Dollar Tree| Mini Haul

Hey Hey!!!!

It's been a long time since I've posted because...Life. I'll let you all in on some of that BUT, wanted to pop back in and share some items that I purchased at Dollar Tree. 

Now, I've mentioned before that I'm a bargain shopper and I love going in DT to see what new items I can scoo below normal price. I understand that everything in DT isn't cost effective or the best in quality as well. 

So.... LEMME SHOW YOU WHAT I GOT!

Pro Tools Jade Roller| I've wanted to invest in a facial roller for a while however, just didn't want to spend the money because... I'm cheap (lol). Welp! Got this one for $1.00 so if it breaks...I won't feel bad. 






PLEASE NOTE: Next all other items were purchased for the kid

Stickers| Now that the little one is getting older, she is getting into collectibles. She loves anything that is considered "girlie" for her room decor - From unicorns to flowers. I purchased these 3D stickers for her to decorate whatever she wants (hopefully not the walls).








Stress Squishies| Another gift for the little one that she uses in her play kitchen or just to squish around when she is sitting still. They're super cute and I go and grab them sometimes.

Coloring Posters| I used to love these as a child and considering the little one is really into unicorns and My Little Pony, I knew she'd be excited getting these.

What items have caught your eye in your local Dollar Tree?

Pick 6| Fall 2017

Better late than never right? Winter is basically over (not that mother nature got word of it) and I'm ready for Spring to ... spring. But before we move on, let's dive into some of the items from Fall that left a good impression on me.

Hair| Cantu for kids leave in condition
Button's hair loves moisture, as most of our tresses do. I've decided to revisit a product that I hadn't used since my college years. Her hair of course love water but with this product, her curls P-O-P.






Fashion| Denim Tops
I spent Fall dressing what I considered to be comfy cute. Thanks to my denim tops, I've been able to easily throw together an outfit and still be comfortable as I transition from day to night. I love Ava & Viv's denim tunics and button downs as they are long, loose and easy to iron. I wear them with dress slacks, leggings or skinny jeans.

Beauty & Skin| Kemi Organics Oyl
I was introduced to Kemi Oyl via an event's swag bag few years back and honestly forgot about it. I rediscovered it right before the start of Fall and started incorporating it in my hair and body oil mix. This oil blend mixed with what I normally use leaves my hair soft before I even add a cream conditioner. Not to mention, the fragrance is wonderful.




Accessories| Hematite Ring
I've been researching energy crystals/stones, their properties and benefits for a while and this Fall, added a hematite ring to my arsenal. Hematite is a stone that has been known to convert negative vibes/energy into positive vibes as well has help calm people during stressful moments. 
I have relied on this ring almost as much as my worry stone during times of anxiety and keep it close by for meditation. It now isn't so much an accessories but a necessity.





Random| Sweet Potatoes
I know I'm not to the only one that associates sweet potato with Fall. In all actuality, I eat them year round but this Fall I cranked it up and enjoyed many meat free meals that consisted of a sweet potato mash, spinach and basmati rice. They played savory role in my meals seasoning them with salt, pepper and garlic.




Share with me! What have been your recent faves? 

Farewell 2017| Memorable Moments

So, we're at the end of 2017. We can take this book, close it, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it under the bed behind that box of notes that we're holding onto from years ago but don't want to toss because we don't want anyone to have access to this information in them.





Aside from some of the more trivial and disappointing moments in 2017, I'd like to again share my most memorable moments of 2017: 

The Evolution of Baby Girl Button
Button is 2 and this was the year of her coming [somewhat] into her own. It has been interesting watching her learn, explore and observe. Along with that, watching her personality develop. 
Parenthood is not an easy hood to live in (I knew this well before the thought even crossed my mind to be one) but watching and helping a little human grow and being able to assist them in the process gives some assurance that it is working.

Reclaiming Confidence
In my 30s, I have become more and more socially awkward; not wanting to be around people or wanting to be around people but not knowing how to contribute to the atmosphere socially which makes me [again]  not want to be around people. I have been struggling with this and I'm not sure what happened but I believe it is due to lack of self confidence. 
Not sure the cause however, I have done a few things in attempts to help with this including taking baby steps to put myself back out there and it has helped to rebuild myself in a way.

Job Transition
After 10yrs in the same profession, I was given an opportunity move to another company. Even though I was getting to the point of "oh, I'm comfortable where I am", I put in my 2 weeks notice. I have been with the new company for 9 months and it is refreshing learn new skills, being given the ability to assist in development and 

What are some of your memorable moments from 2017 and what are you looking forward to in 2018?

Dollar Tree Mini Haul

Hello folks! Back to share some of my recent Dollar Tree finds...

Microfiber Towel| I like to keep these on hand in my car and in the little ones travel bag to help with messes. In my opinion, these feel nice as well as clean and dry easily. 

