**Christmas in July is showing right NOW on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries!!** If you have ever spent any time in New York City during the summertime, you know that it can get really hot and humid in this city. School officially ends this week and, after dealing with the pandemic for the last year and a half, everyone is excited at the prospect of the world starting to open back up. I know that one of the things I will be doing this summer is binge watching my favorite programs and channels in the comfort of my cool air conditioner. Hallmark Channel is one of my favorite channels because they always have the best family movies and, this summer, I'm excited to celebrate Christmas in July with the original premiere of "Crashing Through the Snow" on July 10th at 9pm/8c! It just so happens that Christmas is my favorite holiday so this event is right up my alley. I've always been a hopeless romantic and "Crashing Through the Snow," starring Amy Acker and Warren Christie, is … [Read more...]
Celebrate Christmas in July with Hallmark Channel’s Original Premiere of “Crashing Through the Snow” July 10th at 9pm/8c!
Focus On The Lifestyle You Want!
Thank you AstraZeneca for sponsoring this post. Many of you who are long-time readers of Tough Cookie Mommy know that I originally began this blog after being diagnosed with leukemia. The diagnosis literally rocked my whole world as a young mother with a toddler and a newborn baby and I just needed a place where I could vent and share my emotions whenever I was feeling overwhelmed. I had no idea then that I would be telling my story to other women and families so many years later. And with September being Blood Cancer Awareness Month, I feel it’s more important than ever to share my story. My journey began in 2007, shortly after the birth of my youngest son. I had a routine follow-up visit with my doctor and she noticed that my White Blood Cells (WBCs) were kind of high after she reviewed my bloodwork. She discussed with me that, although it was probably nothing, she wanted me to see a hematologist just to make sure that nothing else was going on with me. She explained that a … [Read more...]
Look Forward To The Future! @BasicInvite #BasicInvite #Ad
Graduation is a stressful time for many people. For parents with children are graduation high school or college, graduation means sending your son or daughter off on their future. And while you are probably very hopeful and confident that your children will succeed, it’s hard to ignore the pangs of worry and fear that everything will work for your kids. Students graduating also have a lot to worry about. As exciting as it is to move onto college or the field of your choice, it is equally nerve-wracking to look toward the future and not know what’s coming. On top of fear of the unknown, there are many details about graduation that can also cause anxiety and worry. Here are a few tips to help parents and students manage their fears and look toward the future with optimism: One thing to keep in mind as graduation looms ever closer is that change is a part of life. Sometimes your family has to move across the country, other times you may decide it’s time to … [Read more...]
Modeling Good Sportsmanship For Young Athletes @hotelsforteams #Hotels4Teams #Ad
The definition of good sportsmanship is when athletes exhibit respect for their opponents, conduct themselves graciously when they are winning or losing the game, and being fair during sports games. Unfortunately, sometimes parents get a little too competitive during athletic events and they don't always model good sportsmanship from the bleachers. As a Basketball Mom, I have experienced frustration when my son's team has been down by a lot of points, made technical errors during an important game, or even lost a tough game by only one or two points. It's not easy to watch the disappointment on my son's face when his team loses or when they get a bad call from the referees since I know how hard both he and his teammates work all year long. However, since we are the parents and the responsible adults, our children look up to us to be their role models when it comes to handling their emotions around losing with honor or conducting themselves responsibly as young athletes. … [Read more...]
Affordable And Reliable Phone Service! #SentWithRepublicWireless @RepublicWirelss #Ad
If someone asks me what the top two qualities are that I look for in our family's phone service, my answer is that we need reliable service that is also affordable and doesn't break the bank. These days, being able to communicate with loved ones via smartphone has really become a necessity and not just a luxury. This is especially true in our family since our boys are involved in lots of extracurricular activities and my husband and I need to be able to maintain contact with them at all times. I was very excited to finally have the opportunity to review Republic Wireless for our family because they provide affordable phone service on leading Android phones so we can all stay in touch with one another no matter where we are. Not only do they promise no contracts or hidden fees, but all Republic plans include unlimited talk and text and start at just $15. Data plans start at just $20 per month which is a must in our home since we are active on social media and love game … [Read more...]
