Breakdown of OILS

Considering it’s the winter season and a majority of us Naptural Diva’s are being affected by the cold weather, I thought I’d share with you what knowledge I’ve discovered about keeping your hair moisturized. I know how difficult it can be to keep your hair moisturized because I struggle with dry & brittle hair! It’s a pure nightmare. This is why I’m writing this blog with some useful information for you ladies.

I know a lot of us Naptural Diva’s use oils on our hair in different ways. The two most popular ways are by using them in moisturizers while others use them for sealant on our ends so they aren’t brittle. With that said, I’ve been doing some searching and I’ve found some useful information that I’d like to share with you :)

Idk if most of you know this but some oils carry bacteria/fungus from growing in your mixes. Some of the ESSENTIAL oils that are antimicrobial are as followed:
-Tea Tree
-Lemon
-Lavender
-Neem
-Mint (peppermint)
-Rosemary
-Eucalyptus
-Basil

Most oils and butters have a shelf life of about a year or more! Mixing them may decrease these numbers. Adding an antimicrobial WILL help increase the shelf life of your mix. I make sure to use one to two of the oils listed above in my mixtures just to make sure no fungus/bacteria lurks in my products. Now, because these are Eos, remember a few drops should do the job……… about 10 to 20 drops per batch should do the trick! Happy Blending Ladies :P

Meet Me Mondays!!

Welp today is Meet Me Monday! So guess whattttttttt. Yep you guessed it, I'm doing my blog on it hheheee :P I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and Thanksgiving. Peace and Blessings everyone!




What is your favorite way to eat chicken?
Shoot I don't have a favorite way, chicken is chicken LOL. Ya'll know black folks don't play 'bout they chicken and I'm one of em LOL! I can have it in pasta, a salad, sammy, by itself, whatever... as long as it's done and not pink I'm game hahaaa!

Have you decorated for Christmas yet?
No, definitely need to put that into rotation. I didn't decorate for Christmas last year and I can't do that again. Christmas is my favorite time of year! :)

What is your favorite article of clothing?
My fav. would probably be this one pair of undies I have :) yeah I said it!!! They make me feel sexy HA!

Do you pay your bills online or write checks the old way?
A little bit of both.. :P


Do you make Christmas cookies?
I've never made Christmas cookies, I do make pies though LOL! I will make a pie for each house that I visit on Christmas Day and hand them out. Everyone absolutely <3333's my pies they are begging for my recipe's that I WON'T give my secret ingredients away heheee

guess what............... I BC'D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?
Short term, transitioning about 3 months.I've been going through a lot of things in my life and I've been contemplating going natural for quite some time. After getting out of a bad situation I figured I could start a new page in my life and the BC would be my first step so I grabbed the scissors and went to work!

When did you BC? What was your initial reaction to your natural hair?
I BC'd on my birthday Nov 24th, which makes it all the more special to me :) My reaction when the first snip came off was "OMG OMG OMFG!!!!!!" I was literally about to cry lol, but I had to remember it's only hair. Afterwords, when I looked in the mirror, I screamed and was like "LAWDDDDDD WTH DID I JUST DO!" o_0
 

 
How did family and friends react to the new you? What was your response to them?
Well on thanksgiving I explained I was going natural after a comment from my cousin about the wrap on my head. They turned over all this chaos about me going natural saying I was stupid and I need a perm. All this bull crap! When I took my wrap off and showed that I did the BC they were speechless but guess what...... after I took that wrap off they shut up and was like OMG I actually like that. Same with my other family members, once they saw my TWA they fell in love, I think I got one of my cousins on the bandwagon to transition to natural heheheee. Woot, Yay me!! Even though my mom was against it (she's stuck on the creamy crack) she has finally accepted the fact that I'm natural and I'm doing me. All in all, the positive energy from everyone REALLY helped my self-esteem and motivation to want to rock my TWA everywhere rather than throw a wrap on my head to cover up the fact I don't have much hair right now.
 
What was your staple hair style during the transition?
I'd either slick my hair back with a headband or throw on my satin head wrap with a bun in the back!
 
Why did you choose to go natural?
I chose to go natural, not because I have friends that are natural, but because I wanted to be free and quit being a follower and be a trend setter! I also wanted people to say that beauty comes within thy self, hair does NOT define who you are by any means. Embrace your natural curls and WORK IT! Now that I've done my BC I feel like a whole new person. My soul has been set free! I've lived my life in the shadows not knowing who I am but after my BC I'm so dominate that I'm almost untouchable!! I am finally free. I'm black, beautiful, free, and LOVING IT!

