Tuesday, February 16, 2016

::Timing and Being Serious::


I have been going through a bit of a "transition", maybe claiming a new sense of self and peace. Growing further in my own skin and owning who I really am. With moments like this always come a time of reflection. And, yesterday as I drove to lunch I had a couple of thoughts and one of them was how life is so short and really shouldn't be taken so serious. The second thought was about timing. How it has worked out for the better in my life and how I am now taking advantage of it. 

When I was in college my Biology professor who was probably about my age now, in her 30's, said this to me after I complained about an A-minus when I wanted an A or higher in her class. She said;

"It is not that serious. You think this class is the rest of your life, girl, you have a long way to go. And, this class is nothing compared to the real world. So, get over it." 

Boy was she right. At almost 35, I look around and think about people and all I can say is, "It is NOT that serious." I have had those words in my life for years since I was a 20-year-old in that Biology class. Trust me, my perspective on that day in that class to now 15 years later has truly changed. I have been through so much in my life, that now I can't help but think how short life is, and how it's really not that serious. Taking yourself too seriously and thinking that one experience or moment will define you, is not good for you.

I am not saying that I became this irresponsible person, who just threw caution to the wind and never strived for an A-plus or higher again. But, I did tone my seriousness down, cause I realized that life was about so much more than that A-minus in that one class! Y'all life is too short, there is so much to be lived, to be hung up on one thought, one idea, or one grade. I learned it all the hard way, as most of us do. These days I am serious when needed, just not all the time. 


Then I think about how timing is everything.

Yesterday I drove past two business that I had previously interviewed at, on the same street where I work now.  In the last two years, I had been looking for work but wanted to remain near my house for the sake of time and my kids. I used to work across the street from my house, but the position there wasn't what I had in mind for my career path. I knew I had to find a better job, even if meant driving further than across the street. Why remain in a toxic environment or a place you know doesn't fit who you are, when so much more it out there.

Well in those years I interviewed for two very good companies about 20 minutes from my house. The jobs both had good pay, but extended hours which was doable to some extent and were good positions. But, I wasn't selected for those jobs. Then I received a promotion at work and thought I would be fine to stay across the street from house, for a while longer. I wasn't really searching anymore. But, one day out of the blue in June of last year, a friend emailed me and asked if I was still looking for work. I said no but wouldn't mind hearing more about the opportunity she had.

Today I work exactly 15 minutes from my house, hours are great, pay is perfect and I am off every other Friday. I am still close to home and the job demand is better than what the other two jobs were asking for. Point is, that no matter how great the other two jobs were or how close I thought they were. The timing wasn't right. Now I drive past those two companies when I go to lunch and have no regrets about my new job.

Sometimes we want things to happen on our time and when we want them, but the stars and moon have to align for that perfect moment when all things good come. And, we just have to wait for those things to happen. Of course always working towards our goals but giving it time to reach us. And, time for us to learn and embrace our current situations.

Life is like that...a series of unexpected events that we sometimes need to embrace...




Happy Tuesday Everyone. 

Monday, February 15, 2016

::Weekend Snapshots:: Link Up with 3TwentySix

I love the link-up over at 3TwentySix, Ari is one of my favorite series creators and I love following her posts. This weekend I decided that I would join her on Monday for the Weekend Snapshot series. 

Here we go. 

Friday. 

Last week, I had a very long week. Deadlines at work and tons to do made me eh, the whole week. When Friday came I was ready for some me-time. I did something I seldom do. I headed to the mall right after work. Glad, I did. I found some great deals and something to wear for an event on Saturday. 

My finds came from; 




Teavana, I had been wanting to visit this store but had not been able to in the past. I didn't realize they actually make you fresh tea there. I was looking for a loose tea strainer since mine broke. I love tea and drink it almost daily. This store was heaven. Glad I finally visited and found the cutest strainer. 

Francesca's where my Sister-in-Law had given me a Christmas gift card and I was ready to use it. It's a great store, but not quite my style. I feel I am at times, not as "whimsical" as I like to be, this store has great clothing just not quite what I wear. But, I did find some great t-shirts. I also love all of their accessories. 

Icing they have some great accessories and word graphic art. I found a great quote which I love, She believed she could so she did. Obviously, I had to buy it, I don't know yet if I will take it to work or keep it at home. It's a great reminder that no matter what if we believe in ourselves, we can do anything. 

Finally, I was looking for something to wear for Saturday, since I would be moderating and speaking on a panel for Career Day with the Houston Hispanic Forum. Since, I didn't really find anything that suit me at Francesca's I headed over to my favorite store, New York and Company. I buy all my work clothes there and of course most of my casual clothes too. I can never go wrong. I ended up with a great blouse and 2 pair of soft sole flats. Which I love and also found 2 black dress pants, all for $88.00, yes, winning for sure! Everything was on sale. Loved it. 




