Wednesday, December 31, 2014

I Dare You Wednesday | Going global in 2015

Welcome to a New Year, well in about 12 hours or so.  Today's dare is to celebrate tonight globally.  Try some of these cultural customs at the stroke of 12 for some worldly adventure.  Who knows it might bring the very thing you need into your life.

In Spain
Locals eat 12 grapes starting at midnight.  Spainards feel it brings good luck for each month of the new year.

In the Philippines
Get round objects in your presence.  Filipinos wear polka dots, keep coins and eat round fruits to signify prosperity on this day.

In Scotland
The first person in the door or "first foot" after midnight should bring a symbolic gift to bring good luck.

In Denmark
Party goers stand and jump out of chairs together at midnight.  Danes believe it eludes bad spirits from following you into the new year.

Have any global customs to add to this list?  Share in the comments.  These were adapted from All You Magazine.


Wednesday, December 3, 2014

I Dare You Wednesday | Prayer

Carve out a few extra moments this morning and take our weekly dare.  We never know some of the struggles our children face while at school.  This can surely help if any exist.  


Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Tequila Talk Tuesday

Comment and let us know how you would handle this parenting situation.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Curvy Momager's Court | You wanna call me fat?

About a month ago the Today Show aired a segment on an actress (reality star) Kate Hopkins, that had gained weight (50 lbs) in order to prove that fat people (her words) were whiney and could lose weight if they wanted to.  She was tired of people telling her how "lucky" she was that she was skinny.  Hmmm um.

You can watch the segment here:  Woman Packs on 50 pounds to prove....

Her after weight gain  picture is below in which she said she felt like a complete slob because she packed on 6500 calories a day.  Even began crying because she was having trouble taking off the last few pounds.  side eye Though she hasn't reached her "before" weight she is a total advocate that fat people are lazy.  Trick please!  Who the hell made her the fat psychiatrist?  Without any scientific research she is just deeming anyone over a certain number on the scale as fat.  What about those with medical problems, slow metabolism or hell ones that just like cheeseburgers.  Are they or we really getting on her nerves that much or was it the 15 minutes of fame she has been dying for?

Think about what you are doing lady.  The millions of people with weight issues aren't going to start running marathons because you were dumb enough to do something that people try all their lives not to do.  Truly you only pissed us off because my healthy curves, to me look a helluva lot better then that washed out "before" picture of your arse.  But because I ain't a hater I'm wishing you luck on losing those last few pounds because we don't want you on the fat side with us.  Your piglet personality is to obnoxious for us to swallow.

Now go kick M & Ms!

Katie Hopkins before and after she intentionally gained 50 pounds

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

I Dare You Wednesday | Money Mistakes

It's time to take our Dare of The Week....

Have you made an unnecessary purchase over the past week?  Take a hard look at your spending and see if you could have bypassed that lip balm in the grocery store line, pumpkin spiced latte or toy right before Christmas.  Okay I'm talking about myself there a little but you get the point.  Did you make some money mistakes when you could have saved more and spent less?  Take the dare!






Monday, November 17, 2014

LMLIM | We tried it and so should you

With the schedules we have Momagers I have no idea how we fit it all in.  Cooking, cleaning, work, spending quality time with kids and tons of other things leave me wiped by the end of the week.  One area I have really needed some assistance in however is cooking.  As I've told you before that is not my speciality but I was running through one too many drive-thrus and reading horror stories of food tampering so I decided it was time to take cooking seriously (somewhat).

In one of my favorite magazines they have this cool section titled, Feed your Family.  It gives you a week's worth of menu suggestions by the day (M-F), the recipe, nutritional content and a grocery list so you can purchase exactly what you need.  I felt like this was a good place for me to start so on Sunday I made up a few of the recipes so when were were leaving The Phenoms practice at 8:30 PM we could pull into the garage at home instead of yet another fast food drive thru.

I'll have to say they were fascinated that I made some much food in one day.  Actually one of the dishes barely made it to the next day and I'm dubbing that one the favorite from this list, Baked Tortellini.  It was super easy to make and they gulped it down.

The second favorite was Garlic Shrimp and then the Roasted Chicken Caesar Salad. The only one that wasn't a huge fan hit was Stir-Fried Beef with Clementines.  I don't think I got the right cut of beef on this one so I'll try it again another time.  Most of all I'm happy to report that we have not eaten out all week and that is UNHEARD of and one major accomplishment for this mama right here.  Get a copy of the All You November 2014 edition now before they are gone.  If you have a schedule like ours you are really going to love having 1 Week of 5 Easy Meals.  Nom Nom Nom

Keep it fresh Momagers,



Robin


Monday, November 3, 2014

The Momager is In | Getting Inspired with Stephen McDowell

Yep, basketball season is officially underway so what better time to share some inspiration with my Momager girlfriends and bring back "The Momager Is In" series.  Luckily I have the greatest story to share with you.  Point Guard Stephen McDowell is celebrating his success with a new professional team but the road to get here wasn't always easy.  The greatest thing is that his faith never wavered.  Read our interview below about how he didn't let his dreams diminish even in the roughest of life challenges.


How old were you when you realized basketball was something you were serious about?

I was 9 years old when I started playing organized basketball. Football was my first love. However, I was a lot smaller than my peers. So by age 14 I decided to let go of football and focus solely on basketball.



