Book Review #1:Rachel Hollis

Hey hey guys, I am doing something a little bit different these coming months where I am going to introduce you to my world of reading. Now, I will admit, I have not read a book all the way through since 50 Shades of Grey Part 1 came out but I have always wanted to read interesting works by other writers. The book I am going to review this month is a book written by a great women who loves to help other women get out of their way and see what the potential that they already have. Growing from tragedy and being able to be successful in life with some bumps along the way is real-life for her and she wants you to know-ITs Normal! Introducing a lady I highly respect for her courage and empowerment of other: Rachel Hollis

I read this book from cover to cover and was amazed at the similiarities we have. I thought I was the only one thinking and going through it. For those of you who do not know who Rachel Hollis is, she is a Mom of 3 boys and a 1 girl, wife to Dave Hollis and founder of a lifestyle website TheChicSite.com and Ceo of her own Media company. She has alot of followers online via instagram, facebook, youtube etc. She is a woman who likes to tell it like it is, she encourages, enlightens and works to help others acheive the same sense of confidence she exudes throughout everything she does with the help of God.

I am going to review this book in 4 parts:

Why did I pick this book to read?
What part of the book, really hit home for me: (ex. made me cry or have a aha moment)?
What is one thing I took away from the book that I will change in my life?
How would I rate this book out of 5 stars?

Rachel Hollis: Girl, Wash Your Face

I picked this book because it came highly recommended online. I was curious as to what washing my face meant so I said this might be a great book just by the title, so I bought it. I never realized when I opened it, I would never be able to put it down. It spoke to me so well. Everything, well almost everything, was so similiar to my life I couldn’t believe that this nice young lady had gone through all that and still managed to be a great women waking up everyday helping people with her wisdom and lending a helping hand.
A part in the book that really hit home for me was Chapter 15: I Will Never Get Past This- when she talked about her family. Not being as close as she wanted to be after the tragedy just trying to salvage what was left of her relationships and picking up the peices and moving forward in church and counseling, which is always the best medicine. I cried through the whole chapter.
One thing she stressed so much in her book about is being happy with who you are. It doesnt matter what you didnt accomplish or who hurt you in your past, you are responsible for your own happiness. Never let others believe you are never good enough to try new things or pick up where you left off with years ago. Always try to be you and be happy for you not anyone else. I realized that in trying to make others happy all at once, I have made myself unhappy. I have decided to run away from toxic or negative things and let others be unhappy by themselves and take care of me first. Be there after I am taken care of then console others.
5- star rating from me for original content, very personable and uplifting!

Looking forward to reading her other book:

Girl, Stop Apoligizing

Ordered my copy from Barnes and Nobles today and will start reading after my 2nd book which is from a new first time author who writes about how the word of God influences your life processes everyday. Click link below to purchase Marcus Myrick’s

Click link to purchase e-book at: Amazon.com

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31 Day Challenge-Day 5

Okay, Day 5, my guilty pleasure…hmmm. Well, this next one kinda coincides with something I said I hated on Day 2 but because it a different way of doing it I am addicted to it. So here it goes….

One of the facts about me on Day 2 was that I hated shopping because of the long lines, getting in and out the car and using the public restroom well….no one said anything about doing it the easy way.

Skip all this and do it online!! Yes!! Yessssss!! I like ordering things online so much better and I love sending and receiving the packages in the mail all at the comfort of my couch. I use apps such as Amazon, Ebay, Walmart and Groupon. I love the convenience of getting everything from my phone or computer.

Did I also mention food delivery…OMG!! Now I am hungry so that’s all for now until tomorrow!!

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Stay tuned tomorrow for Day 6….

My life as a mom…making it easier on myself

Moms lets face it we have way too much to do everyday and we think there is no way to make it easier…actually, I have found alot of ways to make things easier on myself. Meet me and my teens…

My kids are now teens and I thought it would be easier as they got older…nope…it just gets more difficult to communicate to your family that you need help. I have a disability, so everything I do daily centers around making sure that things get taken care of around the house. Every once and awhile, my teens amaze me and do something without asking. I love being a mom but I am so tired all the time.

