Category: Latina

Growing up a bicultural first-generation Mexican American Latina, my viewpoint may be a little different than others. I think my unique perspective and exposure to the Latino culture and Southern American culture growing up let me look at the world with an open heart and open mind.

I grew up in a very culturally rich city, Chicago where it was normal to see people of all different races, religions and countries of origin. It was nothing exceptional to hear many different languages spoken at any given time. Even in my own home, Spanish and English were both spoken. I thought this was completely normal and I wish it was.

When we traveled abroad, our parents demanded that we treated the people and country of others with reverence and respect. We were taught to immerse ourselves in the culture. When in Rome, live as the Romans was sort of my dad’s travel mantra. I’m so grateful he did this for us. I want to do the same for my girls.

I want them to embrace their Latina and their American cultures and I want them to respect the people and cultures of other people. We do this through exposure, travel and teaching patience and tolerance and immersion.

I think our cultures, our religions, our circumstances and experiences give us all our own very unique perspective of life and here I share mine.

My Promise To Baby Was Made Before I Ever Met Her
What was your promise to baby?
I am partnering with JOHNSON’S® Baby and Latina Bloggers Connect to share with you avery special campaign that Johnson’s has undertaken to make moms feel safe.JOHNSON’S® Baby always listens to moms and although their products have always been safe, they took a stand and changed their formulas to give moms peace of mind.
We all make promises to our babies. From the moment we know that they exist, we make an unspoken promise to care for them and love them until the day we die. It is the single largest commitment we will ever make in our lifetimes. From the moment we hear that first heartbeat, until we draw our last breath, we promise to love our babies and keep them safe. That’s what we do as parents.
Before we ever got pregnant, I would pray to God to let me be a mother someday. I promised myself that when I had my own child, there is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect her and keep her happy. Mind you, we weren’t trying at the time. We were planning to plan and I wasn’t in a hurry but I knew that I wanted to become a mother, I wanted to love someone “all in” the selfless, fulfilling way that only a mother can.
I remember each time that I found out that I was pregnant, I promised myself that I would love my baby unconditionally every day for the rest of my life. I promised myself that every moment would count because, every moment is a gift. Even if that moment has you in tears over a colicky newborn and your heart being held hostage by a toddler, those are the moments when we keep those quiet promises that we make to God and to unborn children.
From the moment that I first held my daughters, I looked into their sweet faces and remember thinking what did I do to deserve this? I don’t deserve this. This precious and perfect little person is more than I deserve. I remember feeling, for the first time in my life, that I was not the center of my universe and that I had a much greater purpose. Motherhood fulfilled me. It completed me. I believe that motherhood is my true purpose, everything else just exists comorbidly.
I promise to always love my daughters, even when I don’t necessarily like them. I promise to listen, even when I don’t like what I am hearing. I promise to always be there, no matter how dire the circumstances because I am a mother and my most important mission in life is to make sure that my babies are safe and know they are loved completely. I don’t take chances when it comes to my children. There is nothing more important in the world to me and if that means sacrifice and inconvenience, it’s all worth it to me to get the honor of being their mommy.
Thankfully, JOHNSON’S Baby always listens to moms and to give us peace of mind and eliminate any doubt of the safety of their product for our little ones, they changed the formula. They made a sacrifice so we could trust and know that our children’s health are not at risk.
The seven newly reformulated products:
○ JOHNSON’S® Baby HEAD-TO-TOE® Wash
○ JOHNSON’S® Baby Lotion
○ JOHNSON’S® Baby Shampoo
○ JOHNSON’S® Baby Shampoo & Conditioner for Thick and Curly Hair
○ JOHNSON’S® Baby Shampoo & Conditioner for Thin and Straight Hair
○ JOHNSON’S® Baby Shampoo with Calming Lavender
○ JOHNSON’S® Baby Soothing Vapor Baby Bath
This video concept was inspired by a Japanese legend that folding 1,000 origami cranes will result in a wish granted and a promise fulfilled, which is thought to be a big labor of love. Changing Johnson’s baby products was their labor of love for moms and babies. The Johnson and Johnson’s family made 1000 origami storks in their video because they represent the delivery of babies, and the hopes and promises of families. I think the sentiment behind the video is beautiful, as is every mother’s commitment to her child.
2014/07/31
Delicious Summer Rum Cocktail Recipe
Craving a deliciously cool cocktail recipe to celebrate summer vacation with?
Summer vacation is almost over. We’ve been so busy that it’s been one great adventure, trip or event after another, every weekend since May. I’m not complaining, really, I’m not but as in most things, too much of a good thing can be a little overwhelming. I honestly feel like I need a vacation from my vacation. I’m sure you know what I mean. You know, just a moment to sit in the sun, close my eyes and be still with no worries of putting myself in danger of a heat stroke. It’s the little things people.
