Freckle juice by Judy Blume

Wonderful story about a grade school boy who desperately wants to look like someone else, and in the end learns to love himself just the way he is. Wonderful way for children to learn respect and self-esteem.
Andrew and Nicky are typical of children in that they think the features of others are better than their features so they have a desire to change. This story is a lesson in that reality of life, so it is a good one for children. A desire for change is sometimes good, but foolish when it is something that cannot be changed. Drastic attempts can lead to dire consequences and there will always be unscrupulous people who will offer you solutions that will not work and that may be dangerous.

Precious and the Boo Hag by Patricia C. McKissack & Onawumi Jean Moss

Never let strangers into the house! Mind your manners! Always tell the truth! This book teaches age-old childhood lessons in a fun way. When her big brother warns her about the Boo Hag, "She's tricky and she's scary and she tries to make you disobey yo' mama...Pruella is strange from head to toe. She aine none too smart, got no manners, hates clean water, can change her shape, and tells whoppers." Precious has no idea how tricky a Boo Hag can be. With quick wit (and hilarious sing-song taunts) Precious teaches the Boo Hag a lesson she won't soon forget.
I fell in love with this book the first time I read it. This book begs to be read aloud. It has predictability, repetition, and a child hero that outwits the villain. Children of all ages will love this story.

The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll by Patricia C. McKissack

This book resonates with me because of the lessons it teaches, but the great thing is that Patricia C. McKissack gets these lessons across so well that kids who read it won't feel like they're being "preached" at. Three of the most important lessons I got from the book are:

1. People are more important than things
First, McKissack does a beautiful job of demonstrating through a bit of humor that people are indeed more important than things. When Nella first claims Baby Betty as her own, she has a great time playing all alone with her...for a while. Then Nella gets increasingly frustrated when Baby Betty doesn't respond to her stories or songs until she finally sees her sisters in the other room having a great time playing together and feels sad and lonely. It's not until she invites her sisters to join her and Baby Betty for tea that she truly has a good time. In fact EVERYONE has a good time, and Nella is finally able to say it was the best Christmas ever.

2. Be thankful for what you have
The second lesson the book teaches us it to be thankful for what you have. The Pearson's have to fill the cracks and line the walls with newspaper to keep the cold out. They are in the Great Depression, and money (and work and food and toys) is hard to come by. Yet, when the girls receive their bags of raisins and nuts for Christmas, they are very pleased because it's the most they've ever received. And when they get the Baby Betty doll, they are excited beyond belief. Children who are used to receiving tons and tons of gifts may be horrified at the meager gifts the girls receive, and it's a perfect opportunity to let them know that are many kids out there who are less fortunate than them. It could also be a good time to introduce them to charitable giving and get them involved in helping out kids who are less fortunate. Perhaps volunteer at a local food bank, participate in a toy drive, or "adopt a family" for the holidays. Your children may have great pleasure going out and finding the "perfect" gift.

3. Share what you are fortunate enough to have Finally, McKissack shows us that by sharing what you do have, everyone wins. Nella is miserable until she asks her sisters to join in the fun and have tea with "their" Baby Betty doll. A great lesson, especially if you have kids who squabble over toys and other things a lot.

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe

This book is a must for all young African American girl's. I've loved this book ever since I saw it on "Reading Rainbow" as a child,(now the theme song is stuck in my head) . where the story is read by my favorite actress Phylicia Rashad. For whatever reason the book was burned into my memory and I was always delighted whenever it was featured on the show. The story, the illustrations... everything made a huge impression on me. SO, as an adult I was anxious-excited and anxious-apprehensive to find out if the book would still be as wonderful as I remembered. This story is definitely a book for the ages. It's part African fairy tale, part sibling rivalry story, It also teaches kids not to be vain and be selfish, but to be kind and help others. A tale of kindness and selfishness, and their corresponding consequences. A chance for girls to see that beauty goes deeper than the skin. Inner beauty will always out shine outter beauty any day. It also teaches kids not to be vain and be selfish, but to be kind and help others. One of the best books for children ever written. Ever. Complete with a surprise ending, a touch of magic, and a moral message, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters is a wonderful story, one book that every bookshelf must have. The story emphasizes the true ugliness of getting to the top no matter what, while at the same time showing the beauty of compassion, empathy, and taking the time to make true connections with others and embracing their essence. These are values that we must instill within our children: one cannot be mean to others and prosper on that.Kindness and gentleness can make good things happen in everyones life. People have to prove that they're worthy of someones love and respect.