To follow my journey please subscribe/follow:
Blog - www.LuvNKnappiness.blogspot.com
YT Channel - www.youtube.com/user/LuvNKnappiness

IT'S MY BIRTHDAYYYYYYYYY!!!!! Yay me!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me and dh aren't doing well at all but you know what, it's my birthday so I'm not focused on that right now *flips hair* WHAT!!! lol

Meet Me Mondays!!

Questions:
1. How many pillows do you sleep with?
2. Where will you eat on Thanksgiving?
3. Would you rather go to a party or host a party?
4. How many purses (for the guys..wallets) do you own?
5. What is your favorite kind of seafood?

Answers:
1. 2, but I always wake up smothered in just one lol
2. Probably Golden Corral or my sisters house
3. Host a party, that way I know what I'm in for LOL!
4. That's a hard task.. It's too many to count bwahaha
5. Seafood?! I'll pass, I'm allergic :S

5 Question Friday!

1. What Christmas song do you loathe?

   
  uhhh my fav. is Santa Baby :)

2. Do you and your significant other cuddle at night or sleep on opposite sides of the bed?

  
   There are days we cuddle and days we sleep side by side.. it just depends I guess

3. Have you ever had surgery?

 
     The only surgery I've ever had was a couple years ago when I had my wisdom teeth cut out. They put me to sleep because they had to cut them out. They were only the size of a small pearl at the time. It took me about two weeks to recover. They had me on some serious drugs after the surgery. I barely remember the first week, all I did was sleep LOL!

4. When do you typically have your holiday shopping done?

  
     Usually I do my holiday shopping maybe the last week of November/Early December. If I haven't had it done by the 17th of December then you can forget about it ahhahaaa!

5. If money were not an issue (and you HAD to pick something), what would your ultimate luxury item be?

     Lexus IS

Behind the Hair

I've been getting relaxers, aka the creamy crack, since I could remember. From birth my mom has had it instilled in her that straight hair, controlled by the creamy crack, is who we are. The creamy crack is what all black chicks have become over the years basically and it's sad. My mom was brought up in a household who didn't have money for salons, etc. Once my mom was on her own she could afford to go to the salons weekly to maintain her hair. She's one that's all about the hair! Anywho, around age 10 my mom had Ms. Ridley, my mom and I's stylist, pu a freaking curl in my hair. I begged and begged my mom not to buy she did it anyway!! At the time I was in the 5th or 6th grade. All the kids made fun of me saying ooooh Key has a jerry curl, Key has a jerry curl!! :( After a while I got tired of fighting it so I used to lie and say no I have "natural curly hair." Soon enough, maybe a year later, my mom allowed me to get rid of it and go back to the creamy crack! Since then my hair has been off the wall trying to take care of it. I'm not the type to love hair..... I'd prefer it to be all gone, but hell the BC scares me! lol. Most of my childhood I wore braids like micros, corn rolls, single plats, or kinky twists. I am so the tomboy type hahahahaaaa! Right after high school I decided to cut my hair into a short style like this:

just for a new look and style. I mean come on, I'm going to college now...... gotta grow up! March 2010 I decided to go natural so I started the "transitioning" stage, not knowing what kind of journey I was in for. After about 2 months I chickened out, got the creamy crack, cut my hair, burned it with a style, and that was that. I'm so bad at maintaining my hair, that's why I chickened out in the first place LOL!! Recently, I started the transitioning stages of going natural again and am going to follow through with it this time around. My last relaxer was mid August 2010. I have so much new growth and I thank myself for taking time and researching, my natural hair friends for their knowledge and support, and my products I've created. So as you can see I've been through hell and high water with my hair and my journey is just now beginning!! I hope you enjoy this encouragement post I created just for other sisters that are thinking of going natural. Join me on my journey, we could be partners and help each other through this trying time. Remember it's just hair and WE ARE NOT OUR HAIR. That's all, Peace and Blessings. XoXo

PS.. don't forget to check out the Galley Goodies page for recipes. Get ready for the holiday season with some home cooked southern style recipe's I grew up cooking with my mom :P

