Happy (Grand)Father's Day!

The amount of love that I have for the man in this picture cannot be described in words.  But in honor of Father's Day 2k17, I thought I'd make a list of my favorite things about my Granddaddy!

1.    Robert Anderson is 43 years old...times 2, but he sho don't look or act like it!  (Black don't crack honey!)  He is very youthful & has a such a great sense of humor that even I, his favorite grandchild, am not exempt from any of his random jokes!  This man is still very mobile and self sufficient.

2.  Grandpa has disputed any beliefs that we may have had about my mom being a perfect child growing up. 😂

3. He's lowkey the REAL president of the United States. No seriously, he could run this country. You should hear his commentary when he watches his politics everyday. 

Grandpa (left) and Sonny (right)

4. I LOVE his relationship with our cousin Sonny!  Put these two in the same room & you will fall over laughing!  They crack jokes on ANY AND EVERYBODY!  I love the stories about how Sonny and Grandpa used to fix things around their houses that didn't even need to be fixed.  I wish they could have a reality show so everyone could see how funny they are!  I mean, just look at the photo, you can tell they are up to no good!

5. Grandpa makes the BEST ribs!  He may be 43 times 2, but for his grandkids, he will spend hours preparing ribs; and the boys will spend ten minutes destroying them...

6. He is hospitable. My Grandpa is willing to give up his own bed so that when family visits, they will have a place to stay!  If that ain't southern hospitality, I don't know what is.  

7. Grandpa is determined.  I caught this man climbing up on top of a washing machine to get something off the top shelf!  I about panicked when I saw him, but he just acted like it was no big deal. 

8. He woke up everyday at 6:00am the summer of 2k16 to take me to work and was waiting everyday at 3:00pm to take me home. 

9. Every time we talk on the phone, we just LAUGH for hours!  He is just as ornery as my siblings and I!  

10. And last but not least, he is a true man.
He has protective instincts. Every guy I meet should still be scared of him. 😈.  Did you know that he served in the Korean War?!  I loved hearing about his stories while he was overseas because he encountered many situations that I couldn't even fathom.


My Grandpa's love for my Grandma runs deep!  She's been gone for 16 years now and he keeps her headstone beautiful and clean.  Watching him put flowers on her grave warms my heart because he does it with such great care.  He has always taken care of his family and continues to do so.  Not many know this but my car broke down at the beginning of the year (while I was on the highway!).  This man immediately signed his car over to me and shipped it across the country so that I wouldn't be without a car for too long!  If you know Robert Anderson, you know his love for his Chevy!  Last year for his birthday he wanted mom and I to buy him a new Chevy. (Jokingly)  So we bought him a new toy Chevy Impala.  I know that I mean more than a car to my Granddad, but it still made me cry that he would even part ways with it just to help me out; however, it doesn't surprise me.  He always makes sure that my sister and I are taken care of since we live on our own. He shows concern for all of us everyday and tells us how much he loves us.  He is the best man in my life and I wouldn't trade him for anybody else in the world!  I love you Robert Anderson, Happy (Grand)Father's Day!

Nia teaching Grandpa how to snap chat.

Christmas 2k15.

Tre' and Taj "dabbin" with Grandpa!

I am so happy you stopped by my blog, WELCOME!

I love to write and share my thoughts with people.  I am a singer and songwriter, a blogger and vlogger, and lover of food!  After all of the chaos that life threw at my family and I, we decided that we will no longer let life pass us by without us getting to explore the world!  This blog is about music, family, inspiration, travel and FOOD!  I am here to share with you the things that I experience on a day to day basis and encourage you to try new things, as I will be doing the same!  Did I also mention that I have a YouTube channel?  Well, I have a YouTube channel!  Just scroll down and click my face on the bottom right hand side of the screen.  Don't forget to subscribe!  On my channel, you will find live performances, cover songs, vlogs, small business shout outs, and MORE!  Come along this journey with me and have fun on this roller coaster called LIFE!

Things to Do in Fort Lauderdale, Florida- Jungle Queen Riverboat Dinner Cruise!