A beautifully illustrated story where good triumphs over evil. Both sisters must pass several tests , in order to be considered the most beautiful and the most worthy daughter for the prince to marry, their true characters are tested, through these tests, It shows how people can be generous and kind or mean and selfish. It also describes the difference it makes to be kind. In the long run, the nice people get rewards that they deserve. While the ones that are only out for themselves are not rewarded. The moral of the story is, of course, that to be good and kind is far better than to be cold and mean; and how the force of personality can open a new life. Inspired by an African folktale, the two sisters are both beautiful, but the beauty of one, Manyara, is only external. Her sister, Nyasha, is beautiful inside and out. And her goodness doesn't consist just of doing what she's told to do. She's kind to all creatures, even Manyara. Furthermore, the king chooses her to be his queen not because of her beauty, but because he has secretly seen her her kindness and generosity (and her sister's meaness) in action. He chooses a good soul, not just a beautiful face. This African "Cinderella" folktale tells a much truer message than conventional European versions of the story. As the sister of our heroine is also beautiful and intelligent, the central character trait praised here is not beauty or charm, but kindness and compassion.

And as if that weren't enough, the illustrations in this book are sheer magic, breathtaking; they are artwork unto themselves, absolutely beautiful. The details almost look more life-like than photographs. The way lighting is used is amazing, and they are just stunning pictures. This is a book that touched me deeply as a child and still does to this day

Striped Ice Cream by Joan M. Lexau

I remember reading this for the first time at about the age of 9 and loving it. I recently picked up a copy for my collection of childhood favorites and have re-read it several times since. The story still rings with impact and life-lessons that still apply in today's world. Becky's insights are wise beyond her own years, and the journey to her birthday is unforgettable. Despite their lack of money, the family dearly loves one another . The characters are so real, and you become involved in what they feel. The mother does a fantastic job of being a single parent to five children during a time (1960's?) when it was neither common or accepted. Inspite of difficult times, the family's strong ties to each other and their fine character would serve as excellent role models for any child today. The main story line is "peppered" with moments of humor and warmth of a close family. Despite family hardships and personal sadness, Becky finds happiness in the smallest pleasures--a new dress, spaghetti with chicken and striped ice cream It still made me cry at the end. I love the story and characters in this book.

Hot wheels and Lip balm

Okay, received a email asking for advice, this mom states that every time she goes into a store with her kiddos, they always asked for candy when its time to check out. Well for my household , I don't see nothing wrong with buying your kiddos treats at the grocery store. However I do extremely limit my kids candy intake. So instead of candy when we check out at our local Krogers since that is where I do majority of our shopping , luvbug gets to pick out a new hot wheels car and ladybug gets to pick out lip balm. Both are between .88-$1 so it comes out to the same as if I was buying a piece of candy only this doesn't rot their teeth. Take for granted I now have a house full of hot wheels and lip balm but I would rather have that then them eating candy.

Too Much Screen Time????

Okay I must admit that I am one of those moms who allows the iPad to babysit her kiddos just so she can get some work done. My children have iPads , not because the are good learning tools but because they are also good distraction tools as well. If I need to cook, do a load of laundry or write a blog post with out being bothered then they get their iPads and can play away. Heck we even take the iPads with us in the car just to keep them occupied.

Now are they receiving too much screen time from them? I would say no cause unlike the television, the iPad interacts with them when I need them to be distracted. Case in point , We were at Sal and Mookies new york pizza and ice cream joint for dinner with my guy- friend (I will blog about him later <3 ) . We were having adult talk and the kiddos were occupied with their iPads. One was playing child friendly learning apps and the other was watching super why! ; both had on headphones and were in their own little world. We kept getting these weird looks from the family next to us. It gotten to the point to where the woman came to me and asked if I would take the iPad away from my kiddos cause they are a distraction for her kiddos who no longer want to engaged in a conversation but are now trying to get down and run around and come play with the iPad, and wouldn't it be nice if we had a family conversation like her family is having without technology getting in the way. I smiled , politely told her that we will do no such thing cause the iPads are serving a purpose right now. And please don't blame my kiddos who are seated quietly on the fact as why your brats are screaming and running around the resturant. (that's one of the downsides of living in the south, everyone and I mean everyone, from down right to complete strangers will give you unsolicited parenting advice). After that they asked the waiter to move them away from us , which was fine with me. My guy-friend was like how dare she try to blame us for her kids behavior cause they were seated before us , and her kids were running around the restaurant when we got there.

Letting kids use or own iPads is controversial. Parents, teachers and others aren’t so sure about letting kids get sucked into yet another electronic diversion. Pilot programs at a few schools around the country to experiment with iPad-based learning tools are often met with criticism by parents and teachers alike.

Everybody’s asking: Are iPads healthy for children?

I’m here to tell you: That’s the wrong question.

The right question is this: Is the iPad a healthy *replacement* for TV? And I believe the answer is a resounding yes.

The iPad is scary because it’s new. But most parents have already accepted a gigantic role for something truly in the lives of their children: television. The content kids see on their TV sets is mostly mind-numbing, soul-deadening, formulaic consumerist crap, punctuated by sophisticated ad campaigns designed to transform children into mindless consumers.

When parents complain about inappropriate shows or advertising on TV, they’re told by society: Well, you should watch TV with your kids and discuss the programming, or get a V chip.

Gosh, thanks, society!

