Browsing Category

Reviews

11 Books On My Bookshelf

Posted on October 28, 2018

One morning, I shared a photo of my morning Wheat Grass shot with my friends on Twitter and Instagram. In the background was my very full and messy bookshelf. I realized that many of the leisure books were gifted to me from others. Thought it would be fun to share some of those books that I return to time and time again:

1. How to Form a Nonfprofit Corporation, 8th Edition by Attorney Anthony Mancuso – Because I have helped a few friends, family and clients set up their non profits and 501(c)3 organizations, I purchased this book to get a handy resource guide. It’s an excellent resource guide for professionals and the everyday lay person. Recommend for those who cannot afford the usual $2,000 that many lawyers will charge to set up a 501(c)3.

2. Making Babies Book by Shosanna Easling – I am reviewing this book and giving away a copy which includes a DVD to one of my readers on my pregnancy blog, Bellyitch. I will review it this week, but so far, I love the imagery in the book and it seems like it was written from a nice place. It is based on organic, holistic, all natural principles. Good for the earthy mother types.

3. The Soul of a New Cuisine, A discovery of the foods and flavors of Africa by Marcus Samuelsson – I once did PR for the man who photographed many of the vibrant images in this book Gediyon Kifle, a phenomenal photographer who was the official MLK Memorial photographer and also captured my maternity portraits for my last kid. Samuelsson, who won Top Chef Masters on Bravo TV does a wonderful job capturing international cuisine from the mother land.

4. Enchantment, The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and actions by Guy Kawasaki – I once sat on a panel with a Hollywood agent in Kingston, Jamaica. We were talking radio and cable piracy. When we were done, the agent gave me this book as a favor to Guy who asked him to spread the word about his book to influencers. Love it. Very insightful book. Great for thought leaders. If you are in the business of needing to build a brand or sway audiences, this book is a must read!

5. The Warrior Method: A Parents’ Guide to Rearing Healthy Black Boys by Raymond A. Winbush, PhD – A blogger friend of mine who once authored the very popular and award winning Ebonymommy.com for years before abandoning it a couple years ago, gave me this book as a gift as I have two black boys, my sons, that I am raising and she thought this would help. Good advice. Worth a read. Easy to get through. It is very focused on African American boys though as I have to blend it in with some West Indian and African sensibilities since those kids are of mixed national heritage.

6. Home Comforts, The Art and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson – A friend gifted this to me and my husband when we purchased our first home 11 years ago. Wonderful resource book for anyone and any home. It’s pretty lengthy and there is lots of type and not much images to distract but the information in it is priceless and great for those who did not grow up in a home where the parents stressed housekeeping details. Perfect for ME!

7. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to The Bible by James. S. Bell Jr. and Stan Campbell. – I purchased this book because I wanted an easy to understand, simple book that broke down the bible. It’s great and very very easy to get through. You understand the entire bible in a way the puts it all in one big perspective for you.

8. The 4-Hour Work Week, by Timothy Ferriss – A friend of mine suggested this book at least a year ago to me and she was able to put the principles in place and actually quit her job as an attorney and has developed a successful career doing what she loves, being a travel photographer and working 4 hours a week. The advice in it is immeasurable. I’m enjoying combing through it still.

9. A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ismael Beah – I picked this book at one of my second homes, Starbucks, mainly because it is authored by one of my native country mates from Sierra Leone about his experiences being a soldier in Sierra Leone’s decades long civil war in the 90s. It’s a sobering story but quite informative while captivating.

10. Ancestor Stones by Aminiata Forna – My husband got this book for me as a Christmas present because it is written by a Sierra Leonean woman. It is a novel that provides a nice look inside the life of a Westernized woman (like me) who returns to her native land and discovers much about her roots. Love it!

11. The Writer Got Screwed, A Guide to the Legal and Business Practices of writing for the Entertainment Industry by Brooke A. Wharton – Because I once practiced entertainment law, I picked up this book to get some insights on helping my clients who were song and script writers. I recently rediscovered it as I am now looking into become a ghost writer for celebrities. I think if you are in the industry, this is a worthwhile read to avoid mistakes others have done and to know what to expect when you negotiate a deal

That’s it! I rarely find make time to read much anyway, but when I do, it is usually one of these 11 I like to return to often.

