50 dollars.  I ended up copping this one at Staples for less than 30.

It was easy to drag and drop photos of Princess onto a memory card, and upload these pics into the frame.  It didn't take long to set up!  There's also rebate which I filled out online.

 5.  If you're technology challenged (like me sometimes) and have trouble uploading pics,  here's another neat idea.  Most people have cell phones.  We take photos all the time, but rarely print them out.  Stores like Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid offer photo printing.  If you check the circular, you can get some pretty good steals.  After giving birth last year, my hubby and I were tight on cash.  FYI, having a baby can cost a pretty penny.  Rather than spending money we didn't have, we did some practical gift giving.  We gave our moms a photo album filled with pictures of Princess from the time she was born up until her first Christmas.  They both loved it!  We paid only 7 dollars for the album and printed the pics ourselves from our PC.  We were even able to add cute captions along side each photo.

 4.  Another alternative to this idea is to reuse an old album you already have.  Some may say "that's ghetto."  But, I completely disagree.  I have so many old photos lying around.  I also have half empty albums.  All I'd have to do is spend some time organizing and adding the photos to the album.  You just have to take time and go through what ya got.  You can also pick one up from your local dollar store, which leads me to my next point.

 3.  Don't sleep on the dollar store! You'd be amazed at the things you find.  My hubby and I bought some gift cards for Princess's teachers, as well as our nieces and nephew.  I went to the Dollar Tree and found cute little festive gift card holders that came 8 in a pack for just 1 dollar.  I also saw this nice little bag with fur that I know our niece would like for a dollar.

I saw some really nice ornaments that would be a great addition to any Christmas tree.  There's even a matching box to go along with it.  No wrapping necessary!

I also bought some stuff at the mall and couldn't find boxes to put them in.  I got one of these holiday themed bags for only 1 dollar.

If you know a tea or coffee drinker, here's a nice gift idea.  Festive mugs!  There's also ones with candy.  I'd probably toss these sweets and put in my own treats, add clear wrapping with a bow, and I'd be good to go.  All, by the way, can be found at the dollar store.  Four quarters can sure go a long way!

 2.  In the states egg nog and apple cider are popular during the holidays.  In my culture, it's rum cake and a drink called sorrel.  My mom usually gives them to family and friends for Christmas.  So when in doubt, go with food.  I always say, when you give something you've made yourself, you give that person apart of yourself.  Cultural items are a great touch to any festive occasion.

 1.  My number gift idea on a budget is to buy throughout the year.  When I was standing in line at the dollar store I said to my hubby over the phone that next year I'm gonna buy gifts throughout the year, and store them until Christmas.  I didn't realize there was a guy in front of me listening to our conversation.  As he got ready to leave he said to me, "that's such a great idea!"  I had a light bulb moment right there!

I always come across amazing deals.  But, I never think to make the purchase.  I won't wait till the holidays to do my shopping next year.  I'll hit up the stores before then.  That way I won't be scrambling at the last minute, and we'll save big.

I hope my tips help!  Please share your gift ideas!  Have you done all your holiday shopping yet?

Happy Holidays!

Weather Anchor Mama

Can Sippy Cups be Toxic?

In the process of cleaning Princess's sippy cup, I found this:

It's bacteria build up hidden inside the spout.  I nearly threw up in my mouth at the sight of it. I took these pics after the fifth wipe.  So, you can imagine how much of this black tar like substance was inside the lid.  Where the heck did this come from?

I called the pediatrician to find out if I should be concerned.  Princess is fine, but you never know if this thing could make her sick.  To my dismay, he knew nothing about it.  He did recommend that I get in touch with the manufacturer to find out more about this potentially toxic build up.  But, that didn't make sense to me.  Why would a company admit that their product causes harm?

I did my own digging and found nothing about dangerous bacteria like this found in sippy cups.  But I did find a site with helpful tips on how to clean them.

Consider it a friendly reminder for those of you who already wash your kiddo's sippy cup until it's squeaky clean.  For those who may have missed the boat, here's a quick lesson for ya.  No one wants their child to swallow muck.  So, we have to do our best to get the dirt out.

Sometimes the dishwasher can't remove all the crud from the spout.  When all else fails, just toss the darn thing and get a new one.  That's what I did.

How well do you wash your child's sippy cups?

Weather Anchor Mama

Is TMI Really Such a Bad Thing?

