As natural as sunshine....

Natural Sunshine has moved!!

2011-02-16T09:55:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! *waves feverishly*

I have the most exciting news!!! My little sanctuary here is moving over to WordPress!!! So please follow me over! I have some exciting changes in the mix and have already started some of my new adventures that I intend to share with you.

Here's the link to the new space: http://blog.blackhairmedia.com/naturalsunshine/

I hope you love it, I hope you interact with me and I hope you tell your friends!!

Looking forward to seeing you there! Love you all!!

Toodles!

Happy Birthday Dr. King...Thank You

2011-01-17T17:49:00.006-05:00

(pause the music player to the right prior to beginning the video)

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Hair Pretties!! ...what every girl needs

2011-01-07T22:30:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone!!! *waves*

Source

I hope everyone of you had a safe and wonderful holiday season and New Years!

My intention was to post this before now, but life got a little busy. If you don't mind, I'd like to share some of the hair pretties I purchased for my daughter as Christmas gifts. (They were supposed to be stocking stuffers, but I couldn't get them all to fit. LOL) Aren't they FABULOUS?! She LOVES them! ...and so do I!

Oh...and don't y'all laugh at my Bratz Doll Head "models" or the chop job that Lil OMJ did on them.

These two are from Ross. The cream heart shaped flowers on wide band was 5.99 and the purple flower band was 3.99. When I saw that heart shaped one I all but SCREAMED right there in Ross. I HAD to get it for her! All I could see was Lil OMJ setting that off with a FIERCE twist out! Oh yea!

Both from Ross, 3.99 each. The silver leather-like flower is on a thin black metal band and the pink flower is on a thin pink (painted) metal band.

These two I purchased at an Asian BSS, both on thin satin covered bands. I believe they were 2.99.

This one I LOVE! The band and flower are brown leather. 9.99 at Target

The studded pink headband was purchased at an Asian BSS - 2.99 and the satin jeweled one was purchased at Ross for 3.99. ...I should take another pic, this one doesn't do the studded band justice. It really is super cute!

This flower clip is the cutest!! 1.99 at Burlington Coat Factory.

All 4 of these were purchased at an Asian BSS. The sequined ones were 1.99 and are on 1.5 inch stretchy bands - similar to the Goody bands. The leather bun clip was 2.99 (I think) - Carolina Blue baby!!!

The black jeweled headband is the same as the one in picture 5. The double rope braided band was 2.99 at Ross.

I had sooo much fun shopping for these over the holidays. I always check out the hair pretties regardless of the store I enter...ya never know what you might find!! I also found some of the cutest beanies for her...maybe I'll post those next.

I hope you all enjoyed taking a peek at some of my daughter's newest hair dazzlers!

Toodles!!!

So excited, my new find!!!

2010-12-27T00:20:00.005-05:00

Hey everyone!! *waves*

As the title indicates, I have some pretty exciting news to share. But first, I'd like to formerly introduce you to my new lover....

(oops, sorry about the glare)

Yes...that is a Tangle Teezer and not a man. *sigh...but I digress* lol As I sit here bored tonight, I convinced myself to get off my butt and do "something." I ended up spraying half my hair with water and playing with my new purchase. On Christmas Eve I wandered out to Sally Beauty Supply and picked up two. One in bright pink for me and one in a sparkly purple for my daughter (her favorite color). For my BHM ladies...yes, I'm still buying in 2's. lol

I took a few pics of it with my Palm Pre Plus so you all could take a good look at it. (Yes, the settings are still wonky on my real camera and I keep forgetting to take it to the camera shop...le sigh)

Ok, now that I've got the pics posted, let me tell y'all.... HONEEEEEEY, this thing is THE BIZNESS!! I seriously HEART this detangler. And I know I said I wanted to marry and have the babies of my last conditioner, but er umm....that was before the Tangle Teezer entered my life. lol

Seriously though, this is AWESOME. Despite purchasing two...I'll admit, I had some reservations. Afterall, did you LOOK at the teeth on this thing?

BUT, I was pleasantly surprised! It didn't tug on my hair AT ALL and I'm working with some frizzy, tangled hair today y'all. I'm embarrassed to admit that I've just been lounging around on the couch for the greater part of the day, sipping on hot chocolate and enjoying the visions of snow from the window. That is, when I wasn't throwing a hat on my head so that I could walk the dog without freezing....but yet again, I digress. lol The Tangle Teezer was very gentle with my hair strands...shocking to say, given the looks of it. It did a wonderful job of removing shed hair...and nothing more!

I parted my hair down the middle with my fingers, sprayed it with water from my handy-dandy water bottle and went at it. Of course I went straight for my ends, fully expecting to do battle, but...no. It just slid through. I thought to myself ...

Then, I moved up the shaft of my hair...each time, the Tangle Teezer sure enough teezed itself through my tresses. At this point, I'm getting pretty excited (sad, but true LOL) so I eagerly continued on! Keep in mind, I didn't apply any conditioner for this. I only wet my hair, which was styled 6 days ago with Shea Moisture Curl & Style Milk and argan oil.

I can't wait until my daughter gets back from her sleepover so I can try the sparkly purple one on her hair!! She had already given it the side eye before she left. I could tell what she was thinking....

But she's going to be shocked and amazed just like I was!!

So for anyone on the fence about purchasing this, run and get it RIGHT now!! Ok...well, wait until morning for the store to open...or until your local/state department of transportation clears your street of snow, which ever is applicable for you. Either way, GET IT! You certainly won't regret spending the $9.99 on this. I give the Tangle Teezer the following rating:

....Oh and if you decide to get one (or two), please let me know what you think of it!!

Toodles!!

I know Christmas is technically over, but...

2010-12-26T19:47:00.000-05:00

I love this video. My daughter shared it with me yesterday and it made me smile... and laugh. After I found myself watching it again today, I figured I'd share it with you all. Enjoy! ( Pause the music on the music player on the far right first in order to fully appreciate the video).

Rapping Baby J -- powered by flowgo.com

Happy Holidays!!!

2010-12-24T00:09:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone!

Once again, the holiday season is upon us and I wanted to take the time to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! It is my prayer that you enjoy time with your family and friends and remember the true reason for the season. Gifts are wonderful, but LOVE is everlasting. I am grateful and thankful for the love of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and I am humbled by His grace and mercy every day!

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. It just feels soooo good to make sure the people I care for feel especially loved, that is always my heart's task. Not necessarily to buy loads of expensive gifts, but thoughtful ones that are packaged and delivered with loving intent.

So my Christmas wish for each of you is simple....LOVE. And I'll give you a free tip - the best way to receive love, is to give it away first. Tell your friends and family members that you love them, don't assume the gift speaks for you or that he/she already knows. Tell them, hug them, and celebrate your love this season and always.

