Christmas Boat Parade December 10th

2011

Saturday, December 10th    RAIN OR SHINE!

Check out the website for more details!

My Memories Suite Giveaway- WINNER!!!

I know Julia, Juan, Beth W. and Kara have been on pins and needles waiting for the results of the

  My Memories Suite Giveaway....

SOOOOO.....(dumbroll please)

My little monkey-head helped me out!

And the winner is.....

BETH W...I will be contacting you your PROMO CODE!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Guest Post by Julia Vegas: Dollars and Cents

I'm sure you all have that mom friend that always knows of all these crazy deals and makes you feel like a SPENDAHOLIC...well Julia  is my SUPER SAVER MOMMA FRIEND. Almost every time I talk to her she shares some great deal, super cheap find, and some awesome coupon just saved her a bagillion dollars. SO...I asked her to write a guest post to shed some light on this oh so important topic: SAVING $.  Now we can all be that super saver friend to someone else if we only put to use these great tips. Check out Julia's blog, I never Drank Coffee Until I had Kids,  for lots of other great posts, especially the very real and funny list of things she's learned as a NEW MOM.

Dollars and Cents
By Julia Vegas

Being a mom is hard work. So when Valeria of Making Mommy-hood Easier asked me to write about couponing/saving, I of course said “yes”! Having a child makes you really think about where your dollars and cents are going, because you want to be able to provideeverything their little hearts desire!First and foremost, if you haven’t signed up for Amazon Mom, shame on you. This is the only way I am able to spend $20 a month on diapers, and I change quite a bit of diapers (Jackson really likes spinach smoothies). Amazon Mom gives you the luxury of free 2 day shipping, and 20% of “subscribe and save” items (diapers, wipes, etc) and so much more! You also get 15% off beauty, grocery, household items (think laundry detergent for all the laundry mom’s get to do). It really is a deal. Just today I placed my monthly order for Huggies Overnites 64 count for $13. 99. That’s right folks, what costs the average mom $20 at Target, Wal-mart or any other retail store just cost me $13.99 for two months of wonderful, non-pee soaked crib sheets!
Sleeping Beauty
I purchased Huggies because Pampers Overnight diapers had Jackson waking up wet for a week straight (aka miserable baby, and miserable mommy). I’m a Huggies mom all the way, but to each their own and of course their are great deals on Pampers too! 

How else can one save? Well if your really looking to stretch your dollar, you can make your own laundry detergent! I haven’t tried this, but it sure does sound enticing to spend $20 and have clean clothes for 9 months! There are so many DIY projects that can save big bucks, even on the things you “splurge” on. Try making your own wall plug-ins, instead of paying $12 at bath and body works. Decorating a home, while on a budget can be difficult when your trying to save.Why not buy a gorgeous piece of fabric and using a stable gun, staple it to a blank canvas? In an instant, you have a new piece of wall-art! Want to have pictures taken of the kids, but don’t have the cash to pay a photographer? Tape a piece of fabric to the wall and voila!, instant photo studio! 

Also try Notifinder.com to save you time when searching Craigslist for awesome deals. I just got Jackson a Smart Trike BRAND NEW for $50 that is worth $119.99 at Toys ‘R’ Us. Sure, the kid in the back seat was probaly crying the whole way home after his mom gave it to me, but hey, my kid sure is happy! 

When it comes to food, you would be surprised by how much you throw out. I, however, was tired of throwing food out, so now I’m thankful for my freezer. One of Jackson’s favorite dinners is a turkey meatloaf I make from my “Deceptively Delicious” cookbook, which is all about using puree’s in dinners to get your kid’s to eat vegetables. With the help of my freezer, I am able to cut and save slices to easily serve later to him when I am in a rush to feed him dinner. I won’t eat the meatloaf (something about knowing puree’s are in it) so it makes it easy to make a whole batch knowing it won’t go to waste. I almost never throw food out anymore(unless it’s rotten). If Jackson only eats half a banana, the other half goes in the freezer for a smoothie another day. Won’t eat his vegetables I made? Make a tomoato sauce and throw the veggie puree in there, they won’t notice a thing! 