Besides being the love of my life, my hubby is my best friend.   I always like to run things by him.  He's honest and supportive in all of my endeavors.  He's also quick to tell me if I'm wrong about something, and gives me props when I'm right.  When I told him about an idea for a blog post, he immediately shut it down.  I was completely shocked at the thought that he didn't agree with me.

"It's too much information.  You can't have your business in the street," he said.
"It's too late for that.  I don't share my business just for fun.  I'm sure there are people who can understand and relate to my situation," I replied.
"But you're a role model.  You can't have negative things like this on your blog.  What would everyone think?"  he said.

For the record, I blog because it's a great way for friends and family to see keep up with Princess.  It's so hard to constantly email pics to everyone.  It's so much easier for my peeps to log on and check out latest photos, and see what my little girl's been up to.  That way no one's ever left out.  Hopefully this blog will serve as a history lesson for Princess as well.  She'll be able to read about herself and her family.  She'll also learn about things her mommy, both good and bad.  Princess will know that while her mommy is a good person, she's not perfect.  Hey, I may have a job in television, but it doesn't mean that I'm without fault.

I also make my blog available to the public.  Some people, including my hubby, may feel that certain things are a bit too much to share.  There was a time when I would agree.  However since becoming a mom, my feelings have changed.  I find solace reading other blogs, when I feel discouraged.  I also find them informative and entertaining.  Maybe you feel the same about mine.

I write about beauty tips.  I also share my breastfeeding stories.  It feels great when someone tells me that they find a post helpful.  I find comfort when someone says, "I went through the same thing!"  "I have that same problem!"  Sometimes we feel like we have everything down pat.  But, there are times we also feel discouraged.  We don't always have all the answers.

Sharing a negative experience shouldn't mean that I should be judged in a negative way.  It just means that I'm human, and have learned a valuable lesson.  Maybe others will too, including my baby girl.  So, I have a to disagree with my hubby on this one.  Sorry honey.

Weather Anchor Mama

Sometimes All You Need is a Bobby Pin

In my line of work my on-air appearance always has to be on point, and that includes maintaining a fabulous hairdo.  But, I don't always have great hair days.  I've written about taking matters into my own hands.  But rather than go to extreme measures like I've done before, I've learned sometimes it's best to improvise.

The other day my hubby suggested I wait a couple extra days to wash my hair, since I'd be off from work.  FYI, washing my hair is a 3 hour long process I normally tackle on the weekends.  But I figured putting it off would mean that I could spend more time with Princess and her daddy.  In the back of my mind I knew I'd pay for it later.

I wash my mane once a week (I know that may sound gross to some.  Side bar: most black women wash their hair a lot less than their white counterparts).  Anyway, it's been almost two weeks since my hair has been lathered with shampoo and detangled with conditioner.  Needless to say, it's like I have a helmet on my head.

I'm used to having a bouncy silky finish.  Instead I've been sporting the weighed down greasy look.  Normally I'd just rock a pony tail and call it a day.  But doing that would be frowned upon at my job.  So, I've managed to work with what I've got, and create a cute style.  Sometimes all you need is a bobby pin!
Check it out!



What do you do when you have a bad hair day?

Weather Anchor Mama

It's Not Often I Get to Play Santa!

People always ask me about the places I shop for clothes. I honestly can't understand why. It's not like I wear Dolce or Versace. I rather go for the least expensive lines, especially when it comes to clothes for work.  Sometimes I scour the sales racks at departments stores, but most times I hit up Target. You'd be surprise at all the cute stuff they have there.  They even carry some of the top name brands!  Jean Paul Gaultier and Zac Posen are just some of the big designers found in Target stores.  But, I don't really pay attention to the names. If it's cute and affordable, I'll buy it.  As you may already know, clothes are just one of the many things that you can buy at target. As a mom on the go, I'm always pressed for time.  So, I get practically everything there.

I usually buy all my goods from the Target.  The other day I realized that I was running low on smoothies for Princess.  While I was there, I picked up some other grocery items and some cute outfits for my baby girl.  Check out this one that I got there.  It didn't cost much.

The best thing about shopping at Target is that it's one stop shopping.  I plan on doing a lot of my Christmas shopping there, while I get everything I need around the house this weekend.  If I need baby essentials, electronics, groceries, household products, it's all there.  With a busy toddler running around, I can't afford to run around town to different places.  I get to save time and money!  It can't get to better than that!  

