Regina's Family Seasons

Merry Christmas & Respect The Day!

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 07:00:00 +0000

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!
We all know the REAL reason for the season. It is okay to want to buy things and give/receive presents BUT do not lose sight of why we celebrate this Holiday...

Luke 2:9-14
⁽⁹) And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ⁽¹⁰⁾ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ⁽¹¹) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ⁽¹²⁾ And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
⁽¹³) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
(¹⁴⁾ “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!

So it is not about jewelery, clothes, games, toys or electronics. It is about the Savior, Jesus, the one who was Born to Die for us!
Please honor and respect the true meaning! Give Honor where Honor is due!

Wishing You and Yours Many Blessings!

Regina

Please visit my other spots:
http://www.youravon.com/jseaman
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/
http://reginasoldschoolfridayspot.blogspot.com/

Good Ol' SNOWY TEXAS??

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 23:10:00 +0000

If you are a regular visitor to my blog then you know I originally come from New York but I presently reside in Texas. This will be our second Christmas in Texas. It has taken us some time to adjust to the weather of the southern states compared to the climate of the Northern states. last year my kids and I said it was strange having our first Christmas ever without snow. We moved to Texas from Rochester New York and if you know anything about Upstate NY you KNOW how cold, and wintry it is this time of the year.
Last year I said it did not feel like Christmas because there was no snow. We actually got snow one day last year and by the time I grabbed my camera and ran to the door to take a picture it was gone! It melted before it hit ground! But hey we adjusted and started acclimating ourselves to the Texas weather. Imagine my disbelief when my mother told me yesterday that it was supposed to snow! Yea, right! Whatever!!
So this morning it decides to rain! OK, well I can deal with the rain, I had no place to go anyway. Two hours later I look out the window and guess what I saw???
That's right SNOW! Coming down fast and heavy! WTH! yesterday it was 73 darn degrees!!!

And Today we have this...
OK, OK! That is cute. It's going to stop soon. But 2 hours later I see this...

Now you may think this is nothing. This is such a little bit of snow and coming from Upstate NY where the winters last 9 months and 2-3 feet of snow is the normal daily average, I would tend to agree! BUT, THIS is a picture of TEXAS!!! There should be NO snow accumulation in Texas! I wonder what tomorrow morning will look like? Will it be a white Christmas?
SMH - What is the world coming to? A Winter Wonderland?

Please visit my other spots:
http://www.youravon.com/jseaman
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http://reginasoldschoolfridayspot.blogspot.com/

Gingerbread Competition - And The Winner Is.....

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:21:00 +0000

Whew!! We finally finished those crazy Gingerbread houses! It was fun but exhausting! NO, I will NOT do this again! The trash talking was fun, and the competition was fun but what I liked the most was the coming together of families! We had fun and THAT is all that really matters!
So the competition is over and all three teams were winners! So here they are:

~Team 1~ [Me, my 15, 21 & 24 year old daughters]

We made 3 attached row houses representing the 3 households and we obviously live at the North Pole because we also made a North Pole Wal-Mart which only sells candy and stuff to Santa!

~Team 2~ [My mother, my 20 year old son, my 20 year old niece & 15 year old nephew]

My mom's team made Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in the manger. They also made a couple of houses with some people and a Whoville Christmas Tree!

~Team 3~ [ My sister, 14 year old nephew, & 19 & 21 year old nieces]My Sister's team ... Well she cheated and they bought their house but I give my nephew credit because he put it together by himself!

So there you have it! 3 different teams, 3 different structures and 3 different WINNERS!! And FUN was had by all!

Hmmmm, I wonder which household could make the best Christmas Cookies.....

Please visit my other spots:
http://www.youravon.com/jseaman
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http://reginasoldschoolfridayspot.blogspot.com/

How Do You Keep Sane During The Holidays?

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:15:00 +0000

Do you have the holiday blues? Does the holiday season stress you out? The holiday season is when a lot of people are depressed and stressed. Money issues is one of the stress factors in Holiday depression, followed by family drama and loneliness.
You have to know how to have fun and enjoy the people around you.
My family likes a little healthy competition. In the past we have had competitions to see which family could make the best home made Christmas gift. We have also had competitions to see which family could make the most creative gifts.
So this year is no different! Yep! We are yet again having a competition. This year we are competing to see which household can make the "Best Gingerbread House"!! Oh Yea and let me just say that my family has officially lost their minds over this competition! There are three households/teams. The teams consist of architects, builder/bakers, and decorators! These people are taking this thing waaaayyyy to far! But it is ALL in good fun!! There has been trash talking, sabotage, and even facebook smack-downs! Teams one and two have even resorted to threatening pictures posted on facebook!

~Team 1~

~Team 2~

~Team 3~ has chosen not to post any threatening pics (hmmm, conceding victory maybe?)

Yep, this family is really serious about their gingerbread!

