Typically, this blog is fun and light-hearted. Sometimes it’s even sassy and mischievous. To be honest, I love all of that about this blog but I must be real and say that sometimes, LIFE HAPPENS! We find ourselves living our “Best Life” and suddenly we are faced with what looks like turmoil. Not just with […]
Read More Life happens and then what?September 2, 2018 will forever be one of the best days of my life. It is the day that I said “I do” to my very best friend. Now, that I have gotten that out-of-the-way I want to dedicate this blog to the just a few things that really annoyed me leading up to this […]
Read More “The Read” – Wedding EditionTesting, 1, 2, 3, 4…..(taps on mic)…….Mic Check 1! Hey There!!! I am super-duper excited to be back with all of you. As you all are aware, my last post “At last….my love has come along” announced that I was getting married and therefore needed to take a small hiatus from blogging in order to […]
Read More Hello…..are you still there?Hey loves! Many of you may or may not know, that I am getting married ❤ The official wedding day is Sunday, September 2, 2018. I’m excited and nervous for my contemporary, non-traditional, glammed wedding!! I just hope everything goes smoothly lol. After that we are heading to a tropical honeymoon in Cuba and Mexico! […]
Read More At Last….My love has come along!I can’t believe it is August already. I know I say this every month, but I really can’t believe it’s August. The kids here in my area are getting ready to head back to school in less than two weeks! Before you know it, the temperature will begin to drop and the chill will set […]
Read More Dos and Don’ts (August Edition)I want to be able to identify my readers by name. But I’m having a hard time coming up with something. I need something cute, and fun, but something that also can relate to both men and women. You know how Beyoncé’s fans are called the Beehive’s, and Nicki Minaj fans are the Barbs? Something […]
Read More I want to name my readers…But I need your help!*ADDENDUM: Earlier today I posted this blog with incorrect information. The company I used was Home Chef and NOT HelloFresh. So, as you read any references towards HelloFresh should be redirected to Home Chef* -Toya ——- Around this time last year, I had been bombarded with the idea that meal kit services could make my […]
Read More Why Home Chef* wasn’t for me?The year was early 2003. I was a junior/senior in college just minding my everyday “young at heart” business. The rapper 50 Cent was a fairly new artist to the public mainstream. He had a hit record that radio stations played constantly, as if the song was on automatic repeat. Many of you may remember […]
Read More When I turned the rapper 50 Cent down….Recently, we (my fiance’, myself, and friends from out-of-town) decided to go on a hike. I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into but I was determined to give it a shot. Being that I live in the valley, mountains are literally in my backyard. This particular mountain peaks at 3,197 feet. The […]
Read More Just Keep Climbing! (Picture blog)I cannot believe it’s July! Kids are in full summer mode and vacations are happening every week. The days are longer and it’s hot. Time flies when you’re having fun and with that being said, that brings us to our “Dos and Don’ts” for July. Shana: Give to give, not to receive… if you give […]
Read More Dos and Don’ts (July Edition)Connecting with a person to get your point across is as easy as getting on their level? Especially, when you’re trying to relay a message to the opposite sex or to a person who may be younger or older than you. When it was finally time for my nephew to walk the stage after completing […]
Read More Inspiration for our Young Men who are off to College!Disclaimer: This is a longer read than normal; but it’s a great one! I’m going to go out on a limb here and just assume we’ve all worked a puzzle at some point in our lives. Puzzles tend to range in size with as many or as few oddly shaped pieces imaginable. Connecting smaller pieces together […]