Now I want to help you save a little too.  It's not often that I get to play Santa!  I'm giving away a $25 gift card to Target.  All you have to do is follow my blog (please join if you haven't done so already) and leave a comment saying you want it.  If you follow me on twitter and like my Weather Anchor Mama Facebook page, you'll have another shot of winning.  So, you have up to 4 chances!  I'll  announce the lucky person on my WAM facebook and twitter pages on Tuesday, December 20th.  Don't forget to leave your email address when you leave a comment.  Make sure you include that you follow all accounts in order to be entered all four times in your comment below.  I will be checking, no cheating!

Good Luck!  Happy Holidays!!

Weather Anchor Mama

Change In a Matter of Seconds

It's funny how Princess changes moods at the drop of a hat.  One minute she could be the happiest baby ever.  Seconds later she'll flip the script and cry her eyes out.  When she starts whining, it's a wrap!  She won't stop until she gets what she wants.  I recently captured these quick moments as evidence.  When she gets older, I'll be pulling pics like these out for her to see.

Grinning from ear to ear

Bawling hysterically

The whining baby

Typical baby.  How often does your kid do this?

Weather Anchor Mama

Lesson Learned

Just when I thought things couldn't get crazier, another surprise popped up.  As I mentioned in my last post, I had some serious juggling to do last Friday.  By the end of the day I was so exhausted, and looked forward to getting plenty of rest.  Not!!!!  It ended up being much more hectic than ever.  To give you an idea of how insane things got over the weekend, just think no toilet, and no shower.  You may want to stop reading here, if you have a sensitive stomach.

Don't say I didn't warn you, here goes.

I've always been prepared when my aunt flo pops in for a visit, once a month.  But I completely loss track of time because of my busy schedule.  On the way to my company's holiday party, she surprised me big time!  Luckily there's a stash at work for these kinds of events.  But, I forgot to make a run to the store to buy some extra for the next few days.

I didn't realize that I was ill prepared until I got home later that night.  So, I figured I might as well improvise with some paper towels in the meantime.  It did the trick!  But it was a temporary fix that later slipped my mind.  Let's just say the paper towel made an accidental escape into the ocean on my next trip to the bathroom.  Hey, it was either rescue the darn thing or treat it as though I were dropping the kiddies off at the pool.  I chose the latter thinking it was all good.  In fact, I did it a couple more times.

Everything seemed to be in working order, or so I thought.  I didn't think anything was wrong until the washing machine began spewing water everywhere later that day.  My hubby also noticed that the toilet was making a gurgling sound whenever he flushed it.  I then looked over into the bathtub and saw pieces of wet paper towel floating around.  I started to connect the dots and confessed to my hubby what I did.  The look on his face said it all.  I felt like a child being scolded, only he didn't reprimand me at all.  Instead he just gave a look which was a lot more worse.  I knew he was so disappointed.  But rather than yell, he got the plunger and went to work.  When that didn't fix the problem, he got on the phone and began calling every handyman he knew.  He eventually got in contact with someone who fortunately came over right away.

But before the handyman got his tools out to clean out our pipes, I came clean about what happened.  I told him to prepare himself for a blood bath.

"I wasn't gonna blow up your spot," my hubby said.
"I'd rather be honest," I replied.
"I've seen it all believe me," the guy said.

Turns out the guy was right.  There was a lot worse things in there than I thought.  I won't get into the details for your sake.  I would hate to be the one to make you regurgitate your last meal.  Long story short, after a two hour attempt and a run to Home Depot for emergency supplies, there was still water leaking everywhere.  I can remember seeing a look of dismay wash over the handyman's face when he realized he couldn't fix it.  He banged and drilled away at our pipes to no avail.  He then figured out that the clog was in one of the pipes at the back of the house.  He said we may need to knock down some walls to get to it.  My hubby and I looked in horror!  The last thing we needed was to spend a ton of money and take a sledge hammer to our house.  Not just my lining would be shedding, our pockets would be too!  There goes Christmas shopping!