I'll be posting the pictures of the gingerbread houses tonight or tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Holidays, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah! (Yea, I like to diversify!!)

Please visit my other spots:
http://www.youravon.com/jseaman
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/
http://reginasoldschoolfridayspot.blogspot.com/

Do You Want A Ghirardelli Chocolate Coupon??

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:51:00 +0000

Good Morning Friends!
Do you like chocolate? Do you like peanut butter?
Well if you like these two in a combination I have a few Ghirardelli Squares Peanut Butter bag coupons! The coupons are $1.50 off one 4oz bag or larger! That is a pretty sweet deal!
Let me know if you want a coupon! Respond to this post letting me know that you would like a coupon and THEN email me your name and address. Send emails to geegeejegar@gmail.com hurry offer expires soon!

Please visit my other spots:
http://www.youravon.com/jseaman
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/
http://reginasoldschoolfridayspot.blogspot.com/

Friends Who Answer The Call...

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:59:00 +0000

Do you have special friends, that you have never actually met?? I Do and they are FABULOUS! I have been blogging for almost 2 years now and I have met some of the best people. I have met Homemakers, Politicians, Lawyers, Teachers, Public Relations Specialist, Students, and Preachers just to name a few. Some people have said that you can not have a friends that you have not met and I say RUBBISH (I do not want to say the other word I was thinking!). I have Internet friends, that I share birthdays with, share issues with, can pray with, can cry with, can laugh with as well as share personal family information. Yes it is very possible to have "Internet friends" that are like real personal friends and sometimes closer than the people you actually have met (and wish you never met!!)!

I have to shout out a few special ladies.

Tanyetta,

Sheliza

and Atasha!

Besides being FABULOUS and SMART and SEXY and CREATIVE and FUNNY and actual SUPERWOMEN, These women are young baby afficionados! Right around the time when my daughter was about to have her baby I put out an Internet S.O.S.! I needed to know what websites had free baby stuff and these ladies came to the rescue like gangbusters! They came through with websites that have free formula and coupons, coupons, coupons! We have received over $100 in formula coupons and so far my grandson has received 5 cans of powdered formula in the mail. Biggums (that's right, I also call the Little Prince BIGGUMS) already finished off 3 and we received 2 this week one of which is now half gone! Yes this little boy can EAT!! One of these lovely ladies is even sending us some formula in the mail. Now you may think this is a small thing but my family has been going through some trying financial times and this was a HUGE help to us. God works in mysterious ways, and will use any willing heart and I am thankful that they answered the call!
I thank God for FRIENDS who answer the call!!

I Love You Ladies!!

Please visit my other spots:
http://www.youravon.com/jseaman
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/
http://reginasoldschoolfridayspot.blogspot.com/

Two Books To Pick Up This Holiday Season...

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:22:00 +0000

Hello There!
In all of the excitement of the past few weeks - you know Thanksgiving, Family, Food, Fun and the birth of my handsome GRANDSON (the Little Prince) I forgot to tell you about the 2 new books I got.
I entered a blog contest a while back at ColorOnline, and I won a fabulous book by a very Strong and Determined Black Woman who also happens to be one of the best female athletes of my time.

The book is "On The Line" by Serena Williams. I have not had the chance to start reading yet but I am anxious to read what this Strong, Opinionated, Determined, Vocal and Focal woman has to say! I think there is more to Miss Serena than meets the eye, but we'll see!
I also received a book titled "We Feel Fine - An Almanac of Human Emotion" by Sep Kamvar and Jonathan Harris. Now I got this book by default in an effort to ease my bruised ego and soften my disappointment! I was contacted almost a year ago by one of the book authors from WeFeelFine.org who had come across my blog online and found a picture of my grand-daughter in a blog post. They explained they were doing a book about feelings which would encompass images from all over the web about our many feelings and wanted to use her picture! As you can guess I was excited and skeptical at the same time but after some back and forth emails, some release forms and papers being signed I was excited and anxiously awaiting this book.
Unfortunately I eventually got an email from Hannah, which said that they would not be using the picture after all, I was CRUSHED! As a consolation they said they would still send me a complimentary copy of the book when it released in December. Well, That was their loss because the Little Princess is fabulous and beautiful and you can read all manner of expressions on her face But anyway, I digress!
So I received my book the other day. I have flipped through it a few times and I must admit it is a very eye catching and very interesting book (It would have been BETTER with the Princess' picture in it but oh well!) The range of emotions in the book are awesome! The authors really captured the essence of human emotions! If you get the chance pick up this book!

So there you have it, some books to add to your Christmas list!

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http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

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The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty!