I am getting a lot of request from moms about how I come up with all these ideas to make things simpler in my household. So I am going to share with you 5 tips on how I manage my daily maintenance with 5 grown people in the house….

Tip #1 Everyone knows that laundry is a pain and if you could do less of it you would, right? Everyday, I heard from the kids “Where are all the towels?” or “Every time I go to wash up there are no towels?” Someone would be assigned to them and wouldn’t do them so I got frustrated with them using our whole inventory of 15 towels in one day so I reduced everyone to a lovely beach towel cloths. My husband loves Star Trek so special ordered it, I have the Tiger because I love them, Briana has a doggy because she loves animals, Devon loves wrestling so I special ordered the All-stars WWE and Jr. has the Patriots, which is his favorite team. These do not absorb water and can be reused over and over until they are dirty. We only do the wash cloths and hand towels which is so much better.
Tip #2 Writing notes around the house…very important!! For some reason, saying it and writing it gets two different results. From air conditioner settings, to trash and recycle to driver safety. We are recycling now to use less trash bags and it saves a lot of money. If anyone has teen drivers, the S.M.I.T.H method will help in guiding them in checking the right things when getting in the car. I came up with this when my oldest started driving 5 years ago and now I use it for my daughter.
Tip #3 Cleaning supplies have gone down to bare essentials. I have found that the chemicals are too toxic to me, pets and the environment, so I only use Vinegar, Water and for tough stains baking soda. To clean messes off counters we use the towels given to us from the Florida Tropics soccer game we go to. Make sure you keep Clorox wipes to clean off phones since they have more germs than a toilet seat.
Tip #4 Kitchen cabinet organization is a must! I had to redo all the cabinets because I could never find anything. It helps when putting groceries away.
Tip #5 Last but not least…please have monthly family meetings. We set up who does chores and talk about what is going on the next month. Communication is important in a house with many people, always include the children’s input. Chore charts for reminders and schedule times for work and activities are marked down.

We Got This!!!

Here are some books available online to also help moms with making their lives a little easier….

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Black History Legends…..Day 23

Richard Theodore Greener

(January 30, 1844-May 2, 1922)

Pictured above: He was the first African-American graduate of Harvard College (Harvard University School of Law in 1907. He received his Bachelor’s degree in 1870.

Pictured above: Harvard College founded in 1817 and located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Pictured above: The first degree issued to an African-American in the late 1800’s. He received 2 honorary doctorates of Law from Monrovia College in Libya 1882. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in 1870 and honorary awards for his excellence throughout the years.

Pictured above: On February 21, 2018, South Caroline unveiled the honorary statue in memory of the first African-American graduate of Harvard College, Richard Theodore Greener. He is responsible for Full-time endowed scholarship of 1865, which in his name is given to exceptional students.

Pictured above: Richard T. Greener married Genevieve Ida Fleet in September of 1874 and they had 6 children. Belle da Costa Greene was one of their children born December 13, 1883, who graduated from Harvard University. was a librarian to J. P. Morgan and continued after his death in 1813 with his son Jack Morgan. She died May 10, 1950. Memoir written about Greene available on Amazon.

Pictured above: Richard and his wife were separated but never divorced. Buried in Graceland Cemetery, Richard died in his home of natural causes in 1922 in Chicago where he lived with his common law Japanese wife. They had 3 children together.

Pictured above: Books available on Amazon written by author Richard Greener.

Pictured above: Barack Obama, our African-American president elected to the United States, graduate of 1991. Imelme Umana was the first women elected to the Harvard Law of Review. Michelle Obama, first lady to Barack Obama graduated in 1988 and Patricia A. King, a professor from Georgetown was elected as the first African-American to serve on the Harvard Corporation in 2006.

Thank you for subscribing…more black history tomorrow!!

Black History Legends….Day 22

Lonnie Johnson

(October 6, 1949-

Pictured above: Lonnie Johnson-The creator of one of the most fun things to play with in the summertime to cool-off….introducing…

Super Soaker!!! Greatest toy invented by Johnson that shoots water for fun and play!!