0 comments

Vitamins to Take At Every Age

Posted on October 22, 2018

 

Vitamins are essential in our daily routine, but how do you know what you should be taking in your 20’s compared to your 40’s, or 60’s? Dr. Christopher Calapai D.O., a New York-based Osteopathic Physician board-certified in family and anti-aging medicine, is sharing his top recommendations for vitamins you should be taking through the generations:

 ·       Your 20’s –In our 20’s, we’re super active, so Vitamin B is really important. Vitamin B will keep you energized throughout the day and prevent you from crashing. Vitamin C is another important vitamin that will boost your immune system and slow down the skin’s aging process.

 ·       Your 30’s – Our 30’s require a lot of vitamin D, which helps strengthen bones and keep your teeth healthy. Vitamin D deficiencies can cause health issues such as bone abnormalities and increased bone tenderness, which can lead to osteomalacia. This is especially important in the winter months as Vitamin D levels from the sun are harder to absorb.

 ·       Your 40’s – Once you reach 40, be sure to get a lot of calcium and potassium. You should also be taking a multivitamin daily. A multivitamin helps with memory loss and lowers the chance of cancer.

 ·       Your 50’s – In our 50’s, Omega 3 is a key vitamin in your 50’s since it lowers blood pressure and prevents heart disease. There are three types of Omega-3’s, one being DHA, that improves eye health. These fatty acids can also fight off inflammation in the body.

 ·       Your 60’s – Come 60, Vitamin B12 is known to keep nerve and blood cells at its healthiest, while also preventing anemia, making you tired or weak. Iron maintains healthy muscle function as well, so this is a must.

Be healthy!

0 comments

Sticking with Keto Diet While Pregnant: 9 Books To Buy

Posted on October 16, 2018

Diet trends come and go. These days the Keto diet is the hottest thing. This diet is focused on very low-carb, high fat foods and is very effective for weight loss, diabetes and epilepsy.

There’s also early evidence to show that it may be beneficial for certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease and other diseases, too. A ketogenic diet typically limits carbs to 20–50 grams per day. While this may seem challenging, many nutritious foods can easily fit into this way of eating.

Any low carb diet it controversial especially if you’re pregnant. The baby’s needs are paramount and there is worry that a woman can go into ketosis during a keto diet and that could put the baby at risk. Ketones in the urine of pregnant women scare many good doctors into fearing the life-threatening conditions of diabetic ketoacidosis in pregnancy or starvation ketosis.

However, some doctors and practitioners have said it is safe.

“It is completely safe for women to be eating a ketogenic diet in pregnancy. Women in ancient times were certainly ketotic during pregnancy,” Dr. Michael Fox, a fertility specialist at the Jacksonville Center for Reproductive Medicine, who has not only been recommending a low-carb ketogenic diet for 17 years to his infertile patients but also to all his patients who become pregnant has said.

Fox says he has had hundreds of patients “who have been completely ketotic throughout pregnancy without any untoward effects.”

He also recommends women start the diet two to three months before trying to conceive so that the mom is fat adapted before entering pregnancy and advises that, once pregnant, the mother enjoy frequent low-carb, high-fat eating every two hours from the time she wakes up — with no fasting. Fox also states he thinks a keto diet decreases the rates of miscarriage, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and morning sickness.

“Nausea is a reactive hypoglycemic reaction to the dramatically increased insulin resistance caused by pregnancy hormones,” he said.

In one very dramatic case, Dr. Fox had a patient referred to him who previously had such severe hyperemesis gravidarium — extreme vomiting in pregnancy — that it had led to multiple hospitalizations and six previous pregnancy terminations. On his advice she started the ketogenic diet prior to her seventh conception and “she had no nausea during pregnancy and made it all the way to term. This dramatic success demonstrates clearly that the hypoglycemia associated by insulin resistance is immediately relieved by the diet.”