Who has been your biggest influences in life....in basketball?

My biggest influences in life have certainly been my parents. My mother mainly stressed the importance of academics, my father focused on entrepreneurship and athletics, and they equally encouraged us to pursue our dreams wholeheartedly. So I have to say, without a doubt, my parents were and still are my role models. 


Where did you attend college?

I attended the University of South Carolina for two years and I finished up at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
 
Recently you experienced a difficult time.  Can you give me some of the high's and low's you experienced during that time?

My 27th year on this earth was the roughest year of my life. In December of that year, I worked out a deal with my team in Iceland to leave that organization in order to pursue what I believed to be a better opportunity with another team. Turned out to be a dead end as the new deal fell through and I couldn't find another team to sign me for the entire year. That's 12 straight months of training and doing everything I knew to stay sharp and believe that somehow, some way a door would open for me to continue to play the game I love. 3 months passed and I stayed in the gym, believing that something would shake, I just had to stay ready. God ended up opening a door through one of my old coaches for me to go out to Impact Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, NV for 3 months to intern as a
basketball trainer while training myself on the side. This was just to keep myself in the basketball loop. I had no idea when I left my hometown in March that would be the last time I would see my dad alive. My dad survived a heart transplant 7 years earlier and ended up passing away June 12, 2013. He went in for what we all thought to be just another regular check-up to ensure things were going well with his heart. I spoke to him the day before he went in and we joked and laughed as we always did. But he did tell me he was in extreme pain and that he wasn't able to keep any food down. I'll never forget the sound of my mother's voice when she called crying in a way I've NEVER heard her cry before telling me that my dad passed away and that I just needed to come home.
 
I came home to spend time with my family, and celebrate my dad's life with family and friends. Ended up getting a job working the night shift at a local Walmart to make some money and allow myself to train during the day. I have to admit, it was during this time I was at my lowest. Almost 9 months had passed and I still had no offers. I'm working in the freezer section thinking to myself and sometimes getting frustrated with God saying to myself and Him that I know you gave me this gift, there's nothing I can do to open the door. I need you to shift things on my behalf, not because I've earned it, not because I deserve it but because You love me. Because Jesus Christ laid the price for me to be blessed, to be successful and prosper now on this earth, and because of your grace, which allowed me to see this day and brought me this far in life. A month later, a close friend of my dad's stepped up and offered to purchase me a flight to Switzerland in order to make myself more marketable to pro teams in Europe. 
 
I forgot to mention that during this time, while it seemed like everything was going crazy externally, God was pulling on my heart now more than ever, drawing me closer and closer to Him, and increasing my dependence on Him. 
 
With the new door open in Switzerland, I continued to train and actually signed a contract with a team in the top league only to have it voided the as the team was not able to secure a work permit for me. Now I was back to square one, grinding daily to develop the gifts I knew God had given me with no outlet to display it. Something deep inside my heart told me to keep pushing. That no matter what it looked like, God already had a door open, He was just preparing me so when it opened I could step through with His boldness and His confidence and shine in a manner that brings Him glory. December 2013, my old trainer from Indianapolis contacted me about an opportunity in Canada to play for the London Lightning. After 12 months of having every thought known to man run through my mind, including stints of depression where I doubted things would ever shift for me, I was finally able to suit up and get back to what I loved doing in January of 2014.
 
This is just a small glimpse into how God has shown up and showed out in my life. He can and wants to do the same for all of His children. NO MATTER WHAT things look like on the outside, continue to believe that God has something special in store for you. Just continue to persevere and push through the storm. I didn't do anything to deserve God's blessings but simply believe in His son Jesus Christ. I believed and still believe that because of the sacrifices Jesus had already made, Jesus himself paid the price for me to blessed now on this earth. My favorite scripture to describe this season of my life is from Psalm 27:13 "I would have lost heart unless I had believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Don't lose heart, just believe that you will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living if you don't give up.


If you could pick an all star team who would be on it?

If I could pick an All-Star team I'd call it my All-Faith team and have players like Tamika Catchings, Stephen Curry, Jeremy Lin, Myself and a good friend of mine named Ricky Taylor who's playing professionally out in Ireland and runs his own basketball ministry.


Do you think it's important to stay in college and finish your degree program or if opportunities arise for basketball to be played should you take it?
My parents raised us to finish whatever we start so definitely believe it's important to graduate and earn your degree. If opportunities arise for you to play professional basketball, you should be smart and take that opportunity because not everyone is blessed to support their family through athletics. The monetary compensation is enormous, you can make in 3-5 years what a college graduate will make in a lifetime. So there's no question in my mind that you take advantage of the opportunity in front of you. However, I truly believe in educating oneself and learning how to manage the funds you've been blessed with so you can be a blessing to your family and others. You can play pro ball and still finish your degree during summer school and online courses.


You are heading to play in London (Canada) this season.  How is playing over seas different then being on a league in the states?

I guess it just depends on which league you're in. The top league in the world is the NBA, so if you're in the states and you're blessed with the ability and opportunity to play in the NBA, you'll be surrounded with the best of the best on and off the court. However there are many European leagues
and teams that are top notch organizations in terms of professionalism and how they treat their players. The London Lightning is definitely one of those organizations. They are first class with everything they do, from housing, to travel, to interaction with the community, and one of the most important factors to any professional athlete, they always ensure that you receive your money on time.