2.5 Gallon Freezer Bags| I use these large bags to sort and store away the little ones clothes season to season, pack away clothes and items that we give away. I also used these large bags for a DIY sensory mat a year ago (click >>>here<<< to view that project).

Storage Containers| I randomly have started buying these 2 at for store under our bathroom sinks, bedrooms and anywhere else that little hands may roam. There aren't as durable as I'd like (ie: clearly not from The Container Store) but they serve their purpose. 










Labels| These sticky office labels are cute and I use them on my desk for reminders. I prefer handwritten reminders over digital ones that can be setup through email or on mobile devices so I was super excited when I spotted these. 

Decorative Stickers| I have shared some of these before from a previous blog post and I have gotten in the habit of looking for different stickers when shop. I'm still working on our family photo album these will be a nice addition.







Bubbles| I have stocked up on bubbles for Button because like most kids, she gets a kick out of them and DT has some cute character themes bubble bottles. 

Candles| Now...It is a rare occurrence that I purchase candles from DT because quite frankly, majority of the scented candles stink to me unless they are cinnamon, peppermint or something along the lines of a basic scent. I saw these rose water candles and purchased two to burn when I'm having my "day at the spa" in our bathroom. Haven't burned them yet but the scent is soft and refreshing.




Bolero Beverly Hills Products| These are some older items however, I am just getting around to finishing some of them up. I saw people on YouTube buying the brand up at their local Dollar Tree and most of them raved about how well the products work. One thing I like about the products is the packaging. It's cute!

Argan & Shea Butter Body Cream
& Face Wipes

Coconut Milk & Honey Fizzer

Lemon Verbena & Mint Body Oil & Body Cream 

The products weren't anything to rave about in my opinion. The body oil has mineral oil in it soooooo... you could make it yourself and make it with more natural and nourishing oils.Same goes for the body creams; they served their purpose somewhat however, aren't that moisturizing for troublesome skin. I used the face wipes to remove my mascara and as a quick face refresher after a workout.

What are some items you have purchased from Dollar Tree?

My World| Friday Focus

In moments of chaos, we  sometimes lose focus on what is going right. 

Negativity can swallow all that is good and lead to you think there is no hope. I can admit that this is something that happens a lot with me so in moments of chaos, I first educate myself on what is going on, then take some time to disconnect from it to to remember the blessings that are present.

Whether it is what is going right in the world,  your community or personal life, take the time out to focus on THE GOOD. Try not to let the bad fester within you:

• Journal
• Listen to music
• Meditate
• Read

Whatever it takes! Finds an outlet and try your best to refocus on THE GOOD. 

What do you do to bring yourself back to THE GOOD that is going on around you?

Motivation Monday| Social Media

We know social media drives a lot of lives; whether it be yours or people you know. Lot of us take time out of our day to stroll down timelines on Facebook, view the visual art that is Instagram, catch up on what is happening now on Twitter, watch reality on Snapchat or whatever other sites you have access to. 

In a small attempt to keep a positive flow of energy going, I use some of these outlets to post quotes from empowering, motivation and memorable people. 

I'm not a big fan of constantly posting on social media however, thanks to Snapchat and [the shady but cool feature that is] Insta-Snap (or whatever it is called) I post there:

Insta handle - creatively_coiled

What are your favorite types of post on social media?

Ancestry| Tracking Our Lineage

A few years ago, my sister and I talked about tracking our family tree and lineage. While the thought was awesome, it was difficult knowing where to start. With the bit of research we were able to do then, we found a few names and following names, tracked our lineage back to Nigeria. But other than that, we found limited information on our family (ie: names, US location, etc.)

2017 lit a fire under my sister again to start researching; looking at county census and speaking with our parents and grandmother to obtain and confirm information. My sister really hit gold with finding family signatures and tracking children she was able to trace our family back to the early 1800's... Which is more than what we recovered previously.

While confirming names with relatives, we also decided to take an ancestry.com DNA analysis: This requires a saliva sample that is sent off for analysis to identify the region(s) your ancestry is strongest in. 

Well, we received the results in April and discovered that we [of course] are of African decent (87%):

• 45% - Ivory Coast/Ghana
• 21% - Cameroon/Congo
• 8% - Nigeria

We also discovered that of the information reported so far, our family has not ventured too far from the East Coast of the US (NC, VA, DC, MD, VA, NY). This helped us confirm some family members by location to confirm that what my sister previously uncovered were the right records. 

So we know that our lineage is strong in West Africa which means that we were on the right track a few years ago when looking but gives much more than what we were able to find. 

Things to know about DNA analysis: 

• The results may vary from test to test - We used Ancestry DNA however, if we were to take another from a different service it is possible that the result will be different
• Siblings can carry different numbers - Siblings carry a difference percentage of DNA from both parents so your siblings results will of course be different from yours. We only sent in one sample may do it again to compare the results.