As any parent will tell you, managing what kids watch on TV is far easier said than done. Real life is busy and hectic. Working families undergo pressures from every direction, and spend their days scrambling to keep up. Parents simply don’t have time to hover over their children’s media consumption. The reality is that for a long list of reasons, American parents let their kids watch TV. A lot of TV.

Kids spend more time watching TV than they do in class (1,500 hours on TV per year vs. 900 hours in school). More than two-thirds of daycare centers let kids watch TV during day-care hours. One-quarter of preschoolers, half of school age children and two-thirds of teenagers have TV sets in their bedrooms. Two thirds of American families watch TV while eating dinner. It gets worse: The average American child watches 20,000 TV commercials per year. The number-one category of product advertised on children’s TV shows is junk food. And even children’s shows themselves have constant references and even product placement for the worst kind of junk food.

I could go on for pages. The bottom line is that TV is a massive, negative, toxic, unhealthy influence in the lives of American children. I think parents already know this. Television dominates childhood for a very simple reason: It satisfies everyone’s basic requirements. Children want to be stimulated with humor, drama, fun and novelty. Parents need a break.
That’s why fearing the iPad is such a colossal error. The iPad isn’t a new problem. The iPad is a new solution to an old problem. By *replacing* TV time with iPad use, parents can dramatically improve the lives of their children.
From a parent’s perspective, the iPad is superior to a TV in every significant way:

* The iPad has far fewer, far less harmful ads than TV. It can even be rendered “commercial-free.” Imagine that.

* The iPad is interactive, for the most part, rather than passive. Instead of just staring motionless at TV, kids could be solving puzzles, actively playing games, typing, drawing and other activities.

* Parents can control iPad content. The App Store contains literally thousands of educational children’s books, games and other apps. By not sharing the iTunes password with children, parents can have total control over what’s on that iPad. By not connecting it to the Wi-Fi network, parents can easily prevent even Internet surfing.

* The iPad can be made age-appropriate. Who knows what kids are watching on TV in their bedrooms? It’s common for children to be attracted to programming for teens, and for teens to watch programming for adults.

* The iPad can be taken outside.

* The iPad can encourage the following of curiosity and discovery. By loading that sucker with a huge number of educational programs, kids can explore and search and discover what their interests really are, rather than being spoon-fed a celebrity-obsessed, shallow and limited set of interests by the commercial-driven TV industry.

* The iPad builds skills. By using an iPad, children can learn typing, multi-touch navigation, problem solving (with puzzles and games) and many other skills. Watching TV imparts zero valuable skills.

* The iPad can actually facilitate parenting. One example of many is a new app called “You Did It!,” which lets kids earn points for doing their chores.

Rather than fretting about whether an iPad is unhealthy for their kids, parents should instead be thanking their lucky stars that something highly educational and parent-controllable has finally come along that kids enjoy using at least as much as the TV. If you want to argue that electronic, screen-driven devices *in general* are bad for kids, I can’t really disagree with that. But if you believe that iPads are worse than the TV kids are already watching — well, that’s an argument I’d love to hear.

My advice to parents: Unplug that TV and run, don’t walk, to Toys R Us and buy each of your kids an iPad 2 — before TV turns them into “average Americans.”

Long Night Ahead!!!!

So the kiddos have taken a late extra late nap, which when it went on for 4 hours I thought they were down for the night thinking that missing nap time didn't really affect them. Boy was I wrong. Now I have hungry children who are full of energy and up playing. So what is this momma to do? Dope them up on Benadryl...NO!!!! That wouldn't be right or would it???? I guess I will Brew some coffee, make them a snack , grab the iPad and start working on the blog posts in my memo section that are waiting to be publish. While Hot wheels and little people play sets are being played with. So look out cause blogs are a coming!

Porsha Stewart called Kenya Moore out on a lie

Okay so I haven't been a big fan of Kenya Moore this season on the real housewives of atlanta , She does a lot of dirty , vindictive things and then acts like the victim when the tables are turned. Hell girl if you can dish it then take it. However, I have to give props to Porsha aka Miss Dumb Dumb for bringing out the fact that our Kenya Moore was not the first black Miss USA. In fact the first black Miss USA was Carole Gist also from Detroit , Michigan who won the crown in 1990. I wonder how does Carole feel with Kenya going around telling people that she is the first miss black USA when in all factuality Carole is ? I wonder why can't Kenya own up to the fact that she was actually the second black lady to win the title of Miss USA? Still that is an important achievement and she is still apart of history although second isn't first but she still is apart of history. So I did some research on the lovely Ms Carole Gist and found out that she is of mixed African-American and Cherokee heritage; so maybe that is why Kenya doesn't see her as fully black and thinks she deserves the title of the first black Miss USA or maybe in Kenya Moore's world., Claiming to be the first black Miss USA ; what she was meaning was, she is the first black dark skinned miss USA , seeing how Carole gist is fairly light skinned. And for Kenya to get upset at the reunion when the truth came out was crazy! Girl this is the information age and everyone owns a smartphone with the ability to get on the Internet to do a google search so the truth was going to come out eventually. And side note where did she get off acting like she is the one who made the Atlanta housewives show what it is today , like there wouldn't even be a show if it wasn't for her? Who does she think she is again? Trying to say that certain cast members wouldn't be relevant if it wasn't for her???? Lady get a life , and further more, Miss Moore, what multi-million dollar films have you produce? You claim that is all you produce and lastly what is up with that god awful dress with the flesh cover netting ? It looked like a high school home EC project. Did you not have the boobs to where a sleeveless dress? Keep fanning yourself with that fan honey, hopefully you can get some oxygen to those two little brain cells you have left. Now you tweeted that you were fanning your haters but in reality were you just fanning yourself because you were having hot flashes?

