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