If you were not playing basketball what would you be doing?

I would most likely be coaching basketball. I truly love this game so it's hard to see myself not being involved in some way. Sports are a great way to reach a wide range of people from all over the world. People may not agree with your beliefs, culture, or even like where you're from, but they can appreciate your talent and skill, especially in an athletic environment. Sports are a way in. They're a way for God's love to shine through you and then once somebody actually gets to know you, and not just what you represent they'll say hey he or she is not so bad and now you have an opportunity to make a new friend and use your gift to encourage them in some way. 


Do you have any advice for young athletes that are aspiring to take their game to the next level after high school? 

Yes, every day you can be doing something to perfect your craft. Even on your "days off" you can be stretching, watching film, something. There are kids all over the world that are talented. But talent alone will not get you to the pros. You have to love what you do, and you have to WORK. There's no way around, it. Work hard daily to perfect your craft, not to be noticed by men, but to honor God by doing your best to master the gifts He's placed inside of you. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not for men." (Colossians 3:23)


Greatest moment highlight would be???

 

The greatest moment in my career was winning the Southern Conference Championship at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Winning that game with my teammates is a moment I will never forget.
 



How much do you train, prepare for the season?
Honestly, I train every day. I truly believe that each day I could be doing something to get better. Even on my "days off" I do something to get better if it's weight lifting, pool conditioning, stretching, or extra film work. There's always something you can do to get just one step better. My college coach, friend, and mentor would always encourage me to get 1% better today. So I take that same approach today, if I can get 1% better everyday who knows how far I can go with this game and in life.


What impact has your family had on your playing, especially your mom?

Family is everything. I play to bring God glory and put a smile on my mom's face. She knows how much I love this game, it brings her joy to see me do my thing on the court. And it brings me joy to look out in the crowd and see her cheesing ear to ear as I'm out there doing what I do. I wear #13 because it's my mom's favorite number. At the end of the day, I just want to make her proud. She's sacrificed so much for our family to ensure that my sister, my brother, and myself can go all out for the dreams God's given us. It's only right to do our best to keep a smile on her face.


How important is nutrition to athletes?  Do you have a regimen you follow or a favorite power meal?
Nutrition is vital. I read somewhere that you can't out train a bad diet, and that is undoubtedly true. It's so important that you put good fuel into your body. Especially now that I'm a professional, my body is how I make my living. So I've taken great interest into learning how to eat healthier and choose foods that will help me maximize the body God's given me. I like to eat healthy salads, vegetables, fruit smoothies, turkey, fish, and chicken. I do my best to stay away from fast food, candy, and other sweets because I know that stuff has a negative effect on my body and can eventually effect my performance on the court.


Favorite quote or scripture

I definitely have to go back to psalms 27:13 on his one. "I would have lost heart unless I had believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."


Adidas, Nike or what is your favorite brand?

I've actually started my own athletic brand. It's still small scale but I'm learning how to grow it step by step. I call it CDF Apparel right now. The letters stand for (C)reation (D)ominion (F)ruition. It comes from Genesis 1:26-28, which states we were CREATED in the image and likeness of God to have DOMINION over all the earth and produce FRUIT for God's Kingdom.

You can follow Stephen and his team The London Lightning here:  Lightening Basketball  Here's to a great season Stephen.  Looking forward to seeing your continued success!


 

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

I Dare You Wednesday

That's right I'm daring you to make some changes, do something different, get out of your comfort zone!  Each week come back and check for your DARE OF THE WEEK and report back after you have completed the dare.



Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Tequila Talk Tuesday | He Said She Said with Talk 2 Q

Todays TTT starts with this picture here......



Yes it's what you think you see.  Two women, two babies, one daddy and one shower.  I challenge Q to share his opinion on this one and then you can see what my thoughts are below.  Read on...

He Said.....

What in the Wide World of Sports is going on when a man impregnates two women at the same time and attends a baby shower for both of them?I don't get it. Have women lost their minds? Yeah, I do blame the women in this incident. Not because they're pregnant at the same time by one dude. He could have lied his way into their v*****s simultaneously. But, the fact that they're okay with it enough to have a double baby shower with him smiling like the pimp they've made him out to be is absolutely ridiculous. Does he deserve part of the blame? Of course! However, who allows themselves to be made into a fool and then celebrate it with another fool? Now you're an IG meme and I'm bad-mouthing you to Robin's readers. Women, we men definitely need to have more pride in ourselves, but I thought that you all were supposed to be the smart ones? Why subject yourself to such ignorance and allow a guy to make you look bad like this?

She Said.....