Coupons help save some bucks too! If your new to couponing (I am, thanks to Extreme Couponing on TLC) you can easily come up with ways to stretch a buck. I don’t know anyone who every spends full price at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They practically beg for you to have everything at 20% off! Look for your store’s weekly ad and match sales with your coupons. Doing so, I have managed to get free dog treats for Bruno, free toothpaste, shampoo for less than 25 cents, etc. I wish I would have done it sooner! You can easily print coupons from manufacturer websites up to FIVE TIMES per I.P. address! Think about the savings! The Krazy Coupon Lady is an awesome way to get in on the action of couponing. She even tells youwhat coupons to use at which store. She does the work for you, so what are you waiting for, get to saving! 

Living in Austin, I am lucky enough to have Free Fun in Austin to go to when I am in a rut for things to do without spending alot of cash. Maybe in your city, you have something similar just haven’t looked. If you don’t, why don’t you become the city guide for things to do on the cheap! You will be able to learn all about your city, it’s hidden gems, and all there is to do for free! 

Groupon, Living Social, and Eversave are just a few of many deal sites that you should definitely look into, if you haven’t already. I have been able to take Jackson, myself and Matt to the zoo three times so far for $6 total each visit! Fandango movie tickets are a great snag when they are available because what mom doesn’t need a date night with the hubby for $5 each? It’s a great way to splurge on the kids as well! I have been able to buy Jackson a month membership to My Gym for $49, which was worth $175! A few months ago, when I was not pregnant, I bought vouchers to Bikram Yoga for $30 for 5 classes! Each class at my local studio is $17 plus mat and towel, but I was able to get mat, towel and 5 classes for $30! What a steal! There is always something for everyone when you visit a deal site. Oil changes, restuarants, movies, sky diving, hotels, if you can think it, you can save money on it! 

When it comes to toys for the kids, I wouldn’t hesitate to check out retailers online websites before buying in the store. For example, I bought a pathfinder wagon for Jackson’s first birthday that was at Wal-mart for $79 in the store. Online it was $62 withfree in-store pickup. What did I do? I paid for it online, got in my car, drove the 2 miles to Wal-mart and picked up my $62 wagon that was in the store for $79. Online and In-store prices are almost never the same. Check first! 

Remember, saving doesn’t mean have a  ”boring today”, it means saving for a “better tomorrow”. You can get a deal on just about anything if you just know where to look.Good Luck saving!

Thanks Julia for sharing your WISDOM!!! 

My Memories Suite Giveaway!!!

My first Giveaway!!!!


Hello SCRAPBOOKERS!!! Any of you that know me,  know that I've scrapbooked my whole life....old school style until my son was born and it was NO LONGER realistic to be cutting letters from magazines and printing pictures and putting it all together in a scrapbook. I've dabbled with different websites, but I recently came across this scrapbook software that gives you the opportunity to create pages for your scrapbook JUST AS IF you were doing it OLD SCHOOL STYLE, but ON your computer, no cutting, no gluing, no going to get more paper if you run out of sheets.... AND IT MADE ME SO HAPPY! 

Even happier when they contacted me and told me I could give this DIGITAL SCRAP-BOOKING SOFTWARE away for FREE!!!

My Memories Suite is rated #1 by Amazon and TopTen Reviews. Using this software, anyone can create digital scrapbooks, photobooks, cards, calendars and gifts without having to buy expensive and complicated software programs.What's amazing is that this software is only $39.97! 

But I get to GIVE ONE AWAY FOR FREE, here, on my Blog!!!

 To enter the Giveaway:
1. Go to MyMemories.com 

2. Look through the digital paper pack and layouts 

3. Then comment on my blog telling me what scrapbook projects you have pending.

On  OCTOBER 28th, I will chose a winner at RANDOM!

Here is a PAGE I put together for NICO's 21st months-tomorrow...(I'm a celebrator, what can I SAY--ask my husband, I drive him nuts with all the random special days that I celebrate-First kiss anniversary, Started dating anniversary...you get the picture.)

