Living my Best Life

Life is hard, life is short so I’m choosing to live it to the fullest. I promised myself during those early months of covid lockdown that I would not turn down opportunities to go out and about once things were better. Well God brought me through the isolation and has kept me safe so Im trying my best to SAFELY live a BIG, BOLD and BEAUTIFUL life. I recently went to a super cute exhibit in Georgetown, the Fashion Warehouse. This exhibit was a fashion lovers dream. It was fun and beautiful. Secondly, I went to the all-white extravaganza Diner en Blanc. I’ve been to this event in the past and it’s always a lot of work but also lots of fun. I was nervous to attend this years event because of COVID but once I arrived and realized our ability to social distance I was able to loosen up and enjoy. So I’m challenging you to live your best life. Do all the things, safely of course, but do the things! So how did I keep it frugally fly and what did I wear to these events? 

Polkadot blouse - Rainbow

Black tuxedo pants w/ stripe - Forever 21+

Red pointed toe flats - Roses

African print purse - Africann Designs

White mesh top and ruffle skirt - Versona

White ankle sandals - Zulily 

White rose headband - Amazon

Party of Five

The name of this blog, as you know, is BBB Think which is an acronym for my BIG, BOLD and BEAUTIFUL life. Well a few weeks ago I set out on one of the biggest and boldest adventures of my life. It was a trip but not just any trip. First of all, it was a trip to NEW YORK. Second of all it was with not one, not two, not three but four of my nieces and nephews. And thirdly, I went by myself. Yes, I took four children between the ages of 8 and 14 to New York City solo. Yes, I know, insane. So how did this come about? Well Easter they asked me about the various places that I’ve visited and they asked if I’ve ever been to NY. Of course I said yes and then they asked if I would take them. Well, its impossible for me to say no to a travel challenge, so I said yes. And although I wished I had a travel mate old enough to throw back a glass of wine, and tag team on the kiddos, I was determined to take them regardless. Well I’m glad I did because they had a ball and so did I. My oldest niece wanted to visit the 911memorial, the second niece wanted to walk the Brooklyn Bridge, the third niece wanted to go to the Statue of Liberty and my nephew (the baby of the crew) wanted to eat NY pizza. Well we came, we saw, we conquered. Each of their requests were met and then some! So what did I learn from this experience:

1. Always travel with snacks 

2. Plan in advance 

3. Don’t be a slave to the schedule

4. Let them workout their own disagreements (it’s exhausting playing referee to every little argument)

5. Give them a budget when shopping for gifts

6. Travel with backpacks instead of luggage

7. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes 

8. Have fun!

Back in the Air

I took the plunge y’all!!! The travel plunge that is. Last month I flew and took my first international trip since the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a little scary, very different but so much fun. We had to get covid test, complete an authorization, get another test to come back, pack Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer and more but it was worth it. Surprisingly that was my first time in Jamaica (I know…I’m late) and it was gorgeous! The weather was perfect, the people were friendly, and the company was excellent. Of course I traveled with my usual travel crew … yep the girls. We had a blast and wore our cutest swimsuits. Most of mine were from Shein. As a matter of fact most of my clothes were from Shein as well. It’s definitely my new favorite shop. So here are the fits (all are from Shein except the blue dress, which is from Rainbow and the yellow top from Madrag. All of the shoes are from Rainbow except the wedges, which are from Payless)…

Black Girl Magic

I recently had the pleasure of attending The Black Hair Experience. This unique pop up exhibit and selfie experience was a wonderful reminder of how magical Black women truly are. When my friend Megan asked if I wanted to go, I said “sure” without knowing if it was a museum, hair show or what. But in typical Robin fashion, I just said sure because I knew I would want to check it out regardless. Well I am so glad that I did. It was more of an experience, as the title states, than a museum. But nostalgia was written all over the building. From old school posters and cassette tapes to hot comes and sponge rollers (which I recently wore to bed might I add), it took me way back to the days of getting my hair braided with beads in the kitchen to tearing out pictures of celebrities in magazines to show my beautician. Hair has always been a statement piece sometimes more than the clothes on our backs. And this experience reminded me how much I love being a black woman, having black hair and having the creative ability to rock an Afro one day and a blowout the next. Simply put, Black Girl Magic! 

Oh, and what did I wear … a Black Lives Matter shirt made by my cousin, a pencil skirt from Fashion to Figure and sparkly tennis shoes ordered on Amazon. 