Pictured above: His ideal for the Super Soaker originated in the U.S. Air Force. The Super Soaker to date is the best selling item in the toys product line and continues to make billions since its release in 1990’s. It was reported that he received 73 million in back royalties for his product after being underpaid for many years for his Nerf products. He holds more than 120 patents to date and is married with 4 children in Atlanta Georgia.

Think about Lonnie G. Johnson when you buy your next Nerf Toy and Super-Soaker…Have fun!!

Available on Amazon.com

More to come in Black history tomorrow…

Black History Legends….Day 21

“I’d rather make 700$ a week playing a maid, then 7$ a week being a maid.” Hattie D.

Hattie McDaniel

(June 10, 1895- October 26, 1952)

Pictured above: Hattie McDaniel well-known as being the fist African-American to win an Academy Award/Oscar for her role in “Gone With The Wind” alongside side her co-stars Vivian Leigh and Clark Gable. During that time, the award ceremonies were still segregated and she was not allowed to sit with the white audience as she was the only African-American in the room.

Although she won an award for her performance, the African-American community was not happy with the fact that they were be portrayed to be servants and maids by white filmmakers…which at that time was all that was available for the AA community. By the 1890’s, her career was over and she had to find different kind of work so she took over hosting a radio show previously hosted by a white man called “The Beulah.” She also made guest appearances on many other radio shows.

Pictured above: Her role in “Gone With the Wind” and other memorable movies with Shirley Temple.

Pictured above: James Lloyd Crawford and Hattie McDaniel married in 1941. He was the 3rd husband of 4 that she had. Two of them were deceased and she divorced him and her last husband. She had no kids.

Pictured above: In 2006, Hattie McDaniel was honored with her own postage stamp.

Pictured above: The final resting place for Hattie McDaniel at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetary. She was born to Henry and Susan McDaniel as the 13th child in Wichita Kansas, she died in 1952 after her battle with breast cancer. She opened up the gates for many African-Americans to portray more roles in movies because of her association with NAACP. Book below available on Amazon.

Thank you for reading about Hattie McDaniel…more tomorrow in Black History.

Black History Legends…..Day 20

Pictured above: A book about the life of Jeremiah G. Hamilton aka “Prince of Darkness” , available on Amazon. He was born in 1806 in Haiti and he is known as the man without a face, not to be confused with Texas legislature Jeremiah J, Hamilton. There have not been alot of official photos of him and he has been lost in the 1800’s history as being the 1st African-American millionaire on Wall Street.

Pictured above: The trial of Jeremiah Hamilton. He was convicted of Insurance fraud that totaled 50,000.

Pictured above: White Wall Street in the 1800’s when Jeremiah G. Hamilton had to find ways to make money as an African-American.

Pictured above: Jeremiah and wife Eliza Jane Morris who had 9 children and were married 40 years despite the fact that he was African-American and she was a white women. They lived at 68 street New York, New York.

Pictured above: Eliza Jane Morris Hamilton (1822-1904) and Jeremiah G. Hamilton (1806-May 19, 1975) buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Pictured above: Don Cheadle -well-known African-American actor in Hollywood for decades in movies and television, will be producing and starring as Jeremiah G. Hamilton in the Untold Story of Wall Street’s first African-American Millionaire called “Prince of Darkness”.

“I got my start giving myself a start!” Madam C.J. Walker

Pictured above: Sarah Breedlove aka Madam C.J. Walker (12/23/1867-5/25/1919) was the first female millionaire in the 1900’s to produce a hair care and cosmetics line for women. She married 3 times and only had one daughter A’Lelia Walker who is now the president of the company Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company after her mother’s death from kidney failure and hypertension and is buried in Woodbury Cemetery in Bronx, New York.

Visit her website here at: Madam C.J. Walker

Stayed tuned for more Black history tomorrow….Subscribe NOW!!

Black History Legends….Day 11

John Mercer Langston

(December 14, 1829- November 15, 1899)

Pictured above: John Mercer Langston was an abolitionist, attorney, educator, activist, diplomat and politician in the United States. He was the youngest of 4 children who was born to freed blacks in Louisa County Virginia 1829. The house above belonged to him and is now an National Historic Landmark in Oberlin, Ohio.

