When I was pregnant with Bella, I constantly listened to Celine Dion’s album Miracle. Honestly, it was my first pregnancy and I was so in love with my baby before she was ever born, like all moms-to-be. From the moment that I knew she was there, I loved her, more than life itself and I still do. This is how I have felt about every pregnancy and every child I’ve had the pleasure of growing in my body.
I would sway back and forth in her nursery, rubbing my belly and singing the songs to her, imagining all the things I would get to do with her throughout her life. All the books said that you should talk to your unborn baby because they would know your voice, and she did. She kicked and we had our long conversations in that nursery as the sun shone through the window and kissed my belly; just the two of us.
After she was born, I would soothe her to sleep in my arms, rocking in front of that same window looking down into her big blue eyes. My miracle realized; my child in my arms to love for all eternity. The love was sometimes almost overwhelming. It scared me to love someone so much; it still does.
My Bella has been sick since last Thursday when she unexpectedly passed out in my arms and my whole world feels upside down. Nothing seems right and even the air feels thicker. Yesterday, we went for her follow up and they sent us for an echocardiogram…just to be sure. My heart stopped. I thought everything was fine but I’ve been here before, that unsuspecting moment when you think life is fine and it gets completely knocked upside down. I don’t want to be here. I want to be somewhere else; anywhere else. I want to close my eyes and cover my ears and pretend none of this is happening.
The echocardiogram took what seemed like an eternity. I don’t know if that is standard or if they saw something. I only know that I feel like I can’t breathe. She’s been throwing up and laying around the house frail and sickly and I just want to take it all away.
Now, I wait for the results of one of the most important tests of my life. I am freaking out and today was the first time I’ve had the chance to process my feelings. The Big Guy is back at work, Bella went back to school and I am waiting by the phone, listening to that CD that made me so happy when I sung those songs to my Bella when she was safe in my arms and sobbing as I type this because the uncertainty is breaking my heart.
This could be the beginning of something we have to tackle or it could be nothing. Either way, I have to keep it together for Bella, my miracle.
***Update: After the doctor didn’t call last night, considering that I have been frantic since last Thursday when this all started, I called the pediatrician who is out of office until Thursday. I started choking up and crying on the phone with the nurse because my nerves are shot and practically begging them to call me as soon as the doctor walked in on Thursday morning, knowing full well that I will be a hot, sobbing mess until then. The nurse tried to talk me off my worried mommy ledge but it wasn’t working. She just called back and said she called the doctor at home and after consulting with the pediatric cardiologist: “No need to worry. No abnormalities. No issues. No Restrictions!” Thank You God and everyone who prayed. I’ve never been so happy to hear the word no in my life. WHEW!!!Exhale!Breathe….that’s what the nurse just told me. I am trying but first I must finish the stress crying.
As a mother and someone who drives with my children in the car with me 85% of the time, I think a lot about safety while driving. I want our time in the car to be as safe as possible and that means, no texting and driving. I have to admit, it is difficult. Well, Sprint has come up with a device that disables text messaging while you’re driving. How awesome is that? It saves you from even being tempted to text.
It’s called an OBD2 device or User Based Insurance. The Sprint wireless network hosts a line of products for insurance companies that plug into your car under the dashboard. It can send information about how your automobile is being driven and you can disable text messaging while the car is being driven. You can ask your insurance agent for one or see if they’re available here.
Honestly, I don’t let anyone else drive my children (because I am crazy) but this would be awesome if nannies were picking the kids up from school so that I could know how safely she was driving and disable texting.
Car accidents are the leading cause of death in U.S. teenagers. Teen drivers are three times more likely to be in a fatal car crash. More teens die from texting and driving than drunk driving. I also thinking this could be a fantastic tool to use with your teen driver to keep them safe.
Now that I’ve told you a little bit about this revolutionary device that will keep you and your loved ones safe, I’d love to invite you to our Sprint M2M #DriveSafe Twitter Party on Wednesday, September 18th at 6:00 PM PST/ 9:00 PM EST! We’ll be giving away 3 $25 Amazon Gift Cards during the Twitter Party!!!
