family - 2/7 - cafe mocha reflections

What’s Brewing at The Cafe

April 12, 2013 by Whitney 8 Comments

Happy Friday everyone! Not much going on around here this week, work, plans, goals and dreams. I’m still holding on to the goal of working my Silpada business, but have to be realistic about it. I saw a segment on the Today show this week where working moms were interviewed and the question came up about having or going to parties for their friends who have direct sales businesses. One woman stated that she didn’t attend because it was annoying and they have the parties in the middle of the week. I do think that’s why I haven’t been able to schedule a party. I won’t give up, but it does have to go on the back burner until I make some money. I am getting more hours as a independent contractor doing customer service work. I need to help with the finances around here, got some goals and I’m gonna do some changes so we can move forward with buying another home.

Renting is turning out to be a disaster, this place has more problems and the staff is clueless. The area we live in has a great school district and we will stay until my oldest daughter graduates next year. We have a budget and try to follow it, but I admit it’s a challenge. Owning a home has so many benefits, plus it’s ours. I can’t wait until we are in the position to purchase our first home together. We are dedicated to making this happen and making sure our finances are where we need them to be. Michelle over at Divas With A Purpose has been blogging about Financial Literacy Month and has some great posts about saving and getting your financial life on track. She has some great posts on the subject, but I like this particular one, go check it out on Budgeting Basics 101.

My baby is going on a one day trip to Chicago with her school. She is so excited. I love watching her turn into a teenager, she is my baby. I’m sending her with plenty food and $50 for the Navy Pier. I thought $30 was plenty but the hubs said give her $50. Now I’ll tell her that she doesn’t have to spend it all. She will come home with $3 and say see I didn’t spend it all, and be excited about it too. They have to be at the school at 2:30am and will be back at 11:00pm tomorrow night. I will have to set my alarm when I lay down or she won’t make it.

I’m also trying to find a summer program for her. Summer school is only three weeks and it’s almost not worth it. There are two sessions at $25 each and one will be her band class. I guess budget concerns has caused the district to cut summer school this year. My oldest would like to find a part time job, and I’m not against that for the summer. My husband is even on board with her working for the summer. I would love for her to work and make her own money, it will be a great experience for her and a chance to see her maturity level.

The tornado that ran through St Louis this week spared lives, except we did have a worker for the electric company that was electrocuted while trying to restore electricity in the area of town that was heavily damaged. Very sad, saying a prayer for his family. This is my third spring in St Louis and every year during tornado season, we get hit hard here. I saw them drag the biggest branch from my neighborhood yesterday, there are tree branches everywhere. It’s cold here today, the weather here in the Midwest is crazy.

Here’s your Scandal tease…..it’s gonna be so good!!! Two more weeks!

I’m taking it easy this weekend. What’s your plans for the weekend? Make it great whatever your plans are…

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Filed Under: Family, Relationships, The Mocha Cafe Tagged With: children, family, finances, home, random thoughts, scandal, school

Autism Awareness Month

April 1, 2013 by Whitney 22 Comments

Good morning! Hope you all had a wonderful Easter. Don’t forget to share you Easter pictures with me on my link up party from Friday.

This year I would like to step outside my box and bring awareness to Autism. I’m starting off by announcing that I will be doing a fund raiser in my daughter’s honor and donate the proceeds to Autism Speaks. I have joined the organization and set up my goal of $100. I will donate a 15% of my earnings from individual Silpada Designs sales through April 7, 2013.

I have talked about my daughter before, she is a beautiful young woman who is truly coming into her own. I realized in the last month since I’ve been working on her transition from high school to adulthood that she is gonna need support beyond me. I protected her the best that I could, but I understand that she will need to explore this world at times without me. Autism Speaks is a wonderful organization that will help both of us achieve those goals. Of course, these organizations aren’t successful without money, so what better way to raise money for her but through Silpada Designs.

Do us a favor and go to my page, browse the catalog and place your order under Autism Awareness party. She is tickled pink about this and I couldn’t think of a better way to introduce this organization to her and assist me with her transition. It’s still a very long road for her, but I know my baby will be successful.

