Soul Sista Giveaway For July 27th-31st!

So....Sista's ....I know what it's like to be on the hunt.....for that perfect piece of accessory for that dress that you want to wear to church next week. You can't find a thing.....right? Well...you've come to the right place to enter to win a custom design piece .....just for you!

Here's How You Can Increase Your Chances to Win:

1. Sign up and be a follower! If your already one...send someone else and tell them "you sent them"!

2. Put a photo and link up to my blog of this week's Giveaway!

3. Be creative and email me what you haven't been able to find. Necklace or bracelet .....it's your choice Sista!!

4. Tell me how you've encouraged or blessed someone this week!

5. Blog about it on your site and let me know about it!

This is something I am so excited about this week!

I can't wait to hear back from you all!

Have Fun and leave your information in my comments box below....or you can email me at SoulSista16@gmail.com! Have a blessed week and Good Luck to ALL!!!!

And The Soul Sista Giveaway Goes... To Suzie Q!

Hey Sista's! Thank you to everyone that entered for the Soul Sista Giveaway last week! The winner is Suzie Q! Thank you Suzie Q for following my blog! GIRL....I will mail your "Purdy" on Monday! If you can email me your address that would be great to www.SoulSista16@gmail.com Be sure and check out what I am giving away next Friday!! Encourage your friends to join in and if you post it on your blog you get two extra entries!! SO PASS IT ON MY GIRLZ! Please make sure and be creative of what you've been dying to find, "Jewelry Wise" and haven't been able to find....then tell me what it is by emailing me for your chance to enter "Week 2" of the Soul Sista Giveaway! Ya"ll have a blessed weekend and I will share more tomorrow! Debi

My 9-Year Old Has A Bucket List.....Say What?

Hey Sista's! My sassy "Little Bon" comes up with things...from who knows where! On our morning drive to camp this week....she just blurts out ...."I'm really mad about something!" And here is how the story goes.... Me: "Why are you mad Baby?" Bon: " Because I don't get to cross out one of the "thangs" on my Bucket List! Me: What...did you say? I thought I was hearing "thangs"! Bon: She said, "I SAID.....that I don't get to cross out one of the "thangs on my Bucket List!" Me: What are you doing with a Bucket List....and where did you hear about a Bucket List? Bon: " Duh.......with you last summer!" Me: I said you most certainly did not! Bon: Yeah....don't you remember when Daddy and Boo went up to Boston for Lacrosse Championships and you and I stayed at the Swan Hotel in Orlando with Olivia? Me: Yes ..."I" remember watching it with Olivia after you fell asleep! Bon" WELL...I wasn't asleep...I saw the whole thing and NOW I have a Bucket List! Me: What's on your Bucket List that you can't check off? Bon: "I wanted to meet Michael Jackson so he could teach me how to do the moon walk....but now I can't! ( Like that was really going to happen!) Me: I said..."I'm sorry maybe we can rent one of his dance videos anyway! What else was on your Bucket List? Bon: Well....Paige (Bon's BFF!) and I have the same things on our list, and we have parasailing on there and jumping out of a plane... Me: "As in Skydiving!" Bon: Yeah....the only thing is that Paige said I had to go first and she would piggyback on to my back so she wouldn't be scared! Me: Is that all that's on your list? Bon: No....Paige and I want to meet the Jonas Brothers! There's a lot of other things on there but I can't remember the rest....it's hidden in my room ...just in case. Is it normal for a 9 year old to have a Bucket List? I think NOT! But now I feel like it was all my fault that she's even got a list because we thought she was asleep! I even asked Olivia today at the station.....wasn't she asleep? She acted like she was sleeping! Oh well.....maybe we should all make a Bucket List when we're small so we have TIME to DO IT ALL! My Little Bon cracks me up. She comes up with more "thangs" than anyone could ever imagine! She's mature WAY BEYOND her years! I want to protect her from this big ole world that has these kids today wanting to act grown and look grown ....way to soon for me. If it was up to me she would still be wearing her Strausburg smocked dresses! Can I get an AMEN! I have to tell you that I thank Jesus everyday for both of my kids knowing God's true love for them. They both know the Lord and carry HIS words in their hearts. They both have accepted Jesus into their hearts and have been Baptized. So ....she has a Bucket List......so maybe I need a Bucket List! As long as we know WHERE WE'RE GOING I guess it really doesn't matter! What's on Your Bucket List? Be Blessed In Christ! Debi

Gearing Up For Another Soul Sista Jewelry Giveaway!