WHAT: Sprint M2M #DriveSafe Twitter Party
WHEN: Wednesday, September 18th, 2013 from 6-7 PM PST/ 9-10 EST
Forgot my phone and realized that I am too dependent on it. I felt naked and awkward. I felt lost and unsure; insecure. I hide behind my phone. My phone has become a crutch, especially in my line of work. It has replaced my eyes, my ears, my brain, my voice, my memory and my attention. I have become so dependent on capturing everything that happens in my life for posterity that I am missing it in real-time. I have become so accustomed to instant gratification that there are no more great surprises and the real, genuine moments are few and far between. If they do happen, they are often missed only to be seen in retrospective playback.
Our phones have become a barrier between us and living in the moment. We’ve all developed such intense cases of FOMO that we are, in fact, missing out on the really important things like honest conversations, human connections, true love, trust and firsts.
I don’t want to miss another minute of my life or view it through a screen. I want to look directly into the eyes of my child as she says something, anything, to me. I want to hear her when she speaks not when I play it back. I don’t want to miss the moments for one more moment. This video by Charlene deGuzman reminded me of that.
I am committing to walking away and turning off the social media, computers and phones when I am with my family. When I am with them, those few hours every day after school until their bedtime, I will be 100% present. I owe them that. I owe me that.
I want to experience my life not document it for someone else to relive in some far off future.
I want my children to say my mother was present, she listened and she cared about it all. She loved me and I know it because she was there for all of it; paying attention and giving advice.
I want my husband to know that he is the most important person in the room with me and that when we are alone together talking, imagining our future, planning our life, it is just the two of us and not the entire Internet and there is nowhere else in the world that I would rather be.
I want my friends to know that I care about what they are saying and when I say that I am “here for them” I am really there for them, wherever that might be 100%. No more 1/2 listening with one eye on the Internet because nothing happening “out there” is more important than what is happening right here, next to me; a joke, a story, a laugh, a cry, a human experience.
Technology is a wonderful thing but it is no replacement for the human condition.I want my humanity in tact because without it, what are we?
Last weekend was our city’s annual Fright Night and Zombie walk. My daughters have been wanting to participate for the past 3 years but we’ve felt they were too young to be immersed in the middle of all of those “zombies” so we’ve been watching from the sidelines. This year, we decided would be the year that we all walked “amongst the dead”. They were zombies and I was la Calavera Catrina, recognized as a sugar skull.
My husband and girls dressed as authentic walking dead zombies. My husband was a typical zombie ironically wearing a blood smeared “Be Kind to the Earth” t-shirt with a vintage plaid flannel. I guess he was going for hipster zombie look.
My 9-year-old was a prom queen zombie. Luckily her ballet rehearsal was done in just enough time to get home, change into her “prom” dress and dead face. My littlest one was the cutest dead school girl ever.
My little brother and I chose to go in a different direction. I love the Walking Dead but I just can’t make myself drag my legs and growl at people so my brother dressed as a sugar skull and I dressed as the Grand Dame of Dia De Los Muertos, la Calavera Catrina. The best part? Everything I needed was in my closet.
Here is how to apply the Dia de Los Muertos make-up and pull together a costume that will make heads turn.
I think it turned out awesome!
Begin with an even layer of the Ben Nye Clown White make-up all over the entire face, except the eye sockets, with a sponge, and set with powder. You can buy setting powder at the Halloween shop but, honestly, baby powder works just as well. It is important to set the color with the powder, because the black lines and color on top may get smudged unless you place a barrier in between. Seriously, your face will look like it is melting off if you don’t and who wants to go through all that time painstakingly applying make-up only to have it slide right off your face?
Next, I sculpted the perimeter of my eye socket with a black liquid eyeliner, it’s much easier to use than regular black face make-up and it lets you be more precise with your lines. Then intensify the area by blending a matte black shadow in the same hue over the top of the entire eyelid and filling in the drawn socket.
For the detailing, pick up a black liquid liner with a precise tip, and draw an upside-down heart on the nose, the two rows of scalloping, connected by a circular motion, that surrounds the eyes and the two small circles on either side of my cheek bones. Mark out seven lines in a V-shape on your forehead. I made a jewel in the middle of mine, you can too or not, whatever you choose. Connect the lines with curved shapes to create a spider web.
Use the same liquid liner to draw the two lines on your cheeks and draw a rose on your chin.
Use a color wheel of your choice to fill in the scalloping around your eyes, your jewel and any other designs on your face that need color. I set the color with more translucent powder, not too much, just enough to keep the color from running.
