Family

Introducing: Bailee’s Nail Box Children’s Book!

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It’s been a year in the making, but it’s officially here. My daughter has published her first children’s book titled, Bailee’s Nail Box. And she didn’t stop there, but she published a coloring and activity book to go along with it as well.

Why did it take so long? I will be honest, it was me. My daughter wrote this book in 2021, but then I had to find an editor, which was actually easy. The hard part was finding a good illustrator. After searching high and low, interviewing people, etc., we found a great company. They captured the essence of Bailee perfectly (and I even make an appearance or two in the book), but the process was just way longer than I expected. There were just so many approvals, changes (if something wasn’t right), but it took months longer to get this book in our hand.

Originally, I wanted this book as a surprise for her 8th grade graduation. Here we are in August, in full swing into her 9th grade year. However, we’re here!

Bailee’s new book, Bailee’s Nail Box, is for children ages 4-8 and based on Bailee’s journey with her love for nails and starting her business. She shares how going to the nail shop as a little girl transitioned into her own nail stand outside, to a full blown box that shipped all around the country.

It’s also about how she learns that change can be sad and hard, but can also be full of good surprises.

Read here to flash back when Bailee first started her business, and here we are today. I am proud of her for finishing this project and pray this is the first of many books for Bailee.

Her books are available on her site, www.BaileesNailBox.com.

Bailee’s Nail Box Children’s Book and Coloring/Activity Book
Food & Health

How I Travel in Summer with FreeStyle Libre 2 System

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freestyle libre 2

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Abbott Diabetes Care, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What does Summertime mean to you? For me it means relaxation. Whether it’s a staycation in my own city, visiting my mother in another state, or taking a trip to a new destination, I’m going to find a place and time to relax. I’m excited because I just went on a girl’s trip weekend cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. 

However, with Type 1 Diabetes, you can’t always just grab a bag and go. There’s always a plan in place. For my girls’ cruise trip to Cozumel, I had to map out what I need to take especially since it’s an international trip. Normally, I would have to count out how many finger strips I need to check my glucose. If I’m checking it at least 4-6 times a day, for 5 days that’s at least 20 – 30 strips plus or minus 5 for any mistakes. With that also comes 20 – 30 needles, 20-25 alcohol pads (to clean my fingers before and after pricking them), a reader, a charger, and insulin for 5+ days…

Whew!

Benefits of traveling and using the Freestyle Libre 2 sensor

What’s been great over the last few summers is using the FreeStyle Libre 2 system, which is a continuous
glucose monitor (CGM), I have been able to eliminate the extra materials and devices that come with
traveling with diabetes. Now, I use the FreeSyle Libre 2 app* on my smartphone and scan the FreeStyle
Libre 2 sensor on my arm. Then, all I need is an extra sensor if I need to change it while on vacation. Talk
about a technology upgrade!

Benefits of traveling and using the Freestyle Libre 2 sensor:

  • If you’re traveling by air, you can have your sensors in a carry-on bag
  • It is water resistant, so you can swim † with the sensor
  • No more finger pricks ‡
  • Your phone acts as a reader* §

When you’re on the beach or at the pool, the last thing you want to do is prick your finger. But with the
FreeStyle Libre 2 system, it’s literally just scan and go. The sensor is comfortable to wear and applying it
is so easy #1,2 that I can do it anywhere † – I’ve applied my new sensor at track meets, in car rides, and the dinner table.

After you clean the area you’ll be applying your sensor, you snap the sensor applicator into the sensor and then push it firmly into your arm (you can watch this video on how to apply your FreeStyle Libre 2 sensor as well). Voila! You’re almost there. Then you just scan the device to start the activation process and you can get a glucose reading anytime**.

This summer is going to be busy. I will be at quite a few track meets around the country, visiting my mom
in Atlanta, cruising with the girls, and hopefully a romantic getaway with my favorite guy. Knowing that all I
need is my phone to check my glucose is the perfect piece of mind.