     Christmas Eve 2k16, with our toes did and our make up NOT; we made our way from West Palm Beach to Ft. Lauderdale to embark on a remarkable journey. 

     We parked at a near-by hotel across the street from the beach and made our way to a little dock where we boarded the two story boat that would take us on a beautiful journey up the river. 

     As we boarded, we had our pictures taken and we walked up the flight of stairs to the top of the boat. We were lucky enough to get nice seats so we could see directly out of the boat. I didn't know what to expect as we sailed the river because I thought we were just going to ride to our destination to eat and come right back; but what I thought was going to be an ordinary ride, turned out the be the funniest, most inspiring, make me jealous 😜, exciting trip!  As we sailed up the river, we saw these BEAUTIFUL homes and boats lined up along the water!  Basically, it was a neighborhood on water, but with boats instead of cars.  Many of them were decorated with lots of Christmas lights.  Some of these houses...excuse me...MANSIONS, were either vacation homes, retirement homes or just homes!  Like people actually lived in these buildings!

     The Cruise Director was hilarious!  I loved how He casually joked about how rich everyone was & that these lifestyles were no big deal as we passed the biggest houses along the river.  He was very knowledgeable about the properties and the people who resided on them. The most intriguing thing to me was that there was an actual prison along the river because when we passed it, I thought it was a 5 star hotel!!  When the Cruise Director told us it was a prison, I literally thought it was a joke.  We got to sail under multiple draw bridges, all operated by various Mr. Johnsons, and we greeted them every time we passed under.  By the way, all of the Mr. Johnsons are related! 😂  And get this!  We got to see some gigantic yachts up close and personal!  Did I mention they were gigantic?!  These yachts retail for more than $1,000,000!  Can you imagine owning such a vehicle?

     We docked about an hour after we left and the site was beautiful!  It was like a beautiful lit up jungle, but on an island!  The venue where we ate was huge and had tons of long tables.  When you arrive at dinner, there are various waiters that will seat you at your table.  We were lucky enough to dine with another family who was enjoying a girls' night out, and they were very entertaining. They were so full of life, making everyone laugh and just enjoying the moment that we all shared.  Almost immediately after we were seated, we were bombarded with food! There were fall-off-the bone ribs, barbecue chicken, baked beans, rolls, shrimp (regular and spicy), potato wedges...YOU NAME IT!!  Everything was addicting, ESPECIALLY the spicy shrimp!  It's probably a sin how much food we ate!  While we were eating, we were graced with some live jazz entertainment.  The band and the soloist did an amazing job and were very talented!  They even dedicated a few songs to the long time married couples in the place. 

     Once we finished eating, my mom, sister and I explored for a bit.  They had what I would call a miniature zoo outside. We got to see birds, owls, lemurs, monkeys, and guess what?!  ALLIGATORS!!  Whenever I go to Florida, it is my goal to see at least one alligator. Not up close, of course.  Although, we were pretty close to the ones we saw. 

     The last thing that we did on our stop was watch a magic show, 2 comedy shows and real fire dancers!  The tap dancing comedian was the funniest to me!  He was very animated and reminded me a lot of Mr. Brown from the Tyler Perry movies.   Watching the hula/fire dances was my favorite part of the night because in 2015, we went to an event called Christmas in Hawaii and there was supposed to be a fire dance, but it ended up not happening.  So it was so exciting to finally get to see one!  

     The shows were over and my mom, sister and I rushed back to the boat so that we could get a good seat. This time, the ride back to the dock was more relaxing rather than entertaining.  There was soft jazz music playing in the background, it was dark, the water was calm and I was just taking in the beauty of the houses, yachts and the bystanders waving at us as we passed by.  This whole experience was mesmerizing, and it made me want to work so much harder!  Maybe I won't buy a house along the river and maybe I will, but to be able to live a lifestyle like that where you have a beautiful home and can afford to vacation whenever you want, is something to look forward to. I definitely recommend Jungle Queen Riverboat to anybody who visits Ft. Lauderdale.  There are so many beautiful sights to see and the food is amazing.  Tickets are approximately $50 each and totally worth it.  It is something that you don't get to do everyday and it is an experience of a life time!  I'm so thankful that my mom gifted my sister and I with such an amazing experience that we will never forget.