Pictured above: Now and then. The John Mercer Langston Elementary School in Washington D.C. located at 33 P Street NW which opened in 1902 for black students.

Pictured above: Some of John Mercer Langston books available on Amazon.

Pictured above: A family legacy with Langston Hughes his great uncle John Mercer Langston and the great-grandfather of Langston Hughes, Charles Henry Langston.

Pictured above: Langston University established in 1897 in Oklahoma.

Pictured above: Langston’s Alma Mater Oberlin college in Ohio where he received his B.A and M.A.

Pictured above: Howard University in the 1800’s where John M. Langston was the 1st Dean of this all black law school he started. He was also the 1st African-American lawyer.

Pictured above: John 68 and his wife 82 Caroline Matilda Wall whom he married and had 5 children with in 1854, buried together in Washington D.C.

Thank you for reading this post, stayed tuned tomorrow for more Black History. Subscribe and Follow….

Spotlight for February

……..Coming to you from Lioness Academy, I have the pleasure of introducing to you a personal friend of mine! I met her last year and she has been a phenomenal women in her profession and has transformed many lives in her business worldwide. I would like to present to you my Spotlight for February….

Michiko Riezz

Lioness Academy

Click above to visit her website Lioness Academy.

Interview with Michiko Riezz- The Love Doctor

Me- “What is your name?”

Michiko- “Michiko Riezz.”

Me- “Where are you from?”

Michiko- “Well, that’s not easy to answer. You see I am an Army Brat so I had the privilege of traveling the world from a very young age. I was born in Germany, and after that. we moved just about every three years. Most people think “OMG what an awful childhood” but to be honest I loved it. I got the chance to see and experience different cultures something I truly treasure and embrace. Growing up the way I did, molded me to be as outgoing as I am today. So I have always felt at home everywhere. At the moment, I live in Germany with my husband and our 2 beautiful children.”

Me- “Tell us about your business and what makes you passionate about your business?”

Michiko- “12 years ago, I made a decision that changed my whole perspective on life. I saved over 400 relationships and in my career mode, my own marriage was suffering horribly. I was completely career oriented and I hated myself, my body, my life. I was unhappy and mad that he could not heal my pain and unhappiness. I pushed my husband away to the point that he had an affair. Don’t get me wrong, I am not excusing his mistake, there are always two people in a relationship that has faults. That was my awakening. I would never tell him this but his adultery was the best thing that ever happened to me. I knew I had to do something but I didn’t know what. After a long soul searching path, I found my true passion. As I said, I saved over 400 relationships each being different yet there was one thing all of them had in common. The wives I spoke with were not happy, but it was not their marriage that made them unhappy, it was the fact that they forgot their dreams and life goals after they got a ring on it. That was me. I wanted to do something meaningful for women all over the world. This was the birth of the Lioness Academy. I support women worldwide, finding themselves setting goals, building a business and true happiness.”

” What so many young girls are missing more and more of these days is someone to tell them that whether they’re skinny or athletic or have a little extra weight here and there, they’re beautiful just the way they are, for no other reason than because they’re themselves. Someone to tell them that their beauty is not defined by how they look on the outside.” M.R.

Me- “Tell us a little about your family?”

Michiko- “My wonderful husband of 17 years, my biggest fan and personal ass kicking coach…we have been through alot. Our love story began as a fairy tale then a thriller then Psycho movie and today we are the true meaning of the Phoenix from the Ashes. We have two beautiful children, Ricardo 15, an aspiring artist, who loves sports and is a true gentleman despite his young age. Our youngest Valentina is now 10 years old. She teaches me so very much with all of her innocence and big dreaming. She is like a little fairy…she able to open your eyes to see what can’t be seen.”

Me- “How many different languages do you speak?”

Michiko- “I speak 3 different languages. Of course English, then German, Spanish and a little French.”

Me- “Tell our readers about your newest challenge and how it has affected your everyday routine?”