Anyways, I’ve partnered with International Delight to try out some of their new flavors and I’ve become a little obsessed with finding ways to use them other than just rocking my coffee. Last month, I came up with a recipe for a Mexican Hot Chocolate milkshake that blew my families minds. Apparently, I really crave cold weather comfort drinks but adapted for the hot weather.
As I was sitting by the pool, wishing it was a little less humid and watching my kids do cannonballs, I began imagining myself on a tropical island (because I’m melting as one does when on a tropical vacation) and then my daydream went off into a completely odd direction and as I was sitting on the beach, it began to flurry and I was trying to catch snowflakes on my tongue, like I did when I was a little kid, but I was in my bathing suit which was odd. The point is, it made me smile and I thought to myself, why can’t I have a little snow right this very minute. Obviously it’ll never snow in July but with the courtesy of International Delight Cinnabon Creamer I could have a little bit of snowflake on my tongue, right here in July.
I never have been one for taking no for an answer so here’s the recipe I used to make this deliciously cool and refreshing cocktail, Dulce de la Nieve.
Fill cocktail shaker ½ way with ice. This helps chill the shaker and the ingredients as you add them. Leave plenty of room for shaking, so if your shaker is small use less ice.
1 part Rum Chata Rum
1 part heavy cream
2 parts International Delight Cinnabon Creamer
¼ teaspoon of sugar
¼ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Grip firmly, shake vigorously for 30 seconds to blend dairy products well. Typically when shaking drinks you need only employ the slow count to 10 method. Once the shaker is frosted, you are ready to strain and pour into an old fashioned glass. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sip for maximum effect.
The only problem I have with this drink is that it is so sinfully delicious that I always want more. Just like you can’t just catch one snowflake on your tongue, you can’t just drink one Dulce de la Nieve. It’s also a fantastic drink to enjoy around the holidays. It reminds me a lot of the Rompope my dad used to bring back from Mexico but lighter and sweeter. It’s a very delicate and delicious variant on eggnog, minus the eggs and incorporates some Cinnamon buns.
Now, that I am now cool and refreshed, I think I might go take a nap on this lazy summer afternoon. I deserve it and so do you!
What’s your favorite cocktail to cool down with on a hot summer’s day?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.
2014/07/21
U.S. Immigration Policy has Obama Refusing Sanctuary and Sending Children to be Slaughtered
Immigration laws are very important to me. I am a Mexican-American Latina, first generation born in the United States. If my dad had not left all of his family and everything he knew behind, my story could be different. Immigration laws could mean life or death for me. I could have been one of the children at the border begging for sanctuary. I could have been one of the mothers begging for mercy for my child’s life, willing to give them up and do anything to save their life.
You see Central America is nothing like North America. The only thing they share in common is the “America”. Living in the United States compared to living in a third world country is the difference between living in a mansion in the country and living on the streets in the middle of a war zone. If you have never been to Central America, or been and never actually ventured outside of your touristy/ trendy hotel paradise, you have no idea of what the rest of the country looks like. It is very different than what you are seeing. Those kids at the airport or on the street who jump on your taxi trying to sell you chicles or wash your windshield, they are not doing this for some extra cash…this is survival. This is how they eat. It may be mildly annoying to you to be asked but it is humiliating to them to beg for your scraps but they do it to avoid doing something worse like being drug mules.
Recently, a group of 22 migrants, mostly women and children from Honduras and Guatemala, were taken into custody after crossing the Rio Grande near McAllen on June 18. The gangs that control much of the area’s human smuggling often tell women and children that they will be permitted to stay upon turning themselves in.
The United States is preparing to send 45,000 children back to Central American countries controlled by drug cartels that routinely torture, rape and kill children who refuse to work for them. So routinely, so often are children menaced that their families sent them away, alone, across thousands of miles on just the slimmest of hopes that they might be safe. U.S. law doesn’t allow them sanctuary.
These children have walked through some of the most hostile, hot, barren, dangerous country in the world with no one to care for them. Poor families scraped together all their money by doing God knows what and paid thousands of dollars because they are terrified of what might happen to their children if they stay in their home country and then entrusted those children to criminals ( Coyotes) praying they might arrive in America and be safe.