     Please checkout the associated video to get the full experience of the Jungle Queen Riverboat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G6sWqB7_0Y

Things to Do in Kansas City! -Wine and Design (Lees Summit)

I have been wanting to put that apron on and pick up that paintbrush for so long now!  Saturday, April 15, 2017, my sister and I had a little sister sister date to celebrate her birthday.

Wine and Design, located in Lees Summit, Missouri is a creative space where people can go to kick back, sip sip and let their creative juices flow.  In order to participate, you must sign up prior to the date that you want to paint; and there is also space to do group events that accommodates up to 30 people!  You also must bring your own beverage. 

The facility is extremely beautiful!  It is filled with tons of beautiful pictures from previous sessions.  When you walk in, there is a cute chalk board sign and a sign in sheet on top of a barrel.  Our canvases were already set up for us upon arrival as well as our paint.  I was the first to arrive, and with permission from the artist, I walked around looking at the beautiful art and taking video footage for my YouTube channel.  Our group was a little more intimate than I thought it would be as there were only 5 ladies in attendance.

Everything started off so well and it was very therapeutic.  But then my sister got ahead of herself and accidentally messed up her painting.  The artist reassured her that she would be able to fix it, but after a while, there was no coming back from it.  It was quite hilarious actually, even the other ladies were laughing!  I loved the fact that none of us were artists because we were able to laugh at each other’s flaws and joke about how bad we are!  The ladies that were painting with us were extremely funny and nice.  We had such a great time together that I ended up taking one of their business cards and we are going to invite them to come back with us soon!

I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere at Wine and Design.  It was very relaxing and a great way to decompress.  The instructor had a great attitude and she was very patient with us.  Check out the video associated with this post! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10aEdvTQObg

When Friends Become Family

        Sometimes divorce is not just one’s parents separating, but divorcing toxic people in your life.  I never knew that at 20 years old, so many people would have been removed from my life.  And quite frankly, at 22, life is still changing as we speak.  As someone who held on to the fantasy that everyone I would ever meet in life would stay forever, it has been a hard concept to grasp that you grow apart from people.  However, I believe that God will replace what has been removed and it will be better than ever.  Ever since my mom moved back to Florida, with the exception of Christmas, I have always panicked at the thought of not having plans for the holidays.  This year was no different.

         I had already planned on coming home from school to spend Easter weekend with my sister so we could celebrate her birthday early since she’d be out of town on her real birthday.  I almost backed out of it because I thought, “Why come home when you don’t have plans for the holidays when you could just work all weekend?  Make more money girl!”  I felt bad for even considering backing out on my sister.  What changed my mind was when she texted me confirming that she was free for the outing I had planned for her.  Well that locked my travel plans into place.  A few days after, I reached out to a friend offering my story for a project that she is going to be working on.  I let her know that I would be in town the following weekend and IMMEDIATELY, we (my sister, brother in law, and I) were invited to the cookout! 

            So fast forward to Easter Sunday, I went to church and had an amazing time catching up with family friends.  I hadn’t been to my home church in months and it felt amazing to see everyone again.  A few hours after church, we drove to our friend’s house with my famous baked macaroni and cheese strapped in the back seat!  While the grill was going and people were on their way, we entertained the kids and helped out where help was needed.  More friends began to fill the home and it became a party.  There were babies everywhere, toddlers running outside with water guns, tons of Easter eggs ready to be hidden for the egg hunt and a LOT, I said a LOT, of food!  I honestly wish I would have gotten a picture of all of the food we ate, but I was big hungry and it did not even cross my mind to do so.  We had beans, greens, potatoes…okay let me stop playing!

           

            To have someone open their house up to you for the holidays, especially after wondering what the heck you’re going to do, means so much, but it doesn’t surprise me.  They pretty much know our family situation right now and to be honest, I would have truly fallen into a dark place if it were not for them, because seeing so many people post about what they are doing with their family would have been a trigger for me.  It reminds me of what used to be and is no more.  I don’t think the people who have seen and liked the pictures from Easter realize how important it was to me.  Not only were we welcomed into somebody’s home, but we connected with other people who we either just met, or had met in the past but were not close with, and then there were people that we did indeed already know and are friends with.  Either way, nobody felt like a stranger.

