So Thirsty

So I don't have much to say. Being that I am in the process of transitioning (letting my hair return to its natural state...no more relaxers) I have been having a blast trying new products in my hair and playing around with what will work with my hairstyle of choice. Well I have found that RAW Shea Butter (yeah straight from African by way of my local beauty supply store)...mixed with Hot Six Oil after a Co-Wash is best. I use the Shea butter on my skin too.

I mean personally I think that using a gazillion and one products defeats of purpose of going natural. Conditioner contains enough chemicals to clean the hair and I only shampoo once a week...I co-wash several times a week.

But alas I have found the conditioner of the Gods. I'm not joking folks. This stuff works well for ANY AND EVERY hair type. And to make it even more desirable I can get it from target...which means its affordable.

So yeah...this stuff is truth. Get yourself some and make sure you thank me! Oh and my husband likes it too and he normally doesn't make a fuss about products as I have been going through conditioner like crazy and trying new ones since my journey began.

On another totally random note...my husband is building us a computer. I'm excited...I will pot pics next week when we get everything situated in our little apartment!

Have a great weekend!

Funky Cold Medina

Sooo I took this quiz on courtesy of one of my most favoritest bloggers (plural its two in one) BonBon Rose. I love their blog because they are always putting me on to steals...which are better than deals!

So this quiz was about "decor style".

And this is what I got:

Erica you are a Dramatic Eclectic

You have wide-ranging interests and influences, and so appreciate a mix of styles, periods, and objects. You would never dream of using matching suite of furniture or could stand a home that seemed cookie-cutter. You are a risk-taker and a trendsetter. You are not afraid of glamour or humor, and you love bold, theatrical statements—a fantastic color, out-there wallpaper or paint treatment, or a wonderfully graphic fabric. Your home surprises and delights others, thanks to your unique vision. Because you embrace an exciting sense of color, art and drama your home makes a happy impact.

You value creativity. You are stylish and fun loving, and can be an inspiration to others. You have a natural sense of drama, and you know you have to be willing to take risks—whether with colors, finishes, furniture choices, or ideas—for your home to stand out. Your home can be happy and lively and the place all of your friends want to be.

It's actually quite accurate if I may say so myself! I can't wait until I move out of this apartment to really go wild and design my space to suite me! Even more than that I want my personal style to say dramatic eclectic but I just have to figure out what I want that to be!

Friday Night Lights

I'm speaking of the light emanating from my television. My husband got Madden10 and took off in celebration of his 25th birthday and the game!

Happy Birthday Babes! I LOVE YOU!

Moving on...

I made Peanut Butter Brownies last week. Threw in some chocolate chips for good luck!

No words...just pictures!






















Oh and one more thing.

True Story. (I hate when people say that.)

Willow came up to me today while the kids were playing outside and said, "Can you use your magic to turn me into a Jaguar." I said "Why of course I can. AbraKadabraHocusPocus Turn this Willow into a Jaguar FOCUS!" She crawled away on her hands and knees...through the dirt like kids do at that age. She persisted to MEOW for the next hour. The other kids got so irritated and they kept telling her to stop meowing. Then I told her to stop and she wouldn't. (Stupid magic wand is so temperamental)

I decided to just let her be what she was going to be and eventually she got tired of trying to get me to understand what she wanted and she resorted to English. Moral of the story....as soon as you stop trying to get something to be what you think its supposed to be, you have one less worry. I mean Willow, a 6 year old girl, is not meant to meow for prolonged periods and when I stopped trying to get her to stop, she did it on her own.

Yumm-O

Sooo I have been taking Apple Cider Vinegar twice a day and Im on my sixth day. Man it's soooo super disgustingly nasty. I mean I smell it and actually feel it burn as it goes down. But it will hopefully help with my swollen ankles and feet...since water pills have not worked since they were prescribed.

I had to seek out alternative options because doctors are not able to properly diagnose my issues. But they are happy to throw me a prescription and tell me to reschedule. DO i look like I want to keep shelling out co-pays for followup visits.

On another note...I started my job last week. Well we had training and I have some trainings next week including CPR. I'm really excited. Im at Hermitage Elementary...and my room is a mess! its not up to my standards so I have alot of work to do before friday morning to get it up to par!



One last thing. I am transitioning to natural! Yes! Yes! Yes...I am! Im talking about my hair...Im done with the creamy crack guys (relaxers)! My husband loves it because it gives me a lot of versatility with my look. So here are some pics from the past week! I have been able to get creative with my looks and do things I have never had the confidence to do in the past! Mostly its me surrendering to whatever my hair wants to do. When its not cooperating I just go with it...lol.