To my natural hair family, I love you ALL! Thank you for the bonds of genuine friendship we have formed, for the hair product tips you have shared, for taking this journey with me and for trying to talk me out of buying (yet another) bottle of conditioner! LOL

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and ......

Toodles!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T12:41:00.001-05:00

I wish you all a happy and blessed Thanksgiving! On this day we tend to share with one another the things that we are thankful for, so I won't deter from tradition.

OMJ's Thankful List

1. My salvation - Thank you JESUS

2. Little OMJ - my daughter

3. Those who love me

4. Those who've paved the way for me

5. The soldiers who sacrifice to ensure and maintain my safety - Thank YOU!

Now...because I HAD to do it. Here are the hair products/tools that I'm most thankful for:

OMJ's Thankful List - Natural Hair Remix

1. Henna

2. My SalonsRUs Hair Steamer

3. Hercules Sagemann Seamless combs

4. Cone Free Conditioners - too many to name!

5. Coconut & Argan Oil (yea...I cheated )

And it's a given that I'm so very thankful for my My Natural Hair Family!! Love you all!

Toodles!

Random Post - Much growth for a year and a half?

2010-11-25T00:20:00.002-05:00

I was playing around with Giovanni foam on my wash and go the other day and posted the pics on Twitter. Well, tonight I was going through some old pics and found some I had taken a few weeks after my Big Chop. I guess it's a fair amount of growth, it's difficult for me to judge. Granted, shrinkage IS a beast. lol My bottom layers are currently at bra strap length, as I've shown you in pics before.

At any rate, what do you think...good amount of growth for a year and a half? My Big Chop was May 24, 2009.

June 7, 2009

November 21, 2010

Toodles!

Be the change you want to see in the world!!!

2010-10-21T10:38:00.001-04:00

*Please pause the music player to your right before watching*

Mahatma Gandhi said a mouthful, didn't he??? And there's NOTHING like the love a parent has for their child to inspire one to do just that!!! I can speak from experience and so can Joseph Mazzarino, puppeteer and Sesame Street writer. Joseph and his wife adopted a little girl from Ethiopia. For me, this isn't about a white father and his black daughter. This story is about a father's unconditional love for his child and his charge to make her emotional world a safer place.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this interview and hearing his sensitivity to his child's needs, it warmed my heart. And y'all know how I feel about the kids loving their natural hair!

As an aside...

I know that there are some people who are complaining about his song/video. Some have gone as far as to accuse this father of taking the puppet from wearing her afro in the beginning to wearing extensions at the end where she has long braids. CLEARLY the persons who are saying this do not wear their hair in its natural state or such foolishness would not have been uttered. SHRINKAGE is real, we all know. How many of you have seen the beautiful Little Miss A. from beadsbraidsbeyond.blogspot.com ? Do you see how long her braids and twists are in comparison to her hair in its shrunken state?? - while GORGEOUS all the while!

* PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT*

People...we need to do better than the comments we are making in regard to a man, who's only "crime" is working to ensure that his child's self-esteem does not suffer at the hands of society's ignorance.

As a parent who's natural hair journey began from a similar place, as the one which sparked Joseph's actions, I applaud and thank him whole heartedly!

Toodles!

Thinking about Youtube and other things....

2010-10-19T18:12:00.014-04:00

Hi Everyone!

[Photo source]

During my hiatus I was thinking about making YouTube vids....but I'm feeling some kinda way about spreading my face across the world just now. LOL I was talking with my friend, SarenzoBeads (<=check out her site!!) on twitter yesterday about this and I think I've come to a conclusion.

I've learned soooooooo much since I began this natural journey back in May of 2008 and I really enjoy helping other people...thus, the reason why I was considering YT vids. I was once INSANELY active in the natural hair forum at BlackHairMedia, but I've been away for some time now. I genuinely LOVE those ladies! I learned so much of what I know there and spent a lot of time "giving back" to that community. Side Note: I plan to return there very soon, but I know I have to have hair pics or I'll get run out of Dodge. LOL

I had initially created this blog as a sounding board of sorts, just to share how my journey had impacted my life (my evolution to organic skin care and a raw vegan lifestyle, etc) . However, in lieu of making videos (cause I'm scurred lol), I plan to share the knowledge I've acquired right here...in addition to the personal piece reflecting the changes in my life. I've recently become re-energized as it relates to my online natural hair family. I have sincerely missed "my girls" so it's time for me to make my way "home" to BHM.

Just wanted to chat with you all a little bit about the things on my mind and the path I'd like to take with NaturalSunshine. I like the idea of picture tutorials. That might be a middle ground for me...until I get over my "stage fright."

Until then, take a look at the Natural Hair 101 thread I compiled over on BlackHairMedia a few years ago (WOW, time has flown!). It contains some extremely helpful and encouraging information and really is a great foundation to build from! It's even beneficial for the vets out there! I hope that it serves as a trusted resource for you. Be blessed!

Toodles!

REMIX!!...you knew it was coming sooner or later! LMBO

2010-10-14T20:12:00.007-04:00

WHY did I just find this on YouTube? And why do I love it? bwahahahahaha

*As always, pause the music player first - in the bar to your right* Enjoy...I did!

PRICELESS!!

Toodles!

twirls around & sings - I LOVE MY HAAAAIIIR!

2010-10-14T17:27:00.016-04:00

*Please pause the music player in order to fully appreciate the video - in the bar to your right*

I know a lot of you have likely seen this already, but I just had to post it!! I came across this video via Twitter the other day and my daughter and I have been singing the song almost none stop ever since!! I just love it, love it, love it!! Sesame Street gets much respect from me for this!! Y'all already know how I feel about kids and their natural hair...after all that's why I began my natural hair journey.

So even if you've seen it already, click on the video and sing it ONE MORE TIME!! *dances around singing at the top of my lungs*

Toodles!

... smiles

2010-10-13T10:23:00.018-04:00

Hi lovelies!!!

Ok, yea...I've been MIA... again. lol I'm not even going to start with the excuses and promises anymore, BUT I am sincerely apologetic for being away. Charge it to my head and not my heart, you know I love y'all.

At any rate, I am here to share a new find with you! I'm UBER excited about it too! I was recently in the Dollar Store and picked up an 180z bottle of White Rain Tropical Coconut condish by accident. I thought it was Suave...until I got home. Weeeell, once I realized it I was bummed and just threw it in my "hair" closet. It was only $1 and not worth returning, I felt.

Fast Forward a few weeks later >> I fell into a slump and didn't wash my hair for over a week. (Yes...I know) It was frizzy and tangled ...le sigh. So for some reason I grabbed this bottle of mojo and decided to detangle my hair with it prior to co-washing in the shower. << That was my reaction! LOL This stuff MELTED...did you hear me?? MELTED the tangles away!