I have been to Mexico, not Cabos San Lucas, Alcapulco or Puerto Vallarta, but nearer to Mexico City; the state of Michoacan in Western Mexico. Never heard of it? Well, it is the front line for the drug cartel in Mexico, its overlords are the Knight’s Templar drug cartel. I won’t get into too many specifics because it’s dangerous to speak of these things but I will say this, I know what these children are running from. I’ve heard the stories. I know why these parents are sacrificing themselves and separation from the most precious thing in their life; they are doing it out of pure selfless love for their children. They are risking life and limb to get their children to the United States because the alternative is death. They are risking all of this under some false pretense that the people of the U.S. are compassionate and kind. They are mistaken. Our borders are more important than their children.
This is not the first time that the United States has closed its borders to refugees in need. In 1939, a German trans-Atlantic liner carrying 938 Jewish refugees was refused entrance into our country and forced to return to a soon to be Nazi overrun Europe. We didn’t care then and we don’t care now. Our lack of compassion may have lead directly to death for some of those passengers.
And now President Obama is promising the American people to send these children back to Central America. We live in an America that demands he do so because our right to close our borders and keep the “dirty, job stealing Mexicans” out is more important to us than granting sanctuary to small children whose lives will surely be in peril if they return. The people demanding that the borders be shut are probably some of the same people who are buying the drugs that are putting these children’s lives at risk.
We’ve heard their stories now. Stories of children who are publicly stripped naked and gang raped by drug syndicates to scare their parents. Stories of children maimed in order to convince their father to sell his property or join their cartel. Stories of children murdered to prove a point. By sending these children back, we are sending the message that we think these children are as disposable as the cartel thinks they are. I implore you, as human beings, to consider that this is about more than our borders. It is about children whose lives are at risk and I don’t mean by first world standards. These children have nothing and by turning them away, be assured we are sending them to be slaughtered like animals in the street.
So you tell me, is it safe to send these children back? Doesn’t sanctuary for children at risk of being murdered trump closing our borders and immigration reform?
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2014/07/08
Help Soothe Frightened Children on Stormy Nights
This shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser Duracell. All opinions are mine alone.
The song says rainy days get me down but not my family because we’ve got Duracell batteries a plenty from our local Walmart. We’ve got rechargeable Duracell batteries in AA because almost everything we own takes AA batteries and a drawer full of Duracell coppertop batteries in every size just in case we need them for lanterns, battery powered radios and fans. We #PrepWithPower so we are not caught off guard during thunderstorms or those instances when we all find ourselves hiding in the basement from a Midwestern tornado or tomato as my 7-year-old calls them sighting that . I love a good rainy day or night during the summer. It gives me time inside with the girls to just relax and spend time without expectation of pools, parks and running from place to place. I throw the windows open because I love the smell and sound of rain and the bullfrogs that come with the rain. I look at a storm like permission to just be still. To every life may there be a little rain, so that we might enjoy those gorgeous sunny days. But that doesn’t mean that storms have to ruin your day. There are many things you can do to not only be prepared by enjoy when storms happen. When my girls were smaller, thunder and lightening frightened them and they would regularly run to my bed for shelter. At first, I was annoyed because I love storms so much but then I realized it was just an excuse for me to get to hunker down and cuddle my girls. We all piled into my king sized window and watched as the lightening lit up the night sky. We’d sing songs like Mary had a little lamb and you are my sunshine to drown out the booming thunder as it rolled in.
I learned early on to keep batteries, lanterns, candles, flashlights and everything charged. As the girls got older, we’d have picnics in the middle of the living room if our pool day was rained out. We’d watch movies in bed in our pajamas. And after the storm passed, as a family, we’d go outside and look for rainbows and jump in puddles.By doing this, the girls began to no longer fear the rain and storms but look forward to the rainbow that appeared after the storm passed; to appreciate the smell of rain and the pure joy of jumping in puddles.

Now, at ages 7 and 9 if there is a thunderstorm or a tornado warning, my girls have learned to trust that the Big Guy and I will always have their back and protect them. Now, they enjoy it by building forts, reading, singing songs, playing games like Candy land and checkers, telling ghost stories or just enjoying one another’s company, sharing sister secrets like sisters do and that makes me grateful for the storms in our lives. We look for the rainbows. How does your family prepare for storms and inclement weather? How do you teach your children to embrace life’s stormy weather?

This shop has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser Duracell. All opinions are mine alone.
2014/07/07
Stop Waiting For “Special” Occasions, Do It NOW

Stop waiting for special occasions.
Do It Now!
Don’t Make Your Happiness Contingent on anyone else or conditionals. I will/can be happy when I …. is a crazy way to live your life. In fact, I have spent most of my life bartering with myself. When I get skinny, I will allow myself to finally be happy. When I do this, I will deserve that. When my daughters are no longer bickering and talking back, I can relieve myself of some of this mommy guilt. When my house is clean and my laundry is folded, I will be a good housewife. When I give my husband the attention he deserves, I will be a good wife. Then I beat myself up about all of it. It’s wasted energy.