In all my trip to the mall was very good, I got a lot of things I needed and wanted. 

Saturday. 


Saturday turned out to be a great experience. A while back my good friend Sybil invited myself and our HLB co-founder Jihane, to speak on the Print and Digital Media panels for Career Day which is hosted by the Houston Hispanic Forum. This past week before the event, she also asked us to moderate the panels we were on. This was a first for me. I honestly like it more than just speaking. It was a very fun experience. I loved seeing all the young kids there who are considering different career paths and obtaining the information they need to succeed. I met a lot of local writers, news anchors and radio personalities whom I follow online and had not had a chance to meet in person.  




Something that I love and thought about was that, as Speakers, we were all volunteers to the event, there are certain connections and knowledge that you just can't pay for or be paid to obtain. Everyone was very nice and informative, so willing to give out their best career advice. And, reminded everyone that sometimes it's not a straight shot into a set career, the journey can be long. Don't focus on how you will get there, simply work hard and do what you love. I will be writing more about some of the panelist and what I learned later this week. 






Sunday. 

Sunday was Valentine's Day, the Hubby and I don't do big gifts or fancy dinners, for years we have decided that it's just a day. But, with the kids now, we always try to do something special. Last year we started a double date lunch, we took them out to a "fancy" lunch. This year, I went and bought them kolaches and donuts for breakfast and we decided to try a late lunch, early dinner. After all the whining and complaining,  and prying my couch potato, home-bodies away from the house, we finally made it through a good meal and even got some good pictures of the two best dates ever. 






The rest of my day consisted of napping, laundry and cleaning two very messy kid rooms. But, it was a super productive weekend. So, I have no complaints! 




Now off to my Monday!! Have a great week everyone. 

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Toyota Latino ::Scion IA:: #ad

Momma Disclosure :: This is a compensated post. All opinions and statements are my own.::



I have, since last year, tried a series of cars  from Toyota, and contrary to my Husband's thought, who is a big guy and didn't quite fit in the Scion IA. To me a 5'1" momma of dos {2} small kids, the Scion IA is now my favorite car! I loved driving it. Trust me I have loved the other cars but this one was just such a perfect fit. For my family size and more importantly for my wallet! Which in this changing economy is great for all families.



Number one reason, it's all about that gas baby. As a true "Soccer Momma" who drives across town for events and meetings, and is just constantly on the go, the gas guzzlers are usually a drain on my pocket. I had the Scion IA for 7 days, I drove and went everywhere in it. And, on day 7, I kid you not, we had only wasted a little over half the tank. That to me is awesome. Call me crazy, but if I don't have to spend on gas, I am happy! I am sure many can relate.



The car is awesomely compact. It is a huge difference from my current SUV, which I can pretty much fit anywhere but I was loving the smaller car. And, although it was compact, it had just enough room for my kids and all of our stuff that we carry daily in and out of the house. You know backpacks, toys, books, lunch bags, equipment, props, groceries. You name it, it fits! My kids loved the entertainment panel which displayed the station logo and sometimes the picture of the artist being played on the radio. Of course, their favorite feature was being able to call GranMa Chelo via the car Bluetooth. It's such a great feature that allows you to make a quick phone call while driving. We called my Momma and the kids got to tell her once more that we had a "new car".  

I felt like a Momma race car driver and loved all the techy features of the Scion IA. It's a great car, the perfect size for my family of four, with economic gas mileage and the price isn't too bad either.

Thank you to Toyota and the Houston Drive Shop for the great service and cars. You can see more here: https://www.facebook.com/ToyotaLatino/ Follow Toyota, #ToyotaLatino 




Monday, February 8, 2016

::Baby Numero Tres:: Warning. I am not pregnant.


:: The Story ::

When Ricardo and I first got married, we knew we wanted children. We didn't have a specific number in mind. We just knew we wanted kids. We also knew we had a certain level of stability we wanted to reach before we had them, we knew the goals we needed to accomplish before becoming pregnant. We didn't count on having fertility issues. And, the same year that we decided to check into those issues was also the year I became pregnant with my little boy. My Santiago is a true blessing and soon after came another beautiful blessing, Camila. Becoming pregnant back to back was a shock both to me as a Momma and to my body for more than obvious reasons. I had several surgeries before I had Santiago to remove tumors and cysts. Then two c-sections back to back, trauma is probably the easiest way to describe it but it was bad. Really bad. Still the thought of a third baby lingers.  

