Celebrate Little Moments With NESCAFÉ® Clásico™! #MomentoNESCAFE #Giveaway @NESCAFELatino #Ad

    Life has a tendency of moving at a very fast pace.  We often get caught up in trying to keep up with the race and don't spend enough time slowing down long enough to appreciate every single moment.  While most of us stop to celebrate the big events in our lives, like weddings and birthdays, we rarely commemorate the small victories and precious little events that sprinkle our lives.     This is especially true when it comes to marriage, especially when you have kids.  Couples can get preoccupied with working and raising a family and don't always take the time out to enjoy each other's company for stolen moments.  My husband and I have decided to appreciate life moment by moment just because and not due to being obligated to do so on special occasions.  It's our way of expressing our love and letting each other know that we matter in our relationship.      Enjoying a cup of NESCAFÉ® Clásico ™ with my sweetheart makes these simple moments even more enjoyable.  It has been a … [Read more...]

How Does Your Familia Inspire You? #McFarlandUSA #MiFamilia #Giveaway #Ad

*This is part of a sponsored campaign with DiMe Media and Buena Vista Home Entertainment. However, all opinions expressed are my own.     My familia, or family, is at the center of everything that I do every single day.  Their love and support inspires me to sacrifice everything that I can in order to guarantee that they have the best opportunities that life has to offer.  This foundation was laid decades ago by my grandparents and great-grandparents who threw caution to the wind and traveled to distant lands so that their descendants could benefit from some of the things that they did not have access to such as education and democracy.     On my father's side, my paternal grandparents migrated to Venezuela from Spain to have access to gainful employment so they could provide for their two children, my Dad and my Aunt.  Although it was difficult to make the transition to a new country, away from all their family and friends, they sacrificed and saved all their money in order to … [Read more...]

Make Your Guests Feel Welcome During The Holidays! #TuiteaDesdeElTrono @CharminLatino #Ad

*This is part of a sponsored campaign with Charmin and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.      I can't believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner!  Not only is it one of my favorite holidays, but it is also when I get to enjoy having my family around me since I normally host dinner at our home.  It has always been a special time because every single one of my family members prepares a traditional dish for our meal.  This helps me from having to cook everything on my own and it allows all of our children to sample a variety of traditional Latino dishes.     Normally, our guests only stay for the day in order for all of us to be able to eat together.  However, sometimes when my husband's family comes from out of state, it is necessary to open up our home to them for the night.  During these moments, it is especially important to me to make sure that they feel welcome for the duration of their stay.  After all, it's hard enough being away from … [Read more...]

The Charmin Traditions Bilingual Twitter Party Is Almost Here! #TuiteaDesdeElTrono #Partner

*This is part of a sponsored campaign with Charmin and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.       Keeping cultural traditions going is very important to me.  I was raised in Spain and some of my fondest memories from my childhood include details around my grandmother's cooking, the stories that she told me, and the things that she taught me about being a woman and a mother.     Now that I have my own family and my own home, I often find myself referring to these customs and traditions as a guide.  It is comforting to know that my own children will pass them down to their own kids and that they will also have fond memories from their childhood.     It is for these very reasons that I feel so connected to beauty queen and ¡Despierta América! television host, Ana Patricia González.  Small traditions from her childhood in Mexico also transport her to those beloved memories and moments.  Having such loving reminders of her roots have had a profound … [Read more...]

Upgrade Your Bathroom Experience! #TuiteaDesdeElTrono @CharminLatino #Partner

*This is part of a sponsored campaign with Charmin and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.     The last few months, I have been working hard to remodel some of the rooms in our home one by one.  Although we redid the bathroom a couple of years ago, it is already in need of some new touches to make it a little more comfortable and  inviting.  After all, it is probably the room in the house that we spend the most time in besides our bedrooms.     Growing up, one of the ways that my Grandmother added special touches to the bathroom is by displaying crystal and ceramic figurines on a glass shelf on top of the sink.  She would also fill glass bowls over the toilet with potpourri and with scented soaps.  As soon as you walked into the bathroom, you would immediately be greeted with these distinctive scents.  To this day, I strive to create this kind of pleasing experience in my own bathroom to make it feel like home or "como en casa."     This summer, … [Read more...]