Have a great week guys!

Week in Review

Sooo I got a new job! Im so excited. I start Wednesday I didnt bother with the whole 2 weeks notice thing. I want to leave T-Mobile never to return again. And giving that notice means that I would always have that place to go back to and I can't keep looking back. So call it what you want...I purposely burn bridges to give me no other choice to but keep it moving.

Sooo I am going to be working for the YMCA and my site is Hermitage Elementary School. Im the site director so I pretty much determine the day to day activities, before and after school. I will be bringing Carver Creative to life here. I heard that the site needs love and dedication and well...you all know how passionate I am about whatever I do. If you love me I will love you back HARD! (That sounded weird but whatevz)

I am so glad I get to go to church on Sundays. I mean how can a person be on the praise and worship team and work on Sundays. Exactly. My next post I will go into more detail. For now I really want to go to the Mall its so doable at 7:38 PM because its literally across the street. (NO IM NOT WALKING. BLASPHEMY. I would get eaten alive by Nashsquitoes.) I just got this crazy impulse.

I will leave you all with this link..

http://www.bodyshapefashionadvice.com/index.php

It is helpful and info we probably already know but there is nothing wrong with info being beat into your head.

Love you guys!

Did You Miss Me!?!?!?

So we are back from vacation. The Clay's went on their first official vacation last week and had a blast! I had funnel cake twice and deep fried oreos. Talk about heaven on earth! (leave it to me to talk about the food first but I can only be me...)



We went to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, Tennessee and stayed in a Chalet on the side of the mountain (literally).

We had a blast! Instead of doing the normal tourist trapsy types of things...we went White Water Rafting and Zip lining!! Yes folks...I said white water rafting and ZIP LINING.

I will let the pics speak for themselves. Q's mom has the video of zip lining and as soon as she posts it I will put it up!

Smokey Mountain Vacation Summer 2009

(click the links to enlarge)

The Chalet above ours...these things are literally on the side of the mountain.

Our chalet was called "A Room With a View"...and here are some views.

My hubby before we went into the cabin.

Our Room...

The Lovely Mrs. Clay (ITS ME FOOLZ!)



Ok that wasn't nice sorry for calling you guys foolz...I got carried away. (Foolz is the word of the week...)



My cute hubby giving the thumbs up! His smile makes me melt!

The view on the way to our White Water Rafting Adventure!





Its me again...ready to go rafting! Q deep in thought...









The Old Mill...whatever. Its lame after going rafting and zip lining. We drove past and stopped for some pics.



We loved getting home for the sunset...they didn't call the chalet "A Room With a View" for nothing!!

This is my absolute favorite!

Noticing You Noticing Me

So I just finished reading this lovely book called, "The Noticer". May I say I read it in like two days, which for me has become great because I have such a short attention span.

Actually I didn't just finish reading it. I finished reading it like two weeks ago...but I forgot to post about it. I was sitting here and started thinking about how I'm so mediocre and saw the book sitting on the table.

I thought about how I felt reading the book. Powerful. Invincible. Hopeful. My mind wandered back to the excitement I felt at each revelation that was brought forth through the telling of this tale.

I have been saying this since before I read the book but it made it even more plain to me.

"Sometimes all a person needs is a little perspective."

I love that. I don't have much to say...I just know that I need to do things to gain more perspective and build my confidence. Mostly because if I don't know my value how will anyone else. Do you know your value? I mean really...do you know?

Do I know is the only question I can answer. If I did know how much of a gift I am, I would never downplay my impact on the lives of my friends and family. They really do need me in their lives, I am an asset. If I really knew how brilliant I am, I wouldn't feed myself negative messages and tear myself down for no reason but to do it before someone else got the chance to. I don't deserve that treatment from others and I definately dont have the right to mistreat myself.

Well I need to pray more. read more. blog more. save more. love more. risk more. risk more. risk more. dream more. clean more. learn more. praise more. call more. write more. eat more fruit. float more. hunt and gather more. be silent more.

I started typing the list and thought of more things I needed to do. I'm missing the point. Let me pick five things to focus on...

I'm going to pray more. write more. eat more fruit. risk more and love more.

Lets see what perspective I can get in six days!

PS...No baby news Jenna but im going to find perspective on that during this week.