Me vs State of FL

Yeah just what the title says.... I'm getting ready for court right now and it's myself vs the state of FL. Hopefully they will drop the charges because it's stupid what their doing. If not, I'm in some big trouble *biting nails* yall pray they drop the charges seriously. I need prayer and LOTS of it! I'll be back later on in the day with updates on how it went and also my daily blogs heheheee. XoXo Take care and don't forget to pray yall *prayer hands*

Texas Sheet Cake

Here's a recipe I thought I would share with you since it's coming down to the holiday season, Turkey day is just around the corner, AND on top of that I have a sweet tooth LOL! Enjoy the recipe, make sure you comment and follow :P


Texas Sheet Cake, Preheat oven to 375 degrees

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 cups baking flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup water
1 stick butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs


Icing:
1/3 cup milk
6 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3-4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon then mix together. Set the bowl aside, in a medium saucepan melt the butter and mix in the water bringing the mixture to a boil. (optional) Sift the cocoa powder into the pan and whisk together. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Mix in the buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Lightly butter a 15x10 inch baking pan or whatever pan you desire and coat it with cocoa powder. Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake in a preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, take a small saucepan and heat the butter and milk, bringing it to a gentle boil. (optional)Sift the cocoa powder into the boiling mixture and whisk together. Remove it from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and the vanilla extract, whisking until the icing is smooth and has a shiny appearance. You may have to add some additional powdered sugar until the consistency is correct. You don't want it too thin, but not too thick; it needs to be spreadable but not watery. Keep the icing warm until the cake is finished and pour it on while still hot. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, cut and serve warm. Enjoy!

Meet Me Mondays!!

Questions:
1. Have you ever been on a cruise?
2. What is your favorite way to eat eggs?
3. What is your favorite reading material?
4. Name all the pets that you have ever had?
5. Were you ever a girl/boy scout?

Answers:
1. No, I've always wanted to go BUT I'm terrified of being on a boat for more than 3 hours at a time LOL! I went deep sea fishing 2 years ago and OMG can we say sea sick. It was soooooo not fun lol
2. I love my eggs either scrabbled with cheese hard or fried eggs with the yolk burst AND completely cooked. If it's still running so will I. LOL!
3. I hate reading actually but I'd say online probably, it's easier for me and less boring bwahhaaa
4. Hmm, my first pet was goldfish, they died when I was like 17. Then I had some angel fish, but they died faster than a fly LOL! Then came the dogs.... Blue (Siberian husky), Ace (Maltese), Bruno (shih-tzu)
5. I had just passed my mark of being a Brownie in the Girl Scouts then got out!

Military News

Hey everyone, as you know today is Military Monday and I'd like to take a moment and share with you an article I found on Airmen, Sailors, and Soldiers with the suicide ratings going crazy!! I, myself, know what it feels like to be suicidal. Please read this article, share your thoughts with me by commenting below and also please follow my blog! I hope everyone had a great weekend! XoXo.. ps, click the photo below for the full article destination.
--------------

Suicide Rates Soar Among US Vets

The economic downturn and the trauma of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have pushed more US veterans to suicide, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki said Thursday.
As Americans across the United States and around the world celebrated the contributions of men and women in uniform on Veterans Day, Shinseki outlined a sobering picture for the approximately 23 million veterans in the United States.

Only eight million of those veterans are currently registered with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Shinseki said. Many slip through the cracks due to crippling mental health problems, homelessness, alcohol and illegal drug abuse or crime.

Several studies have shown that suicides are on the rise among youths who have left the military.

"It's compounded by the stress, the trauma that goes with the current operations, where we have a much smaller military being asked to do so much and then repeat it tour after tour," Shinseki told National Public Radio (NPR). 

"I know the suicide numbers are up."

In January, he indicated that 20 percent of some 30,000 suicides in the United States each year are committed by veterans.

Suicides claimed the lives of a record 309 servicemembers last year, up from 267 in 2008, according to Pentagon numbers. The number of suicides between 2005 and 2009 -- 1,100 -- exceeded that of the number of US military members killed in Afghanistan since 2001.

The Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs do not keep statistics on veteran deaths.
Shinseki pointed to a backlog of Veterans Affairs cases or disability claims that has soared to over 700,000 this year, up from 400,000 to 500,000 the year before.

