The Black Butterfly Pages

I Love...

2008-09-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

*Reisling
*dresses and skirts with pockets
*Sprinkles cupcakes...yummy
*MSNBC...news junkie to the 10th power
*lazy weekends
*cuddling
*hanging out with my sisters
*shrimp tacos and mojitos from Cuba Libre
*West Village on Sunday afternoons
*Ryann Jade
*Escalantes in Houston
*gossip blogs
*Wikipedia
*The Galleria Fire Roll @ Little Miyako
*shopping for make-up

I think is probably one of the most boring posts in life...

Laugh for the Day...

2008-08-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, so Ryann just ran into my bedroom to ask me can she have whatever she wants for breakfast in the morning. Once I said yes, she told me she wants pumpkin bread (which we love), bacon and chicken...........what 3-yr old says that!!!! Hillarious!!!!!!

Not "Good Enough"

2008-08-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

So, I just bought Season 4 of Girlfriends (which is my favorite show in the whole wide world) on DVD and this season deals a lot with love and relationships. Joan is dating this actor named Ellis but she meets a great guy on the street with whom she has an immediate connection with. She later finds out the the great guy, Brock, is her boyfriends agent. She is torn between enchanted love and staying true to a commitment that she made to Ellis. At this same time, Maya is doing some soul-searching since her divorce and reads Joan a passage from one of the many self-help books she is now reading. It goes as follows:

"Many have said, 'No, I do not choose the path of wild, radical and authentic love even though I know I'm dying without it...I think I'll just settle for good enough."

This quote is amazing to me...the topic of relationships, the opposite sex and love is a common one among my many friends, male and female. Since true and unconditional love is the greatest achievement one can hope to attain in life, it is no surprise that the topic is a popular one.

Our individual definitions and expectations of love come from experiences, concepts we've been taught, and external views of love such as movies, friends, stories, etc. And while the definition of love will differ from person to person, the need to both receive and give love is present in all of us. This love should be one that involves a mutual walk in faith, a mutal support and mutual submission to one another.

However, in the quest to find "a love of your own" I think it is utterly important to seek and be patient in what God has for you and not settle or give in what you feel needs to happen in your own time. I can't speak for everyone but I've made a vow to myself to wait on "wild, radical and authentic" love and not ever give in to "good enough". Dang, I'm good................

I'm back....no really, I am...

2008-08-08T16:27:00.000-07:00

Ay dios mio! My life has been a whirlwind adventure since the beginning of June. I have done tons on chillaxing (thats chilling & relaxing for all the uncool people, lol), lots of traveling and overall enjoying of life. I've been to Chicago twice, Marshall a couple of times, Houston, New Orleans and Atlanta...i've really had a blast!

As far as work goes, the summer is our time to really get revamped and re-energized for the next school year. The high school students really wear us out! We went to Chicago last week for our national meeting and it was an awesome opportunity to meet with other presenters from all over the U.S. Tons of fun, laughter, awards, learning and FOOD. And guess who was voted "Best Presenter in Texas"...............ME!!!!!! I was so stoked that my team felt I gave the best presentation...I'm the bomb, I know! LOL! I love my job!

On to my beautiful surprise...I met a super great guy in Atlanta. It was totally unexpected but he really is amazing...so far. He's from Jamaica and has the best Brooklyn, New York accent known to mankind. :-) Hopefully, he will hang around for a while...

Ryann Jade has been in heaven this summer since she got to spend lots of time at her "country cottage" aka Granny's house in Marshall. She got to swim, stay up all night and eat all the chocolate donuts and chocolate milk her little heart desired. She's back to the real world and now claims she hates school...lol!!!

Ok, so I don't want to bore everyone with my super long catch-up post so I will end it now. Here are some photos from my crazy, fun summer!

My baby is ready for the pool...

Getting her caricature done at the Houston Aquarium...

At my friends birthday party

My little sis celebrating her 21st bday at Gloria's

On Bourbon St. in New Orleans

The gang headed out for one last night on the town in New Orleans...

MINI VACAY!!!

2008-05-30T16:42:00.001-07:00

Soooo....school is out and I finally get a little piece of time to do some traveling. Yay me! Of all places to visit, I chose........drumroll please.......MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN (Yes, there are Black people here)! I am spending some time with the boo and seeing the city as well. We have a weekend of fun activities planned, including me working like a slave for free...oops, I meant volunteering for a great organization like Team Obama! :-) I should have lots of pics from Milwaukee and Chicago to share soon. Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've Been Shot...Someone please call 911!!!

