BYE-BYE SWIMSUITS & SUMMER

My children: Nina & Ricky

I love my body much more now that I'm 33 and have 2 children than when I was 16 and 'perfect'
The light stretchmark on my right hip reminds me of my selfless body which carried two
My hips that expanded to their limits to help me give birth naturally
My slightly smaller breasts which gave through breastfeeding to protect and nourish
The light in my eyes which remind me I am fearless and unstoppable

The strength in my core which allows me to provide and uplift
My built thighs that allow me to carry what ever weight the world has to place upon my shoulder
The love in my heart that has multiplied, divided but never subtracted
My daughter thinks I am the most beautiful girl in the world
I could be every woman but even I know that I am not just any woman!

~Bernice Angoh~

BE YOURSELF & SHINE--Nina Lakota

 I never imagined it would take me 33 years and two children to wear a bikini for the very first time in my life, never worn an actual swim suit either, was too shy, self-conscious, never felt good enough, felt flawed and less than perfect. I promised at the beginning of this year that I would wear a swim suit, so there. Funny how with age you get to be more comfortable in your own skin and learn not only to love yourself but to be in love with yourself flaws and all. I have not yet reached my ultimate fitness goals  so I'm excited about where I'll be 3 or 6 months from now. I probably will have more than one swimsuit but either way, I will keep you all posted. I will be more than happy to receive your photos with you in swim wear, just send it to berniceangoh@gmail.com with your age and how many children you have, don't forget to add why you love your body or yourself. Thanks in advance.

Maureen, 40, mother of 3

Maureen's children: Xavier, Malaika & Franz aka 3G Power Rangers

Therra, 36 mother of 2

Therra's Children: Ryna & Corban

Anna and two beautiful girls live in Paris France.

Anna's children: Sasha & Wendy

Uh, the dog can! What's stopping you from exercising?

This was one of my favorite fruit back home in Cameroon, loved it because it was sweet and love it even more now after knowing its nutritional benefits. I guess you can never go wrong with eating your fruits huh? I'm not sure what iT is called in other parts of the world but in Cameroon it is known as 'Sour-sop'. Will check some farmers markets to see if they have some. For more information of alternative therapies for cancer check out one of my favorite documentaries on netflix or on amazon titled THE GERSON MIRACLE. Here is a link for more info: Gerson Institute

3G MOMS COMING SOON...

My favorite season of the year, Happy Fall-ing Everyone

ALWAYS STRIVE TO BE HAPPY!

 REMEMBER TO EAT AND DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH, YOU'LL THANK ME LATER!

3 + 3 Reasons to be Happy

I just came back from a much needed vacation and I must say it was also my best birthday yet; no big birthday bash, cake or anything like that but it was peaceful. I had peace in my heart, resolved issues, decisions made, bigger dreams and goals to be achieved and oh, I became an auntie (my nephew was born on March 5th, four days after my birthday) and my mother arrived from Cameroon on my birthday itself.

Picking up Mom from the airport

What more could I ask for? Added bonus: I left the kids at home, yup, mommies need time away every now and then, Daddy did a good job filling in for me.

My Happy 33rd Birthday ...

Lounging

What about you all? what have you been doing in my absence? been eating good? exercising enough, sleeping well? breaking old habits? making new friends? what? I hope all good though. I started reading more again, great books always get me going...my anchor has always been God, Great circle of people and Great reads, what about you? What is your anchor? what gets you revamped? My Mother says her secret is staying JOYFUL but then she goes on to explain to me the difference between Joy and Happiness....well, I am so proud of her and impressed with her keeping up with FYR even in Cameroon. She actually fits in jeans my sister and I wear...trust me I almost fell to the ground when she zipped and buttoned this pair of size 8 Jeans.

53 year old mother of 5 adults

Mama

"Staying JOYful is my rejuvenator."

I enjoyed some Cameroonian dishes while I was on vacation, boy oh boy! my mother brought some cooked eru from Cameroon! Impossible? yes! but did she do it? YES! hahahahahahaha she is a NINJA. Eru is our traditional meal, consists mainly of a green leafy vegetable called 'eru', some palm oil, crayfish, maggi and any meat of choice. It is eaten with fufu or gari or in my case some rice or plantain.