If you’ve started the Keto diet and get pregnant, you may be worried whether you can continue. You will get criticized if you do so. We recommend you clear it with you doctor and dietitian.

The fact is that many women have had successful pregnancies while maintaining a vegetarian and vegan diets. Alicia Silverstone even wrote about her vegan pregnancy diet. Carrie Underwood, Natalie Portman and Allyson Hannigan  are vegans who softened up and switched to vegetarianism during pregancy.

To  give you some guidance, we’ve curated a list of 10 books you can use to help you maintain your diet during your pregnancy.

Happy Healthy Pregnancy!

WATER PURIFIER COLLEGE DORM ESSENTIALS PACKING LIST

0 comments

Disney On Ice Presents Mickey’s Search Party (REVIEW)

Posted on October 12, 2018

There is a brand new Disney On Ice adventure on tour and I was privileged to attend the opening night of the latest installment, “Disney On Ice Presents Mickey’s Search Party” on October 3, 2018 with a few family and friends, and the winners of our giveaway!

Before the event, my daughter and I attended the media launch Disney’s Coco-themed event and enjoyed a hearty Mexican inspired meal, popcorn, face-paining and a visit from Mickey himself.

After hobnobbing with fellow bloggers, we took out seat in the center to enjoy the presentation. The theme of the event was Mickey’s search for the key to unlock Tinkerbell who gets trapped behind a door by Captain Hook’s cronies. Throughout the night, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and others pop in to intro a new mini Disney adventure where we, the audience, will uncover and retrieve elements that will help us free Tinkerbell.

As usual, I was blown away by the bright, ornate and expressive costumes. Each time there is a show, you never know which Disney story you will see performed on Ice so it is always exciting to anticipate, hope and guess what will be presented.

The aeriel acrobatics did not disappoint. The Beauty and the Beast, Coco, Little Mermaid segments all featured way above-ground dynamic performances. The Toy Story set blew me away with tumblers on a trampoline who returned later for the Aladdin part of the show.

My fave has to be the sugar-skulled face women perched high above swaying poles during the Coco bit.

It was interactive as well. A ginormous 30 feet ball bounced through the audience. We did the wave and popped bubbles during the Little Mermaid segment and ice flakes during Frozen set.

Overall, it is quite an adventure that must be experienced at least once by your kid if possible. The tickets are not expensive and were just $15 for opening night! You cannot beat that for exciting family fun and entertainment that your children will most definitely remember for their lifetime and thank you for.

The show has moved on from the DC MD area where I saw it and is in Baltimore thru October 14 as of this posting,but you can catch it at an arena near you by going to the Disney On Ice website!

Here is a snippet:

0 comments

Before You Lose Your Mind and Haul Your Kid to the ER (REVIEW)

Posted on August 16, 2018

If ever there was a super humorous take on dealing with us sometimes frantic over sensitive parents, this is it! I read this “If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Still Be Okay: How to Know if Your Child’s Injury or Illness Is Really an Emergency” by Lara Zibners.

book from cover to cover and was cracking up all the way through. It is choc full of helpful descriptions and lay person explanations of common ailments and how we should deal with them, in a manner that does NOT require a trip to the ER.

I do wish I had this book as a resource to read BEFORE I had my first child. I vividly recall a moment when we had just come home with our first kid and out of the blue, he started to cry uncontrollably, turning red. I hopped all over the place, yelling at the hubby to warm up the car, unwrapped my head scarf off my locks and was heading to the ER for sure. All the fuss and ruckus to get the kid help induced the baby to burp. *Belch* …And then he was fine again. Womp Womp Wooomp! It was only gas!

https://amzn.to/2MSnAMq

So what Dr. Zibners does in this book is break down the anatomy of the infant, toddler and child. She explains, yes “his little piggy” will disappear into rolls of fat. That is okay. And, before you come in for a diagnosis of a blue mark, try a washcloth and soap. Yup. Funny, but true. It is a great book for a first time mom, dad or grandparents.

