Tag: Oprah Winfrey

2020 & Lemon Meringue Pie – OH MY!!

Published on by Roshonda B6 Comments

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2020!!

I pray your holiday was a good one and that your new year got off to a good start, well it’s here. Another year, another goal, another decade! Wow…

Before I can move forward, I must take a step back for a moment.

The ending of my year turned out to be quite a scary one, the last post I wrote in December – you can check that out below just in case you got too busy and missed it. It was my last post of the year, it was also a week before my daughter was to go in and have a heart procedure done.

December’s Going Already? & Safety is KEYYYYYYYYY!!

I knew this day was coming, my daughter, I and the Cardiologist had, had the discussion for months and in August of 2018 we got a date as to when the surgery was going to happen. I wasn’t worried, I had prayed; however, as the months and days came closer. No lie, I was a little nervous. The doctors stated that the procedure was “non-life threatening” and the procedure had a 95% success rate. So that was nice to hear. My faith was strong…and I put her, it and them into God’s hands.

That was until I got some devastating news from the nurse

Surgery day came and we were all set, I had to be at the hospital by 7:30 a.m. meaning I had to get up at 4 am to be out of the house by 5:15 am as the hospital was about 2 hours away. Talking about tiredness…but we had things to do.

Once we got to the hospital and all the preliminaries were done, my daughter was whisked away to anesthesia. I wouldn’t see her again for 4 hours…

I sat in the waiting room for quite some time, I had my books, blanket, and phone so enough to keep me occupied. As a protocol for anyone going into surgery I received a phone call every hour letting me know what was going on when the surgery started and the process in between…when I didn’t get the last call but looked up to see the nurse coming towards me instead. I immediately thought, “Cool, they’re done” but little did I know that was far from what she came to say.

“We ran into a problem, she said”

Sitting on the edge of my seat, she had my undivided attention – with eyes glued securely on her and every word that was now coming out of her mouth, I held my breath a little…

“While the doctor was completing the surgery, your daughter’s heart began to bleed out; blood surrounded her heart, which contracted the heart muscle. We don’t know what happened; we’re trying to stop the bleeding. “We had to perform CPR on her”

My heart stopped and for a brief moment, I stared at her in a daze — as if what she was telling me was something she was reading out of a book of grim fairytales. Before I knew it, I broke down…

My daughter, if she had not been at the hospital she was at, with special doctors that know how to handle cases of this matter in a matter of seconds – my daughter would’ve died a week before Christmas. Just the thought of that makes me cringe with fear, my baby girl. BUTTTTT and a BIG BUT, God is SOOOO AWESOMELY GOOD! She had to stay in ICU for a couple of days after that before she got moved to a regular floor but as of right now, she’s doing better and can resume her regular activities according to the cardio on Monday. I give God praise.  

While the year ended with a little turbulence, 2020 came in as sweet as pie, literally!

Over the holidays, I looked forward to spending time with my sister, brother-in-law and my nieces. Our children are around the same age, so my kids always look forward to being with their cousins.

The weather was favorable and I got a GOOD dose of Christmas movies, I even got a chance to catch up on Season 4 of Greenleaf (If you haven’t seen this show, what in the world have you been doing??? Please check out Netflix and catch up!!) I promise, it’s one of my favorite shows, so I binged.

I also read a book series by Lexcee Reel – Lexcee is a self-published author on the RISE!

She has a fourth book entitled “Undying Past”- The book series detail the story of Caroline Peatree Gibbs a confused, mean and downright sassy woman who finds herself caught in a love triangle with her dying husband, a flame from college and a new business suitor that has an eye for her. Lexcee’s four-books entitled, The Caroline Peatree Gibbs Series were full of action, suspense and chock full of drama and revenge!. I read ALL four books and can’t wait for BOOK 5 (In which I would like to do a FULL review!). Once I finished one book, I was trying my best not to read the next one –but I foiled, that’s just how good they were, I couldn’t put them down and you won’t either. If you’re looking for a FEW good reads, check her out. You won’t be disappointed!

During this much needed time of rest and relaxation, my sister bought me a piece of lemon meringue pie from the hospital in which my brother in law works. This hospital has the best lemon meringue pie ever!! Now, there’s a back story to this pie. When my mom was in the hospital back in 2016 –outside of seeing her beautiful face, I always looked forward to going to the cafeteria and getting me a piece of lemon meringue pie. It was a sweet indulgence I looked forward too. It somehow took my mind off of seeing my mother in pain and hearing all the negative doctor reports we received daily in regards to her declining health.

When my mother passed away that year, so did that lemon meringue pie. They stopped serving it. So, when my sister stated that she was stopping by there on New Year’s Day to visit her husband and asked if I wanted anything, I quickly said no.

When my sister got home, I was lazily slouched within the cushions of her couch with covers over me, she came in excited and said “Guess what, you’ll NEVER guess what I got” – her Styrofoam container smelled of some good hot fish, so I didn’t even attempt to guess. As she sat down swiftly on the coach, she began unraveling the bags and what she brought out next made me sit ALL THE WAY UP!