Let’s make this fundraiser successful for Autism Awareness month and Autism Speaks~Light It Up Blue! You can also go to my page here for Autism Speaks and donate! Thanking you all in advance, have a wonderful day!

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Filed Under: Family, Inspirational Tagged With: autism, Autism Awareness, Autism Speaks, family, fundraiser, silpada designs

Easter Sunday Best Dressed Party

March 29, 2013 by Whitney 6 Comments

It’s Good Friday and I’m sure you all are busy preparing for Easter or Resurrection Sunday as some churches call it now. Easter brings back so many wonderful memories of growing up with my youngest brother and nephews, getting all dressed up for church.

I am doing my first Blog Hop link up party. Please link up your favorite Easter pictures, past or present! Let’s share our pictures with our Sunday best on! Here’s my pictures from when I was a child with my brother and oldest nephew.

We knew fashion, didn’t we?? Notice the red patent leather shoes and purse? So so clean!

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: best dressed, blog hop, easter, family

What’s Brewing at The Mocha Cafe

March 15, 2013 by Whitney 8 Comments

Happy Friday everyone, I’m having Scandal withdrawals. Seriously. It will finally be on next week, I can’t wait!

I have two new articles at Parent Society, one about rejuvenating when you are stressed out and need some alone time, click here for that article and here about my post on job tips for parents over 50 entering the work force again. I’m searching for my next topics to write for them. I try to write specifically for them about issues for the older woman, but I don’t want to take away my ideas for my own space. I love the challenge and will keep writing as long as I can be creative. It’s a good source for busy parents and has some pretty good writing.

The Catholic Church has finally chosen their next Pope. I’m not gonna pretend I understand the religion, I respect everyone’s religion but I will say I’m glad that process is over.

Don’t forget to support Kokoa Magazine, a great online magazine made for us everyday folks, articles about what we like and products we love! Please subscribe, Kita is doing a wonderful job and making her dreams come true.

It’s been a very busy week, got a lot going on, bowling party tonight, spring break next week and they are ready to hit the streets! We’ll probably see what we can find that is “free” or very low cost. My youngest wants to go to Chicago with her school next month. They are taking a chartered bus to the museum and Navy Pier. Here’s the kicker…the trip is $90 and it doesn’t include any food. I can go as a chaperone for $30. I’m gonna allow her to go, but she has to contribute her allowance to help pay for the trip. She seems okay with that until she realizes she won’t have any spending money this weekend. I guess I’m being cheap, but that’s just a bit much, but that bus must really be expensive. I’m not sure if I’m going or not.

I’ve moved my Outfit of the Week~OOTW to my page called Whitney’s Style. I’m gonna use that for everything related with fashion, makeup etc.

Enjoy your weekend and please be good to one another!

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Filed Under: Currently, The Mocha Cafe Tagged With: family, kokoa magazine, ootw, parent society, religion, scandal, spring break

Memories and Heirlooms

March 4, 2013 by Whitney 12 Comments

My youngest daughter had been asking for a locket for her birthday. I told her she could earn it, because the one she wanted was pretty expensive. This would be the fifth chain/necklace for this girl, she breaks and loses them. Saturday night I found my mothers’ locket that my daddy gave her years ago. My mother had quite a bit of jewelry and a beautiful fur coat that I inherited when she passed away. I had jewelry from momma and my sister until someone broke in my home and stole my jewelry in 2007. Broke my heart, because all they took was my jewelry box and it had all their jewelry in it, except these two pieces.

They are both 14kt Gold and I explained to them both how important these pieces of jewelry were to me, but I wanted them to have them. They are young ladies now and I know they will take care of the necklaces and cherish my mother and sister’s memory. They were both very elated and appreciated receiving the jewelry. I was happy and cried a little, I miss my mom and sister so much.

My momma had four grand daughters, my two and my brother has two daughters. She didn’t get to spend time with my two nieces, but she was tickled pink when I had my girls. She was an old school grandma, put baby food in their bottles when they were under 6 weeks old, talking about these babies need food. The holes in the nipples were the size of a dime almost, it was funny. I had to sneak and pour that mess out (sorry momma). It was all good, she did what she knew best and I allowed her to be grandma.

