Blogger Backgrounds

Monday, May 28, 2012

The End by Tracie McClinton



The last day of school, the last day of vacation, the last slice of pie, the last child...all great things must come to an end. The day I finally had to face the truth that I have given birth for the last time was a day full of strange emotions for me. No more diapers, bottles, sleepless nights and potty training. I should have been celebrating and doing some sort of obnoxious dance of joy and screaming “Freedom!” But two years ago when my son reached the age of 5, I found myself longing for diapers, bottles, sleepless nights and potty training! I was sad that my bouncing baby boy was now a bouncing big boy who was getting bigger by the day. With each milestone I verbalized “this is my last time experiencing this as a mother”. 

My boy, Brian, who I simply call The Boy, came into our lives as a plan and a surprise all in one. After many years of back and forth indecision, we finally decided to have “just one more”. So we prepared ourselves and agreed that this was it. I had no idea that this decision would be so difficult. The logical side of me knew it was the right decision for our family. After all, I was 37 and my husband was 42. We had a 10 year old and my husband’s oldest child was 17. But the mother in me was not ready for this to be IT. The Boy brought a special kind of joy into our household and brought something into our lives that we didn’t know we needed. This baby fixed something that we didn’t know was broken. I wanted to experience this joy over and over again. But then, I remembered that this is IT. 

Tracie McClinton
Now my boy is preparing to enter second grade. He is becoming more independent, losing teeth, liking girls and changing right before my eyes. He recently informed me that he was too old for Yo Gabba Gabba, Calliou and Sesame Street. This announcement hit me so hard and sent me into a week of gazing at baby pictures, touching baby clothes at the mall and sniffing packages of Pampers at Target.

It’s time to move on. Motherhood has exciting things still in store for me. The teenager will be in college next year. My husband and I are preparing for new and exciting things and my boy is still my boy.

This is it….the end. All great things must come to an end. (Insert HUGE SIGH right here). I am done having children. That’s all there is and there isn’t any more.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

It's that time again!

I have some awesome people who are volunteering their time to be a featured blogger. Stay tuned for some awesome stories and experiences from mothers, entrepreneurs, wives, and even husbands!

Want to share your God story, let me know in a comment below or on my Facebook Fan page entitled "In The Life of a Virtuous Woman: The Blog"


Fridays will feature blogs from my readers, friends, and family! You wouldn't want to miss Friday's entry! Stay tuned!!

Saturday, May 19, 2012

SPECIAL REPORT!!

Our family is growing and growing fast! We are expecting again! 

I called myself doing something a little different to have myself some time before the next baby, but God had a different plan. I will be doing pregnancy updates so..stay tuned!!

Friday, May 11, 2012

Outfit of the Day...what!!?? LOL


Tonight was my church's Mother's Day Banquet. The women were all dressed up in their fine apparel and we were escorted down a red carpet to our wonderful dinner.




Now I decided to do something a little different being that this is the first time I actually was confident to wear bold colors and blended styles. This is what I wore:
Jewelry from Glitter all $1 each minus my wedding ring of course! LOL
Scarf from Macys original price $79 sale price $4.99 WHAT! LOL
Makeup ELF cosemetics

Jacket thrifted $2
Shirt gift from The Mane Source giveaway
Color pants thrifted $3


My shoes was not photographed (FORGOT) but they're from Charlotte Russe and were close to a burnt orange color!


Feeling Pretty!!

Lately, I have been "feeling myself" LOL meaning, I finally found the confidence I have been longing to have. This is the first time is a really long time, I have accepted myself. I am beautiful!! Ahhh, that's a refreshing feeling to know that you are very beautiful. People can tell you that all day, but all the compliment doesn't matter if you don't feel the same way. I know I have a great support system from my husband and close friends and I thank God for them, but I am truly grateful that God revealed my worth to me. It was something that I needed and I am pleased to say I have it!








I AM BEAUTIFUL AND HIS PROVERBS1822!


Thursday, May 10, 2012

Magazine gone TOO far? What do you think?