Hey to the Sista's! Most of you know by now that the vintage Cuff bracelet giveaway ends this Friday.....so please make sure you if you haven't entered please do so! Also ...Coming up next week.....July 27th-31st....I am having another Jewelry Giveaway that will be a Soul Sista Custom Order. Yes....girlz.....you heard me right. You tell me what you've been dying to have but can't find....and I will do my Soul Sista best go give it a whirl! Just tell me if you want a bracelet or a necklace and tell me what colors you would like it to be! Also, please leave me your email address so I will be able to contact you in case you are the winner. You can leave me a comment below or email me your request at SoulSista16@gmail.com. Most of you Soul Sista's know that I love jewelry of all kinds and I recently ran across the coolest designer! Her name is Erin and she owns www.thevintagepearl.com ! I love love her goodies...if you order please make sure you told her that I sent you in the comment box! Have a Great day in the Lord this Week! Debi

What's Wrong With One Of These Pictures?

The SoulMate is Sooooo Happy!

On the way to pick up

the soulmate's Jeep

I look over and see

this on Little Bon's

hand!

What is wrong with this picture?

For all of you 80's Sista's does this remind

you of anything? I must say I chuckled at

the memories that came flashing back

before me.

And the really sad thing...

My Little Bon is thinking

she is setting the trend for

the upcoming fall fashion

for Florida.

Now I know what you all must be thinking! She thinks she's Madonna! Well for those of you

who think that.....you are all wrong!

Little Bon thinks she's Lady GAGA!

You see .....we don't get to wear the whole glove here because it is so stinkin hot. Therefore, our children resort to wearing this in July.......way before it's even time to wear it. Ya know how when you get something new.... you just gotta put on ......even if it's something you got on sale for fall? Which for us Floridians is a lightweight jacket at the end of January and maybe a couple of weeks only in February. This is what she bought with her own money at Justice while I was preoccupied with finding her the jeans she wanted that had holes in them. There is just something that is wrong wrong wrong...when your kids jeans cost more than yours and they only have a fourth of the fabric? This shouldn't bother me....but it really does! Lately, Little Bon has been talking the Soulmate into taking her to the mall to stores that I don't necessary think she is ready for...but apparently I'm overprotective and not as fashion savvy as I thought. When I asked her recently about going into The Children's Place.... I got the eye rolling in the back of her head and a very snotty...." I am not wearing those baby clothes!" So now she's figured out that Daddy doesn't know any better and Daddy doesn't look at price tags before hand either....so she is safe all the way around. You know what I say.... Good!! Daddy can take her shopping for school clothes and get a BIG OLE DOSE of what Mamasita puts up with when crunch time is upon us! Well Sista's I promised you all a picture...so I kept my promise! Somebody get me a butt lift.....OK? Peace Out Sista's! Debi

It's Official!

Well Sista's ...it's official. The Soulmate is having his tires put on and his "Lift" installed as I sit here blogging! He is as happy as fly on a ham sandwich! Fo real!! He has this smile on his face that is really hilarious. The Soulmate makes me smile when he's like this because it kinda takes alot to make him get excited. In fact......there's only about three things that get him excited and the first two I would never ever considering mentioning.....being a true southern girl and all. (But the third one I can definitely tell you!) THE GATORS! The Soulmate graduated from the University of Florida and is a true blue blood Gator through and through!!In fact..I will tell you all that I had to plan my wedding around the Gators football schedule ...O Yes I did! And I am here to tell you that I was not happy about that one. In fact....if my memory serves me correctly....he gave me the date we could get married. uhmmm. Now that I look back on that....it kinda make me a little mad. I always wanted to get married in December. Somewhere in my head growing up I envisioned Christmas trees all lit up with white lights and the trees flocked with snow as I walked through a winter wonderland to marry my Prince Charming. CORNY HUH! O well....I was just a small child from Tennessee with some dreams...OK! Well....as the story goes I got married in my hometown in Memphis and had a very beautiful wedding in the month of November. It turned out beautiful even though I had the big eighties hair and bugles beads that dangled from my wedding dress sleeves with shoulder pads. Those of us who were married in the 80's wouldn't you want to just do it over again. Seriously....I would love to do it all over again with all the bells and whistles they have today! Just pickin out a new dress sounds like so much fun. And yes....yes....I would still marry the same man I married 20 years ago....the soulmate! Who is home with a big smile on his face! I would take a picture but my camera battery is dead. I will have to show you a picture of the Jeep.....I promise! Don't forget to enter your chance to win the vintage cuff bracelet! Peace out to you Sista's!