You deserve happiness now. I.DESERVE.HAPPINESS.NOW! Not tomorrow or the day after or whenever I hit some imaginary goal, NOW! It shouldn’t be reserved only for special occasions. Tell people you love them. Dance like no one is watching. Don’t be afraid. Go for what you want. Celebrate every single day. Stop and see the beauty all around you. Every day that you are alive is a “special” occasion.
I’ve always been that kind of person who has hung my life on conditions and some imaginary set of rules for life. I don’t know why or how this started but I just never feel like I quite deserve success.I always feel like I need permission to just do what I want. Sounds crazy because I am the same person who believes that anything is possible through hard work and sacrifice. Maybe I only believe that applies to other people. It’s the mantra that I base my entire life on but then I just don’t quite feel like I deserve it, any of it. I feel like a fraud, in my own life.
I rush through the moments. Sort of like running through rain trying not to get wet. Instead of spending my life leisurely strolling through on a sunny day like I won the world and deserve all that life has to offer, I run from point to point trying to go unnoticed even when I want to be celebrated for my achievements. I half-ass a lot of things. I never give anything completely 100% because if I give 100% and it’s not good enough, then I am not good enough. I can’t give more than 100%, so if I hold back a little bit at least I can assuage myself with the knowledge that I didn’t try my best so sabotage is better than failure but success is never even an option when you live like that. Fulfillment can’t happen when you aren’t going all in.
Like a lot of people, I reserve things for special occasions; beautiful dresses that never get worn waiting for “special” enough occasions. China that never comes out for fear of being broken or the situation not being “special” enough. Furniture that stays covered, so many things that never get used but instead tucked away safely waiting for someday. Flowers we never cut and enjoy at our table for fear they will die. Well, I am tired of waiting for SOME DAY. I want to live my life all in TODAY. I don’t want to be afraid of breaking or damaging something before it’s appropriate time because if I keep living like this, I am wasting my life waiting. We’ve all done it. I’ll reward myself with this when I accomplish this. I will do that when I deserve it. You deserve it now. Just do it. Stop waiting, life is short.
I should have learned this lesson when I was in labor with my first baby. I refused to use the breathing technique until I was in full on transition labor at which point I couldn’t focus or catch my breath. I was in a silent moment of complete overwhelming terror and I had no way to get out because I had rationed my “breathing” for a “special” occasion, as if breathing itself was a luxury that I did not deserve. That’s my life in a nutshell. Hurriedly being stoic and never feeling the full weight of my joy.
So when I decided to make this summer the throwback summer, I thought I was doing it for my girls and I was, mostly because I wanted them to experience just playing and having fun and enjoying summer without a schedule but it’s slowed me down. I’ve been sitting and listening to my children laugh. I’ve been noticing the rhythm of the birds singing. I can feel the calm that the water brings as it splashes up into us when we play in the pool. I am breathing, all day long because that is what you are supposed to do. Air is free. I am walking more slowly. I am invested and present and you can’t believe how it changes your perspective. I have given myself permission to be happy and enjoy my life.
Today, I planned to make enchiladas, Mexican rice and refried beans for dinner. Usually, I hurry the kids out of the kitchen because it’s easier and quicker for me to do it myself. Today, I put on Mariachi music in the kitchen as I boiled the chicken. We were already running late but you can’t make chicken boil faster than it does. The girls were dancing, I was dancing and they were giggling and telling me to call them by their middle names, their “Latina” names. They said they were being full-on Latinas. They were really enjoying all of it and in turn I was happy to be doing it.
My 9-year-old loves to cook and she asked if she could help me prepare the meal. Again, normally, I would have brushed her off but today, I said yes. She was my sous chef. I mean when you think about it, this was a tremendous teaching moment and what kind of person would I have been to deny her of something so simple as helping her mother with dinner? So, she cooked the entire meal with me and it was the best meal I’ve eaten in a long time and I told her so. I mean this could be her passion. Who am I to deny her? The point is that it felt good to do this with my daughter, she felt good to be doing it and the food tasted great. A memory was made and I know my daughter didn’t feel rejected or dismissed. She felt empowered and accomplished and I had something to do with that.
There is a special contentment that comes from going all in. The other day, I was doing an assignment and I really put all of my time and attention into it. I didn’t hurry. I wasn’t thinking of all the other places I needed to be or things I needed to be doing, I was just present in my writing and it felt different. I felt the passion return. I guess my point of all of this is, be present and give 100 % at whatever you do; you are missing out on the best days of your life by running from shelter to shelter in life’s rain. Put your rain boots on and dance in that rain, jump in those puddles and don’t worry, you are stronger than you look. You won’t melt and you won’t believe how great true accomplishment, at something even as simple as listening to what your child is saying, will make you feel. I want to teach my girls to enjoy life, the simple moments because sometimes those that seem the most insignificant are the more unforgettable.
