BAKING WITH A NAKED CHEF (PICS)

My life...its always something isn't it? loL!

Well, I can't complain because I had an entertaining Thanksgiving morning. The kids and I baked cookies and brownies so we could take that and some other things over to our neighbor's house where we were going to hangout and have a great dinner with friends.

Anyway, the kids donned their aprons in anticipation, but one child in particular took the preparation a few steps further. My child with a penchant for nudity (I can't even type that with a straight face, loL!!!!) opted to take off his pants and his underpants.

YES!!!!

I mean, I have heard of the Naked Chef, but he's a grown man who can do grown things. Bomboy is only 2 years old but felt it would be better for him to cook without the encumbrance, or relative sanitization (that's a word, right?), of clothing! At one point, he even ran around the kitchen with underpants around his neck, which prompted his sister to scream "That is not a necklace! Come here!" as she chased him around to put him in order (thank God for that girl!).

What did I do?

Nothing. I calmly grabbed my camera and started to take pics of the kids, the cookies, the brownies, and yes, Bomboy, but only after I got some underpants on him, of course. One thing I never get tired of saying is that I am thankful for the blessing of family and friends (even those of the 'computer friends' variety). Thanksgiving was a wonderful day and I am so thankful.

Enjoy the pictures. Don't their aprons look cute? Hope you had a happy Thanksgiving Thursday and if you didn't celebrate the holiday, I hope Thursday was a blessed and fulfilling day for you.

PS: Don't forget to participate in swagevent #1 to get your copy of Ogo Ogbata's book, Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman.

#SSDSWAG ALERT: BOOK GIVEAWAY

The Easier blog is coming up on its 300th post and just about to clock its 3rd birthday, so what better time of year to score some swag for the blog's kind and wonderful readers?

As such, we have 2 books to give away from Ogo Ogbata, an internationally recognized and respected writer whose well reviewed book, Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman is getting some excellent buzz! The book received positive reviews from The UK Guardian which heaped praise on Ogo's debut novel. So has Nigeria's ThisDay newspaper, as well as ordinary, everyday readers who have given Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman 4½ stars at Amazon.com (not an easy feat, believe me). To say that I am excited about this book giveaway, would be an understatement because I always enjoy the opportunity to discover the new and extra talented crop of incredible writers of Nigerian origin and I know you guys are too!

Here is a little bit about the book -

Ogo Ogbata weaves the story of Nkiru, a young girl who finds the courage to confront the past and seek forgiveness for an unpardonable sin. In so doing, the author also manages to tell the story of a nation, in this case, Nigeria.  The book is about sisters, daughters, mothers and wives who metamorphose over time, juxtaposed with a nation’s fight for freedom, fall from grace and pursuit of an elusive destiny. It offers suspense, drama, love, and the vibrancy that only great African authors can paint for their readers regardless of where they are from. Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman is definitely the book to look out for in 2010 and the Easier family gets to read it first and for free! Well, only if you manage to score yourself a copy.

 Ms. Ogo Ogbata

So here's how to get some #SSDSWAG (some of the long time Easier Crew members are already a few steps ahead of the game, frankly):

1. Subscribe to the RSS feed for the blog,  It Was So Much Easier When I Only Had One...
2. Join the I <3 The Easier Crew Group on Facebook.
3. Send out a tweet on Twitter indicating you want to win Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman by tweeting #SSDSWAG and mentioning the book's title. (Not having a twitter account will not disqualify you but now would be a great time to get one =P)
   
4. Finally, include a linkback (http://solomonsydelle.com) to this blog at your blog that also mentions Ogo Ogbata and Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman.

And that's it!!!! I encourage as many tweets as possible as that will increase chances. Two of you will be randomly selected, and are going to get your own personal and signed copy! This swagevent ends on December 3rd (midnight US Eastern time) and a winner will be announced on Friday December 4th.

For those living in Nigeria, have no fear. Ogo has generously offered to mail a copy of her book to winners living in Nigeria, as well as the UK and the US. I would like to thank Ogo for giving us Easier Crew members an opportunity to get our hands on her wonderful book and wish her continued success. My prayer is that Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman will win loads of awards, get selected for Oprah's book club (further increasing the reputation of Nigerian authors) and that she, Ogo, will continue to blaze an international path for other writers aspiring to make inroads. And, I would like to thank the Easier Crew, both the oldies and the newbies because your friendship is what helps me sit and share the stories of my life hanging on for dear life with these kids and encourages me to take the time to talk to as many as possible about issues that we eventually delve into on TTTEC Fridays. Thank you all so very much for your support. May you all be blessed.

And just like that, we commence swagseason at www.solomonsydelle.com with Swagevent #1 - Egg-Larva-Pupa-Woman!

See you back here on Monday for tales of baking and behinds. Yes, you read right. It's exciting, I promise, and even includes some pics (all Rated family appropriate, heehee).

PS: If you have any questions about the entry rules, feel free to ask for clarification. The rules are easy, believe me.

IF THIS HAPPENED TO YOU?