I am OFFICIALLY in love with this condish and plan to have it's babies. LMBO Before I mentioned it publicly, I decided to try it out again - to see if I'd get the same results. Sure did! I haven't co-washed with it (yet), but I'll bet it would work great in that regard. The slip is AMAAAAZING. Once I applied it to my hair the comb just slid through my hair with such ease... like a warm knife in butter.

Prior to this I was a fan of using Kinky Curly's Knot Today as a detangler, but as most of you know that stuff is a bit too expensive to "waste" (in my opinion) as a detangler. Especially when I can get 18oz of this for $1 and it works just as fabulously!

(hehe...I'm such a dork)

Give it a try and tell me what you think! I hope it works as well for you!!!

Toodles!

Dropping in to say hi...

2010-08-28T12:59:00.015-04:00

Summer is over, I'm back at work - refreshed and ready to serve!! I decided to come into work today and get some things done, but what am I doing instead? Taking hair pics! LOL *ashamed* Weeeeell, since I've taken them I might as well post them...right?

I'm particularly pleased with my hair today, it's FIFTH day hair. I used Kinky Curly Curling Custard over Tresemme Naturals (the no cone one - LOVE that condish!) and let it air dry as usual. Now, of course it's a little flat in some places in the morning so I lightly spritz it with water each day and shake. Usually my hair gets bigger and bigger each day as I spritz an old wash and go (which I LOVE), but KCCC makes my curls shrink up more than any other gel so it's no where near as fluffy on day 5. But it's ok I guess, I like it. You'll see the left side is fluffier than the right...guess I didn't shake hard enough. lol I might just fluff it with my hand in a minute.

At any rate, here's my hair today. I'm glad I decided to give KCCC another try, not too shabby.

The first picture is the left side, the second is the right side and the bottom pic is the back. All pics can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Oh wait...let me give you a length shot. Shrinkage is the devil, let me tell you! This is today, I'm BSL (Bra Strap Length), right? If you look closely you can see my black bra strap because my blouse is pretty sheer (click on pics to enlarge). I'm thinking about cutting it though. Haven't made up my mind yet, but I want a different look and I don't really care about the length all that much. It's just cool to watch it grow.

Alright, I'm outta here...time to get some work done. For real this time! LOL Oh, but lemme tell you...it was rough trying to take this pic by myself!! Thankfully I remembered I could take pics with my MacBook, it has that little timer feature... I was getting no where fast with my Palm Pre Plus! hahaha

Toodles!

Some random hair pics :<)

2010-07-15T00:39:00.016-04:00

Hi everyone! *waves to all*

I took these last week and since I can't sleep...I thought I'd come on here and post them. Nothing spectacular, I was just lounging around in my sarong (Man, I love this thing! lol ) after washing my hair and decided to take some pics. Problem is, I've screwed up the settings on my real camera and it's too complicated for me to figure out what I've done...AGAIN! *ashamed to admit this* Soooo, these were taken with my Palm Pre Plus.

At any rate, here ya go...random hair pics. July 24th will make 14 months natural!! I'm still extremely happy with my decision. (You can click on each to enlarge- if you're bored. LOL)

Toodles!

PLEASE watch, act and share!

2010-06-13T20:19:00.006-04:00

(Please pause the music player first- in the bar to your right)

This story broke my heart and enraged me simultaneously! Please don't sit idly by and do nothing. This family needs support, show your love. And if you know a great legal mind, please be certain to share this with him or her, as well as everyone else that you come in contact with. They need all the support they can get.

Be blessed...and be a blessing!

Oh how I love my fuzzy hair today!!

2010-06-04T17:00:00.011-04:00

Sitting here at work and decided to play with Photo Booth... look what happened!

Yes, it's frizzy and yes it's bushy today, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! I decided to experiment a bit this morning and put two flat twists in the front. It's kinda cute...but my flat twisting skills are weak. hahaha Hey it's Friday, who cares? LOL I love how the light from my office window shines through it...it sorta looks like a lion's mane. Me likey!

Here are a few more, the quality isn't so great but I was just playing around anyway. I'll post "real" hair pics next week...shrinkage is a mug, but it's all good!

And yes, I know I need to get my brows done. *ashamed* Hmm, maybe I'll smooth my edges next time (Dang, I'm all on the internet looking a hot mess lol) . I don't know...I kinda like it this way. I just spritzed the front of my hair with water and twisted it without much thought.

Toodles!

My anniversary gifts...continued. :<)

2010-06-01T20:46:00.019-04:00

You didn't think I'd celebrate my 1 year natural anniversary with just ONE gift, did you?? And I thought you knew me! LOL

I also ordered 5 seamless combs from hotcombs.net....five Hercules Sagemann combs! And yes, I said five. ROTFL My BHM chicas dubbed me the "Noah" of natural hair because I used to buy two of everything. Well, I HAD to do it. One for me and one for my daughter. We need our "own" things. You can't really expect a girl to share such things...can you?? But I digress...

Ok, back to my story. I ordered five combs...but don't fret. This purchase is indicative of growth on my part. I bought five different combs, rather than duplicates. hahaha

I ordered the Magic Star Rake Set (pictured below)

The HS1975 Styling comb, Magic Mini Star, and HS6450 Tail Comb (pictured respectively).

I LOOOOVE these things! They comb through our hair like BUTTER, butter I tell you! There is a marked difference in the way they feel as I detangle with them. It's amazing. I never realized just how much those other combs (Jibere shower comb included) snagged and tugged at my hair until now. I will NEVER use a regular comb again, NEVER. Only seamless combs on our hair from here on out!

Now...as always there's a backstory to be told. *sigh* I placed my order and was UBER excited. They arrived (partially ) the week before my anniversary. I was quite pleased to see that they were shipped on the same day I ordered them - thumbs up for hotcombs.net. And then, they arrived a few days later...with one comb missing and another broken - my tail comb. *insert angry face*

I went to their website and wrote a strongly worded (though not profane - cause I'm changing y'all lol ) complaint. I was contacted shortly thereafter (following morning) via phone and message. I was at work and unknowingly missed my call from Tasha, the hotcombs representative. When I called back the next day, she apologized, said they'd send out the missing comb (Magic Mini Star) and a replacement for the broken tail comb. By the time she and I actually conversed I had calmed down and was able to express my disappointment in a nicer way. lol I shared with her that this was my one year natural anniversary gift to myself, which made the disappointment all that harder to bear. She congratulated me, I was credited with a discount on the broken comb and showered with more apologies.

I'll admit, at this point I was happy with their swift response, but disappointed that all they were offering me for my trouble was a credited discount on the broken comb. However, I took it and quietly decided to never shop with them again. UNTIL, I received a message from Tasha apologizing once again and offering me a 25% discount code on my next purchase as a means of celebrating/acknowledging my anniversary. I thought this was SO AWESOME! I was totally not expecting this and was thrilled. Now THAT'S what I'm talking 'bout! I like that kind of customer service!