Soul Sista Giveaway!

Calling All Soul Sista's!

Enter to Win....the

Vintage Inspired Gold & Silver

Turquoise Cuff Bracelet!

OK... Sista's...it seems like everybody likes to give away goodies...so I'm really feeling the heat. I have to mention that Jen over at Harried Mom of Four is giving away a really cute bag with goodies in it that you'll want to check out.( Jen forgive me if my link doesn't work...I'm still somewhat a newby!)http://lazymomtofour.blogspot.com

I think this what your supposed to do to possibly have more than 13 followers, so all you blogging Mama's let your friend's know and leave me a comment and I will enter you in the contest. Yes I did borrow the directions of how to do this from Jen over at Harried Mom of Four...you know why I did? She explained it much better than I ever could and as always...I give credit where credit is due! Can I get an AMEN! SO here is how you can win the SOUL SISTA GIVEAWAY! (Thanks..Jen!!) To enter my Soul Sista giveaway, you can do one of the following or all to increase you chances to win: * Be a follower of my blog. Each follower gets 1 entry. 2* Leave me a comment on this post. This will get you 1 entry. If you aren't a blogger and/or don't have your email or the account linked to your profile, make sure you tell me how to find you! 3* Mention my giveaway on your blog. This will get you 2 entries ;) Please be sure to come back and tell me you did so! I'll accept comments on this post through Friday July 25th and will announce the lucky winner on Saturday, July 26th. Thanks and be blessed! Peace out to you Sista's!! Debi

Tires Are Not Like....Jewelry!

Hey Sista's! Is it me or men obsessed with the tires on their car's? Not to long ago my better half... that I lovingly refer to as "the soulmate", got a brand new Jeep. When he purchased the Jeep it looked really nice. It has a running board so it can help you up into it, but apparently the tires are not up to par for the soulmate! Suddle hints....are usually not so suddle with the soulmate. He not only has left Jeep magazines in just one place.. but I think he has purchased several magazines to sit around the house where he thinks that I will be planting myself. I've noticed duplicate copies everywhere. As we were driving to dinner Saturday night, he tells me that he really wants some new tires and a small lift to add to this new vehicle. Now lets be real.....we all have our little goodies we may want from time to time and to be perfectly honest...the soulmate is a very giving man. He would give someone the shirt off of his back with no question. He also never really wants anything special...but to play golf here and there....so it's not like him to really talk about stuff that he wants. BUT HE REALLY REALLY WANTS THESE TIRES! I said, "Go For It"! He said it's alot and he feels guilty for spending that on it....yada yada......you get the picture. Then he precedes to ask me things like..."You know the 17 inch rims are smaller ...as we pass other jeeps...."see those ...."see the diffference?" This is my response.....Women don't remember things like tires sizes.....we never look at tires....tires aren't even on our Radar...can I get an AMEN? I mean we remember clothes, bling bling jewelry...maybe some great shoes....a great BAG! Now that's what I'm talking about. He just starts laughing at me hysterically. No...it doesn't take much for me to get "the soulmate" to laugh. I told him to please buy the tires and to pick up all the stinkin copies of the "jeep" magazines around the house when he finally gets them. Oh...and by the way, the soulmate said when he get's them...I will receive a little surpise. I'm just praying it's not an apparatus that will have to "LIFT ME UP" into the Jeep. Who knows...it just might be bling bling that I would definitely remember! Bless Someone Else Today!! Peace Out To All My Sista's! Debi

Pray For Mama Princess.....She Broke Her Leg!