When’s the last time you allowed yourself to really and truly enjoy something without worrying about where you needed to be or what else you were supposed to be doing or waiting for special occasions?
2014/06/26
Boston + the Walking Dead + Westin Waterfront Boston = Best Family Trip EVER
I went to Boston and fell in love.
I am serious. I just got back from Boston and I have fallen madly, deeply and head over heels in love. The people, the food, the beautiful harbor and the accents that had me wanting to ask everyone I met to please say “The Hopper” it was my litmus test, the more “Ha-Pah” it was the more I loved it.
It was the first trip to Boston for the girls and I. We stayed at the Westin Waterfront Boston, which I would highly recommend because not only was it very clean it is conveniently within walking distance to the harbor, Faneuil Hall, The Freedom Trail, The Aquarium, Harbor Cruises, Boston Common and the Redline. It has amazing views of the Boston Skyline and the Harbor and let’s not forget about those “heavenly” beds that the Westin is famous for, which was like sleeping in a hug. The Westin Waterfront Boston also happens to not only house 3 great restaurants and a Starbucks and delicious room service, you are in walking distance to some of the greatest seafood in the country. They even helped me draft an itinerary specific to my children’s ages ahead of time. But more important than all of that, the staff and service is beyond anything I have ever experienced and I have stayed in some really upscale boutique hotels.
First, let me start by saying that this is NOT a sponsored post. I was not in Boston or the Westin Waterfront working with the hotel or the visitors bureau, the hole system is one of the most clean in town, thanks to the plumbers in vancouver that keep the maintenance going 24-7. I was there with my family, tagging along on a conference with my husband. I was having an adventure with my girls in my new favorite city. I never thought any city could beat my love for New Orleans or my hometown of Chicago but I was WRONG!
Being a blogger, I tweeted and Instagramed some of our trip to share with family and friends because I was so excited to be in Boston. This trip was almost 25 years in the making for me. I also tweeted before we left because I was sooooo excited to be finally going to Bean Town. There started my relationship with the Westin Waterfront Boston, like most of my relationships these days. Twitter was my introduction.
When we arrived, there were some of my children’s favorite snacks waiting for us in the room with the breathtaking view after a 14-hour drive in the car… with kids. The only thing that could have made it better was a Jameson and Ginger for mommy and daddy. We were exhausted and starving, so this was a welcome and unexpected surprise.
Oh wait let me back up, I forgot to tell you that the Saturday night we arrived in Boston, the Boston Westin Waterfront was hosting a Walking Dead Fan Convention. What? I can’t believe I didn’t know beforehand. I am a huge Walking Dead fan. I so would have gone zombie mom for it. Anyways, imagine my surprise when I walked into the Westin Waterfront looking like an unintentional walking dead in my traveling yoga pants and running shirt (because obviously I was working out in the car all the way there) and completely disheveled hair, no make-up wanting nothing more to get to my room (You know the feeling) when a very adorable, kind gentleman held the elevator for us, nodded and said have a good night. Turned out he was Jon Bernthal….effing SHANE from Walking Dead! WHAT?? He was not sporting the Shane haircut, but lighter hair, scruffilicious facial hair and its actually even more attractive in person than he ever appeared on the show. Of course, I saw him, thought he looked familiar but couldn’t place the face and as soon as the elevator doors shut, our bellman told us that there was a Walking Dead convention there all week and the place was crawling with Walking Dead cast. So, alas, no photo proof but the memory is mine forever.
Anyways, needless to say our trip started out with a bang and only went up from there. Too much information to share in one post, so I will be sharing travel tips for Boston in a series that I will run on Wednesdays for the next few weeks. But I can tell you this, growing up in the Chicago land area and traveling quite a bit in my life I can say that Boston had some of the kindest, most polite strangers I have ever met. It was apparent by strangers stopping during rush hour to point us in the right direction, explaining to us how the MBTA worked, chivalrous men giving us their seats on the subway/buses, hotel staff offering local restaurant favorites, one woman letting our child cut her in a very long line to the restroom so she wouldn’t pee on herself.
I won’t even tell you about Firefighter Jeremy Marrache at the Cambridge Firehouse who not only saved the day at Harvard by giving one of the girls a Band-Aid for her booboo but actually took the time to give the kids a tour, let them on the fire truck, wear gear and demonstrated how to slide the poll simply because 4 little kids wanted to in the middle of a hot Wednesday. It was a day the kids will never forget. Thank you FFOP Jeremy Marrache!