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:08:00 +0000

Are you a DOVE product user? Did you know that dove has a self esteem program for young girls? I did a blog post about dove back in October. If you missed it please check it out HERE!
Let me tell you why I love Dove...
Dove has a campaign going on called the "Campaign For Real Beauty"! Dove is attempting to help young girls realize that they are all beautiful and that real beauty comes from within. Unfortunately young girls in today's society are bombarded with unrealistic and often times unobtainable media images as the standard for beauty. Our young daughters, sisters and neighbors are being told by the media, the television and movies that in order to be beautiful they have to look a certain way. The media is pushing a standard of carbon copies that all look the same, have to be a certain height, a certain weight, have a certain hair texture and in some cases be a certain color.
Instead of having fun, going to school and hanging out with friends young girls are being consumed with worry about how they look. They are thinking about dieting and cosmetic enhancements at young ages. They are also thinking about all the things that are wrong with their bodies.
The media is brainwashing our girls into thinking that if the do not look like the Victoria Secret girls on television or the scantily clad models in magazines then something must be wrong with them. The media has convinced our daughter that they are not beautiful enough.
Dove is trying to dispel the negative images that our young girls have developed about themselves by giving them the necessary tools to improve their self image and self esteem. Dove has information that can be downloaded from the website to use when talking to girls about their bodies. Dove also has a couple of very interesting videos that can be viewed to help us understand what our girls are being confronted with via the media. I think people would really be surprised to find out actually how many young girls have low self-esteem, low self-worth and insecurities about their bodies. Our young girls need to know that they are beautiful. As parents we need to do a better job of letting our daughters know that they are beautiful, we need to do a better job of building up their self-esteem BUT most importantly WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF LOVING OUR DAUGHTERS!!

My Diva!

I got an email from asking me to help out with the "Thank You For Making A Difference" program. A portion of the email said,

"This fall Dove launched the "Thank you for Making a Difference" program to thank supporters for building girl's self esteem and to invite everyone to share their stories about making a difference in self esteem.
We would love for you and your readers to share their stories around self esteem to help inspire others. Furthermore, as a "Thank You for Making a Difference", Dove will donate $1,000 to a national charity that supports self-esteem around the Holidays, on behalf of all our self esteem supporters including you."

So, in the comment section could you please share your stories and comments about self-esteem in hopes of inspiring, motivating or educating others!
And lastly, I don't want to forget to share with you this information:
YOU can support the Dove Self-Esteem Fund simply by entering your Dove UPC here http://www.dove.us/#/cfrb/selfesteem/default.aspx/ and selecting a charity. For every UPC code entered, Dove will donate $1* to inspiring self-esteem programs at a charity partner of your choice. Select one: Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Girls Inc.
I will be receiving a few "True You! Workbooks" (mother-daughter guides) from Dove that I plan to give away, so stay tuned and don't forget to leave your story/comment!
Stay Beautiful!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Parental Training And Godly Foundations

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:58:00 +0000

What is LIFE?? Life is a series of choices and experiences. Experiences, the ones you learn from and the ones you don't learn from all work together to shape us into the people that we are. We make choices every day and those choices are based on our training, our upbringing, self preservation, our feelings and our circumstances.
I have children and I hope and pray that they all turn out to be the mighty men and women of God that they are destined to be. Their experiences and choices are shaping them every day. We as parents can only do so much because as individuals everyone will make their own decisions and choices. The bible says in Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. I believe the Word of God unequivocally not only because it is the foundation of everlasting life but because it works, His word is true. I know this because I have seen it in action many times.

On Thanksgiving eve, between cooking and cleaning my 15 year old daughter and I had to make a quick run to Sam's Club for a few last minute items. While crossing from the parking lot toward the store entrance the Diva (my daughter) spotted a phone in the middle of the street. I said, "so pick it up". She scooped it up and we rushed into Sam's to do what we had to do. While walking around the store we talked. She asked, "do you want it, it's a BLACKBERRY"(I have been wanting a Blackberry for a long time but life kept getting in the way)? I said, "Nah, not really". She said, "what should I do with it"? I said, "what do you want to do with it?" She said, "I don't know, if I keep it I'll feel bad, BUT it's a BLACKBERRY!" I just looked at her and chuckled, and I said, "Well you think about it, but right now can you go over there and grab that pack of plates so we can get out of this store?" She sighed heavily and said, "You're not helping at all!" I just laughed turned down the next isle and mumbled "Thank you Lord for direction" to myself.
So we shopped, she thought, we shopped some more and finally got out of the store. On the drive home, she still thought about it. Then she said, "the phone is locked but someones name is on it" (she was talking to herself not me).
So we arrive home, put stuff away, I get back to my cooking and she disappears into the room. Half hour later she come back to the kitchen smiling! She said, "Guess what I did?" I found the lady on face book and sent her a friend request so she can get her phone back!" I laughed, wow really? Huummm, I didn't think of that!"
So long story short, the lady accepted the friend request, they communicated back and forth and finally after a day or so the woman appeared at our house to get her phone back and gave the Diva a $40.00 reward!
So the point of this story...
Parents, train up your child in the ways of the Lord because YOU are laying the foundation. BUT, You must step back occasionally and let them work things out for themselves. Once they have the foundation the rest is between them and God. Sometimes they will make good choices and sometimes they will make bad choices but just as God gives you the chance to make choices, we must give our children the same freedom.