I had to hold myself back because there are so many different and fun things to do with the pages, the pictures, the extras..... that you can loose yourself, and spend all of precious naptime scrolling through the endless possibilities of cuteness that you can FINALLY put together to actually print out to show off to your friends and family!

Aside from this giveaway, I also have a PROMO CODE you can use to get $10 off . 

Here are some instructions for you when downloading the software with MY promo code:

1. Go to http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software

2. Click on Add to Cart.

3. Enter the Promotional Code field on the shopping cart page

Coupon code is: STMMMS85924

4. Finish the checkout. 

5. To download the software, go to http://www.mymemories.com/my_accounts/downloads and click on the link to download the software. Your product key will also be displayed on that page.

Don't wait until your child moves out to start working on their scrapbooks, check this digital software out and GET THOSE BEAUTIUFL SCRAPBOOKS printed and on those coffee tables! 

And remember, The Holidays are around the corner!!

Check out the MyMEMORIES Facebook page where they are giving out A FREE IPAD!!

My Memories Blog also has lots of great tips, forums, and inspiration for your next project. 

I can't wait to read your comments!

Happy Scrap-booking!

The Journey to 26.2 Miles Started this WEEK!

I've run on open fields in the middle of Arkansas, along the ocean on both coasts, along the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea, from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre Museum along the Champs Elysee...( going under the Arc de Triumph, around the crazy city streets of NEW YORK, the winding country roads in Wine Country, the isolated virgin beaches on islands in the Caribbean, on mountains trails in the states, or slippery snowy paths on the Alps, around historic monuments like the Coliseum in Rome to the drowning city of Venice... among milllions of miles in other places.

I've used my legs to tour every city I've ever visited....created unforgetable memories with friends all over...

In 2009 I ran my FIRST Half Marathon....NOW, this January, I will use my legs to tour 26.2 miles of the city that I grew up in, MIAMI; The Miami ING Marathon; January 29,2012.

As I'm writing this, I'm nervous...because it will mean that i'm committing to racing in 16 weeks...2x the furthest distance I've ever raced. I will be racing for one mile for every year of my life. I'll be 26.1 years old on RACE DAY =)

I have my training plan printed from Runner's World (SMART COACH)...and only the coming weeks will tell how prepared I will be for this race. The reason i'm sharing this is not only because I need to SHARE IT...to force me to COMMIT, but because I know that setting fitness goals for ourselves as moms is often difficult...since we have SO MANY VIABLE and REASONABLE excuses to NOT be able to get out for a run or get a 30-45min workout in, let alone a 10-15mile run. But I do think that Nico is at a place where he is ready to take on this challenge with ME, in the stroller of course...he's start training next year...=)

However...there are times when you have to JUST DO IT!

If any of you have been teeter tottering with the IDEA of doing a Half or FULL Marathon and want to join me...LET ME KNOW!! I can email you some great sources for training tips and training planning. It would be great to know of someone else who's in this process as well!

If you are in the process of training for a race, or have already completed a Marathon...please share your tips! I'd love to hear how you did it...and how you got over the straight up FEAR of committing to 26.2 miles!

Like with everything in life...no matter how long, big, or difficult an objective/goal/situation may seem, you'll get through it ONE STEP at a time....So TAKE THE FIRST STEP (STRIDE)!

Happy Training!

Words do hurt

We all grew up with:

Sticks and stones may break my bones, 

but words will never hurt me.

However, these days, words are getting more intense, BULLYING is reaching new heights with irreversible consequences.  Before they even learn to speak, it's important to start teaching them the importance of using those words in a nice way...and it all starts with US, the role models. It's hard to remember that there is a little sponge absorbing EVERYTHING they hear and see, but we must. It breaks my heart to even think that MY SON's words might cause another child this much hurt and it hurts me even more to think that my baby head might shed tears like this child due to another child's words. 

My son isn't even 2 and hopefully years from when we'll have to discuss bullying, but I guess it's my momma sense that is already thinking ahead...AND WORRYING...

Photo from Ellen McKim Sattler's FB page

I like a song I heard once...

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words and unkind laughter are very real and we can feel them hurt  a long time after. So lets be careful with what we do and say, so that we don't hurt someone!"