Are you tracking your family tree or thought about it? Have you submitted a DNA analysis to any sites? 

Let me know!

Flashback Friday| Then & Now

Happy Friday!

Sharing photos from Easter past and present of my little lady. 

PROGRESS IS EVERYTHING!!

2016 to 2017

Little-miss-ma'am is a busy body and will probably be walking alongside us in the March for Babies walk next Saturday.

Want to know more about her story and how you can help families and premature little ones?

♡CLICK HERE♡

#WalkForButton 

While 31| Nuggets of wisdom

Well hello there! 

I recently turned 32, and while reflecting on the past year, I wanted to share some (31 to be exact) of what I have recognized and/or had to tell myself this past year.

(heads up: this is a long read)

1 It is OK to be comfortable where you are... So long as you are have no complaints.
For a long time I was beating myself up because I didn't stick to the list of goals that I created for myself when I was in high school. I have had this talk with both my husband and sister and realized that at the end of the day...I'm happy and that is all that matters.

2 You're stronger than you thought.
Year 31 was a bit rough around the middle. There were days when I was so upset and distraught that I didn't know what I could do if anything. Looking back I'm still stunned at how I managed but, I did and it was so worth staying motivated and positive.

3 Pink is [secretively] your favorite color...
Yeah, I was so against pink for so long with it being seen as a gender specific color but at the end of the day...I love how I look in pink; clothes and nails...I still will not claim it as my official favorite color though...

4 You actually can cook!
Thanks to Pinterest, YouTube and listening to my mother, I noticed that I can cook a meal that doesn't just keep us from starving BUT taste great (lol). I have even been so bold to create my own dishes.

5 Some things in life require "winging it".
We all know that there isn't a true manual to life so a lot of times we're just calling audibles.

6 You can't hang like you use to! Face it!
Maaaan... lemme tell you that I am not a spring chicken (even though I look great *wink*). I am tired ALL THE TIME so when I'm asked to "hang out" or "come chill", ! have to know how late we we'll be out and where we'll be.

7 Giving yourself "Deadlines" really helps in getting things done.
Need I say more? Keeping on track is key in some situations.

8 With all this technology,  you are not weird for still writing your To-Do list.
I still write down my grocery list, at home to-do list, work agenda and anything else I can think of. It feels good to cross something off of the list with a pen.

9 You will make mistakes...And it is OK so long as you learn from them
I know I'm not perfect, although I try my hardest go be however, if I make mistakes at work or in my everyday life, I own up to them and make note to avoid it happening again.

10 Sleep is [still] an awesome thing.
I've come to the realization that I am tired ALL THE TIME. And though I have had an understanding since junior year in college that sleep is great, I still didn't appreciate it. I now try to nap every chance I get in hopes to catch up (lol).

11 Parenting is a team effort...Keep it that way
Often times I'm trying to be Super Woman because I like things done my way however, this leads to me spreading myself too thin so, have to step back and allow hubby to lend a hand or tell let him know that I need his assistance.

12 Speaking positivity into your day makes a world of difference.
There are plenty of days where I'm just not motivated to start on my to-do list or go to work, or make my rounds outside of the house. These days require a lot of music and mantras...which honestly keep me fueled.

13 Cry if you must.
A good cry is like a detox sometimes. Whether it be a happy, sad or mad cry, I step away to be to myself and have at it.

14 You need a passport.
That's it...I have no plans in the near future to travel outside of the US however, I have decided that a passport may be a gift to myself very soon. 

15 It is hard to live without bread... In my opinion.
So, I love carbs and while I know it may be best to do without... I can't drop bread. I have tried but it ain't happening. 

16 Parenting requires the use of instinct.
Refer back to "winging it". 

17 Never lose integrity in your work (no matter what is going on around you).
It is so easy to get discourage with all the negative that is around but I have learned, especially while on the job, that I will still do my job to the best of my ability because at the end of the day, there is no excuses I can give to explain why I didn't or wouldn't.

18 There are people watching you...Let 'em look.
I never thought of myself as someone that others would admire...I'm just in my world doing my own thing but I have had few people come to me and say that I inspired them to go natural, cut their hair, shop for certain clothes and I was shocked and honored at the same time! 

19 Coffee is soooooo good
I was not a coffee drinker until a little over a year ago and I love...That is all.

20 Continue to let your creative juices flow!
I start so many projects then get nervous about them and defer them, just to start something else. At one point I thought that maybe I was giving myself too much credit as being "creative". But I saw a post online once using the analogy of a web browser with 2000+ tab opened all at once being the mind of a creative person...THAT IS ME!

21 It isn't being selfish when you want time to your self.
Everyone needs time to themselves whether it be to groom, read, meditate, whatever. I have gotten use to telling hubby when I need some me time and I feel so much better when I return.