Lesson for today: LET GO AND LET GOD!!
Be Blessed!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Diva Pampering!

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:17:00 +0000

You know I live with a DIVA right?
This is one young lady who loves the camera and obviously the camera loves her back! Last night she decided to give herself some pampering and gave herself an oatmeal facial. You know your 15 year old loves herself when she is comfortable taking pictures with a face covered in oatmeal AND adds a flower for flair! You gotta love this young lady!

Muy Bonito! = Very Beautiful!

Peace & Love!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

He Is Only A Man...

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:12:00 +0000

I am saddened and can only shake my head at the overwhelming criticism that our current President of the United States always receives. When you consider the fact that President Obama has been in office for LESS THAN one year a lot of the criticism seems unjust and asinine. In the amount of time that President Obama has been in office his critics have tried to malign and mis-characterize him at every turn. He is often damned if he do and damned if he don't. Sadly even a portion of those who voted him in, and where on the Obama wagon during the campaign have fallen by the wayside. Here is a man who is trying to fix the issues and problems that the United States has accumulated over the past 8 YEARS while simultaneously trying to work on our current issues and at every turn people are tearing him down. According to MSM (MainStream Media) and also according to the Blogosphere he has done nothing in his time in office. I visited a blogger friend (Electronic Village) who had an actual list of the accomplishments of our current President. That's right! A list of what President Barack Obama has accomplished in his first 10-11 months in office, and the list is quite impressive. You can check it out HERE! The list may surprise you.
Whether you like him or not, voted for him or not, the fact remains that he is the POTUS and deserves the respect that goes with the office! If he fails guess what AMERICA FAILS as well. He is not God, he can not make miracles. He is only a man, trying to do an extremely difficult job. He cries over lost life, He rejoices over triumphs, He has battles and some he wins and some he looses, but he is human, a man like all of us. Maybe instead of trying to tear him down, curse him and pray for his failure maybe we should PRAY for his success (which means the success of AMERICA), PRAY that he allows God to use him for the glory of the kingdom; PRAY that he is strengthened so that foreign and domestic enemies will not try to dismantle our country; PRAY that through him our economic, educational and financial systems will be strengthened and restored to a glory that made AMERICA great in the first place; or maybe we should PRAY that he leaves the office in a better condition then he received it. If we busy our selves with these prayers maybe there will be less time to talk about, curse, and think evil thoughts about the President of the United States.
Again, keep in mind HE IS ONLY A MAN!

PEACE & LOVE!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Are You On The Mountain Top Or In The Valley??

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Are you on the mountain top or in the valley below?? On the mountain, screaming, dancing, shooting from the rooftops and rejoicing at the top of your lungs ~OR~ in the bottom of the valley learning life lessons, going through drama, feeling as if you have hit rock bottom.
This is the question of the day.
I am most definitely in a valley season. I am being tried in the fire and am walking through the valley of the shadow of death. ~*For me the valley of the shadow of death or the valley of dry bones is Texas*~
But even in the midst of trials and tribulations I know that God has not left nor forsaken me. I am in the midst of one of the hardest times in my life. I was talking to my mom in the car the other day and said, "I do not understand how come people still call or message me asking for scriptures or prayer or inspiration. I am going through so much of my own crap How can I possibly help someone else??" My mom said, "because they see some something in you. You don't waver with the tide, you are sure and steady. Your faith is strong through good times and bad times and they can see the strength in you even when you don't see it your self".
Hmmmm, Could this be true? I guess so, even though I don't feel strong or sure or steady, Hell on some days I don't even feel blessed! I guess it is a good thing my life is not based on feelings huh?
I commented on a friends facebook status that we all go through Mountain and Valley seasons and the key is knowing that God is with us during both. It wasn't until after I wrote that for my friend that I actually looked at it and said to my self wow, that is so true!
I am unemployed, half of Texas has one of my resumes and I spend more time on job sites filling out applications then I spend with my family! Out of all the connections, interviews, and networking I've been involved in over the past 12 months NOT ONE has resulted in employment. I have a daughter about to give birth any day now, two major holidays coming up, my son's birthday coming, my grand-daughter's birthday coming, family coming from out of town for the holidays, all of this before the end of the year and I do not have a dime and of course a load of unpaid bills and creditors calling me nonstop. DAMN!! Could my life get any SHITTIER???
Of course it could.
I could be dead, but I'm not; My children could be dead, but they are not; My daughter could be having her baby in New York hundreds of miles away from me, but she's not she is right here with me getting the love and support she needs; I could be alone and destitute, but I'm not. I am surrounded by family who love me!
So yea, I may be broke, tired and frustrated walking through this long, dark valley BUT I know that I am NOT in this alone! I have family by my side, at times walking with me through this valley. I have friends who are always willing to listen as I shout out in frustration from the bottom of the valley (Thanks, Adrienne, I love you more than you know!). But most of all I have Jesus, who picks me up when I stumble and fall to my knees in this dark valley and who is my life preserver when I feel like I am drowning in the abyss of my own tears. He is the one who whispers to me in the darkness of this valley and lets me know that there is light on the other side.
So yes my faith is strong! Even on my worst days, when I don't feel strong, or feel blessed, I KNOW THAT I AM!! I know that this is but a season and will not last forever. I know that whether in the Valley or on the Mountain top the "SON" will still rise!!
While I am being sustained by God's grace, I have FAITH that I will soon step into a Mountain Top season!

