Congratulations to the New England Patriots

February 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment

superbowlchamps

Last night I was so stressed watching the Super Bowl that I stood for most of the first half of the game. The second half I sat and ate all the yummies I made for the occasion. It was a great game with two amazing teams. They both wanted it and played hard the entire game. I did a victory dance and then proceeded to take selfies with Nicholas and Leao to send to friends and family.

The best gift from nature was a snow day today for the boys. I woke up to this.

3rdsnowday1It is like a repeat of last week except we aren’t experiencing blizzard winds. So we got the call last night that the schools would be closed today. Nice gift after Superbowl celebrations but I still need to go out and clear my car.

Oh well, I’m off to squeeze in some work in my craft room and give the boys some worksheets to keep their brains active.

Have a blessed day!

Belinda

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Black History Month

February 1, 2015 by 1 Comment

blackhistorybanner1Hello Everyone!  Today it’s the start of the 2015 Black History Month in the United States. I typically comb the internet and television to find enriching programs to continue my education.

One of my favorite booktuber Frenchiedee is coordinating a great effort to showcase booktubers for this month that will be sharing information regarding books about or written by black people. So if you have a chance check out her YouTube channel, Frenchiedee to find out more.

Today I am starting a new book in honor of this month:

forbiddenfruitForbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad by Betty DeRamus

Forbidden Fruit is a collection of fascinating, largely untold tales of ordinary men and women who faced mobs, bloodhounds, bounty hunters, and bullets to be together — and defy a system that categorized blacks not only as servants, but as property.

Here you’ll meet, among other extraordinary characters, a fugitive slave from Virginia who spends seventeen years searching for his wife. A Georgia slave couple that sails for England with federal troops trailing behind. A white woman who falls in love with her deceased husband’s slave. A young slave girl who is delivered to her fiance; inside a wooden chest.

Acclaimed journalist Betty DeRamus gleaned these anecdotes from descendants of runaway slave couples, unpublished memoirs, Civil War records, census data, magazines, and dozens of previously untapped sources. This is a book about people pursuing love and achievement in a time of hate and severely limited opportunities. Though not all of the stories in Forbidden Fruit end in triumph, they all celebrate hope, passion, courage, and triumph of the human spirit.

I hope you find time to explore and learn more this month whether via a book, television or visual arts program in your town.

Have a blessed day!

Belinda

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Blizzard of 2015: The Aftermath = 2 Snow Days for the Boys

January 29, 2015 by 2 Comments

blizzard2015_1This is what I woke up to on Tuesday morning. So much snow and the snow didn’t stop until another 24 hours. I admit, the first sight is so beautiful. It’s so white and perfect since it is untouched.

blizzard2015_2Then reality set in when I got my boots on and headed out to shovel the walkway and clear the cars and found that the wind had pushed the snow onto your enclosed deck!  This photo is from the inside. Oh and yes, that is a halloween banner hanging from the flag pole. Nope, I didn’t get around to changing it…Don’t judge.

So I had to shovel off the deck with Leao before we headed out to our clean up work outside.

blizzard2015_4This is what was left of my car before I began my clean up. Love my SUV but they sure do hold a lot of snow on the top!  I put layers on so I didn’t get too cold until I was almost finished.

blizzard2015_5This is a picture looking back at the house from the driveway while I took a break from cleaning the car. I even listened to Pandora while I shoveled to keep me motivated and moving quickly.

blizzard2015_6The boys loved having two snow days. Yesterday we let them go explore in the snow and they took the opportunity to use the pile of snow from the plowing to slide.  Leao even joined in to show them how it’s done!

blizzard2015_8

The boys played until I bribed them with goodies to come inside.

blizzard2015_9

They loved playing in it and Apollo especially loved laying and rolling in it. Which made me cold watching him but I knew he was having fun.

blizzard2015_7

Apollo’s already asking when he can play out in it again. I told him school today but maybe tomorrow after school for a bit. I had to drink two cups of tea and crawl under my blanket with my heating pad to shake off the chills. But I do love looking at it so much. So I will try to keep my complaints to a minimum.

Have a blessed day my friends.

Belinda

 

 

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From the Cafe…A storm is brewing

January 26, 2015 by Leave a Comment

The calm before the storm or should I say the chaos before the storm? Well it is a bit chaotic here. We have a big snow storm coming and everyone is preparing for the worst. The meteorologists are like kids in a candy store. All smiles while they say this will be a historic storm with 24 – 36 inches and winds as high as 60mph and power outages.  Historic? Did they really say that? I do believe it is good to prepare people but the choice of words can make or break a mob.

I opted out of grocery shopping yesterday because I figured the stores would be mobbed. I went this morning and let’s just say, I wasn’t in there with a few stay-at-home moms and retired seniors, I was in there with a big old line of people. So I’m leaning a little toward the Chaos in answer to my initial question.

For me, I have mixed feelings. We have had a rather easy winter to this point, no real snow just really cold air. So a part of me is so thrilled that I can watch the storm from the comfort of my home. It’s beautiful watching snow fall. I especially like the big chunkie flakes.  I like being cozy under a blanket with the boys and Leao close and of course a good book to dive into.

There’s also a bit of a thrill of the possibility of a snow day for the boys.  Last night, I told them to charge all of there devices and find their book lights so that if we lose power they have more options. I feel there is a beauty in the absolute silence that power outages bring. I’m not saying for long periods of time but for just one moment I like to hear what total silence is like, no humming sound from all the appliances, nothing. It’s beautiful to have total silence. We rarely experience it. What we typically call silence, is not.

I am at the Barnes and Noble cafe typing this and looking out the big window at the tiny flakes falling and the ease at which the traffic flows now.  When in 24 hours, this ease will vanish but only for a little while so I prepare to enjoy it before the feeling of dread sets in and the shovels come out.

If you live in the path of this storm, be safe and have a blessed day my friends.

Belinda

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