2008-04-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe I'm being a little dramatic...I didn't actually get shot, but MY CAR DID! So yesterday evening I'm in my house surfing the net and watching MSNBC as usual when I hear my alarm start going off. I go outside to check and I don't see anything...until I walk around the back and see my back windshield on the ground. I am in total and utter disbelief! One of my neighbors (who happens to be an older lady) comes down the street and tells me she saw the whole thing. Apparently, some kids drove up the street, stopped and opened the door and shot my back window out with a pellet gun...go flippin figure! Some dumb ass kids just cost me $250...I hate the future of America! LMAO!

I'm glad I can see the humor in all this today...yesterday...not so much!!! Please beware of the sensitive material below! :-(

My Birthday Week...Fab-u-lous!

2008-03-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

Sooo, most people know that my birthday was this past Tuesday, March 25th. Most people also know that Ryann's bday is March 23rd, so I really don't ever celebrate mine because I'm so busy putting together a party for her. Well, this year her bday fell on Easter so her party was the day before. We had her party at a park in Desoto and all my family and friends came...awesome time!

My birthday celebration started on Tuesday. After work...yes work...some of my closest friends and my sister came out to eat dinner with me at Pappadeux's. I ate two lbs. of crawfish and knocked back two swamp things! My poor sister had to drive me home...I had a blast.

Here goes my friends Eddwina, Sean, Tamiqua and me...in case you can't tell, I was almost there!

My sissy, Briona, drove all the way down from Denton to eat with me...loves her!

And then, in an almost unprecedented event....I went out on a Thursday night. I never go out during the week because I'm so dang tired the next day but a couple of friends invited me to a new club....I couldn't resist! And I'm so glad I went, the weather was great and the crowd was grown and sexy. Here go a couple of pics! I was soooo cute, huh?

Tracee, Amber, Gabby and me....

I was great the next day for the most part (with only three solid hours of sleep) but on the way home....OMG, I was dozing off in traffic. Thank God it was Friday!!!

TUESDAY, MARCH 4TH

2008-03-03T20:03:00.000-08:00

Hey!!! Tomorrow looks like it will be the best day of this week for two reasons...Vote/Caucus for Barack Obama and Rip the Runway '08.

Everyone...please go to your precinct tommorow to vote (if you didn't early vote already) and then go back at 7 pm to Caucus.

__________________________________________________________________

And then at 9 pm CT tune into BET for the 2008 Rip the Runway! My girl New-New (Lauren London) will be hosting along with Nelly. Loves it!!!

Words & Actions

2008-02-28T18:15:00.000-08:00

Heeeeey! I know I haven't posted since Christmas and I don't want to hear any crap about it (Shauna). I have been very busy with this thing called life but I did promise myself (and some other people) that I would try to blog more. At least once a week...it is very therapeutic.

I have recently had some really crazy things happen in my life which have gotten me thinking about how important our words and actions truly are. Everyone that reads this blog is at least 21 years or older so this should be relevant. At what age do you start to really feel comfortable enough in your skin to really be yourself? For some of us, we get to that point with age and others get there through experiences. For me, once I became a mother, I realized I don't owe anyone anything besides the truth and I really stopped caring what people thought about me so much. I think there is a huge chunk of freedom in getting to this point because at the end of the day no one can be mad at you for being yourself. Like my pastor says, "Noone has a heaven or to hell to put you in" besides God.

In essence, I'm saying don't feel like you have to lie, cheat, or lose sleep concerning yourself with other people. Live your life, do you and you will be free. I know this blog was random, but I'm growing so I have a lot of random thoughts. And this is my damn blog so I can type whatever I want. Lol!

The Spirit of Christmas

2007-12-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I actually found time to blog today. I am in a classroom and I have an hour break. For some reason Christmas just feels different this year. For once in my lifetime, I can't think of anything to really ask for. I don't really need anything....except some new boots, Tory Burch flats, a vaccum cleaner....just kidding! I really just feel the need to give to people that I really appreciate this year. And to be a blessing to someone else.

At my church we are doing an Angel Tree that gives gifts to children of parents that are incarcerated. This was such a blessing for me to just be a part of because I grew up with my father in prison and there was never a program like this. If it was, my retarded Daddy just never got on the list....Sorry I got a little off track. Anyway I felt great joy to go and pick up some of the items that my two Angels, Desiree and Tayvia had on their lists. I really want to do something else for someone less fortunate so I guess I will look more into that before the holiday season is over.

