Coastal Bend Women

Coastal B end

WOMEN

Complimentary Late Spring 2016

Empowering Women the Coastal Bend Coastal B end of Women

Late Spring 2016

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Coastal B end

WOMEN www.CoastalBendWomen.com For Adverting Information Call

361-944-5074

Publisher: ........................ Ginger Rodriguez Sale & Marketing Director: .................................... Brittanie Robertson Editor: ................................ Julie Hammond Contributing Writers: ........... Fallon Jennings ........................................... Amanda Gerber ....................................... Kelly Trevino, BBB Photographers: ................................................ Danny Vivian ........................................ CMT Photography

Coastal Bend Women PO Box 5315 Corpus Christi, TX 78465 (361)944-5074 CoastalBendWomen@gmail.com www.CoastalBendWomen.com www.Facebook.com/CoastalBendWomen

Table of Contents p.4 .............................. Coastal Bend Woman Kenyatta Duckworth

p. 6 ................................ To New Beginnings p.8 ...................... Photographer’s Spotlight Danny Vivian

p.11 ...................................... Healthy Recipe Energy Bites

p.12 ......................................... Mommy & Me Potty Training Tips

p.15 .......................................... Dating Scams

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elcome to our third issue of COASTAL BEND WOMEN Magazine. We are so happy you are here to share it with us!

COASTAL BEND WOMEN Magazine was created to empower and inspire Women in Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend by offering enlightening and inspirational information, articles and stories about our local community. It is a fun-filled, family-friendly Magazine for all aspects of a Woman’s life from Family to Business.

We will continue to grow COASTAL BEND WOMEN Magazine by adding new sections with each issue. Some of these sections will be: • • • • • • • • •

“Coastal Bend Women” - Women in Our Community “Coastal Closets” - Fashion Section “Mommy & Me” “Coastal Home & Garden” “Local Food and Fun” “Health & Fitness” “4-Legged Friends” “Spiritual Corner” “Coupons” - & More

We want YOU to be a part of our Magazine and to help us grow!!

We welcome your valuable input with ideas for stories, articles and feedback. Please share COASTAL BEND WOMEN Magazine with your friends and follow us on Facebook to stay on top of upcoming issues dates, articles and information.

Thank you for being a part of COASTAL BEND WOMEN Magazine!

Ginger Rodriguez, Publisher / Owner

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Kenyatta Duckworth

By Fallon Jennings Photos by CMT Photography Most people have never heard the name, Kenyatta Duckworth, however her name speaks volumes for her character, her personality and her journey to success. At 12 years old, Kenyatta heard the word “Entrepreneur.” After learning what a true Entrepreneur was, it stirred dreams in her that she was determined to chase. Originally from Chicago, she was smart enough to know that if she was going to achieve her dreams, her education was of the upmost importance, and she immediately submersed herself into her education, knowing that it would bring her the power to one day be an entrepreneur. Throughout school, she gained top honors and always maintained excellent grades.

education not once, but twice. Through all of this, she never gave up. She attended classes when she could and worked odd jobs to support herself through school. In her early twenties, her determined spirit sparked, and she decided that nothing was going to stop her from getting her degree.

She eventually achieved her goal and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences from Governors State University.

In 2001, Kenyatta was introduced to the film industry and was immediately smitten and knew that was where she wanted to be. She began work as a part-time casting director while working a “normal” job. After a couple of years, she took a leap of faith on herself and her love for the film industry and walked away from her career as a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant to launch her very own casting company, Scene II Casting After graduating high school, Kenyatta Company. Many would think she attended Clark Atlanta University. was crazy, but, she was determined As a freshman in college, her only and smart. She knew she could take sister tragically passed away and on this industry. She quickly rose left Kenyatta devastated. With the through the ranks of the industry weight and emotional toll of losing and became highly recommended her sister, Kenyatta found it difficult in the entertainment industry in to focus on her studies and made the heart breaking decision Chicago. She didn’t just stop at Casting Director, she worked to return home to Chicago to allow herself to try to heal from as a Line Producer, Director, Public Relations, Associate her loss. True to her spirit, she began the journey to healing Producer and Stage Manager. She was also featured in and returned to college. With her dreams in sight and back major publications, on local television and radio shows and on the road to accomplishing her goals, Kenyatta was dealt began working with high profile clients. After bridging her another devastating blow. She was involved in a near fatal relationships with her high profile clients, she began using car accident. Among her injuries, she suffered a broken her creative talents to plan celebrity events. Kenyatta’s femur, ankle, fractured mandible and total repositioning of name was quickly being recognized and was sought after her teeth, as well as reconstruction of her jaw line and teeth. for speaking engagements at entertainment seminars and It took her over a year to fully recover from the accident. schools. After several very successful years in Chicago, Before she was 21 years old, she had already survived some Kenyatta noticed that the entertainment industry was of worst situations imaginable. She lost her beloved sister, beginning to slow down due to a booming entertainment was almost killed and had been derailed from her college industry in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta. Kenyatta

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was forced to make the difficult decision to relocate. She decided that Atlanta was the best place to put down roots and continue her career in entertainment.