Indications and Important Safety Information​

Where are you headed to this summer? Wherever it may be, the FreeStyle Libre 2 system is the perfect
companion – check out https://www.freestyle.abbott/us-en/products/freestyle-libre-2.html to learn more
and see if it’s right for you.

Visit https://www.freestylelibre.us/safety-information.html for safety information.
* The FreeStyle Libre 2 app is only compatible with certain mobile devices and operating systems. Please
check our website for more information about device compatibility before using the app. Use of the
FreeStyle Libre 2 app requires registration with LibreView.
† Sensor is water-resistant in up to 1 meter (3 feet) of water. Do not immerse longer than 30 minutes. 
‡ Fingersticks are required if your glucose alarms and readings do not match symptoms or when you see
Check Blood Glucose symbol in the first twelve hours.

§ The FreeStyle Libre 2 app and the FreeStyle Libre 2 reader have similar but not identical features.
Fingersticks are required for treatment decisions when you see Check Blood Glucose symbol and when
your glucose alarms and readings from the system do not match symptoms or expectations.
#  Data from this study was collected with the outside US version of the FreeStyle Libre 14 day system.
FreeStyle Libre 2 has the same features as FreeStyle Libre 14 day system with optional real-time glucose
alarms. Therefore the study data is applicable to both products.
** Glucose readings are not available during 1-hour warm-up, when sensor is too hot or too cold, when
you see an error or "LO" or "HI" message, or no current glucose reading.
1. Haak, T. Diabetes Therapy (2017): https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-016-0223-6.
2. Campbell, F. Pediatric Diabetes (2018): https://doi.org/10.1111/pedi.12735.

The FreeStyle Libre 2 system is indicated for use in people with diabetes age 4 and older.
Medicare coverage is available for the FreeStyle Libre 2 system if the FreeStyle Libre 2 reader is used to
review glucose data on some days every month. Medicare and other third party payor criteria apply.
Abbott provides this information as a courtesy, it is subject to change and interpretation. The customer is
ultimately responsible for determining the appropriate codes, coverage, and payment policies for
individual patients. Abbott does not guarantee third party coverage or payment for our products or
reimburse customers for claims that are denied by third party payors.

Visit https://www.freestylelibre.us/safety-information.html for safety information.

Motivation Podcast

New Podcast Episode: Is Discipline Even Necessary?

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In this week’s podcast, I ask the question “Is Discipline even necessary?” In a world where people want things so quick and fast, some things still take time and consistency to achieve. I present 5 questions to ask yourself about discipline and where it fits in your life in addition to a few steps to get more discipline. I end with 10 traits discipline people have in common. LISTEN HERE

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. Email me at BernettaStyle@gmail.com

This podcast is sponsored by The Knighten Project. A non-profit organization the provides teens aging out of foster care with brand new suitcases filled with everyday essentials to aid them as they transition into adulthood. Learn more and make an impact at TheKnightenProject.org.

Finance Interviews

Strengthen your Money Relationship w/ Dr. Nicole Garner Scott (Dream Girl, Dream Podcast Interview)

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As a women or mom we need to know where are money is going and how to have our money working for us early in life. This conversation with Nicole goes deeper into why she enjoys helping people build their wealth and why she will be dreaming big until the very end. 

Dr. Nicole Garner Scott is a sought-after licensed Financial Consultant, speaker, author, and serial entrepreneur. Nicole received her undergraduate degree from Georgia State University, her MBA in digital entrepreneurship, and was awarded an honorary doctorate recognized for her work in business. A mother and wife, this native Atlantan is a TEDx speaker and has been recognized for her entrepreneurial innovation by the White House under the Obama administration as well as receiving the Mayoral Phoenix award which is the highest award bestowed by the city of Atlanta.

Her work as the founder of The Money Plan  (www.TheMoneyPlanInc.Com)  takes a unique approach in her practice by helping people achieve financial security through holistic integrative planning.  By connecting pieces of her client’s financial puzzle and determining if they are working together in a coordinated strategy, she helps create their ideal financial picture and map out their legacy.

