52 Week Blog Challenge- Week 12

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Social Media Phenomenon

Social media has changed alot over the years and I have had my fair share of experiences on the internet. I didn’t grow up in the internet age so for me I had to pick and choose where I interacted with people. It is just so difficult to keep things private these days and social media really makes it hard to do that. When I started using social media, it began with Facebook in 2010 and it was so surprising to me how people can upload pictures and find friends and family members to connect to. I was able to connect to some family members and friends that any other way wouldn’t have happened. This was a great thing for me. Through Facebook, I found out about Instagram, which was a little different but the same concept. I like being able to share my life with friends and family but the fact is is that the people you connect with don’t always follow you and while you follow them. Twitter came next and I have to say that is my favorite because it is simple and you don’t have to spend alot of time on it. I use it to promote my blog and find others to follow.

Now that the platforms have gotten bigger, there is more unwanted ads, people like to bash others or stalk people and it is not family friendly anymore. I don’t get on it very often unless I am posting something about my children or on instagram about my blog. Too much anxiety involved.

My children on the other hand use other ways to socialize on the internet. They use videos and snaps, which is beyond my understanding.

The way I see it, social media in the next 10 years will become obsolete and people will go back to the old-fashioned way of communication-picking up the phone and calling people. Or making an attempt to travel to where their family and friends are.

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The Heart of a Dancer..A Queen Remembered

Good morning ladies and gentleman, as October comes to a close for the month, we remember those who have fought for their lives and are still fighting to this day to find a cure for a disease that comes in many forms. This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and our job is to be educated and aware of the early signs and stay united in the fight for the cure. Breast Cancer is not just a women’s disease but also a men’s disease.

I want to tell you a story about a daughter, mother, wife and accomplished dancer. Her name Sonia Vargas.

This is her story told by my dear friend Valerie Padilla, her daughter.

Sonia Vargas, 23 years ago never knew that simply taking a bathe would change her life forever. She worked as a secretary, was a dedicated mom, wife and she loved to dance. She taught her daughter Valerie, everything she knows about dancing, which I have witnessed first hand, from the Salsa, Tango, Fandango, Bolero and many more. Sonia was around 39 years old when she discovered a lump under her arm during a routine breast exam. Monthly exams of your breast are very important for early detection.

After discovering this lump, she immediately went to the doctor and had a mammogram done and they discovered a mass in the early stages. They were able to start her on chemo and began her fight. Sonia, a beautiful woman, lost all her hair and like most woman, the depression started and she felt she was no longer attractive. The family did everything they could to help her regain her confidence by buying her wigs and telling her she was beautiful everyday to keep her spirits up. Positive prayers and proper treatments made the cancer go away….so they thought.

One year later, the breast cancer that once was a distant memory, came back more aggresive. Sonia was given not alot of options accept for a masectomy. Women who are faced with the prospect of losing their breast, it is not an easy decision. We pride ourselves on how we look and in making this decision she decided to do nothing. Of course, the cancer decided to spread and it invaded so aggressively that it grew out of her body as a 3rd breast on her chest and became a part of her everyday life. She, like many women loved to look and smell good at all times and to have to live day by day with a growth on her chest, losing her hair and feeling sick all the time, it felt like she lost a big part of herself.

Her daughter Valerie, said that as her mom became sicker, she had to take care of her bathing and feeding her regularly. Valerie accounts that the growth smelled like rotten meat to everyone and people stared at her all the time. As the months went by, she became thin and frail and was admitted near Fathers Day of June 1998. The hospital she was admitted to was where she worked and she had the best care around her family and friends. When she was in the hospital, her doctor told her that it was so aggressive that chemo was not working and there was no cure.

She had to make another decision and she decided to keep it from her kids. Valerie was a teenager and being the oldest of 3 children, she felt helpless, pain and she wanted to do everything she could to take care of her mom. Her mom was her inspiration and hero growing up doing the dance group together and she just wanted to help her mom. After awhile, Sonia couldn’t speak but she could hear everyone. All her family, friends and co-workers did a prayer chain and sent flowers to lift her spirits.