Initially, Kenyatta’s move was career related. Little did she know at the time that this move had even bigger surprises and changes in store for her. After moving to Atlanta, Kenyatta met her future husband, Tim Duckworth. Tim was fresh out of college and a rising football star with aspirations of playing in the NFL. Kenyatta and Tim knew that, as a free agent, the road would be difficult, and their bond would have to remain strong. Being a free agent isn’t easy on anyone, especially a new spouse. In the beginning, you are frequently changing teams and cities. With Kenyatta and Tim being so smitten with each other, Kenyatta quickly recognized the sparkle of following a real dream in Tim’s eyes and made the ultimate sacrifice to put her business aspirations on hold and close her company in order to be available for Tim, as well as to be a mother and begin to raise a family. Tim and Kenyatta Duckworth were married in 2007, just two years shy of Tim’s career high, being the offensive lineman to Drew Brees with the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl win. A couple of short years later, Kenyatta knew that Tim’s 2011 retirement from the North Carolina Panthers was imminent, so she immediately went back into business mode and began researching business opportunities and franchises that would be conducive to her growing and traveling family. She came across direct sales, network marketing and Internet marketing and was intrigued. After speaking with and being encouraged by several successful businesswomen, she decided that this non-traditional business model was exactly for her and plunged full steam ahead. She loved the idea that due to Tim’s career and need to travel frequently and the fact that she was a full time mother of four, she had the flexibility to travel and to be a present mother to her children. As

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long as she had her trusty laptop and cell phone, she could work anywhere and the sky was the limit. Kenyatta worked hard at building her own online home based business and successfully ran the business for three years.

After retiring, Tim began a construction career which led him straight to the booming Oil & Gas Industry. Tim was an ace in the industry. He quickly moved from Service Technician to a “Company Man,” overseeing all aspects of production on drilling rigs. After working so hard to achieve this success, the Oil & Gas Industry suffered a large economic downturn. With oil prices plummeting, the Duckworth’s were forced to find another way to support their family. True to Kenyatta’s fighting spirit, she was not down for long. The Duckworth’s combined both of their abilities to create Duckworth Lawn Care Service, LLC. With Tim’s lengthy background in lawn care, landscaping and tree service that was taught to him as a boy by his father, and Kenyatta’s keen business savvy, their business was destined for success. Not only does Kenyatta oversee all day to day operations and manage a staff of more than 15 employees, she is a full time mother to their children, Cortez, 18; Chris, 16; Kamille, 6 and T.J., 2. Throughout her life, Kenyatta has been faced with overwhelming trials and tribulations and through it all, she never gave up, she never lost sight and she never stopped fighting for her dream.

She and Tim now have a hugely successful business, and having only been in business barely more than one year, they have already been awarded the honor of #1 Lawn Care Service Provider in Corpus Christi in 2015. Anyone that meets Kenyatta cannot look past her poise and grace and sheer elegance. She is always praising and lifting up the women around her and makes it her mission to help other women be successful as well. Kenyatta Duckworth is a true testament to hard work, honesty, loyalty, humility and determination.

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Sometimes People With The Worst Pasts End Up Creating the Best Futures

By Fallon Jennings That is one of my very favorite quotes in the world. Maybe it’s because I can relate. Maybe it’s because it’s true.

Regardless, it speaks to me and I think it carries a powerful message. There are so many women in the world that come from pasts that they aren’t proud of or that are dark or are painful or maybe all three. Whatever, the reason, so many people allow their pasts to define them and they lose the opportunity to create the future and the life that they have dreamed of. I was one of those people. I had resigned myself to the fact that my future was destined to be as a bleak as my past. I tucked my dreams away deep inside my soul and turned my focus to just going through the motions of my

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life. It wasn’t until I reached my thirties that I realized that I would no longer be bound to the shackles of my past and that no matter what happened, I was going to create the best future and life I could for myself, my children and my husband. It can be done.

The first thing to do is take a long look in the mirror and see who you really are. Quiet all of the noise and voices that say you can’t or you won’t. Find your inner warrior and listen only to the small voice in the very back of your head that says, “I can do this and I will do this.” Next, map out your dreams, your new future. This is the road map to your new life. This will not be easy, but it will be worth it. The only time to reference your past is for learning opportunities.

Otherwise, it’s your past, leave it there. Every night before you go to bed, plan a goal for yourself the next day. One small step closer to your new future. Every morning, look at that goal and accomplish it. It can be as simple as requesting a brochure from a college that you want to attend. Just, do it. There are going to be people along the way that are going to make you question your decision. There are even going to be people from your past that will remind you of it. Those are the people that you are going to prove wrong.