Michiko- “I quit smoking on the 31 of December. I’ve been smoking since I was 15 and I never quit nor did I want to. My daughter came home one day and said, “Mommy my classmates are saying that I smoke because I smell like an ashtray!” That was the trigger I cannot even find the words to describe how terrified I was just thinking about quitting. So I spoke with my husband and we decided together to quit. It’s really crazy how much our life has changed after quitting. I have so much time in the morning that I can even sleep 30 minutes longer. My kids say they really like coming around me now because I don’t smell like smoke. I’m not going to lie, I have gained a little weight but its totally worth it.

“Best moment ever….. My daughter said ” mommy you don’t stink anymore when you kiss me” 🤑
It melted my heart and proved that I made the best decision when I said “I’m quitting”M.R.

Me- “Success, is your word for 2019? What is the meaning of this word for you?”

Michiko- “Based on personal experience and my understanding of life values, I have to say that success is not the goal. Success is the process. A journey. It’s the way you feel and the energy that is created on your way to whatever your goal may be. It’s you, striving for something. In my old career, success didn’t occur the day I got the job. It didn’t occur after that when I wrote “Be a Happier Form Of You”. It occurred when I was doing everything in my power to get to that point-when I was crashing on my BFF’s couch, or not knowing how I would pay my rent, or taking classes that would expand my knowledge and understanding, improving myself. Success came in the form of working with my team, evolving into a confident assistant manager who could understand how to serve people. It came by doing all of that hard work, growing and understanding what I was moving toward, while also navigating a personal life at the same time-allowing happiness to shine through despite all those ups and downs. Success came from taking better care of myself. Somewhere along the way, I started to understand that I owed it to myself to consider and love myself. Each of us has a past. We have regret. We’ve said or done things to ourselves or others that we wish we hadn’t. The people who know you best may forget these things, or dismiss them, but you’re more likely to internalize them and not let them go. I was guilty of that and then I forgave myself for the person I had been, the one- who made mistakes in those old relationships, in my marriage, who argued with mom and dad not truly appreciating the opportunity at hand. In time, I came to love the person I was in the present, and I grew intensely excited about the person I knew I could become. I’m not rich by no means. I don’t have the physique of a Supermodel. I don’t wear my cheerleader smile all the time. I can’t predict what my life will look like on April 1, 2058 but I’m proud of who I am today because I know where I’ve been, and I know that I can improve even further. I love the fact that I am a work in progress, and I am willing to put in the work. There are people wealthier, better looking, happier and who contribute more to society but no one can tell me I’m not a success right now. I feel successful. That is my meaning of SUCCESS, the feeling of being successful.”

“Success is the process. A journey.”

Be a Happier Form of You by Michiko Riezz

Click above to purchase her book.

Me- “Tell our readers about the Global Woman’s Club Frankfurt?”

Michiko- “The Global Woman’s Club Frankfurt launched in October of 2018. It is the first GW Club in Germany. GWClub gives women the opportunity to bring their voice on a stage not only locally but globally. It is networking on a completely different level. Making the global platform local and the local platform global. Global Woman Club is an ever-growing sisterhood with many uncountable benefits for our members, including breakfast meetings served in an amazing location. The GW platform brings high-quality women like yourself together from all around the world. In a mere matter of minutes, you will feel comfortable and at home. Mirela Sule founder of GW Club aims to connect professional businesswomen around the world, empowering, helping, and guiding. We all are from different countries, different backgrounds and even at different stages in our lives, profession and/or business. But what we all have in common: Our passion to succeed in business life on our terms and the pride to walk tall. GW Club help women to build their confidence and belief that they can be successful in whatever they do. We help each other build our brands and promote members projects through our media platform. If you are interested go to GWClub and find a club near you.”

Me- “What social links and websites can our readers follow you and your organization?”

Michiko- Facebook-Michiko Riezz

Facebook-Lioness Academy

LinkedIn- Michiko Riezz

Instagram- Michiko Riezz

Click above to visit her business pages.

Interview by LaFrieda Smith

Guest spotlight: Michiko Riezz

I want to thank Michiko Riezz for doing this interview for my blog. If you would like to learn more about Michiko Riezz and and her business visit her website below. Subscribe and Follow my blog. Thank you to all my readers.