Browsing on my Newsfeed on Facebook, I stumbled across this image which sent me to a link talking about it.
I am not surprised that there's people out there that will cause controversy about nursing but this right here is bad publicity. I am uncomfortably offended even being a nursing mom myself. Also, the title alone is offensive to those moms who opt to formula feed whether it's a health issue or work related. There are great moms who chose to formula feed their children. But if I can advertise nursing, I will tell everyone that it is healthier and cheaper! I enjoy nursing my babies and will continue to for as long as I push them out! LOL

But this article was talking about moms who advocate "extended breastfeeding". If you are interested in reading more, follow the link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2012/05/10/will-times-breastfeeding-cover-be-bad-for-business/

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

When is the best time to make your kids do chores?

Well... to answer this question as blunt as I could... when they are old enough to blame their sibling for a mess. LOL If they notice that something is dirty or smelly, it is time for them to get schooled! As you may know, I have 4 children. I am a stay at home mom and have a full schedule all day long. With school, potty training, finances and budgeting, cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping things tend to get pushed further on my list. Now, I keep a clean home, but it is always good to have help. I have decided to buckle down and create a chore list for the kids. They make messes ad it is time for them to clean it up. I believe once they realize that they don't have to be messy after playing or eating the messes will get smaller.

 My mom started my off pretty young too with cleaning. But my story is a bit different. One day after school ( I was in kindergarten at the time), I thought I will surprise my mom by cleaning the dishes. When she finished her nap, I walked her into the kitchen and she was completely floored at the job I did with cleaning the kitchen. This started some major responsibilities for little ol' me. At times I regretted starting myself so young, but I know now that I was a big help for my mom.

My children are pretty independent and started making themselves and each other lunch and pouring juice at the age of 2, so why not make them know the importance of keeping a clean home and learning responsibility?

Monday, May 7, 2012

Cartoon theme songs that makes me tap my feet! LOL

My husband and I was on the phone and was talking our random talk and thought about Cartoon Theme songs that was the bomb! I thought about The Proud Family! LOL

Tell me your favorite theme song below! This should be fun!

Friday, May 4, 2012

Headaches be gone!



For as long as I can remember, I've always suffered from horrible headaches and migraines. When I get a headache, it ruins the entire day. I can't eat, can't tend to my family, am sensitive to light and I will be in bed all day long. Just recently, I did my research on ways I can eliminate them. First let us define what a headache and migraine is because there's a difference!


Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or ears, behind the head, or under the back of the upper neck.


Migraine headache: A migraine headache can cause intense throbbing or pulsing in on area of the head and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can cause significant pain for hours to days and be so sever that all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down.


My last migraine headache was a week ago with the symptoms listed above. It lasted 2 days! I've had enough! I researched some natural remedies to relieve me and I felt bad to know that I am the cause of my own headaches/migraines. I have used stress and kids as the excuse for my headaches, but my diet had a lot to do with it. I started my consciousness about nutrition but slacked off. I then noticed that my body was reacting to the change. Dehydration and inflammation are some causes for headaches..

To rid myself from myself (if that made any sense) was to eat healthier and incorporate these super foods to get rid of my migraine headaches:

1. WATER!!!!!! Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water is a much needed nutrient and we ted to stay away from it because it doesn't taste like anything. We want whatever we eat and drink to be fun and full of flavor, but the simplicity of water will go a long way and our bodies will be ever so grateful and will not work against you.

2. FATS!!! Healthy fats that is. When cooking, I use olive oil instead of canola and vegetable oil. Basically fried foods are a no no. I saute a lot of my dishes and broil my veggies. 

3. WHOLE GRAINS!!! Eating foods that contain whole grains relieved my headaches. From breads to pasta, it truly makes a difference. The taste is a bit different but I am getting used to it.

4. FRESH VEGGIES/JUICES!!!!  I have added more green veggies to my diet as well. I have tried a concoction of spinach, carrots and pears...it tastes horrible, but cheers to a pain-free life..I guess. When I need some flavor, I juice. Orange juices, orange mango...yum!

These little changes made a world of a difference in my life the past week. I know exercising plays a significant role, but I am still working on being consistent with it.