Dr. Zibners even offers natural remedies for common ailments that wouldn’t require a medical prescription, for example, like for constipation, treat the child with the “P”s = peas, plums, prunes, peaches. Aaaah! Yes. Put the infant Pepto away,you say?

She goes down the list of common products a child can safely get away with eating and not croaking: a bit of lipstick. No problem. A scoopfull of Vaseline. It will pass (literally and figuratively)…and of course there are mentions of the ones that should be treated with emergency care.

This book is very fun and Dr. Zibners matter of fact writing style gives the reader comfort in knowing, “no, you’re not an idiot, just a hypersensitive and worrywart mom/dad”

The best part for me are the sidebars dispersed throughout the book called “911” and “Emergency” which details scenarios when you ARE to call for help or take your child in and I made it a point to read every one of those tabs.

All in all, you can’t go wrong in reading this book or giving it as a gift to the new grandparents, babysitter, new moms. It is a quick and easy read and worth being on every shelf!

0 comments

2018 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD {Family Vacay Vehicle Review}

Posted on August 10, 2018

blog review Mazda CX-9

A few school systems in several regions in America and across the globe have started a new school year already. Still, many more are still out and this means that families are sneaking in their last minute getaways and vacations. Personally,  I can share that on my various social media platform feeds, I see many friends and family on weekend and weeklong excursions.

On Sunday, my family of 5, my baby sis and niece did the same and headed to Virginia Beach about four hours south of our home outside DC.

To get there,  on the drive down, I partnered with Mazda USA and Driveshop  and tested out its signature top-of-the line luxury three-row crossover sports utility vehicle, the Mazda C-X9. We ABSOLUTELY LOVED this vehicle and were honestly sad when we had to return it at the end of the week.

First, it looks really regal and very expensive! The atomic grey version of the premium vehicle we were generously loaned to drive came with decadent auburn interior leather seats.  The SUV itself doesn’t even look like a heavy cargo vehicle from the outside because the car’s design features a sloped rear and sleek aerodynamic exterior.

Very nice!

Full disclosure: this was my first time driving a keyless entry, push-button start vehicle and I was nervous about leaving the key in the vehicle,  but good thing, the SUV alarms if the engine is running and you walk away with the key.

Some of our adventures during the week, during which I celebrated my 19th wedding aniversary.

Tech Features

For today’s modern tech obsessed and addicted families, this vehicle is loaded with high tech features. This 2018 model comes with its own Wi-Fi. Also new for this year are two head rest videos with wireless headphones and remotes. For our drive up and back from Virginia Beach, the kids plugged in their Amazon

Firestick on one monitor and the Roku on another, then tethered our family’s unlimited wireless phones so they could enjoy Amazon, Hulu and Netflix on the trip.

There is an XM, Pandora, and other streaming services options. We could control the dashboard as a touch screen or using a dial on the center console. There are two USB ports in the center console, two inside the pull down arm rest and cup holder. The trunk and inside the passenger side panel both have cigarette lighter ports that can be used to house another dual USB port, making it possible to charge 8 different electronic devices at the same time if we wanted.

There is an active driver hologram on the window above the dashboard that shows the miles per hour being driven. I was in awe to see a small Stop sign appear on the windshield each time the car approaches a street with an actual Stop sign on the corner. During the highway drive, each time there was construction on the road, a yellow strip appeared on the hologram to warn the driver of the more dangerous road condition. Similarly, each time the car would get close to the shoulder, there was a signal in the hologram signal. Amazing!

Active Driving Display appears on the windshield above the driving console.

All of these features are great to supplement driver’s instincts and assist for the safety of the precious cargo, the family!

A push of the button activates the push-to-talk hands free dashboard and another button toggles the dashboard monitors: miles driven, Trip A and Trip B analytics for comparisons, the gas mileage, the vehicle service update and more.

The trunk features a hands free open. You just hit the key fob and the rear opens automatically, with one touch of a button near the keyhole, it auto closes. If something is in the way, the door will retract a bit and will not close.

