Just a quick update on little man, we went to the doctor and they have referred us to a speech therapist, as well as a neurologist to make sure everything is alright. Although the doctors think his stuttering/delay is not connected to his fall, we want to be sure. He has had a great week…running around 100 miles per hour…full of energy…full of love. I am one lucky mom! 2 year old little boys have such a great sense of humor. I’m hanging on to these sweet hugs and kisses as long as I can! We just got a membership to the Children’s Museum, so that is a big bonus with the cold weather. It’s such a great place to play and explore. We have been going there since he was 6 months old. If you have children and have never been, check it out. Also, we have found out about free programs at the library. Storytelling, arts and crafts and his first library card…yeahhhhh!!! Well, time to get out of the office and take it home! Little man is waiting on his mommy and I have a feeling we will be napping together today. Little bit sleepy, but hey, there’s nothing better than cuddling with your little one for a long nap J Make it a good one!

Ahhh…the beautiful age of 2. Now, why is it that people call it the terrible 2’s? This is my favorite age with little man. So sweet, yes, he has his moments, but we all do last time I checked! Many of my friends told me that 3 is now the new 2 – haha –so I wonder what that is going to mean when he turns 3 –  he will still be as cute as he is now. We really have to embrace our family… give our time, love, and compassion to our full potential. He has taught me unconditional love. Yeah, yeah…I thought I had it figured out before, but I had no idea. You learn to love through the good, bad, ugly and forgiveness becomes truly a defined word. I feel so blessed and I really hope I can share those blessings with others. A smile can light up a room, soften a bad day, or as like to call it for adults…our challenging moments! One thing I would like to bring up, any feedback is appreciated, recently, one morning little man woke up and started stuttering out of nowhere. It was the most bizarre thing. Of course he is learning so many words everyday, but this was a hard stutter that sometimes takes him 6-10 times to get his thoughts out. This has me deeply concerned. We have taken him to the doctor numerous times, and he has appointment today. The day before the sudden onset of stuttering, he fell at the playground at the Mall and hit his head. Everything is heavily padded there…and there were no bumps, indentions, marks or anything. The stuttering the next morning scared me so bad, I took him to the doctor. He examined little man, did some test of him walking…standing on toes and back of heels, vertigo test and checked his ears, head, and looked him over. He basically wrote it off as a coincidence and told me to keep in touch if it got worse. He also said this was a very common age to have the ‘stutter’ or delayed speech because they are learning so many new things/words at once. I understand where he is coming from, but something tells me it is more than that. So, today I am going to push for a scan and see if they can detect anything. I really don’t feel I am over reacting…this is my child, and the sudden stuttering makes no sense. It may have NOTHING to do with the fall, but there is something going on. If he needs to go to a speech therapist, that is fine also. I don’t feel like he really needs therapy right now, but they are experts and may be able to detect what the doctors and scans do not pick up…or is completely unrelated. Ok, wish us luck and say a prayer. For now, I am trying to stay calm and take whatever steps are necessary to figure this out and move in the right direction.

Taking a much needed break to be with family and friends for an entire week…so excited to have this time. I will for sure miss you guys, but it’s only once a year we get to see certain friends and family from all over the globe. So sweet…it’s these moments that count the most, little man will only be 2 for so long…I love to see my families faces light up when they have not seen him all year. Plus he really racks up…haha…that makes mommy happy! Pamper money…yeahhh! Something I’ve really thought about this year is stepping outside of the box and giving more of me…meaning, my service’s I can offer to others. I would like to rename this Christmas as the ‘Season of Service’ and I hope it catches on! Most everybody I know does not have the funds like they used to…it’s just a hard year all the way around. I’m finding myself in that same position…trying to stretch every dollar. Not as much bank roll per say. So, I’ve done what I can with buying presents and have extended my budget as much as possible, but I really think giving part of me…my hands and love for others will be the biggest gift I can give. On my time off, I plan on doing 2 things. The first is to donate my time to a local soup kitchen. Even if it is one shift, it is so important to help take care of our community. Remember, every bit counts…even if it is only for an hour, you can help somewhere somehow. Second, a friend and I have chosen a family that is in real need of Santa’s help this year. They are struggling with bills, food, and Christmas gifts for their children. Our main concern is to help them put a warm meal on the table and share that special time on Christmas day. So we are getting a grocery store gift card and made a couple of stockings filled with goodies they can use. It’s not a lot, but it’s what we can do with what we have. It will be a surprise this week that I am looking forward to giving! So, I encourage others to take the lead in ‘Season of Service’ and reach out in anyway you can. Remember, it does not take money to make it happen…you can reach out in so many ways. Have a wonderful, beautiful Christmas filled with love and the blessings of Jesus Christ. Make it a good one!

