Mommy Series! 14 Weeks

Today marks 14 weeks with my growing babies!  I am excited to be entering into the 2nd trimester as I am looking forward to this energy that people say I should have back.  Some of my struggles have been getting up and getting ready for work.  Every morning it's becoming harder for me to get up and get myself motivated to go to work.  If you read some of my older blogs, you know that I am currently on a mission to work from home.  If I am unable to work from home, then I would like to move from working at a secondary school to high school.  My appetite has picked up as well!  I am thankful that I have a had a pretty good pregnancy where I can pretty much eat whatever my stomach (or babies) desire and keep food down.  The smell and/or the look of food does not make me sick.  However, there are times where I may begin to eat something and all of a sudden lose my appetite, but if I wait about thirty minutes or longer, my appetite will reappear with full force!

Lately, over the past two days, I have been having these small headaches.  They are really annoying because it's not enough to cause a migraine but it's still there causing me pain.  I believe this may be due to my sodium intake as I have been a BIG snacker of salt and vinegar chips and at times I eat things high in sodium (noodles, frozen dinners).  I decided to start cutting back on that stuff (especially the salt and vinegar chips) and hope to see some improvements.  Family and friends who have been pregnant recommend that I drink PLENTY of water and get rest.  These are things that I do consistently but I feel my water intake may need to be much more as at times I feel super dehydrated even when I've bad about 8 bottles of bottled water.  If I'm not drinking bottled water, then I am gulping a bottle or can of ginger ale.  Rarely do I drink anything else.  I also still have not had a craving for too much sugar.  I had a small pack of powered donuts last night and today and I had a blow pop about three days ago.  I only eat sugar in sporadic amounts and only one time a day.  I give myself kudos for someone who was a Snickers junkie for so long :)

Overall, I would like to say that my pregnancy is on the right track.  Exactly two weeks from today, I go in for my routine appointment.  I will be 16 weeks/4 months, so I am hoping and praying that I am able to find out the genders of the babies.  I'm thinking a girl and a boy (but I'm really hoping for two boys!)  Whatever God decides to bless us with, I'll be happy as long as they are happy and healthy :)

Peace & Happiness!
~Erika B

Way to Go...and Random Acts of Kindness Week

It's harder when you set such limitations on yourself!  You get upset because you don't meet them, but you can't get mad because you become lazy when it comes to doing it.  My excuse...I'm going to blame it on being pregnant.  Yeah, that's it.  LOL...but I don't have much content to bring here today.  Just realized that I hadn't wrote on my blog like I should have so needed something up here.

Change of subject.  Random Acts of Kindness Week is coming up (February 9-15).  There are many different things you can do for others whether its just being nice or giving monetarily.  It often doesn't have to be monetarily since people are out here on a tight budget.  Speaking for myself I'm on a very tight and STRICT budget with twins on the way!  Here are some ideas...hope you can share your acts of kindness not during this week, but at least once a week this year.  Who knows what will happen in return...

Peace & Happiness!

~Erika B

Reality VS Ideal

Back in June I wrote on "When Life Gives You Lemons..." I discussed the struggles that you go through in life.  Generally speaking, many people experience the up and downs of life, but its all about what perspective you take in making life better.  The way I see it, the glass is always half full.  Also, once you hit a low there is no where else to go but to the top.  You are here for a reason, a purpose, and although you are not sure for what, whether you believe in God or the Universe, your purpose will be revealed soon enough.

This morning when I woke up, I was scrolling through Instagram and ran across a picture from one of my followers.  I'm not going to lie, I am a true Instagram scrolly!  I do that before I even get up to brush me teeth!  Raise your hand if you're with me!  Anyway, this picture struck a cord with me because lately I have been dealing with the struggles of my relationship.  I'm not going to lie, when things are up for me they are up and when they are down I may feel like I am at the lowest of lows and these feelings have really been putting a test to my relationship.  But not just with my significant other, but more so testing ME to see what it is that I will do when times get tough.  I often say "My enemy is my inner me."  I know there are battles within myself that I am going to have to deal with the rest of my life.  One of them being self-control.  I would tend to let myself indulge in gratification whether it was good or bad.  Since I have been in a serious relationship, with a man I want to marry, I have been evaluating myself.  I don't ever put all the blame on him because I know I have a role to play in making not only each other happy, but ourselves happy as well.  

