What Does Being "Natural" Mean?

The Million Dollar Question

2 Months

I keep seeing this questions posed on different forums so I've decided to talk about it.

When "going natural" first started taking off, I thought to myself "What in the world is going on?!" Most women I saw going through the process raised my eyebrows a few times, and to be honest some still do. Now that I've gone through my process of transitioning to natural hair then doing a big chop, I have a better understanding of what goes into it! Before my mind changed, I would talk to my hair stylist (at the time) about going natural and tell her how I could never go natural and she was on my side 100%. She would talk about how going natural wasn't for everybody and how she would never let me go natural.

March '13 Length Check

14 Months Natural

Welcome to the 4th edition of my length check!

My hair has made great strides this month and I'm excited about it's growth.

February 25 = 56 weeks natural, 15 weeks since the BC

March 24 = 60 weeks natural, 19 weeks since the BC
(Next month I'll simplify the natural weeks, i.e. 1 year 2 months, and round up the BC weeks, i.e. 5 months)

My hair is definitely flourishing!!

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New Button

I made a new button and just had to share it! This is the first button I've made on my own (no help)!

<center> <a href="http://mlhender.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/JustMiBlog/media/redjustmi_zpsc73da3d2.jpg.html"/></a></center>

This is the first button I've made on my own (no help)! I couldn't quite remember all the instructions I got, and will probably tweek it when I get a minute, but I was proud of myself!

What do you think??

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2 Dilemma Tuesdays

Different Natural Hairstyles

So, I haven't posted about Dilemma Tuesday for 3 weeks because I wanted to surprise my boyfriend. The surprise went very well, so now I'll show it to you!

I decided to try a roller set. Surprisingly, the look held up really well. It looked more like a straight style than a natural style, but I loved it just the same.

Day 1

Day 10

Day 11

2 wks - after combing the curls out

I loved this style and will definitely get it again. In order to keep the style, I pin curled it each night and secured it with bobby pins. The downside was this took 20+ minutes to do...and there was a many a night when I didn't feel like doing it! But I did and it lasted the whole two weeks!!

I also didn't moisturize my scalp like I wanted to for fear of messing up the curls. My stylist suggested I start using a q-tip to apply coconut oil because I was using too much. She also gave me a lighter oil to try to combat all the issues I was having with the coconut oil. The oil is Influance's It's Natural, Natural Oil...yeah, the name cracks me up too...lol! This oil is made by the same company that makes the moisturizer I got from the salon, which I love, so I'm hoping to love the oil too.

I told her about all the itching I was still having as well. She gave me some type of treatment (I believe a tea tree oil treatment) to help relieve the itching. I need to ask what it is, so I can share that with you. She also told me my scalp was in great condition and thought it may just be my nerves, which I can totally get behind (because in the past, I've noticed that I scratch my head when I'm nervous, stressed, upset, etc.). With everything I've been doing, I think the stress of it all is starting to catch up with me.

During the most current Dilemma Tuesday I decided to get a protective style. After having spent so much time having to set my hair every single night for two weeks, I went into the salon already knowing what I wanted! Hand claps for me, right?! Here's how it turned out:

I got two french braids that connect in the back (the part goes into a 'S' shape in the back). I love the style and I'm definitely going to try my best to keep it the whole 2 weeks. My problem is that my hair is so soft that it frizzes out quickly. I've tried to gel the frizz down, but I feel I've made it worse! You can't see the frizz from afar, so I'm glad I don't have anybody to impress because I'm not taking this style out until I get good and ready!!

Which do you like between the roller set and french braids??

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First Things First

1. First real piece of jewelry you owned
The first real piece of jewelry I had was given to me by my moma. It was a single sapphire-stoned ring (sapphire is my birthstone). I can't quite remember if the ring was gold or silver, but knowing my moma, it was probably gold...lol, (if you knew her...or have at least seen her...you would understand why)! I got the ring around 4th or 5th grade and I wore that ring every single day for a number of years. I hardly ever took it off. I wore it so long my hand outgrew it! We ended up cutting the ring off of my hand. The only other real ring I've had is my class ring. It's a sapphire ring too.

Yeah, I don't know why I still have magazines
from 2008-2009 either...

2. First magazine subscription
Glamour. I didn't order this subscription, but I was very glad to have it for a couple of free months. This subscription was the origin of this. After I stopped getting the magazine, I craved it for a little while longer. I bought one magazine out of the store like to months after, but it wasn't the same!