Keep your eye on the prize. Start “trimming the fat” from your life. If it isn’t positive with positive and encouraging energy, it needs to be put up on shelf and kept out of your daily life. It may be a book, a picture or even a person. I’ve had to remove myself from people that didn’t want to see

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me succeed. It hurt, but I knew that I would never get to my destination if I allowed them in my daily life. This is the time to set your soul on fire. Let that fire fuel you. As you get closer and closer to building and creating and realizing your dreams and your new future, the momentum will continue to grow and build.

You’ve worked so hard and now the moment is here. You’re going to wake up one day and think to yourself, “Is this my life?” There is no better feeling than answering that question… “Yes, this is MY life.” Never stop hunting your next dream and the next adventure that you can encounter to make your future even brighter. The last bit of advice that I can offer is to always stay humble. Never forget where you came from. That’s much different than allowing your past to control you. Be grateful. Truly grateful. Always remember the people that helped you get here, because there will be some that hold your hand through the entire journey. Those people deserve to be a part of your new future. Those people are going to be the ones that celebrate your success. Enjoy your new found strength and your new perspective on life.

Creating a new future and chasing dreams is truly terrifying, but it will change everything about you as a person. So, kick your past to the curb and create the best future ever!

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photographer spotlight

Danny Vivian

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Danny Vivian is an award-winning Texas portrait and event photographer. An avid shooter since his teens, Danny spent years photographing a wide array of subjects before focusing his concentration on the subject he loves most – people. Since then, he has become a highly soughtafter wedding and portrait photographer, and his live music photography has been published in numerous magazines, garnering industry praise.

Danny Vivian Photography 121 S Main Street, 3rd Floor Victoria, Texas 77901 361-212-3575

www.dvivianphoto.com “Capturing the personality of the moment.”

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Open Daily On NORTH BEACH IN CORPUS CHRISTI 1- 800 - LA DY- LEX USSLEXINGTON.COM

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Advertising Space Available 361-944-5074 10

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No Bake Energy Bites

By Amanda Gerber One thing I realized quickly a few years ago as a new mom was this: kids eat A LOT. While I don’t like giving my boys processed sugar, I wanted to find them a sweet treat that they would enjoy and I would feel good about feeding them.

While I was searching the Internet I found a recipe for “No Bake Energy Bites” on the Quaker Oats website that I looked like it met my requirements.

Boy, am I glad I found this recipe. I did modify it a bit to suit our taste buds, but it is definitely a keeper: healthy, gluten free, easy, and my boys go crazy over them!

Recipe Ingredients 1 cup old fashioned oats 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup chia seeds 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes 1/2 cup chocolate chips or dried fruit 1/3 cup honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Let chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Form in 1 inch balls. Makes about 2025 balls.

Store in the fridge, and enjoy!

Now, you can see how versatile this recipe can be. For example, you can swap chia seeds for flax seed. You can use whatever nut butter or sun butter to best suit your family. You can make this recipe dairy free by replacing the chocolate chips with dried fruit. The options are endless! This is personally

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our favorite variation that we’ve tried, and I’m sure your kids will enjoy them as well.

I love all the health benefits they are getting from this snack. Old fashioned oats provide their body with a good source of fiber, and helps to curb their snack time hunger. I like to use a peanut butter that doesn’t have any added ingredients; that way there are no added ingredients like high fructose corn syrup or processed sugars. The peanut butter provides my boys with a good source of protein and healthy fats. The chia seeds provide antioxidants and vitamins and minerals. The best part is the honey that’s used to sweeten the energy bites has antiviral properties, and if you can find a local honey for your family it can help alleviate allergies. Now, the chocolate chips don’t have any health benefits, but my boys think they’re eating cookies when I add them, so why crush their dreams?

totally get involved in helping to make this recipe too. They’ll have just as much fun making this recipe as they will eating it!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does! The kids can

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Potty Training Tips

By Amanda Gerber I was approached recently by a first time mom asking me to share some potty training tips. I remember that feeling of nervousness when I potty trained my first son… Wondering if I was teaching him the best way, wondering what potty training equipment I actually needed, and hoping he’d learn fast! I hope this article will give you some helpful tips, and give you some peace of mind during the process of potty training.

Here are some things to consider:

great for him: I set a timer for every 20 minutes and he would sit on his little potty (with me right next to him cheering him on) and he got a sticker every time he went potty. After about a week I didn’t need a timer anymore, but he still got stickers for one more week.

After about 3 weeks he was completely potty trained.