IG:@DrGarnerScott @TheMoneyPlanInc

Website: http://themoneyplaninc.com

Interviews

Adventure is a Lifestyle w/ Lauren Gay (Dream Girl, Dream Podcast Interview)

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Listen to the full episode here: https://anchor.fm/bernetta-knighten/episodes/Adventure-is-a-Lifestyle-w-Lauren-Gay-e1g8cpe

I’m excited to start this season 3 opener with Travel influencer, Lauren Gay. She has truly made life an adventure and shares how and why she created this new life for herself and turned it into a profitable business. She also shares why she loves motivating Black women to step out of their comfort zone to do the same. Her website is https://outdoorsydiva.com/

Lauren Gay is the creator of Misadventures of an Outdoorsy Diva Blog,  host/producer of the award winning Adventure Is A Lifestyle Podcast, published photographer, speaker, consultant, on-air TV travel expert, and adventure coach.  She is a travel writer and social media influencer who is passionate about inspiring and empowering black women to step out of their comfort zones for new experiences in travel and adventure and embracing nature as therapy.  Lauren is also an empty nest mom and a dedicated long time advocate for racial diversity and inclusion in outdoor recreation and adventure travel and a founding member of the Black Travel Alliance.

Lauren has been featured as 2020-2022 USA Today Readers Choice Top 10 Adventure Travel Expert, on ABC News national syndicate, Huffington Post Travel, Conde Naste, Outdoor Families Online,  BBC Earth, Tampa Bay Parenting, Daytime TV Show, Great Day Live Tampa Bay TV show, National Geographic, and Morning Blend TV.

 
 
Family

You’re Invited to Our Virtual Wine Tasting Fundraiser

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May is National Foster Care Month. Started in 1988, The U.S. government has issued annual proclamations in recognition of National Foster Care Month, celebrated in May, to show appreciation and gratitude to foster parents across the nation. Although we are grateful for foster care parents, we also honor foster youth and support them as they age out of the system.

In honor of National Foster Care Month, Saturday, May 14th at 6pm we are hosting our First Virtual Wine Tasting Fundraiser and you’re invited! The tasting flights are $59. It includes a $15 credit towards 4 or more full size bottles from One Hope Wine.

10% of all sales go to our nonprofit The Knighten Project to aid in the purchase of new suitcases for teens aging out of foster care.

How will it work?

  1. Click https://bit.ly/winetasting22
  2. Order your Tasting Flights.
  3. Purchase your wine flights by April 30th to avoid shipping delays.
  4. Share the link with friends so they can join the wine tasting fundraiser and support The Knighten Project.
  5. Join the event via zoom on 5.14.22 at 6pm Zoom link: Meeting ID: 867 9634 8377 Passcode: 023387

** FYI ** If you want to purchase additional wines, or don’t want to attend the virtual wine tasting, but still want to support via this fundraiser, you can still order any wine off of this site and will still receive 10% of the sale. ** Link for all other orders: https://www.onehopewine.com/event/127552

Who is One Hope Wine?

A Winery That is Built on Hope and Rooted in Purpose. Like most stories worth telling, theirs begins with a group of friends, humble beginnings, and a skyward vision. They were working for some of the world’s largest wineries and they all felt an undeniable calling to do good. What started with 168 cases and a white pick-up has grown to become a state-of-the-art flagship winery in the heart of Napa Valley.

Their founders saw firsthand just how much impact a bottle of wine can have. They began hosting wine tastings to raise money for important causes and encouraged and inspired others to do the same. Today, ONEHOPE is one of the largest direct-to-consumer wineries in the world and has proudly donated over $8 million to local and global causes.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is shutterstock_401116690-scaled-e1618446286186-1024x612.jpg

Our Goal is to provide teens aging out of foster care with brand new suitcases filled with everyday essentials as they transition into adulthood.