When I first saw the picture I thought RATCHET, WTF, DUMMMIES. Then I had to really think is there ANYTHING positive about this?  Well the one possible positive is that they both know about
each other and aren't ripping each other weaves out (yet) trying to trump the other for this little clowns attention. This could end very soon however when baby mama #1 is waiting for Pampers and milk when the BD is at baby mama #2's house kicking it. Awe hell this is just going to end bad.                      Ladies think about your children, stop being selfish as H E double hockey sticks! In reality ish happens but why are you parading this in your gold lame ball gown and matching pimp chair? Yeah it's none of my business but when you all are duking it out over the food stamps and lack of child support check this "framily" picture will be a horrible reminder of the huge mistake you made trusting someone that was not even loving enough to protect you before he slept with someone else 2 hours later.  But that's just my .02


Thanks Q for joining me for this week's TTT, always good to have you.  Want to listen in on more of Q's option?  He's got a great thing going over there on Blog Talk Radio.  Check out his show schedule here: Talk 2 Q Radio.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Mogul | I am nominating her for a Nobel Peace Prize

Last night at about 11 PM I woke up on the coach and rubbed my feet together.  They were soft, more like butter soft and I smiled.  Earlier that evening after going to the grocery store with The Mogul we came home and she said she was going make dinner.  I actually didn't refuse the offer because it had been a long day and she's a pretty good cook so I fired up the iPad and chilled on the coach.  She fixed plates for her brother and I and we enjoyed a great meal, with cheddar biscuits and all.  She then announced that she was putting dinner in the crock pot for the next night, washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen.  Yeah I was feeling like a slug resting on the couch.  After all her hard work she
walks over to me and says, "Want a foot massage?" I'm one pretty spoiled mama over  here.  The foot massage was so wonderful that I feel asleep while she was working.  See why she is so deserving of that Nobel Prize?

Daughters are amazing but this act of pure random kindness on the part of my daughter just solidified that she feels loved.  So loved that she's willing to reciprocate that love to me by making me feel extra special.  Sometimes as a mom it's sweet icing on the cake to know what you are doing when raising them you kids "get it" and these are the ways they let us know.

I recall a time when I was in a heated conversation with someone and they made this statement, "You are going to raise some f'd up kids.", when I was going through the proceedings of divorce.   At that moment of course my response wasn't very nice but I've come to recognize that every time I felt I might have been coming up short in raising mine I used that very negative nugget to fuel me.  Whether is was staying up late to make sure everyone had homework done, clean clothes or managing my time to make sure both kids got the best of me I was determined to do it.  I have no H8 for that comment being made to me and I'm sure if that person could take those words back they would, at least now they sure could eat them.  <insert crying laughing my ass off emoji here> In no means do I have perfect children nor am I the perfect mother but being the  Real MVP I'll take that title gladly!  Mamas (especially my single ones) just know that when you don't think you have that little extra inside you, you do.  Find that inspiration that will propel you to show your kids what endurance and strength surrounded in love looks and feels like.  You won't regret it.

In dedication to The Mogul we are also featuring a new t-shirt in our Curvy Momager line, The Talia  She is one hard working basketball sister as well as being an amazing daughter.  Here's a preview of the new shirt, a finished addition to come soon.




Wednesday, October 22, 2014

I dare you Wednesday.....

That's right I'm daring you to make some changes, do something different, get out of your comfort zone!  Each week come back and check for your DARE OF THE WEEK and report back after you have completed the dare.





Friday, October 17, 2014

Happy One Year BlogAversary

It's our 1st year BlogAversary and we celebrated with a ShaMoney dance off last night!  Check it out here and vote on who the winner was in the comments:




We couldn't get Tal to join us - she was planning her fundraiser!  It's been such a great year.  Lots of growth, meeting amazing people, starting new ventures and just taking this journey with each other and ALL of you has been THE BEST!  Thank you, keep following and sharing the blog with your friends.  So much more is coming up really soon - life is about turning up the MUSIC!  What are you going to groove too?

Love ya'll loads,




The Curvy Momager and her crew (The Phenom & The Mogul)






Tuesday, October 14, 2014

LMLIM | Oprah is my MUA

You guys remember me doing the LMLIM Series a few months ago?  Basically because I'm such a magazine junkie I'm taking all the tips I rip from the pages, testing them out and sharing them with you.  Today's tip comes from the October 2014 issue of O Magazine.  There are four different makeup looks Ms. O is sporting for Maybelline.  Out of the looks I decided to try the one for Dramatic Eyes!  My eyes have always been my most talked about feature, well the other one you can't put make up on.  Sniggle.  Anywhos the Get The Look tearout card was really easy to follow but O's look is a bit more dramatic than mine.  She had a deeper purple to work with I think.




Here is the tear-out card but make sure you get your OWN copy of the magazine so you can see the other looks:




-Bold Lips
-Extravagant Lashes
-Kohl Liner


Give it a try Momager!

















Monday, October 13, 2014

Monday Morning Blues

Well not real-ly but last week I posted this picture on my Facebook page to see what movie  got people in the gut!

These were the top 5........


1.  Up 
2.  Steel Magnolias
3.  Imitation of Life
4.  Marley & Me
5.  The Notebook

Oh I couldn't leave The Color Purple off this list.  It had the most votes.

Most surprising - Set It Off

Funniest - Coming to America

I was told this one was a man thang - Rambo

I guess it takes all kinds.  Comment below and let me know which movie really gets to you!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Curvy Momager's Court | On set

Many of you that are friends with me on FB know that I checked off a major accomplishment last week.  Being listed on the IDMb database was something I thought would be a while before it came
true.  Luckily I have some pretty key friends in the entertainment KNOW and they found out about a casting and quickly called me.  I call my GF my unofficial agent...thanks Arleana!

Anywho I can't reveal the show concept but it was a court TV show shown nationwide.  Surely I'll reveal more when I hear about the release date for the show but look for it in about 4 - 5 months.   Major love and shouts out to the folks that casted me, co-starred and that make up artists - she was to die for.  I pray I can work with her again.  Definitely want to add this to my list of continuing hustles...can definitely get use to Kraft services and special treatment.  One thing is for sure these curves come in handy when necessary, gotta love that!