Getting back in the swing of things…it was a good 2 weeks of not hitting the gym…little man being out of school…etc…all due to those little nasty viruses that were going around! Things are on the up and up now…everybody is back on routine, even though I did pull little man out of school for the month just to get his immune system back up and healthy. Ok, so my PSA of the day is…if your kid is sick, do not send them to school…or in our case, little people school. He is only there 3 times a week and the staff is great where he goes, but really…keep the sick ones at home until they get better. It’s just a win-win for everybody! So, really exciting news for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. My friend, Stephanie Collins owns a hair salon/studio in Greenboro called STUDIO Z –510 A North Church Street -  what she is doing through the month of October is these really cool pink hair extensions for $10 a piece – ALL proceeds to Breast Cancer Research, so make sure to stop by and see them! They are for a great cause and look really cool! Call the STUDIO Z TODAY and check out what they have to offer – the phone number is 336.698.4400 – also, I just got my hair done and the pics are up on the website. Please support a great cause and tell ALL your friends – ok…back to the gym I go! Make it a good one.

It seems like these cold/sinus/sniffles keep lingering around my house like a bad habit! First little man was sick, then last week I went on meds…and now…surprise! He is back to coughing, sniffling, itchy throat…the whole nine. So, we went to the doctor this time and his doc put him on some antibiotics. I’m not a big fan, but he really needs them this time around. One thing that has intrigued me is learning more about homeopathic remedies. A friend of mine is an expert of natural healing and different alternative approaches in medicine. It just seems like I keep giving Tylenol and it is not really doing much other than helping keep the fever down. I am very hesitant to buy any children’s cough/cold over the counter medicine. It seems like I have read an article or seen on the news so many cases where it has been harmful. Recalls left and right…just not something I will ever buy for little man. With that being said, we still needed something to break up the mucus, sooth the throat, help him sleep without coughing all night. So my friend suggested going to Whole Foods and recommended a couple of alternative medicines to sooth all of these conditions. I have used many herbal remedies for me in the past, but have not used any medicines like these on children (toddler at that). I bought a brand name Hyland’s Cough and Cold 4 Kids and it has worked fantastic. It is all natural, so I’m not pumping his body with unneeded chemicals that really are not treating his sickness that I can tell at all! Also, I bought the Emergen-C powder packet filled with all the good vitamins to help boost his immune system…you just mix it with water…I throw a little bit of ice in there…and wa-la…I also am a big fan of V-8 drinks – he gets a couple of glasses a day, so when he wants to be a picky eater, he is still getting all the healthy stuff he needs. Just in the past 48 hours I have had such a great experience with holistic medicine that I think I am going to really study it more…learn as much as I can…take some classes…educate myself on ancient medicine that I can trust. If anybody has any advice, please respond and let me know your thoughts. This is not just a trend for me…or a brand new thought of study…my parents used alternative medicines with me as well growing up for certain illnesses or preventive treatment s mainly. My Grandmother used to visit an Indian chief that was very helpful and installed some of the ideas I want to pursue on. I am also blessed to have a Shaman to go to for advice. She has already taught me quite a bit about natural healing and energy. She has also been ‘in my family’ since I was 8 years old. So with a beautiful circle of love and knowledge around me, I think this will open my eyes and awareness to another level. How exciting! Any feedback would be great.