As 2015 ended we had a couple of family members, who had babies. The question to us as parents of {Dos} is usually, are you going to have another baby?

My quick reply would be, "uhm, nope."

My thought out response would be, "I don't really want to but Ricardo does."


:: The Thoughts ::

Deep down inside I think about it and wonder. Could I do it? Would it slow me down? Do we really want to? And, would we still be able to maintain the crazy unstoppable lifestyle we have now?

I know if you ask parents of two or more children they will quickly tell you, that it's doable. But, we are all different. We have different levels of tolerance, different abilities, and different interest. I love my children. We do so much with them, I do so much for my blog and for myself. I feel that at almost 35 I want to be a little more selfish and if I have another baby right now, that would not be possible.

In February, I go see my Ob-Gyn. She will help put a piece of the puzzle into perspective and further help me determine what is best for my aging and always changing Momma body. I am thankful that I was able to have two children when doctors were uncertain if I could even have one. Now, it's all said and done. I have two amazing little beings who drive me INSANE on a daily basis, sometimes minute after minute.

Another one of my thoughts is, I feel that I can't, or maybe don't want to, handle a third. I feel we are done having children. My two are very happily spoiled rotten by SO many, we like it that way. And, as parents, we are able to fully provide and comfortably give them so much and that's not just material things, but time and attention as well. 



:: The Reality ::

The reality is that as "planned" as Camila and Santiago were they didn't come at the most "ideal" moments. We had SO many struggles throughout my pregnancies. In our marriage, in our finances, with our families, with our health, achieving stability and reaching the goals we have now reached. That as "prepared" as we were to have children in our 30's, we still didn't have it all figured out and we totally created the life we have today, one day at a time. So, if I were to become pregnant with a third baby would we be ok? Of course. We have made it through some pretty crazy moments and have made the best of the last 10 years. A third baby would be more than welcome. Are we trying to have a 3rd baby? No, not really. Will things fall into place if we did? Yes, things always fall into place. 

The third child in this picture is my nephew and that's my Dad trying to be Super GranPa back in 2012, but I am sure this would be us pretty much every day if we did have a third baby. Am I ok with that? Sure. I mean look how much fun it was to watch my Hubby graduate from UH, while he was unemployed with two toddlers and I worked 40 plus hours as an Assistant Manager with Harris County.  Fun times, ya'll...fun times! 


Friday, February 5, 2016

::Houston Events/Giveaways with HLB Members:: #HLBNetwork




Join local Latina Blogger Sharon of the Bitchy Business Briefs THIS SATURDAY, February 6th!! American Heart Association - Houston will be at Macy's, Total Go RED Makeover from 2-4 pm inside Memorial City Mall located at 900 Gessner Road, Houston, Texas 77024. 

Bring your girlfriends and when you turn in your event passport you will be entered into a drawing for $250.00 Macy's gift card. 

#GoRedHouston #LatinasGoRed 


Follow Sharon:
Blog: http://www.thebitchybusinessbriefs.com/#!blank/cx97
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBiitchyBusinessBriefs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonLeeZapata
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebitchybusinessbriefs/

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Myself and fellow co-founder of Houston Latina Bloggers, Jihane have been invited to speak on the Careers in Media: Print and Digital panel for Career Day on Saturday, February 13 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. I will be speaking about my experience as a writer/blogger who has also written for magazines and newspapers. 

As a blogger/writer I have great respect for everyone in the field and take so much pride in not only what I do but also teaching young Hispanics in our community how they too can reach their goals.


Students from 6th to the 12th grade can learn about what it takes to get into the print industry, how digital media is complimenting and transforming print media. What positions are available in these two fields and what you can do to be a part of it. 

Join us as we join many other local faces and voices of television and radio! It promises to be a great learning experience; see all the details at: www.hispanic-forum.org


::More about Jihane::

    {Jihane is on the far left in the dark blue shirt. Picture  by Alex Montoya of D'mont Photography} 

My name is Jihane. I am a British Latina, vegetarian(ish), mother of one, multicultural, tree hugger blogger. I blog about organic, natural, sustainable, cruelty-free and vegetarian topics and products, as well as the challenges of raising a vegetarian child in Texas. 

I moved to Houston 5 years ago all the way from Newcastle upon Tyne, England!  

I started blogging  back in 2011, during that time I was doing a Masters in Communications at the University of St Thomas and thought a blog would help me with my writing skills. Blogging, not only did help me become a better writer but it also helped me become better at networking, media pitching and PR. Soon enough I was part of Latism Houston Chapter and the Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals. 

