Joint 60th surprise party

On Sunday September 24th we celebrated my parents- each turned 60 within a week of each other. My brothers and I threw a joint surprise party for them. It was the least we could do to celebrate the people who gave us life and made us who we are. The party took so much planning and delegation, but came and went so quickly!

Let me share a little about the details. My dad loves everything camo, outdoorsy (hunting and camping), and my mom loves everything floral and Victorian (silver tea sets and porcelain floral teacups). The party’s theme was just that, camo and floral. Half of the tables were decorated in pine, lanterns, logs and antlers- the other half in silver teapots filled with flowers and branches, silver platters with tea light candles and teacups with flowers or candles. The food also reflected their preferences. We had a mini pie bar instead of cake because my parents love fruit pies. My mom loves chicken flautas (rolled fried chicken tacos) and they both love nopalitos con carne and chile (beef and cactus in a red chili sauce), so those items were on the dinner menu along with other tasty items like rice, beans, guacamole, two kinds of salsa and mini Sonoran hotdogs.

My brothers were troopers throughout the whole process and dealing with me the bossy party planner. Once again my hubby helped execute the decor details like building a canopy of lights and a photo backdrop. We had so much help from my dad’s siblings, my sister in law, my nieces and nephew. Seriously, we never could have pulled something like this off without the love and support of all those who helped and contributed somehow.

I didn’t get to take many pictures because I was busy running around. The ones I did manage to take where in the daylight. I wish I could’ve taken good ones with all the lights and candles twinkling. Nonetheless, I hope you guys enjoy the pics and gain a little inspiration ❤️




That’s wrapping paper?!

I don’t know about you, but we are still a young family- I don’t have a huge amount of disposable income to throw at all the beautiful home decor trinkets my heart desires. I don’t want to let that get in the way of making our house a home, so I am always looking at ways to make entertaining, celebrations and our home beautiful for less. One of my favorite things to use is wrapping paper! Let me share with you three different ways I utilize wrapping paper…

  1. As art!…There really are so much varieties of wrapping paper out there. I had been looking for a piece of art for my son’s room. We went to a boutique toy store and they had sheets of specialty wrapping paper. They had beautiful options! I loved it so much I framed it.
  2. As a table runner!… I’ve used rolls of wrapping paper cut into a table runner several times for different occasions. I don’t have a collection of beautiful linens I can pull out for several occasions, so using wrapping paper really opens up the options to create a beautiful tablescape. There are so many options on color schemes and patterns to choose from, and I know I can find beautiful rolls of paper at Tj Maxx or Homegoods. Click here to see details from this Thanksgiving tablescape
  3. To make party decorations… Specialty craft paper can be expensive, and paper decorations can add up if you want to have a big amount to make an impact. For my baby’s first birthday, I wanted to make paper decorations mixing and matching different patterns and colors. I found rolls of wrapping paper on clearance at Michaels for $0.75 a roll!!! I used it for table runners as mentioned above and to make the background for the cake table. I used the paper to make fans and wrap her name. The possibilities are endless all you need is a little creativity or Pinterest! Click here to see more from her first birthday party

Have you used wrapping paper for something different other than wrapping gifts or from the ways I already mentioned? Please feel free to share with me in the comments.

Why smoothies?!

Labor Day has passed and everyone has pumpkin on the brain. I, on the other hand, am holding on to the last days of summer. Officially summer doesn’t end till September 22nd. Living in the desert helps my attempts considering it’s 109 degrees Fahrenheit outside! The fashion girl inside me would love to wear plaid scarves and down vests and brown leather riding boots while holding a pumpkin spice latte. If I try that here, I am pretty sure I’ll DIE of a heat stroke- even if I do it to pose for a picture! Hahaha

So getting to the point of holding on to summer…so all summer and spring I drink smoothies for breakfast. Why smoothies?! My life goal is to be a healthy glowing girl with long wavy locks and hold off aging, you know like Gisele. Just radiate wellness because you have the discipline to eat plants except nightshade veggies of course, and sometimes fish, all day everyday. (I know, I know I am a dreamer considering I am 5’2″ and look nothing like her haha)
But right now you are witnessing my journey. I keep fumbling to say the least. Some days I hand make some gluten free, plant based concoction like veggie burgers, lentil tacos, and Thai vegan peanut noodles. …and then other days I am like, “babe let’s go eat street food, pizza or at a little hole in the wall.” You see I love food! I don’t drink-I don’t like it. So trying new food is my vice! Plus I love experiencing culture through food.