Yes, Boston and its people rocked my socks off. The awesome staff at the Westin Waterfront Boston who went above and beyond on the last night we were there. I tweeted a photo of my view from my bed where I was very sick with extreme dehydration from walking all day in the hot sun with only one Aquafina ( yes, poor choices were made, my friends), they surprised me by sending up room service with crackers, spring water, tea and a note telling me to feel better. Now, THAT is good customer service. It was simply one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for me without being asked to so. That made me a Westin Waterfront Boston fan forever and I can’t say enough good things about them, not in a lifetime of telling you how great they were.
There is lots more to tell and I will be sharing all my tips for traveling to Boston as a family in the coming weeks. And, don’t think I’m not working on the Big Guy to make the move to one of the cleanest, friendliest and most fun and entertaining cities I’ve ever been to with my family. Can’t wait for our next adventure.
If you haven’t taken your family to Boston, what are you waiting for?
2014/06/25
Mexican Hot Chocolate Milkshake Recipe
My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard. Sorry, couldn’t resist. My Mexican hot chocolate milkshake that is! A milkshake with a little Latina spin.
I decided earlier this spring that this summer was going to be the summer of fun. I wanted to give my girls the kind of summer that I had as a child; travel, spontaneous fun and lazy days of sleeping in and staying up late catching fire flies. Everything in moderation and no yelling mom moments. Life’s just too short for stressing over the little things. Eat that ice cream, put your feet in the sand and just have fun! This is my goal for my children this summer. No stress, no classes and no rigid schedules just beautiful childhood memories to last a lifetime.

I really wanted them to experience some of what I remember to be my fondest memories from childhood like riding my bike until my legs felt like they were going to fall off, swimming until I felt like I was going to collapse and giggling until my stomach hurt and watching movies under the stars. We don’t have a drive-in nearby, so we’ve improvised and made our own. We’re doing a lot of improvisation this summer and it’s been magical.

As a Latina, I was raised drinking Mexican Hot Chocolate. In fact, Abuelita Mexican Hot Chocolate was a breakfast staple paired with some kind of pan dulce, my favorite was the churro. We drank Mexican hot chocolate until we graduated to coffee, my other favorite thing in the world.
Mexican hot chocolate was not just served on cold winter mornings, there was just varying degrees of how hot our “hot chocolate” was served. For instance, during the summer months, we often threw a couple ice cubes into our chocolate. I realize, as an adult Mexican hot chocolate and churros is not a healthy breakfast, but it still makes me nostalgic for my childhood and why shouldn’t it be a treat once in awhile?
It’s June and I still get the craving for my Abuelita and churros, and the Big Guy and our girls love it to, so instead of making hot chocolate with lots of sugar and whole milk and topping it all off with warm churros, I decided to make Mexican Hot Chocolate Shakes with Cold Stone Creamery Sweet Cream International Delight creamer. Oh yes, you heard me right! When I told the girls about this idea, they freaked out.
Here is what you will need to make six 10 ounce milkshakes, so that you can share this sweet, cool treat with the whole family and whatever little friends you find at your home this summer.
Ingredients
· 2 cups of Cold Stone Creamery Sweet Cream ID creamer
· 2 package of powdered instant Abuelita hot chocolate
· 8 medium scoops of vanilla bean ice cream
· About 3 cups of ice
· Top with Whipped Cream
· Cinnamon/Sugar Mix
Instructions
1. Combine the ingredients in the blender and mix until all smooth.
2. Top off with some whipped cream.
3. Lightly Dust with Cinnamon
4. Drink slowly while enjoying each other’s company
We had this sweet frozen treat while watching the World Cup USA versus Portugal soccer match. The game ended in a last minute tie but our Mexican Hot Chocolate shake topped with cinnamon made it all a little less painful.
For more great recipes check out the International Delight Pinterest Community or join the International Delight community at internationaldelight.com!
What’s your favorite childhood memory that you’d like your own children to experience?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.
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2014/06/23
How a Party Can Help You Change The World
Have you ever seen an injustice in the world and thought, someone ought to change that? Me, too. We all do. But why not instead of waiting for the world to change, we choose to be the change we want to see in the world. Why not be the change? Why wait? Just change the damn thing.
We worry about the state of the world; the hungry children, the homeless population, the unemployed and the disabled. We worry but we don’t do anything about it. We walk on in self-induced states of blissful ignorance because to look directly at the world, in all its pain and suffering and walk away is too much to handle. But we don’t have to walk on trying to pretend that all the sadness and injustices in the world don’t exist, we can be the change. We can do something.