Read More Ancestry DNA provides the missing pieces to my family puzzle!Recently, in mainstream media, most of you have heard about Jada Pinkett-Smith discussing her relationship with her husband, Will Smith; along with conversations around her children, her Bonus child, and his mother. If you are like me, you may even tune in occasionally to her Red Table Talk show that airs on Facebook Live. Let me be the […]
Read More “Would it be ok if your spouse went on vacation with their ex?”In today’s post, I want you–yes you–to take a deep breath, close your eyes, and just day-dream for a minute or two. Let your imagination take you on a journey that perhaps you haven’t traveled along in many years. One thing I love about children, they never forfeit the opportunity to imagine or daydream. They […]
Read More I’m Wishing on a Dream…Hey guys! For a second I thought we weren’t going to have the June edition of Dos and Don’t due to my partner, Shana (who collabs with me for this specific segment of Itoja) being busy and enjoying herself on vacation. But like always she has come through and has yet to let us down. She’s […]
Read More Dos and Don’ts (June Edition)“The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman.” ~ Malcolm X Just how “woke” are you? The term “being woke” stems from the ideology of being aware and informed from a sociological aspect. […]
Read More How “woke” are you?Back in January I started my journey of letting go. But this letting go was a little different than usual. This letting go required me to face reality and my closet. For a woman this can be dramatic. We all keep things entirely too long. We’ll buy a pair of shoes and wear them once and they will never […]
Read More The Purge by way of Poshmark!Today, I am choosing to share a post from LaWanda’s Red Letter Version blog site. There is a real message here that I believe we all need to hear. Depression doesn’t discriminate and it doesn’t skip you based off of your financial or social value. People are people and we all need to do better when […]
Read More The Darkest Side of the Spade — LaWanda’s Red Letter VersionNo need to be bored; try these things on your next cruise.
Read More Try these 10 things on your next cruise!My curated survival kit for college. Any high school graduate would love this!
Read More College Survival Kit!As I carefully sip my Lime Spritzer…… I’m guilty of : Eating in Bed. Staying up too late and then oversleeping. Missing a month of working out. Having 30 bottles of wine (I’m working on my collection). Browsing the internet at work. Being too hard on myself at times. Binge watching TV Shows. Skipping meals. […]
Read More I’m Guilty……..and loving it.In this post we go on a journey though the NMAAHC!
Read More Have you been to the underground?Today we discuss a FB status that was recently on my timeline. What are your thoughts?
Read More Do cheating boyfriends turn into cheating husbands????Every year we take my grandmother to the casino for a ladies weekend trip. My grandmother, my mother, two aunts, my sister, and of course, yours truly: ME! Going to the casino is one of my grandmothers favorite things to do. So we always make sure she gets to enjoy that at least once a […]
Read More WaterworksIn a world of dismay and uncertainty, our mothers are our backbone and strength. They are able to bring us laughter and joy and direction when needed. From the day we are born they’ve nurtured and protected us. Their daily prayers as we’ve traveled to school, with friends, and even as adults have placed permanent […]
Read More Dear MommaCan you believe that we are already 5 months into 2018? Which means it’s time for another edition of “Dos and Don’ts.” Please check out prior months HERE. Also, if you have a “Do or Don’t” that you think we should hear please feel free to send them my way at toja@itoja.com. You never know […]
Read More Dos and Don’ts (May Edition)Just a little something to help you along the way!
Read More My PSA to African AmericansMy birthday giveaway is over and now it’s time to announce the winner!!
Read More And the winner is……It’s time for a GIVEAWAY!
Read More Celebrating my birthday with a GIVEAWAY!!I hate when this happens….Thick girl problems!