I know I’ll get there. I don’t want to do it as a fad. I have learned about nutrition through my chiropractors and through my own research. I do my research. I’ve tried it before for the sole purpose of loosing weight. I know about Atkins, low carb and ketosis. I lost 26lbs eating low carb when I was a teen. I’ve tried paleo recipes, and read about south beach, the Mediterranean diet, being vegan, and watched all those documentaries on Netflix. I have tried being vegan, dairy free and all organic, natural and eating no grains at all. I know I feel at my best when I am plant based , gluten free and dairy free.

I will build this life, not only to lose the extra “baby” pounds, but more than loosing weight I want to build a life of wellness. I want to learn about food and its benefits, not just for beauty but for its healing properties. I don’t want to live with restrictions but with choices. I want my kids to appreciate and respect good food, where it comes from and even learn about cultures through sampling cuisine. I don’t want food taboos just education and understanding. I.e. Why instead of eating something with ingredients you can’t pronounce, you look for the real deal.

Breakfast has been that one place where I have been able to establish consistency. I know there are many options for what is healthy. I personally have decided that I like drinking smoothies for breakfast. One of the things I have learned is, for optimal digestion it is best to eat fruit on an empty stomach since your body digests it quicker than anything else…Hence smoothies in the AM. I can make a variety of smoothies for the nutrients I need- I blend it out, pour it in a cup and attend to my kids. It’s perfect for me.

My favorite smoothies usually contain power greens, flax meal, gluten free oats (especially for breastfeeding), banana for natural sweetness, berries, and hemp protein. As fall rolls around, I don’t drink them as much anymore. The fruits I prefer in smoothies are not in season or when it does cool off I rather eat something warm in the mornings, but I want to try more seasonal smoothies this fall. Stay tuned I will share recipes with you, and tips on nutrients and nutrition that I have learned as I build this wellness for myself and my family.

Mommy frustrations

Mommy friends have you been there? The sink is overflowing with dishes. The same load in the washer is ready for the 2nd time for the dryer because obviously you forgot yesterday and had to rewash! The baby is crying. The toddler needs to be given attention, but while you deal with the baby it’s a tv show. TV time again :/…an eternity later, baby is down for nap – now will you tackle the cleaning or relish in the quiet alone time with the toddler? The days are long and bedtime for the kiddos is around the corner. You start tasting the hubby adult conversation with no interruptions and the binge watching shows or reading that book you started but …. Your three year old wants one more story. He wants you to hold him to sleep, and the baby wants to nurse a little longer. You try to sneak out- they both wake up. Two hours later you’re out, tired and frustrated.

FRUSTRATED the first emotion I tend to feel when my kids don’t follow the schedule or plan. Come on kids! if you cooperate there is time for everything?! If they only understood we can have lesson time, and quiet alone play time, and cleaning time! hahaha!… I know, I know these tinies need me. I know the time will go too fast. And when the moment and emotions pass, I feel guilt for feeling the frustration, for not soaking in the cuddles without trying to suppress the frustration …and then I want to be more in those moments with those babies in my arms.

Not all days are like this. Some days are filled with only patience and more focus on the bliss and giggles, and cuddles and story times and healthy meals and park time and fun bath times…But I am also human made up of nerves on edge and impatience. I want quiet time, and hubby time and me time. I want my life to fit perfectly into a schedule. I want to perfectly categorize time and errands and tasks, and that none of them run and bleed and merge into each other to form my messy life. You see my frustration always stream from things not going the way I wanted them to. You would think that by being on this earth for 30 years the one thing I would of learned by now is, It is never going to go perfectly according to plan!

But to no avail I stress the little things! I live the cycle of mommy frustration then guilt. Thank goodness for God’s grace and new mornings or moments of reset. Deep breath, the dishes will be washed, the laundry will get done and sadly the babies will grow into adults and not need the cuddles and all the time. So for today the kitchen will be dirty, but my teething baby girl will be cuddled. My toddler may watch one too many shows for today, but tomorrow we will keep practicing our phonics and numbers. Take a deep breath with me, soak in your tinies and let out the frustration.

Here Goes Nothing

I spend much of my time on my phone googling something and everything. I am a research junkie especially for nutrition tips and natural remedies. For some time now, I have been reading about raw honey and it’s antibacterial, moisturizing, and antioxidant rich properties for your skin that can lead to smaller pores, a glow, reduce acne and slow aging .

I want all those benefits. My skin is all the things: dry, but oily and sensitive and sometimes I get tiny breakouts. So I want to use honey as a cleanser. A couple years ago I said I would add raw honey to my beauty routine and even had a conversation about it with a friend….I never did it for more than a handful of times. I still want to do it!! So I am doing it NOW.

I will use honey in place of a cleanser- I will commit to lather my face with honey leaving it on for one minute and then whipping it off with a warm washcloth for 21 days before bed and every morning. I will show you my results with before and after pics. Wish me luck! Cheers for science! Actually for beauty 😉