As soon as I can share more with my peeps I will and hit me up and tell me how my acting was.

End scene!




Curvy Momager

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Momager Dopeness | HOPE

Sometimes you don't know what you share that will give someone a message they need.  Last week I purchased a card deck titled "Hope".  These cards have different quotes and inspirational sayings about you guessed it, hope.  I decided to put one on my Instagram account today and I received a response from one of my followers that blew me a way.  Here is the quote...



Her comment to me was, "Thanks for posting this cause I'm struggling today with hope and faith."  WOW WOW WOW that little bitty post gave someone a glimpse of hope.  I really thank my follower for being transparent and sharing that comment.  Her strength surely encouraged someone that couldn't be that honest and "out" themselves publicly.   Pay it forward everyone!  Follow me on IG @curvymomager.


Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Tequila Talk Tuesday | He Said, She Said with True Speech

It's the infamous relationship social media question, "Why don't you share our picture on your social media accounts?"  It all started when I saw the following post on Angie Yee's IG account:

I've been going through little issues with my lady about why I don't post thousands of pics all over social media with cheesy captions like others do.  I do put up random pics of her occasionally but I've always took social media as being strictly entertainment, not to much personal.  When she sees guys post pics of their lady all day she says that you can tell that those guys are faithful and questions me about if I am LOL.  What do you think?

Check out how True Speech and I tackle this question from a male vs. female perspective.

He Said......

I believe that nowadays social media grants far to many people access into private details of your life. Me personally I am a very private individual and do not broadcast my life for the world to see, especially my dating life.  The Internet is a 24 hour reality TV show where anyone and everyone can  chime in and give their opinions based on the perception of what they see.  So when it comes to posting tons of random and cheesy pictures with your girlfriend for the world to see (mainly strangers who have no business in the confines of your relationship in the first place) then you are doing nothing more than seeking alienation from people who don't really matter.
instantaneously

I find that most young women today crave and seek attention from social media in order to not only validate themselves, but validate their relationships as well, which in turn gives them a false sense of security.  My advice, talk to your girl and let her know that you are truly in your relationship for the both of you, and not simply for likes and comments online.  The foundation of a relationship can not be built through cell phone pictures and cute captions but rather two people who are truly committed to one another regardless of external factors.  There is nothing wrong with showing your lady that you are proud to claim her and show that you truly care for her and as a man you should BUT EVERYTHING must be done in moderation and only for the right reasons.

She Said......

Ahhh, yes as ladies we want to make sure the internet trolls aren't out there lurking on pages trying to get our boos.  What some women don't realize is that a picture saying some cute caption doesn't stop a woman from coming for your man or vice versa.  If you are just in a dating relationship, chill girl because if he isn't doing key things like introducing you to family, taking you out to places or allowing you over his home (especially when he isn't there) posting your picture on The Gram won't make a difference.

If this is a deal breaker for you I have some not so good news, it's not going to change.  He has made his intentions known and by continuing to bark about the same thing it's going to get old with him really quick.  The good news is sharing on your page is your right and if he has a problem with that then some basic core components of the relationship are lacking.  Social media does not make a relationship, it has destroyed more relationships then I care to think of.  Use it as a tool to stay in communication with people not to prove that you can have a man.  The most humble of people gain the respect of men and the women that are trying to get what they think you have.  By giving them a daily "vomit" of how much ya'll are boo'd up won't stop the thirst of others it might just fuel the wrong kind of attention.

Feel free to chime in the comments section and tell us how you feel on the subject.  Also be sure to follow True Speech on IG and Twitter @mytruespeech and check out his recently released album Pirate Radio on The Family Grind label.  Thanks for joining me for He Said, She Said this week True!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Curvy Momager's Court | Family photos

We were long over due for family photos.  Yes we have tons of them on my Galaxy but what happens if I
A) Lose it
B) Damage the phone or
C) The Memory Card gets messed up???

Even though all of my photos are copied on Google+ there is nothing like an experience of family photos.  Here are a few reasons to get a professional to capture this moment in life:
  • Kids grow way to fast
  • One day you just might need pictures to have printed in a photo album thing obits, party program, shots for the NBA when they want to do a Mother's Day feature (hint hint)
  • Photographers are professionals and they have great ideas of fabulous shots to capture.
  • Website and blog photos
  • Family photos are great to hang up in the living room with beautiful frames.  Enhances your decor with memories.
Here are a few shots from our photo shoot a few weeks ago that I happen to L-O-V-E.  I'm having a hard time deciding which ones to get reproduced so I'm just going to get them all on a disc to have for future use.  Get out there and take some photos with your family Momager you won't regret it and make sure you do them outside.  Studio shots are so like 90s. :)  Have a blast!






Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Moms on Fiyah | Judge Lauren Lake

Moms have to do so much that it's only right that I spotlight them on my blog.  After all this Momager Movement is spreading and Moms are supporting each other and shining.  Judge Lauren Lake is one of those moms that is shining so much that when I asked her if she could name a nail polish after herself she said, "Limitless" and that it would, "be platinum to reflect all the hue of the sun."  Well now....