Needless to say, I will definitely be purchasing from them again and I highly recommend them. While disappointing, mistakes do happen. But I must say, they attempted to contact me almost immediately and took significant steps (in my opinion) to ensure my satisfaction with their company and they succeeded. If you are in the market for seamless combs (and I strongly encourage you to be), hotcombs.net comes HIGHLY recommended, as do the Hercules Sagemann combs.

Get your shop on ladies...your tresses will thank me!

Toodles!

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-31T01:30:00.004-04:00

Toodles

I need to purge some emotions...just ignore me. I'll be back to hair soon.

2010-05-31T01:17:00.003-04:00

(Pause the music player at the bottom if you wish to listen to the video)

Say what now???

2010-05-26T20:54:00.004-04:00

McSteamy is working...with no leaking! What in the world?? I didn't do anything differently. I filled the tank, partially - because I was afraid of the water streaming out again. I set the timer for 30 minutes...and no leaking. So I immediately tested this again...same result. So then I filled the tank completely and set the timer for an hour. No leaking! Yippee!!

Now y'all, I don't know what's going on here because I sincerely have not done a thing differently. However, I will say that I'm happy, THRILLED in fact! I still haven't had my first steam treatment yet, I've been too busy "testing" things out. Now that all things appear to be in order, I have planned to steam both my and my daughter's hair on Friday night. I will be taking pictures during this process and will write a review for you all. Yayyy! I'm suuuuuper excited!

On a side note, I'd like to give kudos to Salons R Us for their GREAT customer service. I messaged them via their website today because (as I mentioned in my last post) my waste water bottle was crushed and all dented up. I quickly received a response from Michele, informing me that they are shipping a new one out immediately. I offered to email the pictures, but she didn't express a need for them. Great customer service and I love the promptness with which she replied to my concerns. I will DEFINITELY purchase from them again and am encouraging all I know to purchase from them as well!! Great customer service is so hard to come by these days, so when I am fortunate enough to have such an experience I'm certain to pass on the news.

I highly recommend the purchase of this item through Salons R Us. Shipping is free anywhere in the continental United States. Additionally, I used the $10 off "exoticmommies" discount code [Check out her blog if you haven't already!]

Toodles!

The thrill is gone. :/

2010-05-25T20:59:00.017-04:00

As a test run, I turned McSteamy on after the set up and all seemed fine. Last night around 10:30 (yes, 10:30pm lol) I decided I couldn't wait any longer and NEEDED to steam my hair. I co-washed, slathered conditioner in my hair and turned on my steamer. What happened? Water started leaking from it. :/ I was NOT pleased.

*rewind* Upon unboxing McSteamy, I noticed that the waste water cup/ bottle was crushed. After "inflating" it I saw that the crushing of it had left indentations in the bottle that I feared would lead to leakage, but decided to wait before calling Salons R Us. However, this leaking was coming from the machine itself and not my crushed, yet revived bottle. *sigh*

So needless to say, I was up til all hours of the night TRYING to fix this thing...to no avail. I was busy at work today and was unable to call, but I plan to do so on tomorrow. I'm extremely sad, disappointed and upset. I was so looking forward to my first steam treatment. This is my anniversary gift and now...a let down. *pouts* YES, I am pouting!

Well...I'll keep you posted on how things go.

Toodles!

Today is my anniversary!!! And to celebrate....

2010-05-24T21:17:00.011-04:00

.... hair pictures to follow soon! :<)

Toodles...be blessed!

No, I didn't forget you all

2009-10-26T19:59:00.010-04:00

Pause the music player on the bar to your right.

I've been going through some things lately and was really down and out of sorts, but God is good and I'm so grateful. Sometimes it feels like everything that can go wrong, does. I'll be getting back to discussing my hair and that journey soon. However, I've shared with you all before, that this path I'm traveling encompasses more than my hair. It has become a spiritual journey on many levels.

At any rate, I came here today to share this song with you. It has helped me through...hopefully it will be a blessing to one of you who may be in need of encouragement.

Toodles! ...Be blessed

Where's Waldo...er umm, OMJ?

2009-10-11T21:42:00.006-04:00

I know that subscribing to my blog must feel like an adventure in "Where's Waldo?" and I sincerely apologize to each of you. Upon my return I've found the addition of many more ladies and gentlemen that are following my journey and it humbles me greatly to know that so many of you care about my little piece of the world. I started this blog as a means of documenting my natural hair experience and decided to open it up to "the world." So I'm going to start doing better about this. Now that I have gotten over the flu, been rehabilitated from a dislocated knee and nursed my daughter back to health from her broken wrist (whew!) I'm ready to settle back into my natural haven here at As Natural as Sunshine.

I am happy, THRILLED in fact, to report that I am still in love with my natural journey. Oct. 24, 2009 will be my 5 month anniversary and my only regret (sincerely) is not doing this sooner. I know people say that all the time, but I truly mean it.

Ok, now for As Natural as Sunshine....I intend to blog at least once a week from here on out. As soon as I get my camera settings correct I'll post some pictures as well.

Thank you all for following my journey, for all the encouragement and kind words. It means the world to me.

Toodles!

It happened this morning...

2009-05-26T12:43:00.006-04:00

I shared this with my friends over at Black Hair Media when I got to work this morning and wanted to post it here as well.

I woke up this morning, walked into my bathroom, took off my satin bonnet, looked in the mirror and ....I smiled! I didn't say,"What am I going to do with this front??" I looked at the mirror and I was happy with my jacked up front (gotta love shear happy gals) and the way it was smushed to my head. And y'all...it happened, I cried. I just stood there and cried. I was happy, I felt GREAT, I was looking at ME. Just ME. And it felt amazing!! I decided that I wasn't going to do the frohawk today (but I WILL mslitta!!!). I was doing ME today. Rocking my curly fro and loving it!!

So, I hopped in the shower, co-washed my hair, plopped it with my CurlEase towel and I was done. I slapped some aloe vera gel in it to keep it from frizzing up while it dried, shook my head from side to side and smiled. Like this!! => <= I put on my silver hoops, my new lip gloss and was HAPPY. HAPPY with ME, just me. D@mn this feels good, it feels AMAZING!!!

I get to work, I'm walking down the hall to my office and the Speech/Language Pathologist was walking ahead of me (in the same direction) so she hadn't seen me yet. I called out to her, "Good morning." She turns around, greets me with wide eyes and a big smile and says, "I LOVE YOUR HAIR!" I said, "THANK YOU!!," showing EVERY tooth in my mouth at the same time. Then, I turned to my daughter and BEAMED some more! And she returned the smile.

