The Positive Vibe

By: Mashaka Williams

Tulips make me smile.

With all of the things that’s happening in the world today it is so easy to fall victim to criticizing people and things. As a parent you want your children to grow up prepared for everything that can happen and we tend to forget to talk it out in a positive way.

I have been lucky enough to have an uncle who as long as I have been alive which is longer than I would like to admit has never said a harsh word about anyone or anything to me. He has been through so much over the past 3 to 4 years and with all that is still able to find a positive spin. If something goes completely wrong and none of us could find a good thing to say. He would say, “Okay guys let’s just do what we have to do as a family, don’t take that on now.”

He has been dealing with nerve damage that could have made him paralyzed. He is here today walking with nerve damage. And with all of the pain that he is in daily his saying is, “Feeling the pain is a good sign, it means that I am still working.” He gets up and makes breakfast, cooks dinner and lives life with such a brightness. Yes there are days when he has a hard time and would express it however he make a positive remark like “tomorrow will be better.”

I hope that as a parent I would be able to express myself as positive and heart-filled as he does with all of us whom he has helped raise. I am so thankful that I have such a strong base from the adults that has played a role in my life.

So today I would like to us my uncle’s words and say, “Everything will work out as it always does. Not too worry.”

Have a great day,

Shak

What about Makeup

By Mashaka Williams

Photo Credit: Estrella Fashion Report

Ladies, ladies, ladies !! this article is for you. I was given the opportunity to see an entirely different side of the makeup world. It was exciting and I have a ton of information for you, but I will have to give them to you in a few articles.

Let me just let everyone know that I, by no means am a makeup aficionado. With that being said, I went there with a mission to find out what we really need to have in our purse to keep our look fresh. I was given way more information than that.

The products were endless, so today I will talk about two of them that I am going to stand by. Lip Bar which has amazing colors and stands for so much that is amazing with it being organic. Just a huge fan and will certainly buy more products from them. When I put on that lipstick I felt like I was 20, which I am definitely not close to. I try to at least feel 30 on a daily basis. This is a must try product.


Photo Credit: Estrella Fashion Report

I am a new fan of Inglot foundation also. I am a black woman who is not light skinned or dark skin. I fall in that in between brown that to get the right color we have to blend two colors to get the right complexion match. Well they have my tone, woot woot. I am a very happy girl, and the best part is that it is a lightweight product so it is not heavy on my face. So I killed two birds with one stone. No heavy make up feeling and the perfect tone.

The entire experience was amazing. I was able to find out that all we need is a great lipstick, mascara, and a colored pencil to brighten up the inner part of our eyes to make us look renewed. Yup just 3 simple products and we can be looked at like a new woman. Just so you know I will be testing this out and letting you know if it is really true.
If you ever get a chance to try the above products that I have mentioned please do. I am certain you will be pleased.
Have a wonderful day,
Shak

Barbie's Back on the Scene

By Mashaka Williams

Barbie's Back on the Scene

                                          
So as you may have heard there are some new girls in town, and they look like us. I am talking about the new babies with bodies that look like all women. They have petite, curvy and tall.

I am a short, curvy black woman, therefore I am dancing and screaming thanking Barbie for me in the form of a doll. It took them 57 years to get it done. My take is that there will be more grown-ups purchasing the dolls.

As a mother of colored daughters it has been really hard for me to get into the idea of having my daughters fall in love with a doll that has done a poor job of representing young women, however my girls still liked the doll. So my house has Barbies and the girls love playing with them. I really think that what they have done is amazing because it allows girls to see that we are all different. This by no means should replace the jobs of parents helping and guiding their daughters on building and having good self-esteem.

We still have to do the work. We have to let our children know that they are beautiful even if there aren’t dolls that represent them. We still have to teach them that different is good. We still have to continue to let them know the reality of the world they live in. I give kudos to Mattel for hearing the masses and making the change, because Barbie is what she is a household name. Girls still love the movies and they still want the dolls as gifts. But now we have options and can get them any doll they want, even one that might look like them.

So my plan is to find a brown, curvy not too tall with a natural curly afro. Shop for the new Barbie at www.barbie.com.