3. First time staying home alone

HA! I was a latchkey kid. I was staying home alone since I was a baby! Lol...okay...not really, but I was young! Shortly after entering the 4th grade I began staying home alone. My school was literally 20 steps from my front door, so it was only logical. I would get ready for school in the mornings, watch morning cartoons, then walk to school 5 minutes before classes started! When school let out, I was home in no time. I loved it! A couple of years later, I began watching my sister after school too. I guess you can say we lived in a close knit neighborhood, so we were safe, but if we were to need something there were people we could call. After watching an episode of 'Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego' and half an episode of 'Ghostwriter', my mom was home anyway! Besides, I was a very mature and responsible child! :-)


What are your firsts??

Blog Header

I finally got around the creating a header tonight! It's not quite exactly what I want though. I have the beginnings of an idea in my head, but nothing close to a finished product to begin working on, so I'm using this as a fill-in for now. I figured I should write a post as a history marker! :-)

What do you think??

My Sauteed Meal

Good Saturday Morning Mi-ettes & Saturday Morning Coffee-ettes! It is such a beautiful day today and before I get out there and on the road, I figured I would take some time for myself. My friend, Nicole, has been begging me to blog about this recipe, so here goes it!

Sauteed Sausage, Onions, Green Peppers, Squash, & Zucchini 

So, since becoming so overwhelmed, I haven't been putting so much thought into cooking meals. I make something extremely simple or eat out...usually pizza. I was getting tired of that and my appetite wasn't being fed, so I found this on Pinterest. The picture didn't have a link, unfortunately, so I had to improvise. It was very simple and took no time at all.

 

1. Cut up all vegetables (any vegetables you'd like; cut as big or small as you want).

 

2. Oil your pan. Use any type of oil you'd like. I chose butter, because I love butter, plus I feel it cooks things better. Use as much or as little oil as you'd like.

 

3. Cook all vegetables on low heat. Add any seasonings to the vegetables you'd like.

 

4. Cut up sausage (or any meet you choose) as the vegetables cook.

 

5. After vegetables have softened, remove them from the pot.

 

6. Saute sausage (in the juices of the vegetables).

 

7. After sausage has cooked and softened, add the cooked vegetables.

 

8. Cook until both the vegetables and sausage are done and eat over rice.

I ate off this delicious meal for a couple of day. As the vegetables and sausage sat in their own juices each day it was even better! I will be creating a menu for myself shortly so I can take some of the thought out of having to decide what's for dinner. This will definitely be on the list!!

What do you guys think of my self made meal??

Sunday Social on Monday!!

It's Monday, but I'm doing my Sunday Social anyway!!

Here we go!!

1. 5 songs you'll listen to for

the rest of your life:

Wowzers!! This is definitely a tough questions. These answers took me all week to think of!

1. Marvin's Room - Drake

2. In The Morning - J. Cole ft. Drake

3. My Boo - Ghost Town DJs (This song brings back so many memories. It came out when I was in the 5th grade. It was kinda like a girl anthem...and to this day, every time this song is heard/played it brings that feeling of nostalgia amongst everyone who was a part of that era.)

4. Swing My Way - K.P. & Envyi (for the same reasons as #3)

5. One In A Million - Aaliyah (She was one of my favorite R&B singers; I would have loved to have seen how she would have grown in this industry. If she wasn't around, some of the R&B artists that are doing so well now, would have a run for their money.)

2. 5 things on your bucket list:

1. Pay off all my debt, most importantly my student loans!
2. Extreme traveling (I want to go to the western part of the US - Las Vegas, Texas, & California are musts; I want to go to another country; I want to visit a tropical island; and I want to take a cruise. I really need to finish the process of getting my passport...and I need to use it!)

3. I want to learn how to ski and/or row some type of boat (kayak, rowboat, etc.)

I guess I need to think more about my bucket list because the next two aren't exactly bucket list items, but I figure why not...these are definitely two things I want to happen before I die, so here goes...LOL

4. Get married to a wonderful and loving man

5. Have wonderful and loving children

3. 5 celebs you'd love to hang out with for a day:

1. Beyonce (she's all over the place right now)

2. J. Cole (I feel a connection with him...see why here...We need to have a convo about the state of his album. I'm wondering where it is!)

3. Kerry Washington (let's face it, she's all over the place too)

Since I can't think of two more celebrities I would like to follow. I will think of two of my favorite characters from shows I enjoy watching.
4. Jeffrey DeMunn (Dale from The Walking Dead. I have enjoyed watching his character grow...and although I was upset with him when he left the group to be with his brother, I think he's realizing some things about his brother - I haven't seen yesterday's episode yet, so I don't say too much just yet)

5. Guillermo Diaz (Huck from Scandal. He's my absolute favorite character on the show. There's something about extreme loyalty that wins me over. He is a very good friend to those he befriends and he definitely gets the job done.)

