FREE AT LAST!!!!!!!!!!

Goodbye 1230 W. Cross Street! We finally closed today! We have finally been released from the stress of this home. What an experience! Short sales are really no joke, but it's done. This experience is really surreal right now. I can remember back to when we bought our first home before we got married. We were so excited about the possibilities. We fell into the hype of buying into Baltimore in an "up and coming" neighborhood. Well, things didn't quite work out how we planned. But we learned so much in this experience. We know more about buying and selling a home. When we are finally ready to buy again, we definitely won't rush into it. It's been a long road and we are thankful that it is finally over. Now we can move on and rebuild-so happy, thankful, and excited!

I really can't believe that we lived here for 6 years. There were times when I thought we would never get to move on.

I am glad that the buyer is an investor that plans to put some money into it and rent it out. I hope that the home can provide the next residents some enjoyment.

Not that every memory of that home was bad...it was our first home together...it was Nya's first home (she still talks about how she misses "her brown house")...we met some interesting people (some good, some bad)...we were able to experience a lot of good parts of Baltimore and what it has to offer...

And we won't miss the bad...I won't even get into the bad...

Last January we decided to let the home go and now, a year later, we have been allowed to let it go...

Nya Loves Music...Cotton Candy...and the Kindle Fire...

I have found that JCPenney offers some of the best options for toys for Nya. They always have great prices and I can find things that I don't find other places. Nya is loving music and singing right now, so the mini guitar and drum set from JCP has been perfect! She keeps trying to make up her own songs.

The Wegmans sparkling water bottle has also turned into a drum.

I thought the cotton candy maker would be a great gift for Mani, but Daddy seems to love making it for Nya...it is a mess...

I love my Kindle Fire. The biggest issue I have with it is keeping Nya's hands off of it! There are some really great apps and IstoryBooks provides a wonderful reading experience for Nya. Nya reads/listens to a couple books every night before bed:

MLK 3 Day Weekend

We have been enjoying our 3 day weekend as a family. I love how MLK Day is now a national day of service. Later on today Nya and I will be going to her school to make cards for the troops.

Nya loved making her crafts for the troops...

On Saturday, we ventured out to Annapolis Mall. It really is one of my favorite malls in the area. It offers such a wide array of shops. A little something for everyone. It is usually very crowded, but depending on when you visit, the crowds are a little more bearable.

Nya loved one of the toy stores:

The Lego store is always a hit. She loves making the little figures...

Nya always thinks that Pottery Barn Kids is a toy store too!

Baked Potato Soup from Skinnytaste

A few months ago, my sister shared a wonderful website with me called Skinnytaste.com. The recipes have been wonderful! Last weekend Nya helped me make the Baked Potato Soup. It was so good and involved a combination of potatoes and cauliflower. It was delish! Nya loved helping me make it, but she didn't want to try it.

Perfect for winter...

My own little Erykah Badu...

My baby girl has a head full of big hair...it can look great when it's neatly styled...but can cause alot of tears from both of us. Last week I came down with a cold and just did not have the energy to finish the process after I took her braids out:

Beautiful Day in St. Michaels

Today we ventured out into a part of Maryland that we had never visited before-Saint Michaels in Talbot County.

Kwesi wanted to to go because he heard there were some dynamite fishing spots as well as bed and breakfasts in the area. I didn't want to go at first, but I am so glad that Nya and I joined him!

Kwesi's new fishing spot is in Tilghman Island. It was really beautiful. We were lucky that it was such a mild sunny day today in Maryland.

After our visit to Tilghman Island, we ventured back to Saint Michaels. We really fell in love with this sweet little town. It offers a little bit of something for everyone-jewelry shops, clothing boutiques, toy stores, cafes, bakeries, coffee shops, bars, antique stores, and so much history! Frederick Douglass lived here!

We were so excited to find these cute Crocs for Nya at Chesapeake Bay Outfitters! What a cute store! And what a steal at $5!!!!!!

This store had some of the cutest jewelry pieces...I fell in love with these earrings.

We can't wait for our next visit to Saint Michaels!

Nya loves My Little Pony...

Recycling in 2012

We do the basic day to day recycling...but I plan to try to utilize more in our home. Here is one attempt to use a vodka bottle as a vase. Is it ghetto?

I have officially told Kwesi to stop buying Svedka vodka. I don't like it! The after taste is nasty. Definitely no Ciroc berry!

Winding down the holiday break

It has been really nice to have the time off with my family. Back to work on Tuesday. I think that it will be nice for all of us to get back into the routine. Every morning Nya has been asking if she is going to school. She really misses it and I know that it will be good for her to go back.

Nya has enjoyed playing with her gifts from Santa. It has been great because she has not been in a rush to open everything right away. The one present that she has really enjoyed is the MobiGo:

Nya has also enjoyed modeling some of her new outfits:

The new tent has been a big hit: