Last summer, our sweet Milli passed away from complications of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). She was a rescue cat I had adopted in 2008 when we lived in Tennessee. I adopted Milli along with her sister Sasha when Elijah and Michala were in elementary school so they pretty much grew up with the cats. Milli… Read More A Special Gift to Honor Our Sweet Cat Milli
A few weeks ago, my friend Jess invited me to participate in an Instagram Takeover for her blog The Creative Armory. She asked me if I could share three of my favorite Detroit murals with her followers. This topic was one that I had no problem contributing to because I love mural art, especially city… Read More Twenty of My Favorite Detroit Murals
I’ve always had a great love for reading. When I was a kid, I didn’t have any problems with making time for reading. For me, reading was better than watching TV. It allowed me to use my imagination and discover my creativity. I remember I used to love checking out books from my school library.… Read More Monday Motivation: Four Ways to Make Time for Reading
Eight months pregnant. I’m in the home stretch of my pregnancy now and I’m feeling a little antsy about reaching my due date. It feels so close and yet so far away. I still have a few weeks to go and a lot of tasks to check off my baby to-do list. I’m excited to… Read More The Eighth Month
Celebrating the 4th of July at home? Today, I’m sharing ten 4th of July activities your family and friends will enjoy! One of my favorite 4th of July holiday memories is from when we lived in Tennessee in 2014. Travis was in the Army at the time and we just had three children instead of… Read More 10 Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July at Home
It’s been a little quiet around here lately. I had been feeling a little down and my anxiety was high so I decided it was best to take some time off for myself. The two weeks off was just what I needed to regroup and feel refreshed. A combination of things had me feeling blue–… Read More Monday Motivation: Check on Your Friends, Even the Strong Ones
Today is the 57th anniversary of the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers. He was killed on June 12, 1963 by Byron De La Beckwith, a Ku Klux Klan member, in the driveway of his home. Evers’ wife Myrlie and their children were inside of their home at the time. “On June 12, 1963,… Read More Final Thoughts: Remembering Medgar Evers
We’ve been getting ready for Father’s Day (June 21st) and the kids decided they wanted to make their own Father’s Day craft for Travis. I came up with a creative idea for them to make a DIY Father’s Day card with felt pictures and cheesy expressions. Travis is known for telling his corny dad jokes… Read More Kids’ Father’s Day Cards Perfect for the King of Dad Jokes
Today’s post is a #throwback from March 5, 2019. Dr. Menah Pratt-Clarke, VP of Strategic Affairs and Diversity at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) shared a beautiful essay on Good Life Detroit that she wrote in honor of Black Women’s History Month. I thought this piece would be fitting to reshare in… Read More When a Black Woman Walks Into a Room
Zechariah is five! Where did the time go? Sharing a sweet birthday letter I wrote to my son for his special day. Happy 5th birthday, Zechariah! I can’t believe you’re the BIG five now. I know you are super excited about turning five-years-old. You’ve been talking about it for weeks and now your special day… Read More Happy 5th Birthday, Zechariah!
Happy Monday, friends! I hope you had a peaceful weekend and you were able to find something to do that brought you joy. It’s another beginning to a brand new week and I am feeling inspired to get this week started. A few weeks ago, I was listening to Michelle Obama’s interview on Oprah’s Super… Read More Monday Motivation: A Morning Ritual I Follow to Get My Day Started
How are you doing? I know it’s been another tough, emotional week for many people. For me personally, I have been feeling a mix of emotions between sadness, anger, and exhaustion. But I have also felt hope and inspiration from my family and friends, and I have read many encouraging articles and other literature that… Read More Final Thoughts: Remember to Take Some Time for Yourself
Today’s post is a guest post by activist and writer Emelda. She was so kind as to share her thoughts on the recent protests for support of Black Lives Matter, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and all who have lost their lives to police violence. By Emelda “Black rage is founded on blatant denial.… Read More For Breonna, George, Ahmaud, and All of Us on the Margins
I am amazed at how many cities across the country are holding peaceful protests. I’ve been seeing more and more communities coming together to protest against police brutality and seek justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other African Americans who have lost their lives to police violence. In the last few days, there have… Read More What You Can Do If You’re Not Able to Participate in a Peaceful Protest
The past few days, I have been keeping up with the news on the mass protests from different U.S. cities. The “Justice for George Floyd” protests first started in Minneapolis and then over the course of just a few short days, many cities in the U.S. held their own peaceful protests to stand in solidarity… Read More Monday Motivation: 10 Quotes on Standing Up Against Racism
The last few days have been hard. I’ve been reading news articles, op-eds, blog posts, and social media posts about the tragic death of George Floyd and how others are feeling right now. Many people are hurting and are devastated because of his death. I can’t even begin to imagine what his family, friends, and… Read More Final Thoughts: On Speaking Out
Seven months pregnant. It’s hard to believe I’m already in my third trimester. At the beginning of my pregnancy, my due date felt so far away. Now it feels as if it will be here before you know it! We still have so much to do to prepare for Baby’s arrival, but I’m not in… Read More The Seventh Month
How are your children different from each other? With my kids, they have many differences that I find fascinating. For instance, Elijah loves heavy metal music, but Michala’s into KPOP. I find this intriguing because both music genres are vastly different! Zhen and Zephaniah are huggers, but Zechariah not so much. “You can have only… Read More How to Love Siblings Equally
In honor of Memorial Day, I made two patriotic wreaths to hang in our home. Both wreaths are also good to be used for Fourth of July wreaths! Every Memorial Day and Fourth of July holiday I like to decorate our home and garden with a patriotic theme. This year, I thought I’d try making… Read More Two Patriotic Wreaths for a Festive Door
Earlier today, I was scrolling through my TL on Twitter and I came across an inspiring tweet from director and filmmaker Ava DuVernay. A fan tweeted to DuVernay a request for birthday advice she could give to them on their 37th birthday. Here’s what she wrote: “Start a note in your phone and every night… Read More The Best Birthday Advice