4. 5 things you always carry in your purse:

(I'm not going to name the obvious things such as wallet, cell phone, iPad mini, sentimental pictures, etc.. Some things are a given!)

1. Backup chapstick

2. Notebook (pens & pencils)

3. Fingernail clippers

4. Lotion/hand sanitizer/cocoa butter

5. Umbrella

5. 5 books on your reading list:

1. The Bible

Let's face it. I don't really have a reading list. My schedule is super full. I barely have time in my days to do the things I NEED to do, let alone want to do. I'm currently reading the Bible all the way through. I'm also reading Joyce Meyer's devotional, Promises for Your Everyday Life. I'm interchangeably reading these because of the crunch of time, so trying to squeeze a book in there for leisure...nah. However, the last book I read was To Heaven and Back by Mary C. Neal. My coworker suggested this book. It was an easy read and very, very good. I recommend this book.

6. Share the last 5 pictures on your phone:


Promotion

Present

My Granny (at the top), (2nd row, from left to right) Aunt, Moma, Uncle, (bottom) youngest Aunt; my mom texted this picture to me and my sister

Matchbox - my favorite restaurant, so far, in DC

Scenery after a night out on the town



Five Question Friday (& Saturday!)

I was on the road Friday rendering me unable to do my Friday link-ups, so I'm squeezing it all into one! Today I'm linking up with:

&

ENJOY!!

1. What was the most productive thing you have done this week?

Wowzers! In case you guys haven't noticed (by my lack of interaction on my blog...sorry!), I AM OVERWHELMED!! I'm overwhelmed at work, home, church...everywhere. I'm stretched thin...but amongst all that, I'm trying to at least create some normalcy in all the chaos. I need some help, to be honest. Having to do everything by myself is starting to catch up with me. I say, on a daily basis, "I need an assistant!" My coworkers laugh at me every time...but I'm oh so serious! I know I wont get an assistant, but a helping pair of hands would be nice. ANYWHO, out of the one million tasks I have to do, the most productive thing I can say I've done this week is successfully pack up my life in preparation for a mini vacay in DC. I know that might not sound "productive", but for me it is! I'm a terrible packer!

2. Enjoying the winter or ready for spring?

This is not even a question in my book. If you read this, you know I'm not a winter person. I've been ready for Spring since it first started getting cold!! Spring is my favorite season. It needs to hurry up and get here! I'm tired of snow forecasts and I'm tired of wearing winter clothes. I'm ready to bust out with sleeveless shirts and sandals. I have so many pairs of sandals that I can mix and match with outfits like nobody's business! Being the frugal shopper I am, I can always find a good deal. I rarely pay over $10 for sandals...and some of these are name brand sandals! For instance, I recently bought a pair of leopard American Eagle sandals for $8. GREAT buy, right?! 

3. Are you an introvert or extrovert? Is your spouse the same as you?

I'm definitely an introvert. I've always been shy, since I can remember. My saying is "I don't like being the center of attention!" Now that I'm getting older, I'm getting more comfortable with being in, or putting myself in, situations that make me be an extrovert. Depending on the situation, I actually enjoy it...but there are still situations that make me nervous. I don't have a spouse, but my partner is a little bit of both. He can definitely entertain a room, but also prefers his me time. That's why we're the perfect match!!

4. Would you rather go without music or television for 1 year?

This is an easy question! Lol. If you read here, or here, or here...lol...then you would know how much I LOVE music! For the most part, I only watch TV for background noise. I have too much going on in my life not have music in it! I've loved music since I was baby. my daddy is a DJ and always has been. I mean, now he just does it on the side, but I was exposed to music very early on because of it. Music can be a mood regulator or a mood complimenter.  Music is my friend and we can never part :-)

5. Have you ever been truly scared of someone?

PUHLEASE!! What do I look like?! I've never had a reason to be scared of anybody, besides my Moma when she was getting ready to whoop me!! Lol. Like I said in question 3, I'm in introvert. I've learned some valuable lessons by being an introvert, which is also a reason why I feel I can become comfortable with being an extrovert when it's needed.  You have to be careful when interacting with others. People are people and you can never know what to expect...I guess that's just the psychology in me. I tend to me, and I always have. It's really hard to have issues with anybody else when you're not stirred up in everything.