Happy Friday Sista's! Depression has definitely set in! No Rascal Flatt tickets. I even emailed the guy my blog post who punked me...thinking he would feel bad and all....but that apparently didn't touch his southern heart. I even went as far as to tell him that I have forgiven him with me being a Christian girl and all! Okay....I have breathed in and exhaled three whole times and said a little prayer and I am officially over it....Next!!This Sista is officially movin on....OMGoodness...that's really a Rascall Flatt song....whaaaa! I have to tell all my Sista's about my real life Sista, who I lovingly call "Mama Princess"! We are only 16 months apart and she has been a mother hen to me my whole entire life. Now...she's only 4'11 and how I got to be 5'7 is still anyone's guess. Mama Princess has always been just a tad bit bossy. She is spitting image of my 100% Italian grandmother, Irene, who we called "Big Mama" our whole entire life. She came over to Ellis Island from Italy when she was only 8 years old, but they always spoke Italian....so her English was very broken....as long as I remembered. Mama Princess has Big Mama's mannerism's, my Big Papa always swore that my sister was Irene #2. Mama Princess has three children who are all now officially out of High School. There has definitely been some celebrating going on. Mama Princess went over to my Mom's house on July 4th where she saw our sweet little nephews in the pool. Mama Princess ALWAYS makes an entrance, O did I forgot to tell you that she is on her own time schedule. Mama Princess has never been on time to anything! ( I told her that Dr. Phil said that it meant that she craved attention....I won't tell you what she called him!) This is where the July 4th celebration went a little south!!! Mama Princess climbs up the ladder of a little 3 1/2 or 4 ft kiddie pool and decides she is going to make a big splash and do a "mini-cannonball". Why Mama Princess did this, I guess has left us all scratching our heads. But anywho....she was being sassy and cute as Mama Princess is so good at doing and preceded to do her cannonball...and when she went to tuck her legs under....one of her legs slipped out straight down and everything went Boom Boom from there. As Mama Princess peaked her head out of the water...she knew right away that there was some serious trouble. Yesterday the ortho doc...confirmed that she did indeed break her tibia. OUCH!! Now Mama Princess is on crutches....and it's her right leg so she really isn't suppose to drive. I can tell you right now....that people better know that a it will take more than a broke leg to keep Mama Princess off the streets of my little ole hometown. There is no way that I can tell you that she will try not to drive anyway. If I were a betting girl...I know she's already done this and it has only been on for one day. For those of you who really want a good laugh...you have to read her post. You can find it listed below in the blogs that I follow. Mama Princess has a way of telling it soooooo much better than me. You all have a blessed weekend and keep Mama Princess in your prayers!!! Peace out to you Sista's! Debi

I Didn't Win......O Stink!

Hey to the Sista's! Well most of you know I work for a Christian Radio Station...so that always puts me on the "not allowed to win a contest" thang! Which drives my daughter, Little Bon...absoulutely insane. Unless, it is for another station who doesn't have any ties to our station. Friends....This is where my story begins. I was driving home in a downpour yesterday while listen to a very popular County radio station in Tampa. I was just driving along minding my own bizness when I heard one of the talent guys, Dave, ( O and the name was not changed to protect the innocent!) who said to some guy that is was time to call and then he did the little "tookie bird" kinda call. So I called because I have been trying to win tickets to Rascall Flatts for the last three months! I'm sorry but I was not in town when the went on sale and totally forgot and NOW there are only bad seats left and I just can't do that. If I can't have a descent seat I might as well keep my Beyonnnnce at home, if you know what I mean. SO I dialed the number...remember it's raining like crazy...and it rang..and rang..that was a really good sign....so I wasn't about to hang up....finally...Dave answers. Yeah...you got through... I literally went crazy....like some crazy stalking weirdo..please remember I work at a station and I am not really star struck anymore...yes in my younger days I was...but ....not anymore... I acted like a stinkin idiot. I just kept ramblin and saying, " I can't believe I got through...I have been trying to win tickets for months...Dave kept repeating himself...."You got through".....STILL I WAS NOT GETTING IT.....I said it again..." I can't believe it...He said it again....I said, "Why do you keep saying that. Then he said, "You didn't win! I hesitated and wispered very sadly, " I didn't win..I didn't win...... O STINK!!!!! I could hear Dave and Randy still laughing. I am so glad someone thought it was so stinkin funny. I haven't been that excited about something like that in so long it ain't even funny. However, I am use to being the one who "Punks" someone. I'm not so good on the being "Punked" end. (Somebody get Ashton Kutcher on the phone!!) Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. I even went as far as to think they were going to call me back and tell me they were just "punkin" me!! I can definitely dish it out but not so good at taking it. Well....that call never came! And NO I still don't have tickets for Rascall Flatts! It's not like I want to meet them....I just want to baske in their pure soulful harmony....uhmmm...uhmmm...uhmmm. I guess it just wasn't mean't to be for 2009. I still think I got a stinkin raw deal from my fav country station. The sad thing is that they recorded my call and played it ON-AIR when the next break came up. And yes...I sounded like a southern fool....you know kinda like when they interview...someone from the trailer park after a hurricane...with one tooth in their head....well...maybe not that bad. It's been two days and I am still upset about that! Somebody get Chad Brock on the phone!!! STINK!!!!