            We were the last to leave and I was way too tired to even attempt to drive 2 hours back to school.  So I stayed one last night in KC and got up extremely early to make it back to school.  What I took away from this holiday was that my friends have become my family.  We all came together to celebrate one holiday and it could not have gone any better!  We had great food, many laughs, desserts and an amazing unfriendly game of NERTZ.  If you don’t know what NERTZ is, it is a personal game of solitaire and a collective game of speed going on at the same time.  I could show you better than I could explain it.  And I want a rematch Nia!  I could not have asked for a better way to spend my Easter weekend 2k17 and I thank the Adgers for opening their home to so many of us!  By the way, I totally jacked these photos from my their pages!

Women's Empowerment is Needed in Our Community

In a World that is trying to paint us Queens as ratchet, unsuccessful, angry and less than human, it is important now than ever that we unite, befriend and uplift each other. 

            March 25^th, 2017, my sister and I attended a BEAUTIFUL brunch hosted by one of our friends, Jasmine Diane.  (There is a video on my YouTube channel capturing some of the event, click the link if you’d like to check it out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ8rJE0TodM)  I met Jasmine when I was a freshman in college participating in my first fashion show.  She congratulated me after the show & handed me her business card; I have been following her fashion/lifestyle blog ever since. 

The brunch took place at a restaurant called Brio's on the plaza.  The tables were set, the bar was ready, and the ladies began to file in.  Though it was dreary outside, all of the guests were in very bright moods.  While we waited for everyone to arrive, we just fellowshipped with one another.  We talked about our occupations, dreams, goals and how disrespectful our natural hair can be sometimes.  (Joking....kind of.)  I was shocked to meet so many ladies who attended the same University as me.  Once the tables were filled, we went around the room and introduced ourselves.  I was one of the last to speak and as I looked around the room, I saw a room full of beautiful black Queens that I could look up to.  After all, I believe I was the youngest lady in attendance, and I watched as countless women talked about not being afraid to go after your dreams, which was important to me because I am on the career path that many people don't have faith in.  These ladies were living what they preached and doing what they are destined to do.  It is admirable to see a room full of young women who are working in the field that they chose, whether that is where they want to be forever or not.  Attending events like this is what I enjoy.  Getting to dress up, put on some makeup and hang out with people who you just met, but feels like you've known them your whole life.  I want to be surrounded by people who build each other up, network and have a great time.  I took a look at all the people who showed up to this event and not one person had a negative bone in their body and no one was in competition with one another because everyone was confident in WHO they are.  We need circles like this in our community because when we all join forces, we are un-freakin-stoppable!  Look at all the success that was in this one room; imagine if everyone outside of that room came together to build each other up, support each other, EMPOWER each other, the world would never be the same.  It was such an honor to meet so many wonderful ladies who are doing great things for our community and I hope that they know that their hard work does NOT go unnoticed.
  

So now that I got the mushy gushy stuff out of the way, let’s talk about my first love, FOOD!  As soon as I walked into the room, I immediately wanted a cupcake.  Like bad, it was all I could talk about for 5 minutes.   (Y’all know I was first in line when it was finally time to take one, right?)  The Cupcakes were provided by Cia's tastebud creations.  (https://www.facebook.com/ctbcreations/)  We were served Chicken and Artichoke Crostini, Roasted Garlic, Spinach & Artichoke Dip with these huge triangular crackers, Crab Cakes, Crab Stuffed Mushrooms and salad.  And as you know, I tried one of everything.  The crab cakes were my absolute favorite!  I've been thinking about them since the day of the brunch.  I also had a fresh Raspberry Mojito from the bar to go with my brunch.  I'd say the food was good but that, my friends, would be an understatement.  It was BOMB!  The lady behind me and I were filling our plates and made a mutual agreement that we would not feel guilty for trying everything if the other didn’t.

I did not get to connect with everyone in attendance but here are a few local businesses that I would like to shout out.  Please check out their pages and see that they have to offer!