22 Dollar Tree has stepped up their game (another haul coming soon).
#Random but... I LOVE DOLLAR TREE! from home decor, books, to healthy snacks, I swing into some of the DTs once a week to take a look at what is new.

23 Did I mention sleep is a great thing?
Just wanted to drop that one more time because again...I'm always tired.

24 Kids songs are way too catchy.
I have had Button watching/listening Big Bugs Band since she was a little baby doing tummy time (which wasn't that long ago) and we still use these videos to get her to crawl around however, there have been plenty of moments when I am NOT with her...Or even at for at home that matter and I'm humming these tunes. I often have to think to myself "what song am I humming?" lol. Hubby has even admitted to humming them while at work.

25 You are willing to make a complete fool of yourself for entertainment purposes.
I sing, dance, make faces and funny noises to entertain Button. I even attempt to freestyle...AND I CAN'T RHYME (this is something I've know for a long time). It cracks me up thinking about the silly things we do to amuse her.

26 You really need to commit to the eyebrow ministry once you start.
I have been filling in my brows for a few years now and even get compliments on them (wow!). With that being said... I have to commit because when I don't, there is always someone that says "there is something different about you today...".

27 Being a minimalist can be rewarding.
We recently moved and after living in the previous location for 10 years, we were able to see how much CRAP we accumulated. A lot of things were donated, sold and/or trashed (if it was not salvageable). Now that we have settled in to our new place, we are still running Operation: Minimize. We are more mindful of what we buy and keep better track of items that we haven't used in a while as it helps make the decision on whether we should keep it or not. We still have a long way to go but at least we're trying.

28 You do not have to take everyone's advice.
People will always give advice on your life and in some cases it is really informative however, you don't have to take notes on every piece of information given. You'll go crazy trying to do everything "their" way.

29 If you are going to be anything in this world... Be kind.
The world is so full of negativity as it is, why not be positive and/or kind during moments of ciaos? This doesn't mean that you are being naive to what is going on around you. In my opinion, this is somewhat taking on a role of leadership [even if it is just for you] to keep pushing.

30 It is OK to look and be a mess...
Hey, we all have those days where we don't look and feel like the fabulous people that we are... And that is OK. Going back to the eyebrow ministry; usually on my "rag-a-muffin" days I don't have on brows, my puff may be dryer than usual and I'm not wearing the best outfit in my closet....meh!

31 Life is remarkable.
In those moments of "Me Time" I sit back and think about all the positive things going on in life and I can't help but smile because it is progress and in some cases there are things that I had never imagined happening.

Nappyversary| 7 Years

July 2nd marked 7 years since I reverted back to natural hair. The earlier years consisted of the unknowns as far as what my texture would be and how I would go about managing it.






At year 7, I feel like I am very skilled in how to take care of my hair and also help others (a little).







Since I've become so comfortable with my hair, I have colored it black as well as maintained my undercut... like seriously! I cut my own hair and I'm so proud of that!

I also FINALLY put heat on hair THIS PAST February and was impressed with my ability to keep it straight and stretched without reapplying more heat

Want to see my progress and what I've learned over the years? Click the links below: 

year 2

year 3

year 5

year 6

Pick 6| Winter

Hello loves! Springs has sprung in a sense so I wanted to share my favorites from Winter:

Hair| Whipped Shea Butter
This item is nothing new to the blog as I have shared the recipe on how to make this lovely whipped shea butter and talked about it in previous Pick 6 Posts. I use it on my hair and body a lot during the colder months for conditioning. Want to know how to create it? CLICK HERE

Fashion| Joggers
I am pretty frumpy when I don't have to leave the house but when we have company over... I try to look semi decent. Joggers help me achieve this. I have found them at Target and Rose's (a store similar to Ross and Marshalls). I have an Aztec print, dark and light grey pair that stay in heavy rotation.







Beauty| Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes.The best mascara I have used so far. It really defines my lashes. Also, I am "multiple application" gal and it makes my lashes look great.

Skin| Facial Brush
Such a simple product makes such a difference. I purchased this from Dollar Tree in a recent haul (Click Here to view my recent haul) and have been using it very often. I rub it on my black soap bar and scrub my face at the end of the day for some deep cleaning.






Accessories|Nude polishes
I like more natural nail colors during the colder months, so I lean towards nude polishes. I have a few from various brands (Sally Hanson, essie, and charming charlies) but my favorite is "Over The Taupe" by opi. I've have been using this up when I have my pampering days.





Random| Baby's First Years Bottle Warmer
This item is a God send. When it was given to us I had no clue that I would end up using it as often but this really comes in handy for those middle of the night feedings. I load up a cooler with Button's milk and take it upstairs for the night and this warmer sits right on the nightstand. I can changer her diaper and the bottle is warm by the time I have finished.


So, what items were you loving on this Winter?