October 24, 1998, Sonia Vargas got her wings at the age of 42 and left behind a spirit in her family that will last forever. It has been 21 years and Valerie celebrates life everyday for her.

Valerie and the women of her Empowerment Group just recently took a trip to Puerto Rico October 11, 2019 and we celebrated Valerie’s 43rd birthday!! Chapter 43 for Valerie was important to her and sharing her moms story touched all of us.

Her moms angelic looks, spirit, heart for dance, her love and caring for others and beautiful personality inside and out shines through her everyday.

Below is a chart of what to look for when you do your monthly breast exam. Early detention is the key.

I want to give a big thank you to Valerie Padilla for allowing me to share her mom’s story and to educate other women about the importance of early detection and treatments.

“Living my birthdays not just for me but for my mom’s life” Valerie Padilla

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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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Friendship…How many do you really have?

The meaning of friendship to me is a person who is there for you through the good and the bad. The people who call you for no reason to see how you are, catch up with you on current events and making sure you are doing well. I have had my fair share of what I would call Friendships for the Moment because people have taken advantage of how generous I am and use me for the what they can get out of me. Or the friendships that come from having something in common like one friend-those never last for me because everyone eventually goes off and is separated from the new person in the group.

Friendships are made when you are younger and also when you are older. Personalities change and interests come with most friendships. Most relationships can withstand the test of the time with living in the same neighborhood and sharing their lives together. Friendships long ago used to last years but given the changing of people and the technology, it becomes increasingly harder to maintain a solid friendship these days. I have seen people on Facebook and Instagram rate their friendships by likes and comments on their posts and it causes people to unfriend. Friendships are not based on likes, it is all about how we support one another through the good and bad times. Supporting one another through achievements and failures is what is needed to show love to another.

Friendships come in many forms from pets, family and couples. Loyalty is the number one in friendships…which is so hard to find these days. Love comes in many forms and recognizing it can be the beginning of a long lasting friendship.

In the past year, I have had the privilege of meeting some incredible people and am thankful everyday for their friendships. I met a man 20 years ago who started out as my boss, then an acquaintance then….we all know how the story goes. My husband of 20 years, we are best friends for life. About 23 years ago, when I was 18, I met a women who I never knew would make such an impact on my life to this day. We understand each other and have watched both our lives unfold -the good and the bad. She has been there for me and still is. Although we live miles away, she is my BFF for life and nothing will ever change that.

To answer my question: How many friends do you have? I have 2 Bff’s I love dearly .

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31 Day Challenge Day 10

First Celebrity crush….really has changed over the years with all the new actors making their way to television and radio. I didn’t have any celebrity crushes as a child…I know that sounds weird but for some reason no one person gave me that spark. I got older and then that is when I started watching movies and I got my list.

And here it is…..

Oohh…lala…My list starts from left to right with Johnny Depp, I fell in love with him in Pirates in the Caribbean. Next up, Terrence Howard, I fell for his spunk in Best Man. Mr. Ray Liotta an Irishmen, Italian and gangster in of my favorite movies GoodFellas, he was gorgeous. Last but not least, Superman himself, Dean Cain, I loved him as Clark/Superman and also in the movie Out of Time with Denzel Washington.

As much as I loved all these guys then, right now I’ve got my eye on only one crush

Robert Downey Jr.

Fell for him while he was doing Iron-man and then he kept going with the Avengers.

Next up is Celebrity girl crushes…

Jillian Michaels – I idolize her for her strength and courage. She represents a women who has proven through it all that women can overcome how they feel about themselves and how the world judges them based on their looks and sexuality.

Michelle Rodriguez –I have admired her since the Fast and Furious. She is a bad ass on screen and a soft feminine energy off-screen with a caring spirit.

Both ladies are beautiful and sexy in their own unique way.

Sorry, I didn’t have any singer celebrity crushes……the 90’s were a very confusing time..lol.

Well that’s all I got for now….