Back to the Instagram picture, this is what it said...

I can honestly say that right away this picture spoke VOLUMES to me!  I was happy and relieved at the same time because I can say that there are others out there who battle the same demons I do.  But again the glass is half full and positive perspectives are put in place so that you know anything is possible.

With all this said, always reevaluate what you have done, what you plan to do, and what is going on now.  You cannot change the past or predict the future, but you can control what is going on right now.  And right now is the time for you to shift your focus from past-future and live in the present.

I hope that you all have a blessed Monday and until next time...
Peace & Happiness :)

~Erika

Achieve your dreams in 2014!

Okay...shoot me....I came up with a corny, cliche type of quote, but hey it fits the time!  I woke up this morning in such a great mood!  I enjoyed myself last night/early morning with my family and friends, having a small kickback at our house.  It was wonderful to spend it with the people you love and that's my thing for 2014:  LOVE!  I am getting married in 6 months and love is in the air as I have witnessed four people from Christmas to now getting engaged!  I am thankful, blessed and ready to achieve those dreams that I have.  I read a WONDERFUL article on Facebook today from Entrepreneur.com.  Please check it out here!  Recognize your systems, rather than your goals!  If you want to know what I mean, READ THE ARTICLE!  Anywho, here are a few pics from the night!  

OOTN "Mo Betta Blues"

Shirt:  JCPenny

Shorts:  Forever 21

Boots:  BCBGeneration

Tights:  House of Holland

Earrings:  Phoenix Rising Boutique

My honey and I decided to dress alike in colors :)

Hope your enjoy your New Year!

Peace & Happiness!

~Erika~

Update on Boutique!

I have been slacking in the department of keeping up with my online boutique!  Shame on you, Erika!  However!  All of that is changing!  I am currently working on some new projects and beginning a new technique for the earrings to get much more wear and tear out of them!  If you haven't been to the site yet, please check it out here!  I have great stuff for family, friends, coworkers, you name it!  Here is a preview of what you would see on the site... All of the earrings are uniquely named so that they are easier to identify. 



"Egyptian Goddess"                                     "Ready to Hoop?"

"Victorian Charm"                                           "The Chandelier"

Make sure that you stop by TODAY and order a pair.  Also, check out my Facebook page, as I will be having a giveaway for the New Year!  Comment below and/or on my Facebook page if you think I should do a monthly giveaway!  Details of the giveaway and rules will be on my page by 5:00pm EST TODAY!

Peace & Happiness!

~Erika~

Outfit of the Days

I decided that I wanted to start doing outfit of the days. This is part of me opening up for 2014 and making myself happy. I have taken a pledge to plunge more into things that I like and make me happy. Not only make me happy but make me feel and look good! What better way than to express myself through fashion. I kind of feel like I'm jumping on a bandwagon, but if that bandwagon is willing to take me to a happy place, I'm all for it!

OOTD--"Stripe Me Down"

Top--Charlotte Russe

Bottoms--Target

Shoes--UrbanOg

Shades--Forever21

As I was writing this blog, I had the GRAND idea to get my fiance involved with OOTD as well.  I figured maybe we can be a tag team/duo like Jay & Bey...minus the rich and fame that comes along with it.  A girl can dream can't she!? :)

His OOTD--"Dos Equis"

Top--Old Navy

Shorts--Aeropostale

Shoes--Nike (Foot Action)

I We will be back to do Outfit of the Days, and if not together, at least one of us...that being me!  

Peace & Happiness!

~Erika