Moving on to the lips, I wanted red lips so I used my Red Chanel lipstick to draw in my lips. Then with the black liquid eyeliner, I drew in the intersecting lines across my lips. I let all lines dry well and then went over with liquid eyeliner again.
With the liquid liner, add a few dotted details over the face, and a flower on your chin. Touch up individual areas with the color palette of your choice as needed, and after a few coats of mascara, I used fake-eyelashes to give my eyes a little extra umph.
For the hair, I simply washed my hair and dried it curly. Teased it. Pulled it to a curly, side pony tail and then added two oversized red roses behind my ears, which I held in with bobby pins. You could also opt for a headband with flowers on it.
To finish the look, I shopped my closet. Sometimes being a Latina with a dad who retires to Mexico 8 months a year has its advantages. I wore a long black skirt, a white peasant blouse with red, yellow and green roses from Mexico as my blouse, an ornate, traditional Kelly green velvet apron with gold scalloping and bright gold shawl. It came together perfectly but, honestly, the make-up makes the costume.
As you might remember, for about a month and especially the week prior to my first ever BlogHer, I was quite the hot mess mentally. I was overthinking everything. I wasn’t necessarily nervous about going to the conference and being a newbie because I am not a newbie. I have been blogging for over 4 years and I was mostly having some anxiety about whether or not I would live up to what people were expecting. I know it sounds so high schoolish when I say it out loud. It is. High school is exactly what the anticipation of my first BlogHer felt like. Luckily, it was nothing like that.
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]This is me, the first night of BlogHer13!
I am lucky because I have the good fortune of knowing a lot of people online and even more fortunate that they extended invitations to me to hang out in person. I will always be forever grateful for Tracy Beckerman for inviting me to a dinner on Wednesday night with a wonderful group of men and women that are not only funny, they are some of the most wickedly down-to-earth, awesomely humble rock stars I have ever met.
I was afraid that even though we’ve “known” one another “forever” online, they were going to take one good look at me and ask “Who the fuck are you?” Surprisingly, they did not. Each one grabbed my neck and hugged my genuinely and pulled back with a knowing smile and instead of feeling like an overwhelmed newbie, I felt like I was at a reunion, returning to my blogging home. I mean these people GET.ME! They.Really.Get.Me and let’s be honest, they know more about me than most people who I see everyday. I don’t give people I know the url to my diary. It doesn’t happen. That set the tone for my entire experience. It only took one hug.
Then my roomie showed up; the phenomenon that is Jenni Chiu; Vlogger Extraordinaire and wickedly awesome wordsmith. She got in late Wednesday night. I was asleep but promptly woke up when she walked in. The first thing I saw was her smiling face (now that I think of it, she was probably laughing because I was most likely snoring like a boss). She hugged me like a long lost sister and we talked into the wee hours of the night. We were instant best friends and it only took one hug.
Sure, there were parties, events, dinners and meetings but it all boiled down to one thing for me; being myself and leaving myself open to getting to know a whole lot of amazing women. Putting faces to voices, seeing the knowing in their eyes, people who know all your secrets and still read you and want to meet you is a beautiful thing.
There were a lot of awesome people and amazing things. I won’t name them all because honestly, I don’t want you to be jealous of all the fucking amazing women I got to spend 5 days in Chicago with. My experience is not your experience and yours is not mine and I am sure you had your own amazing women you spent your 5 days with.
But I did learn a few things:
Don’t over pack! Dear Lord, did I ever. Seriously, you don’t need to take 15 outfits for 5 days. And don’t pack more than 3 pairs of shoes but pack loads of undies because these are some funny people.
Unless you are photography blogger, leave your ginormous DSLR at home.
You do not need your laptop. I am a pen and paper kind of gal.
Bring lots of water.Lots.Of.Water!!!
Take more photos! I got so wrapped up in meeting people that I completely forgot to capture the moment in photos, which is good because they had my full attention but bad because now, I have no photos of their gorgeous faces.
Do not attend everything you are invited to. Honestly, I was triple booked every day all day long. I had to miss a lot. Pick what is a good fit for you and your blog and then focus on a few more intimate gatherings. Believe me the conversations that I had with women in the middle of the night in hallways and lobbies were awesome.