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31 Day Challenge-Day 9

Hey Hey, so this is Day 9 and one of my favorite topics is here!! Piercings and Tattoos are one of the most beautiful ways of expressing who you are and what is important to you. So lets get started….so I have only 2 piercings….

I only have two piercings, one in each year. These are very significant because I got these when I was 40 years old. I couldn’t get my ears pierced at a younger age before 18 years old so I kind of got used to not having it so I didn’t get it done. My mom and I were at a jewelry counter last year and we were looking at earrings and she said “Why don’t you get your ears pierced?” So I did it, it hurt for like 60 secs each ear but I am glad I did it!! My mom was so proud of me. I love wearing all kinds of earrings now especially hoops…it goes with personality.

Right now , I have 5 piercings to date. Each one of my tattoos has a significant meaning behind them. Most of my tattoos have my kids names on them. The Phoenix is representative of the University I attended and got my college degree. The butterfly and long tiger represents my freedom to live life and being able to go after what I wanted. I am waiting to get my 6th and final tattoo…..

This is going to be 6th and last tattoo…I drew this myself.

Check out my post on body art to get more in depth about the story about my tattoos click MMMoffamilyentertainment link below:

MMMoffamilyentertainment

So while I have you guys here, I wanted to recommend a cool lady to follow who I met who loves to talk about piercings and tattoos!! She runs a Blog and Facebook group. She does Guest post, Coaching and offers other services. Introducing….

Britt Kascjak

Alternatively Speaking This is her Blog, subscribe and follow her for great tips on tattoo and piercing care.
Unapologetically You!! Join her Facebook Group here if you are Blogger or writer looking for inspiration and tips.
@AltSpeaking Follow her Twitter here
In the works right now for Instagram Community Share your best Instagram post on her Facebook Community and she will share it in the community.

TIME FOR WHERE DID I GET MY INK, SHOWING SHOPS SOME LOVE!!

Atomic Tattoos

Located in Lakeland Florida at 2405 S. Florida Ave. I drew this one myself also…they did an awesome job!!

Ink Spot

Located in Kissimmee Florida at 4775 W Irlo Bronson Hwy. They did a great job!!

Tiger Tattoos and and Body Piercing

They did such a great job with my Tiger, that I went back to get my Phoenix after I graduated college. My daughter actually drew my Phoenix bird for me…she did a great job. Located in Kissimmee Florida at 4145 W. Vine St.

And last but not least…my very first tattoo

I can’t remember where I got it because I got it so many years ago in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. I also created this tattoo myself.

Okay, so It says piercings too, so let me give credit to:

Walmart Jewelry Department

The lady who did it, did’t cause me pain but my holes are not even…OMG. My own neighborhood Walmart here in Lakeland Florida…lol

That’s all I got for you today…I hope you enjoyed this as much as I do…Don’t forget to:

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Stay tuned for Day 10…tomorrow!!

Tattoos…a storybook written for the body

Tattoos..a story written for every individual like an autobiography published that explains the road traveled by most with failures, accomplishments, tragedies, life lessons learned and thing to be proud of expressed on the body. Most of us have our story hidden but the rest of us want people to know what we have gone through. In many religions, it is sacred to deface the body of a human with any kind of piercings or tattoos but why deprive one of such an opportunity to express themselves.

I saw a photo of a lady who wanted to take her story and give it a happy ending. Her life consisted of being sad, covering up the scars turned her from a victim to a survivor…..

In another life, people write down who they place their heart and soul with….then it gets broken, that story gets told through love quotes and a broken heart for the end…..

Proud parents who cherish their children and want to celebrate the day they were born with names and dates over and over again..on the other side the sad soul who lost their love and life in one moment, writing numbers and symbols in remembrance….

Believing in your country and what it stands for while being proud of who you are …making your mark on the world with being part of history, celebrating your freedom…..

Reliving a moment in your life that you thought you would never achieve and look on as others admire your accomplishment no matter how big or small…..

