Happy Birthday to me!

I've been sick as a dog today...but I'm alive! :o)

I dragged myself to my 6am retightening appointment by 6:30, and nodded through the whole process due to a 'Nyquil' hangover. I think Julia got tired of my head bobbing backwards every several minutes.

But when I got home, my guys had tied some "Happy Birthday!" balloons on the mailbox. They ran down the driveway to great me with big hugs and lots of 'air' smooches (I didn't want to give anyone my cold).

On the kitchen table there was a vase full of orangy-pink roses and a birthday cake and my presents - a year's supply of almonds and cashews!

After I read my cards, I crashed for a few hours. Grandma came by later in the day and they all sang to me before Mike left for work.

It was a nice day.

Sankofa Spirit Fundraiser 2009

In April, we attended the Sankofa Spirit Fundraiser at the APEX Museum.

Ancient Kemetic Timeline at the APEX Museum in Honor of Dr. Asa Hilliard III

Sankofa Spirit's Passport 2 Adventure is an educational travel program designed for youth to discover the cultural connections between Africa and the African Diaspora.

After completion of the program students will then qualify to participate in the study tour the following summer. This past year the children studied the rich history of Africans in the country of Brazil. The children who completed the program this year, will be on their way to Brazil within the next few weeks!

Mike, my mom and Brian Kofi watching a film of life in Bahia, Brazil

Delicious Brazilian food was served.

Children and Women do Capoeira, too!

The entertainment highlights of the evening were the Capoeira demonstrations.

In the fall a new and returning students will study the history of Africans in Mexico. They will travel to Mexico in July 2010.

Passport 2 Adventure's five year travel plan includes: Ghana, West Africa (2008), Brazil (2009), Mexico (2010), Barbados (2011) and France (2012).

In 2004 Sankofa Spirit created its film series, Movies with a Mission to counter the myths and negative images of people of African descent so often promoted by Hollywood. Movies with a Mission are free monthly films from and about Africa and the African Diaspora that seek to inform and inspire dialogue.

I started volunteering with this series a few months ago and invite you to join us on the first Thursday of the month! Free movies from across the Diaspora are shown on the first Thursday of the month at 6pm at the APEX Museum.

School is out!

School is out!

No more homework, projects, dioramas, fundraisers, lunch money, book reports, tardy slips...

[Happy dance]

I think I am happier about it than my children :o)

Happy Mommy! School is OUT!

My 'tweenager' is a fifth grade graduate! Seems like I was in labor with him just yesterday.

Fifth grade graduates

Middle school here I come!

He is 5 feet 1 inch tall. There is a moratorium on any additional growth for the next 5 years.

But his doctor told me that if he stays on trajectory, he will be about 6 feet 4 inches tall.

His brother won a citizenship award. He will be about 6 feet 4 inches as well. But the doctor says he will probably weigh more than his brother.

Baby brother Kofi: A good citizen

Happy MX Day

Got a text from a friend in Mississippi today that read simply, "Malcolm lives."

Let's remember his legacy today, which would have been his 83rd birthday.
Listen to "The Ballot or the Bullet" here.



www.brothermalcolm.net

Three Sisterlocks Glamour Shots

Just playing around with my camera...

Kreativ Blogger Award Recipient

Wow! Can you imagine my surprise and pleasure at opening my email today and finding a note from Enchantress telling me that she had passed the Kreativ Blogger Award on to me. I'm very flattered and I humbly accept!

Check out Enchantress' blog here.

Recipients of the Kreativ Blogger Award should do the following:
~Post the award on your blog

~link to the person who gave you the award.

~List seven things you love

~List seven blogs you love and

~Let those people know you’ve given them the award.

7 Things I luv

Sharp Cheddar Cheese on Ritz Crackers

Phyllis, the Video Loctician

Paul Lawrence Dunbar's Poetry

Massage Envy

TruTV

The Afrikan Village

Triple Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte

___________________________

Drum roll please...

I hereby bestow the Kreativ Blogger Award upon:

Chosen Vessel (Abena)

Chocolata

3girlsmomma

Reet

Dr. Locs

Sarahfina

Queen Nat

Swine Flu: Things you can do

Back from Spring Break 2009

I don't post much during the summer, so I thought I would do a 'mega photo post' to hold you over 'til Labor Day.

Psyche. I'll probably post a photo or two in a couple of days, after my retightening this Sunday.

Since my last post the boys have each had two tooth extractions and their annual check-ups. Everything was A-OK.

My big boy had a birth-day sleepover and laser tag party. Boys only - almost. Sydney came.

High school students who were the winners of the Festival's Student Film Competition

Again, this year, I attended the final night of my dad's film festival the week before school let out for the boys. Then we all went back to Florida 1 week later for spring break.

The boys went to the local water park about four times during the week and just hung out in the backyard. No Disney this year - trying to conserve my pennies.

I saw this brother with the longest uncultivated locs I have ever seen unfurled.

I did little more than sleep, eat, swim, feed the ducks and hang out on "The Afrikan Village Online Ning Site."

We went out with my dad and the aunts to World Famous Restaurant and Nightclub. Even though my dad closed his bookstore a year ago now, his photo is still up on one of the many banners with photos of business owners in the Northwood area.

Grandpa & Daniel Diop under the banner on Northwood Road

Dad is still affectionately called, "The Mayor of Northwood Road."

Will likely post again next week!