Give a big shout out to everybody who came down to ‘Rock the Block’ in Winston Salem this past weekend. Such a nice, vibrant crowd…and I was amazed how many people were there. The Simon crew had a blast…met so many cool people…got to put faces to a lot of you guys who listen to the show…it’s so nice to shake a hand and meet for the first time. All the bands rocked the block…literally! Special thanks to Love Gun, KISS tribute band that we interviewed a while back. Phenomenal job…brought the place down. I have never really been into KISS, so it was a true experience. I was so glad I started feeling better to go host the stage…Thursday I really thought I would not be going anywhere that weekend…damn fever would not break…but everything works out the way it is suppose to, right? Check out our calendar…events and appearances…out on the streets over the next couple of weeks…just about in every city in the Triad to Burlington…so make a date with us if you can! Alright, I’m going home to my real job now…taming a 2 year old – ha ha – would not have it any other way!!! Make it a good one! Carmen

Rock the Block downtown Winston Salem Saturday Night -BE THERE – I will be hosting the stage in front of Foothills Brewery starting around 7 o’clock…this year is going to be bigger than ever and it’s FREE!!! Love Gun, the biggest KISS tribute band ever has a lot of tricks up their sleeve you don’t want to miss – just introducing them on stage will be an act in itself – I can’t tell you what we are doing – it’s a BIG surprise – they go on stage around 9 – Make it a GOOD one!

When it rains it pours, right? That the beauty of being a mom …taking care of everyone at once! So, within the past 24 hours, everybody has managed to get sick in my family, including my little doggie Cookie. He has some type of bacterial infection on his skin that is driving him bananas. Poor little guy is itching and itching… breaking the skin open. Breaks my heart…so we are going to see his doctor today. Thank god I have a wonderful vet that is very companionate and does a phenomenal job. I am VERY picky about who sees any of my family members, including 4 legged friends. If you are looking a great vet, his name is Dr. Pete Gilyard – at Clemmons Veterinary Practice…Clemmons, NC… Great staff! I always like to give love to people who do a great job and I will put my name behind and support. So, I have that going on and then little man came down with a cold and a slight fever all in the same day. There is nothing worse than having a sick child, especially at this age. He has the sniffles and a little yellow coming out of nose, congestion… but overall he is hanging in like a champ…on the way to recovery. He seems to have more energy today, so that is a major bonus. It’s hard when you have a little boy with an extreme high tolerance to pain, or feeling down in general. They want to keep going and do not slow down unless it is something major. Boys are good like that! I wonder where he gets that from? Mommy is quite a tomboy – ha ha … When in doubt, I put Pinocchio on DVD and he thinks it is the best movie ever… a classic, so I am proud of him!  I used to be the type of mom that would make weekly visits to his pediatrician for every little thing! Hey, better safe than sorry. Over the past year (or 6 months at least) I have calmed down a bit…his doctor is probably saying ‘thank God’ – lol – just kidding. As long as is fever stays down and he is still drinking fluids and does not get extremely lethargic, we are in business. So, there you have it. Oh…and back to the ‘when it rains it pours’…an update on my Grandmother you guys were asking me about. (thank you for your concerns…it means a lot) She had her surgery yesterday and is doing great. In fact, at 83, she can run circles around me. What an amazing woman. Tyson is truly blessed to have a Great Grandmother. I had mine until I was 16. She lived on an old farm house in the country. My favorite memories are sitting around her kitchen table eating whatever she had made from scratch from her own garden. They don’t make em’ like that anymore! What amazing experience God gave me with an amazing human being J Going home now, so you guys have a wonderful day and remember you can always email with whatever is on your mind at Carmen@987simon.com Sometimes I’m good with advice, but overall I’m a mess…trying to be less of a mess…ha ha…Make it a GOOD one!