Swag is nice but it is NOT the reason to attend a conference. I prefer hugs and smiles, long conversations with new old friends over anything else.
Don’t drink too much. There were a lot of people trying to summons their liquid courage; it ended with dancing like Elaine from Seinfeld, slurring to complete strangers that you love them and crying in the bathroom. I don’t recommend it. I hear the morning after hangovers were epic.
Go to VOTY! It is the most important part of BlogHer. It is what we are all about; the writing. I hope.
Wear comfortable shoes!!! 5-inch heels have no place on the expo floor. Well, unless you are one of those awesome broads who has no feeling in her feet and can do that sort of thing. I, myself, have a tendency for my feet to mutiny and hyper-extend. Even in wedges, I wake up with punishing Charlie Horses in the middle of the night.
Give feedback! Don’t be a complainer, give BlogHer constructive feedback. For instance, I feel there should be an even more advanced track for bloggers who have been doing this for a long time. I also feel that a couple of my sessions that I really looked forward to, fell flat and were disappointing because the speaker didn’t focus on her topic. That was frustrating after a paid all that money to learn something particular and the speaker failed to share her knowledge in a helpful way.
Don’t be afraid to join the conversation. Say hi! None of us bite. I think by nature most of us are a little bit introverted (we work online from home, we are not the most outgoing people) but I swear, I will hug the shit out of you if you come up to me and tell me it’s nice to meet me, you read me or you follow me. Just ask Nicole.
Embrace the fan girl. We all have one and we all are one, on some level. We write online. For me, I write completely openly and honestly because, in my mind, I am alone on my computer but that actually creates a connection with my readers (your readers) as I found out this past weekend. So when a fan of your work comes up to you and squeals and squees about how great you are…grab that girl and hug her out do.not.give.her.the.blank.stare. If you do, you are the asshole in this scenario, not her.
Take time to make people connections, it is NOT all about the swag, or how many “famous” bloggers you can meet and cross off your list (even though FULL DISCLOSURE, I did go completely FAN.GIRL. on Ree Drummond. It’s embarrassing but I may or may not have completely body checked her when we were going into VOTY. Sorry Ree!)
Be yourself!!! OMG, the best thing said to me at the entire conference was a blogger who told me that I was completely the same person online as I am offline. I hope that was a compliment. Either way, I am taking it as one. Of course, she may think I am a complete asshole online:)
Bottom line is BlogHer is for connecting; faces and voices with blogs was the connection I wanted to make and I did. I tried to see everyone I promised to hug and if I missed you, I am sorry. I honestly, loved meeting each and every one of you, even the woman who said hello, threw a card at us and ran away. Come back! I don’t bite. I might hug you hard and kiss your cheeks but I do not bite.
Thank all of you who I met for making BlogHer an unbelievably amazing experience. I feel renewed in my blogging. I don’t feel like I am alone in a room anymore because I know there are people out there, connecting with me and to my story and they care. All this started from one hug.
What was your greatest take away from BlogHer13 or any blogging conference you have attended?[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
Election 2012 is closer than I’d ever like any election to be, exciting, intense and with a chance of chaos ensuing. Election 2012 is too close for my comfort. Today is election day and I am terrified. God, I love this country because we have choices. I was pretty proud of myself yesterday. It was one of those mommy moments where you feel like you actually did something right. (more…)
I have a new tall, dark and handsome in my life and his name is Nespresso. Thank you William’s and Sonoma for introducing us.
I used to be a Keurig devotee. We were best friends ( friends with benefits really); every morning he’d wake me up with a hot, sweet caramel kiss on the lips. But I cheated on him. I couldn’t help myself.
I longed for something more and I was tempted by an old familiar flame, Starbucks. Beautiful and glorious bastard that he is, who could say no?
He was my addiction. He was so hot, smelled so good and I could just pull him to my lips and stay there for hours.
Keurig is better than Folgers, I’ll never deny that, but Keurig is no Starbucks not even by a long shot (not even with an extra shot ). He is the poor mom’s Starbucks. It’s like the difference between Lena Dunham and Angelina Jolie, Zach Galifinakas and Alexander Skarsgard, a hairless Chihuahua and a Unicorn. My God, you know you always want the unicorn even if it is impractical so beautiful that it sears your retinas to look upon it and the damn thing costs an arm and a leg to house and feed. No matter, you must have it. Who cares if you have to second mortgage the house? Screw those brats and that private school. Don’t you deserve to be happy? Coffee is all we have moms. That and those yoga pants.