Judge Lake gives straight advice on her hit show Paternity Court that is back for another season September 22nd.  If you've never caught a show set the DVR because you're missing some really good TV.  Some people compare it to the, You're The Father of Maurie Povich fame but nah....Judge Lake is more than truth telling serum, her quick witted advice gives troubled families real life solutions to paternity issues.

Her most passionate shows are ones that bring families closer together after being torn apart by a paternity secret.  The goal for the show when she started has been met and has surpassed her expectations.  The positive response from the audience and number of families helped as a result of the show are rewards for producing a quality program aimed at uplifting families. Success of the show is evident and the viewers will have an opportunity to see many updates from the previous season on how families are working out their deepest paternity issues, thanks to the advice given by Judge Lauren.   More no nonsense advice and raw emotion are in store for this season as well.  Check out a preview of what you can expect when the new season starts on 9/22/14.



Emotions are going to be really displayed for all to see and most importantly learn from.  Judge Lake's message to fatherless children is to not repeat the cycle.  Her advice, "First protect yourself when having sex.  Second if paternity is ever an issue, do something about it.  Don't let it fester.  Get the answers you need so all parties can move forward."

This mom is actually more than on fiyah she's glowing.  Raising a young son, being the star of a highly viewed television show and saving families from downward spiraling is all in a days work for her.  I for one am excited to see what the new season will offer viewers and am in hope that the tons of people watching are learning from the lessons given using it to diminish the number of fatherless children.  Thank you Judge Lauren for being a voice willing to share your wisdom and generosity with others.  You are in fact Limitless.

Check your local listings for times in your area and also follow the show on social media, Instagram - @paternitycourttv Twitter - @paternitycourt and Facebook - www.facebook.com/paternitycourt.





Monday, September 15, 2014

Momager Dopeness | Apple has sparked my creativity

This morning I'm feeling really motivated and inspired.  One reason is because one of my good friends at Marlin Page was hanging with Oprah Winfrey at her Detroit leg of her Live Your Best Life tour.  I mean really....Ms. O!  That was something pretty awesome.  Congrats Marlin and Oprah!  Then something else happened. 

Yesterday The Phenom was working on his article for the school newspaper.  It was on technology and he decided to talk about the new IPhone 6.  Part of his research was to watch the most recent Apple Live event.  I started watching with him and just shook my head at the magnitude they launch their products and it just got me motivated and charged to keep being CREATIVE.  If you haven't seen it check it out by clicking the video below and don't just salivate at the new IPhone but use it to get you inspired for you own launch. 

Keep growing,




Curvy Momager

                                                     From the Apple YouTube account

Friday, September 12, 2014

Friday Maunin DJ

Hey Party Mamas!  If you aren't jamming to this one you ain't livin'!  Enjoy and have yourself a great weekend.


Video from iTunes by way of YouTube




Monday, September 8, 2014

Tequila Talk Tuesday - He Said...She Said

I do a little thing over on my Facebook page and sometimes YouTube account called Tequila Talk Tuesday.  Talking about the subjects that sometimes makes you wanna grab a shot of Tequila and then comment.  This week I'm doing something a tiny bit different and I invited one of my male buds to share his opinion in my first TTT He Said...She Said segment.

So here is the question and it stems from a recently aired episode of Atlanta Ex's.  Would you date a person if you found out they slept (one night stand) with a friend of a friend?

He Said......


Would I date someone who once dated a friend of a friend? Absolutely. Although we men are generally territorial about the women we love, there are some exceptions to the rule. Some women are too good to be true. When you encounter someone like that it changes your way of thinking. But, when you say "friend of a friend," I don't feel as threatened because I may not have to encounter this dude all that often. It's not like he's my friend, he's a "friend OF A friend." Could he poison my friend's mind with ill talks of he and my lady's previous relationship? Yes. But, if she's good for me and to me, then a friend of a friend means nothing to my relationship. Now if my friend once dated this lady then she would be off limits out of respect to my friend. I don't owe my friend's friend jack.



She Said......


First of all I feel the person would be fair game.  If this person was my girlfriend, ace boone coon then the answer would be NO.  At this age anyone you date is going to have a past and as long as the past doesn't directly cross over mine, it's all good.  Second it was a one night stand and their was no emotion involved.  Again fair game.  I think that knowing who you are and expressing your expectations should give you the green light to be happy and enjoy yourself and them. 

Friday, September 5, 2014

Momager Dopeness | 5 things Curvy Girls like to hear



Curvy girls work hard to get that way. No easy fixes on this (somewhat) smaller waist and round hips.  Besides these things HURT, worse than Spanx and ladies they truly aren't good for you.  Just hit the gym.








These bras are sold at Lane Bryant and they have some stand alone stores in malls.   They are cute, comfy, sophisticated, sexy, girly, sleek, fit and oh yeah pricey.  But you really can't complain because they really give the Curvy Girl a great bra option.  Something that was hard to find years ago.







I think every women wants to hear this but for a Curvy Girl it gives us that extra confidence to give it a little extra swerve.  Most times it makes me feel like Beyonce in the Grown Woman video when she smashes all the mirrors....WERK!










Trust me even if she hasn't lost any weight you
can never go wrong with this comment.  Unless she's PMSing or something.  Somebody tells me this and I'm running to have McDonald's for lunch. snicker

Who doesn't want to be a fashionista?  I mean when I hear this I feel like Hurricane Curvynista and want to offer my curvy style advice to everyone.  This let's a Curvy Girl know she's on point with dressing stylish and appropriate.






