Double Portion Inspiration

Where are my keys? What are we eating for dinner? Where is my homework? Oh gosh, I thought that appointment was tomorrow. Does any of this sound like you? Keep reading, this post is for YOU! I normally take about 25-30 trips a year. I travel countless miles in the air, train, subway, and car. Anywhere from Montreal to Georgia and many states in between. I've visited every borough in New York. I've realized people from Staten Island are MUCH different than those from East Orange, NJ. My favorite radio station comes from Philadelphia, PA - WDAS. The best clam chowder is from Boston. Hands down, in my opinion, some of the most diverse cuisines and people are in Manhattan and Toronto. I can't go further in the email without first thanking my husband, Tyjuan Rice. He sacrificially supports our family and me during all our travel transitions. My handsome hero - team Rice! Over the years, of robust travel, I've learned to SIMPLIFY everything in my life. A...

A few months ago I told you I was going to commit to having more peaceful and encouraging speech.  You do know when you make a commitment like that, you will immediately be tested.  Well it happened to me. I'm striving to be more intentional with the words I use.  Through a recent study, I learned that I will be held accountable for every idle word I speak.  That's right, every empty or casual word you speak, you will have to give an account to God for using it. And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every IDLE word you speak. ~Matthew 12:36 Here's what happened - while on vacation major damage happened to our rental car.  I was in my hotel room napping (YES, I love to nap) and I received a phone call from the front desk manager. He informed me that damage happened to my car.  I was delirious from being asleep and didn't really get it.  Finally, I woke up and went to see the car. Sure enough this is what I fo...

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 been awhile since I’ve posted.   If you let it, distractions can make you lose focus and disrupt destiny.   Writing my blog posts is a way to encourage others, t herefore, I need to make time for it.   I’m typing this post while returning home from my family reunion.   I’m blessed that both my mother’s and father’s side of the family have an annual reunion.   It’s such a great time to catch up and reconnect with family members.     This weekend we came together in Warrington, Florida (near Pensacola) where my father grew up.   The city holds precious memories of a time full of laughter, love, and wonderful fun. This would be our first family reunion without the last living matriarch of the family because my dad’s twin sister passed away last year and she was the last of his 7 siblings remaining on this side of Heaven.   Our reunion starts on Friday and lasts the entire weekend.   As a family we pray, fellowship...

 Waldorf Astoria Hotel Naples, FL (one of our favorites)  Roslyn and I love to travel.  We are blessed that our families are able to travel together yearly.  Whether it's a road trip to a family reunion, a beach trip with our girlfriends or a peaceful week in the mountains, our vacations are always an exciting time.  We are busy moms, wives, and career women who work hard so naturally we should play hard!  Even God rested during the time He spoke creation into existence. Genesis 2:1-2 (NIV) Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.  By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.   A "time-out" is necessary for reflection, restoration, and relaxation.  We thought we would list our top 3 (ok, we gave you 4) travel spots to help inspire you to take a well deserved break.  North Carolina/Te...

We've been sharing some of our fun times from our summer vacation in the Smoky Mountains.  If you missed last week's post, read it here .   Butterflies on the ground  During our stay in Tennessee, we visited one of our favorite places, Cades Cove.  It's a beautiful scenic 11 mile loop nestled between two mountain ranges.  On a good day you can find black bears, deer, and all sorts of wildlife roaming free.  This area is also home to a large species of butterflies.  During our trek, we were blessed to find an area where they were fluttering around low to the ground.  The kids were ecstatic!  They tried with all their might to catch a butterfly.  Their ability to quiet themselves long enough to allow a quick passing butterfly to rest gently on their fingers was more than they bargained for.  In theory it shouldn't have been hard for them.  All they needed to do was stand still .  If they could remain calm...

This Monday we continue our Mountain Post Series: No hair or makeup-just God's natural beauty I was recently on vacation in the Smoky Mountains . Many people chuckle when I say relaxation for me is in the mountains. Florida is such a tourist destination (Disney World, beaches, etc.) so they wonder why the mountains are so appealing.   The world becomes much quieter as you journey to the top of the mountains. The experiences are so different from "city life". For instance, I never once put on makeup during my vacation. I even went five days without combing my hair-yikes! Life just becomes rustic and organic. Everyday was spent hiking. We explored the massive habitat of over 17,000 species that live in the Smoky Mountains. The views are breathtaking. One photo can't capture the majesty of those mountains. Skipping over rocks, digging for crickets, searching for beetles are all apart of my country living vacation. It's a time to unwind, listen and...

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

During the summer months, road trips are common place for families everywhere. Roslyn and I recently headed north with our families for our annual family reunion. It's a time that we look forward to every year. We share three days filled with excitement, activities, and tons of food. The aroma of hotdogs , hamburgers, and ribs roasting perfectly on the grill provide the sweetest enticement to temporarily forget about any healthy eating plans. Typical of summer weather, we encountered horrible storms on the way back home. Despite the fact that gray storm clouds covered the skies , we made a choice to keep driving. It didn't matter that cars were beginning to pull off on the side of the road to avoid driving in the rain, we were determined to press our way . Every car on the road had the same ability as ours, but not all of them moved forward in that capability . For those that stopped and pulled off on the side of the road, their storm lasted longer than it needed to. If onl...