I am now the proud co-founder of Houston Latina Bloggers; an idea that started after Connie, Ariana and I meet at Blog Elevated 3 years ago. We believe in the power of our voice, the voice of the modern, hard working, passionate and caring Latinas not only in Houston but around the world. It was this vision that drove us together and that continues to move us forward with this project. I look forward to working with all of you and finding out more about the Latinas that move Htown! 

Follow Jihane: 
Twitter & IG: @onixJihane  


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Our very own HLB Social Media Director will have her first ever workshop! It will be an Instagram 101 class which will have great content to help grow and promote your brand. Great for new bloggers or small business owners. The class will be February 20th and is $35.00, a perfect investment of long term results! You can RSVP HERE


Follow Ariana:

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::Giveaways::

If you follow Nikki a beautiful Latina and her blog over at Lipstick and Brunch, then you know she has a great giveaway on her right now! For all you looking to create some unique wall art with Minted. She has a perfectly crafted post over on her site, where you can learn more about her newest Valentine's Day giveaway

    {Photo Credit: Nikki of Lipstick and Brunch}

::More about Nicole::

My name is Nicole (most people call me Nikki) and I built a career working in women's and food magazines as a professional photographer and beauty writer. This blog is my curated space in the cyber-universe where you'll find my travels & foodie moments, frugal fashion finds that will make you look expensive, celebrity sightings and event coverage and my make-up obsession translated into beauty subscriptions, hauls and reviews. Be inspired. Live happily. Smile in the face of adversity. Be bold and never give up!

Follow Nicole:


CHI Espanol currently has a giveaway on their site and HLB members are helping promote it. 

This contest is only open to those within the USA. The link to register is: http://gvwy.io/cmbxpnx 

Deadline to register is Feb 19th!! You are your BFF will have the opportunity to win; Shampoo, Conditioner, hair spray, a CHI bag and styling iron.                                                                   




Wednesday, February 3, 2016

::Wordless Wednesday:: Kind of...




Our days pretty much follow this pattern plus add some tears and tantrums not all by the toddlers...adults have their moments too! 

Happy Wednesday! 






Tuesday, February 2, 2016

:: Top 10 Reasons to Create and Attend a Vision Board Workshop:: #theBitchyBusinessBriefs


Last week I was able to support and attend my good friend and strategic partners' Vision Board Workshop. Sharon of the Bitchy Business Briefs is a fellow momma of dos and an inspiration for Latina entrepreneurs everywhere. She is not only a sassy pants but is also very genuine and creative. Her ideas are so unique and she has definitely pulled me out of creative ruts time and time again. 

Her class was given at a local technical college. I asked Sharon the following questions and here are her replies-
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What did you personally gain from your vision Board workshop?

"Great question! There were quite a few important "nuggets" I personally gained from my Vison Board Workshop...I'll share two: In the beginning of the workshop, I noticed a young man who was not interested at all in what we were doing, in what I was sharing, etc.
As the class was getting busy with cutting out pictures of visuals to glue on their board, he made a remark that caught me by surprise: "This sucks, these magazines suck; there are no good pictures in any of them" ...when he said this, I was taken off guard...Being the quick sassy-pants thinker that I am, very nicely I told him, "You suck, there is the door you are invited to leave..you don't have to be here."  Well, of course, you could hear crickets in the room!  I asked the teacher to turn up Pandora Music! LOL!   
The funny thing is, he went on to create probably one of the most impressive Vision Boards in the class.  He showed me his board when he completed it. I told him,  "Wow! you did an amazing job...you are so creative" I was impressed. He had created a Vision Board that represented the way he sees life...very authentic. He then opened up to me and said he had a great time and he  was glad he stayed.
The second personal "nugget" I gained from my Vision Board Workshop was very personal... 
Halfway through the class, I had 2 students ask me if they could talk to me outside in the hallway. The first student was a young girl, who told me she wants to be a motivational speaker like me.  She said she saw me speak last year and then again today in the Vision Board Workshop.  It was then at that moment, I realized that what I shared with these students did make an impact. I don't think of myself as a motivational speaker.  I am just uber passionate about helping others realize their full potential and that they have bigger goals to reach.
The second student that asked me to talk with her outside of the classroom was an older lady (she recently returned to college to wrap up her degree) I was so touched when shared with me that after reading my book (last year) it gave her courage to make some serious changes and improvement in her life. She told her older son to move out and she told him that she was not responsible for raising his kids. She left a bad marriage. She returned to college and will be graduating in six months.
O.K. that blew me away...that was powerful and unexpected.  I am sincerely thankful for the gift I am able to share: my writing.  Sometimes we are so hard on ourselves and we don't think anyone is reading, watching, listenig...when really they are. 
Hooray for the positive power of social media LOL!"

