Double Portion Inspiration

  A few weeks ago, I shared my cancer journey. Did you get a chance to read it? If not, here's the  link . As a result of the diagnosis and the surgeries that followed, my body was thrust into menopause . It was a shock to my system. Many women I know are either in this season of life or close to it. I wanted to share some of my challenges to let the guys in our life know what the heck is going on.  Just know, this can be a sweet time in a woman's life or it can literally be hell on earth . (Most likely, it's hell on earth).  For simplicity sake, menopause is the time in a woman's life when there is a decline in reproductive hormones. A woman normally reaches menopause in her 40's and 50's.  Ok guys, here's 5 things to remember: She's probably HOT !  Meaning temperature hot. Personally, the hot flashes are the worst part of menopause. It's not just a typical hot either. It's an internal flame that comes out of nowhere and literally stops my abili...

Last month, Alton and I celebrated 20 years of marriage!   It was an exciting time in our house.   We pulled out our wedding album and the kids couldn’t believe how young we looked when we got married (we were also both a lot smaller).   Wedding Day In 1997 we both walked down the aisle having no clue what the future held.   Neither one of us fully understood two simple yet complex words, “I do”. I’m happy to say that I’m still madly in love with him. I don’t just tolerate him. We’re not just roommates staying together to raise kids. We are FRIENDS! We make each other smile and laugh at our corny “inside” jokes. Now, with that being said, we’re not a perfect couple by any means.   Does he get on my nerves? Yes!   Does he make me want to scream at times? Yes!   Do I get on his nerves?   No!   Just kidding.   Of course I do.   Despite those facts, he’s the one for me and I’m thankful to God...

Beaches and Pools! A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I had a chance to visit one of the most beautiful places.  We had a get away to Hawaii for a week without our kids (thanks Mom for watching them).  I really, really missed my babies but I was thankful for the alone time with my hubby. It was divine! I feel like I live in paradise already. In my home state I'm surrounded by blue skies, palm trees that sway beautifully on a breezy day and the ocean is only about 45 minutes away. What's great about Hawaii though, is the unity of my two favorite landscapes, beaches and mountains . The combination of the two together make for breathtaking views and outstanding photographs! For those who haven't visited Hawaii, maybe you can live vicariously through my experience.  I wanted to share a little about the places we visited and some things I quickly learned about the island.  Here's a list of 10 things I learned about Hawaii : Birds are everywher...

It's hard to believe that it's almost time for Thanksgiving.  I love this time of the year.  Food, fun, family and Christmas shopping.  (Need some Black Friday shopping tips?  Here you go! )  What could be better? We traditionally gather together with a large sampling of our family members.  Everyone under one roof is loud from the football games playing on the tv, kids playing games, and the rest of us reminiscing and catching up with each other.  Seeing cousins, uncles, and aunts, that you haven't seen in awhile is such a joy.  The agenda for the event is simple. Bring a dish. Say a prayer of thanks. Eat like tomorrow may not come. We have a traditional southern Thanksgiving meal.  However, the other day I realized, there's some traditional items I've never enjoyed .  Some would say it's a tragedy but I would say, why add something new to the menu?  If you think I'm missing out, leave a comment...

Turning forty was amazing.  We blogged about our excitement last year.  No worries if you missed the post, here it is.   There's something so powerful about entering a new season in your life.  The exhilaration of new beginnings and the closing of a chapter sprouts forth hope and expectations for the best being yet to come. I've learned quite a bit after being forty for only about six months.  Prepare yourself for the good, the bad, and the ugly. My eyes don't see everything they did before. My metabolism slowed down. I stay hungry. (Not sure if that's changed much from being 39 years old) Other people's opinion no longer matter as much. I love dancing like nobody's watching. My body aches more with less activity. I have to color my hair more often to cover the new gray hairs. I've found my purpose! Authenticity is a must. Running is a great workout and a wonderful therapy session. Sleeping with a fan next to my bed helps with the night swe...

I have to blog twice this week.  Once for Double Portion Inspiration and again on Friday for GFC Beautiful Blog.   I thought having a similar theme for both blogs would make writing a little easier.  I thought about the title the other day while driving in the car.  A post that's fun and reflective.  There's no rhyme or reason to my confessions.  Just some "summer" fun. I've never shopped at Big Lots As much as I love a deal, I've never even been tempted to shop there.  The other day I wondered if I should go inside.  I don't even know if it's a grocery store vs. clothing store vs. Walmart wanna be.  If you think I should venture inside, let me know. I feel guilty giving my daughter chores   Not sure why??  I'm sure I'm not the only mother who feels this way.  I've come to realize that I need to have the kids help out around the house because it's through their responsibilities that they will le...

Have you ever had a silly day?   A day when you are giddy and carefree.  You don't have a care in the world.  You skip through rain puddles or jump over high bushes.  Maybe you succeed in playing a game of hopscotch with your kids.  I am inspired by my two boys (ages 7 and 12) who will spend all day giggling, playing and rough housing each other.  They always ask me, "Mom, why are you so serious?" Roslyn on her silly day! A recent trip to the beach with my boys turned into one of those days.  Carefree hair, wet shoes and most of all tons of laughter with those most precious to me.  As we head into the weekend try it.   Maybe you can't sacrifice an entire day to be silly like me.  Even if it is just one hour, live life as if no one is looking.  Stop being so serious! Leave us a comment and let us know what you did on your silly day. (Posted by Roslyn)

Laurel Falls in Tennessee For nearly a week we both went without make-up, heels, and flat irons.  We had the time of our lives and we can't wait to share it with you over the next few weeks.  Sometimes we laughed so hard we cried.  In the midst of our fun, we learned some great life lessons. Bumper car fun! You can't afford to miss Monday's post from our series called, Mountain Posts .  Have a great weekend! Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook  or join the conversation on Twitter   @doubleportionin

Welcome to the premiere post of Double Portion Inspiration .  Renee and I are identical twin sisters.  We are mothers, wives, girlfiriends and all around God chicks!  We love making others laugh or just honestly telling them "how it is".  We decided to put our inspirational words into a published blog!  We are excited about this new venture.   We hope you will see or read something that will inspire and motivate you to keep GOING!  Life is crazy, overwhelming and sometimes just a "hot mess".  We choose to focus our thoughts on God, the only one who can truly handle all of our success, failures, emotions and hormones!