I hate shopping with the kiddos

Before kids , I enjoyed spending all day shopping , when they were infants I still enjoyed it cause they would either sleep in the stroller or the moby wrap while we would be out shopping. Now , I dread a shopping trip, I have to plan it out like I am going to war. This mean that the trip cannot occur around , nap time, snack time or lunch or dinner. Then I have to already know what I want to get from the store , make a mad dash inside the store, retrieve our items for purchase checkout all before someone have a meltdown. So now I spend alot of time online looking at stuff like example , I needed a new potty chair, so instead of going to target or Walmart to pick out one I had to browse them online first so I could know which one I wanted cause heaven forbid we walk into the store and I wanted to spend time comparing and looking at each potty the store had to offer. Going to the mall for clothing is the same way only harder, cause I want to take the time to look at the clothes and have my kiddos try them on. They are only normal for like the first 30 minutes in the store and will only try on one outfit. Grocery shopping, even though I have the list in hand .... It is still a problem. Someone is either wanting everything from the basket to throw on the floor , they want to hold everything or get down to run over the store, or take stuff down from the shelves . I have to concentrate on so much stuff at one time and I always check out the store forgetting to buy something on the list and always buying something that wasn't on the list but i didn't realize that some small human put it in the basket until we got home. Also I hate those grocery stores that have the car carts because my kiddos get in those and then they can get out freely to run over the store, whose idea was that? So on the rare occasions that I can go shopping by myself , it is like going on vacation. And I can take my time looking at each and every little thing.

My Kid A Bully?

So we are at the indoor play area for toddlers / preschoolers in our local mall and my Luv bug is playing with his little toy lightening McQueen car and his build a bear dog right at my feet, just as happy as he could be in his own little world. My lady bug was busy playing in the playhouse with her build a bear. It was relaxing not that much traffic in the area , for it was still early in the morning and we had just came by from stopping in build a bear first. I was sitting on the bench sipping my sweet tea from chick fila watching them have fun. Another little girl and her mom came in the play area And she and my ladybug played and played then they left and once again it was just us in the play area. I would say after about 10 minutes another mom came in with her two boys. We smiled at each other and watch our kids play. Then I heard a stop it you can't touch, I look at see this lady son, putting his hands in my daughters face telling her she couldn't touch the huge toy piano on the wall. My ladybug just moved away from him and went to playing in another part. Then I hear give it back and I notice that the other child has taken her bear and is running with it and his mom intervene saying give it back to her and the kid is telling the mom no and she is looking at him saying okay I need you to make the right choice and the kid is steadily saying no. So after we get the bear back my lady bug brings it over to me and I tell her to let's just put the bear in his little cardboard house that they give you from build a bear. My luvbug is still in his own little world playing with his toy car and dog at my feet. So I try to encourage my ladybug to continue playing just far away from those boys as possible. But everywhere she went they went and then they blocked her from getting inside the little playhouse so she came and sat by me and asked for a snack , I gave her some Cheetos and a juice box. ladybug was now happy and luvbug was still in his own little world just playing away. Then one of the little boys came in front of luvbug and just snatch the toy car that he was playing with in his hands, he just walked right up and took the car right from his hands. Luvbug cried and chase the little boy with a raise hand as though to hit him, luvbug caught up with him and proceeded to hit him . The other mom looks at me as I grab my child saying , you need to control your kid , hands are not for hitting , he is such a bully. And her little brat goes yeah no hit no hit. I am like , me control my kid ? Lady your kid is the one who walked up to a child younger than him and took a toy away , not to mention earlier he took away my other kid 's bear. So the fact that he got hit is a good lesson for him. So teach your brats not to bully younger kids cause my child was defending himself. Now before someone starts to email me and making rude comments. Let me explain this further, No I don't condone hitting, but I am glad my child defended himself from a bigger kid. In no shape way or form is my kid a bully. But he will not be push around by someone either.

