We had the opportunity to enjoy a great Thanksgiving with family and friends in Liberty, MS just east of Philadelphia, MS. It was a day of joy and laughter. We were deep in the country which gave us the feel of the "good ole days". Like many family, there was more than enough to eat. Neighbors stopped by and visited. Of course, we could let them leave without taking a plate with them. We are thankful that we had the opportunity to spend one more day with family and friends.

Last night, I attended the viewing of

at dreamz of Jackson. The show explored obesity in Black America. Star Jones took viewers straight to Jackson, Miss. One of the cities carrying the heaviest burden of this epidemic.
Through the intimate story of people fighting obesity, and insight offered by health experts, HEART OF THE CITY: DYING TO EAT IN JACKSON, reveals the socio-economic, cultural, and lifestyle choices that cause so many people in the black community to suffer poor health because of their obesity.
One the success stories were Mrs. Hugh and her sisters. She is the mother of Patrice Williams, 4th grade teacher at NWRE.

To learn more go to
http://www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows/heartofthecity/

2009 Youth Hunt Weekend in Mississippi

Youth hunt was this past weekend November 14th and 15th and ALL my boys went. They lived in the woods for two whole days. CJ shot two deer! He was so excited. He returned Sunday night with his chest stuck out. He thinks he has become a man now!

I have to put this!!!

Ok. I got to add this to my blog. So, my lovely family and I decided we would take a mini vacation before school starts. Don’t want the teachers asking my boys to write a paragraph/page (depending on if they get a teacher who came up in the summer to work and how much work she/he has to do before the end of the day) on “What you did on your summer vacation” and them having to write a lie. Cause you know they will. (who’s your mama?) We packed enough for three days and headed to the coast. Duuuh…the coast of Mississippi for those of you who think I went to Florida. We in a recession incase you didn’t know. So we headed out Friday and figured we would just get a hotel in Gulfport. NOT!! How about all the hotels are filled. AAAAAALLLLLL the hotels filled. Not one hotel had a room. So me and my high tech self get on the internet on my phone (CJ added this to my phone last week without me really knowing and I can’t wait to get my bill). I called Expedia and yes!!! I get a room. So we good to go…. We get settled in our room with ONE king size bed. OMG!!! I think to myself. This is not going to work.
It’s late Friday, so we just stay in for a fresh start tomorrow. The next morning, I decided to get up early and enjoy the scenery of the overpriced-last-minute room. Maybe I should have gone to Florida for this price. Not much to see, so I do what I do best….go shopping. What a mistake!! While in ROSS, my favorite store…. a major storm comes through. The power goes out in the store. People screaming and babies (some dads) crying. I think the dads were crying cause they were so ready to go. They just came to babysit. Should have done like Chris, stayed at home with the kids. Oh, did I tell you it was tax free weekend. You would have thought taxes were 50 cent on the dollar the way these folk were out and buying. It was crazy!!! And here I was among the madness with all the fools. The line was from the cashier back to the dressing room. Oh, the dressing room is in the back of the store. I have a buggy of things that took me 2 hours to find and I refuse to put them back. So I wait…. and wait…. and wait…. and wait….
When I get to the register the power goes out again. Guess what? They cannot do credit card purchases. Is there any other way to purchase? Cash you say. Who has cash? So, I wait until the machines come back up. Lord, we are so dependent on electricity. Is Obama doing something about that too? Oh, back to my story. So I finally check out, save $15 in taxes. A big deal huh? It was really worth all the pushing and waiting.

Now, I can’t go outside cause we are in the mist of major winds blowing and raining. People just waiting to go to their car because of the rain. Now, I am not too happy. Ok, it final slacks up a little on the rain. I run to my car with a plastic Ross bag over my head and my huge bag in my hands. You know Ross won’t let you take their buggies out the store. You might decide to take one home with you.

I’m in the car and I am soaking wet, while my lovely family is sleeping soundly in the bed in the hotel room. As I pull out of the parking lot, I notice that the traffic has stopped. Now the power is out at the light and the entire shopping area. Oh, just before this I get a call from CJ to “Bring us something to eat”. I know this child has not look outside to see that I am in the midst of a major storm. So I pulled up to several fast food restaurants before I realize they can’t serve me because they don’t have power.Not my fault! See if I ever go back to them again…
I head back to the hotel with no food and on the way I call to tell them the power is out. I think I heard disappoint in their voices. Well, my goodness I am soaking wet and tired. When I pull up the hotel and within 5 minutes, it has stop raining and the sun is shining. My lovely family walks out with all smiles. (Fresh and clean) Now they want to GO get something to eat. Ugh…Sit down and eat!! I have been up since 7AM I am tired and stinky (yes, rain makes me stink). But being the nice sweet mother I am, I just say “Sure yall jump in, let go have a lovely brunch/lunch!” Unfortunately, I can’t write my true thoughts on the www. Information might get in the wrong hands.
Needless to say, this was not the mini vacation, I was hoping far. Consider this as my response to “What you did on your summer vacation”

Book signing wth Robin

"Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts signs her book for me: From the Heart: Seven Rules to Live By on Sunday, April 29th of 2007 in Jackson at Books A Million. She actually took out a few minutes to really talk with me. She even asked me for contact information. I had read her book and I really enjoyed it. I would put it in my list of top 10 ten books to read.

Closing out the 2008 year!

We just couldn’t end this year without at least one or two entries to the
“Youngster Forever”
blog.

It’s been a blessed year for the Young family with many memorable things occurring.

