My Life Right Now II

Thanks for dropping by. Let's continue from where we stopped.

Kids

I had them and my life changed forever! When I think of them, there's this joy that lights up my face, at other times though, motherhood can be so demanding, it gets me thinking, aaargh...who sent me message o!

I've got 3 adorable daughters.

My 1st is this inquisitive, intelligent, stingy, friendly & extremely fun to be with girl. She says the most amazing things & asks the most ridiculous questions. The other day, she asks "Mummy,what is this thing here (touches her groin area) that my friend in school (mentions a boy's name) has, he uses it to wee-wee, my daddy too has it? (these kids eh?)
The other day, my 3rd baby broke something around the house and she goes "Mummy, this baby is too dangerous, take her back to her house". I ask where is her house and she goes "the hospital"...where I had her & brought her home from!

She will be six in August.

My 2nd is this quiet, bright, generous, content, sweet & peace loving girl. She's very courteous & lady like. Loves dresses & skirts, no trousers. Acts posh & speaks english like the Queen, lol. She never forgets her magic phrases 'please may I', 'please excuse me', 'pardon me', 'thank you'. She is 4yrs old.

My 3rd and last (obviously) is this 20mth old handful. She is cuddly, pleasant, playful, cheeky and oh, she's so beautiful, it sometimes gets me wondering if I actually birthed her..lol.
Watching them alone gets me knackered, let alone tending to their endless demands. I'm not complaining,....I'm grateful to God.

Family & Friends
FIL & I are fireworks...lol. He's a tough cookie, and me sef get skonskon. MIL is no more, she passed away when hubby was a toddler (sad).
My mum is simply the best. After her labour of love raising her 4 children (I'm the 1st with 3 younger brothers), she is yet to retire. She visits from Ibadan every now & again to see her grand kids and anytime she's around, I simply go on 'sabbatical'...she cheerfully does the cooking, housekeeping & child caring.
Father is in his late 60's, but you can't tell...guess I inherited this good genes from him. *wink*. He's a charismatic (attracts people to himself like magnet), down to earth & very simple man enjoying his simple life.
For friends, the few I had from way back kinda betrayed my trust, so I'm better off without them. I'm more into casual friendships with neighbours, colleagues & church members.
Of course, I've been recently blessed with these beautiful group of friends from blogs ville (in no particular order): Ibhade, Amazing Thots, Vyvyka, Sisi Yemmie, LadyNgo, Mena, Surprise, Myne, 9jafoodie, Dayor, omoba-adeteju, ayabaodusote, kitkat, Ginger, Lani, Wise Sage.... you guys rock & I love u. *Bear hugs*

Career
Things are a bit twisted around here. I started work with a financial institution in 2001, about a year after my NYSC. I worked for 2yrs+, before jetting off to join hubby in England, and before you could say N-A-I-J-A, I started baby making! (and so could not do much work or further my studies). Came back about 3yrs ago & started building career from the scratch again. My colleagues from way back then are now 10yrs in banking experience....thinking about this gets me all depressed. In hindsight, I felt I should have stayed back & built on my career, no? Well, God had it all mapped out and I believe things turned out the way they did for a beautiful reason. God will make my crooked path straight again...Amen.

Swagger!!!
My swagger is about to give way o......God forbids!
No worries, I'll soon get my groove back, before some smelly tramp on stiletto heels & Brazilian head (hair) seduces hubby's 'kini'....tufiakwa!!! (luckily, I've got nothing to worry about, hubby is not that kind of man *wink*)
What I need is a trip to the spa, first for waxing...errr.. I'll go for laser hair removal (the hair on my legs is competing with a gorilla's), pedicure, manicure & some general body overhauling. I need to ditch this dreadlocks & visit the salon for a more sexy look. What else? Yeah, shopping.... a trip to Newyork, London & Paris (fashion capitals of the world) will take care of my wardrobe & make-up/skincare.
Hmmm.....I wish. If wishes were horses, me sef go ride. Abeg, leave me alone with my dreads o...Brazilian hair ko, Togolese head ni. Seriously though, I need some 'me' time and wished it were someting I could shop for somewhere. Like I said earlier, I had kids and my life changed forever...not complaining

That's it people...my life rigt now. In my journey so far, I've learnt some valuable lessons. I've learnt to put my trust in God alone. I've learnt to always believe in myself. I've learnt not to put total reliance on man...man/woman/people will change, human love may fizzle out, only God remains constant. He is unchangeable in the face of any given circumstance.
If you haven't yet, why not give your life to Jesus? Give it a shot, it sure is worth it & you'll never remain same. Thanks for taking out time to read.
Ciao!

My Life Right Now

I didn't go to work on thursday (I was a bit under the weather), I was home alone with the kids (they're on mid-term break). Whilst they were watching CBeebies (electronic babysitter..lol), I was alone in the room & came ino sober reflections of the past & anxiety of the future. I reflected on the challenges of yesterday, experiences (good, bad & ugly) that have moulded me into the personality I have become today. I acknowledge the presence & mercies of the Lord in my life & he's the only reason I am who & where I am today, and by whose grace I will surmount all other challenges that lay ahead in future.
My life as it is right now.