What's your advice to young attendees?

"Don't wait years and years to realize what genuine gifts and talents you have. Learn how to monetize from your talents.  On our birthday, we were all born with "Factory-Installed" gift and talents. It seems that society grooms young people to be followers, not leaders.  
Be your own leader.  
Do not do things half-ass. 
Never worry what others will think of you if you are trying to improve your life or make a change. Learn how to "learn"...use OPT & OPE (other people's time; other people's experience) - read books, podcast, etc. to learn from others who have become bad-ass in their craft. Never stop learning and growing.   Give back...give back to your community whether it is your time volunteering, money, or information. Bring value whatever you do. 
My favorite quote I wrote: "First, be helpful. Bring value. Then, become necessary." 


A​nd, what's a good quote about goals that you use​?​

"​Awww!  I have two great quotes (not just because I wrote them...LOL)  1.)  It is never too late to re-invent yourself, your life, or your career2.)  It is up to you to create the kind of success you want with the time you are given
​.​ (meaning that whatever you believe is "success" it is up to you to create it ...with the time you have.  We don't live forever- We're on borrowed time)​"

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I attended her class and have created vision boards in the past, today I share with you what I feel are some top reasons to participate in this type of event. 

A Vision Board allows you to:

1) Gain Perspective-  Sometimes those things we want the most are hard to describe or maybe hard to express, even to ourselves sometimes. You at times have to step outside your comfort zone to gain some perspective. When you are placed in a fun or different environment than you are used to, and then asked to put together a vision of your future, dreams, and goals your perspective changes. You are in a sense given a creative zone for thinking.

2) Create Direction- If you create a well-planned out vision for yourself and what you want for your future, you will have a better sense of direction. Most plans fail because we don't have a clear direction of what we want to do or the steps to take to reach our goals. We need to write it down, give ourselves those specific goals to reach, as well as a time frame in which to reach those goals. Being able to visualize what we want will help us create that direction needed to obtain results.





 3) Focus- When you think about your goals and write them down, it helps you create a focus on those ideas. It's not as easy to be distracted if you create that visual which you can refer to for guidance. The vision board will be the reference point for how far you have come and how much more you have to accomplish to reach those goals.

4) Visual to Reach your Goals- Sometimes making lists or writing those goals is not enough, we need a real "map" or "vision board" to help us see the whole picture. A clear and focused reminder of what we want to obtain in the year (or years) to come. I am very much a visual person. I like pictures and words that bring me good, happy thoughts. I know a lot of people are like this. Seeing a quick, pretty reference like a beautiful garden in front of a house can serve two purposes; give me a goal to create a garden at my home and/or inspire me with its beauty. 

5) Finding like-minded individuals- Usually people who attend these events have a specific mindset and might have the same thoughts as you. Things like; I know what I want but how do I express it. Or, I have gained all this education, now what? You will find someone who you can relate to or identify with. This helps keep you motivated and serves as a great source of support. 




6) Cause Glitter, Glue and Scissors are not just for toddlers- True, this type of event might make ou think you are going back in Kindergarten but honestly, it's relaxing. The idea of being able to create something for yourself helps create a positive sense of self and accomplishment. And, it's such a creative outlet. The best part is that like in Kinder no one can judge your glueing and cutting skills because there is no real format. You basically create a collage of those items that best create your visual goals.

7) Becuase they work- There are studying that show, that vision boards really do work and help you accomplish your goals. I have now created 3 vision boards and combined I have reached more than 50% of what I placed on them. My goals were clear and I had a combination of words and pictures that helped place my ideas into the universe where I could see them daily and work towards reaching them.

8) To get rid of your extra magazines- I mean we all have that pile of magazines that we need to get rid of, why not recycle them! Surely they have a few words, quotes or pictures that you can use. Plus with the beginning of the year comes cleaning out clutter and getting rid of the old. This is a great way to "dispose" of those magazines and make good use of them!




9) Collaboration-  As mentioned before the group is bound to be like-minded and clearing have a common purpose. To achieve new goals and create effective visual to help reach those goals. The workshops and group serve as a great way to think of new ideas, to help one another express our ideas and be supportive of our dreams. The collaborations begin to form and the networking is great. 


10)  Accountability-  With your visual in hand you will have the perfect accountability tool. You should place your vision board in a place where you can see it every day. Some people suggested the bathroom! Whatever works for you. You want to be able to review your goals and take those steps needed, daily to reach your goals. Some goals and steps might work and fall into place and you might discover that some goals are more long term than others. Either way, you have created your own measuring tool of what, when and how. 


Have you created your vision board for 2016? You should!