My traditional meal: Eru (with gari)

Anyway, that's what I've been up to just in case anyone missed me :) I have been dreaming of some pesto and some cheesecake (raw-vegan) and some...oh well, I'm back to my juicing and RAW feast, care to join? Come back soon, you never know what I'll be un-COOKING next time. Have a swell day everyone and ALWAYS STRIVE TO BE HAPPY xoxo

"I'm living my life like it's GOLDEN."

Remember to  EAT & DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH, YOU'LL THANK ME LATER!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from FYR

Good Mommies Have Santa Over for Tea?

(Thoughts of a deep-thinking mommy)

Am I a bad mother because I feel somewhat disgusted at the number of presents I see underneath the Christmas tree? Whose birthday is it anyway? Are those gifts for the one whose birthday we’re celebrating? Will these have to be topped the following year? What gifts do we bring to Him this year? Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that they receive such love and attention anytime, I'm just a worrier, a deep-thinking mommy a I mentioned earlier.

Does it make me too self-righteous for wanting to give more than receive? How many people out there who won’t have a single gift this Christmas? Better yet, the little child who will receive one book or one toy or even just a hug from his/her mommy and have such joy in receiving….but over there another child receives hundreds of gifts but is not happy because maybe mommy and daddy or Santa forgot one thing from the list.

The helter-skelter back home in Cameroon when Christmas was nearing had nothing to do with gifts or presents--even though we sometimes got a new pair of shoe or dress. It was just an infectious season of happiness, more like Thanksgiving over here—gathering around a table to share a meal (rice, stew, chicken, chin-chin, chocolate) to enjoy those things that we usually don’t get to enjoy all year round like candy and cake.

Am I a bad mother for wishing I hadn’t fallen into the fairytale of Santa with my children? For wanting my children to know from the onset where their gifts really came from-- for not wanting the stress of buying for Santa as well? For wanting my daughter to know that one or two gifts is more than enough and means much more than truck load of gifts. But I am on my toes with my children everyday to build in them empathy, character and the joy of giving and thinking of others, sometimes even before ourselves. 

We live in a country which preaches SELF-SELF-SELF but I want that acronym changed for my children: S. selflessness, E. empathy, L. love & F. faith. I will fight with all I’ve got to teach them what is right and what I know deep in my heart that is true: that Jesus Christ is Lord…because I know and I thank God everyday that I have ears that hear (sometimes) hahahaha and that my eyes are opened a bit to ‘see’, that amidst all the distractions the SPIRIT within never ceases to call out and if we just quiet down some, we just might hear…

These are my thoughts this season, as I grow older some more is revealed to me.

So many people (including myself) tend to go with the flow “Oh, it’s harmless fun” “Oh, we think it’s okay to celebrate both sides, the Christian and the Un-Christian”. I will never boast to be so morally fit as to say I have no speck in my eye, but I strive to be more like Christ (it’s not always easy but I will not give up). He is the example I choose to follow and hopefully my children and my children’s children will choose the same path.  There is a RIGHT and a WRONG, a HOT and a COLD, a NO and a YES and though I sometimes join the ‘luke-warmers’, I do so knowingly.

I guess what I am trying to leave with anyone interested is that 2012 is another year to make things happen. Leave the anger, failures, resentments, bad habits and all that is ugly behind you and enter the new year all shinny and new. Think a little deeper, choose a little more wisely, love a little longer and harder, pray a little more feverently, listen a little more actively, talk a little less, give more freely, hope a little stronger, smile a little broader, walk a little slower, take time to make time for the things that matter, get a journal, dare to start that little business you’ve always wanted to start, be kind to a stranger, love like a mother, hug like a father, eat like a king/queen aha! This is where we talk about FYR. Are you going to carry your procrastinations from last year into the New Year? Or are you going to buy your eBook and attempt to do what you planned at the beginning of last year? Time does fly by doesn’t it? 

