Kids and Cookies+ 2018

Any given chance I have my nephews and neices over to bake, clean, or hang out. YES I said clean! ( we need all the help we can get lol) Nothing like seeing the boys get exciting about not only eatring cookies but decorating them too. 

Mindy’s Graduation+ Mobile,AL+May 2019

In May, someone really special to me graduated from college ! I met Min when she was 16 years old. She was this blue eyed life loving teenager that was just so different than what I had ever been introduced to.She has been the type of person to just follow her own drum beat but def will put a million people ahead of her instead of caring of her needs. Graduating college was HUGE for her. Not that we didnt believe she could  do it but because sometimies life doesnt encourage or provide somethings as easily as it does to others. Interwebs if you see Min tell her congratulations and that she is so worthy of all the good she has in her life. :)
 

Misadventures of Awkard Black Girl+ Review + Issa Rae [11.2016]

As the years have gone by I really wish I could remember how I came to know about Issa Rae. I'm not sure if it was the webseries on YT or one night I was just doing some deep creeping and it lead me to her. Whatever it was I am thankfully because I feel like I am not as lost as I once was when it came to exisiting in this world. Truly being an awkward black girl myself, this book was comfronting and hilarious. I really can not imagine how I managed to grow up being half of the person I am today without having this type of representation of myself in the media.

Awkward Black Girl is an honest telling of  Jo-issa's upbringing. This book tells us about  living in the west coast, east coast, and visiting Segal, friendships, insecurities, and learning herself through experiences and pushing herself to go through not only what was expected of her but what felt good at the moment.

I loved this book and was so glad that I could find it at my local library as a audio book. I also purchased it from Target .
Check out The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl on YT. Theres 2 seasons. :)

Dirt Cheap Haul+ Baby edition

In preparation for having a kid in the most cheapest way possible, I hit up Dirt Cheap ! If you don’t know about Dirt Cheap, it's kinda like a savage yard. Our Dirt Cheap recieves a lot of Target items ( and other big retailers) that they happen to not sale in stores. For me that's perfect because I can get things that I was going to buy anyway for a discounted rate.

Down below I'll link my purchases ( what I can find) and what I paid for them at Dirt Cheap. 

1.Pink wash cloths Cloud island- $.60
2. Swaddle me- $2.00
3. Lansinoh milk storage- $1.35
4. Little Unicorn Muslin- $4.00
5. Cloud island hooded towels $6.00
6. Carseat insert- $1.00
7. Love to dream Swaddle Up- $2.00
8. Fisher Price Bouncer- $18
9. Cloud island playmat- $2.00

Janurary 2018+ Houma, LA + Scarlett Scoop

While in Houma on a work trip, that was going pretty crazy I might add, we found Scarlett Scoop. It was a great old school ice cream shop with school decorations etc. You can tell from the pictures the  ice cream was such a treat. 

The Vault

I have been told a lot of things by many people. Some things I keep to myself and never tell a sole and others I tell my confidant who mentally lives simular as I do. I feel like in the last year I have heard several times that I live a private life. I dont let certin people in, and I dont allow others to get to know me. Most of the time when I hear this I look back at the person who is telling me making a face or if I have time to would battle with the person about what they want to know about me. Which in ends with they have come up with a their own idea of who I am. And just because I might live a little different than them " I'm hiding something."

As a person who likes to write, semi blog, and semi podcast I feel like I am pretty open about my life. When I have the time and when I feel that it is safe/ needed to be discussed.  I know thats hard to hear in the era of immediate disclosures and to be a " friend" you have to tell all.  I just dont subscribe to that.
 With all that being said I have been busy the last couple of months.... I had a baby. 

As I learned, that 4 letter word will give off the strangest reaction in people. 

I dont have a bunch of drafts qued up about the journey welcoming a newborn in our home and I dont plan to become one of those bloggers whose content will now cover living with a newborn. Are there some things I want to share for documenting purposes? ABSOLUTLEY.
But  for the most part if you enjoyed my music and book reviews,traveling blogs, dirt cheap hauls, presents, and random things that happen in my life ( months after) thug it out with me.