So instead of things you shouldn't say to a Curvy Girl (shame on you Huffington Post) try paying her a compliment and watch how much she'll sparkle.







Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Curvy Momager's Court | Back to the gym

I totally took the entire months of July and August off from consistent exercise.  Yes I hit a few hotel gyms and faked a few sit-ups in the morning but nothing like I had been accustomed to doing since committing to working out in January of this year.  Whelp it's time to get back to it because I'm quickly turning into the Plumpy Momager instead of the Curvy Momager.  Waist training anyone?  Only kidding, I'm scared of that thing.

So here's the plan.....

Back to running (ugh) I mean yeah!

10 day Green Smoothie Cleanse by JJ Smith

Situps, morning....noon...night

Weight lifting, my arms really miss it and are flapping around looking for it.

Staying motivated

By my birthday (10/25) I should be down about 15, well I'm hoping at least.  Watch the transformation it's gonna be on and poppin for Scorpio Season!


Monday, September 1, 2014

The Phenom | Time for Driving Lessons

I would really rather prefer The Phenom learn to drive the lane instead of driving my car.  The time has come however for him to take driving classes and frankly....my nerves can not take it!  I remember when I
was learning to drive and how patient my mother was, I don't have that same patience.  It's not that I don't think he can do it I just envision all the times I have had to say, "Kyle did you take out the trash?"  or when he's called to say..."Mom I forgot my deodorant, can you drop it off at school?"  Why would I want such a forgetful child to be on the road maneuvering in traffic?   Am I being over dramatic?  I have that tendency but really this is scaring me.

My first step, I guess, is online driving school.  I have a feeling those 20 hours are going to go fast and he'll be ready to move on to the actual driving classes and practicing in my car.  Oy!  I'm looking for suggestions Momagers.  How have you dealt with your teen learning to drive?  I mean this is really frazzling me and I'm not easily frazzled.  Help a Mom out!

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Momager Dopeness | Curvy Momager Photo Challenge

Starting September 1 follow our photo challenge on Instagram.  Tag @curvymomager and share your own photo each day using  #CMPhotoChallenge.  I will post my favorite ones on 9/30.  Have fun Momagers!




Tuesday, August 19, 2014

The Mogul | 1st day of school

Whelp my baby is entering her last year of Jr. High so I'll be doing lots of documenting this year.  First up is the 1st day of school picture and a list of some of her current favorites.  I'll be doing one 1/2 way through and then at the end of the school year.  Someone pass the tissue please!


Sunday, August 17, 2014

Momager Dopeness | Stripes and Bikinis

I was famously 40 (or over) sporting Forever 21 this weekend.  We took a one-dayer to Palm Springs and I rocked two of my most recent OOTD looks from the retailer.  I must have passed by this stripe
dress several times before I decided to try it on.  I kept thinking A) It's too short B) It's going to fit too snug and C) STRIPES, I'm gonna look like a zebra.  But I couldn't have been more wrong.  Yes it's short and for sure it's snug but in all the right places.  The stripes just add a bit of cuteness.  This was my traveling outfit and it was ultra comfy.  I think I'm actually going to go back and get a few more because they have several other colors and a few more stripe selections.  Do it Curvy Momager.





When we made it there it was time to hit the pool.  In 104 degree weather not much else to do.  I picked up this haute pink bikini (nope not a tanktini) during the winter season at Forever 21 and

wondered where I was gonna wear it.  Palm Springs, perfect opportunity.  The ruffles provide a little bit of camouflage but also the cutest accent.  Oh la la I think I've found my favorite swimsuit.  I didn't ever worry about wearing my coverup from my lounge chair to the pool stairs.  Confident curves, took me a minute but I made it.



Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Momager Dopeness | Boss Women Pray

I have to give major props to Jennifer from Pink Foundation and Single Mom Sage for adding me to her book club in July.  It was a book that not only changed the way I thought about my blogging business but my Curvy Momager brand overall.  It provided me with not only foresight but got me energized to start a major part of my brand that I've been putting off for over a year.

The book is Boss Women Pray by Kachelle Kelly.  You can order directly from her website or download on Amazon, which is what I did.  Each day Kachelle has offered a prayer and an inspiration writing on a topic pertaining to growing your business from a spiritual perspective.  At the end of each inspiration there are also biblical references to help provide more justification for the readings.

One of my favorite days was Day 26 Prayer for Effective Marketing & Massive Exposure.  A part of the prayer reads:

"I sometimes get discourage when it seems I will never have the chance to share my passion on a larger scale.  But then I remember that You are on my side and that You cause all things to happen in perfect timing."

What an amazing reminder of how we are not in control and God is!  Then one of the biblical references for that day was 1 Corinthians 2:9:

Get this book!  I can not tell you how excited I was to be invited to this book club.  You can even have one yourself.  Invite women that are on a journey in business or thinking about opening a business and join in on some conversation after each day.  You can even do it on social media or via text!  It will really help you #activateyourhustle.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Social Media Fast | Aha Moments

Last week I completed a 24-hour social media fast.  Yup....no Facebook, Instagram and sniff, sniff, sniff Twitter.  It was a pretty long 24 hours.  I think I even went to bed early ya'll.  It's amazing how much SM is a total part of my life.  I did learn a few things however and just to get you hyped about trying it yourself, I'm sharing my Aha List from a Social Media Fast.