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

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http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Halloween By Any Other Name ... Is It The Same?

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Back in 2007 when I first started blogging my second blog post was short and sweet and too the point. It was simply about whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween. The text of the post is included below:

Halloween ...Yes or No?
Should Christians celebrate Halloween? If you do not celebrate Halloween is it OK to have another celebration on the same night but call it something else? For example on October 31st some churches have a Hallelujah Night, or a Harvest celebration. Does changing the name of your celebration change the impact of Halloween?

So here I am two years later asking the same questions.
If you DO NOT celebrate Halloween, do you think it is okay to have a celebration on the same night but give it a different name? If it is still on Halloween night, what is the significance of changing the name of your celebration? Do you call it a Halloween celebration, Hallelujah celebration or Harvest celebration? Why?

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http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

If You Want Something You've Never Had...

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:51:00 +0000

If you want something you've never had, then you have to do something you've never done! I KNOW you have heard this saying before. Especially some of you Christian folks! This is the war cry or motto that precedes some changes in lifestyle, or attitude or altitude!
Well any of you who know my mother, also know that she has had a van forever. She's had a white van (the ice cream truck), a gray van (the gray lady), and of course the last one, the blue Honda Odyssey van (the space shuttle). Well two weekends ago my mother went to the "Woman Thou Art Loosed" conference and a spiritual breakthrough. The next thing we know, she is taking the van in for an oil change and come back in a CAR! That's right she traded in the van for a CAR!! If you knew my mother you would know how strange this is. She loves vans, or so we thought. But evidently she trying something different. Very Interesting. She said she just wanted to try something different, so she traded the van in. WOW!!
But, we really know she was just tired of all these folks jumping in her van every time it pulled out!!

And Off She Goes!!

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http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Hard Rock Cafe', All Things Are Possible!

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:14:00 +0000

If you are a true follower of my blog, close friend or family member you know that my oldest daughter has been in Le Cordon Bleu culinary school for over a year. She is nearing the end of her time in school and is only a couple of months away from obtaining her Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts! Her school, Le Cordon Bleu Dallas has recently added the Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Management and my daughter is anxiously anticipating entering this program. YES, CHEF!
So, anyway, the Chef-in-Training was down to the wire with finding a location to do her externship. She wanted to do it on a cruise ship but that did not happen. she was frustrated and scared because without that externship she can not graduate, so it was a very tense few weeks for her. HOWEVER, God intervened and and once again proved Himself faithful! Chef-in-Training got her externship and is pretty pleased about it. She is working in the heart of downtown Dallas at the HARD ROCK CAFE'!! Oh Yea and she LOVES IT!! She comes home tired BUT happy. There is the potential that this externship will become a full-time job, so we are praying for that. She has even spotted a few apartment buildings that she is thinking about living in. She is definitely heading for single, city living.

The Chef-in-Training is entertaining the idea of getting an apartment with 2 of her classmates from Le Cordon Bleu. One of her classmates is working with her at The Hard Rock and one is currently externing in Florida. I think they will do great living in the heart of Dallas!

Chef-in-Training & friend after a hard day of work!

I'm excited for the Chef-in-Training. She has come a very long way from the shy, introverted little girl, who dropped out of high school and struggled with her education and herself for years. It is hard as a parent to see your child struggle, and struggle and not be able to help them. But there were hurdles she had to get over on her own (Her & God). And she has done that! A girl who struggled so much with school that she she dropped out, has obtained her GED, is in an accelerated program at one of the premier culinary schools in the country, is anticipating going into a BA program, is planning to open her own culinary business, is looking at apartments in the city of Dallas, but most importantly has let God work on her. she has learned to love herself and value herself the way that God loves her. she is precious in His eyes, my eyes and HER OWN EYES! Life Lesson #1, be the best You that God knows you can be!!
I am blessed to have such a wonderful daughter! She is AWESOME!(...and she can cook!)

If you EVER doubt the power of God come see me, I have a bunch of testimonies to share!!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Wordless Wednesday #44 - Hard Rock!!

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:46:00 +0000

HARD ROCK CAFE'

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http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Soon And Very Soon....