Don't ask me where I heard it, cause I can't put a finger on it...but I do remember it was on a CASSETTE PLAYER (wow...old).

--------------
After i posted this, I checked my email and had a email from Parents.com with

Teach Your Kid How to Handle Bullies, in the subject line.... coincidence huh. 

Check out these 3 articles they posted:

•		Cyberbullying: What Is It?
•		Teach Your Child to Respect Others
•		18 Tips to Stop Cyberbulling

Get in the Halloween spirit with these quick and simple Ideas

Preparing your home and little ones for HALLOWEEN, might seem a little daunting and haunting...haha, but it doesn't have to be a dreaded scary event. It can be LOADS of fun!

My son and I have done the following:

Ours looked a little scarier...ahaha

1.Paper towel ghosts: Instead of hanging ours from handles, we attched long strings and tied them onto Tacs on the roof beam in the living room...so we have cute hanging ghosts in our living room.

2. Yummy Jello Gigglers Pumpkin activities that my sister suggested. Here are some more ideas for JELLO-ween!

3. Pumpkin carving/ seed roasting- This is actually an activity we have for later TODAY or Tomorrow...you'll see pictures HERE soon!

We are making pumpkin cut outs and using  Cool Whip with Green Dye, we're adding some final touches.

Check out these other Halloween Ideas from Kaboose.com for Fun Family Activities that will surely get you in the HALLOWEEN SPIRIT!!

 Pumpkin cap Instructions here

 Witch Instructions here

 I am definitely going to try this one:

What you'll need:

• Glass canning jars with lid bands

• Acrylic paint: green, white, black

• Paintbrush

• Large, medium, and small round sponge applicators

• Black marker

• 2 metal nuts per jar

• Instant grab glue

• Clear gloss sealer spray

How to make it:

1. Remove tops from jars; remove lids from the bands and save them for another project. (See photo.)

1. Paint bands black and jars green; set aside to dry. (See photos 1, 2.)

1. When dry, paint a second coat on the jars and have an adult spray the black bands with sealer spray. Set aside to dry.

1. Dip the large round sponge applicator into white paint and dot on the eyes to the front of the jar. (See photo.)

1. Mix a small amount of green paint with some white paint to make a light shade of green. Dip the small round applicator into the green paint and add the nose to the front of the jar. (See photo.)

1. While the eyes and nose are drying, take the black marker and lightly draw on stitches and a mouth on the face. (See photo.)

1. Use instant grab glue to attach a nut to the side of the jar. Allow it to dry for several minutes before turning the jar over and gluing a nut to the other side. Stand the jar up and let everything dry. You may need to check the nuts and make sure they are sticking. Simply press them back in place if need be. (See photo.)

1. Dip the medium round sponge applicator into black paint and add the pupils to the eyes. Allow them to dry completely. (See photo.)

1. Have a grown up spray the jars with gloss sealer spray, each jar and black band should get three coats, wait 30 minutes between coats.

1. When everything is dry, screw the black bands back onto the jars and add a tea light candle.  Wait until it gets dark and watch them glow! (See photo.)

Tips:

1. For a safer option, you can purchase battery-operated tea light candles.

1. If you don't have canning jars, you can use any type of recycled glass jar. Simply paint the rim of the jar black in place of a band.

1. These jars make great holders for your Halloween party table as well. Fill them with pixie sticks, straws, or lollipops!

Ghost Instructions here

Vampire Instructions here

Besides these great ideas...I also found these AMAZING PUMPKIN LETTERS that you can use to decorate just about anything! A-Z and #0-9. If you are feeling really crafty, You can print those letters on IRON ON PAPER (transfer paper can be bought a Michaels or any store of that sort. Click here to find a store.) and Print your CHILD's NAME onto a CANVAS TOTE Trick or treating bag! How's that for super crafty momma! Make sure you print the image as a MIRROR IMAGE...so that when you Iron it on to the bag...it won't look backwards. =)

Happy Halloweening!!!