I will admit this wasn't an easy thing.  I mean I had to put my phone in my purse during the day and in the living room at night.  It's bad ya'll.  Special thanks to @danachanel that I follow on Instagram.  If you need that Sprinkle of Jesus in your life she is the gal to follow.

Yes I'll be doing it again because it really was refreshing to not hear that buzzing and notification ring every second on my phone although it was missed.  What do they say absence makes the heart grow fonder!  The Mogul even questioned, "Mom is your phone broke?"  Yeah I think I need to unplug a little more often.

Signing off for now...just off the blog not social media!  [Insert praising the Lord emoji here]

Monday, August 4, 2014

The Phenom | Summer 500

Enter our Summer 500 contest for a chance to win The Definition of a Momager tshirt and Jason Markk sneaker cleaning kit!  It's real simple.  Just follow the directions in the description after you watch the trailer!





What are you doing with your summer?


Wednesday, July 30, 2014

The Phenom | The MSU Experience

First I'm going to say in no way am I an expert in the field of what to do as you travel to the road of D1 or any other college experience for your student athlete.  I'm just a mom that loves my kid and wants to make sure his dreams become reality.  I also want to share what I'm learning so that if you have a kid with the same desires they can begin to reach their goals.

Lots of people have asked, "How did your son get to attend a camp at one of the top colleges in the land?"  That's the subject we'll tackle today.

Fortunately for me I have friends that know and love that my kid has this desire to play D1 basketball.  I received a Facebook inbox message from a friend that attended Michigan State informing me that another friend's son attended a basketball camp there the previous year. Knowing that MSU is one of Kyle's top selection of schools I immediately contacted my other friend to get the low low.  The process was very simple, wait for the information to be posted on the website and register.  That's it, simple huh?


Photo Cred: m.trendspig.com
Now if your son has ever been to a camp and they headlined several high profile athletes or coaches to attend you might have been let down.  Some camps definitely don't deliver on their promises but I found out that this was not the case at the MSU camp.  Not only did my son get to meet Coach Izzo but received instruction from Spartan players and other coaches on the Michigan State University coaching staff.  It was a great experience.  So much so that I recommend all my Momagers explore it as an option when you have determined which schools are on your players "wish list".   Kyle made his wish list out 1/2 way through Freshman year and I told him that I would try to get him on each of the campuses for a camp so he could see what type of program each offers.

So far we haven't gotten any recruiting information from MSU but he had a solid camp performance. He earned the Hardest Working camper award presented to him by Coach Izzo and Travis Trice.  His travel club coach has also mentioned that he sees some improvement from the camp on his jump shot. More than anything I think his confidence soared.  Mentality is 90% of this game, without it you are going to struggle.

There are tons of camps out there for your player but you have got to do the research.  Find out what is going to work for you economically and most importantly for your players development.  If they aren't ready for some of the larger camps look for camps hosted by NBA players, former and retired. They tend to be some of the smaller ones due to popularity and costs aren't necessarily as high as you think.  Unless you are KD....his camp was like $5,000???  Sorry I pay enough for his shoes.  You can also talk with your players coach and find out about invitational camps.  Camps aren't required but they are essential in my personal opinion to let players experience something they wouldn't get by playing in tournaments with travel and school teams.  Do you need to send your player to 5 camps a year...no! One it's expensive and two I think they will get worn out.  Pick 1 maybe 2, trust me they will get what they need.

Boogie has told me that he wants to return to the MSU camp next year and I plan on letting him go
again.  I did emphasize that he needs to attend one of the other schools from his list as well.  MSU is definitely his top pick but putting all your basketballs in one basket (if you will) isn't necessary smart.  Besides the Momager has done a little research and found out that they are interested and potentially signed a PG for 2016.  Depending on who is still on the current roster MSU might not need another guard but time will tell.  Camp won't hurt though because if they saw something great in him this year it's a given if he keeps at it they will only see more.

Good luck finding a camp for your baller.  It can be difficult with the amount of selections but just pace yourself, do the research and don't overspend!  Remember we still need those Single Mama Dollas for new kicks!




The Curvy Momager





Monday, July 21, 2014

Williams Sonoma Cooking Classes | The Mogul

Talia had a great experience this weekend at the Williams Sonoma kids cooking class.  We had no idea they even had classes at our local store but found out via a random flyer I saw at work.  Since she is the best cook in our house I knew I had to sign her up.

Each week they have a different selection they teach the kids how to make.  This week was Summer Salads and she received recipes for two salads even though they only made one in class that day.  The class was an hour long and they chopped, diced and served up an amazing fresh salad with homemade dressing.

These classes are free, heeey Single Mama Dollas, and teach them about nutrition as well.  They use lots of tools from the store so it's also a great way to get a demonstration on that lemon squeezer you might have been looking at.  Wait is that what they call it?  Yep you can tell I'm not the cook of the house.

Visit the Williams Sonoma website for classes in your area.  You might also see information for a summer cooking camp too.  We are out of town and won't be able to make the next class Slushies and Shakes (boo boo boo) but will be there in August for some other great selections.  Happy cooking with your little chef.


Curvy Momager


Friday, July 18, 2014