This is when my youngest was born in June 2000, time does fly. I love going down memory lane. I love my girls.

Share some of your family memories with me….

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Filed Under: Family, Inspirational Tagged With: daughters, family, memories, mother, sister

When Parents Divorce

February 11, 2013 by Whitney 18 Comments

I hope and pray that none of you will have to go through a divorce. It’s painful, frustrating, sad and can leave you second guessing yourself.

My children haven’t seen their biological father since November 2006. That’s over 6 years and counting. They haven’t spoken to him since Fathers’ Day 2009, over 3-1/2 years. Very sad and inexcusable if you ask me. I’ve wanted to blog about this before but didn’t want to offend anyone, but since this is my blog and platform, I will write about it because I believe and hope that it helps someone else.

It wasn’t a messy divorce, it was a messy and unhappy marriage. My ex-husband was very angry with me for divorcing him and I believe I’m the reason why he has no contact with the girls. When he moved back to California, I offered to continue paying his cell phone bill which was on my plan so my babies could talk to their daddy whenever they wanted. It was on $9.99 at the time, no big deal and it was worth it for them. One day they wanted to call him, so I gave them my cell phone and let them call him. He didn’t answer, they called him for several hours and he never picked up the phone. I dialed it for them the next day a few times and still no answer. That pissed me off, and I disconnected his phone the next day. I’m gonna pay for the line and you not answer? Maybe it was a control thing for him, I really don’t know because he hasn’t said one word to me since we separated in November 2006.

Eventually, he did get another phone and would call them every once and a while, not too often and when I answered the phone he always hung up on me. I would immediately have the girls call him so they could talk to their dad. I never tried to reason with him, it was too frustrating, I just wanted them to have a relationship with him because I knew they wouldn’t see him since he moved back to California and we lived in Missouri. I would always listen in on the conversation because my youngest always had questions when they finished talking. My girls would always tell them what they wanted, Barbie dolls, iPod, toys, toys and toys. He sent a few requests, the first birthday for each of them after he moved, that was it. I had to tell them to quit asking for things, and that’s how I started my hustle to make sure more than ever that they had whatever they needed and most of what they wanted.

I’m not gonna say it was easy, because it wasn’t but I did it without blinking, complaining and eventually without regret. I questioned myself in the beginning, I did. The girls wanted to know why their daddy didn’t love them and why he didn’t call them, and I thought for a brief moment that I made a big mistake. I remembered my ex-husband saying to me before he left that I wouldn’t be able to handle the responsibility of the house and taking care of the girls. I guess that was his way of asking for another try or to break down my self esteem. It did break me down for a month or two, then I had to get myself together for the girls and myself. He told my youngest who was 6 at the time that he was getting back together with his 1st wife and my girlfriends were home wreckers. She didn’t tell me these things until after he left, and I had to try to explain to a 6 year old why he said those things to her.

I did ask my ex-husband if we could go to marriage counseling to try and save our marriage and he turned me down, 100% no. He did try and go to my pastor, but he wasn’t in the office at the time. When I told him I wanted a divorce he was very angry with me. Should I have tried again with counseling? Maybe, but the way he shot me down the first time, I didn’t think he would change his mind. Do I wish he had a relationship with the girls? Of course, but that has died, and it’s up to them to have a relationship with him. When they ask about him which isn’t often, I tell them that he loves them. I can’t answer why he has no contact and it used to really hurt when they asked. I know enough that as they get older they will try to reach out to their dad and have a relationship with them and I support them 100% on that. He has a large family, and I want my girls to know their family and history.

I survived by the grace of God, it wasn’t me. Know he will never leave you or forsake you. Be encouraged and do what’s best for you and your family.

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Filed Under: Family, Marriage Tagged With: children, divorce, family

Cabin Fever

January 29, 2013 by Whitney 12 Comments

Around this time every year, everyone in the house starts to get some serious cabin fever, especially when it’s 74 degrees in St Louis. You step outside, almost forget it’s the middle of winter with the exception of the bare trees and brown grass. It’s so balmy and warm, everyone was out and about. The joggers, walkers, baby strollers, pets and their owners were all out enjoying the weather today.