FYI – 5 Facts about Teens Aging out of Foster Care

  1. 400,000 children There are over 400,000 children in foster care in the United States on any given day.
  2. Less than 3% earn a college degree by age 26.
  3. Only 50% find employment by age 24. Half of all foster youth who age out of the system are able to find a job that can support them. Those who do find employment tend not to earn much money. 
  4. 60% of young women who age out end up in the sex industry. With low prospects of employment and few career skills, many turn to the sex industry to support themselves. Sex work is a familiar avenue for many of these young women; 60% of all sex trafficking victims have a history in the child welfare system. 
  5. 25% of youth who age out are dealing with PTSD. Compared to 4% of the general population, 25% of foster youth who age out of the system are dealing with unaddressed PTSD. The vast majority of foster youth enter the system because of abuse or neglect, but even for those who have not been exposed to trauma, the foster care system can be an extremely traumatizing place. Uncertainty, a lack of healthy and stable relationships with adults, and the risk of abuse within foster care leaves many children with untreated PTSD after leaving the system.

if you offer any resources that will help these teens who are aging out, please let us know. We’d love to add your business to our resource list that goes in each one of our suitcases.

Event Recap

Supermom Culture Weekend

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The first weekend in February was spent in Atlanta at the very first Supermom Culture weekend. Our host was the owner of Supermom Culture, Trina Small. I know Trina from the blogging world and she has become a great business woman.

On Supermom weekend, we danced the first night away with Blue Chair Bay Rum, the sponsor with DJ Ty Alexander and conversations with Myleik Teele.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZmlbLOgW1f/

Saturday morning we started early with a dance work, led by Renate. OMG, I wish this lady was in Tampa. It was a good sweat for sure. That afternoon, we listened to a panel on motherhood and finances.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ7NM4SFXt0/

I was also able to speak and share a little about The Knighten Project. Trina chose The Knighten Project as her charity of choice this year, as a portion of the sales tickets will go towards my non-profit. The Knighten Project provides brand new suitcases for teens aging out of foster care and fill them everyday essentials. Trina’s donation will bless so many teens. We are SUPER grateful over here!

Saturday evening, we had so much fun at the Supermom comedy show. Every single comedian was funny! I went to the event alone but knew so many women from my blogging & business years. It was like a reunion for real.

And how can I forget about the SWAG bag! I don’t have pics of it because I had to make room in my suitcase (it was so much) and I was afraid I would have to leave some behind. But, I got it packed and once I arrived home, I just put it up. But OMG – it was massive! Outside of Blue Chair Bay Rum & Band-aids, every product was from a black women owned business.

If you follow Supermom Culture on IG, check out her recap of the event and don’t miss next year.

Family

My First Mother Son Queen’s Ball

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This past Saturday night I experienced my first Mother Son Dance. It seems like I’ve been waiting his whole life for an experience like this. My son is apart of Gentlemen’s Quest, and they held their first Queen’s Ball which was SO Memorable for me for a few reasons:

  • I’ve never been to a mother son dance (while the hubs & Bailee have been to countless father/daughter events)
  • My son was excited to take me and had so many hidden surprises.
  • Earl read a beautiful poem to me, he blessed the food for the room & he lead their dance performance (singing to ME) Boys to Men, Mama! Tears!! Really, I cried tears.
  • All of the sons read their moms a poem too btw.
  • We danced, ate good, laughed at the comedian and just made a beautiful memory.

Check out our IG video of my son and I getting ready

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ5boYtg3mk/

Gentlemen’s Quest of Tampa Inc. is dedicated to helping our program participants realize their full potential as students, make positive choices regarding their academics and behavior, and equip them with the skills necessary to become productive citizens after they graduate. To accomplish this mission, we host workshops and activities that will provide students with strategies to be successful in difficult situations. Students attend meetings that are structured and targeted. The academic and behavioral progress of the students are monitored regularly. Throughout this process, their intellectual, emotional, and relational capacity expands by providing key experiences that contribute to their developmental growth.