 Have a great day,

Shak

Smile it's Daycare

By: Mashaka Williams

Photo Credit: Webneel

It’s not easy being a mother who has to wake up every morning and send your kids to a daycare provider. This is especially difficult to do when you have kids under 5, because they still struggle to express themselves clearly.

I have been lucky enough to find someone outside of my family who not only takes care of my children well, but treats them like family. It is a great feeling to know that when they aren’t in your care you can rest assured that they are being taken care of.

One of the things we as parents do is worry about someone else raising our child. Technically they are, however if you and them have the same game plan and the job gets done correctly what’s to worry about. You just tag team out and in during the day. It’s called doing our part to make sure we are taking the steps to teach our children how to be good citizens. We have to be parents and not friends.

We have to help our children understand the rules and discipline them when they have done something wrong at day care. I know that some of us want to spend time cuddling or coddling however we have to make certain that they understand the rules do not change just because we are at home versus daycare.

My daycare lady’s name is Nona and if I could clone her and send her out in the world for all parents to have one I would. She takes care of a few kids with mine and they are all treated the same. And let me just state for the record my baby is no easy breeze kind of child. Nona earns her money and then some, but she is awesome. I’d have to say her and her family were a gift from God. She has helped us with both of my children and the first one turned out great. Let’s hope that the second will follow suit.

Take the time to be parents, but make sure that the person who is taking care of your child wants to do it and enjoys it. Trust that gut feeling you have. My gut feelings told me that Nona was the right choice for my kids.

Have a great day.

Shak

Stinky Home Remedy

By: Mashaka Williams

Last night was the worst I thought my head was going to explode. And when I thought it could not get any worse my mother in law came in and asked if I drank the dreaded home remedy tea that has her favorite ingredient apple cider vinegar. She believes that it is the cure for any ailment. If you have high blood pressure drink it with garlic, if you have a fever wipe up with it and if you have a cold drink it. By the way it also helps with gout drink 2 tbsp in an 8oz glass of water and let it do it’s work.

The stuff smells like seasoned old socks. Of course I put up a fight, but had to succumb to the need for being able to lift my head up. So I went to the kitchen and made this horribly smelling drink. It has 3 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, ½ lemon cut up with the rind, honey to taste and 8 oz of water. For kids you can give the 2-4oz to drink.

This stuff smells so bad that I refused to take it to my bedroom and smell it all night. I drank a small cup of it and went to bed, I slept like a baby. Wow the stinkiest home remedy works.

So today I feel amazing. Thanks to that good old fashion old socks smelling apple cider. It may just cure all ailments after all.

Have a great day,

Shak

Addicted

By: Mashaka Williams

Photo Credit : Ipsy 

Ok so I realize I am an addict. Yes I said it. I love getting that hot pink envelope in the mail once a month.

I initially registered with ipsy for the makeup. I figured I was getting to a certain age where makeup might come in handy to keep the wrinkles hidden. So $10 a month for a bag of expensive products seemed like a good idea. Cheap, and if I like the product I could buy it. Simple enough plan.

Well that is no longer the truth, I look forward to getting the package every month and quite frankly it has nothing to do with the make-up as much as it has to do with this is MINE. As a mother and a wife very few things are mine and mine alone. So this gift is my relief.

The other day when my husband walked in with the mail and I saw that neon package I was elated. I felt like a kid at Christmas and getting that feeling once a month is the greatest thing in the world. So they say the first step is admitting it. Well I have taken the first step, however that's where it stops I am keeping my ipsy package.

  

Have a great day,

Shak

Organization Blues

By: Mashaka Williams

As we prepare for another work week, we begin to think of all the things we have to do and get overwhelmed.

So we research ways to organize ourselves in order to get everything done. And for the most part we do the planning lunch and dinners, take out the clothes for the week and get all the kids’ stuff done. You go to bed ready for the next day. And then the next day the alarm did not go off. So I guess planning was done for everything but the clock and then the haste begins. Oh well, you have tonight to fix this hiccup.

My point is this, do whatever you can but know that you're human and things happen.

Have a great day!!

Shak