It's bad enough we couldn't shower, use the toilet, do laundry, or wash dishes.  Raw sewage cascading like waterfalls on our basement floor took the cake!  To make matters worse, hubby and I had to tickets to see "The Mountaintop" starring Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson on Broadway the following day.  Missing the play would be heartbreaking!  This was the first time in a while we had date night plans, and we couldn't exactly reschedule.  The timing couldn't be worse!  The handyman then made one last suggestion that we prayed would work.

He suggested to get a couple bottles of drano and pour it into the drain.  He said to let it sit overnight, and hopefully the problem would be fixed by morning.  Hubby didn't think it would work, but I remained optimistic.  We ended up giving the guy 50 bucks for trying.

After pouring drano down our kitchen sick, we crossed our fingers, prayed for a miracle, and hit the sack.

I woke up the next morning to the sound of running water, only it wasn't the kind you'd think.  It was my hubby doing laundry.  He came into the bedroom and shouted, "it worked!!"  I felt like celebrating.  The crisis was finally over!

While Princess enjoyed spending time with Grandma and Auntie Sophia later that day, her daddy and I headed to the city.  We made it in time to see the play.  We also got lunch at one of my favorite spots in the Theater District, Sardi's.

It was nice to get some alone time, even though the couple next to us made out the entire time.  Yuck!

I'm glad everything worked out.  But I was so exhausted that I dozed off for about 15 minutes during the performance.  I guess that was my punishment.  Thank goodness toilet waste was the only mess left to clean up.  That sure beats demolition and a hefty bill any day of the week.

What was I thinking?!  I learned a valuable lesson.  Never flush paper towels down the toilet.  If I ever accidentally let one slip again, I'll be sure to fish it out.  Have you ever done something so stupid?  Hit me up!

Weather Anchor Mama

My, How Times Have Changed

It wasn't that long ago that I was able to change plans at the drop of a hat.  If my work schedule got switched around, no biggie!  The most I would have to do is go to bed a little earlier or later.  Now times have changed.  With a toddler in the picture, my days are planned out minute by minute.  The routine doesn't often get altered.  If it does, it's not by much.  So, when my boss told me I had to come into work early for a promo shoot, I started reorganizing Princess's schedule in my head.  No problem!

I'll tell her teacher that I'd bring her in a bit earlier than normal.  Since my commute would now be cut in half, the day would be smooth sailing.  You see, normally when we have big promo shoots, someone would cover my shift for the day.  But due to the holidays, finding coverage is pretty much impossible.  Needless to say, I now have to get back in time for the evening newscasts.  Did I mention that the location also changed?

Instead of a twenty minute commute, I now have to leave the state and drive in rush hour traffic!  Luckily, I work for a cool company that's willing to have a car service pick me up and take me back to the station.  I was able to sneak out of work a little early and begin prepping in advance.

Thank goodness Princess was fast asleep by the time I got home.  After getting ready for bed and chatting with hubby, I got right to it.  I got Princess's diaper bag ready with all of her essentials for the day.  I made all her meals, including dinner.

I laid out her clothes.

Now all I have to do is get some shuteye.  I'll be up at the crack of dawn to get myself ready, get Princess dressed, take her to daycare, head work for a quick sec, take the car service to the shoot, and make it back in time for the newscasts.  Oh!  I forgot to mention that I'll be heading to the company holiday party afterwards.  I'm in for a long one.  It's gonna be a crazy day, but I'm looking forward to it. It's good to change things up every now and then.  Plus, I wouldn't miss the promo shoot and holiday party for the world!

One of the best parts of being a mom is the challenge of juggling everything.  It's a work in progress,  but I think I'm beginning to get the hang of it.  How are you able to find balance?

Weather Anchor Mama

My Gift to You

Tis the season for giving!  I don't do many freebies.  But since Christmas is around the corner, I figure why not?!  You may remember a post I did called Fashion Reinvented.  I featured some pretty cute leg warmers from My Little Legs.  Princess loves wearing them!  Here she is at crazy sock day at daycare!

These footless socks are pretty stylish.  Plus, it keeps her tiny legs warm.  Now I'm giving away a pair just in time for the holidays.  It's one size fits all, so your little one can get plenty wear out of them. They'll make great stocking stuffers!

All you have to do is leave a comment and you'll be entered to get a pair.  The lucky person will be chosen through random.org and I'll be making the announcement on my Weather Anchor Mama facebook page Tuesday, December 13th. 

I'll be doing more of these freebies!  So if you haven't done so, please join my blog.  Happy Holidays!!