Navigation

The navigation system is Smart and sophisticated.

Besides the standard navigation options, even when you haven’t programmed the vehicle to give you direction anywhere, as you drive, the dashboard indicates the name of a street  or cross street you are about to enter and gives you the speed limit sign for the road you will enter before you enter it so you know how fast oncoming cars should be traveling and how fast you should go once you merge into or enter that lane of traffic.

There is a rear camera that helps you get in and out of tight parking spots or to parallel park.

The Safety Features

The high tech options on the full package  vehicle we tested included innovative safety features. One of my faves is the blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. If a pedestrian is close to the car walking across the parking lot as you’re about to back out of a space or if another vehicle is close to passing, the CX-9 gives out an audible alert. You can also see it through the rear view camera which I also appreciated because while using it, I was able to back into a parking spot at the grocery store absolutely perfectly!

There is also a blind spot signal on the side mirrors that illuminates each time another vehicle on the road coasts in your blind spot. Neat! There is a touch emergency brake button on the center console that can be easily released with the touch of a button.

It also includes in suite of active safety features such as automatic high-beams, lane-keeping assist, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and adaptive cruise control.

Handling

The car had great maneuverability and handling, typical for any all wheel standard car. I looked it up and the vehicle comes with Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control, a system that reduces engine torque imperceptibly as the vehicle enters a corner to help improve cornering stability.

The CX-9 crossovers is a 2.5-liter turbocharged I4 making 227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.  The SKYACTIV®-G 2.5T Dynamic Pressure Turbo engine is a reaction to the new category of hybrid vehicles on the market. It helps this SUV get more miles per gallon. We traveled about 4 hours and a little over 200 miles from Virginia Beach to right outside Washington, DC on a half tank of gas. That’s highway miles. Excellent fuel economy.

Luxury Comforts

Although we didn’t need it this trip, there are heated seats for the driver and front seat passenger and second row seats.

Reviews

It has a close to 5-star rating by Car and Driver magazine and is listed among its 10 Best SUV Cars and Trucks List.  Edmunds gives it close to 5 star ratings on most categories too!

Price

For $38,655, you can get the front-wheel-drive CX-9 Touring with the Premium package. That Touring Premium package is an additional $1750, but adds a long list of features, including navigation, automated emergency braking, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, SiriusXM satellite radio, LED fog lamps, and a power sunroof.

Overall Pros: This vehicle is great for a medium to large family of 3-7. It looks and feel great from the exterior to interior. The sporty sleek look gives it a very top-of-the line feel, comparable to other SUVs in the market, including luxury brands. The tech features are up to par with all of the innovation out there on the market and what modern, tech driven and connected families need. The safety features gives you an extra layer of security for the family.

Cons: The USB ports in the front in the center console is hard to reach when driving and the cigarette lighter one along the center console floor paneling is awkwardly placed and very difficult to reach. It would be better if it was placed below the dashboard so it is easier to maneuver.

While we appreciate the slope in the back giving off a more sporty feel, it took away cargo space so we weren’t able to carry as many suitcases because we had two extra people in our party. However, for the average family of 5 who are traveling on a road trip, you can easily fold down the third row to accommodate more bags back there.

See some of our LIVE reviews on the Bellyitch Instagram account under “Reviews” or Watch some clips of my review above in this compilation:

0 comments

The Handsfree Breastpump You Get When Ready to Return to Work (REVIEW)

Posted on August 7, 2018

Necessity is the mother of invention. That is why four savvy sisters (out of a family of nine) got together with their shared vision of creating a simple solution for busy sophisticated modern working moms who need a solution for pumping on the go and created a perfect solution!

Simple Wishes founders, sisters and moms of breastfed babies.

Simple Wishes is a chic, relatively new, hands-free pumping bra bustier on the market that can be attached to any of the most popular breast pumps,  Medela, Philips AVENT, Lansinoh, Bellema, Evenflo, and Spectra Baby. The hands-free apparatus lets multi-tasking moms go about their day and be more productive while they pump, take a break, work in the office or unwind at the end of the day, or pump while baby is sleep to relieve milk build up. 