Here are a few pics and videos from the event. Get your tissues ready!

mother son

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ61hWpunt0/

I promise Boys II Men song, Mama, will forever have a whole new meaning to me. I probably won’t be able to listen to that song without crying now. Have you ever been to a Mothers Son dance? How was your experience?

Motivation

2021 was Officially the Year of “Me”, plus year in review highlights

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At first I kept it to myself. I went about of month and decided to share it with my husband. January 2nd is my birthday, so it’s always the start of “My New Year!” I told him that year 2021 was going to be the year of “Me”. He initially looked at me and shook his head slowly in agreement, not 100% knowing what the year of “Me” was, but understood he somehow was about to give me his full support. 

I explained that at first, I wasn’t going to say anything. This was a journey I wanted to take by myself. I didn’t even tell my best friend. However, I decided to tell him because he was going to start to see a different me, a me trying new things, a me going new places, a me expressing new emotions and I didn’t want him stopping me or questioning me, and I wanted him to know where this was coming from. 

The Year of “Me”

The year of “Me” is about me getting to know me, loving on me, and doing what I personally need to do to get in the best “me” mental space FOR ME which leads to a great outward expression in my life. I started a journal in January and wrote (whenever I felt like it) what I was feeling or dealing with at that moment in time. I would never go and look back. The goal was to read it at the end of the year to see my growth and if anything has changed for me or do I see things in a new perspective. 

Over the year, I put myself first without neglecting my family or responsibilities. I just found time for me. And although I feel I honestly always took care of myself. This year, I wanted to take it up a notch in many areas.

This year, I went back to therapy. Unfortunately, because of COVID, my therapist held her sessions via computer. That was good and bad. Good for her, but bad for me if my family was home. I had to find space to talk freely. 

I poured more into my body and skin. Being intentional with my workouts and how I want to feel and look as a woman of a particular age. 

I read (audio included) many new books , then put practices into use. I traveled places I haven’t traveled and just enjoyed seeing the beauty that God created. More walks alone and talks with God, which allowed me to learn more about my personal power. Those walks and talks, showed me who I was and what I could actually handle and let go off. 

Freedom

There are many more things that I could go on about what I did for “Me” this year, but I will spare you. In 2021 my word was Freedom. I didn’t realize until writing this post, that I actually feel FREE. When I choose Freedom, it was for a different reason. That reason was work/job related (which is still something I’m working towards). But this freedom I feel now it something totally unexpected and welcomed. Taking the time to get into “ME” gave me a new sense of Freedom (freedom from my past, freedom from who I used to be, freedom from standards I held myself to, freedom from mistakes that I held on too) and for that I’m grateful. 

Going into 2022, I’m going to continue the year of “Me” with a new word, FOCUSED. I like the new freedom that I have created for myself, but that brings me to somethings that I want to narrow down and focus even more on. Go deeper. And getting focused with a stronger intention will help me do that. 

I will leave you with this word. This is YOUR LIFE. Try your best to live it how you want it. Everyday you have is the youngest you will ever be, so stop waiting for later (if you can) to start something. START it now, even if it’s just a step towards the direction you want to go. Step. Jump. Walk. Just go in that direction. Believe in yourself more than anyone else and create the life YOU want to have. 

If you listen to Dani Faust podcast, Manifest it, Sis! she interviewed me and I briefly shared my Year of Me

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/manifest-it-sis/id1505113238 (fast forward to the last 3:45 second mark) 

Will you embark on the year of “You”? Using the Manifest Journal I created is a great tool as you go through your year. 