Difficult times...with no explination

Like I've said before, Motherhood is a complex state, it's one that tests your courage, your trust in the greater plan, and in life itself.There are days when it's ups and downs get to you, but on those days I try to think of how this role I have is a special gift....a gift that some moms wait years to experience.

Some people stumble upon motherhood at around 18 weeks (me)...and by God's grace completely....since I'd been doing everything from extreme manual labor to lack of good nutrition during those first couple weeks of my pregnancy(while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama). However, there are other mothers that will themselves through many painful experiences, time and time again, all in hopes that they can hold a baby...their own miracle, in their hands one day.

Yesterday my sister called me to tell me that her co-worker and friend who was 3 1/2 months pregnant had suffered a miscarriage. She called to ask me what she should say to her...I didn't have an answer for her. All I know is that everyday that goes by, you fall in love even more with your baby and it must be such a difficult time for her friend right now. My sister told me that she called my mom for advice....and my mom just started crying.

You see the thing is....My mother was one of those moms--those moms that had to wait, and pray, and wait some more to finally be OUR MAMMA. She and my father lived through 1 still born (full-term), and 4 miscarriages (the first 2 in the last trimester and the last 2 in the second trimester). That's 5 painful losses in a 12 year time-span. They did everything in their power to become parents, like so many couples who try millions of things, that in the end lead them to feeling even more helpless, and empty.

Fortunately a doctor in Miami from UM, Mary J. O’Sullivan, M.D., took my moms case and promised to help her have a baby. With a 2 year treatment, daily stomach injections each costing ($$$$$) big bucks, and bed-rest, my mother was able to finally hold me in her arms...a baby she thought she would never get to have, and one that took her a while to believe was really hers. Because they did have a two year window, my parents tried for #2, my sister and were again able to witness a miracle.To this day, doctors aren't sure why my mom had so much trouble having children, but I honestly think that God's mysterious ways just don't have explanations or reason sometimes. (This caused my mom a lot of stress towards the end of my pregnancy because she didn't want me to suffer any losses, like she endured.)

Both my sister and I have grown up, reaping that love that they started storing 12 years before we were even conceived. To some we may be sheltered, or babied, or "consentidas" , but to those that know my parents' story, they understand that for my parents...wanting to enjoy and be a part of our lives as much as possible was a dream that they thought they might never get to live out. I've always been thankful for the relationship that we have, their love for us, and all the sacrifices they've made for us to be a family....but now that I have my own little family, I am beginning to catch a glimpse of how difficult it must have been for them all those years of loss...and the choices that we are so inclined to make once we start thinking like a mamma and a papa.

Mommy and Daddy, I'm sorry for all the suffering you lived through but THANK YOU for being patient and enduring everything you did...still holding on to the hope of making us all a FAMILY one day.

Mommy y daddy, Perdon por todo el sufrimiento que les toco vivir pero GRACIAS por ser pacientes, y superar todo lo que superaron...aguantadose a la esperaza de convertirnos en UNA FAMILIA un dia!

Here are some excerpts from a poem that my dad wrote years before I was born...for "me" while he was waiting to get his chance to become a daddy.

Ya veras……/                            You'll see

Lo felices que seremos/             How happy we'll be

Al lograr combatir/                  As we are able to combat

Lo que al final venceremos/     That which we'll in the end overcome

.......

No son notas de nostalgia/             These are nostalgic notes

Que escribo para ti/                       That I write for you

Son tal vez  cánticos mensajeros/  They are maybe little song messengers

Que pudiesen reposarse en ti./       That could rest in you.

Pero en esta noche solitaria/          But on this solitary  night

Silenciosa….                                    Silent...

En las que nos hace falta/                In which we miss

Tú presencia./                                   Your presence. 

 .......

Entonces, que placenteras/  Then, Enjoyable

Serán aquellas mañanas/      Will be those mornings

En que tus manitas/              In which your little hands

Estrechen las nuestras./        Will stretch on ours.

Jan 3, 1982, 3 years before I was born

So, Manuela, I still don't really know what you should tell your friend, besides be there. My heart goes out to her.  I hope she can feel the love and support that she needs right now to get through this very difficult time.