Rooting for your favorite team and supporting them with your dedication to their organization….or keeping with your family markings for generations to come…..

Admiring your environment and loving the way the Earth births beautiful things so you want to see this on you day after day……

These are some of the ways to write your story for the world….this is My Storybook.

My name is LaFrieda and I am a mom of three, wife and my family is the love of my life. I currently have 5 tattoos on my body representative of me living my life. My left arm has my very first tattoo of my three kids names in a heart designed by me. My second on the right leg has a tigers face on it, representing my love for animals with my children’s names under it. My third on the left leg has another full body tiger helping me go down a road to greatness in my life. My fourth on the right arm, success in graduating from college at 38 years old while working a full-time job and taking care of a family and last, the one on my left thigh, begun my journey to live life to the fullest despite the failures I had in life…I would get better and stronger after devastation. Right now I am currently working on my 6th story for my right thigh…I am thinking it will have something to do with my love for music.

I am trying to decide between these two…let me know which one would be nice on my right thigh…

I sketched both of these myself…I just can’t decide which one to go with. Which one A or B?

“Never be ashamed of your story…it is Who You Are“ L.S.

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My weekend as a Queen…trip to New York City

New York City...home of the Yankees, Statue of Liberty and the birthplace of rhythm and blues- Harlem.

This was my second visit to New York. I visited in December 2017 with my beautiful daughter Briana, who celebrated my birthday with me and got to experience for the first time New York city in the winter time.

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I left for New York on May 24, 2019 on Delta airlines, which there was a delay in take-off due to a gasket that needed to be replaced. These planes come equip with in-flight movie and television selections and also complimentary drinks and snack of your choice. I was able to capture the CitiField baseball field when landing in New York.

When I arrived, I had to call my hotel for a shuttle, which was very convenient for me not having a car. I stayed at the Extended Stay Suites in Queens. It was located in flushing and the hotel was very nice. I didn’t get to do sites because of the distance, if I did get around it was Lyft and ordering through Grub Hub. I f you ever stay in New York..stay in the city..it is less expensive and you can travel by subway like me and my daughter did the first time.

The next day, I was getting ready for the highlight of my trip..The Valerie’s Women’s Empowerment Group 1 year anniversary Gala!! It was exciting to meet so many women who share the same heart as I do for others. This group has been apart of my daily life since last year and the women who made it all possible and getting such incredible women together is Valerie Padilla. She started this group May 25, 2018 and wanted to make a difference not only in women’s lives but help those in need in her community. Check out my post in Getting Real section called ”You are a Queen today and everyday…women-empowering-each-other-2019″

I had such a great night with all these ladies. Everything was so elegant and beautifully done. We all ate, drank, cried, danced, laughed and hugged alot. I was so overwhelmed by how much everyone loved one another in sisterhood and lifted each other with touching speeches and memorable moments.

A heartfelt moment where I hadn’t even got out my seat and I started crying…..

“Loving yourself and others unconditionally…Priceless” L.S

Valerie gave out many trophies to her Queens that were close to her heart and this is me receiving mine for being that women who inspires her and continues to do wonderful things for others. It is truly amazing how self-less she is and how many lives she’s touched

The Guest of honor Queen Valerie wears many hats but she wore her crown that night….

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She is a dedicated mom, wife, sister, best friend.

Women’s Empowerment 1-Year anniversary Gala Group photo.

In leaving the party, I had some difficult getting my Lyft driver to pick me up in front of my address…which I couldn’t figure out for the life of me but I had these two ladies that helped me out tremendously and I thank them so much!! That is what women supporting each other is all about.

The next day I was so tired but nothing is going to stop me from coming back. I am so looking forward to what is next on journey…and the story is to be continued…..

Check out this group on Facebook clicking here Valerie Women’s Empowerment Group

Also on Instagram by clicking here Valerie s Women Empowerment Group

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Visit the city of New York with Times Square, Yankee and Mets Stadium, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

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Spotlight for April 2019

Changing your mindset…..with Kate

*When you focus on the good, the good gets better.✌K.S.