Keeping The Spice In your Marriage After Having Kids #ScrapTheSoap @Lubrigyn #Ad
As my sons are getting older, my husband and I are realizing the importance of making time for each other as a couple. Most of us have children and dedicate ourselves entirely to being their parents while forgetting that we should also focus on our relationships at the same time. After all, kids grow up and eventually make their own lives, as is the natural order of things. So it makes sense that couples make an effort to keep the spice in their marriage after having children. This is not as easy as it sounds since parenting is a full-time job. Add to that balancing work, the household, and having some couple time becomes virtually impossible. The reality is that, even though we love our kids, it's crucial that we have our own time to reconnect and interact romantically. This process has definitely been a learning experience and we have gotten really creative when it comes to keeping things steamy and spicy. Here … [Read more...]
Watch Hallmark Channel’s “Christmas in Homestead” Thanksgiving Day! #CountdowntoChristmas #Ad
The holidays are my favorite time of the year because they allow me to focus on the people who really matter in my life. As a Working Mom, I spend a lot of time juggling my many responsibilities including being a mom, a full-time educator, a wife, a professional blogger, and much more. I like to prioritize my time during this season to redirect my attention to where it truly belongs, which is on my husband and my sons. They are the center of my world and I cherish every opportunity to spend quality time with them. Hallmark Channel is my family's prime destination for all things holiday related! This season, we look forward to original movie releases such as A Wish For Christmas, Christmas Cookies, My Christmas Dream and much more! This Thanksgiving Day we will be tuning in to watch "Christmas in Homestead" at 8pm/7c! The movie stars Taylor Cole and Michael Rady. One of the most famous actresses in … [Read more...]
Let Your Star Shine With Honey Bunches Of Oats! #HBOestodo @HBOatsLatino #Ad
*This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Honey Bunches of Oats and WeAllGrow Latina. All opinions are 100% my own. Ever since I started dating my husband, he has loved Honey Bunches of Oats. As a matter of fact, not only is it his favorite cereal, but he doesn't want to share it with anyone else in the house. Unfortunately for him, our boys love it too so they are constantly trying to come up with sneaky ways to slip the box past him when they eat it in the morning. When I heard that Honey Bunches of Oats created a microsite to recognize their fans and give them the opportunity to star in their own ad, I knew my guys were perfect for it! If you have never tasted Honey Bunches of Oats, you have no idea the deliciousness that you are missing out on. Imagine tantalizing your palate with a multitude of flavors and textures that include crispy flakes and mouthwatering clusters of crunchy oats that are sprinkled with the sweet … [Read more...]
Set The Tone For The 2016 School Year With Visionworks! #VisionWorks #Ad
Starting the school year off on the right foot is always a very important part of the month of September for our family. That includes making sure that the kids have all of the school supplies that they need as well as ensuring physicals are up to date along with new eyeglasses. This is no easy feat since every single member of our family of four wears glasses and designer eyeglass frames can get pretty expensive. Our boys both have their own fashion sense and color preferences so they put a lot of thought and time into choosing just the right frames that will express their individual styles. Visionworks has the largest selection of kids' frames for Back to School with the bold and bright colors that have become all the rage this back to school season. Here are some of the current trends that they have for kids: Fiery reds: A hue not for the shy, frames with pops of red are perfect for your fiery spirited child, who … [Read more...]
Extend Learning Outside The Classroom! #HowLifeUnfolds @HowLifeUnfolds #Ad
This summer has been a wonderful one. I've spent quality time with my boys and my husband and we have dedicated time to take a few adventures together. While we were having fun, we were also creating opportunities for us to learn together. After all, you wouldn't expect anything less from an educator with over fifteen years of teaching experience in the classroom. I've noticed that no matter where we are or what we are doing, we can always use paper and paper-products to inspire learning beyond the classroom. You'd be surprised how many creative activities and writing exercises can arise from everyday events. My ten-year-old son's favorite thing to do is illustrate his experiences using crayons and his favorite drawing notebook. It is such a pleasure to watch him bring his drawings to life. It's a great way to foster his creativity and to allow him to use visualization to create images … [Read more...]