Maybe I'm just growing up but I really think Christmas is about being with family and being a blessing to someone else!!!!! I am leaving on Sunday to go and be with my family in Marshall so if anyone wants to give me my boots or vaccum cleaner before I leave, please feel free to call me. Lol!

JUST WONDERING

2007-12-13T11:26:00.000-08:00

1. Why do we wish for our kids to start talking and then as soon as they start we constantly tell them "Be quiet, you talk too much"?

2. Why do we only appreciate the little things when they are the only things we have left?

3. Why does the day fly by so fast when you're on the couch watching TV but the slowest when you are at work?

4. Why does George Bush keep vetoing the bills to help insure poor children? Is he Satan?

5. Why do we stand in the way of our own dreams in life?

A Little Thursday Fun

2007-12-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

SCATTERGORIES GAME!

**RULES:Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following.Your answers have to be real names, places, and things and you can’t use your own name for the boy or girl name.

What’s your name? BRITNI
car: BENTLEY
city: BOSTON
boy name: BRYCE
girl name: BROOKE
alcoholic drink: BUTTERY NIPPLE
occupation: BOOTY DANCER
something you wear: BRA
celebrity: BEYONCE....DUH!
food: BEAN PIE....POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
reason for being late: BROKEN ALARM CLOCK
cartoon character: BRATZ
something you shout: ooooohhhh....BITCH PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kanye West Update

2007-11-15T18:07:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! I know everyone has heard of the untimely passing of Dr. Donda West and hopefully has kept 'Ye in your prayers through this rough time! I am an uber-Kanye West fan, having followed him way before he came out with his debut album. I remember reading an article on him back from when he did Jay-Z's BluePrint album and falling in love with his arrongance and swagga. Anyway, based on reports I've been reading, he is quite torn up over his mom and is even in denial about it. He had no idea she was even having the surgery or the extent to which she went to have the surgery done. Very sad...

She was definitely a hero to me just because she was a single Black educated woman who raised a child alone.

I'm Still Alive!

2007-11-15T17:31:00.000-08:00

I know its ridiculous that I haven't posted since October but I've been soooo busy with life! Anyhoo, I was blog browsing and ran across this fun survey from Shauna. So here it goes...and I promise to start blogging more.

1. Name: Britni Dionne
2. Birthday: March 25...don't forget it
3. Birthplace: Dallas, TX
4. Eye Color: Brown
5. Hair Color: Black
6. Height: 5'0"
7. Ethnicity: Black (not of any Hispanic origin)--Why does the choice always say that?
8. Weakness: Mexican food, sale shopping, anything creative or crafty, and one guy in particular!
9. Most missed memory: College...dang I miss it!
10. Thoughts first waking up: Maybe I could just quit my job and commit to laying in bed and watching TV all day.
11. Last time you cried: At church on Sunday when our praise dance team performed a dance & song about truly letting God take control of your life and serving Him first. It really touched me because I know I can be doing more in my life for God.
12. Song title that currently says how you feel: Suffocate by J. Holiday.
13. What is the perfect day for you: Waking up and shopping with friends, eating lunch, going to a movie and then back home to continue to hang and just enjoy adult conversation
14. Ever been asked for an autograph? I have never been asked for autograph but people always tell me I look like Terri Vaughn from the Steve Harvey Show (LeVita)
15. How do you vent your anger? On the phone with my mother or sister
16. Who do you talk to most on the phone? Briona
17. As a kid, were you a lego builder? No
18. Do you chew on your straws? No I think its disgusting
19. Do you sing in the shower? No
20. Who's the last person you stayed up late talking to on the phone to? I dont ever stay up late on the phone these days.
21. The last place you went to in a plane? Miami.
22. Do you cry at weddings? No
23. Are you afraid of the dark? In most cases, yes.
24. What are you addicted to? Shopping and wine
25. Crunchy or creamy peanut butter? Crunchy
26. Who do you fight with the most? Sean
27. Who can you tell anything to? Shauna...and I do mean anything
28. Who can't you get enough of? Mmmmhhhhh
29. Who makes you laugh the most? Ryann Jade keeps me in stitches. And Briona.
30. What is the worst feeling ever? Loneliness
31. How many pillows do you sleep with? 1 or none
32. How many rings before you answer your phone? At least two if I'm able to catch it.
33. How many times do you press the "snooze" button? At least 4 or 5 times
34. How do you sleep? Front or side.
35. Last time you laughed: Yesterday at Ryann when she told me she was going to tell Briona to shut up when she saw her. I know that shouldn't be funny but you had to see her expression. She really thinks they are the same age!
36. Ever looked at someone ugly and said "EWWW"? YES...but not to their face though, that's just mean
37. What is your favorite color? Purple
38. What is your favorite state? Texas!

