Being in a biracial relationship....

My parents are of different races and so I am biracial. I married a white man who has always been oblivious to race. Our two children are beautiful mixtures of us both but one looks more white and the other looks mixed like me. When I was young and madly in love, I didn't think about what the future would hold for us - racially speaking. I don't regret marrying and having children with my husband but words that my mother would say are now coming back to haunt me all these years later. Some history; my black mother and my white father are great parents. While my dad was colorblind (figuratively speaking), my mom would always make comments that were race related. "Do they know you're part black not spanish?" As if they didn't and then wouldn't accept me. She would tell me that if I grew up to marry a white man, then I would be washing the "black" out of our family. She would say things about white people being nice to your face but not treating you as an equal - based on some really horrific experiences she had had during her childhood. As she would make these comments, I would question in my mind, then why did you marry my white father? I kept these thoughts and feelings to myself for years. Now as an adult that married a white man (who is also colorblind) I am starting to hear the truths behind her words. How on earth can this wonderful man teach our children the precautions they need to take being persons of color? Unfortunately even in 2013, there are still racial inequalities that cannot be ignored. As much as I love him and know he loves and would protect our family with his life, I can't help but wonder how much he can understand our differences if he hasn't walked a day in our shoes.

Living under construction...

Being under construction really sucks but thinking about the outcome makes it all worthwhile! We have been working on the second floor of our house for what seems like forever. Today the drywall is being installed (not by us thank goodness!) The picture above is of one of the rooms that is ready for taping. By while all this wonderful progress is being made, my house is a mess! Dust everywhere, strange people in my house, and inability to put things away because we had to make room - just makes me so uncomfortable. Don't misunderstand me, I am so very grateful to have made it this far. Hopefully it will only be a little while longer. If anyone has ever done house remodeling or a complete tear-down as we have, you'll understand how my emotions are fluctuating!

Reconnecting with family for the 4th of July

Even though the independence of our country is an important holiday we all pretty much celebrate the 4th of July with barbeques, family and fun! My family usually uses this day to invite all of our friends and family over for a huge potluck barbeque. The kids play in the sprinkler and the adults play horseshoes. This year we've opted for a much quieter gathering because we've been working on our house. We're going to still spend the day relaxing and visiting family and of course stuffing our faces with great barbeque! There are plenty of fireworks displays going on around the area so we hope to at least go to one. I am really looking forward to a day off of work to reconnect with some family we haven't seen in awhile. Happy 4th of July! Happy Independence day!

Insulating your home on a hot day...

Insulating your home on a hot day is not how I pictured spending my summer! This home rebuild project has been 8 years in the making and I am so over it! I think this is the last major construction piece that we are doing ourselves (I hope!) We are several small pieces away from being done with the insulation. With 85+ degree days, I dread having to suit up in protective clothing, mask, goggles and gloves. Not only are you beyond hot but add itchy to the mix and it is NOT a party! Insulation is not the hard part of building a house, it's just tedious, tiresome and boring. The good part about it is that our house will conform to the best quality of energy efficiency with thick insulated walls and attic. Once all is said and done, an air conditioner won't be needed as much as we have planned for everything to heat and cool as naturally as possible for our climate. My husband said while we were working that we reminded him of the line in Monsters Inc. when the abominable snowman talked about another character "king itchy." :)

Is Virgin Mobile USA getting the new Blackberry 10 phones?

Unfortunately, I don't have the answer to this question. As a +Crackberry addict, I am devoted to my Blackberry Curve because that's the only Blackberry Virgin Mobile USA offered at the time. I am also a dedicated Virgin Mobile customer because unlimited texting, data and 300 minutes for $38 can't be beat! Anyway, I want to stay with Virgin Mobile but I really want to upgrade my phone to newer technology. I have only had one problem with my phone back in February and at the time the customer service representative said that he's heard rumors that the new Blackberry 10 phones would be coming to them once they were released. Well, either he heard wrong or something happened because the new phones were released and Virgin Mobile still doesn't have them! I don't understand why Virgin Mobile Canada and USA act completely independent from one another. Canada has already had various Blackberry phones but USA hasn't. If I have to give up my beautiful Blackberry, I will probably go with an Android OS with Samsung but I will surely miss the qwerty keyboard! #Blackberry

Enjoying summer on a budget...

Summer has begun and all my kids want to do is go out and play! Activities to keep them occupied can get costly, so every year we sit down to make a list of things we want to do over the summer. After the list is created, I tweak it to fit my family's budget needs. Some of the activities can be scaled down or with coupons making them doable. Most of the activities are budget conscious on their own. Here are some of he things we like to do: Minor league baseball. We are very lucky to have a minor league baseball team just 15 minutes from our house. With tickets as low as $9 per person, we can go take in a game or two! Concerts: Most towns have a summer concert series available. We pack a dinner and snacks, bring some lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of music! Library: With the summer reading list in tow, we will head off to the library for reading, crafts, and air conditioning! Sightseeing: A visit to the zoo, museum, or other public venue can usually be an inexpensive treat! Beach: It's a bit of a drive, but it's a top priority for summer fun! We take boogie boards, buckets, shovels, snacks, and flip-flops and spend the day on a public beach. Amusement parks and water parks: I always subscribe to the attraction's email list or facebook page for discounts and coupons. There is always something to do over the summer that keeps the kids entertained and the strain off the wallet! +Summer +Frugal +Activities +Kids +Family

Marriage Equality for all....