AMn2

Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s Day 

Especially to all the foster mothers and adoptive mothers. 

For a long time as a foster parent I struggled with accepting or using the term mother because I didn’t want to trigger mothers who have given birth or mothers whose children are in foster care and are struggling with Foster parents trying to erase them from their children’s memory by allowing them to call them mom or some other variation of mother. I sympathize with those biological mothers who are trying to grasp the very last thing they feel they have left while fighting whatever demons that are altering their state for mind. I’m not going to lie as a foster parent it’s easy to let those “mother” name drops slip. Most are trying to maintain their identities without letting the general public know what’s going on in their lives. But after going to school programs, holding hands, hugging, bath time, bruises, cuts, and bed time these moments signify a special time that not just anyone gets. It’s evident of love,patience, and days of crying,praying and begging God to keep them clothed in his light. 

I’ve learned that no matter what type of mothering role you’ve stepped into it is not easy and you should be celebrated daily. 

So happy Mother’s Day to everyone occupying a love so deep for another that the seas of life couldn’t separate. 

It's a sticky situation..... Salty Southerners

Hey Guys!

Be proud I updated my podcast and it should be up in the next 24 hours. This was actually a session I did in my in Oct about parenting and just feeling helpless at making the right decisions and relying on other professionals to bridge the gap. 

Hope yall are having a good New Year!
There is so much to come!
<3
Al

2019!

Hi Guys
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!

For the people who have been reading this blog you know what that means for me. I'm setting goals to make sure this is a great year. So lets check out what what I actually got completed. 


2018
1. Blog 1x a week.  NOPE
2. Create a podcast. Salty Southerners :)
3. Update podcast weekly. We started off strong so A for effort right?
4. Pray more. YESSS
5. Get to  9000 steps a day as a goal on my Fitbit. Made it to 7000
6.Travel to Nevada, Nebraska, & Alaska. Nevada & Nebraska 
7. Stack money for a down payment. Still stacking :)
8. Legally attain Cooper.
9. Read 1 book a month.
10. Cook once a week. 
11. Keep my Ivy alive. She's looking beautiful
12.Family beach vacation. May 2018 - Navarre Beach
13. Mositurizing/ treating my skin more. I did some masks.
14. Lose 3 dress sizes. 
15. Attend church on Wednesdays at least 1x a month.
16. Kiss my other half more.
17. Create professional goals.
18. Write a book.



2019

1. Buy land.
2. Build a house for us and for Gram.
3. Family beach trip.
4. Go to Maine.
5. Get a raise.
6. Do yoga more.
7. Read/ Listen to 6 books.
8. Cook once a week.
9. Stay off social media.
10. Sale our house.
11. Give more.
12. Excel our budget.
13. Get Cucs into Pre K 3.
14. Blog once a month.
15. Podcast once a month.
16. Keep praying.
17. Therapy.
18.Show love to my family.
19. Write a book.
20. See the good in people.
21. Influence.
22. Go to 3x concerts.

Navarre Beach FL

Vegas

Real World Playa Del Carmen + July 2018

Here it is guys!
Photos to acompany my podcast #saltysoutherners- Playa Del Carmen.

It's been a LONG time guys. I hope everyone is doing good. I am working daily on using my time more wisely. Finding time for the things that feed my mind, body & soul. And no matter what I allow to occupy my time connecting with others always hits high. My friend Anna and I started a podcast a couple months ago but quickly learned that two busy lives & content creation is super hard work.
So we have decided to work on our podcast when we can. Sometimes that may mean its just me and other times it might just be her.

As far as Trapped in the South I think the best thing for me is to tie them both together. Allow this site to be the visual to my audio. I love Trapped in the South for sharing my vacations and good times with friends. I would love to talk more about my trips to Target and what I'm currently listening to or reading. You know my favorite things in life. Eventually I will figure out how to incorporate my family.

I say all of that to say, thank you for reading, thank you for listening and welcome to the next step of my life. :)