The bra we received to review is made of quality material but is still soft and supple to the touch. It is stylish while functional and is made with a thoughtful design that provides full breast support but is much more affordable for the quality compared to other nursing bustiers on the market!

The sister founders say they learned through their own mother’s experience breastfeeding all nine of us that there are tremendous benefits, however, there can be challenges. “Through our products, we strive to alleviate some of those challenges to help empower women to continue providing such wonderful nutrition for their baby,” they write on the company’s website.

The bra holds the bottle firmly and securely in place and does the work while mom goes about her business getting other stuff done!

We are not the only ones who feel so.

The product has a close to perfect review star rating on Amazon and most of the verified purchasers say they love that the product has a Velcro panel which provides versatility. So if you like yours tighter or looser, you can easily adjust it to suit without working about fasteners and adjusters that do not work.

As any nursing mom knows, your breast can grow in size as milk fills up and get smaller. This nursing bra is accommodating.  It comes with straps that are optional and is reversible, meaning that it can be zippered going up or down. Like we said, totally customizable  to each woman’s individual needs an comfort.

The best part is that the bra slips on easily with or without removing nursing bra and shirt. This is great in situations like work when you may not have the time, privacy or accommodation to get completely unrobed on top, neither want to!

Elastic reinforcement has been built into the top of the bra for a secure fit, ensuring no slipping. It fits comfortably without added pressure that cuts into the skin.

For added versatility and support, the bra’s convertible design allows it to be worn as a strapless band or in tank, racer-back, or halter style. We like the halter style look but for women with ample breast, the tank or racer-back hold provides extra needed support.

For a product that has not been on the market for too long, it has taken off and is being well accepted and loved by new moms and vets alike.

If you’re in the market for a supplement to your breastfeeding needs and goals, do consider investing in this. The item retails for about $30 and if you order from Amazon and have Prime, shipping is FREE!  The product sells in retail stores around the country too! Find a nearby seller HERE! 

If you purchase through the Simple Wishes website and join its mailing list, you get 10% off your first purchase! Sweet!

Expecting moms who plan to breastfeed and/or return to work while still nursing, add this product to your wish list or registry! T

The 9 Members of the Simple Wishes founders’ family!

0 comments

How to Get an Insurance Subsidized Breast Pump Before Baby Arrives

Posted on July 21, 2018

Content created in partnership with Stork Pump

Every expecting mom who plans to breastfeed her newborn puts a breastpump on her baby show registry wish list but because they usually are expensive, few people end up purchasing it for the mom-to-be, who is usually left scraping together her pennies to get one on her own after baby arrives.

Did you know that there is a low cost alternative to shelling out hundreds of dollars (a Medela Pump in Style Advanced Double Electric Breast Pump with Backpack can run $300!) in some cases to get a new breast pump?

A lot of insurance companies will subsidize the purchase of one for their insured families.

One company, Storkpump, recently opened up shop with the motto to create “a world full of happy healthy babies.” Part of that mission is making sure even moms on a budget can access a top quality breast pump so her baby is nourished with breast milk when she is away from baby.

To receive a breast pump, interested expecting parents can either fax, call or fill out a form to inquire about how to get a pump shipped to them in time for baby’s arrival.

Among the options of breast pumps available are: The Spectra S2 Double Electric Breast Pump, a perfect pump for on the go that comes with a stylish, light-weight tote so there is no need to worry about how you look carrying your breast pump.

The Spectra S2  gives you hospital quality on the go without all the noise. This pump is touted to be among the quietest in the industry and weighs only 4 pounds, giving moms the flexibility of a portable pump that is also hospital grade quality.

One of the top legacy quality pumps is the Medela Pump in Style Starter which started out as a hospital pump before the company started marketing their pumps to regular consumers. is just for you! I’ve used this pump with my three children and it is very simple to use. Attach the connectors to the pump, suction the breasts and hit the start button. This pump reportedly produces 18% more milk than competitors! Perfect!