Now, my Timothy, on the other hand is more like his daddy: a free spirit. He doesn’t care which toy is in what bin. He doesn’t care what our schedule is, he just wants to have fun. I tried to potty train him multiple times the same way I did with Noah, and I failed miserably every 1. Every child is different. By now if you have time. Do you know when he decided to potty train? more than one child, you know this. Consider for a When I was out of town for three days! By the time I got minute, though, that if your children are different then back home, he would just tell me when he needed to go. chances are they will respond to differently to different He never used a little potty. He never needed stickers or methods of potty training (and discipline, for that a timer. He just needed his own time and his own way. matter). And you know what? That’s ok!

2. There may be setbacks. With both of our boys Noah, our firstborn, is much like me in that he likes we had small setbacks. When we were potty training systems and schedules. He likes thing a certain way: Noah, he had to go to the hospital for a crazy stomach THE ONLY WAY. Each toy belongs to its coordinating bug. So he was in diapers a couple of days during that bin. We have our weekly routine and we should always time. If something like this happens, it’s not the end stick to it. The way I chose to potty train Noah worked of the world. They don’t forget how to go in the potty.

Just pick up where you left off. Life goes on.

3. It’s not a matter of if accidents will happen, but when they will happen. Be prepared for accidents. I like to have some underwear and shorts in the diaper bag or car just in case something happens when we are out. I started keeping wipes in various places around the house to easily clean up any messes. I have found that I am much less stressed if I know all this is in place.

4. Grace. Ok, now this one is a tough one. Potty training comes easily for some kids, not so easily for others. I know it can get frustrating and it’s time consuming. I remember when I was potty training Noah thinking it was easier when he was in diapers…

BUT your efforts will pay off. In a short time, they will be able to go potty on their own and not need you anymore. They will eventually be able to clean their own bottom. It will happen before kindergarten. So for this short time, remember to have grace for your little one during this learning process. I’m right there with you, cheering you on.

Now when you’re cheering your cute little toddler on, and saying, “You can do this!” just tell yourself the same thing, You can do this!

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BBB warns online users of dating scams that could break hearts and wallets

By Kelly Trevino, Regional Director, Corpus Christi Better Business Bureau

hospital bills for a child or relative or visas and other official documents.

Millions of Americans use online dating websites, social media and chat rooms to meet people. While many people successfully find love online, Better Business Bureau serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin warns of online dating scams that could cost you your hardearned money, all in the name of love.

Change of plans. They plan on visiting, but unexpectedly are prevented by a traumatic event or a business deal gone sour. Some may also say they’re out of the country for business or military service.

Scammers typically create fake profiles on social media sites, dating sites or apps using pictures of real people and then assuming a false identity. Called “catfishing”, the scammer builds a relationship with you and eventually gains your trust.

After a few days or weeks of back-and-forth messaging, the scammer starts asking for personal information or money. In some cases, the scammer resorts to extortion and threats if you don’t pay them money or help launder money.

According to the FBI, online romance scams conned victims of all ages out of more than $200 million last year. Victims reported an average of $5,000 to $10,000 in financial losses.

Unfortunately, because of the anonymity of the Internet and the difficulty of tracing wired transfers, catching romance scammers is no easy task.

Last year, BBB received more than 900 complaints nationwide against online dating services. Complaints received reported issues with dating site subscriptions and charges incurred even after cancelling services.

To avoid any heartbreak down the road, BBB warns of these red flags in a catfish scam: Pressure to leave the dating site. The scammer immediately suggests moving the conversation to text message or your personal email. Also, watch out for profiles that message you immediately after being matched, mainly on dating apps.

Requests for money. They make multiple requests for more money. They may even test you and ask for a little at first and then continue to ask for larger amounts. In some cases, the scammer sends you money and requests you transfer it to another account.

For those in search of love online, BBB offers the following tips: Never wire money. It is difficult to get money back from people who may be misrepresenting themselves once it has been sent through a wire transfer service.

Put safety first. Avoid putting too much personal information on your dating site or social media profiles, such as home address, work information or phone number. Also, avoid giving personal or financial information to online love interests, as it could be a phishing or identity theft attempt.

Take the time to research individuals. If you see any red flags in your communication with someone, search his or her name through search engines and on social media sites.

Copy and paste portions of your emails into search engines to see if they have been associated with scams.

For more consumer information, BBB Business Reviews or to file a complaint, visit your local Better Business Bureau online at bbb.org/ central-texas. Kelly Trevino is the Regional Director for the Corpus Christi office of Better Business Bureau serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin. Kelly is available for media interviews and speaking engagements. You can reach her by phone: (361) 945-7352 or email: ktrevino@corpuschristi.bbb.org.

Hasty expressions of love. They express instant feelings of love, although they have very little knowledge of you.

Claims of citizenship. They claim to be from the United States, but are actually located in an overseas call center, deployed or on assignment elsewhere.

Sudden major expenses. Don’t wire money if you’re asked to cover travel costs, medical emergencies, hotel bills,

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