Just do it!

Pooka family, you know its only in times of extreme emergency that we (people) as a collective whole, realize that the things we want (new cars, clothes etc.) and aspire for are meaningless when we are faced with devestation. This has been a very tough week for millions of people. First a friend of ours from college called to let us know her son was killed. Another young black man murdered in the city over nothing. Leaving his family devestated and trying to pick up the pieces. In times like these what can you say, could anyone have done anything to change this? A kind word, a stern word, a prayer? I think Michael Baisden has the right idea, we need to help our people, ALL OF OUR PEOPLE. Because every boy or girl you see is YOUR child. Our legacy(which is our children) is dwindling and we are letting it go through our hands like sand. I know there is somebody in everybody's family that needs some kind of help. Reach out, ask folks! They will be glad you did and so will you.

To our Haitian Family, we pray for you in your time of need. This has been a devestating event that is just undescribable. We also pray that everyone in the USA and abroad will be able to find their loved ones safe and that everyone gets the help that they need. I am proud to be an American and I am proud of our president and all of the nameless people, REAL PEOPLE all over the world who are comming together to help save Haiti. For the rest of us that can't go to Haiti to help, send some money, it doesn't have to be a lot and there are plenty of organizations that you can give to. Make 2010 your year to help somebody else! Come on people, just do something!

Happy New Me!!!!

Greetings Pooka Family. Happy New You! I have decided that is my theme for 2010. I am not going to make a list of resolutions that I never keep. I choose instead for optimal health and happiness and I believe that is about the choices we make. I know that I need an exercise regimen this year but it is about finding one that is fun. That may mean yoga, pilates or even kick boxing! I will take my vitamins and be more careful about what I put into my body but if I really want that double chocolate chip cookie once in a while it’s ok. The food police won’t arrest me. I will make time to read those books to keep my brain juices flowing. I will work on my friendships because sometimes a “just sending an email because I am thinking of you” can make the difference in someone’s day. I will keep my personal relationship new and fresh. Watch out husband!! I will make sure to have plenty of dates with myself. We all need to remember to just sit still and listen. I will remember to pray about everything!!!!! I will smile more than I frown and I will be slow to anger by always giving everyone the benefit of a doubt. We have to remember that we never know what kind of day someone has had, what is going on in their home life or that sometimes people just have a bad day. I am hopeful family for the days ahead in this new year. Let’s all decide to be happy. Make sure your choices lead you to this goal. 2010 I hope you are ready for me because I am ready for you!!!

No More Resolutions!

Happy New Year Pooka Family!
Well this New Year's Eve I did a lot of thinking. I listened to a lot of people who were overjoyed to get rid of 2009 and I started thinking why is it that at the end of every year we can't wait to get rid of that year because it was horrible, but this was the same year we welcomed with excitement last January! Lets be thankful for every year we are allowed to see. Thanks 2009 for the good the bad and for just being here to experience it all. Now that being said or thought I wondered if I should even make resolutions? hmmmm....Let me think about resolutions past and see how some those turned out.....
1. I still don't look like Halle Barry
2. I didn't do the stairmaster every day, so.....my butt still doesn't look like Jennifer Lopez'(remember that blog?!)
3. Will Smith still hasn't called me if you remember my past blogs, neither has Danny Glover or Morgan Freeman!
4. I still can't make collard greens and continue to eat free stuff at Whole Foods!
5. I tried to live by my budget but you all read my ipod blog!
6. I haven't found Barack Obamas brother and married him to make myself Michelle Obama(oh you missed that one!?here it is!)
7. I haven't cleaned up yet.....(yeah there was one for that too!)
8. Hmmm...my hair, well I'm leaving that one alone and you should too, LOL!

The list goes on and on, LOL! So this year no resolutions for me, I'm just going to be the best I can be and when 2010 ends I'll be happy for a great year!

Essence Magazine....FINALLY!!!

Well Pooka Family, it's finally happened! We have our first product placement in Essence Magazine!!!! We are so excited. We have been sending products to Essence for the past 9 years and this month, January 2010, WE GOT IN, LOL!!! They featured our Hair Nectar and Mikki Taylor even gave us a great review. I've shown the magazine to a lot of people and some folks have said, Were'nt you guys already in Essence?, HUH!! Nope!! I've been telling people that Essence has 12 issues a year and about 2-3 beauty product pages per issue. That makes about 36 pages per year. Now you have to think there are 1000's and 1000's of beauty product companies, not even including the big boys like Revlon, Cover Girl, Fashion Fair, ect. So all that being said, we are overjoyed that a Pooka product was able to find a little spot on one of those pages! Make sure you check it out, January Issue, Page 38! It's a great way to start out the year, I'm enthused and energized and this year is the year of the Pookalitas, LOL! Hang on for the ride, you know we're taking you with us....WE GOT NEXT!

Her First Holiday Turkey!!!