Oh, this is a hard one today. I am angry, pissed, frustrated, and so many other emotions I can not describe. Fox 8 ran a story, with video of undercover footage at an animal testing lab that I believe is here in North Carolina. The video is heart wrenching to watch, but I know in order to understand I had to watch it. Forgive me, but my thoughts are so scattered right now because as soon as I watch video like this or hear about animal abuse cases I get outraged. I’m not oblivious. I do know animals are tested on all the time for products we use everyday and for the medical field and everything else we consume on a daily basis. With that being said, I believe there is a boundary that is crossed when people in these labs are being mean and inhumane for absolutely no reason. Before I get hate mail, I am not saying everybody who works in labs do this. If you want to send hate mail, I welcome you. It created an emotion of anger – you should be angry. The individuals that take part in extreme abuse are scum of the earth and should have the same thing done to them…point blank! There should be legal consequences, just like Suzie’s law that was passed. Harder punishment for animal cruelty and now can be charged as a felony by law. We have talked about that on our community show ‘Triad Today’ that runs on Sunday mornings. I interview various people and experts about many different topics. It runs from 7-8 a.m. With all of the media coverage going on right now with Fox 8 covering this story, I hope it creates awareness. I am now on a mission to educate myself as much as possible to boycott any companies that participate in such acts. Once again, I know the reality of testing on animals and I know in essence it is how the products we ALL use are put on the market. A little bit goes a long way, and knowledge is power. Even if it is one company I boycott in my mission or if it’s a hundred…I want to be responsible in not contributing to their bottom dollar – go to Fox 8’s website and watch that video. I do not recommend it for small children to watch. It is hardcore and it is truth. I’m hoping they are already shut down, but I also understand there are a lot of politics involved in major money makers. I’m sure they are already attempting damage control, but I say to them TOO LATE. It’s people like the person that went undercover that expose and allow the public to see what is really going on. Good for him and he deserves a metal. Uhhhhhhh…what is it going to take for people to wake up? This is a question I am also asking myself right now??? Any feedback on this blog would be MUCH appreciated. I am not sorry to cause a stir, I am blessed I have a platform for many people to read or hear. So if anybody working in this industry wants an apology…forget about it. I stand my ground. Please help me on my journey in creating awareness so I can do my part…you can do your part in banning certain products or writing to our politicians to open their eyes as well. Knowledge is power…knowledge is power. I’ll get back on this issue as I continue this mission and I NEED YOUR HELP! Now I’m lining up phone calls to help spread the word. I want to blast these people…and I REALLY hope they read my blog. You can even call me if you like…we can go head to head…and trust me…you don’t want to go head to head with me on this issue. Any comments are welcome. Thanks for taking time to read this. Carmen

Labor Day weekend is coming to an end and it has been a wonderful vacation. On Sunday, some friends and I went out on the boat for a day on the lake…have not been tubing in forever and I have the battle wounds to show for it! Ahhhhh….exciting and relaxing all in one. Now my brain is turning and going back into work mode…there are so many things I want to accomplish…so many creative ideas I want to unleash…time to focus. Focus is not a big fan of mine, so I’m treating this time like a New Year’s resolution. What I mean is, instead of waiting until New Year’s to set all these tall orders, I am starting now and digging knee deep! There’s only one way to get started and that’s to get my hand’s dirty…just start moving forward with goals I have in mind. Some goals I will share, some I will not because I can’t give it all up! Organization is where I will start as well. I need to find a ‘space’ in my house that I can call my own and work…create ideas for the show…handle business…and just have that MY space. It is hard to have a space in a modest size home with a 2 year old. Little man and his giant size teddy bear have taken over…lol….That’s alright, I just need to designate a work area. I’m thinking of moving a lot of furniture in my bedroom that I don’t even use and making that my space. I know they say keep the bedroom quiet and peaceful for sleeping, but this girl may not have any other options unless I want it colored on. Parents, you know what I’m talking about. So, there…step one…find workable…creative space…make it happen…start working on projects and ideas that have been turning in the head….but not executed. Time to not be lazy…time to motivate. We live this one life and I need to make the most of it. Even though I have been questioning my singlehood lately, I need not. I have a fantasy imagination that needs a reality check. My mind needs to be focused on my child and my work. Give that 150 percent and then see what’s left over. To be honest, I have not come across…ran into…whatever you want to call it…somebody that has been worth my time. I mean that in the nicest way. I’m a passionate person, and if you have met me, you know that. If you have heard me rant on issues I really stand for…you know that. So, if it happens at this point in my life, that is great. If not, I’m ok with that too. It’s only the expectations of others that create a lonely place…when I look from the outside in it is a great place that can only be added with kindness. So, on that note, another resolution is to not to worry so damn much! Just roll with it and get on the ball as far as my goals! It’s not going to happen just by thinking about them all day…it takes discipline. There you have it. My thoughts on a Monday that’s ready to get back to work! Make it a good one and be safe!