Weather Anchor Mama

Jamaican Soup That Hits the Spot!

When I was a little girl, I was a very picky eater.  But whenever it rained or snowed, I remember coming home to a bowl of hot soup that hit the spot.  There's something about Jamaican soup that still makes me feel good to this day.  Here in the states I noticed the only time Americans have soup is if they're sick, or if it's cold outside.  But in Jamaica, we have soup whenever we feel like it.

It could be 80+ degrees and sunny.  If I'm craving soup, then that's what I'd have.  In fact, every 4th of July we used to visit family in the Bronx.  Auntie Pauline would make everything from barbecue chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, rice and peas, roasted corn, ribs, and soup (to name a few).  I'd be the one going back for a second helping of soup.  The holiday was filled with lots of food, ol' school reggae music, and good company.  As we say back home, "a one big bashment dat."

Independence Day barbecues in Baychester will forever be etched in my mind.  Lately I've been reminiscing about those days.  I guess it's because I miss the Summer.  With winter around the corner and unsettled conditions upon us, I've been craving Jamaican Chicken soup.

It's a timely process, but here's the recipe in case you want to give it a shot.

Ingredients for soup:
1/2 Chicken (feel free to only use your favorite parts.  I love the thigh)
Water
3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon pepper
1scotch bonnet pepper (HOT! optional)
2 tablespoon salt
1 Cho Cho (I don't know what you call it here in the states)
1/4 yellow yam
1 Jamaican sweet potato (you can also use regular potato)
Pumpkin
1 carrot
1/4 cup scallion
1/4 cup onion
2 packets of Jamaican cock soup
Thyme (a few sprigs will do)
1 corn (cut into a few pieces)

Ingredients for dumplings (Most kids LOVE dumplings)
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt Salt
1/4 cup cold water

 1.  Wash chicken with lemon or vinegar to remove impurities.
 2.  Clean and cut chicken into pieces
 3.  Place chicken in pot and add 5 quarts of water with 2 tablespoon salt
 4.  Parboil for 30-40 minutes on medium heat

While chicken is being cooked begin prepping the following:

 5.  For dumplings, sift flour and salt.  Be sure to to mix well.  Gradually add water until dough is firm.  Knead dough for a few minutes.  If it becomes too sticky had a little more flour.  On a lightly floured surface, separate into round or long pieces.  Set aside.

6.  Peel and cut pumpkin into small pieces. (Don't forget to rinse your veggies).

Veggies should be cut into small pieces like this

 7.  Peel, cut, and yam, potato, and cho cho.

By now the chicken should be ready.

 8.  Pour out water from the pot leaving chicken inside.  Refill with 4 quarts of fresh water.
 9.  Add thyme, scotch bonnet, black pepper, garlic, scallions, onions
10.  Throw in pumpkin, yam, potato, cho cho

11.  Occasionally stir making sure that nothing sticks at the bottom.  It'll take about 2 hours for soup to thicken a bit.  Stir in cock soup mix.  There's still about another hour left to cook!

12.  Add corn, carrots, dumplings.  Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.  Pumpkin adds color and texture to the soup.  When it thickens, you know it ready!

Prep time will take about an hour.  Cooking time will average between 2-3 hours.  I know it's a long time.  But it's well worth it!  This hearty soup will about serve 10 to 12 people.  Feel free to refrigerate or freeze leftovers!  Enjoy!

Do you enjoy a bowl of soup every now and again?  Do you only drink soup when you're sick, or if the weather's bad?

Weather Anchor Mama

Christmas Theme Pics

Hope you're enjoying your day.  In case you haven't gotten into the Christmas spirit, here are some pictures that may help bring you some holiday cheer.  

I decided to snap these pics of Princess, after being turned away from an in studio photo shoot at the mall.  I figured, no sense in wasting this cute outfit!  Since we didn't get pro photos for a holiday card, why not do it myself?  It's way cheaper anyway!!  Plus, we got to take advantage of the cool Christmas display!  Thank goodness we didn't get kicked out, after attracting a crowd.  Maybe they couldn't stand the thought of turning us away twice.

I took a few of these snapshots, slapped them on a card, and that was it.  I ended up spending less than 20 bucks (minus stamps of course) for about 25 holiday cards.  Have you purchased yours yet?

Weather Anchor Mama