Also, there is the Ameda Finesse which is another super quiet pump and one of the quietest in the market with its stylish look.  This machine provides a truly customizable experience so that each mother can adjust to her own body’s response.

There are a couple other pumps available too and the one you end up getting may depend on  your budget, you insurance carriers subsidy or allowance and what features you want in your pump.

I sincerely wished that such options were available to me over a decade ago when I was first growing a family and that is why I am happy to share with my audience all of these new innovative and inventive options, solutions and alternatives available to modern moms of today!

Follow Storkpump  on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for updates, specials and other information you may need to get a leg up and heads up on upcoming deals.

0 comments

Reviewing Our British Soccer Camp Experience

Posted on July 20, 2018



My daughter attended British Soccer Camp held on the field of a middle school on Capitol Hill in DC and had a great time making new friends, picking up some skills and enjoying the sport. As a bonus, her camp took place during the 2018 World Cup Soccer tournament.

She has played on soccer teams since she was 4-years old or so and more recently, she’s shown to have some skill and talent at the sport. Therefore, my husband has been keen on taking her and her big brother to our local college soccer fields for training. He, himself, is a fan of soccer, or football, as they call it in his native Trinidad and Tobago (and the rest of the world. heh. heh.)

That’s why I was excited about the opportunity from the camp for my little girl to attend the camp in exchange for this review.

Each day, I’d drop her off and she got with her age group team, and was taught drills, skills, and new techniques. Her coach, Casio, was actually from Brazil but taught the camp with an Irish coach. For three hours daily Monday thru Friday, they taught two groups of about 10 kids in each group on the field.

Each day, the coaches took the players through progressive series of skill building practices from unopposed, to opposed, game related and finally into a game.

  • Soccer ABC – Players learned to limprove their Agility, Balance and Coordination.
  • Dribbling – campers taught to improve the ability to change direction and move at speed.
  • Moves – kids learned to master more than 20 different ways to turn and fake opponents.
  • Passing – they learned to improve accuracy, pace and 1st touch control.
  • Shooting – players also learned to improve power and placement with each foot.
  • Heading – some campers were taught how to safely and confidently head the ball (approved age groups only)
  • Tackling/Defending – the kids learned to improve their tackling skills and learn how to defend.

She also came home with homework: to find and wear a specific team color the next day, to design a flag of one of the World Cup teams and to mimic the design of a World Cup Team (hers was Germany) on a white T-shirt.  We had a great time designing the shirt together at home.



Overall, she learned a lot and really enjoyed the experience. I could tell that she had picked up some new tricks and honed her skills some during the week. I’m glad she had an opportunity to attend and I will be sending her back next year, perhaps for the full day camp!

For the most part, they had great weather though the last day it rained all day which put a damper on their finishing ceremony where they each got certificates. The kids were still very excited about wrapping up a great week.

Consider signing up your kid for the remaining camps this year or next!

0 comments

Your Guide to My Ethnic Braided Styles and How to Get the LOOK!

Posted on July 18, 2018

A few years ago, I started a beauty blog named for myself dedicated to ethnic braided hair called JJBraids.com.

I’ve worn my hair in variety of braided styles for over a decade and usually get stopped in the streets or inboxed by friends, and strangers asking me what type of style was my hair, what particular extensions, if any, were added, and which size, color, length they were; and finally, who did it.

The answer to the last question is easy: my hair braider Dorcas N’Ja who also used to be the personal hair stylist to Venus and Serena Williams and their mom and other sisters. She used to travel down to Florida to do the women’s hair and all, though she has since retired from travel styling.

My blog has taken off and has become one of few resources on the web dedicated to ethnic braided hair styles only.

While a lot of people cannot travel to DC, where Ms. N’Da is located, they can purchase the same extensions and take them to their nearest stylist. My blog has a stylist finder you can access HERE!.

Below are my most popular styles – based on viewer and friends’ preference and where on Amazon or online you can purchase similar hair extensions.

