Happy Birthday Erynn Lee

‎5 years ago today, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, I arrived for a routine doctors appointment with my mother Lucinda Stokes. Little did I know, by the end of my appointment, my life was going to change forever. At 4:32pm I delivered Erynn Lee, 4 weeks early, weighing 5 lbs. 9 oz. Here we are 5 years later & this little girl still has me wrapped around her little finger. She has turned into this amazing little girl, who has taught me so much about love & about life. Erynn Lee, mommy could not be any more proud of the beautiful young lady that you have become. I cannot believe my baby is growing up, & although you are getting older, you will always be my baby. I love you angel. Happy Birthday!!

Walkin' Disaster: Please, Judge Me :)

Walkin' Disaster: Please, Judge Me :): I am going to explain to everyone why I really don’t care about these pictures that I post, because apparently, I have no self esteem or, confidence, & I lack self respect. When I first starting using Twitter, I thought it was just a game and an alternative way to talk to my sister…It’s all fun and games with me. I don’t really know any of you and the ones I do know, know me so well enough to know that that I have balls and “judgmental” people are my favorite people to study and I never really mind anybody's business or judge what other people do, so when I see other people doing it, it drives me to figure out why. What a lot of people don’t know is that, I am smart…I have a lot of brains & honestly I don’t feel like I need to share something with a bunch of people that I don’t know. I know what people see when they look at me. I am not stupid people. I am aware that I have a pretty face, and I flaunt my chest a lot. But, it is MY CHEST to do what I please with it. & if that means that by entertaining a few people haha that is completely fine with me. When I have kids and I’m sharing stories, I get to say, “baby girl/baby boy when I was 22 I competed in a boob contest with your Aunt JoJo and I won!” haha because that is what life is about, having memories of doing silly things and loving every minute of life. It makes me happy doing things that make people laugh, happy, and makes a grumpy man smile! & one day when you’re sitting with your kids all you’re gonna get to say is “there was one time on twitter, there was a girl posting pictures of her chest and that’s just wrong. You should never be like that girl!”
I learned a long time ago that, I might as well do the things that are going to make me happy, smile, & laugh cause, whether I am doing the “right” things or the “wrong” things, people are going to judge me for it. I am not into this whole twitter thing for FOLLOWERS so, if anything I post offends you, please, feel free to push that unfollow button. It is not going to hurt my feelings that a bunch of strangers don’t like me. SOCIAL NETWORKING is not my life…so what you say about me on facebook and twitter, actually doesn’t phase me at all.

The only thing that you do by voicing your opinion that other girls don’t have any self respect, and self esteem, and confidence is, you’re being the bully. You’re judging people for actions that actually have nothing to do with you. What you are doing, is giving people the permission to judge you as you judge others. As you find flaws in another person, someone else will find flaws in you, because we all have them. People are always complaining that they just want acceptance for being who they are, but what people don’t always understand is that they have to accept everyone else for who they are. Even if is not everything you agree with…

My favorite saying by the judgmental people is “If you don’t respect yourself, how are you going to expect others to respect you.” This is what I have to say to that… How are you going to expect others to respect you if all you do is look down upon their decisions and actions…? I respect myself in a way that no other person is going to understand because “self respect” is a pretty intimate & personal feeling that happens within a person, its something that nobody else in the entire world can see, so how is it that everyone can comment on anyone else lacking self respect when they couldn’t possibly know if that is a fact?

& also, id just like to say that, I am a strong individual who can take the mean comments and criticism… but not a lot of girls are like that. Some of these girls really get their feelings hurt and by your comments they really do lose self esteem because of them. You’re telling them that there is something wrong with the person that they are choosing to be… & how can someone actually think, in their mind, its okay to say that to someone else. KNOWING that everything that makes you different makes you the individual you are…

Triple Layer Fudgy Mint Oreo Brownies

Makes 24 brownies

one 7-ounce jar Marshmallow Fluff

1/8 teaspoon mint extract*

8 drops+ green food coloring, or until desired shade of green is reached

1 batch of brownies – see ingredients below in step 2 (or use 1 box of brownie mix – make according to directions on the box by adding the water, oil, eggs)

12 Cool Mint Oreo Cookies + 18 Cool Mint Oreo Cookies (almost an entire 17-ounce package), hand-crumbled

3/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted

1 cup vanilla frosting – see ingredients below in step 4 (or use 1 cup storebought vanilla frosting; use the entire plastic container if you want a thicker final green layer)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil and spray it with cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir together marshmallow fluff, mint extract* (be very careful and do not use more than this unless you love mint; a little bit of mint goes a very long way), 4 drops of food coloring, or until light green is achieved (known now as ‘green minty marshmallow mixture’)

2. In a large bowl, prepare the brownie mix as directed on box, using water, oil, eggs, and fold in 12 hand-crumbled Oreos at the end.

or make brownies from scratch (based on my Fudgy Nutella Brownies):

4 ounces baking chocolate (I used 9 squares of TJ’s 72% chocolate bar or use 4 squares Baker’s Chocolate, semi-sweet)

3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted (1 1/2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons espresso or brewed coffee, optional

1 cup all-purpose flour

12 Cool Mint Oreo Cookies, crumbled

Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwave-safe bowl for 90 seconds or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar (it will seem very granular, this is okay). Stir in eggs and vanilla. If adding espresso or coffee, add it now. Stir in flour until just combined, do not overmix. Hand-crumble Oreos over the bowl and fold them in.

3. Spread brownie batter in prepared pan. Drop about 1/2 cup of green minty marshmallow mixture onto brownie batter and reserve the remainder. Gently pull a table knife through the batter in S-shaped curves for a swirled design. Bake 23 to 25 minutes or until brownies are set, taking care not to overbake. (Some people’s ovens and taste preferences may require 25-30 minutes, bake until brownies are done and to your liking) Cool completely, about 1 hour, or put the pan into the freezer for 10 minutes if you’re rushed.

4. While brownies are cooling, make vanilla frosting by combining the following and beating until fluffy (or use 1 cup storebought vanilla frosting – or use entire can if you want a thicker final green layer) and set finished frosting aside.

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 to 4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

splash of milk, if necessary for consistency

5. In another small microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips (microwave on high for 30 seconds; stir and microwave 30 seconds longer; stir until smooth, taking care not to scorch it as white chocolate scorches easily). Add the melted white chocolate chips and the vanilla frosting to the reserved green minty marshmallow mixture. Stir in 4 drops+ food coloring, or until light green color is reached, and spread over cooled brownies. Sprinkle with 18 hand-crumbled Oreo Cookies, slightly pressing them into the green mixture. Allow top layer to set fully before slicing and serving. I prefer these bars chilled and I store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container or store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Note: Use regular Oreos if you can’t find Mint Oreos and possibly add a touch more mint extract to the ‘green minty marshmallow mixture’ in Step 1 if desired.