The Queens are Back!!!

2007-10-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

Before TLC ever hit a stage...before Destiny's Child popped up on the scene and changed members 12 times...there was a super female group called "Salt-n-Pepa". If you were an eighties baby then there's a strong chance you wanted to be like them. Many of us tried to dress and rock our hair like them. Regardless, they were all over the airwaves and on TV. I remember my little sister, who had to be around 5 or 6 at the time, got a beatdown from my mama for blurting out "Push it real good" from the backseat. For me, I would envision I was Salt up on the stage looking fly and captivating crowds with my lyrics. However you came to know this duo, you had to admit...they were bad!

Well, they are back! I don't know if everyone had the chance to see the premiere of their new show last night on VH1 but I did and it had me laughing so hard. Seven years since they officially broke up, Salt is a married mother and devout Christian who is very involved in her church. Pepa is a mother, a party girl and very much still mad at Salt for abruptly leaving her hanging when she left the group. From watching the show, I got the picture that Salt is doing pretty good for herself but Pepa is in need of money and more of the fast life she had while in the group. She practically begs Salt to join the group again and promises to compromise with her new Christian principles. The part that really cracks me up is that Pepa has no idea the stuff she does is not cute for a mother or a woman of her age. She gives a man a lap dance and simulates giving head while thinking its no big deal and getting mad at Salt for calling her out on it.

The two are scheduled to perform at a party for Shaq but when it gets cancelled, Salt asks Pepa to perform "What A Man" at her church! You can tell Pepa ain't been no where near a church because she starts to get a little sexy during the performance. Please everyone try to watch it...toooo funny! Hopefully like me, you'll just enjoy seeing them back together again!

Funny Ish!

2007-10-15T10:24:00.000-07:00

These are some recent stories I ran across while perusing other blogs. They crack me up so thought I'd share!

First of all, check out this "dime piece" Chris Brown pulled up on the stage at a recent concert. Priceless!

Next, please somebody slap this chick! I died laughing when I ready this story!

A woman was arrested after she called local police to help “get her money back” after she was unhappy with the crack cocaine she purchased. Juanita Marie Jones, 53, called Rochelle Police late Thursday night after she purchased what she thought was a $20 piece of crack cocaine, according to police reports.
She told officers she broke the rock into three pieces and smoked one, only to discover the drugs were “fake.”

And last but mos def not least, check out this blast from the past! Can anybody guess which rapper this is? Guess we know the rumors are true now!!! LMAO!

Weekend!

2007-10-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ok so my boyfriend and I broke up recently after almost a year of dating so I have been sooooo bored...especially on the weekends. Also, I just moved into the house I grew up in so I am doing major rennovations that have been stressing me out.

My wonderfully awesome family came to town from Marshall this weekend to help me out around the house and keep me company! My mom, step-dad, and sissy helped me tackle some big projects and then we went out to eat and to the movies to see "Why did I get Married?" In case you guys haven't seen the Box Office results, this was the number one movie over the weekend raking in $21.5 million. Don't I sound like I should be on Siskel & Ebert with that line? Anyhoo, this movie is the best one I have seen this year! The cast is awesome and the storyline is well-thought out and full of surprises and funny moments! If you are now or think you ever want to get married you should run out and see it right away. That's right...push away from your desks at work or school and head to the theaters right now...I mean it!!!

The fam and I got up on Sunday morning and worked around the house some more and then we headed out to see Big Tex at the State Fair of Texas! We ate soooo much and had a nice fun and relaxing time. It was an overall great weekend!

The Wait is Over!!!!

2007-10-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

My friends and sisters have been saying I need to get a blog for a while. If you know me then you know how absolutely funny and ridiculous my life is. I have a crazy family, hilarious friends and character of a daughter........sooooo, its finally here! The Black Butterfly Pages!

I know you are wondering where the name came from. Well, I happen to be Black and a social butterfly and the rest just came together! Lol!