But life is not so black and white and neither is coffee. Well, unless you drink it black in which case…you could just exit this conversation right now and head to the nearest Speedway. They’ve got you covered, it’s like 99 cents for a metric ton of coffee. Lucky bastards.
I forgot that there is a beautiful world filled with sexy shades of milky caramels, where unicorns run free, are grass fed and only came when called.Where children don’t bicker and teething babies sleep through the night. Where toddlers aren’t overly attached and teens still like you. ( I went too far with the teen analogy, didn’t I? I could feel it going too far when Is aid it. Damn it. If you go too close to the sun, you get burned. Rookie mistake. Wait, where was I? Oh yeah…) It can be beautiful. I forgot that life is not made of only Folgers and Keurig’s alone…there is Nespresso!! And I’ve been told that what I have with my Nespresso is not an addiction but a “lifestyle choice”. Whatever you want to call it. It’s who I am and I love it and I don’t care who knows it.
Nespresso machines and Nespresso pods are the GD unicorns of coffee makers and at home brewing.The Aeroccino, it’s silent but I swear I can hear angels singing every single time I brew a cup. Each time I make a Nespresso at home, the world is a better place. It’s more vibrant and beautiful. It’s not coffee, it is happiness in a cup, I always tell people not to have toomuch coffe during the day, mayne people are not aware of the fact the you can have long term stomach proems due from too much caffeine. look for a Remedy from stomach problems from too much caffeine.
I can enjoy it in my comfy chair in my pajamas or yoga pants or naked if I want too. ( Wait, no, I don’t drink coffee naked, that would just be weird and dangerous, right?). It just tastes better. I’m not sure if it’s because each cup is fresh and never scorched or only cost me 95 cents. Maybe it’s because I can flavor my froth. Maybe it’s because I’ll never need whip again because good head beats whip every damn day of the week. Maybe it’s the perfect excuse to entertain. Whatever the reason is, I’ve ended it with Keurig and Starbucks and I are on an indefinite break like Ross and Rachel. But unlike Rachel, I’m never going back.
Now, if I could just figure out how to make a damn Oprah Chai Latte that tastes as good as Starbucks…at home.
Did your kids love Finding Nemo? Mine too! They we’re particularly taken with Dory. I wonder what ever happened to Dory? Did her short term memory every recover?
Word is Disney Pixar has a new animated picture in the works that many of us have been waiting a decade for: Finding Dory. Finding Dory will be the second film in the Finding Nemo series.
Ellen Degeneres, the voice of Dory the blue tang fish with no short-term memory in Finding Nemo, will be starring in her very own feature film coming November 2015.
For me, Dory stole the show in finding Nemo. Ellen Degeneres’ voice endeared Dory to our hearts with her forgetful memory and sweet disposition. When Dory said her famous line, “just keep swimming” in Finding Nemo, she could never have imagined where that phrase would take her.
The story takes place in the same extraordinary underwater world created in Finding Nemo. One thing everyone has wanted to know since Dory first appeared in Finding Nemo was why was she all by herself in the ocean on the day she met Marlin.
In Finding Dory, the question will be answered and Dory will be reunited with her loved ones, meanwhile learning a few things about the importance of family.
Finding Dory will take place about a year after the first film and feature Finding Nemo favorites like Marlin, Nemo and the Tank Gang from 42 Wallaby Way. The movie will partly take place along the California coastline. Finding Dory will also welcome new characters, including a few who will prove to be a very important part of Dory’s life.
My girls cannot wait to see Finding Dory in theaters and neither can I. We loved Finding Nemo and cannot see what new adventure the group will embark on.
**UPDATE 12/09/14
The primary setting of Andrew Stanton‘s 2016 Pixar sequel, Finding Dory, has been revealed. A new interview with Pixar President Jim Morris revealed that the bulk of the movie – which follows Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) on a quest to remember her past and find her parents – takes place in another aquatic location.
The film takes place several months after the first movie. Dory (DeGeneres) is living with Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo on their reef; she goes with Nemo on a school trip. On the trip, memories are triggered, and they begin an adventure that will lead her to her family.