I got a chance to meet the owner of House of Rena, LLC.  She owns an online boutique and she makes everything by hand, so please feel free to connect with her on all of her social media outlets and support her business:

Instagram: @House_Of_Rena

Facebook: House of Rena, LLC https://www.facebook.com/HouseofRena/          

I also met Noelle Anais, who is also a fellow YouTuber and films a lot of hair videos.  I immediately subscribed to her because of her sweet, upbeat personality.  So feel free to check out her channel as well.  

The founder of Show Me Shoes, Shi'von Bullock, was also in attendance.  She and a team of volunteers put on an annual event called The Prom Project to ensure that every girl receives a beautiful dress for prom as well has hair and makeup.  FOR FREE!  It is currently branching out to many other cities.  Check out their link as well to see what they are all about!
https://www.facebook.com/ShowMeShoes/        

Last but not least, I want to give a huge thank you to Jasmine.  She is an inspiration to many young girls and she has been so positive throughout her journey in life after college.  One thing everyone who attended brunch had in common was a dislike for drama.  What a treat it was to be surrounded by so many like minded people who just want to have fun and make a positive impact in the world.  Jasmine should be very proud of herself for helping all of us build these connections with one another.  Please follow her blog and social media outlets to stay up to date on what she is doing, and also to be inspired by the things that she posts.  She is amazing at what she does and has a ton of fashion tips (and lifestyle tips) to share.

Facebook: Jasmine Diane (https://www.facebook.com/thejasminediane/)
www.jasminediane.com

Don’t forget to checkout the video associated with this post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ8rJE0TodM

Who is KAi?

Where do I even begin?

I am KAi with a capital A.    I am a singer and a writer.  I enjoy creating YouTube videos, blog posts, taking pictures and creating music.  I guess that is why I chose to major in Music in college.  I discovered at 12 years old that I wanted to make a career out of singing and I have been working hard at it ever since. 

I am one of four very unique children.

My family has always, always, ALWAYS, been supportive of my life as a performer.  Well, not everyone in my family.  I guess you can say that I come from a broken family, though I never thought of it like that until recently.  I grew up in a two-parent household with my siblings.  Though deep inside, I knew that our family wouldn’t stay together, we still had an amazing childhood because until we were older, we were never aware of the struggles that we were going through.  I briefly explained in my previous blog about what my family had gone through, so in an attempt to create a more positive and uplifting blog, I’ll spare you the deep details.  Long story short, I began to realize that my father and I did not have a great relationship once I hit high school.  He was not there for me physically, mentally and even spiritually.  I have been mentally, spiritually and occasionally physically abused by the man who was supposed to be my first King.  I watched my mother be mistreated and sucked dry by this same man.  When I was sixteen years old, enough was enough and my mom moved my brothers and I into a new home without my dad.  (My sister was away in college.)  I was very confused at that time; and quite frankly, I was scared, as divorce was one of my biggest fears as a child.  During those five months, my parents shared custody of us.  I used to pray for a miracle, that my parents would somehow make up and that we would all be a family again.  After five long months my parents got a new house and we all moved back in together.  I was happy, for I thought it was God ordained that we got the chance to reconcile what was once broken.  Later down the line, I learned that it was man-ordained.  It was not healthy.  One month in to us being a family again, my father physically assaulted me.  I can still hear my brother’s words and see the look in his eyes as he screamed, “DAD LET HER GO!  LET HER GO!”  I remember running and locking myself in the bathroom, afraid to tell my mom what had happened because I did not want her to leave again.  Over the next two years, it was hard for me to even get out of bed every day.  On almost a daily basis, I was being told that I was going to hell, or I would never make the rapture (I laugh about that now), that I was not good enough to make it in the music industry or that I was a horrible child.  I cannot exaggerate when I tell you that all I have ever wanted was his approval and I tried extremely hard to be a kid that he could be proud of; and he just tore me down every chance he got.  I remember my mom asking me almost every morning if I was depressed.  I wish I had been honest with myself because I could have received the help that I needed a lot sooner.