❤Love, Love, Love this months Spotlight!! She is just so extraordinary with the amount of energy and passion she has for people all over the world. We met last year through social media and it has been such a pleasure to watch her be so successful not only in business but in her own day-to-day life as a mom and wife. She is such an inspiration to me and I wanted to share her with you all…meet my good friend Kate Scully.

The many faces of Kate Scully…..

Check her out on Facebook and Instagram

Me: “What is your name?” Kate: “Kate Scully.”
Me: “Where are you from?”

Kate: “From Chicago, spent the last decade abroad in the middle east, and just moved back to Chicago last year!”
Me: “Tell us about your lovely family and what you all like to do for fun?”

Kate: “I have two wonderfully crazy sons, Jameson (5) and Rhys (3), my husband Joe, and our puppy Louie who is a 60lb bernedoodle. We love traveling, going on adventures, the beach, and just hanging out together as a family.”

Me: “Tell our readers all about your business(s) and what’s in store for 2019?”

Kate: “I am a wellness mentor with a virtual franchise in the health and wellness industry. I absolutely love making new friends, connecting with others around the world, and helping people learn how to live their best lives through changing their mindset and nutrition. Big things to come in 2019 as our company is in a massive expansion phase; and I am partnering with other entrepreneurs globally who have a similar mindset and a passion to help others change their life.”
Me: “What was/is your toughest battle personally or professionally?”

Kate: “Probably the last year of my life, moving across the world with my family, dealing with reverse culture shock after 10 yrs abroad, and starting both a brand new business along with a new full time job as well!”
Me: “Share your most inspired story with us from 2018?”

Kate: “During the summer of 2018, I followed my gut and took a huge leap of faith. I left my teaching job and took on a completely a new role as an instructional coach at a new school – which comes full circle as this school is where I went to elementary school! And at the same time is when I jumped into this new business opportunity to start helping more people beyond my classroom walls. I finally feel truly aligned in my passions and my role as a mentor in both the educational setting and the wellness world.”
Me: “As an optimistic women in all aspects of your life and in helping others, is there anything you can honestly say you tried and failed at and never did again?”

Kate: “Yes and no! Of course I’ve failed! Failure is simply a stepping stone to success and I strongly believe that in order to succeed you need to fail forward, many many times. But honestly I don’t think I’ve ever NOT tried something again after a failure. Besides art. 😂 I took an art class in high school which I failed miserably at. Haven’t tried my hand at art since then!!” 😉

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Me: “What is your biggest pet peeve?”

Kate: “People who are close minded and refuse to listen or have a conversation.”
Me: “What social media links and pages can we find out more about you and your business?”

Kate: “I use my Facebook page to network and connect with others – and would love to meet you through Messenger! Send me a friend request and a message and would love to chat! Also you can follow my Instagram page – my handle is Kates0486.”

Me: “Do you have any special offers or discounts in your business you would like to share with us?”

Kate: “Yes!! This week actually we have a double promotion going on. I’m offering free memberships (which give you 25% off all of our products for an entire year – like a Costco membership but guaranteed to get you feeling better than you ever have!) Also this week there is free shipping and an additional $30 off on our starter packs! As always we have our eat for free club which I’m a HUGE fan of – free food ALWAYS tastes better! 😉😉 Please do let me know if you have any questions and looking forward to connecting with you a soon!”

Interviewer: LaFrieda Smith

Guest: Kate Scully

*I want to thank Kate Scully for being my Spotlight this month. Check her out on Facebook and Instagram for more of her story!

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Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful….with Nedra

Renedra G. Barksdale Owner & Master Stylist of Rare Touch Hair Palace

Rare Touch Hair Palace specializes in all types of styling techniques such as:

Sew-Ins, Protective Styles, Colors, Cuts, Chemical Treatments and for those who want on the go access, check out her specialized wig styles!!

Other services provided by Rare Touch Hair Palace are Braiding Hair Styles. Contact for Braid Specialist below and also find them on Facebook and Instagram.