Chris & I celebrated 20 years of marriage.

My parents celebrated 40 years of marriage.

On November 4, 2008,

America elected Barack Obama as our 44^th president.

Oh my, what an experience for us all! If only my grandparents had lived to see this moment. A moment even I never thought I would live to see. I have never been so excited or involved an election in all my life. I knew that for me and my family, this election will have a great impact.

The year of 2008 has been a truly blessed year for the Young household.

So, what if I'm 40?

I wish I could at least update my blog once a week. There is so much to tell. Lately, things have been a little gloomy for me.

I turned 40 on October 26th of this year. That particular day was really nothing to celebrate. The day went by like any other day. I was hoping I could just skip over it and wake up the day after. My wonderful co-workers had a nice surprise when I came to work with everything decorated in black. Why black I wonder? Does this mean I can now begin to write my own obituary? I always thought that life begins at forty and boy was I was waiting on it; back when I was twenty.

Well, I have decided that in my forties, I going to slow down and appreciate each moment. In addition, I'm going to pay attention to something very important; myself.

*I don’t have to worry about diapers, car seats, strollers, sippy cups, monogram clothing, diaper rash, or potty training at least not for someone but myself.

*I don’t have to worry (anymore) about young men flirting with me at the mall or in the grocery store. They were really getting on my last nerve!

*I can give young ladies advice and they actual believe me. After all, I’m forty now!

*I no longer worry about stretch marks from childbirth. The rolls of fat have concealed them forever.

*I don’t have to worry about anyone noticing (including my husband) that I have gained 10lbs.

*I’m growing facial hair, nose hairs & other hairs. My youngest, said the other day in all his innocence, “Mom, you need to use daddy’s shaver”, as he uses the tweezers to pull hairs from my chin.

*I can color my hair this weekend some really unusual color like Plush Plum, Sapphire Black, or even Radiant Red, since I am beginning to see the gray and no one will question my motive.

*I have conducted my own action research on push-up bras. No matter how low your breast hang, these bras will make you look wonderful. Just pray the straps don’t break while you are out in public.

*I don’t have to worry about someone asking me if I'm going to have any more children. (But they may ask me in awe, “Are you pregnant?” because of fat that has mysterious accumulated around my waistline)


What a wonderful beginning of life!

I'm Back!!!

With so much going on at work and home, it's been hard to find time to blog. Not that I don't have a lot to say. Just ask one of the office workers or teachers at school. They get to hear it everyday. Unfortantly, I am not able to fill my blog with sweet unforgettable moments, because it seems like all of the events in my life lately are worth forgetting.

Oh, they are not that bad, just that forgettable! Who wants to remember that they had a bad hair day, going from baseball practices, going to football games, rushing home to help with homework, checking not so nice e-mails from your teenager's teachers, cooking dinner (oh, I forgot I don't cook dinner), well going to Brookshires for a box of chicken, and going to bed dreaming of another day of the same. Oh, how fun!

I'm reading others blogs with so many beautiful pictures of their always so well behaved, mostly clean children. Well, I'm finding that it's a little too much trouble to remember to charge the battery for the camera and download the pictures, then make them cute for the world to see. And I don't have time to find any well behaved kids that I can put my kids faces on. Just a little too much Photoshop me!

What I really would like to do is create a blog filled with the "Real" happenings of each day; Like rushing to bed before Chris gets home so I don't have to talk to him. Those who know me no I would never do that. Would I?
Ok, I'm telling to much. I'll save these things for the book.
I would like you to check my new adventure below. Spread the word by putting a link on your blog to the site.

The Great American Story

Michelle Obama in her own words.

Anniversary Party on July 11th

It started at 7 pm and ended around midnight at our home. We had a great time with family and friends, but the old folks couldn’t hang after midnight.
Chris and I had the best time ever!

Our personal theme song was "Can't Let Go" by Anthony Hamilton. My favorite part is the chorus:

"Even if we fuss or fight, try til we get it right
You are my life, I can't let go
Even if we disagree, you can put it all on me
You are my life, I can't let go
I can't, I can't let you go"

My sister Dawn, niece Nikki and my very best friend Sonya put together the best party. We listened to “old school” music from the 80’s; Michael Jackson, Run DMC, MC Hammer, Prince, Janet Jackson, Bobby Brown until way in night. I know we did the Mississippi Cha Cha slide about ten times. No one was really counting!

I think I lost about 10lbs that night. It was a wonderful surprise when CJ presented us with gifts. He took his hard earned money (from Sicily’s) and bought me a webcam and Chris a cover for his motorcycle. It was so thoughtful of him to buy us things he knew we would really want. He even wrapped them for us.

Nikki created a wonderful presentation of past pictures of Chris and I. There were pictures I did not even remember. My sweet cousin, Staci whom just in the last year I have gotten reacquainted with stayed for the event. It meant so much for them to spend this time with us. They were scheduled to leave Wednesday, but stayed for our anniversary.

Sonya and her husband, Tran worked so hard to get everything just right. Dawn who is always late decided to join us around 8:30. We fussed about her being late but let her slide when we saw the beautiful cakes she made. Hey, check out the bling bling and the motorcycle on the cakes.

Chris' close friend Earl and Cedric came too. Earl sang a very sweet song for us.
It almost made me cry. NOT! It will take more than a song to get me to cry.

Chris and I talked about later that night how it seems like just yesterday we said I do and went back to work the very same day. We had no money, no wedding, no ring, and no reception, just YOUNG love. I pray we stay 4ever YOUNG!!!!!!!!!!