            Let’s fast forward to being twenty years old.  At the beginning of my sophomore year of college, it was the end, and this time, there was no coming back.  My parents were getting divorced.  I was devastated.  I was alone at school while an ugly divorce was taking place back at home.  My siblings were separated and my parents were battling it out in court.  On top of all of this, a friend of mine had lost their earthly battle with cancer.  I completely isolated myself that year.  Nobody knew the pain that I was going through, and hardly anybody ever reached out.  I felt like the one time I truly needed some shoulders to cry on, nobody really knew how to be there for me.  I had always been the shoulder to all of my friends, but during this time, I was weak.  It was to the point that I was living just to go to school, come home and sleep, go to work, go to sleep, sing on the weekends and go to sleep.  I was not going to church, or live streaming; I even slept through an audition.  Make up and hair done, in my clothes and everything.  I was passed out, and that was NEVER like me to miss an audition or singing opportunity.  I was depressed, and I hated to even admit it. 

Summer Break of 2015

I desperately needed summer break that year.  But that too was tough.  My mom and I are constantly told by other mothers how they look up to us and admire our mother daughter bond.  However, they have no idea about the complete heartache that we went through the summer of 2015.  I truly believe that we were the two that wore our emotions on our sleeves during the last months or the divorce and the weeks leading up to her big move.  I won’t go into too much detail about this either.  Most young girls go through this emotional period with their mothers when they are teenagers.  Mine did not come until I was twenty.  There were lots of petty arguments, crying, and I even had a panic attack when no one was home because I was so hysterical.  I just think that the divorce was weighing so heavy on us and we did not know how to comfort each other.  Thank God for third parties though because there were so many times when my aunt would drop everything and come over to be there for us.  When my mom told me that she was moving back to Florida, I was stunned and at peace at the same time.  Is that even possible?  I was stunned because for twenty years, all I had ever had was my mom.  I only went to college an hour and a half away from home and I could see her whenever I wanted.  I was stunned because I felt like my home was being ripped up from under my feet.  Where am I going to go when I come home from college?  Who will I spend the holidays with?  I don’t really have family in Kansas City and I did not want to always impose on my friends for the holidays.  I was also at peace because I knew that with mom going to Florida, we would be guaranteed to see our other side of the family more and that my 86-year-old Grandfather would no longer be by himself.  I like to say that mom receiving a new stay at home job was the biggest blessing that we never knew we needed.  We didn’t know in May 2015 when she got the job that she would be leaving at the end of the summer.  So even though we had a tough time that summer, her presence at all times was needed more than anything. 

During my mom’s final days, my aunts and God sister set an example of the kind of friend I want to be going forward.  Due to having car problems at the end of the summer, I had taken a rental car to move into my new apartment at school, but needed to return the car home in Kansas City.  I was not supposed to come back home before school started, but this was God ordained.  It was my mom’s last weekend in Missouri.  Both of my aunts spent the weekend at mom’s house helping her pack the rest of her belongings, laughing, crying and reminiscing.  I’ll never forget the three of them sharing a single mattress on the middle of the empty living room floor during the last days.  To me, that represents a best friend and sister.

My mom moving back to Florida has forced me to spread my wings more than ever.  It has also taught me that even though she lives across the country, she still goes hard for hers.  She has flown in for my biggest performances, she was the one I called when my car broke down on the highway, she’s the one I call when I need to cry, and she is still the one that I call when I need advice.  After the hell we’ve been through, and I haven’t even scratched the surface of what we’ve been through, we have made a promise to ourselves.  We are no longer going to sit and let life pass us by.  We are going to see the world, we are going to enjoy life, and no one is going to stop us. 

            I believe that I have made it to the light at the end of the tunnel.  That is not to say that there won’t be any more trials that I will have to go through in life, but I made it through one of my biggest trials yet; and I am strong as ever.  I will say that going through all of that, I have less tolerance for B.S., which may make me seem petty, but I have grown so much in my 22 short years of life.  When strangers talk to me, they always say, “Whoa!  You sound so wise for a 22 year old.”  That is because they don’t know all the life that I have experienced so far, and I have so much more to learn.  And while I am learning, I will be happy, loving, adventurous, and a better woman!

I Am Unstoppable.