The Death of A husband

As my little ones play on the floor in front of my bed .... My mind wonders to Eneke smith the widow of the Detective Eric Smith. My heart aches for her because I know all to well the pain that she is in right now. Widows like me seem to ban together because the grief we face is so unreal. She and her husband work in the same building .... I am sure she has to walk by the room in which her husband was murdered and I know how it is when I go by the street corner my husband died, your heart stops. Even as I approach the corner I am like my husband was alive until he reach this spot. I can feel her pain as shots rang out and not knowing what was going on but running to the scene only to find out that the officer down was your husband. I am positive that moments before that, she was probably planning what she would cook that evening when they got home for work, or making plans for summer. Never thinking that today when we go to work at 5:40 I will join the widow club. I am sure that she woke up this morning thinking everything was just a dream and that her husband would be laying beside her like the previous night, not knowing that was their last night together. I know it's some nights and mornings that I have to wake up and tell myself that my husband is dead ......gone forever .....that I must raise our children alone. All the plans we made together will never happen. Whenever I attend weddings now , I always cringe at the till death do us part , portion of the ceremony. Cause in that moment , you never think about one of you dying. And having your husband die unexpected brings about a different type of grief. So many what ifs come across your mind. What if I did this? What if I kept him longer, what if I said this? Did I know this would be the last time we speak? It's a different cross to carry when you know that five minutes ago you saw your husband alive and then five minutes later he was dead. That type of grief never goes away. It's something that we learn to live with. It has become my new normal to wake up every morning and remind myself that hemp husband is no longer with my family. For the longest on the day of the week he died it was like reliving the nightmare over again. I would stare at the clock and be like its noon.....he's on his lunch break, he will be home in a few minutes to eat then back out the door. ...then more time goes by and I am like okay it's 2p.....we just talked on the phone, and made plans for our anniversary. Then the clock strikes 3:39 and I am like omg he's dead now. I am positive that while we are all watching the news ..... Detective Smith's widow has turned off her tv , so she doesn't have to hear the constant reminder of yesterdays tragic events. Everything seems so unreal when you lose your husband in this manner. You start to think of so many things that you didn't say to him. So many things that you could have said and wanted to say to him. Then you have to think of how to break the news to your children. Being a widow is something that no friend who isn't a widow or have never been a widow will never understand.

A Hail Tent???? Seriously????

A few weeks ago , in the jackson metro area, we had a severe stormed that produced softball sized hail. I knew that a storm was in the forecast and that the weatherman said that it would move into the area around 4pm and that this storm could produce hail but I didn't take him seriously. And true enough around 4pm this weird loud banging noise was heard outside. I looked out the window of my house and it was hailing and hailing hard. Cars and houses were damaged and getting your windshield replace was going to take days because of all the damage cars in the area. So I know you are wondering well ....why are you waiting this long to write a blog about a hail storm. Well I waited this long because of the fact that this new product was brought to my attention. It's called a hail tent that is supposed to protect your car from hail damage for a nice price of $500. Seriously? Someone wants us to pay them $500 for what looks like an Inflatable air mattress to put over our cars to protect it from hail damage. Did the inventors not think their product through? That hail went through car windshields, and tore up houses and damage the roofs of houses. As a matter of fact , the movie theater in Pearl had to close for repairs because of the hail damage that it received to the roof. So what make you think that your blow up tent would prevent hail damage , especially hail the size of softballs like what we experience a few weeks ago.

The Time Has Come

Yep, it's potty training time! Will keep y'all updated on how it's going with luv bug and this new adventure we are about to embark on ! Pray for me cause I got feeling this is going to be a long and bumpy ride ! For I have heard horror stories on how much harder it is to train a little boy to use a potty vs how easy it is to train a little girl. I was told that it take time and one day it will click in their heads that is what the potty is for.

ObamaCare

Some of you needs to learn some facts. But I pray that in this new year that you don't get sick cause THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT or ObamaCare as you so affectionately calls it, was sign into law for our protection as patients against the health care insurance companies, Why? Because if you got sick before this law took place , guess what? Your insurance company had the legal right to drop you from the plan, or if you had a pre-existing condition, they wouldn't even cover you . • ObamaCare requires that insurance plans cover preventative services and stops insurance companies from dropping you when you are sick, as well as offering a number of other reforms and protections. Before this law I remember countless coworkers who got dropped from our insurance with Cigna because they have gotten sick and their healthcare costs where driving up the premiums for everyone else , so to make the employers and the insurance company both happy, then the insurance company drop the sick coworker. I have also known coworkers who had a child with downs syndrome and the insurance company wouldn't even let the child be carried on the insurance because that was considered a Pre-existing condition. So All you anti-ObamaCare folks , this OBAMA CARE is for your protection , just like HIPPA the privacy act (sign by a former president Bill Clinton) towards your medical history is. This way all of us hardworking Americans who have insurance through our jobs can rest with calm minds that we can keep our insurance and not be in fear that if we get seriously ill that our insurance company will drop us or not pay for a service.