June 26, 2013 is now going down in history for a powerful decision by the Supreme Court to declare DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act - a ban on same-sex marriages) as unconstitutional. Marriage equality has been a heated topic for so long. What I don't understand is, why? What does it matter who someone marries? Why does this affect your life? How is the decision to marry any of your business? Heterosexuals seem to take for granted the freedom to choose a life partner and have that union recognized by government. This is a very proud and important day! #DoneWithDOMA #MarriageEquality #Freedom

Stop calling black people "African American"

This is one of my biggest pet peeves - referring to black people as African Americans. The reason this bothers me so much is that African American is not a color. It's a nationality. If we're talking about continents to describe backgrounds, then why don't we refer to white people as European Americans? Don't they all come from there? (I'm being facetious) Or even Irish American or French American, when talking about the color of their skin. Sometimes white people are called Caucasian but the definition of this word is not about skin color it's about physical types that also include people from northern Africa! (shaking my head and sighing) When asked what color I am, I say I am mixed - half black and half white. I don't say half African American and half white because that simply doesn't make sense. If you ask me about my background, well that's a different story. Here is a perfect example why black people should not be referred to as African American.... I have a friend who was born and raised in Egypt (which is in northern Africa for those who need a geography lesson) but has since settled in the US. He has a beautiful desert tan coloring to his skin. When asked what color he is, he says white. I laughed because he is more"African American" than most black people! Please stop looking for labels! Not everyone can be classified into a certain ethnic group, religion or nationality. There are people from all walks of life that "look" black or white but you just don't know. Personally, I'd rather you just ask me than assume.

Causes and treatment for vertigo

Having suffered from bouts of vertigo for a few years now, I have been trying to figure out the triggers that bring it on in order to possibly stop it! The first time I fell ill with vertigo was after seeing a band play in a bar. I had no idea how loud it was going to be! As the drinks were flowing, I forgot how loud it was and had a great time!.. Two days later I felt like I still had a hangover - which just could not be possible because I didn't have that much to drink, I drank plenty of water and it WAS two days later! This dizzying feeling I had was weird and I just couldn't figure what was wrong. I went to the doctor and he diagnosed me with vertigo. Vertigo is in inner ear condition where the dangling things come loose and roll around causing you to loose balance. Basically, you've lost your marbles! Seems that by not wearing ear protection, I suffered damage to my ear canal. (Bet you're thinking grandma was right! I was...) My blood pressure was extremely low, so I actually needed to eat something salty to help regain my pressure before I passed out. He also instructed me on some exercises I could do to roll the "marbles" back into place. This felt extremely uncomfortable and made me even more nauseous. As the years have passed, I have have found out what triggers the onset of my vertigo and how to minimize the time it debilitates me - allergies. I have always had allergies in one form or another. I usually suffer from sinus problems maybe even a sinus infection, in the fall and summer. After a good heavy rainfall, even when the pollen is supposed to be stuck downward and not floating around, is when I suffer the most congestion. It's this seasonal allergy that brings on the vertigo. It's common knowledge that the ears, nose and throat are connected so it's not crazy to conclude that my vertigo (based on when it happens) is attributed to my my allergies. Just this past week our area saw heavy rainfall with flood warning and everything. I started getting a stuffy nose and clogged ears. Not realizing it at first, I didn't take my usual cold & sinus medicine. By the next day, I couldn't walk straight. Besides my "typical" allergy symptoms, I had vertigo. It's the most horrendous feeling not being able to drive, walk, concentrate or even sleep! I tried the exercises, tried to get rest, drank plenty of water - but still didn't get much relief. I took an antihistamine and that slowly helped. I think the reason it helped was because it was blocking whatever else I am allergic to. I think I've learned my lesson and if my theory is correct, I should be able to nip the vertigo symptoms in the bud before it interrupts my life!

Gardening

I had my daughter pick our first ripe strawberries of the season! She got about a quart full! We had saved the plastic containers from strawberries and blueberries bought in the store to use just for the occasion. We actually didn't plant any strawberries this year...these are growing from the year before - and there are double the amount of plants! I think we'll be able to pick through the summer the same amount I would have bought from a store! I'm very excited to show my children how to grow their own food, take care of it and harvest! It's our real-life Farmville!

Finals week for the kids....

I feel so bad for kids today! Instead of enjoying the last few days of school, they're anxious and stressed out about finals. Why have we put so much pressure on our kids? There is plenty of time for stress once they become adults. I constantly remind my kids to balance their studies with down time, rest and a balanced diet. I always encourage them to do their best and that's all. I want them to do well in school but also to embrace their childhood. Sometimes it's important for them to just go outside and play. Think about it - when was the last time you as an adult got to just go out and run around?

The ups and downs of life....

I haven't written in awhile (again) and so I sat down to write my thoughts but first I read my last few posts. "We did it" and "Money Woes" got me thinking how in a short time my life has been a roller coaster ride. I took the day off to have more work done to the house. We're back on the upward motion of this house-building ride! The end is in sight but boy what a ride it's been! I am thankful to have figured out a way to continue the process. This journey has been exhausting. We'd lose sleep over the many decisions that came with building our house. How much money could we save for the next project? Should we spend money on the house or take a break and go on vacation? Many families struggle with money like saving and spending, but not many also have the burden of building on top of everything else. I am looking forward to an easier balance of work and rest.

Money Woes

After a great start back in September with the house...things have slowed down again. We figured we would start rolling again in the spring after tax season. Well, we just heard how little our refund is going to be and for the first time ever - we have to pay the state! Overall we will be getting something back but it's nowhere nearly enough for what we had plans to spend it on. I am feeling very split right now. Technically we are doing the right thing by taking the maximum allowances we can afford from our paychecks so that the government isn't holding onto our money interest free for the year. However, we should have been taking that extra money from each paycheck and putting it into an interest-bearing account. But of course, we didn't. Lesson learned. I will be lowering my exemptions to lessen my paychecks and let the government hold my money since I'm not disciplined enough to do it myself! UGH!