Here are some highlights of 2021 for me

  • January – turned 44
  • My son also got his driving permit. Lord be a protector. 
  • Feb – Our pool was complete
  • March – Bought our first 19 units with the Langston Real Estate Group in South Carolina
  • Finished our office renovation
  • New headshots and podcast cover
  • April  – Launched my new & improved Manifest Journal on Amazon
  • June – Summer Donation campaign for teens aging out of foster care headed to college
  • September – celebrated year 18 (marriage anniversary)
  • October – Son became an author
  • We were featured on our local abc action news for The Knighten Project
  • November – attended our first Diner en Blanc
  • Publix agreed to be our first corporate sponsor and added giftcards in our first 25 suitcases – https://www.instagram.com/p/CWLfCp9llao/
  • My Manifest Journal was Published in Black Enterprise
  • December – completed another holiday packing w/ purpose donation drive. We decided to go full time with Packing with Purpose and now collect suitcases & items all year long.
  • Bailee inducted into the National Junior Honor Society

Trips

  • Atlanta
  • Phoenix
  • Dallas
  • DC
  • Cancun

Brands I worked with

  • Sunny D
  • Moms Vote
  • Disney
  • Abbott Freestyle Libre
  • St. Jude
  • Warner Bros Movies
Motivation

My 28 Day Gratitude Challenge w/ the Magic was Mind Shifting

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Late last month, I was on Facebook (or Meta) in the Manifest it Sis! group and a friend wrote that she was about do a 28 day challenge with the book, The Magic, by Rhonda Byrne. I have read Rhonda’s book, the Secret but didn’t know about her book, The Magic. I was intrigued, so off to Amazon I went. This book has over 9,105 reviews with a 5 star rating. After reading review after review after review … I told Michelle I was in and we started the challenge November 1st.

The Magic is an interesting title. I had no idea (before reading this book) what the “Magic” was or how it worked. I soon learned that the Magic was “Gratitude”. That’s right, the magic is gratitude is and how do you activate it – by saying Thank you! Over the next 28 days, I would learn 28 different ways to show gratitude and why it’s important. I learned to say thank you for so many things that are easy to take for granted. I even wrote a letter saying thank you to someone/something that hurt me in the past (I didn’t send it but it was a great release).

The Law of Attraction

The magic shares about the law of attraction and constantly remind us that “like attract like” – whatever you think, whatever you feel, you attract to you. If you think about what you’re grateful for, “I had a great weekend with my son” and you sincerely feel the gratitude, the law of attraction says you must attract more of those things into your life. It works in the same way as metal being drawn to a magnet; your gratitude is magnetic, and the more gratitude you have, the more abundance your magnetize.

My Gratitude Blessings.

During this last 28 so many great things happened that … I’m just so grateful.

  • Unexpected $600 bonus from the firm I work for.
  • Thousands in donations for The Knighten Project.
  • Featured on abc action news Tampa with The Knighten Project.
  • Featured in Osprey Observer with The Knighten Project.
  • Publix became our first corporate sponsor for The Knighten Project and included in gift cards in our suitcases.
  • Featured in my firms Newsletter that resulted in more donations.
  • Surpassed our suitcase goal for our holiday suitcase donation drive.
  • Selected to facilitate a firmwide training at the firm I work with.
  • Raising almost $1000 from the firm I work for.
  • Doubled my stock trading my account. (then if I’m honest, made a bad trading decision and lost some money)
  • I got a call from a major tv show I wrote too, nothing came from it (yet)- but grateful for the call.
  • Finally hit 11k on IG
  • Got a new manager that is going to be a great addition to our team.
  • Free audible trial just in time to read/listen to Will Smith’s new book which came with great revelations
  • Found a great new track team for my daughter that’s 15 minutes from my house.
  • 2 Free tickets to a play at the Straz.
  • 2 free tickets to the Junior League of Tampa event
  • Health – the journey to stay healthy continues
  • My marriage – getting better and better
  • My children – staying happy and healthy
  • Catching the black Friday deals I wanted
  • Facebook approving The Knighten Project as an official non-profit and adding us to their charity database so now we can fundraise strickly from FB & IG
  • My church surprising me with a $1000 check for The Knighten Project.
  • The opportunity to be a charity of choice of another business/event that’s coming Feb 2022
  • Guest on the Manifest it Sis podcast.
  • Interviewed a cast member of BMF for my site (BernettaStyle)
  • Featured on Black Enterprise for my Manifest Journal 

And of course there were more things I was grateful for this month, but I can’t list them all. One of things that I do everyday because of the book is write down 10 things I’m grateful for and why. Then read them back and say Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. So, my gratitude book is full with so many things that I’m grateful past, present and future.