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:56:00 +0000

If you have been following this blog for the past year and a half you know of my total and complete love for my granddaughter "The Little Princess". You should also know that my heart felt trampled and crushed when she moved back to New York. I have not gotten over her being gone but I am dealing with it a little better.
Now my time is being occupied by the upcoming birth of my second grandchild! Yep, If you do not keep up with me on face book then you missed the big news & announcement! I am about to be a GRANDMOTHER! ...Again! Do you have children or grandchildren? If so than you know how expensive baby items are. I will definitely need the services of a quick cash advance loan service! I have never used a loan service before but this baby looks expensive! My middle daughter "The Rebel" is about to give birth to a little baby boy! The baby is due in early November, and I am hoping it is NOT on November 13th!! I already share my birthday with my son, I do not need a grandson sharing the same day as well! I think the best day for this child to be born would be November 3rd because that is "The Rebel's" birthday and now THAT would be poetic justice! This baby will be here Soon, very soon and I need cash now to prepare... and to just SHOP!
So anyway, the mom to be is busy trying to think of names for this bundle of joy she is about to have. She wants the baby's name to have the same initials as her name so she is having a hard time finding things that seem to fit and flow nicely together. I am confident that when the time is right she will have that name ready to roll!!
This grandson of mine is obviously not shy, as evidenced by the ultrasound pictures! He showed more of his private parts then he did his face. He took great joy in showing off his penis and testicles to the world with uninhibited pride!

See what I mean!

So, here we go again with this overwhelming urge to go out and SHOP, SHOP, SHOP!

Pray for me!!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Self Esteem, Your Daughter And Dove.

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:52:00 +0000

Do you use Dove products? I do sometimes but they tend to be a little pricey for me. Did you know that when you buy Dove products a portion of the proceeds go to Dove's self-esteem campaign. I may have to invest a little more money into Dove products because Dove sponsors and supports self-esteem in young girls. If you have daughters then you know how important a good self-esteem is. today's youth suffer from untold bullying, low self esteem, poor self image and unbelievable peer pressure. But have you noticed how much pressure today's youth is under from television and movies and videos? Today's youth, especially girls are pressured to look a certain way in order to be beautiful. If they do not have a strong support system at home they risk falling prey to the media's criteria of beauty. The media tells them what body type and size is acceptable, what shade of skin, what style of hair, type of clothes, etc. If no one is counter-acting the poison the media is feeding them then they will lose themselves and become what the media thinks they should be.
Dove has a self esteem series, a few short films and down-loadable material including discussion guides to help in the effort to make our young ladies value the skin they are in.
Check out Dove's Campaign For Real Beauty online... HERE!

Isn't your daughter worth it??
Mine Is!

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http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Wordless Wednesday #43 - Over Crowded

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:19:00 +0000

I have not done a WORDLESS WEDNESDAY in a while... But I'm back!

OVER-CROWDED...We are losing our Young People...

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http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Old School Friday Has Moved!!

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:34:00 +0000

HELLO FAMILY!!
If you are looking for my Old School Friday post please update your link because Old School Friday has out grown this spot! Old School Friday has moved to Regina's Old School Friday Spot!
So go by and check out some music there!!

Peace & Love!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Do You Use CVS Pharmacy?

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:50:00 +0000

I don't know about you and your preference of drugstores BUT if you happen to be using CVS I hope it treated you a lot better than it treated us. This has got to be the slowest and dumbest drugstore in creation!
My daughter's doctor called a prescription in to CVS for some iron pills. It was not a large order, or a complicated order, just one order of iron pills with 30 pills in the total order. We went to the pharmacy to pick up the pills. We stood online with about 20 other people for 20 minutes! The people behind the counter (and there were 4 of them) were super busy running around, answering the phone, packaging up stuff (I don't know what they were packaging because the line was not moving)! Finally it is our turn we give my daughter's name, insurance, and doctor's name and the chick behind the counter says 15 minutes (mind you the prescription was called in the day BEFORE!) so OK 15 minutes. We stand and wait ... 20 minutes, we sit and wait 10 more minutes... I go out to the car and talk to my mother for another 15-20 minutes...WTH!

While sitting in the car I happen to look up and I see a young Mexican lady come out the store, I don't know why but I watched her walk toward the street and while she is crossing the street my attention is drawn back to the store entrance where a black man and an older white man are standing there talking in a very animated fashion. I look back at the girl, who is now at the middle yellow lines waiting for the on coming traffic to slow. And I'm thinking to myself, huummm, interesting. I look back at the men in the doorway and they are looking both ways and then they run to the edge of the front of the store and are yelling at the girl and motioning for her to come back. In my mind I'm thinking, this chick stole something and I start laughing because no sooner do I complete this thought and the girl hears them yelling to her, she looks back, and then darts across the remaining traffic and runs down the block!! But the hilarious part is that by this time the traffic had stopped and the men COULD HAVE CAUGHT HER! If they had just broke into a sprint or something, because the girl had on FLIP-FLOPS!!! Seriously? How fast can you really run in those things?!? But they just stood there and watched her trot down the street and then they walked back into the store! This all transpired in the space of about 10 minutes and mind you I am STILL sitting in the car waiting for my daughters to come out!
So FINALLY my daughters come out the store and said, "Some chick in flip-flops stole something AND got away down the block!! She probably got tired of waiting in line!!" They said, "we saw her in the cosmetics section and then she came and stood in the pharmacy section and then she walked out the store"!