So Long MJ....May You Finally Rest In Peace!

Hello Sista's, I greet you all at the end of the day....for many reasons, but my heart is a little heavy as we all say goodbye to Michael Jackson. OK...I have to be honest... the nose surgeries, Bubbles...his monkey, the bleaching of his skin, left everyone scratching their heads from time to time. But if you look at where he came from and what he had to do at such a young age....it's no wonder he was always trying to "Fill his life" with things geared for kids. Sadly, he didn't get to be one. WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE? How many times have I judged someone for the way they look or maybe what their wearing. O....I can't tell you how many times.....too many to count. I have been guilty as the next person. But I have to tell you that we have to agree on one thing about MJ....he was always true to himself, no matter at what cost....and there were many. Today we got such a small glimpse of what Michael was really like when there were no camera's or paparazzi. He was just a son, a brother, a Dad and Uncle and a beloved friend to many. He wanted to do all the small things that we take for granted...without notice. He just wanted to be real. I feel bad for judging him in the past! Please forgive me Michael!We don't really know people unless we're true friends with them. We can't know someone by only reading or hearing about them by what's placed in the media. I feel bad because he was so misunderstood!! I must remember this verse more often. Matthew 7:1,2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. OK...that verse was written in red in my Bible, which means Jesus himself said it! That is a Big Ole Wammie or knock in the head....helleur!I guess I'd better put the shut to the up on some "thangs". Think about it...people talk about everybody. Some people assume things that they really have never even asked you about. Can't you just imagine people printing lies and talking smack about your kids and family. I would have to say....I pity the fool that does it for me or my kids. I mean I can take it...but if your talking about my kids....the earrings are coming off my sista's!! Say whatevah you want....Michael paved the way for many and I can't even say what my favorite MJ song was because I loved so so many! I don't care if he was Muslim or Jehovah Witness... he was a child of God and what he believed is irrelevant. That was between him and the good Lord. His daughter, Paris, made me cry today. She was the first thing that I saw from the memorial service after I got home from work. He was alot to everybody but he was her "Daddy" and she misses him terribly. I will pray for his little kids tonight and I will thank Jesus once again for loaning me two children because I KNOW they are really His! Rest In Peace MJ, Debi

July 4th Blast At The Trumps.....I Mean Trotti's!

Hey to the Sista's! July 4th started out for Little Bon and I getting up at 7 a.m. to get ready for the Brandon, July 4th Parade! Little Bon and I got there a tad bit too early but we handed out mega fans for Spirit FM! It's was way way hot....but we had a good time. I have to tell you that we saw so many families really in the July 5th spirit. Everyone decked out in their red, white & blue. Cute little babies with bling bling jeweled flags on their cheeks! We got home around noon and we were soon to be off to The Trotti July 4th Party. Some of you may know her from her blog called Seriously! The girl has got more idea's than Martha Stewart! I am not kidding! Now she is raising her daughter to be juse like her. Her 14-yr old daughter, Honey, as she is fondly called by her Mama....made a 4th of July cake that was incredible! I so wish I had a picture. I will get one and post it! I was so impressed! One of the best things about Shawn from Seriously is her guest bathroom...now she has a few...but my fav is the one I call the Ivana Trump bathroom. The sink is just so unbelievable...I will have to get a picture for you all. Maybe she still has a picture of it up on her blog, because she has something "Take a Tour on Tuesday's" that alot of fun. I have not participated but it's only because I always forget. You all know that I have A D D. I have good intentions but I do get side tracked from time to time. ANYWHO.....we had a ball. My teenager...Boo...was trying to impress a few of the guys there with his new card tricks. It was quite hilarious. His biggest obstacle was my friend Natalie's husband who was SO ONTO BOO's card trick. He had a great time teasing him the whole day. Boo was getting a kick out the attention...good or bad it was fun!! We had such a great time! Shawn from Seriously is definetly the HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTEST! Thank you Trotti Family for a great day!