Read it for Yourself

This book has opened up a whole new realm for me. I’ve always been a grateful person, but now I see giving thanks on a whole new level. I even say thank you with a new pep in my tone. Its said with true gratitude, because I’m really thankful. I can’t even tell you how many times a day I now say thank you and to who I say it too (everybody!!!).

After reading this book, you won’t want to fix your mouth to complain because you will just realize how good God is to you and how much you really have to be grateful for. One more thing before I go … Oprah said that gratitude has power, I was in the presence of Steve Harvey and he said that same thing. I understood it, but this book really made me understand it’s power on a different level and put those practices into work. It’s more than just saying Thank you. It’s about really the feeling (energy) behind the thank you too. And the blessing just continue to come. There is a shift.

I hope this post was helpful. I also hope you read, The Magic, and do the 28 day challenge with a friend and see how your life can/will be changed if you let it. 9000+ reviews and still a 5 star rating – that says a lot.

Have you ever read the book? Please come back and tell me your experience!

Interviews

(Video) Interview w/ Starz BMF’s Eric Kofi Abrefa

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If you haven’t seen BMF – Black Mafia Family on Starz over the last couple of months, you’re really missing out on a cool show. What makes this show unique is that it’s based on a real family. BMF follows the story of the Flenory brothers Demetrius “Big Meech” & Terry to create the most prominent drug trafficking organization in the country known as the “Black Mafia Family”. Fun fact, the actual “Big Meech” is played by his son, “Little Meech”.

Inspired by the true story of one of the most influential crime families in the country, BMF shows the origins of the mafia in Detroit in the late 1980s, its expansion to Atlanta, and how the pursuit of the American dream eventually leads the operation to branch out from national drug distribution to hip-hop in the early 2000s. 

I was given a sneak peek of the first 6 episodes before it came out and I knew this was going to be a hit. I could not wait until everyone got to see what I saw and love & hate the characters I loved & hated! One of those characters that you would not want to meet on a light or dark street is Lamar.

Lamar isn’t based on one character, but a composite of many individuals The Flenorys experienced over the years in Detroit. On the show, he gets out of jail when he honestly should have gone into a mental institution to get help. He starts changing lives in the worst way. I promise in any scene he is in, I get scared. That means he is playing this role! He understood the assignment! hahaha!! I finally got to use that line! 

After reviewing the episodes, I was given the opportunity to get a quick interview with Eric Kofi Abrefa, who plays Lamar. 

Family

ABC Action News Shares The Knighten Project Suitcase Donation Drive

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They called me a Valrico mom on a mission. I was so excited and grateful that abc action news covered our story. Our charity, The Knighten Project is currently in the middle of our holiday donation drive, Packing with Purpose.

The goal is to collect at least 25 suitcases or enough money to purchase what we need for teens aging out of the foster care system. We plan to fill each suitcase with everyday essentials that they need as they transition out of foster care system before Christmas.

We actually collect items and give out filled brand new suitcases all year round now – which I’m so happy about. But our big give is December, with the collection period Oct. 15th – Dec. 15th.

The news came out to share our story, and you can see the full write up here.

Please share this video/article and learn more about The Knighten Project, our mission and donate if your hearts leads you too.

More that 24,000 kids age out of U.S. Foster Care each year. Without that support that comes from an adoptive family or permanency connection, these kids face instant homelessness. Every donation towards our Packing with Purpose Donation drive will make sure these teens are not forced to carry their personal items in a trash bag. No Trash Bags here!