The majority of the movie takes place at the “Marine Biology Institute of California,” described as “a huge rehabilitation complex for marine and aquarium life. Dory learns that there she was born and raised and was released in the ocean still young.”
By setting the story at the Marine Biology Institute, the door is opened for a ton of new characters. There are Dory’s parents Charlie and Jenny, voiced by Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton, as well as a funny beluga whale, Bailey, voiced by Ty Burrell. We’d also heard Idris Elba and Domenic West will lend their voices to the film. Of course, there’s still the possibility of Dory, Marlin, and Nemo running into some old familiar Finding Nemo faces. We’ve already heard Gill and Deb will be making the return.
I’ve had the pleasure of being an ambassador for Aventura clothing for the past year. Until then, I honestly didn’t know much about the line. In the past year, I’ve had the chance to try several pieces and I won’t lie, I’ve really been impressed.
I’m 42 years old, so I figured out a long time ago the difference between cheaply made clothing and well-made, high-quality pieces. In fact, I can’t even convince myself to buy lesser quality clothing for myself because it’s simply not worth it in the long run. What’s the point of paying $25 for jeans if you only wear them once? I’d rather pay $100 or $200 and wear them until they fall apart, I also found great prices for the garment labels wholesale, all custom made and for a great quality.
Aventura was a pleasant surprise in the fact that they are well-priced but extremely well-made using high quality materials that not only look good and feel good, they are made to fit adult women’s bodies; tall, short, thin or plus sized. Got curves? No problem.
The pieces are comfortable and you feel good when you wear them. I don’t spend the entire time pulling and tugging to get stuff to fit. It’s just cut in a way that falls nicely on the adult woman’s body. Of course, that hasn’t kept my young daughters from snagging certain pieces, ahem, scarves and hats.
What can I say the girl has good taste. Though I do wish she’d let me wear it at least some of the time, but how can I deny her when she looks so dang cute in the Lachlan hat and scarf?
Here are a few of my favorite pieces that I ordered. With the basic colors and patterns, it is so easy to mix and match to create endless possibilities with just a few great pieces.
This outfit is so cozy and perfect for shopping or lounging by the fire. I am a big fan of Aventura sweaters but the Berlin wool sweater may be my all time favorite. It was perfect for apple picking and cool fall days and has transitioned nicely as a layering piece this winter. I can’t express how awesome the bienne tank tops are. They come is several colors and are long enough for any height and you don’t have to worry about them stretching out or riding up on muffin tops. Definitely a basic everyone needs in their closet. The Morgan cords are like nothing you have ever felt before, soft, stretchy and body hugging without restrictive. I LOVE THEM.
Or if you are need something feminine, yet warm and cozy to wear to girls night out or dinner with your favorite guy. I love this outfit. The Maxine top is light and flowy with ruching on the neckline that makes it look gorgeous on almost every body type and can be worn year round. I like to layer it over a bienne tank in beaujolais during the cooler months. On top of that, I like the Zuri Jacket because the 100% boiled wool will never fail to keep you warm during these cooler months and the gradient color gives it a air of sophistication.The Blake skinny jean goes with just about anything you want to wear it with. Made from organic cotton and Lycra, it’s an eco-friendly option with a touch of stretch that fits your body like a glove and they look great with boots.
I spend a lot of time in yoga pants so when I get dressed to go out into public for school parties, to the doctor’s office, shopping, the movies or just lunch with a friend, I have an expectation of comfort but I don’t want to look like I just rolled out of bed so Aventura helps me have both; style and comfort. I think this is just the perfect outfit for hanging out and running errands. The Ciera vest is quilter and tailored but the back is stretchy knit, so you may not want to go up a size. I did to accommodate my bust-line and it was a little large on me. The Natalie Reversible skirt is reversible with a fun burnout print on the top layer and a solid jersey on the inner layer and it’s fully lined so if you are over 30, no need to worry about cellulite making an appearance through your clothes. We’ve got you covered. This skirt is super comfy and lightweight. You can wear it definitely wear it round.
You can still get your Aventura in time for Christmas!
Oreder 12/19 before 9 AM PST for 2 & 3 Day Shipping • 12/22 before 9 AM PST for Next Day Shipping.