Here’s the part that makes cabin fever so hard….it will be a high of 32 degrees tomorrow. Back to the coats, hats, scarves and gloves. We know better but can’t help it, we all love warm weather, at least I do. I didn’t bust out in a maxi dress and sandals, but I did put on a sweater and no hat or gloves, that was nice. We haven’t had any missed school days around here, which is good because that means they’ll get out in May.

My youngest acts like she is gonna die if she doesn’t get outside to play on the weekends. She can be the only kid outside, it doesn’t matter to her. She will also play with any kid, any age just so she can be outside. She tells me all the time how boring it is to be home. I’ve tried to teach both of them how to crochet, make jewelry and other little crafty things. My oldest makes friendship bracelets, and she enjoys it. She doesn’t have a problem keeping herself busy or entertained. I take them to the library on the weekends, both of them love reading. When I start my new direct sales business, I plan on taking them with me to my parties/presentations so they can assist and watch me work. Hoping that will be a positive experience for them, let them see mom working.

One thing I would like all three of us to do is create vision boards. I want the girls to focus on something positive and positive people. I’m currently looking into organizations that they can join that support girls and the sensitive issues they have. We have plenty of supplies to get started, this will be a great project to do in the next few weeks. It’s easier in the summer months, because they like to swim and I sit at the pool and read on my iPad.

Well, we have another 2-3 months left, so I’ll just sit back, kick my feet up with my warm fuzzy socks and enjoy the rest of the winter. How do you handle cabin fever?

my fuzzy socks keeping my feet warm

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Filed Under: Currently, Family Tagged With: crafts, family, winter

Was It A Dream?

January 7, 2013 by Whitney 14 Comments

packing our the last of our belongings

The past four months of my life seem like a complete blur…really. I feel like I’ve been having a long dream since August. We moved back to our home in the Kansas City area, my husband transferred his job and we tried to make KC our home. It didn’t work out, we sincerely gave it our best. The house is currently on the market and we moved back to St Louis and are living in the same townhouse community we lived in before we left. I feel like Bill Murray in “Ground Hog Day”

I have earned a certificate for “Master Mover”, I know the ins and outs, the difference between using professional movers and family. I could be an consultant and probably make decent money because people hate moving. Let me tell ya, I love my family but between my brother and my nephew, they broke up some serious items, and scratched up anything that had the word “wood” in it. They even scratched my husbands love, his 65″ TV. I’m not complaining and didn’t make a fuss over the broken furniture and items, because we thought we were gonna save so much money by doing it ourselves. We saved about $800 by doing the move ourselves, but it took two trips to Kansas City, renting two different trucks, and with replacing the broken furniture and items, we probably didn’t save much.

I have to replace my desk that was broken, which we will probably do that in the next few weeks. I have one left, so that might have to do for now. My family wanted me to “fix” the desk, or rig it was we call it. Ummm, it broke in half dear. I have a few pieces I’ve purchased from The Pampered Chef and my baking dish/cookie sheet was dropped and ended up in about 10 pieces. Gotta love family.

Watching men do physical work can be quite amusing. I hate to laugh but I have to. My oldest brother came in literally throwing our stuff into boxes. Whoa buddy, slow your roll, you aren’t gonna pay for anything you break…my nephew had to analyze everything, I wanted to tell him to shut up so bad, but I didn’t plus it was good seeing them. My brand new refrigerator puzzled them and they took all the moving parts off it. I wasn’t happy about that, I would have preferred to sell it than destroy it. It’s sitting in our storage area with the doors still off. I feel that refrigerator will never be the same.

We ate plenty of Popeye’s chicken. That is some expensive chicken, but it was the closest place and they were starving, andI wasn’t cooking. Every time I left to go run an errand, something was broken.

The last four months were very challenging, but I’m soooo glad to be back in St Louis. I just woke up from my dream. I survived and graciously welcome 2013. Have a wonderful day!