Ridiculous!! It took about an hour and a half to get 30 pills from the pharmacy. And can I just say these were not loos pills that need to be counted. No, no no! Theses were pills in 3 inch packets, with 10 pills per packet. So the pharmacy people had to count out 3 PACKETS! That's right, 1, 2, 3, Yes Three packets!!!!!! It took almost 2 hours for them to give my daughter 3 packets that were called in the day before! Freaking ridiculous!! My daughter had another doctor visit 2 days later, at which time the doctor gave her a prescription for pre-natal vitamins...OMG! This time I did not go with her to the pharmacy. Her and her cousins went ... she had to go back twice and finally got the vitamins ...THE NEXT DAY!!

Yep, next doctor visit (which happens to be today) we are going to give the doctor the number to the Walgreen's pharmacy. It is further from us but CVS is just ridiculous!!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Old School Friday #84 "Songs To Exercise To...."

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:53:00 +0000

It is Friday again!! THE WEEKEND IS UPON US!!
Time for Old School Friday! The time of the week when I get to roam around the Internet and listen to good music! I LOVE MUSIC!! So Old School Friday is the height of my week. Today's theme is a lesson in movement! What songs make you want to move your body enough to exercise to it!?!
Today's Old School Friday Theme is:

"Songs To Exercise To..."

Ms Grapevine and MsMarvalus have teamed up to create a meme titled Old School Friday. To join in the Old School Friday Fun go HERE for guidelines. Here are the other OSF Participants:

- Electronic Village -Pam - pprscribe -

- Ms Grapevine - Pirouette -Quick - Vérité Parlant

-Marty - irie gal -Mahogany -Hagar's Daughter - Lisa C

- DP - Dallassouth - - The Connoisseur -

- Regina - MsMarvalus - Clnmike - Vivrant Thing

-AJ - Sharon - RevvyRev - Prof. PC - Invisible Woman

-- Cooper - SJP -Bria - BklynQueen 86 - Hey Shae -

- From the Battlefield - Thembi - D Spot - Malcolm -

-Pop Art Diva - Pjazzypar - MsLadyDeborah -

Archie Bell & the Drells - The Tighten Up

Well, it's not Old School but hey when I am in the gym the music that is in rotation on my mp3 the most is the Black Eye Peas!

Black eye peas - hey mama
Uploaded by mira_dyf. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Smash Mouth, All_Star 1999
Uploaded by harrison73. - Explore more music videos.

Happy Friday!!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Take It Off, Take It Off... Take Off The Weight!

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:14:00 +0000

Ahhhhhhh, product advertisement and testing! I Love it. I of course love giving my opinion!!
I was fortunate enough to be picked to try out a product that I have seen on television and in the stores but never picked up. I was one of the few chosen to participate in the "Slimshots" campaign.
I am currently going through a weight gain cycle! For years my weight has gone up and down like a yo-yo. There have been weight loss cycles and weight gain cycles, so as I said I am on a gain cycle. As you get older your body functions differently and I am finding that the weight I put on is getting harder and harder to take off again. Going to the gym and changing your diet are the best ways to loose weight, however sometimes they need assistance. I have tried a multitude of supplements, fat blockers, water pills, appetite suppressants, pills, shakes, counting calories, counting carbs and the list goes on and on. So when the opportunity came up to participate in this SlimShots campaign I was very excited. This may be the only thing on the market that I have not tried.
When I finally received my package in the mail I was excited! Time to begin again and try something new. I joined a gym and but due to financial situations and transportation issues I could not go as regular as I wanted to. HOWEVER, those issues appear to be behind me and I am back on my gym mission so the SlimShot campaign came along at the perfect time!

So, the SlimShot is an appetite controller. It allegedly suppresses hunger for up to 4 hours. It does not contain caffeine or other harmful ingredients that can make you feel edgy, fidgety or shaky like ephedrine. Trust me, I have tried a multitude of diet pills and had all types of feelings from shaky to dizzy. Each shot is only 20 calories and to start you take two shots a day. Slim Shots come in two flavors. Chocolate and Vanilla. The package that I received was the chocolate. This was very disappointing to me because I DO NOT like chocolate! But I decided to go ahead and try it any way, and the flavor was surprisingly very light! There is a very light hint of chocolate flavor, which is not over powering at all. I took the shot right before I ate and did not mix it in my food. I refrigerated it first so that it would not taste like hot chocolate! It was quick, and went down smooth. I do have one complaint and that is that after I took the shot it left a chalky residue on my tongue that I did not like. However after I ate the residue was gone.

