Taping Begins for "Single Parenthood: NJ" Pilot! Yippeeee!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday, August 6th marked the first day of shooting for the "Single Parenthood: NJ" Pilot. It was such an exciting day for me to finally see my show concept come to life, after a year of working day and night to make my dream a reality. It was fun watching Lisa, the producer in action and being involved in every aspect of the development process from start to finish.

I know once the show series gets picked up by a television network, that I won't be able to do too much of the behind-the -scenes stuff since I'm also a cast member on the show. So to have the opportunity to do it now has so far been such an amazing experience. I just can't wait to see the final product....just can't wait.
Wow looking back I just can't believe that its' been exactly one year that I first began taking the steps to develop this project; a concept that just popped into my head one afternoon while watching television, trying to clear my head from a few struggles I was going through as a single mom. I remember just how many single parents out there where in my shoes, raising a baby on her own without the help of her father financially or physically. Of course being the "google freak" that I am, I began researching statistics and wasn't surprised when I saw that there were approx 13.7 million single parents in the U.S. today. Don't believe me? Check it out yourself here.

Amazing Experience at Toys R' Us" Watchung, NJ Store Grand Opening!

To start off I want to express a pure heart-felt thanks to all those who helped me spread the news and attended the grand opening celebration event of NJ's newest Toys R' Us store in Watchung, NJ this past Friday, July 9th . A special thanks to Risa Barash, my sister Joarlynn Fernandez & Fairy Tales Hair Care for joining me at the event where I promoted the launch of my "Single Parenthood: New Jersey" upcoming reality-based Pilot.

 It was expected that between 200-300 would be in attendance that day, and by the time I left right after 1pm, there was no doubt in my mind that the amount of attendees previously predicted would exceed far beyond their expectations. The moment the doors opened promptly at 10.a.m. it was amazing to see how many proud Toys R' Us moms & dads began rushing  in with their blue carts and children in tow with excitement. It was a Friday where I figured not many would attend the early morning festivities due to work, but was really amazed at how many people seemed to have gone out of their way to attend the grand opening.

"Toys R' Us" Our 1st Promotional Sponsor!

I've got some exciting news regarding my "Single Parenthood: New Jersey" Reality show project. As of last week, we are officially on board as a promotional partner with Toys R' Us latest I Want To Be A Toys R' Us Mom" campaign. I'm really excited about this opportunity, in being able to partner up with such a great company celebrating wonderful "Moms" all over the world and helping promote over 50-Grand Openings throughout the U.S!!

Like so many other moms out there, I'm sure, there are times throughout the year (kids/family members/friends birthday's & holidays) where I honestly feel time spent at the world's greatest toy store far exceeds my time spent at my local grocery store! I'm even going to take it a step further and truthfully, openly admit that the many "Toys R' Us" trips I've had to take over the years since becoming a mom, have been quite enjoyable for this proud Garden State mom. There is not "ONE" time I can remember being able to just make a quick trip into that store, purchase the one or two things I had intended to buy and walk out within minutes.

The moment I step foot in that door, with or without my princess Bella, my face lights up & heart beats with excitement in  being able to take a trip around the store and look at all the great new toys & gadgets that are out now for kids, and just being amazed at how far technology has come since the late 1980's and early 90's when I was a kid growing up myself. I remember daydreaming as a kid of just being able to go into Toys R' Us and fill a whole cart or two of anything I wanted and being able to take it all home with no worry of how it was getting paid for. Those were surely the days! lol

Proud Contributor to the National Silcon Valley Moms NJ Blog Group

For those of you who don't already know, I've been searching for a few freelance writing opportunities to start my portfolio. Now that I am almost done with my first fiction novel which I hope is complete before my reality show & single parent organization fully launches. So for the past few months, I've been a very proud contributor to the National Silicon Valley Moms NJ Group, networking and writing along side other well accomplished writers/blogger moms from all over the U.S about parenting and every day issues we just feel like talking about. It's been a great experience and one I'll always be grateful for because it was a community where I could finally write next to other moms who shared my same passion for writing.