She looked at me and said, remember this?

Lemon Meringue Pie!!! –To be honest, I almost cried and I know that sounds super silly over a piece of pie but it had been 3 years since I had a piece and for some odd reason, when I saw that pie? A really good and positive feeling fell over me as if to indicate, this was going to be an EPIC 2020 Year! I just looked up and gave my mom a little wink…

So, no resolutions – no wishes for 2020, just a lot of God and a little lemony, sweet and tart meringue pie leading the way and guess what ——— I’m all game…

Cheers and Best Wishes to a Fantastic Year Ahead!

Did you have an epiphany or a little something that spurred your 2020? Share in the comments
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There’s a Pumpkin In My Oatmeal!!

Published on by Roshonda B7 Comments

Let me just start off by saying, I would have never thought to put pumpkin in my oatmeal but then again, I love trying new things so I can’t actually say I wouldn’t have thought of it, I  just would have never thought to pick up a can from the grocery store.

Who would have known that the great pumpkin, would not only be beneficial to your face – in which takes my mind back to an old Oprah Winfrey show episode in which she gave away some pumpkin face cream from bath and body works in her “favorite things giveaway” show. Needless to say, BBW sold out of the product once she made mention of it, which is not a surprise, because what Ms. O likes, everyone likes…

While BBW has not had that product since (I mean they have other pumpkin inspired scents, just not that particular one) I think people really sleep on how beneficial and wonderful pumpkin really is, I mean they serve all sorts of purposes and not just for trick or treating or to make our porches look great on the outside, but they’re also good for our insides (body) as well. Check this out:

health-benefits-of-pumpkin-kaddoo-and-pumpkin-seeds

So, that’s why I wanted this month to be all about the pumpkin – because something that good needs to be eaten everyday. Speaking of which, you all would be so proud to know that this next recipe turned out exactly like I had hoped it would…my pumpkin oatmeal was not only on point but amazingly delicious.

I was soooo excited because I didn’t want to write another “failed recipe” post….this is a cause for celebration, so…..

happy dance 3

(Excuse me, while I do my happy dance….lol)

Yes, I was really excited because if you knew my cooking skills?, then you’ll understand my dance =) so if it worked for me, it’ll be a breeze for you. To make this very simple, yet wholesome recipe – below are the ingredients you’ll need.

Pumpkin Oatmeal3
Simple Right? The Cranberries and Walnuts are optional

The Pumpkin Oatmeal recipes goes as follows:

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats (I used half a cup – carb watch!)

3/4 cup of milk (I used almond but it’s your preference)

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar

Directions:

Mix together oats and milk in a bowl. Cook on high for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave. Once completed, you can stir in more milk if needed to achieve the desired consistency you want and cook for another 30 sec. Stir in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon sugar (I used regular cinnamon and two stevia packets). Heat again for about 1 min and VIOLA! your breakfast is done! Below are pics of my before and after.

Pumpkin Oatmeal1
Before – Looks good Huh!

Pumpkin Oatmeal
After – Trust Me, It smells as good as it looks!

I added banana’s, walnuts, cranberries and drizzled it with a tablespoon of sugar-free maple syrup. When I tell you this breakfast had me full all day, it really did. I usually have to have a healthy snack prior to lunch but no snacks were needed that day.

I got this recipe from two sources in which you can see below:

5 Breakfast Boosters for Flawless Skin

All recipes – Pumpkin Oatmeal

I took a little something from each and just made it my own. So the next time you’re in the mood for something wholesome and yummy in the morning – this recipe is one that will not only fulfill your taste-buds but add a whole lot of goodness to your body as well.

To kick off the pumpkin festivities I thought I would do a giveaway – I love to receive things and I know you might too. I’m giving away a $25.00 gift card, here’s what you have to do and how to enter:

Follow @justsuminspiration2u on Instagram

Post a picture of you with one of the 5 recipes featured this month with the caption: “Pumpkins Up! @justsuminspiration2u is doing a giveaway! Enter for a chance to win at justsuminspiration.com.”

That’s It! That’s all you have to do – Remember, you have to make one of the recipes, follow me on Instagram, post your picture of you and the recipe of choice and include the italicized statement with your post. Good Luck!!

The Winner will be announced November 3, 2017 at 1:00pm on the Justsuminspiration blog, Facebook and Instagram pages. Winners will be selected randomly from the list of entries submitted.

See ya in the next Post!!-1

Roshonda N. Blackmon – Creator of JustsumInspiration, Author, Speaker & Encourager

Let’s Live Well, Laugh Loud, Love Hard & Inspire Often!

P.S. If you missed the blog post displaying all the yum we’re cooking up this month, click on the link below to catch up!

Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice, It’s Time for the Great Pumpkin!