That’s why I decided to partner with Jennie-O and Champions for Kids to help make a difference. It is a small thing but I hosted a #Fiesta4Kids which means, I hosted a dinner party at my house and invited some family over and everyone who came to dinner donated canned foods to be donated to our local food bank. We decided on the local Community Harvest Food Bank.
When most people think #Fiesta4Kids they think taco bar but my kids wanted meatloaf. So for our dinner, I searched the Jennie-O website and found a recipe called Best Ever Turkey Meatloaf and my family concurs. But you don’t have to throw an entire party to do good in the world, start small donate a few cans of food to your own local food bank. Every little bit helps. Teach your children that they can be the change and it’s never too early to start.
When school lets out for the summer, millions of children lose access to the school breakfasts, lunches and after-school snacks they receive during the regular school year. You can help ensure kids have nutritious meals by hosting a Fiesta to Feed Families event! From June 1 to June 30, Champions for Kids is partnering with Jennie-O Turkey to encourage community projects across the country benefiting children in need of nutritious meals this summer.
I want my children to feel compassion for others and to be activists, to do not wit for change to happen. I have to be their example. If you’d like to learn more why not join myself, The Motherhood, Jennie-O and Champions for kids on June 24th at 1 pm EST for a Twitter party.
JUNE 24 #FIESTA4KIDS TWITTER PARTY (1 P.M. – 2 P.M. ET)
Details for the Twitter Party
What: For millions of children, the end of the school year means no more access to school breakfasts, lunches or after-school snacks. This month, bloggers from all across the U.S. are leading the way in helping these children by throwing a Fiesta to Feed Families (#Fiesta4Kids), in which they collect food items to benefit kids and families in their local communities! They’ve inspired us so much that we wanted to explore more ways to get involved with community projects at this Twitter party!
The Motherhood is honored to join Champions for Kids along with Jennie-O to share just how simple it is to help local families in need. Champions for Kids SIMPLE Service Projects are an easy way to get involved in helping your community! Every SIMPLE Service Project has 4 basic steps: 1) Gather your friends, family, and co-workers. 2) Learn about the needs of children in your community. 3) Give items to help kids enjoy happier & healthier lives. 4) Share your story with Champions for Kids to inspire others!
Join this Twitter party to learn more about SIMPLE Service projects, as well as to learn about kid-friendly recipe ideas that are both yummy and nutritious!
When: Thursday, June 24, at 1p ET / 12p CT / 10a PT
Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #Fiesta4Kids hashtag to track the conversation. You can see the details and RSVP via this Twtvite: https://twtvite.com/fiesta4kids
Hashtag: #Fiesta4Kids
Prizes: Five prizes will be given to five randomly selected participants who answer the trivia questions correctly. Each prize includes a $25 Wal-Mart gift card and two $5 Jennie-O product coupons.

Disclosure: I participated in this program on behalf of Champions for Kids and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.
2014/06/22
How Soccer & @CrestLatino Help Us #CelebrateCloser
This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Crest and Latina Bloggers Connect but all opinions and thoughts are my own.
In my family, nothing brings us closer than soccer. Shouting, “GOALLLL,” is a common explosion of joy in our house during soccer matches. We don’t care whose sitting next to us. It could mean a vuvuzela alarm or an unexpected kiss planted on a stranger’s forehead. So if you know you are going to be in that close proximity of a large crowd, freshness counts, in every way, especially your breath. Crest Complete + Scope allows you to get closer to people, providing you the confidence that comes from knowing you are covered and protected against bad breath. Because the further your team goes, the closer you get to those around you.
We’ve been watching the games and rooting for Mexico. There is a pride we feel because our father is from Mexico. I even bet online by going to 메리트카지노. It’s been a lot of fun because my brothers have been coming over my house and we’ve all been watching it together. Then we get off the phone and call our dad. He spends 7 months of the year in Mexico, so it’s a big deal to him. Soccer has definitely been a way for our father to bond with his children and my brothers to bond with my husband and me to bond with my nieces and nephews. It’s also been a great way for my husband to bond with our girls. It’s the sweetest thing I have ever seen to watch my girls get all excited and join in when their daddy is excited about his team winning.
Unfortunately, when you are dealing with children ( like animals) you are dealing with loose canons. The last thing you want is your 2 year old nephew telling you that your breath smells like hot garbage while you are gleefully shouting, “GOOOAAAAALLLLLLLL”. Talk about a buzz kill so I try to keep my teeth brushed and my breath fresh because it really is the best thing for everyone concerned. So, let’s all enjoy the next month of celebrating the small victories of the soccer matches, even if that includes broken vuvuzela apps and fresh minty breath.