Greetings Family! Well we are into the holiday season full swing and boy am I tired!!! Now you know that the holidays are a Foodies favorite time of year. So many recipes so little room in your stomach to try them all! Well......I hosted Thanksgiving this year, at my house, for the first time. This was a major big deal. I thought, ok I have every magazine and cookbook and have watched all of the food network holiday specials two times. I can do this!! I also thought that I would start with a small gathering to ease myself into this tradition. Well the ghosts of Thanksgiving past decided that I should have a house full of people. Ok, plan B to have everyone contribute to the festivities so a Foodie like myself didn't have a melt down. My mother and I planned the menu and gave everyone their assignments. My mother, aka, hostess extraordinaire, helped with the decorating and table setting and seating as well. I have big shoes to fill to follow my Mom. She is my hostess and decorating inspiration in life!! I made my shopping list and hit the store. I must admit however, that I had never cooked a turkey before. How hard could it be. Just like a big chicken right!! Well this is where my mother-in-law came in to save me. She stayed with us over the holiday and cooked her famous potato salad and her greens and cakes. She showed me how to prep and season the turkey. She even got up early in the morning to put the bird in the oven so it would be ready for our company!! I am forever grateful to her for this lesson. Now that is the type of mother-in-law that I hope all of you have! I made glazed carrots, cornbread stuffing and my sweet potato pies! My aunties made baked salmon, sweet potatoes and string beans. Tricia baked us a ham (you must accommodate the pork eating guests!!) and made her fabulous desserts. Yummy!! My mother made fantastic herb roasted chicken and her famous macaroni and cheese. Now I must inform everyone that there was a near riot because my mother only had one pan because she left the other one home! We worked it out though and everyone had plenty. Dawn made her famous..... she whipped up some.....well Dawn brought the bread!! Our creative genius makes body butter not things with real butter in them lol! We prayed over the food and our home and everyone had a great time. Everyone stayed for a long time with their bellies very full which is the sign of a good holiday dinner. They left with plenty of food to take home for left overs. All in all, it was a very successful first Thanksgiving. I couldn't have done any of it without everyone's help. I also want to give a special thanks to my husband who moved more furtniture and hung more curtain rods then he thought possible. Thanks hubby!! Just in case you are wondering….we will be celebrating Christmas at my parents' house!! Here is wishing everyone a good eating, happy and healthy holiday!!!

Flying the friendly skies

Well family Will and Wes took their first airplane ride for Thanksgiving two weeks ago and of course it went the way it usually goes......Crazy!!!
Our flight was at 6:30am so we had to get up by 4:30am, everyone was excited so they moved pretty quickly. We got to the airport's long term parking and ran for the bus to take us to the airport. (Now if you've ever run with small children more than likely your not gonna make it.) We missed the bus of course, but that was okay because 10 minutes later another one came.
We make it inside and wait on the longest line in the history of mankind, thats when people started getting a little antsy. "Why is this taking so long," " I'm hungry" "Why are all of these people here?" "I'm hungry"" Where is the plane?" "I'm hungry" So I just had to tune them out. Finally we get to the point where we have to take off our coats and shoes and put them and our luggage in a bin (easier said than done!) I had explained all of this before hand but of course nobody remembered....."Why do I have to take off my shoes?" "I'm cold I want to leave my coat on?"" This bag is heavy!" "I'm hungry". William finally got all of his stuff off and in the bin goes through the metal detector and makes it to the other side. Meanwhile I'm taking off mine and Wesley's sneakers, coats, and bookbags and trying to stop Wesley from running all the way past the other side without his sneakers, coat and backpack! Not to worry we get stopped on the other side because the x-ray picked up something in Will's backpack. As we are lead over to the side like common criminals Will is shouting at me "Why Mommy Why! What did you put in my backpack!"
Everyone is looking at us. Of course it was our snack bag, (which every good parent carries, if you care about your kids and your money!) all of our juices, chips and and sweetsnacks.While the agent explains that certain things can't go through, I hear another agent yelling "Who's luggage is this?" I look over and of course its mine, through all of the commotion I had forgotten to put my luggage on the belt. People started shrinking away from my luggage like it was a monster. " Its mine" I call out holding onto Wesley so he doesn't get away. Now I'm on one side and my luggage is on the other, you would think they would pick my luggage up and put it on the belt for me. NO the agents all just kind of stood there looking at it, finally another passenger picked it up and put it in a bin and sent it to me. (Thanks again guy!) We finally wrap up with the first agent (she let us keep our juices :)
make our way to the gate and got on our plane! Will and Wes were very good on the plane and were even able to sit in the cockpit, where they got their wings! I just decided not to think about the trip home!

Our Family Vacation

Happy Thanksgiving Pooka Family! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Wale, Taiye & I went on vacation right before Thanksgiving. Wale and I like going to non-traditional vacation spots i.e. for our honeymoon we went to Bali, then the following year we went to Phuket, Indonesia, but now that we have Taiye, we need to be a little more conservative with our choices so this year we went to Costa Rica. Taiye did great on the flight coming and going. When we touched down at our layover the gentleman behind us said that she was the best baby he'd ever flown with! While in Costa Rica, Taiye stole the show again! Every morning when we went to breakfast the hostess and the waitresses would come over and ask if they could take her while we were eating our breakfast. I let them take her but I told Wale to keep his eye on them! I made sure I took a picture of them because if our baby came up missing I knew who to look for!

Unfortunately we didn't get to do the things we normally like to do when we vacation like exploring the native country sites outside of the resort: the rainforest, visiting the volcano, horseback riding. Nevertheless, we had a wonderful time just being together as a family! I'm looking forward to next year's family vacation. If you've visited any baby-friendly or kid-friendly resorts please let me know!