Here are some updated pics..not the greatest ones, but I'm working on that. Can't seem to find the right lighting. *sigh* At any rate...the first one is me trying to put some flat twists in the front of my hair and the others are self explanatory. The curls in the front are A LOT smaller than the ones in the back, but I love them all!. Hope to have better pictures soon.

Toodles!

Well...guess what I did?

2009-05-24T13:47:00.007-04:00

Late last night (technically it was earrrrrrrly this morning, at about 1:40ish am) I began snipping at my hair. When I finished and twisted it all up for bed, it was after 4 am. I was sooooo tired I couldn't even be excited! :( LOL

I wasn't nervous at all...likely because I was so tired when I began. My eyes were going all cross trying to look at the back of my head and cut. I was recording with my Macbook, a camcorder and TRYING to take pics with my Fuji camera. TRUST, this was not a one woman job and I FAILED! lol Didn't take nearly as many pictures as I had hoped or thought I would. But I did mangae to get this.

Sooo....looks like I'm "au naturale" now, huh? :<) I'm still so very tired. After I've gotten more rest, I'll post my reflections and maybe some pictures of my hair styled...likely a wash and go.

Toodles!

Do YOU know what today is?

2009-05-23T00:30:00.007-04:00

(Please scroll to the bottom of the page and pause the music prior to playing the video. I hope you enjoy today's selection! )

Yes ladies and gentlemen,

TODAY IS THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MY TRANSITION BACK TO NATURAL HAIR!

I'm sooooooooo happy, thrilled and excited!! What I feel is beyond JOY! I can't believe this journey feels so good! Who would've thought? Certainly not me!!

I'll be back later today to post pictures!! Yayyyy me!! Can you tell I'm excited??

I'll let you in on a little secret....I just cut a little patch of hair on top of my head, I couldn't help myself. LOL

Toodles!

A TRULY inspirational mother

2009-05-21T17:55:00.008-04:00

You all know that I am VERY passionate about the images we feed our daughters as it relates to standards of beauty and self love. Those of you who have been following me or have most recently read my first entry (and the subsequent entries: "And a child shall lead them" and my "Dr. Miracles outburst) can attest to this.

Well, I had the honor and joy of running across the blog of Nappturality.com member, mamaprincess. Her blog, NappySexyFly is THE BIZNESS! And it turns out, she's a mother after my own heart.

Please read her most recent blog post (below) and click on the link (<= here or above) to her blog so that you may see the beautiful natural mane of her daughter enlarged! I've said it a million times and I'll say it again...We HAVE to do better by our babies. Thank God mamaprincess believes so too! I hope her words (and actions) touch you as well! Now, without further ado..

HER daughter's "Beautiful Naps"

My daughter has a whole lot of nappy hair as you can see. Her hair is below waist length stretched. In the above photo I pulled a section of her loose hair in order to stretch it out so that I could show it's length (my hand is somewhere down there but cannot be seen in the pic), then I took the picture with my other hand. She is 5 years old and of course has never had her hair straightened. She knows she's beautiful because we always tell her that she is sooooooo beautiful. She knows nothing of self loathing. She loves her skin and hair and everything about herself because we adore her and tell her so all the time. We live in a predominantly white community so she interacts with them on the regular but has no issues. She attracts love and kindness like a magnet because this is what she experiences all the time in her home. This is her foundation. It's all in how you treat your children. It's all in the messages you send them. A child should not feel insecure, ugly or unwanted. Our job as parents is to make sure they know they are perfect and precious. Their lives even when we are not around will reflect the love we planted in their souls.

As for her hair, their is no way on earth her hair would ever be as healthy or achieve this length with a relaxer. I have older twin daughter's who's hair was as long as this. Their father begged me for years to relax it because he couldn't do it on their visits so I gave in eventually and let him take them to have it done. I knew what would happen but he didn't believe me when I told him. Their hair was super long and healthy to start then it began to break off. It eventually broke off to chin length in a year's time even though they had their hair done professionally and kept it up. Needless to say, they are both transitioning now and never want to see another relaxer as long as they live. Now when I send them to their father for visits, their hair is in braids. They know how healthy their hair was prior to the relaxer and how badly it damaged their hair. Relaxers hold no mystique for them. They will not be begging me to perm it for prom. Nappy hair is fragile not strong and chemicals break it down to the point that it is even more fragile and prone to breakage.

My youngest daughter (pictured above) is by my husband. We both agreed no chemical would ever touch her hair. Her hair got this long by treating it the way nappy hair needs to be treated. Very little manipulation. I put her braids in and don't take them down for weeks at a time. I wash her hair in the braids. When its time to redo, I take it one braid at a time making sure to moisturize and oil to prevent breakage. I separate and smooth with my fingers and very gently comb the ends with a wide tooth comb and re-braid. She usually has anywhere from 8 to 12 braids. It takes about 2 hours to do her hair because I don't yank and snatch through it like it needs to be punished. The keys to healthy naps are moisture, low manipulation and a gentle patient touch. That's pretty much it. Her hair is also never blow dried, in fact no heat is used on her hair.

For all those who use hair typing, we are both 4b in other words nappy. Her father is a pure blooded Ghanaian (Ghana, West Africa, blackest Africa, home of the purest naps and deepest melanin endowed gorgeous dark skin where the majority of us can trace our roots because it is from there that the majority of our ancestors departed) :) I am an African-American with no recent interruption of my African bloodline, in other words not mixed. Yes, true African naps can achieve length if so desired if you honor God's blessing by nurturing and loving them and caring enough to learn about how to take care of them instead of trying to murder them with toxic chemicals.

As long as I am in charge, my daughter will never feel the burn of chemicals or the heat of a straightening tool. She will always know and not question the power and truth of her own God given beauty just as she knows it at the impressionable age of 5.

Thank you NappySexyFly, for allowing me to publish your entry here and for being the true inspiration that you are!! *hugs*

Toodles!

I wish you all a beautiful day!

2009-05-10T11:46:00.003-04:00

cues the music Oops, I did it again...

2009-05-09T15:20:00.011-04:00

This time it wasn't out of frustration, but...just 'cause. My twist out was busted and when I walked into the bathroom my ends were yelling, "Cut me, cut me!" So...I did. :D

Look at the length of some of those pieces! But you know what? I wasn't "in shock" afterwards or anything. I had planned to put my hair in a flat twist bun today...but after my hair cutting frenzy as of late I don't know how that will work out. Oh well!

Fast forward >>>

I hopped in the shower and decided to go ahead and wash my hair while I was in there... and I start to laugh OUT LOUD! Why? Because I can feel the fifty million different lengths in my head at this time. LOL I shrugged my shoulders and kept going. I really did a whack job on the left side of my head let me tell you!

I got out of the shower and realized that the left side of my hair (in the very back) is in fact significantly shorter AND with the exception of a few strands is almost completely natural (in that spot, of course). So...what do I do?

You guessed it!!