If you want to be confident and have fresh breath while bonding with your family this summer try Crest Complete Multi-Benefit Whitening + Scope Striped Toothpastes. They are the only toothpastes that combine the whitening power of Crest toothpaste with the freshening power of Scope mouthwash. They fight cavities, prevent tartar, and provide cleaning action to help remove surface stains.Most importantly, they give you the confidence to celebrate without worry that you might be less than fresh.
If you go here now you can find great coupons to help towards your purchase. I love saving money on products that I actually use, don’t you?
What brings your family closer together?
This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Crest and Latina Bloggers Connect but all opinions and thoughts are my own.
2014/06/19
Imágen Hair Products Made Just for Latinas
Have you ever heard of Imágen salon hair products?
Neither had I until they approached me to try their products. We all know there is nothing quite as relaxing as going to the spa and letting the professionals apply hair coloring products, wash, style and blow out our hair. Oh, how we Latina girls love a good blow out. Well, doesn’t everyone?
Imagine if everyone were the same. Life would be boring right? Isn’t variety the spice of life? I am the child of a biracial couple and I have the hair to prove it. I am Latina and we have hair that comes in almost as many varieties of colors, textures and thicknesses as the color of our skin but I have found a product that is made just for my hair, Imágen.
I happen to have a whole lot of fine hair in deep chestnut, sometimes its curly and sometimes its straight. My sister on the other hand has very thick, coarse, jet-black hair that hangs in spiral curls. My other sister has shorter, baby fine hair that is naturally wavy. She always looks like she just left the beach. The problem is that it’s not usually up to us how our hair is going to look on any given day, so we have to depend on good product; preferably one that works with our type of hair. Discovering yvonnehodgsonhair.co.uk was a life-changer in that very moment of our lives because they have award-winning hairstylists who turned our ungroomed hair into something beautiful.
Believe me when I tell you that I have tried just about everything on the market. When I was a teenager, I would use whatever my mom bought. As I entered my 20’s and started putting real effort into my beauty routine, I began using Paul Mitchell. Then I had kids and I was lucky if I even got to shower.
As I get older, I’ve noticed that my hair has gotten duller, more brittle and as the gray comes in and stress causes me to lose hair, now, just for shits and giggles, my hair has decided to get curlier. Basically, what was working for me, is no longer working. Every day is a hair surprise and that is not necessarily a good thing.
I’ve tried using hair soaps like Lush’s Godiva but it made my head itchy. I tried Wen and it helped with the hair falling out but did nothing for the frizz and, I know it’s just mental, but I really miss the lather of conventional shampoos.
Enter Imágen a hair product line made specifically for Latinas.
I am very weird about my hair, I always have this fear that I’m going to use a new shampoo and all of my hair is instantly going to fall out and there I will be with no hair. Just in case you missed the memo, we Latinas have a lot of our self-image wrapped up in our hair. I’ve had long hair most of my life. So the very last thing I want to do is to jack my hair up.
I was skeptical but I tried the Imágen shampoo and conditioner and my hair felt soft without feeling greasy or heavy like most shampoos leave my hair feeling. Then, I used the straightener because it’s a warm weather month and that translates into instant frizz for me. I dried my hair and added a little of the Imágen anti-frizz serum ( my new favorite thing) and I have to say, I am very impressed with the product. My hair is soft and straight, no fluff and I didn’t even have to use the straightening iron, so no extraneous heat damage. Just in case you don’t have naturally curly or wavy hair, you should know that beating back frizz during humid weather is nothing short of a miracle.
I’ve only used the product a couple times so far but, honestly, I am really impressed.
There are 6 products currently in the line; Imágen Salon Formula Moisturizing Shampoo – containing avocado oil and botanicals to naturally revive dry, damaged hair; Strengthening Conditioner – formulated to penetrate the hair shaft, instantly detangling and smoothing even problem hair; Leave-in Conditioner – a protein-enriched complex that restores moisture and softness; Temporary Straightener – a straightening and shining formula to temporarily remove curl and frizz without harsh chemicals; Shine – a weightless mist that adds brilliant shine; and Anti-Frizz Serum– a greaseless finishing balm to tame ‘frizzies’ and seal split ends. All products: MSRP$7.99 and are available at Target.
Currently, the Imágen Temporary Straightener and Imágen Anti-Frizz Serum are both on sale for a $1 off regular price. On June 22^nd, all of the Imágen Salon Quality Hair Care products will be on sale for $1 off. So don’t take my word for it, give it a try and let me know what you think.
To make it easy, I am going to giveaway one complete set of all six of the Imágen salon products to one lucky randomly selected reader. All you have to do is enter a comment below telling me what your favorite beauty product is.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This was a sponsored post written by me about Imágen Salon but all opinions are my own.
2014/06/11