Celebrate Fútbol Fever With @Orgullosa! #MyHouseIsMyStadium #Ad

*This is part of a product review campaign with Orgullosa; complimentary products were provided. However, all opinions expressed are my own.     Anyone who has visited my household recently knows that we have been rooting for our favorite soccer teams as they all battle to be number one in the world.  Sadly, our two top teams are now out of the competition but that hasn't stopped us from enjoying the remaining games and taking advantage of spending some quality time together as a family.     This year, Orgullosa is rewarding diehard soccer fans with an awesome giveaway where you all have a chance to win some huge prizes!  By uploading a photo that demonstrates the passion and pride that you have for your favorite teams and colors, you will be eligible to win a TV, XBOX1, sound system and lots of P&G products!     Some of my favorite memories of watching soccer with my family when I was a kid in Spain are of sitting around the living room with my parents and grandparents … [Read more...]

Get Closer As Your Team Goes Further! #CelebrateCloser @CrestLatino #LatinaBloggers #Ad

*This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Crest and Latina Bloggers Connect.  As always our opinions are 100% our own.     It's no secret that spending time with my family is a priority to me.  I fully take advantage of every opportunity that arises to connect and to celebrate with those who truly matter to me in my life.  There is just something about soccer that elicits pure joy from all of us while we are together.  It has a lot to do with the excitement of cheering on our favorite teams and players and of the anticipation of winning the whole thing and being number one!     Soccer is also one of the things that has allowed me to stay close to my family in Spain.  I often get homesick and long to see my grandparents and the rest of my family that is on the other side of the world.  Through social media, we are able to discuss our triumphs and disappointments when it comes to our team's performance and it definitely brings us closer together.  When you miss someone … [Read more...]

Celebrate Soccer Season With The Perfect Pair Of Foods! #GolazoKraft #CollectiveBias #Shop #Ad

*I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.     Soccer is a beloved sport in our home.  My husband and I are both of Latin descent and we have lived in our native countries of Spain and Puerto Rico where fútbol is the national pastime.  Every four years when that big soccer tournament comes around, we really enjoy predicting which teams will make it to the end and, of course, cheering for our own countries' teams.     This past week, we all got together at my mother's house to watch Spain play.  Unfortunately, they were unable to win and move forward in the competition.  Although we were all disappointed, we still managed to have a great time together and to enjoy each other's company along with some great food.  I normally arrange with my family members a list of dishes that each person will bring when we get together to watch soccer … [Read more...]

Unlock An Unexpected Dose Of Joy! #MusicToYourNose @GainLatino @Gain #Giveaway #Ad

*I participated in this campaign on behalf of Gain. I received a promotional item to facilitate this review and as a thank you item for participating. All opinions are my own.     Many people don't know a lot about the Bronx aside from what they have seen on television or in the movies.  This borough of New York City is often depicted in a less than favorable light and we don't get the credit that we deserve for being full of decent and hardworking people.  That is why I was so excited when I found out that Gain was coming to the Bronx to transform local neighborhood laundromats into something special.  I immediately knew that this would help to spread an unexpected dose of joy throughout our community!     This past Friday, I had the pleasure of meeting Bronx-born musician Leslie Grace, who has partnered with Gain, to showcase how art, music and culture collide to celebrate the launch of six community-decorated Laundromats throughout the Bronx, Spanish Harlem and Washington … [Read more...]

From The Mouths Of Babes… #YoureDoingOkMom #Ad

*This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with JOHNSON’S® Baby and Latina Bloggers Connect.   All opinions are 100% mine.       Ever since I found out that I was going to become a mother, I worried over whether I would be able to do a good job.  After all, being a mom could possibly be the most important role of a woman's life.  Unfortunately, however, parenting does not come with a handbook and children certainly don't come with instructions.     I love being a mom but, like most moms, I often wonder if I'm even doing this whole parenting thing right.  Luckily, my boys seem to think that I am the cat's pajamas and they remind me on a daily basis that I'm doing a great job after all.  I asked my eight year old son what I'm really great at and his response included, "Giving me hugs, taking care of me, scratching my back, and making sure my clothes are clean."     The old saying is so true, "From the mouths of babes…"  Who knew that scratching his back every … [Read more...]