So here is the left side of my hair (in the back) in comparison to the right. (no product)

Now to camouflage the cutting I've done. LOL

Toodles!

How do you spell relief?

2009-05-07T20:58:00.006-04:00

S-H-E-A-R-S! That's right...

The past few weeks have been gruesome! I've been sick, work has been hella stressful and tonight it all came to a head. I walked into my bathroom and just started grabbing pieces and cutting. Some places I cut as much as an inch (or more), in other areas maybe a fourth. There was no pattern, just whatever I got my hands on. Perhaps I shouldn't have put it all in a pile this way, you can't really see how much it is. No this isn't the BC, far from it. There's plenty of hair left.

...I feel much better now.

Toodles!

Just because I love me some him!

2009-05-05T22:56:00.004-04:00

(be sure to scroll to the bottom and pause the music on autoplay so that you may enjoy the video)

Food for thought...

2009-04-25T12:03:00.018-04:00

First my apologies for not checking in here regularly, it's been a stressful week, but I'm going to try to do better.

This morning as I was catching up on my reading and trying to get my thoughts focused to update Natural Sunshine I ran across something of interest to me.

Over on BHM today, one of my member friends (MizzBrit) started a thread about these ignorant a$$ (IMO) Dr. Miracle's relaxer commercials. You know the ones, they bash hair in any state other than relaxed. Don't misunderstand me, I'm NOT anti-relaxer, but I AM anti-"anything that attempts to threaten my daughter's self-esteem!" Believe that!

These are the two commercials I referenced in the discussion above, but not the two that started the discussion at BHM.

"Weedwacker"
"Baldy"

I posted my response there (feel free to click the link above and read the full discussion), but I wanted to share it here as well, in hopes that it would be food for thought for those that come across my blog.

I stopped watching BET when my daughter was born (over 10 years ago), even on Sunday, but she most recently learned of the Gospel shows (mainly Sunday Best) on there (and being the lover of Gospel music that she is) asked if she could watch. Dr. Miracle has a new set of commercials (with a husband and wife) that I do in fact find offensive. Well, I don't know if offensive is the word...but angry certainly is.

I clicked on the links you provided and watched the first few seconds and had to stop. They grate my LAST nerve. I didn't know if I was just overly sensitive, but I can't stand these newest ones I see on Sundays, I hate what they are saying to young girls, more so than grown women.

I'd be fine with them if they were presented as a styling option,but to say how awful these women's hair is (and they don't even look bad!) and that they NEED a relaxer.... The husband is calling her hair a bird's nest, then (I think) he says , "no a squirrel's nest." It just goes on and on. I'm VERY much bothered that they have to degrade natural hair in order to promote the use of a relaxer.

When I think about the millions of young girls watching that channel and digesting that message, it makes me nauseous. I CRINGED when that first commercial came on as my daughter sat there watching. She turned to me and just waited for a response, for some confirmation that this was wrong...and you can best believe she got it! Her little eyes looked as if they were saying, "Them, too? That's how my family was talking about my hair last summer, Mommy." We had a long talk about marketing ploys and how they play on the insecurities and misinformation taught to black women about their hair and about the images society puts out there. It was a productive talk and I could tell that she felt better as a result of it. We had already had a version of this talk when her "incident" happened last year and I decided to transition, but that commercial seemed like a slap in the face to her and I could see it in her eyes.

But what about the little girls that digest that and don't have anyone to talk to them?

My baby girl loves her hair and all the ignorant Dr. Miracle's commercials that they play will not change that. She said, "I don't want a relaxer ever mommy." I smiled and told her honestly, "I want you to always love your hair and know that it's beautiful just the way it is, but if you get older and want different styling options I'll be ok with that. But I don't ever want you to think or believe that having a relaxer is the ONLY option you have to obtain "pretty" hair because you already have pretty hair and I think you understand that." She vehemently replied, "I'm NEVER getting one!" Well, we'll see, I thought to myself But I was honest in my response. I'd prefer that she not, but if she does I don't want it to be because she feels what God gave her is ugly and I think I'm building a solid foundation in her that will continue to combat that type of thinking. God knows I'm trying.

My challenge to everyone: Be mindful of what we are allowing "society" to tell our children about their beauty.

Toodles!

Reflections...

2009-04-18T15:40:00.006-04:00

Still humming along with my transition!! Friday marked 47 weeks post relaxer, which means.....5 more weeks and I will be celebrating my 1 year transition anniversary!!!

I'm so very excited!! I can hardly believe it's been almost a WHOLE year. Time really does fly when you're having fun!

Toodles!

Transitioning into a vegetarian lifestyle

2009-04-13T08:00:00.002-04:00

As I've mentioned before, my natural hair journey has caused me to desire a healthier way of living and nourishing my body. My body is a temple, which means I should treat it better than I do - inside and out. I previously shared with you my fitness goals, training for a 5k, as well as my desire to become a vegetarian. I've found some wonderful resources to help me in this effort...so I'm sharing them with you (You will find a few of them linked in my "Knowledge is key" area to the left.) As with any undertaking I am careful to do my research and not make any "fly by the seat of my pants" decisions. There is so much information and support on the internet, it's AWESOME!!!

Blackvegetarians.org has been of tremendous help to me. Here you will find a list of transitioning tips for newbs (like myself!) If you read the information listed there (quoted below), you will find websites that will mail you a Vegetarian Starter Kit FOR FREE and there is one you can access directly from the internet.

Get free vegetarian and vegan starter guides at www.tryveg.com, www.goveg.com/vegkit/index.html and http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/index.html.

During my research I learned that there are several different "levels" or types of vegetarianism.

1. Semi-Vegetarians aka Flexitarians

Semi-vegetarians limit their intake of either certain types of meat or the amount of meat. For example, they might eat no red or white meat (beef, pork, venison, etc), but eat fowl and fish. Or they might only eat meat once or twice a week. Someone who only eats fish can also be called a pescatarian. (Purists would say that semi-vegetarians are not vegetarians at all, but I have included them in order to show the complete hierarchy.)

2. Ovo-Lacto Vegetarians

The most common type, ovo-lacto vegetarians do not eat any animals, but do eat eggs and dairy products.
Subcategories:
* Ovo vegetarians (eat eggs but not dairy) * Lacto vegetarians (eat dairy but not eggs)

3. Vegans

Vegans eat no animal products - no eggs, no dairy, no honey, etc.

4. Raw/Living Foodists

Raw or Living Foodists eat only raw food, because enzymes are destroyed by normal cooking processes.

5. Fruitarians

Fruitarians eat only fruit, fruit-like vegetables (e.g., tomatoes, cucumbers), and sometimes seeds and nuts.

Here are a few of the cookbooks that I want. Don't they look GREAT?!

Let me re-iterate that while I love animals, my purpose for this is to improve my quality of life and overall health. Whatever YOUR choice, whatever YOUR reasons for your current lifestyle I encourage you to live your best life...you only get one!