He noted that the number of new cases has increased faster than his agency's capacity. Even though the Department of Veterans Affairs closed out 977,000 cases last year, it got another million new cases.
A large number of the new cases involve younger veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Department of Veterans Affairs has changed its requirements regarding PTSD claims, so that veterans no longer have to prove they got the disorder because they served in a warzone. There has also long been a stigma in the military associated with psychological problems. 

"If it's verified, that connection is now automatic, it's provided," Shinseki explained, noting this had increased the number of cases he has to address.

"We have PTSD treatment going on with veterans that go back to World War II, Korea, Vietnam. So it's a large generational issue."

Asked whether the dour economy had increased veterans' reliance on his agency, Shinseki noted that "the economic downturn has had that impact on families" over the past year and half, while he has struggled to meet a goal to end homelessness among veterans in five years.

"We're doing fine, just not going fast enough," he added.

A July report by the army on suicide prevention found that senior leaders have failed to track reckless behavior and monitor alcohol and drug abuse among soldiers back home as the military focused on fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan over nearly a decade.

Repeated deployments with shortened dwell time have also strained the military, and the army hopes to soon give soldiers two years at home for every year deployed.

Scripture Sunday #1

Why hello everyone, how was your weekend?! As you can see it's been a couple of days AND on top of that my coding kind of started messing up so I decided to change the layout and go with something simple but pretty at the same time. It reminds me of Christmas which is why I choose this layout! It's almost that time hehehee :P What you guys sending me for Christmas????? Nah, let me stop! Anywho, as the title says.. I'm doing this thing called Scripture Sunday where I share with you a Scripture from the Bible. You guys can comment on the scripture with your own insight on it and if you want to join in on this fun feel free to do so :) Enjoy today's scripture. Be Blessed everyone and Happy Sunday!!

Scripture Sunday #1
Romans 8:18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Blue Friday..

WILL YOU WEAR BLUE???

International Picture of the Year
Here are 2 very touching photos honored this year

First Place :





Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News

When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport , Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac.
During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport , Major Steve Beck described the scene as so powerful:

'See the people in the windows? They sat right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home,' he said 'They will remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should'

Second Place





Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News

The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time.

The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. 'I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,' she said. 'I think that's what he would have wanted'



PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING!
"Blue Fridays"


Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing blue every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the 'silent majority' We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or overbearing. Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops.



Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -- and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar, will wear something blue.





By word of mouth, press, TV -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of blue much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers.



If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, coworkers, friends, and family, it will not be long before the USA is covered in BLUE and it will let our troops know the once 'silent' majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.



The first thing a soldier says when asked 'What can we do to make things better for you?' is. 'We need your support and your prayers.'



Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example, and wear something blue every Friday.

IF YOU AGREE -- THEN SEND THIS ON.

IF YOU COULDN'T CARE LESS -- THEN HIT THE DELETE BUTTON.

BET YOU DON'T!


Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I.

One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
----this post originated here but after I read the post, I got the same email from a fellow milspouse

Research

It's been a couple of days since I posted and I'm sorry about that. Lately I've been doing some research on different proteins, vitamins, etc. for natural hair. As most of you know I'm starting my own line of hair care products and possibly facial care products as well. I've been using my own hair for trial and error and also sending samples to friends and family. They all love it as well. I've only been transitioning 3 months and look at the new growth!! My hair is growing like weeds! So far I've come up with a couple deep conditioners (aka DC), regular conditioners, moisturizers, and I'm in the works of creating a couple of shampoo's & facial daily products. I did, however, come up with a deep conditioner that cleans your hair and roots without having to pre-poo or anything. You just start the DC process and BAM! My hair loves it and so does my friends. A couple are relaxed and a couple are natural. I'll make it a point to do more posts with knowledge of natural hair, how to maintain it, and the different tips & tricks I do to my own hair. I work it honey!! Next on my list is my BC (big chop) and from that point I'll be completely natural honey and loving it :) I'm just like the typical transitioner, I'm terrified of the outcome, but keep posted because the BC will come when you least expect it :P
XoXo

Question of the Day..

Everyone must know that tomorrow is Vet's Day so in Honor of that day I'm posting this. Please comment accordingly..

Question of the Day: Tomorrow is Veteran's Day in addition to the thanks we so gratefully give our past and current servicemembers , what is one thing you would like to say to your spouse and/or significant other, mother, father, brother or sister today?