Crochet Braids are all the rage these days. In this article’s header is my hair in crochet braids, a technique that involves cornrowing the natural hair flat and down or around, then adding extensions the same way one would crochet a scarf or sweater. Really! I posted a tutorial on my blog HERE.

The reason why this technique of wearing braided styles is so popular these days is because they take a fraction of the time to install compared to individual braids which can take anywhere from 8-16 hours to install, depending on the length and width.  Ms. N’Da usually takes a little over an hour to do my entire head of hair using the crochet method! Imagine!

The grade, texture, length, color of the hair above and where to get it can be found HERE!

Crochet styles are usually curly so a lot of people were surprised to learn that this straight pressed hair I wore to my sister’s wedding last year is actually crochet braids!

The grade, texture, length, color of the hair and where to get it can be found HERE!

Also above is crochet but smaller curls.

The grade, texture, length, color of the hair and where to get it can be found HERE!

When bright colored hair came into fashion, I couldn’t help but experiment with it also. It is also a crochet style.

The grade, texture, length, color of the hair and where to get it can be found HERE!

Yes, these look like real dread locks, sister locs, Goddess locs, water locs (they have so many different names depending on their width, softness, loosness, wavy-ness) but they are actually faux locs installed in my hair…yes, crochet style again!

I purchased about 4-5 packs of this hair  length, color of the hair and where to get it can be found HERE!

Before crochet braided styling of braids were hot, people used to do half individual braids and half weave. The braider would install the edges and front of the hair in traditional micro, micro mini or medium sized indivual braids, then use the hair weaving method on the middle.

It saved time as well, but unlike crochet braids, weaved hair grows out much faster and needs to be redone more frequently. Well that was my experience anyway.

If you like this style above, you can get my brownish auburn weave here and a matching wavy braided hair HERE!

Waist and bottom-length individual braids, installed in tiny squares across the entire head and braided all the way down can last a long time, but they take a good 14 hours to install if you get one person to do it. If you go to a hair braiding salon or gallery where a bunch of women work, you may have 2-3 working at the same time on your hair which will cut down the time tremendously. You can use the cheapest extensions, Kanekelon on this style which is great because it usually costs a lot of labor time to put in and stylists charge a lot more too.

I purchased about 4-5 packs of this hair  length, color of the hair and where to get it can be found HERE!

Here is a shorter version of the same style with a little thicker width above and a bob style below.

The following three photos are also achieved using deep wave Kanekelon synthetic hair in Ombre below that you can get HERE!

For a long while, a lot of people who wore their hair in kinky, puffy, or Nubian twists achieved this look infusing with coarse 100% kanekalon  or toyokalon fibers. Make sure to get the ones that are shorter and puffy packed. You can purchase a similar style HERE! 

The following four styles were achieved using this hair.

Finally, in between styles, I wear my natural hair out like above or wear wigs like the ones below you can get from any hair and beauty supply store. Good luck achieving one or more of these looks this year!

 

0 comments

Batman138 Bro138 Dolar138 Gas138 Gudang138 Hoki99 Ligaciputra Panen77 Zeus138 Kilat77 Planet88 Gaspol168 Sikat88 Rupiah138 Garuda138 Gacor77 Roma77 Sensa138 Panen138 Slot138 Gaco88 Elanggame Candy99 Cair77 Max7 Best188 Space77 Sky77 Luxury777 Maxwin138 Bosswin168 Cocol88 Slot5000 Babe138 Luxury138 Jet77 Bonanza138 Bos88 Aquaslot Taktik88 Lord88 Indobet Slot69 Paus138 Tiktok88 Panengg Bingo4d Stars77 77dragon Warung168 Receh88 Online138 Tambang88 Asia77 Klik4d Bdslot88 Gajah138 Bigwin138 Markas138 Yuk69 Emas168 Key4d Harta138  Gopek178 Imbaslot Imbajp Deluna4d Luxury333 Pentaslot Luxury111 Cair77 Gboslot Pandora188 Olxtoto Slotvip Eslot Kuy138 Imbagacor Bimabet