God

I've always wanted to know more of God & draw nearer to him. This year has taken me a step further in my walk, glory to God. I have the priviledge to mentor a group of teenagers in church & I always seek the face of the Lord on how to impact positively in their lives. I'm no where near perfect, and none of my good deeds can get me a place in God's kingdom, what I need is his mercies & he's working through my imperfections unto perfection.

Home

Right now, I'm the cook, housekeeper, nanny, career woman & wife rolled into one. I let off my nanny about 2wks ago...it came to that. She is lazy & insolent and I just about had enough of her. I don't know where this influx of energy came from, but I've been doing great & God is good.... Isaiah 40:31. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run, and not be weary; .... I hope to get another maid anyway, before month end and I pray she's good stuff.


Marriage
Wow! When I look at this aspect of my life, I know God is real and God is love.

I've known hubby like foever...1994 to be precise, when I was about going into Uni & he was going to his final year. Going by the amount of attention, love notes, gifts, promises I got from him, I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me he was madly in love with me. He ticked almost all my boxes (about 80%) & so would be foolish of me to miss this catch, I said yes. We have 3 angels between us.
Suddenly though, around last year, spilling to early this year, we started having this clash of personalities. I couldn't understand why he failed to reason with me & he couldn't stand me challenging his authority. This led to constant bickering, explosive argument & resentment towards each other...it was a trying period & we almost gave up on each other. Somehow though, God brought calm back. He restored love, peace & respect into my marriage.
We appreciate, love & respect each other more & we simply can't get enough of each other now. It is God.

I'm tired, biko, make I rest. Part II coming up.

Ciao!

The Demise Of Music

Oh you've not heard? Yeah, music is dead...it happened at the begining of the new millenium. I noticed that around this period, good music stopped happening, home and abroad.
Who are the hotties in the music scene right now?
Beyonce? No hating, but I don't like her music nor her person. She dresses & dances too provocatively for my liking and all I see in her music videos is SEX. She's out.
Rihana? Seriously?...

Justin Bieber? Pleaaaaaaaaaase...
Lady Gaga? lol....I can't 'sout'.....

Who else? Maybe I'm missing something here or maybe I'm just old skool...but I'm cool like that plus hubby reckons the same thing and that makes my judgemet right ...that good music is no more.

My list of evergreen music will include, but not limited to the following:






The Girl Is Mine                 -Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney
Gamblers                           -Kenny Rogers
Find A Way To My Heart }
Against All  Odds              }   -Phil Collins
One More Night                }            
That Somebody Was You      -Kenny G feat Tony Braxton
Right Here                              -SWV feat Michael Jackson
Unpretty                                 -TLC
AS                                          -George Michael feat Mary J. Blidge
Red Wine                                -UB40
Shackles                                 -Mary Mary
Let It Flow                              -Toni Braxton
Sacrifice                                  - Elton John
*LAURYN HILL------------All her works (I'm biased, I just love the lady. Some people say we look alike *blank stare*)
Mkomboti                                -Yvonne Chaka Chaka
Wombo Lombo                        -Angelique Kidjo
Board Members                        - Ebenezer Obey
Consolidation                            -Wasiu Ayinde
Afro Juju                                   -Sir Shina Peters
Fuji Garbage                             -Sikiru Ayinde Barrister (RIP)
Woman                                     -Sonny Okosun (RIP)

Ciao!

Money speaking....

Money has the power to transform or deform, depending on your case...😅

Now, check out our first lady & tell me what you see.

Pictures after the cut.

*Warning*: Continue only if you remember what she looked like before her transition into first lady.

Guilty Pleasure

Yeah, it's pleasurable but it brings us guilt. I dare to say we all indulge in one or more of such. I'll share a list of mine:

Shoes & even more shoes
 Yeah, my number one guilt. I buy shoes not because I need them but because I want them ( I guess it's a genetic issue for women, so let me be justified...lol). Seriously though, I'm a sucker for good shoes & bags. Just can't take my eyes off them even when I know I can't afford it, I squeeze myself out to get it, and the annoying bit is that I might not even wear it (or long enough) till it goes obsolete or I get tired of seeing it around me.

Junk food
I often snack on junk food even when I'm aware of all the health implications. See, I'm a size UK10, so I've got 'nofing' to worry about (let me fool myself & enjoy the ride....)

Junk TV
I'm an adept fan of junk TV programmes; vain programmes that will add no value to my being. I watch Fahion police, Keeping up with the Kardashians, African Magic (Yoruba), Kimora et al, all which by my reckoning, have added nothing to my knowledge base, but I keep watching anyways.

Doing nothing
Yup! I love to lie alone on the bed and do absolutely nothing! I lock the doors (no disturbance from kids & hubby), draw the curtains ( to give a cosy ambience), lie down and just daydream (even when I know the kitchen needs tidying up, there's laundry to do & the kids need my attention).

