2015 Dream Boards for Mommy & Toddler

Is the first full week of January 2015 already over!?
We didn't write New Year's Resolutions because I started off the year with a "Just Get It Done" mentality that didn't involve pen and paper.
But after a few days into January, I started feeling the January Blues, like "where the heck are my goals and visions!?" LOL.
So I turned to my box of old magazines that were moments away from heading to the recycling bin and decided to make my first-ever "Dream Board".
I thought it would also be fun to get Benny involved and discuss the things I envision for him in 2015, like getting the potty-training thing down and enrolling him in some type of toddler sport or activity.
I used the same burlap board that has been the source of many projects throughout the years as the base of my dream board and decorated it with a big polka dot bow (mostly to use up board space since the board is rather large and I was running out of patience clipping so many magazine pics).
Mainly, my dream board consists of ideas I have for leading a happy, healthy lifestyle in 2015.
Benny's Dream board was made from construction paper and colorful shape cutouts...
More than anything, it was a good way to make my first crafting activity for the year and start putting some images to this new "Just Get it Done" mentality!
Have a great weekend!

Benny's 2015 Dream Board...hehe

I took time to explain to Benny there are some things we'd like for him to accomplish this year

...And gave him the liberty to start placing the clips on his board

Among our dreams for Benny this year: 1.To leave the diapers behind 2. To get him enrolled in a toddler sport 3. To meet a real astronaut at the Kennedy Space Center 3. To learn how to swim

4. To get in the habit of brushing his teeth every morning & night 5. To begin enjoying fruits and vegetables more 6. To join mom and dad in hikes and outdoor activities 7. To continue expanding his vocabulary through books

We'll see how things go...

Mommy's Dream Board :)

Be at home more often this year and focus on health, which means clean eating and shopping for nutritional foods.

Dreams: To finally run a marathon, to get fit, enjoy some bubbly at a getaway destination with my husband and hopefully start planning for Baby # 2 at the end of the year!

Dream: To become a Disney Mom Panelist!! (and to visit Disney World again)

I also dream of buying a home, exploring every city in Los Angeles County and keeping things classy and fancy all year long!

En español

¿Será posible que la primera semana completa de enero 2015 ya concluyó?

No escribí Resoluciones de Año Nuevo porque empecé el año con una mentalidad que no implicaba pluma y papel, solo la idea de "Hay que hacerlo y punto”.
Pero después de unos días en este primer mes del año, me empecé a sentir un poco triste, así como preguntándome, ‘¿dónde diablos están mis metas y aspiraciones?’
Así que tomé la caja de revistas viejas que estaba a pocos momentos de partir hacia el bote de reciclaje y decidí hacer mi primer "Muro de sueños".
Pensé que también sería buena idea involucrar a Benny y hablar sobre las cosas que imaginamos para él en el 2015, como que finalmente deje los pañales y matricularlo en algún tipo de deporte o actividad de niños.
Para este proyecto, utilicé el mismo tablero de arpillera que ha sido la fuente de muchos otros proyectos en años anteriores. Esta vez, coloqué un moño de bolitas como la decoración principal (más que nada, lo hice para utilizar espacio ya que el tablero es bastante grande y me estaba impacientando con tanto recorte de revistas).
Principalmente, mi muro está cubierto con imágenes de ideas que tengo para llevar acabo un estilo de vida feliz y saludable en el 2015.
Y sobra decir que fue una buena manera de hacer mi primera actividad tipo artesanal del año y visualizar con imágenes esta mentalidad nueva de "Hay que hacerlo y punto".
¡Que pasen un feliz fin de semana!

Cuteness & Cultura-- Viva Los Cupcakes! My New Favorite LA-based Dessert!

Can you imagine the most flavorful and delicious Mexican dish baked into a perfectly sweet cupcake?
At first, I wasn't sure if a mole flavored dessert would agree with my palate! I usually eat mole with corn tortillas, rice, beans and slices of avocado & queso fresco. (BTW, mole is a dark brown Mexican sauce that's served over chicken made with chili peppers, chocolate and other ingredients).
But when I tried the Tamal con Mole cupcake by Los Angeles-based company "Viva Los Cupcakes!" I was wowed.
This small, but amazingly creative local business has come up with unique cupcake flavors, each reminiscent of my mother and grandmother's cooking, growing up in a Mexican home.
For example, there's a 'Champurrado' flavored cupcake (Champurrado is a chocolate-based drink made with masa). There's also a Jamaica cupcake that tastes like my mom's 'Agua de Jamaica' (think of a cold Hibiscus tea).
And what can I say about the Conchita cupcake? (A concha or conchita is a popular type of Mexican sweet bread that's made to look like a sea shell). This one certainly passed Benny's taste test!
There are a bunch of other Mexican food flavored cupcakes created and baked by Viva Los Cupcakes! (Founder: Karina Jimenez)
I discovered them at a local Chicano Art & Jewelry Exhibit last weekend.
And now I'm definitely a fan.
Visit the Facebook Page here: Viva Los Cupcakes!

Love at First Sight! This was the display I came across over the weekend during an Art Exhibit. I decided to buy three cupcakes and try them at home with my boys

Margarita Cupcake

The Signature "Tamal con Mole" Cupcake is incredible!!!!!!!