Toodles!

Look what I tried...

2009-04-12T14:53:00.013-04:00

Shout out to my girl, tru_blu09 from BlackHairMedia.com, for the information and encouragement to try putting a bun in my hair. This was my first attempt ever at using one of those bun "thingies" and it turned out ok ...even though it's off centered. LOL I'm pretty happy with my initial effort!

I decided to give in and experiment last night since today is wash day (By the way - I've yet to do anything to my hair as of yet...and it's almost 3:30pm!)

Oh, and just in case one of you would like to give this a try, I used one of these bun rings:

And I followed this YouTube tutorial prepared by Marand313. I didn't use the oils, etc that she used because I used the "mesh" versus the styrofoam-like ring. Because of this I didn't see the need to worry about my hair drying out. That and it was only in while I ran out for ice cream late last night. :<)

Just wanted to share my joy. :<)

Toodles!

'And a little child shall lead them.' ....and so she did.

2009-04-03T15:32:00.025-04:00

My daughter is so proud that I am no longer relaxing my hair. And I am so blessed to have her in my life.

A little background
As I mentioned in my first post here, my daughter is my natural hair inspiration. She is the inspiration for every change I've made in my life since she was born...since the moment I knew I was pregnant with her. I never fully grasped how much I could love a person before she came into my life. And now that she's here, there TRULY isn't anything I wouldn't do for her. So when she (at the age of 9) started to feel like her hair wasn't beautiful, that she wanted straight her like me (insert shocked face) so her father's family wouldn't treat her like she had "the worse hair in the whole house," (insert angry face) it was a split second decision for me. I was done with relaxers, in that moment! It was as simple as that.

I had always told her how beautiful her natural hair was (and it IS!), but I was sending her mixed messages. And when I realized it, I was filled with guilt! *tears* I was so angry with those members of her family that made her feel that way (anger is not even a strong enough word!!) and disappointed in myself. I thought that I could instill a pride of her natural hair in her while having my own relaxed without any problem at all...never even gave it a second thought. But when the rubber hit the road and "society" started to weigh on her she needed a mother that was leading by example. A mother that was "walking the walk" AND "talking the talk."

*Drifts off into thought*
I didn't even have a "good reason" to relax my hair to begin with. I've been on "auto pilot" since I was in middle school. It was just what I did. *shrugs shoulders* My hair was very different from my mother's fine multi-ethnic hair and she didn't have a clue what to do with it. So when my friends started getting relaxers she jumped all over it!! ...and my aunt jumped all over HER for "ruining that baby's hair!" I thought I was cool and loved it....until that summer day in 2008. As I sat there and listened to MY baby's heart breaking I realized it wasn't cool...at least not for me.
*Snaps out of daydream and continues the story*

Happily ever after? ....
Now, she LOVES her hair once again and REFUSES to let anyone flat iron it. I thought she would have "length issues" after her decision, but she has told me that she likes the way it shrinks and doesn't care if other people don't realize how long it is. She usually wears it in twists, styled when wet, so her BSL (bra strap length) hair shrinks up to her shoulders. Her classmates who are accustomed to seeing her with "long hair" say they love how "boingy" her hair is and they are always touching it. LOL Gotta love kids!

Neither of us have had direct heat on our hair since last summer. So here we are, approaching one year "post trauma", and we're as happy as two pigs playing in the mud. :<) I'm so proud of her I could just burst!!

My challenge to ALL mothers (and mothers-to-be):
Take some time to think about the messages you are sending your children, especially your daughter(s) about their hair and their beauty. PLEASE understand that I'm not judging anyone for their "styling" decisions, but for US, it was bigger than a "styling" choice. It was becoming an "esteem" issue and I wasn't having that!! Now, I have my daughter back and she believes me when I tell her that her hair is beautiful and that it's just the way God intended for it to be because He doesn't make mistakes. She knows that:

Good hair is healthy hair. Nothing more, nothing less!

Toodles!!

Friday Update!

2009-04-03T09:40:00.006-04:00

I'm LOVING my transition! Love, Love, Love It!!!

Toodles!

Hair day adventures

2009-03-31T08:00:00.019-04:00

I attempted my first ever flat twists on my hair this past wash day (Sunday). I was afraid it would look a HOT MESS considering how bad they looked when I was done...but it turned out ok.

What did I do?

Shampoo'ed with Trader Joe's Nourish Spa
Conditioned with Aussie Moist
Sprayed hair with mix: aloe vera juice/rose water/wheat germ oil/Castor oil/glycerin/ACV(first time including it)
Sealed hair with sweet almond oil and ends with shea butter
Applied a quarter size amount of Giovanni's Direct Leave in throughout hair
Applied Lustrasilk's Cholestorol + Shea butter & Mango as my styling cream
Forgot to add my Chi Silk Infusion so I spritzed my finished twists with Chi 44 Iron Guard as a heat protectant in case I needed to sit under my Pibbs Kwik Dryer before bed...and I did.

Here are some pics of the HORRIBLE looking flat twists I did...be gentle, it really was my first time. Oh..and try to overlook all the gray. I definitely need to order some henna ASAP! LOL

And here is the finished product. Not too bad for my first time...if I must say so myself. Don't ask what I was thinking with the front...I still don't know. LOL I'm working on that.

My body is a temple

2009-03-26T18:02:00.003-04:00

That is one of the things that my natural hair journey has helped me to realize. No... scratch that it, it has helped me to REMEMBER that my body is a temple. Yes, that is a better word. Not only am I changing what I put into my body, but I'm being more mindful of how I treat it and the care I take of it.

Last week I began training for a 5k run as a means of exercise, but then I decided to actually enter and run a 5k .... I'm SO excited!! The first day was kinda tough, but after fighting through it (in the rain I might add!) I was THRILLED and so very proud of myself. I'm using the Podrunner Intervals: First Day to 5k program. It can also be directly downloaded from the podcasts section of iTunes and is completely free. Big thank you to AfroAwesome of Nappturality.com for telling me about this!

Check it out! I hope you love it as much as I do.

If you've never run before, or are returning to running after a long hiatus, this series is designed to take you from your first day to a full 5K (3.2-mile) run in just 9 weeks (plus a bonus "graduation mix").

...now to buy new running shoes.

Toodles!

"No Cut" Challenge

2009-03-25T14:43:00.002-04:00

...but can I do it?

Ok, I've been snipping away (little by little...ok, maybe not so little) at my hair and I REALLY need to stop that! I have plans to transition until October of this year and celebrate my birthday with the BC (big chop). Only problem is...I can't keep the shears out of my hair!!!

The picture above shows the hair I've cut over the past two weekends on "hair day." I just can't resist the urge! As I start to twist those curly strands one around the other I can't help but think, "Hmm, I wonder what my hair looks like in this spot?" And the next thing I know...I've whacked it off. LOL I'm out of control!

