You Rocked Our World! RIP Michael

I don't know about y'all, but I am in Michael Jackson overload! I changed my ringtones to MJ songs. I downloaded Thriller and Off The Wall on iTunes and I am listening to them right now! I feel so happy listening to these songs and they really bring me back to my early childhood!!! His voice makes me so happy and I can't stop smiling!!! Are you feeling the same way? Is it just me?

I didnt see the BET Awards last night. I forgot the show was coming on. I did see Janet looking beautiful and real on the news this morning. To us, Michael was indeed a part of our life but he was their family, their brother, their uncle, their child. He was a person who was complicated and magical and so elusive and so distant to us regular people. He was their family, their heart!

He is with The Father now, wearing his wings and resting in peace from all the controversy, true or not. It is not for us to pass judgment on Michael any longer. It is up to us to praise his talent and music and humanity. It is up to us to remember that he was indeed a Black man who had issues, just like the rest of us and he has gone on to a better place.

I think he is in much better company, if you ask me!

RIP Michael and tell my mom I said hey!

xoxo
Charisse

My Son is 14 and other Randomness

-My son turned 14 years old yesterday. He got 2 pairs for cleats from Love, two Under Armour shirts that help keep out the heat (?) from me, and $300 from his Dad! I would say that is a good birthday!

-Thanks to Facebook, I met up with one of my junior high school friends on Sunday and we had a blast catching up. She is also going to be a bad influence in telling me about these low cost wines that she found.

-Speaking of wine, I am not a drinker but there are just times when I need a little something to take off the edge. Hard liquor is too much and so I recently discovered wine spritzers. Yes, I am a softie, but spritzers are right up my alley. Now if this Seven Daughters wine and Yellow Tail wine that my girl told me about are as good as she says, I may not need to "spritz" them and can have them on chill when the time is appropriate. LOL

-I just held a newborn baby boy. I miss that feeling, that smallness, the innocence and helplessness. I didn't miss him taking a dump while I was holding him!

-I spend way too much money on iTunes but it's like a sickness! I don't want to take a chance and download a virus on Limewire.

-My favorite gospel song is "His Eye is On the Sparrow" and I think the best version is by Tanya Blount and Lauryen Hill from Sister Act II. It brings tears to my eyes everytime!

Well, that's all for now!

xoxo
Charisse

Saturday Music Mix

-Teena Marie and Faith Evans definitely worked their new song "Can't Last A Day"! I HAD to get it on ITunes. Welcome back Teena!

-How many of y'all love Sylvester? I love his music....Do You Wanna Funk???

-Mary and George Michael singing "As". The video makes me want to hit up the club!

-Since the kids are wearing leggings and bright colors and copying the '80s, why not a little bit of Lisa Lisa?

-Last but not least, just a little extra FYRE for my sweet Christina and any of you who want a little bit of Sister Nancy!

Enjoy!
Charisse

Happiness Comes from the Simple Things.....

-My son and his "first love"
-My daughter and niece striking a pose
-My Love and I
-Pictures lost and now found, thanks to family reconnections
-My mother and her girls (makes me happy and sad at the same time. Miss you Mommy!)

Thanks for the assignment, Christina! Luv you!

xoxoxo
Charisse

Online Friends are the BEST!!!

So I got home from work last night and went about making my way from dropping groceries on the counter in the kitchen to saying hi to the kids, to saying hi to the dog and then going into the bedroom to change my clothes. I stop in the living room to turn on some music on the computer and notice a package addressed to me on the desk. I look at it and S M I L E because the return address is that of my "online" friend, the lovely Ms. Christina! I love that the mailing label says 'Christina Martin Photography" 'cause my girl is a SLAMMING photographer! Anyhoo, I open the package and see a beautiful journal notebook with cool graph paper inside and the outside reads "Be the change you wish to see in the world"! I love that quote! Then I see a card with a beautiful picture on the front and a handwritten little note on the inside from my girl! Just as I am about to sit and read the card again, I notice a red plastic bag at the bottom of the mailing envelope. Inside is the prettiest beaded bracelet with my favorite colors of peach, pink and brown to blend with my skintone and it fits my wrist perfectly without pinching! That's the absolute best part. Why?? Because even with thousands of miles separating us, from Milwaukee to The Bronx, Christina knows....
We fluffy girls like to wear pretty things too!

Thank you so much, Christina!!!

Family and Beach Fun!

I took my first road trip with my sister, my 2 youngest and my niece to see our cousins in Winterville, North Carolina. They moved down there 2 years ago and it was my first time seeing them in about 4 years. I like where they live. It's really nice and cozy. It is on the list of places I would move too. We went to Atlantic Beach too and I truly enjoyed that! Gotta love the beach!

Is it me, or are the clouds lower in NC than anyplace else? They were absolutely beautiful!!!

Peace and love.
Charisse

Hey Y'all....Long time no see...Aint he FINE????

I got a bunch of random stuff to talk about today...

-The trip to ATL ended up being extremely fun and happy time because we celebrated Love's mom's life! She was a fun woman and so her children and extended family had fun instead of wallowing in sorrow. The services were all held in Macon and we got together at Love's uncle's house to celebrate! Then we all went back to ATL and Love and I house-hopped to make sure we had everybody covered. The only downside was that Love was so overcome with emotion and pain when he saw his mom for the first time in the chapel that he punched the wall. His strong hand was no match for the brick, mortar and touch of asbestos in that old Macon funeral home. It swelled up, turned colors and everything. He went to the dr. when we got back to NY and they claim it isnt broken but wanted to wait until the swelling went down to exam it again. It is almost back to normal size and color, but still hurts. I can't wait until he takes x-rays.

-My oldest, Diva, has done what she wants to do and will continue to do so no matter what. She sent me a nasty email disowning me and disrespecting me, then posted a disrespectful note on my Facebook wall. I just responded to both by telling her that I love her and hope all is well with her. Her father was supposed to take over and do some stuff but it doesnt seem that way. He doesnt like to share things with me, and so I only know what I happen to find out here and there. I see that her little missives to me are actually very informative so I take them with a grain of salt and try to look for the good in them. At least I know she is alive! I figure that I will get served with some papers soon from her father, for either ceasing child support since she doesnt live with me, and/or custody. Either way he will lose so I am not worried.

-Love's daughter, Miss Missy, and my youngest, Little Momma, both had dance recitals this past week! They did so very well and I am so proud of both of them! I used to dance when I was younger too. I even went to the Dance Theater of Harlem for a summer when I was 13. I miss dancing and keep saying that I want to get back into it! I need to get off my ba-dunk and do it!

-Love and I like to get out early in the morning and spend quality time together, just talking and connecting to each other, getting coffee and sorting out our days. I feel that it is the most important thing we do to maintain our relationship with each other and I wouldnt trade it for another hour or so of sleep, as much as I may complain inside about really wanting to sleep later. LOL

-While on a morning run in ATL after borrowing his sister's car, I had this feeling, in my left ring finger. A feeling like I needed to have something on that finger and in my mind, I heard "someone" telling me that I needed to get that divorce that I have been putting off. The feeling was very strange, almost real, like a ring was actually on my finger and then having those words go through my head, it was very surreal. I later told Love that I would be work on getting the papers together so that I could be free from the ex (Moe) by the end of the year. Love smiled but didnt say a word. I told him that just in case he decided to propose to me when we hit 20 years together, I wanted to make sure I was free! LOL

Ok, that's it for right now y'all.

Peace and love..
Charisse