En español

¿Pueden imaginarse el platillo mexicano más delicioso en forma de un pastelito dulce? Al principio no estaba segura si un postre con sabor a mole estaría de acuerdo con mi paladar. Por lo general disfruto el mole con tortillas de maíz, arroz, frijoles y rebanadas de aguacate y queso fresco.
Pero cuando probé el pastelito de sabor a “Tamal con Mole” creado por la compañía “Viva Los Cupcakes!" con sede en Los Ángeles, me quedé impresionada.
Esta pequeña, pero creativa repostería local ha llegado con sabores únicos, cada uno recordándome a la cocina de mi mamá y de mi abuelita.
Por ejemplo, hay una pastelito con sabor a Champurrado. También hay uno de sabor “Jamaica” que me recuerda a las aguas frescas de Jamaica que hace mi mami.
¿Y que les puedo decir del pastelito sabor a Conchita? Indiscutiblemente pasó la prueba de gusto de mi hijito Benny.
Hay muchos otros pastelitos con sabor a distintos alimentos mexicanos creados y horneados por Viva Los Cupcakes! (su fundadora: Karina Jimenez).
Me alegro de haberlos descubierto en una exposición de arte Chicano cerca del centro de Los Ángeles el fin de semana pasado. Fue verdaderamente un descubrimiento rico!
Me agrego a la lista de fanáticos.

Visite la página de Facebook: Viva Los Cupcakes!

Top 14 Memories of 2014

I think 2014 was a good year for the family.
My little sister got married in Switzerland and we traveled to Europe for her big day and ended up visiting a total of four countries with our little Benny.
Paul and I also flew to Cancun for another destination wedding of our close friends.
I moved to Washington D.C. for the summer to complete a special assignment for work.
Paul continued training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and we joined the Ultimate Fighting (UFC) Gym.
Overall, many great things can be said about 2014.
However, 2014 was also an extremely busy year, with many expenses, many commitments, many last-minute plans and few, real personal accomplishments (I didn't obtain my 'abs of steel' as I had promised myself, nor did I run my first marathon or save up to buy a house as intended).
BUT.... since we're choosing to never have regrets because we're happy, healthy and hopeful... Here's to a GREAT 2015!
And by great, I'm referring to simplicity, organization, and tranquility. I'm talking about pure F's (Faith, Family, Fitness & Finances). I'll be completing a dream board (and one for Benny too) maybe cutting clips of phrases and pictures and pasting them on a board is more promising than writing down our goals on a piece of paper like we did last year...LOL
In any case, best wishes for a fabulous 2015!
Here are our Top 14 Memories of 2014 (notice the "4" theme as this is being posted on January 4th):

1. February 2014 - We kicked off the year with a Pin-Up Girl-themed Bridal Shower from my sister Frances who moved to Switzerland a few weeks later to start a new chapter as a married woman! Details of her bridal shower here

2. Spring 2014 - My love and I took a much needed weekend getaway trip to Cancun for our friends' wedding



3. In 2014 - I completed my 3rd half marathon! I finished the Disney Dumbo Double Dare for a total of 19.3 miles.



4. Early May 2014 - Began my temporary move to Washington DC. While I was away from home, my parents visited me and brought my little Benny so he could spend time with mommy,

5. May 18, 2014 - We began our European Journey at Disneyland Paris which was simply Magnifique!!!!

6. May 24, 2014- The wedding of Frenchee and Danny was the most elegant affair of 2014.



7. May 2014 - The BEST meal we enjoyed in Europe was at a small, quaint family-owned restaurant in Dusseldorf, Germany (between the fine cuts of meat and frothy locally-brewed beer, we didn't want to leave!)

8. Time to return home - After a 3-week journey in Europe we returned home with hopes of going back someday soon! Benny enjoyed hanging out at the children's play area at Zurich Airport



9. July 2014 - Independence Day in our Nation's Capital

10. Summer 2014 - During Benny's second trip to the East Coast, we traveled to New York and let him hangout with a cab driver.

11. Summer 2014 - Flew home from Washington one weekend to see my family and meet my Bestie's baby girl Zuraya. She was two days old in this picture

12. Halloween 2014 - Benny was the perfect little Peter Pan (red hair and all) at Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland

13. December 6, 2014 - We celebrated Benny's 2nd Birthday with a Spaceship Theme. Notice how he sneaked his fingers into the cake frosting!



14. NYE- We closed off the year with Benny and my BFF's baby girl Zuraya proving to be the best of cousins!

En español

Creo que el 2014 fue un buen año para la familia.

Mi hermana menor se casó en Suiza y viajamos a Europa para su gran día y terminamos visitando un total de cuatro países con nuestro pequeño Benny.
Paul y yo también viajamos a Cancún para otra boda de unos buenos amigos.
Me mudé a Washington DC durante el verano para completar una asignación especial de mi trabajo.
Paul continuó entrenando en el arte marcial de Jiu- Jitsu y nos unimos al gimnacio ‘Ultimate Fighting Championship‘ (UFC GYM).
En general, se pueden decir muchas cosas buenas del año 2014.
Sin embargo, el 2014 fue también un año muy ocupado, con muchos gastos, muchos compromisos, muchos planes de última hora y pocos logros personales (Por ejemplo, no obtuve mis ' abdominales de acero', como me prometí a mí misma, ni corrí mi primer maratón, ni ahorramos para comprar una casa como habíamos planeado).
PERO .... Como hemos elegido no arrepentirnos de nada porque tenemos salud , somos felices y soñadores,... ¡Hay que brindar por un excelente año 2015!
Y al decir ‘excelente’, me refiero a un año de simplicidad, organización y la tranquilidad. Estoy hablando de cosas que comienzan con la letra “F” (Fe, Familia, Físico y Finanzas). Voy a hacer un muro de metas (y otro para Benny también) tal vez el cortar fotos y frases de revistas y pegarlas en una tabla resultará más efectivo que escribir nuestras metas en una hoja papel como lo hicimos el año pasado…jajaja
De cualquier manera, son nuestros mejores deseos ¡que tengan un año 2015 fabuloso!
Aquí están nuestros catorce recuerdos más añorados del año 2014 (observar el uso del número "4 ", ya que esta notita se está publicando el 4 de enero. JAJAJA):