ObamaCare Facts: Facts on the Obama Health Care Plan

ObamaCare Facts 2012 - We Tell you the Facts, Not The Talking Points

We present the Facts on Obama Care (ObamaCare) / The Health Care for America plan. Our goal is to help you understand the basics of the ObamaCare health care plan and bill, so you can decide for yourself what you think of ObamaCare, based on the facts and not the News Radio / TV opinions.


(ObamaCare Facts Image Public Domain, Photo by Chuck Kennedy; U.S. Government Work)
• ObamaCare, Obama Care and Health Care for America are all the same thing. The official name for "ObamaCare" is the Patient Protection and the Affordable Care Act, a bill signed into law to reform the health care industry.

• Some aspects of Obamacare health care reform are already enacted. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed in 2010, and over 100 million Americans have already benefited from the new health care law.

• ObamaCare requires that insurance plans cover preventative services and stops insurance companies from dropping you when you are sick, as well as offering a number of other reforms and protections.

After you get done reading the ObamaCare facts check out the full, in detail, summary of Obama Care to get the facts on how Obama's health care reform will really work: The Affordable Care Act Summary

• ObamaCare is a hot button political issue and both sides of the isle will try to persuade you for or against it. Get THE FACTS on ObamaCare and the Plan for Health Care in America.

• ObamaCare's goal is to provide affordable health insurance for all US citizens and to reduce the growth in health care spending.

• ObamaCare does not replace private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.

• The Fact is ObamaCare gives 47 million women access to preventative health services and makes it illegal to charge women different rates than men. Get More ObamaCare Women's Health Services Facts

• ObamaCare gives seniors access to cheaper drugs, free preventive care, Reforms Medicare Advantage, and closes the Medicare Part D 'donut hole. The AARP agrees, costs won't rise because of ObamaCare, if anything the improvements to the system will make seniors health care costs go down.

• 1 in 2 Americans have a "pre-existing" condition they could be denied health insurance for. ObamaCare Chips Away at Pre-Existing Conditions until 2017 when there are no more preexisting conditions for anyone, including high-risk customers.

• 54 million Americans with private health insurance now have access to preventive services with no cost sharing due to the new minium standards of ObamaCare.

• ObamaCare doesn't ration health care, it protects consumers from the health care rationing insurance companies have been doing for ages.

• Did your health insurance premium go up? The Fact is ObamaCare enacts a number of consumer protections including a rate review provision where insurance companies will have to justify rate hikes above 10% to your State and post details online immediately.

• Other insurance reforms to curb the cost of premiums are already in action include a Medical Loss Ratio policy and other accountability measures. Many more protections go into effect in 2014, so far the average insurance premium has gone down and Americans saved $2.1 billion in 2012 alone. Learn More About ObamaCare Insurance Premiums

• ObamaCare means 21 new taxes, get the facts on how they will affect you, your family and your business. ObamaCare Taxes Facts

• We've created a detailed ObamaCare Facts timeline of every protection, benefit and tax laid out by the Affordable Care Act Bill from 2010 to 2022. Health Care Reform Timeline

• ObamaCare's insurance reform helps to insure millions of Americans each year. 48.6 million Americans went without insurance during all of 2011, compared to 49.9 million in 2010. The rate of uninsured decreased from 16.3% to 15.7%, the biggest percentage drop since 1999 due to the Affordable Care Act.

• ObamaCare takes measures to prevent all types of discrimination in regards to your right to health care, including discrimination based on gender, income and health issues.

• All Americans have the option to stay on their current healthcare plans. No one including seniors will be forced not to have healthcare. That's an ObamaCare fact.

• ObamaCare reforms and expands Medicaid to an estimated 15 million of our nations poorest. That's 6.1 million less than the last estimate due to States opting-out out of providing coverage, despite 100% federal funding for the first 3 years and 90% thereafter. ObamaCare Medicaid Expansion

• States will have to spend millions on Medicaid over the next ten years regardless of whether they implement Medicaid Expansion. However, states that do implement ObamaCare's Medicaid Expansion will reap billions in additional federal dollars.

• 25 States have opted out of setting up a State Run Health Insurance Exchange. This leaves the federal tax payer responsible for providing care for their constituents. 19 are running a State Exchange, 7 set up joint exchanges. Find out more about ObamaCare's State Run Exchanges

• ObamaCare provides $20 billion in tax credits for as many as 4 million Small Businesses to offset the cost of purchasing insurance on the Health Insurance Exchanges.

• Only the top 3% of small businesses will have to pay the additional 0.9% ObamaCare Medicare tax increase.

• Only .2% of businesses have over 50 employees and don't already offer insurance to full-time workers. Providing these folks with insurance is the only "employer mandate" in ObamaCare.

• Over half uninsured Americans are small business owners, employees or their dependents. Learn the Truth Behind the ObamaCare Small Business Taxes, How They Affect America's Biggest Job Creators.

• Want single payer? Come 2017 states will be able to get a waiver to set up their own approved health care solution, as long as it meets the standards of ObamaCare.

• Starting OCT 2013 insurance companies will compete to be your healthcare provider via a health insurance exchange pool, this helps to decrease insurance premiums for all Americans.