Don't Give In & Don't Give Up

Dear BBBThink Divas,

I try not to talk about my weightloss journey so I don't annoy people or seem like I'm always patting myself on the back. However, when I'm reminded of something that I think others can benefit from, I can't help but to share. Full transparency ... I have tried to lose weight literally my ENTIRE life. I was a chunky kid, I was an overweight teen, and a morbidly obese adult. I have tried almost EVERY diet known to man, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Adkins, Slim Fast and the list goes on. I have joined too many gyms and tried too many exercise plans to count, Curves, LA Fitness, Zumba, Water Aerobics, Trampoline Workouts and more. And don't let me get started on all of the diet supplements from B12 shots to "It Works" products. I even tried those weird diet sprinkles that you shake on your food before you eat it, which were supposed to help curve your appetite. At least I got a couple of bucks for that one when the company was sued for false advertisements. Oh well, I say all of this to say. DON'T GIVE IN and DON'T GIVE UP! Don't give in to the hundreds of weight loss tricks and gimmicks. Some actually work well like Weight Watchers but most of them are TRASH. And don't give up when you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. When I was at my largest weight, diagnosed pre-diabetic and feeling hopeless when it came to my weight that's when I saw the light. I literally went back to the basics and began thinking, what can I do that will not stress me out even more and what can I maintain this week, next week, next month and next year. For me that was walking. Every time I got on the phone, I would stand up and walk or march in place. It was simple, the time flew by because I was talking (which I love to do, LOL) and it was easy to be consistent with. Before I knew it, I started shedding pounds and by the time I went back to my doctor, I was no longer in the prediabetic range. It wasn't until years later that I began to kick it up a notch, doing more intense workout routines and tracking my calories through my fitness pal, which I had also tried on and off for years before I became consistent. But the bottom line is just DON'T GIVE IN and DON'T GIVE UP. You will find something that works for you. You will find something that you can maintain and be consistent with. If you're reading this and want to brainstorm ideas to help you live a healthier and more active life please reach out. I am ALWAYS  happy to help.  

Then and Now

Birthday Behavior

Dear BBB Think Divas,

My birthday is always a special time of reflection and rejuvenation. This year was no exception. Lots of reflection on the past year, a little rejuvenation, but also lots of tears. More tears than usual. I miss my mom EVERYDAY but I miss her even more on special occasions. And ironically this year my birthday fell on Easter so it was quite the double whammy. Nonetheless, my family and friends made it a day or shall I say a week of joy, laughter, good food and more. I kicked the celebration off with my amazing friends and family at Robin Hill Winery in Maryland. Yes, I know, such a befitting name. I spent my actual birthday at my grandma’s house with my dad, brother, sister-in-law, nieces and nephews. They spoiled me with cookout food (a fave), lots of gifts and a surprise sip and paint night. It was wonderful!! And I wrapped up the celebration with a girls trip to Virginia Beach. Normally I would have had some exotic escape planned but due to COVID I kept it low key which turned out to be just what I needed. Sometimes you go a away and come back more exhausted than when you left, VA beach was the opposite. It was just what I needed, a little sun and sand. What I learned this year, life is literally precious, literally short and should be lived to the fullest. I wanted to crawl in a hole and wait for everything to pass by. But with the help of a few special people, I pulled myself together, got dressed up, did my hair and makeup, put one foot in front of the other and stepped into another year. I guess the point of this entire post is to tell my village how much I love them and blessed to have them. Thank you ~ Thank you

So I know y’all just want to know what I wore, LOL! Well here it is and yes, I kept it very frugally fly...at least for the most part. 

Shirt - Madrag ... Pants - Ashley Stewart ... Shoes - Walmart

Headband - Shein ... Ring - Street Vendor in Miami ... Purse - Chanel

Bathing Suit- Shein ... Headband - Forever 21

Shirt - Madrag ... Pants - Forever 21 Plus ... Shoes - Walmart ... Purse - Vintage

Swimsuit - Shein ... Necklace - Witter Shop

Jacket - Rainbow ... Pants - Fashion Nova ... Shoes - Walmart

Dress - Rainbow ... Headband - Forever 21 ... Sunglasses - I forgot, LOL!! 

Off to the Awards

Dear BBB Divas,

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Who’s going to award shows during a pandemic? Well no one. Well actually, a select group of celebrities but even most of them are watching from home and accepting their awards on Zoom. Well tonight were the Golden Globes and it got me thinking. Since I won’t be attending awards, galas, etc again this year, I should get all dolled up and watch the 2021 awards from my home. Yes, I know a bit extreme but it’s kind of like spending your money on a staycation. You didn’t even leave your neighborhood but you still felt like you went somewhere when you returned home. So here’s to getting all dolled up...fancy dress, face beat, hair did, nails did, everything did and having a feel good night in your living room. And if you’re looking for cute, inexpensive fancy dresses checkout Shein. I got a number of dresses for my cousins wedding last year. Don’t judge me, I ordered eight because I couldn’t decide, four from Shein and four from TB Dress (only six pictured because two of the TB Dresses never arrived). Let me know if you take my advice or have other fun self care ideas during a pandemic. 

Love,

BBBThink

Shein Dresses

TB Dresses