My Guilty Pleasures

Sometimes when I find myself alone, which is all too rare, I notice the little things that I truly enjoy. The little things in life that make life all the more fulfilling and just make you happy. Some of those things are odd, in Babe's opinion at least, others are probably quite common among women and moms alike. I'm not ashamed of any of my guilty pleasures, after all they are just that, guilty pleasures.

When all is quiet, the kids are asleep or at least in their rooms in their pj's teeth brushed and faces washed, I plop down on the couch and lift the coveted remote control. I click on the television and scan the channels only to find myself on channel 290 or 291. If you have DirecTV you know that Disney Channel rules 290 through 292. I find myself laughing out loud at Raven's antics on "That's So Raven", Miley's transformation into "Hannah Montana" and her too-cute girlfriend Lily, and those boys on "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody"? They tend to make me laugh the hardest. I just love their personalities and humor.

And recently added to the bunch is "Corey in the House" which is just too funny because Corey's one of the few black boys on Disney who reminds me of boys I know or have known. His style is reminiscent of Babe when we started dating and his money-making antics remind me of Babe's hustling mentality. Babe decided early on he'd be rich and at 27 years old, he's determined to reach that goal, the legit way. I watch a lot of Disney Channel and Babe wonders why I'm watching without the kids...one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

I have many guilty pleasures, but magazines for moms and women are pretty close to the top. From Parents to Parenting to Essence to Figure, heck, even Woman's Day, I spend many a quiet moment with my nose in a magazine reading and even rereading articles that intrigue me. I enjoy reading but I think magazines keep it simple because, usually, I can whiz through an article and it's done. Novels you read, put it down, read, put it down, and read some more only to find yourself on chapter 2. Magazines are definitely my favorite read, one day I'll have my very own by-line on an article. No worries, I'll keep you posted.

For many women food is a guilty pleasure but what food? It depends on the day, but it's always something salty or sweet for me. Some days I indulge in a bowl FULL of popcorn sprinkled with salt, only to share with Nas my Popcorn Man. Okay, most days I indulge. Other days I have to have Twizzlers or Hot Tamales and over the Easter holiday I ate Brach's Classic Jelly Beans like they were food. How many jelly beans? About a bag a day when I bought them, which was far too often hence the 3 pounds I gained around that holiday.

Between Nas' excessive poopy diapers, reminding Jay to put Chap-Stick on her lips, or demanding Babe eat something other than just dinner on a daily basis, I sneak in a little time for myself. In that little time I find some good, clean television, a bowl of popcorn and a good magazine I glance down at during commercials...it's then that life is good no matter what is going on in my world.