Vengeance
Yes, I like to 'do my own back'...lol. I know I'm a xtian & this is not Christ-like at all (maybe I need your prayers), but can't help it atimes to be revengeful.

Fashion blunders
I always have a good laugh when I see people commit fashion blunders (not that I'm an Icon, but I dey try sha). Stripped shirt on stripped skirt/trousers, mini skirts on thick short legs...and the list goes on. When I see them I just laugh...hehehehehe (mean me).

Gossip
The only reason I visit Linda Ikeji's blog is...gossip, and of course to 'see' the cat fights...lol!


What is your guity pleasure?

Ciao!

For that Special Occasion

A friend sent this to my box and I thought I'd share it.....might be worth reading!


A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:

'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'

He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.

'She got this the first time we went to New York , 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion.

Well, I guess this is it.

He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.

He turned to me and said:

'Never save something for a special occasion.

Every day in your life is a special occasion'.

I still think those words changed my life.

Now I read more and clean less.

I sit on the settee without worrying about anything and just relax.

I spend more time with my family & friends and less at work.

Money is to be spent not saved.

I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.

I no longer keep anything.

I use crystal glasses every day.

I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.

I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to.

I go out with my friends whenever I want to rather than thinking I don't have the spare money or time.

The words 'Someday....' and ' One Day....' are fading away from my dictionary.

If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now...

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.

I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.

She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.   

She might have told everyone how much she loved them.

I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food.

It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come..

Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.

Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one.

Hmmm.....whilst we pray to live long & fulfill our destinies & purpose on earth, we might as well apply Psalm 90:12 " So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom".

My slogan has always been...One life, live it!

So the time to do that one thing you've always wanted to do is NOW! Stop procrastinating and get busy....go back to school, get closer to God, pursue that career, impact positively in someone's life, leave your footprints on the sands of time in any little way you could, so when you're gone, you're not forgotten.

With raw passion & determination, you're unstoppable.

Ciao!

Colours for food

One of my resolutions this year (so help me God) is to add colours to my life.....to get closer to God, be a better wife & mom, improve on my career, impact positively on other people's lives & live a more healthy lifestyle.
To achieve the last, I resolved to adding more colours to my diet in the form of fruits & vegetables....and yeah, I'm loving it.

To prevent chronic diseases, fruits and especially vegetables are very important. Vegetables especially have the antioxidants, minerals, and phytochemicals in the correct combination that help keep the blood sugar in balance, create better energy in the body, and along with fruits build up the immune system. In addition to these benefits, is one more important one (especially for the ladies)....clearer skin, and before you know it, you will ditch all them clarins & clinique beauty products.

The different colors in fruits and vegetables help our immune system react to different stresses in our daily life. So look at the different colors in your diet. See if they include each of the colors listed below. This is one way to know that you are getting the full benefit of nutrients possible in your diet.

Green Foods – broccoli, kale, leaf and romaine lettuce, spinach, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

Green foods are especially good for the circulatory system. They contain many minerals and B-complex vitamins. Some phytochemicals found in green foods are sulforaphane and indoles that are very powerful anti-cancer compounds. Researchers have tried to use these as isolated phytochemicals but find that they only work while in the whole food form.

Red Foods – tomatoes, watermelon, red cabbage.

Red foods contain many phytochemicals that reduce free radical damage. The phytochemical called lycopene is especially helpful to prevent prostate problems, and reduce the effects of sun damage on the skin. Lycopene is the phytochemical that make the red foods get their red color.

Orange Foods – carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, apricots, cantaloupe.

The orange foods have the carotenoids the help prevent cancer by repairing the DNA. As our mothers told us, carrots, and other orange foods, are especially good for our eyes, and help with night vision. The deep orange foods help our bodies get the vitamin A we need, without getting excess that can lead to osteoporosis.

Green/Yellow Foods – yellow corn, green peas, collard greens, avocado and honeydew melon.

This combination of green and yellow foods contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that help reduce the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. These foods are also helpful in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Orange /Yellow Foods – oranges, pineapple, tangerines, peaches, papaya, nectarines

These foods that are orange and yellow in color are high in antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, and help to improve the health of the mucus membranes and connective tissue. They help prevent heart disease by improving circulation and preventing inflammation.

White/Green Foods – onions, garlic, celery, pears, chives

White and green combination foods contain a variety of phytochemicals. Garlic and onions contain allicin, the anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal phytochemical, and they can act as a poor man’s antibiotic. Add garlic and onions in your meals to reduce the effects of potential toxicity of high fat meats. Celery has many minerals, especially organic sodium, that keeps the fluid in the joints healthy.

Red/Blue/Purple Foods – red apples, beets, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, prunes, concord grapes, blackberries.

These dark colored red/blue/purple foods are very rich in powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that protect again heart disease by improving circulation and preventing blood clots. They have many anti-aging phytochemicals that keep the blood circulating well.

Stay healthy, Ciao!