Read More My Thick Girl WoesI’m at a point in my life where I feel like my life is in total chaos. I’m overwhelmed, overworked, and slowly running out of energy. I’m working two jobs, only because I want to, while also preparing to move, planning a wedding, and running here and there. I tend to stay up late trying […]
Read More What are you doing for YOU?In my opinion, one of the worst things that we can do, at any age, is to believe that something will not or cannot happen to us. These “things” either being negative or positive. For example, a person thinking that they will never be pulled over by the police or a person believing they will […]
Read More Delayed but not Denied!When I first learned that the once gangsta rapper was putting out a gospel CD I was one of those people who laughed and ask if this was really real. Someone pinch me please! I honestly didn’t know if I could take the songs on his CD seriously. I mean we were talking about the […]
Read More Snoop Dogg’s Bible of LoveIf I asked you what your superpowers were, what would you say? Would it take you a moment to answer or would the answer to this question come rather quickly to you? For many we have to think about our answer. Or we would name powers that we wish we had instead of powers that we know we […]
Read More Superpowers!Happy Monday! Today, I’m sharing a post from Happy Haute Home. If you love all things house related she is the one to follow. Today she shares a home in Virginia (my neck of the woods) that Martin Lawrence is selling. I didn’t even know he had a home in Virginia. My question here is, […]
Read More Martin Lawrence is Selling Massive Virginia Ranch — Happy Haute HomeI miss the black church. But I don’t miss the drama. I miss the black singing, Spring revivals, choir rehearsals, conventions, and youth meetings. But again, I don’t miss the drama. I miss when the anointing would be so high you could barely get through the announcements. Members shouting, drums beating, tambourines beating against the […]
Read More Take me back, Dear Lord!Most people become engaged between November and February; you know the given Holiday season where couples are with family and friends. Those Holidays being Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Valentine’s Day. Then right after Valentine’s day teenagers are fighting to get into a formal dress store to purchase their Winter dance dress and/or Spring prom […]
Read More Bridal/Formal Dress Shopping 101Monday’s sure do come around fast but it’s nothing that we can’t handle, right? I wanted to take a minute to share with you some good news I received yesterday. I received notification that my blog, 5 ways of making the most out of Twitter was being featured on Janice Wald’s Mostly Blogging Inspire Me […]
Read More Watch me Shimmer!Who’s ready for another exciting month of Dos & Don’ts? If you’re not ready, you should probably get ready because its that time again and we’re coming at you full speed! But before we get started, I believe I can officially say, Happy Spring! With that being said, be sure to get those pedicures done before […]
Read More Dos & Don’ts (April Edition)Hey Friends!!! Today’s question is brought to you by whatever streaming service that is out seeking your patronage. Streaming TV seems to be the new “IT” thing to do. I know for me, I was interested in saving money on my cable bill, however, I wasn’t really sure which route to go. I didn’t have […]
Read More Have you cut the cord?For centuries, it was unheard of, that black people would go to a therapy session. Or to see a shrink as some would like to put it. The black communities therapist was the prayer line or going to talk to your pastor about your problems; but what was so wrong about going to see a […]
Read More The Black community needs therapy too!Long gone are the days of AOL Instant Messenger. Can you believe AOL was launched in 1997? I remember having to use dial-up to access the internet and also waiting for my sister to get off the landline telephone so that I could even use the dial-up, which was crazy in itself. This all seem […]
Read More 5 ways to make the most out of TwitterQ: I think I’m addicted to designer labels. From Ferragamo, to Chanel, Tom Ford, Burberry, and Gucci; to name a few. I did manage to go 62 days without shopping or buying clothes, but I recently messed up. My girlfriend said she thinks my addiction stems from not having any kids and that’s how I […]
Read More Q&A: Are you addicted to Labels?Here I am in my late 30’s and suddenly I feel like time is just moving too fast. For years it seemed like I’ve rushed life away. I’ve been a little girl, desperately wanting to be a teenager. Then once I became a teenager my 20’s couldn’t get here soon enough. Now that I’m in […]
Read More The Days of our LivesI’m loving this weeks photo challenge! When asked “what would you rather be doing right now,” …my answer will always be; Traveling! If I could be a little more clearer, I’d rather be traveling on a cruise ship! For me, nothing can top this. It’s the best way to travel, the best way to unwind, […]
Read More I’d rather be…As you all know I’m always eager to highlight up and coming Entrepreneur’s around the world to my readers. With that being said, this months Entrepreneur Spritzer is all about the new book, TheFace of Expression by Aaron Woodson. If you’re not familiar with my Spritzer you can get caught up HERE!! 5 reason why you most certainly need to […]
Read More 5 reasons to read “The Face of Expression” By Aaron WoodsonOnce upon a time (like in 2016), I lived life as the Rich and Famous. Even though it was only for a few hours….I lived it and I LOVED IT!! I could truly be a Hollywood type of girl, living in Beverly Hills…but I would want to be behind the scenes and just living my […]
Read More Beverly Hills: Telling a story via Pictures