• The CBO Estimates 19 million Americans (of the 23 million estimated to use the exchange) will Receive Tax Credits to Purchase Insurance on the Exchanges.

• Due to Tax credits and up-front assistance Americans making under 400% of the FLP (roughly $88k for a family of 4) could see up to a 60% reduction in the cost of health insurance premiums.

• Employers can use SHOP, a part of the exchange, to purchase affordable coverage for their workers.

• Uninsured Americans cost the American healthcare system an additional $49 billion. Only 12% of uninsured families pay their hospital bills in full, this includes families making over $88k a year. These costs affect insurance premiums, ObamaCare helps to reduce this spending drastically.

• Annual limits for insurance premiums can be no more than 11% or less than 1.5% of your modified adjusted gross income, when insurance goes on sale via the health insurance exchanges in 2014.

• Members of Congress will purchase their health care through the health exchange like the rest of us (who chose not to opt out and pay a tax, are covered by Medicaid or choose to stay on their existing insurance) Get more facts about the ObamaCare Insurance Exchange

• In 2011 ObamaCare helped around 86 million Americans use free preventative services that had previously been subject to co-pays or deductibles.

• ObamaCare aims to improve community health care centers in an effort improve health care for those who cannot afford private health care.

• Obamacare doesn't increase the deficit, it is projected to cut the deficit by over Trillion dollars over the next two decades.

• ObamaCare offers countless benefits and protections that have been rolling out since 2010 and continue into 2022. Find out more about the Benefits of ObamaCare

• American Employers with more than 25 or less employees may receive tax breaks of up to 35% of the cost of their employees insurance premiums. Employers with more than 50 employees must insure their workers or pay a tax (like the current state run unemployment and workers compensation programs)

• ObamaCare won't cause 650,000 Jobs to be lost as some of it's detractors say (the number isn't even in the CBO report on The Affordable Care Act). The often misrepresented quote stated that the only job loss ObamaCare may actually cause are from those who cut back their hours, since they will no longer have to rely on their jobs for their families health care. In fact most reports show that ObamaCare will create new jobs.

• ObamaCare doesn't regulate health care, it regulates health insurance. What is ObamaCare?

• If an you or your family chooses not to purchase healthcare through the Online Health Insurance Exchange, they can still buy private insurance, get insurance through work or Medicare / Medicaid. Those who chose to not participate will pay an income "penalty" tax to help cover the rest of us. In other words it's a tax, not a mandate, no one is actually forcing you to have health insurance.

• Obamacare cuts $716 billion of waste from Medicare and reimbursements to private Medicare Advantage plans and reinvests it into Obama's health care reform. In other words $716 billion is saved and then $716 billion is reinvested back into Obamacare and Medicare. Doctors and hospitals almost universally agree on this reform.

• 19 million Americans will receive tax credits to help pay for healthcare and most middle class Americans will actually save thousands on healthcare via tax cuts (this has been going on for the past 3 years already)

• The Affordable Care Act (ACA or ObamaCare) reduces costs of premiums to millions of families and small businesses and provides billions dollars in tax relief – the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history.

• The healthcare industry, specifically doctors will be rewarded for quality over quantity.

• The Affordable Care Act allows Religious institutions to choose to be exempt from providing controversial services to women.

• The Affordable Health Care Act doesn't just focus on insurance, it also reforms the parts of the healthcare system that aren't working or are costing the tax payer money. For example, by focusing on preventive measures instead of just treatment ObamaCare will save tens of billions of dollars and tens of thousands of lives.

• The ObamaCare fact is the average American will save money under Obamacare. In fact many Americans are already paying less for health care services.

• Obamacare cuts the national deficit by over two hundred billion dollars during it's first 10 years.

• ObamaCare aims to make it easier for small businesses to provide coverage to workers by offering Tax Credits to employers who enroll their workers in private healthcare plans.

• One of the main goals of ObamaCare is to ensure that all preventative care will be free on all insurance plans. Private insurance plans that are grandfathered in and are all ready in place will be exempt until they lose their grandfathered status.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: The "ObamaCare" Bill is currently signed into law. There are many people who would like to see ObamaCare repealed. If Obamacare is repealed millions of Americans will be without proper health coverage and insurance companies will continue to be able to deny healthcare for preexisting conditions. Without healthcare reform America will continue suffer the consequences of a health care system controlled by private companies, who's bottom line is money and not health. Help ObamaCare Facts to spread the truth about President Obama's health care reform.

Easter Traditions

One of the most exciting thing I love about being a mother is the fact that I can create fun traditions with my kids that will create a life time of memories. I want my children to know that as long as I am living they will have Easter baskets waiting for them by the door. Even when they are grown with families of their own they will still have Easter baskets.

When it comes to Easter baskets I don't believe in buying a carbon copy pre made basket off the shelf. I think parents should make their kids own baskets and fill them with stuff that the kids like. Unlike those prepaid baskets you can control the price and what goes in them. I mean have anyone really looked at a pre made basket? I saw one for $19 that look like it didn't have $19 worth of stuff inside of it. As a kid I can remember only having three Easter baskets my entire life.

Now before I get negative emails from all the spiritual folks that follow my blog let me saw this. My children are well aware of the spiritual meaning of Easter as well as the secular meaning. They understand that Easter sunday or resurrection Sunday is the day that we celebrate Jesus for dying for our sins on the cross which is good Friday and then conquering death by rising again on the third day which is Easter Sunday . We even talk about lent which lasts for 40 days and although I don't give up anything for lent , if when they get older, they choose to give up something they can. We even discuss holy week and how Jesus entered the city on a donkey and how everyone was excited to see him laying palm branches down and crying hosanna. And then we talk about what Easter means in the terms of mythology and how Ishtar pronounce Easter was the goddess of springtime and fertility and how her symbols include rabbits and eggs. So everything is done with a balance in our household.

Thanks to pinterest this year I found tons of Easter theme crafts to incorporate in our traditions and fun food to make. I am thinking that next year we will decorate the house with Easter theme stuff of both spiritual nature and secular nature. Hey I just had a wonderful Idea , since I love to shop I think I will decorate my house for every holiday coming up as well as do crafts for them..

Now going to our church service will always be apart of our traditions and yes we do attend church , I know some of you only go on Christmas, Easter, mother day a funerals. But my children do know what the inside of a church look like without Easter Lilies , poinsettias, and a casket down front. And always they will have a new Easter Sunday outfit and a new outfit to change into after sunday service as well as a special easter dinner at home complete with a egg hunt just for my kids . We will also attend local egg hunts around town

MS Pastor lies about dead rat in food

So lately there have been a photo of a cooked baby rat floating around on Facebook to where this one Pastor claims it was found in a local restaurant here in Mississippi and how the photo was taken by one of his church members. What amazes me is how quickly people lie! This same photo of the cooked baby rat is all over the web , with folks claiming it was done in their state. But we have Pastor De Mario Benson from crystal springs , MS claiming to have knowledge that this was found at a local Jackson, MS restaurant. My questions are , why would you publicly slander a resturant , and secondly do you know that the owners can sue you harming their business? Pastor Benson if you could lie do easily about a simple photo what else are you lying about? Do you lie when you are in the pulpit preaching the gospel? Are you stealing money from the church? Cause when I saw the photo all I did was google cooked baby rat in fried rice and came across this link first and than serval others

http://naijaflows.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/photo-cooked-baby-rat-found-in-fried-rice-in-a-restaurant-in-lagos/

It's funny how this is the exact same photo that you posted in the link . But you from your comments seem to know all to well how the person found the rat. Here are a few screenshots from your page to help refresh your memory. And now all your church members know what a liar they have as a pastor!

Detective Eric Smith

Yesterday was a sad day for the jackson police department as they mourn the lost of one of the most excellent officers to serve on the force. I know we all have mixed feelings about JPD , but besides having dirty cops but they do have a few good ones and Eric Smith was one of the good ones. So it saddens me to hear that one of the few good cops that they had was killed while interviewing a murder suspect. Authorities report that the suspect attacked detective smith inside the interview room , disarmed him and fatally shot him and then the suspect shot and killed himself.

I remember watching Facebook when the news broke , it was a little sketchy ...all we knew was that shots were fired inside JPD headquarters downtown on the third floor and a officer was down. And everyone was full of questions of how a gunman could get on the third floor as JPD headquarters went on lockdown and hundreds of cops surround the building and streets blocked off. Since the 3rd floor is highly secured actually if you were to ever enter headquarters the only floor you can get on is the first floor and first you go through a medical detector, then you sign in. And if you have business to attend to on the 3rd or 2nd floor you must wait to an officer come and get you cause only certain officers have key passes to operate the elevator to those floors.

So while we all were glued to our Facebook accounts and to the local news stations watching as cops enter the building running with guns pulled and exit the building in tears and comforting each others. We knew something wasn't right and when the EMTs went in with a stretcher but later left the building with the same stretcher but no one was on it we all feared the worse as we waited for the chef of police to come out and make a offical statement.

Eric Smith was a homicide detective, and he leaves behind a wife and two sons. His wife was also a JPD officer. Smith had testified in many of the most high profile murder cases in jackson, and he had even testified against several dirty police officers from the jackson police department. He had been with JPD since 1995 , a graduate of Calloway high school and Hinds community college. He will forever be remembered as a devoted father, husband , a man who was active in his church and wanted to make his community a better place.

The events that played out yesterday like a scene from a Hollywood movie , was a reminder to us all that ; law enforcement officers have a dangerous job. Everyday they put their lives on the line to protect us. They never know when they put that uniform on will they be coming on that night. Shootings like this make me wonder why is that the honest good cops are always the one to die while the dirty cops are still on the streets giving law enforcement officers a bad name.