Enjoy time with your family all year round, give gifts all year round, say ‘I love you’ all year round, hold on to the beauty inside of you, make your own decisions, make wiser decisions…. And please if you see me at the store or on the street “No, I’m not offended by your ‘Merry Christmas’ greeting. I like to keep the ‘CHRIST’ in Christmas.”

p/s Before I begin to read any of your thoughts, I want you to know I am not judging anyone, my convictions won't just let me be, so I am always thinking  and searching and learning and relearning and un-programming but above all GROWING and striving to be the BEST version of me there could ever be...

Once in royal Davids city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby,
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little Child.

We have so many BIG SURPRISES from FYR in 2012, JUST YOU WAIT and SEE!!!

Can you tell my daughter and I ( (c) Nikotaphotography ) had a blast taking these pictures? We love colors and all things ARTSY.

May the blessings of God be upon us all this Christmas, May He bring us Peace and Joy as we face this daunting world together. May we Grow and Give and Glow: 3G Mom-ly...

COMING SOON: 3G MOMS

The picture below is some of the gifts my beloved daughter bought for me using some of her savings. She is a giver, always making things for people, always thinking of others and not just during holidays, she does it all year round. I love that most about her, such a thoughtful little one, and she's mine :)

☻ just ♫ call ♫ to ♫ say ☻ ♥ U ♫

Give if your heart compels you to. Here is Nina's WATER4LIFE Fundraiser site: Nina's WATER4LIFE

EAT & DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH. YOU'LL THANK ME LATER...

ALMOST THANKSGIVING!

I haven't blogged for a little while but you must know I have been super busy. As usual I always have more than one project  going on at the same time. Recently I've been busy with the 3G MOMS. Have I told you about the 3G MOMS? Well, you're in for a treat so why spoil it now?


I have been doing my hair, yup, I do my own braids and I'm getting better with practice. See? My daughter calls them Rock N' Roll Twists, others call it City Twists. It is a very trendy hairdo that people pay $300 to have done at an exclusive location here in Atlanta, BUT I HAVE BEEN STUDYING IT FOR MONTHS AND FINALLY CRACKED THE CODE! So I am mighty proud of myself :)

Now let's talk about food. My little Wonder aka Nina and I have been experimenting on breakfast smoothies all week and came up with some pretty delicious stuff.  Even my 14 month old son loves it, when he hears the blender he runs to the kitchen screaming "Banana, banana!" it is the cutest thing I ever heard :)

"Mommy, this is the best and most fun part of my morning!" 

Our Raspberry Explode:

3 ripe bananas
2 cups of Soy milk (vanilla-flavored) *You can also use Almond milk if you want*
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp Lacuma powder
5-6 frozen raspberries *You may use your favorite frozen fruit*

Directions:

Blend the first four ingredients until smooth and then pour about 3/4 of it into a glass. Next, add the frozen raspberries and blend until smooth. Pour the rest of the smoothie from the blender into the glass. Be creative with your designs and let the kids do theirs, they come up with the best designs and ideas. This is a great way to enjoy a healthy breakfast. Have fun!


Our Meatless Meatballs:

I was in the mood for some meatballs today and remembered I had some meatless meatballs in the fridge. I also had some cabbage which I'd blanched, squeezed and then stored in the freezer. This was my lunch. The pictures above show just the meatballs before I added my cabbage. Hope you like it if you do try it.

Ingredients:

1.5 large yellow onions, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cm fresh ginger root, minced
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 tsp onion powder and garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 dried oregano
2-3 Tbsp curry (I love curry)
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 vegan vegetable bouillons (or salt to taste)
9oz Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs (You can find this in the organic section of your local grocery store)

Directions:

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the onions, fresh garlic and fresh ginger. Once the onions become lightly translucent add the rest of the ingredients except the meatballs. Let cook for about 3 minutes covered and then add your meatballs. Cook for another 5 minutes on low heat. (If you decide to add spinach or cabbage, add about 2 cups of either at the same time you add your meatless meatballs and let cook together). Serve with pasta or eat as is. I enjoyed mine very much. Next time I will add some pepper to kick it up a notch. I like spicy food :)


Hope you're preparing for THANKSGIVING. What are you cooking this year?  In my house we always have an International-style Thanksgiving and this year will be no different. I will be making a large pot of eru (my favorite traditional meal from Cameroon)...thinking about it makes me smile already :):):)


EAT AND DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH, YOU'LL THANK ME LATER!