Just because I am in the holiday spirit, I will give a 60% off promo code for your order up to $250 to the first 15 people that leave a comment letting me know your favorite Aventura piece.
Sportif also has a men’s line, Ecoths brand, which my husband loves.. Same quality as Aventura, made to fit real men but fashionable and stylish. He has the Maddox sweater made of 100% organic cotton. It’s soft and cut to accommodate his broad shoulders, waist and long torso which is something we usually have a hard time finding to fit. He also has the Grady Cords which he adores and he is not a corduroy type of guy but he says that these are so comfortable that he feels like he’s wearing his favorite jeans, plus there’s no awkward swishing sound like with some corduroy pants.
Personally, there is nothing sexier than a man cooking for me but he’s wearing that Maddox sweater pretty well.
I wear my Aventura everywhere. The jacket I wore to the city tree lighting above my Berlin sweater is the Briarwood jacket and I won’t lie, I wish I had it in every single color. Even the Grinch approves:)
As you can see, my family is an Aventura family. We love it and that’s the truth. Happiest of Holidays to your family from mine.
Disclosure: I am a proud Aventura ambassador and as such product was provided to me for review purposes, all opinions are my own.
My dog, Lola, is more than just a pet. She surpasses anything I would have ever imagined that a family pet could be. She is part of our family. In fact, with the girls in school all day now and the Big Guy at work, she is my closest companion and that is the reason why I give her cbd oil to enhance her well being, read more at the link to learn its benefits.
Lola came into our lives one Christmas 2 years ago and filled a great big gaping hole left in our hearts from the loss of our first family dog, Saffaron. Saffy was our practice for children. She was the puppy who taught us responsibility and how to love and nurture something beyond ourselves and she returned that love ten fold.
We adopted Saffaron about a month into our marriage and she was our constant loyal companion for thirteen amazing years, up until the moment her heart just couldn’t go on. Saffy was with us as we moved around the country and grew from a young naïve couple into homeowners and then parents. She welcomed home each of our daughters with love and enthusiasm, gracefully moving aside as our family grew.
Never malicious or jealous, always filled with just a little bit more love and cuddled as close as she could get to our hearts. We loved that dog. She was more than just a “dog” she was a vital part of our family. When we lost her, we lost part of ourselves and it was hard to imagine life without her cold nose and warm kisses, especially for our children who had accepted her as one of their own.
4 months later, the hole was still gaping and the wound fresher than ever. The scab has busted off and the only way to begin healing was to welcome a new canine member to our family; enter, Lola. It’s been 2 years since she came to live with us and I think we’d all agree, life is sweeter with Lola sitting next to us.
She cuddles right up to us on Friday Family nights with her dog blanket as we gather around the coffee table playing a rousing game of Monopoly or just watching Gilmore Girls, Once Upon a Time or my daughters’ favorite new Netflix series, The Adventures of Puss in Boots. Just like next month, you can bet your sweet tukus that she will be sitting on my lap while I binge watch House of Cards Season 3( February 27th..Don’t miss it!)Lola is always there with us. Wherever we go in live, there she is.
Dogs are smart. If I’m watching a movie that tugs at my heartstrings and I find myself crying, Lola cuddles in just a little closer and licks my hand. It’s as if she’s telling me that it’s ok. When we laugh, she doesn’t laugh but she certainly does get excited. Lola is just as much a part of our family as any one of us.
That kind of loyalty and devotion deserves a treat.
Ingredients Vegetable oil cooking spray 2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting 1/2 cup old fashioned oats 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 cup low sodium chicken broth 1 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Directions Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Spray a heavy baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray or line with a silicon baking mat. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats and baking powder. Stir in the broth and peanut butter until the mixture forms a crumbly dough. Press the dough together to form a ball.
On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough for 30 seconds until smooth. Roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle, about 1/2-inch thick. Using a bone-shape cookie cutter, cut out bones and place on the prepared baking sheet (any scraps of dough can be formed into a ball and re-rolled). Sprinkle with the Parmesan.
Bake until light golden, 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Your four-legged family member will adore you for this treat!
Pets are part of our family. As long as these four-legged family members live with us, we are never quite alone. I don’t know about at your house, but at mine, Dog is my co-pilot in life.
What makes your pet special to you?
Disclosure: I am a member of the Netflix StreamTeam but all love for Lola and opinions are my own!