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Filed Under: Currently, Family Tagged With: family, mental, moving

Christmas Eve Wishes

December 24, 2012 by Whitney 4 Comments

Christmas eve and I’m done. Hopefully my girls will be happy and celebrate the holiday. I decided to cook brunch in the morning since we aren’t having a big dinner tomorrow. I’m also gonna make two cheesecakes, the no bake kind. We love them, and they are so easy to make. My youngest is actually gonna make the cheesecakes while I do a little work today and start packing up the kitchen. This will be the one and last time I spend Christmas like this. I miss the look of the holiday around the house, sending and receiving Christmas cards, the whole 9 yards. I did get out and do my shopping, all early because I’m not good with big crowds anymore. I can’t tell you the last time I actually hung out at the mall on a weekend. Ok, three weeks ago when we went to St Louis to look for a place to live and it was crazy.

I got the girls everything they asked for plus they both are getting a pair of boots and a “church” outfit. They don’t ask for a lot, so they will get what they want and a little extra spending money to top it off. I spent a total of $300 on both of them, they are really good at being practical. They get all year long, especially on their birthday. That’s when I roll out the dough! I feel so guilty about having to cut the holiday for them I wanted to make sure they have what they want and need this year. We’ll go shopping with their money and gift cards next month.

This will probably be my last post, maybe one more before the New Year, I’ll be too busy. It’s my prayer, that you all have a safe, loving Merry Christmas. Love one another, forgive, and enjoy each other this week and every week. If you are traveling, I pray for traveling mercy on you and your families. Take it easy, get there no matter how long it takes. See ya soon!

These are my best pictures Christmas pictures. I love the one with Santa & Mrs. Claus. I don’t have any with me and my husband, I’ll have to work on that.

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Filed Under: Currently, Family, Inspirational Tagged With: christmas eve, family, holiday

Holidays, Moving and Blogging

December 21, 2012 by Whitney 8 Comments

How’s the holiday season treating you? Are you finished with you shopping yet? I’m just about finished, gotta pick up a couple of gift cards for my girls, iTunes gift cards are always a must…always. They both need new clothes, one has lost 60 pounds, and the other is growing as we speak. Sometimes they like my taste, but I’m gonna get them a few gift cards and take them shopping. They love that, and it takes pressures off me picking their clothes. I will take them shopping after we move and settled. My husband and I treated each other to new iPhones, so that’s our Christmas. Ok, I did buy myself a new sweater, cami and a bra the other day from Lane Bryant, but everything was 40% off and then you got another 20% off the total and I needed a the bra, the sweater and cami were just extras.

I was bummed that we decided not to put up the tree or do any decorations this year, I miss having my tree up. It just would have been too much, put the tree up and down while packing. The girls and I love putting our tree up, we play music and they put the decorations on with my supervision. I must supervise because sometimes they put all the colors in the same place and that drives me crazy, so I have to mix it up. I’m sharing pictures of my tree from last year. We are currently packing, which is going quite well this time. It’s organized and the girls are cooperating for now. We move next weekend, so gotta finish up.

I won’t complain about not having a tree or wrapping gifts this year, because I have my family safe and home with me. I’m blessed despite the challenging year we’ve had. My heart still aches for the families in Connecticut and everyone that’s lost a loved one this year.

Today is my “blogaversary”! I started my blog one year ago today, and I still enjoy it. Next year, I’m going to explore more ways to promote and expand my brand and blog, including adds and other things I think people would be interested in. One thing I want to do is invite guest bloggers and do some guest blogging myself. I’ve met some very supportive women, all who have the same goal in mind…blogging and sharing our stories, ideas and interest. I’m going to finally do a Facebook page for my blog, I’ve put it off long enough. I should have it up and running in a few weeks. I realized I must tap into what I do best, I love social media and why not work towards something that will help me and others? So much on my mind, I’m gonna find someone to help me and of course I’m willing to pay for the help. I want to attend at least one blogging conference next year, so I’ve got work to do and money to save for that!

It’s cold here, very cold, gonna make my husband some homemade potato soup for dinner tonight. He’ll appreciate that after being in the cold all day. Have a good weekend everyone!

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