Tomorrow I will see how I like it mixed in with my food.
For the first complete day of taking them, I must say it was not bad at all. The chocolate flavor was very light. There was no big pill to stick in your throat requiring 2-3 cups of water to wash it down. There was no jittery after effects. No headaches and crashing. But best of all I did not feel hungry or feel like I was depriving myself of food causing a food overload later on at night!
So there you have it! I give SlimShots a thumbs up!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

Old School Friday #83 "A Tribute To The One I'm Missing The Most...."

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:11:00 +0000

Time for Old School Friday! The time of the week when I get to roam around the Internet and listen to good music! I LOVE MUSIC!! So Old School Friday is the height of my week. Today's theme is an interesting one because I did not know who or what to focus on! My first thought on this theme was I am paying tribute to past singers, dead singers, alive singers, people in my family??? There were so many variables! So I decided to do a tribute to the person that I AM MISSING THE MOST RIGHT NOW...
Today's Old School Friday Theme is:

"A Tribute To The One I'm Missing The Most..."

Ms Grapevine and MsMarvalus have teamed up to create a meme titled Old School Friday. To join in the Old School Friday Fun go HERE for guidelines. Here are the other OSF Participants:

- Electronic Village -Pam - pprscribe -

- Ms Grapevine - Pirouette -Quick - Vérité Parlant

-Marty - Kevin - irie gal -Mahogany -Hagar's Daughter - Lisa C

-Chocl8t - DP - Dallassouth - - The Connoisseur -

- Regina - MsMarvalus - Clnmike - Vivrant Thing

-AJ - Sharon - RevvyRev - Prof. PC - Invisible Woman

-- Cooper - SJP -Bria - BklynQueen 86 - Hey Shae -

- From the Battlefield - Thembi - D Spot - Malcolm -

-Pop Art Diva - Pjazzypar - MsLadyDeborah -

We had a morning routine and it included these shows!
The Backyardigans

Dora The Explorer

But by the end of the day she always wanted to hear this...
Move It!

Yep, this shout out is for my Little Princess!

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/

The Storm Is Over ...... Now What?

geegeejegar@gmail.com (Regina) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:50:00 +0000

Yesterday was the first day in almost two weeks that was not rainy here in Arlington, Texas. The day was beautiful, cool, and the sun could be seen breaking through the clouds to dry up everything. My sister and I and a few of our children decided to get out and drive around enjoying the day. It was an AWESOME idea! I tried to catch the perfect picture of the clouds parting and the sunlight streaming through.

This picture is not as perfect as actually looking up into the sky but it will have to do!
This one looks as if the clouds are actually trying to escape the presence of the sun"SON"light!

You see when it is dark, cloudy and rainy it is too easy to get comfortable in our own dark dreariness. When it is dark and dreary outside we sometimes tend to let that take over our moods, our atmosphere, and even our thoughts. We become overly tired, complacent, lackadaisical, unmotivated, in essence we become mere shells or shadows of ourselves. Hence the blah feeling and the desire to just sleep when the weather is rainy. Some even hate the rain.

Yet, the rain has a purpose.
The rain washes away the old, it washes away the dirt, it washes away the waste.
The rain waters seeds and nourishes crops to bring forth new harvests.
Storms bring destruction and tear down the old but after the storm passes there is room for the building up of the new.

It often happens that in those dark and dreary times God is talking to us, trying to get our attention, trying to tell us something or trying to teach us something. Unfortunately we have receded so far into our own dark thoughts, dark dreariness, into our own self loathing, self deprivation, self deprecating and self destruction that we can not hear, can not learn and can not receive from God. We are so wrapped up in US and not open to HIM. We are blocking our own blessings, we are self destructing! But then, we blame God.

Are you in a dark rainy season? What is the purpose of this season for your life? Should you be planting, harvesting or threshing? Take some time to figure out what season you are in and what the storms mean for your life.

Leviticus 26:3-5 (New International Version)
(3 )If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, (4) I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. (5) Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

We need to get happy when a storm is coming because that means that God is communicating something to us. The coming storm could mean that when the storm is over there will either be a harvest OR the soil will be ready for the planting of new crops. The storm could signify a cleansing or the storm could mean a nourishing. A storm can signify many different things for many different people. You need to find out what the storm means for you and your walk of life.

I think for me the storm means a coming harvest. I sure receive and accept this in Jesus Name!
Deuteronomy 28:11-13 (New International Version)
(11) The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.
(12) The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. (13) The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Are you stuck in a rainy, dreary season?
What must you do to get out of it?
What does the storm mean for you?

Please visit my other blog:
http://reginathinks.wordpress.com/