Now I'm going to be honest with how intimidating it was at first to have my articles posted next to one written by a well-known journalist, magazine editor, published author & even a television news reporter/writer. Even though I've been writing for as long as I could remember, I'm yet to become a published author and am just now at 28-years old working towards the goals I've always felt so passionate about. Both music & writing have been the catalyst for helping me get through the most toughest moments in my life, and have always felt it was the best escape when my current reality got too hard to deal with.

A Single Mom's Fear of Opening Up to Love Again

Believe it or not, its' been over 7-years since I've been able to truly open my heart to true love again. In fact, I remember it being the month of May and exactly one month before Isabella was born, when I had made the emotional self-conscious decision that I was going to take a break from men to focus on motherhood and on "ME" for a while. I'm going to be really honest right now......Never and I mean NEVER did I think that very break I committed myself to all those years ago would last this long. Like many of my friends, I find myself wondering sometimes how I've been able to stay so sober all these years. I mean for someone who began dating at 15 years old and never being the type to stay single for too long. Its' no wonder I've spent the last few years, fighting off my girl friend's attempts to set me up with secret blind dates.

But when I really sit down and think about the events leading up to the decision to take a break from men, it becomes clear as day to me the reason why I've had such difficulty fully committing myself to a man who'd be willing to be with me knowing I had a child that wasn't his. Throughout the years I've casually dated and befriended men who I knew wanted more then just friendship. There was even one I thought would be the one who'd finally break this terrible cycle of mine--the one I finally felt the courage and faith to give my heart to. But as soon as fear started to set in of history repeating itself and the thoughts of the possibility of having to deal with the pain of being lied to and betrayed again went far too deep for me to bare. I'd shut myself down again and use any excuse in the book to push who ever it was out of my life.

I didn't talk about it much because most of my friends didn't seem to understand how deeply scarred I was when her father did the things he did. He did everything a man with no morals or respect would do. He cheated, lied and caused me the biggest embarrassment of my life.

My Amazing Life Journey-All to the Power of Faith, God & the Universe

It's been an amazing journey so far developing my single parent reality series project. A concept I came up with back in August 2009. When I first started out I had no freaking idea how I was going to bring this show concept to life. I had no connections to the entertainment industry at that time and had no knowledge on what first steps to take to even start taking my reality show idea further onto the next steps. I had always dreamed of having a successful career in the entertainment industry: writing, creating, producing, acting, singing, entertaining, and having the power like Oprah, my biggest mentor, to inspire people and make a difference in the world.

But as years went by and I got older, it seemed like the one dream and life I'd always wanted and felt passionate about seemed like a thousand light years away. The biggest issue was the lack of confidence brought on by years of hardships, set-backs, disappointments, betrayals, pain and negativity from those around me who filled me with constant BS that to succeed in the entertainment industry you had to be (1) born with talent (2) know the right people who can get you into the industry. So I spent my life struggling with figuring out my life purpose and why I was born with such a big passion for music, writing and business when my life seemed to be heading no where near that career path. I just couldn't understand why be given a passion for something I'd probably never be really good at or have the chance to explore.

My First Guest Spot on Radio!!!

For all of those who don't already know, earlier this week I was invited to fill a guest spot Thursday night on the "Upfront & Straightforward with Alan Roger Currie" 10pm Blog Radio Show. A very exciting opportunity that I'm very thankful to have been able to be a part of since it seemed to come at the perfect time. So a special thanks to Adrienne H. (she'll know who she is...:) for thinking of me when she came accross this opportunity and for taking the time to reach out to me. If it weren't for her I would have never known about the available guest spot on the show. 

It's funny how all this came to me just days after one of the producers helping me develop my show and I were discussing ways to promote it once we got the pilot going.  I kept telling myself.....I want to start promoting the show & casting now!!! Talk about  putting a wish out to the universe and receiving! The taping for the pilot is only two months away and I have been so blessed on how far I've gotten so far on this television project. We're currently casting for the project and just officially cast a single dad for the show a week ago. So everything is magically falling into place as if it's meant to be....so exciting to finally see my prayers and dreams start manifesting into reality...YIPPPEEEEE!!!!