Check out this short video. Enjoy the suspense that leads to a thrilling, and for some, hilarious, end. I can't say anything because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. But, I do want to know what you would do if this happened to you? So, without further ado, enjoy Ololufe by Tha Suspect.



By the way, we are entering the season of #SSDSwag! What does that mean? Well for the literature junkies, I have a freebie coming your way and for the fashion lovers, well, yes, I managed to score some swag for you as well. Yup, December and January are the months of swagalicious goodies at www.solomonsydelle.com and I'm working overtime to get the ...Easier... Crew even more stuff. Come back on Friday for details on the books I have for you guys and well, I'll see you then!

Finally, what are your thoughts on Effizy in Lagos?

WOULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR CHILD?

Now, let me confess, I have been laughing uncontrollably for hours on account of this picture and I don't know how to stop laughing. However, I can't help but wonder whether I am wrong for laughing about this but I...cannot...help...it. (Don't stare at the eyes).


And, did they cut that lacefront to specifically match that baby's hairline? LWKMD!!!! I just hope that cutie pie doesn't grow up with hair issues and feel the need to overrely on creamy crack[1] or wigs to achieve her desired hair look.

Although some of you will, like me, find this funny, it does remind me of the fact that so many of my daughter's female classmates in kindergarten already have straightened hair. Personally, I plan on keeping my baby natural for as long as possible and have already started teaching her how to take care of her hair, which is beautiful and healthy just the way it is. However, if and when she is old enough to care for her hair and she wants to get a relaxer, well, that will be her choice, I just hope I would have imparted as much hair knowledge to her so she doesn't suffer through hair problems on account of hair relaxers and other harsh chemicals.

Anyway, would you do this to your child - place a lacefront wig on a teeny little cutesy baby? I know I wouldn't, but I do think this picture is hilarious and every time I get stressed this week, I will simply take a quick glance for some comic relief.


[1] - Creamy Crack = Hair relaxers used to straighten hair.

TTTEC: A FATHER'S INFIDELITY

Hello everyone, please take the time to offer some sound advice to this reader. Let's call her, Joke. She is really dealing with an internal conflict and I know that your suggestions will help her come to a final decision.

Thank you.

*********************
My parents have been married for 44 years and are about to celebrate their 45th anniversary. My mother is very excited and my siblings and I are planning a huge party in their honor. However, I have some disturbing information and I am not sure what to do with it.

My father has been secretly cheating on my mother for years. Oddly enough, I was a part of the charade but never knew it. When I was younger, he would always take me with him on drives while he visited various friends. Every Sunday after church, he would take me to visit this lady and her little girl. We would be there for hours and during that time, I would play outside with the little girl.

I only recently realized that this woman was and has been his mistress since I was a child. I won't share how I came to the realization, but I did confront my father about it and all he had to say was that I am too young to understand such things. Mind you, I am 22 years of age.

My mother constantly talks about how good a man my father is and how I should make sure I marry a man like him. If only she knew. But now, given this knowledge, I wonder if I should tell my mother that she has been competing with another woman in her marriage and that there is another child out there.

I just don't think I can plan and attend their anniversary party and watch my father continue to lie to my mother and the entire world. If he really loved her, he wouldn't have cheated on her for so long, so much so that he would have a child that is almost my age, for goodness sake.

I'm hurt and confused. Please, what do you think I should do next?
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CAN I TICKLE YOUR BOOBIES?

Those were the words uttered by my 4 year old son, TK. Thank goodness he was asking me and not some unsuspecting poor lady. He has always been a butt man, but now, for some reason, he is now infatuated with boobies and constantly seeks to squeeze a few.

Now, let me make it clear, TK is an absolute darling. Whenever I start getting stressed, he will come over and give me a hug and kiss and say "You're okay". He now knows how to make his own bed and believe it or not, he always puts the toilet seat down once he's done. I truly believe he will make someone a very good husband someday, lol! (not that the factors I mentioned are the only one that make a good husband, of course). He wants to learn how to cook and he is very protective of his siblings, in fact, if anyone gets disciplined, he will tell them sorry, then come up to his dad or myself and say "You know, that is not how you talk to little babies. That is not nice."

Cute right?

But this desire of his to "tickle" boobies is quite disturbing and in my opinion, a little unbecoming of a wonderful gentleman. I keep having these visions of him asking some little girl if he can tickle her boobs and my hubby and I getting slapped with a lawsuit! lol! My goodness. Husband tells me that I stress out about the silliest things, and this might be one of them but come on, if you knew a little 4 year old boy that kept asking to "tickle" boobs, tell me you wouldn't worry at least a little bit? Of course, my husband just loves his son's peculiarities to bits. I think its because of all his children, TK not only looks just like him, but behaves like him as well.

So, this is what I am dealing with now, trying to figure out the best way to help my son realize that his infatuation with boob squeezing has a time and a place. Gosh, he clearly likes boobs, but I would like him to realize that someday he will be able to, oh I don't know, enjoy them. With the right girl of course, and that girl ain't me. Oh my, *smh*

TTTEC: A PROCREATION DILLEMA

Hey everybody. Today's topic is rather sensitive and well, my suggestions to this reader were rather limited, so please, feel free to share your thoughts. I'm hoping that you guys can help this reader figure out the next step she will take.