I want to start a "No Cut" challenge...but I'm afraid I'll be the first to break the rules. *cries...then laughs at my poor self-control*

Toodles!

On My Journey

2009-03-24T18:34:00.002-04:00

Yep, that's me...literally and figuratively. You can call me OMJ, Journey, whichever you like.
Hello everyone and welcome to my little piece of the world.

Initially, this blog was going to be closed to the public and just serve as my way of documenting my journey and expressing my feelings about it. But recently, I've had a change of heart. I think the perfect first entry for Natural Sunshine is a post I created and shared with my dear friends at Black Hair Media. It sums up my feelings at this present time.

I started this journey as a way of reaffirming for my daughter that natural hair, specifically her natural hair, was beautiful and to help her love and be proud of it once again ... after having dealt with some ignorant comments made by family members. As a result I have fallen in love with my own, which shocked me because to me, my hair was always "just hair."

Now, the fact that I'm transitioning to my natural hair gives me strength and a pride I never had before. It was an interesting feeling when I felt it developing and now it's one that I relish in. So here I am, wishing not to put any chemical straightener in my hair, not wanting it straight period. No flat iron, no blow dryer. The straight look on me just isn't cute anymore. I look at older pics and I look "funny." lol

At any rate, the point of this thread is that as I follow this path I have come to use more and more natural products. Using things straight out of my kitchen along with oils and the like and I find that our hair is all the better for it. I have also started to be more cognizant of what I put on our skin and in our bodies. My skincare regimen has become more organic - using baking soda, water and a tea tree cleanser by Dessert Essence to wash my face and shea butter to moisturize our face and body. My daughter and I both use these and our skin is happy.

Most recently I've started to look closer at the foods we eat, how I prepare them, etc. Now we've always been "aware" in this regard. Always ate lots of vegetables and fruits, no white rice/bread etc. -only whole grains and whole wheat, 1% milk and cheese made with 2% milk, lots of water, etc. I don't remember the last time I purchased red meat. But now, I've decided that I am transitioning into vegetarianism. I did not make this decision lightly. I've been reading (for some time now) everything I could get my hands on, searching the net, watching YT vids from others who have, etc.

Now, let me clarify (and don't y'all get mad)...while I love animals and wish no harm upon them, this is not my reason. For me, it's about trying to be as organic and "clean" in my approach to how I treat my body (hair, skin and internally) as possible. I'm doing this for overall health reasons and mental balance. It seems like a natural progression (no pun intended).

As to not send my body into shock and to maintain appropriate intake of protein, I've been eating my usual abundance of fruits and veggies, and the only "meats" I've had are shrimp, tilapia and salmon. I've also had some dairy products with cheese and eggs. (Had an omelete yesterday, but typically I don't do eggs). As I understand it this level is called Pesce-Vegetarianism. This typically isn't considered "real" vegetarianism, but I'm not doing this for anyone but me. As I said, I'm transitioning into this, so this is my "first level" and I'm not sure what I'll cut next.

As I continue to learn and grow I'm sure the progression will continue to be a natural one and things will fall into place. I've found so many awesome recipes on YT and across the net and to be honest it doesn't vary that greatly from my regular diet (i.e. way of eating) anyway. I say all this to share that my journey to natural hair has inspired me to refocus my view of my body and recognize that it truly is a temple. I've gotten back into my exercise routine and trying to get more sleep and (though the internet makes it difficult ) and am working on my personal relationship with God and Jesus.

At this point in my life's journey I feel something stirring in me. Very hard to explain with words, but I feel a transformation in process and I just wanted to share all of this with you because you feel like family to me. You've supported me and encouraged me, laughed with (and at ) me and I love you all. When I decided to stop relaxing my hair, I never knew it would inspire such change in my life. So sorry for this SUPER LONG post, but this has been on my heart for some time now and every time I begin to write this I stop..but today was the day and I was determined to get it all out. I don't know if anyone else's hair journey has sparked change in their life (in any way) or not, if so please share, but I just wanted to tell you all about mine.

Has your natural hair journey sparked any change in your life? If so, I'd love to hear about it. Thank you in advance for sharing with me.

Toodles!!

1.	Semi-Vegetarians aka Flexitarians
	Semi-vegetarians limit their intake of either certain types of meat or the amount of meat. For example, they might eat no red or white meat (beef, pork, venison, etc), but eat fowl and fish. Or they might only eat meat once or twice a week. Someone who only eats fish can also be called a pescatarian. (Purists would say that semi-vegetarians are not vegetarians at all, but I have included them in order to show the complete hierarchy.)
2.	Ovo-Lacto Vegetarians
	The most common type, ovo-lacto vegetarians do not eat any animals, but do eat eggs and dairy products. Subcategories: * Ovo vegetarians (eat eggs but not dairy) * Lacto vegetarians (eat dairy but not eggs)
3.	Vegans
	Vegans eat no animal products - no eggs, no dairy, no honey, etc.
4.	Raw/Living Foodists
	Raw or Living Foodists eat only raw food, because enzymes are destroyed by normal cooking processes.
5.	Fruitarians
	Fruitarians eat only fruit, fruit-like vegetables (e.g., tomatoes, cucumbers), and sometimes seeds and nuts.

As natural as sunshine....

Natural Sunshine has moved!!

Happy Birthday Dr. King...Thank You

Hair Pretties!! ...what every girl needs

So excited, my new find!!!

I know Christmas is technically over, but...

Happy Holidays!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Random Post - Much growth for a year and a half?

Be the change you want to see in the world!!!

Thinking about Youtube and other things....

REMIX!!...you knew it was coming sooner or later! LMBO

*twirls around & sings - I LOVE MY HAAAAIIIR!*

... *smiles*

Dropping in to say hi...

Some random hair pics :<)

PLEASE watch, act and share!

Oh how I love my fuzzy hair today!!

My anniversary gifts...continued. :<)

Happy Memorial Day

I need to purge some emotions...just ignore me. I'll be back to hair soon.

Say what now???

The thrill is gone. :/

Today is my anniversary!!! And to celebrate....

No, I didn't forget you all

Where's Waldo...er umm, OMJ?

It happened this morning...

Well...guess what I did?

Do YOU know what today is?

A TRULY inspirational mother

I wish you all a beautiful day!

*cues the music* Oops, I did it again...

How do you spell relief?

Just because I love me some him!

Food for thought...

Reflections...

Transitioning into a vegetarian lifestyle

Look what I tried...

'And a little child shall lead them.' ....and so she did.

Friday Update!

Hair day adventures

My body is a temple

"No Cut" Challenge

On My Journey

twirls around & sings - I LOVE MY HAAAAIIIR!

... smiles

cues the music Oops, I did it again...