Thank you.

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My name is Kate and I have been married for 4 years to my husband, Niyi. Niyi was born and raised in England and we met when I came to the UK to get an education. We fell madly in love and dated for 3 straight years. There were ups and downs but we managed to get through our problems and walked down the aisle in a beautiful wedding surrounded by our family and friends in Lagos.

Our families have been asking for grandchildren, and we have continuously said it will happen when God decides. But, now, it seems that Niyi has decided that children are not a part of our future. I recently mentioned to him that his mother called me and ended the conversation with a half joke that we should not come home for Christmas unless there is a grandchild in my belly. Niyi simply looked at me and said, "well I guess we won't be going home then." I then said to him that it won't be that bad if we got pregnant. Niyi simply laughed and walked into the bedroom. I followed him and asked him why he was laughing only for him to say that he likes the life we have and he doesn't believe that a child would fit into our lifestyle. I was devastated. I have always wanted a child and Niyi never gave me the impression that he did not want children. To now learn that he thinks we should not have children, is troubling. We tried to talk about it, but he refused to budge. I have been a wreck for weeks trying to figure out a solution to this problem but there appears to be none.

I want children. I am now 32 and I know that time is ticking. I am fine with having one child and I thought that it would happen by next year at least. I just don't know how to convince Niyi to change his mind and I know that I will be crushed if years from now, I get to a point were I can no longer have children. I will regret it. What would you do if you were in my shoes?
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THE FLU IS NO FUN

Over the last 4 weeks, I have contracted the flu virus twice. Just as I was getting over one strain, I seemed to get ill from another more serious one. This last time was the worst as I spent 4 straight days in bed. Today is the first day I could actually sit up and move around without feeling that my head was going to explode. God alone knows why these sorts of diseases and illnesses exist, all I know is they are no fun at all.

This last bout with the flu and all that time bedridden gave me a lot of time to think about far too many things. Because I was worried about infecting everyone, I stayed in the guest room and it just seemed so far away from everyone. Imagine hearing your kids running around and laughing, but not being able to go see what it was all about. Despite that, my family bent over backwards to accommodate me and help me feel comfortable. On Sunday night, we all had a not-so fancy dinner of fried yam, fried plantains, and baked chicken (courtesy of our very own gourmet chef, my hubby). Like I said, not fancy, but the kids were glad to have dinner away from the dining table in the kitchen and play while they ate. We ate in the play room. I lay on the floor, covered in blankets and was fed by TE and Bomboy, who constantly asked, "How are you feeling mommy?". TK was busy trying to ram his toy over everyone's toes, but he would somehow manage to take some time to come give me hugs and kisses and tell me he was going to give me an injection to help me feel better, lol!

So, yes, one of the things I am eternally grateful for is the love of family. A true love that no matter what endures and is pure at all times. I thank God for his kindness and blessings upon my family because, in reality, we have done nothing to receive His mercies. And it is the fortune granted upon us that allows us to share a simple dinner of fried yams (which I was lucky to have any of because Bomboy tore it up), plantains and chicken. It was the best dinner I ever had, even though my dry and painful throat meant I had no more than 5  pieces of yam and 3 pieces of plantain the whole night.

And the next morning, I was wakened by hugs and kisses and more sincere "How are you feeling, mommy?" questions. Although my head was still hurting, I was congested, couldn't turn my neck without pain and still shivered, I smiled and told them that I felt great. And that was and is exactly how I felt. My body will catch up eventually. =)

I hope you are all well and if you live in an influenza-prone area, please get your flu shot. Don't just get your children their shots, like I did, because they still bring back all sorts of germs (I am living proof). And, if you have access to the H1N1/Swine flu shot, try and get it. I am still battling the flu and all I can say is Swine Flu is no fun at all.

Have a great week everyone and see you all on Friday for the next TTTEC installment.

I THINK HE WANTS TO BE A NUDIST

One of my children has shown an interesting characteristic. Regular readers probably know who. =)

Every afternoon during nap time, he takes off his diaper, strips out of his clothes and chooses to relax in his 'birthday suit'.

It has been so infuriating trying to stop him from doing this every single day! Sometimes, he pees on his bed. Other times he, well...you all know what he does, right?

But, you know what really drives me nuts? Its how happy the boy is when I find him. Let's just say he's holding his own nuts, with a thumb in his mouth and super happy!

My husband finds my frustration entertaining and has determined that his son enjoys being naked and maybe its not such a bad thing. lol! God help me! I live in a house with three men and its just my daughter and me repping for the double X (XX) chromosomes. One son wants to run around the yard naked, the other wants to relax holding onto his...um...junk. And, my husband? I won't even go there.

I will not drown in a sea of testosterone. And, I won't let my son be a nudist, at least not until he's old enough to make that decision for himself.