It's surreal to me that next week is already Christmas! This has always been my favorite time of the year because everyone seems to be in a good mood around the holidays and just a little bit nicer. I'm very excited to spend some quality time with my loved ones during this holiday season and I am reminded of holidays past and favorite memories with my husband and my sons. Both of my sons are now teenagers but I think they continue to love some of the traditions that we have repeated year after year. Part of spending time together during the holidays has always included watching Christmas movies together and really getting into the holiday spirit. We've been planning our holiday movie lineup as we approach our upcoming vacation from work and school next week here in New York City. On our list of movies to watch is the all NEW Hallmark Movies Now Original Movie, "Sugar Plum Twist" on HMNow and Premieres Dec. 17th on Hallmark Channel! It features Professional … [Read more...]
“Sugar Plum Twist” Now Streaming on HMNow and Premieres on Hallmark Channel Dec. 17th!! #SugarPlumTwist #Ad
Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe
One of the things that I have noticed as an educator is that children and young people are completely addicted to technology. They don't take time out to speak to one another fact to face anymore and they definitely don't play the kinds of games that we used to play when we were kids. The games I'm talking about were Jacks, Tic-Tac-Toe, Hopscotch, etc. Lately, my husband and I have been trying to limit technology in our home. Since we now have a teen and a pre-teen, they would rather spend most of their time playing video games when we are home. While we do reward them with time to play these games, we've also been going back to basics by making them turn off their gadgets in lieu of playing some good old-fashioned games as a family. When I was younger, one of my favorite games was Tic-Tac-Toe because it was so easy to play and because you could basically use any surface as a game board and many items can be used as game pieces. That … [Read more...]
Nativity Puppets
Can you believe that Christmas is right around the corner? This is, by far, my favorite time of the year. I just love all of the sights, scents, and sounds of the holidays. It just feels like such a warm and inviting time and I do believe that it helps to bring out the good in people. Everything about the holidays also lends itself to some creative and colorful arts and crafts. One of my favorite memories from my childhood was my grandmother's Nativity which she put up every Christmas Eve. Those fond memories were the inspiration for this project. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Nativity Finger Puppets Supplies needed: -stretchy gloves in your choice of color - peel and stick felt nativity stickers (found at Hobby Lobby or most craft stores where scrapbooking materials are sold) - craft glue or hot glue/glue gun Directions: 1. First decide in which order you wish to place the nativity characters. For ours, we placed the Holy Family together on one side … [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...]
Experience The Magic Of Radio City Christmas Spectacular! #RadioCityChristmas @RCChristmas #Ad
Most New Yorkers will tell you that there are certain magical events and locations that define the holiday season here in New York City. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of attending the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at the iconic Radio City Music Hall. Just seeing the beautiful and talented Rockettes in the commercials on television made me realize that seeing this event live would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Recently, I had the privilege of not only attending the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with my family but of visiting the famous Roxy Suite at Radio City. This suite is normally reserved for Radio City performers and VIPs like Elton John, Dave Matthews and Paul McCartney. It boasts 20-foot-high domed ceilings made of real gold, cherrywood walls and an intimate dining area. I could literally feel the spirit of the room's history while I was in it. This year's Radio City Christmas Spectacular includes dynamic songs and dance … [Read more...]
Celebrating 50 Years Of A Charlie Brown Christmas! #CBXmas @Snoopy #Giveaway #Partner
*I participated in this campaign as a Peanuts 50 Years on TV Brand Ambassador. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating. All opinions are 100% my own. One of my fondest memories from my childhood is sitting around the television set every Christmas season to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. It was something that my siblings and I looked forward to every year as we embraced the holiday spirit and cherished our time together as a family. Now that we all have our own children, we are trying to pass down this family tradition to our kids so they can also have the fond memories that we do of these times. Peanuts Worldwide is kicking off a year-long celebration of 50 years of A Charlie Brown Christmas! December 2014 marks the 50th time the beloved special will air on television. As a Peanuts Ambassador, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jill Schulz, 56, the youngest of Charles M. Schulz’s five children, with bloggers around the … [Read more...]
“Leave Nothing To Chance” With Blue Nile! @BlueNileDiamond #Giveaway #Ad
I participated in a campaign on behalf of Blue Nile. I received a promotional item to facilitate this review and as a thank you for participating. Buying gifts for your loved ones can sometimes be a challenge, especially during the hectic holiday season. It is such a special time that we are all looking to purchase just the perfect gift that represents everything that we feel without saying a word. Blue Nile is making things a little easier for all of us this year with their new app that will "Leave Nothing to Chance" and bring smiles not only to the recipients of your gifts but also to you! Let's face it, who better than Blue Nile to create such an app since they are experts at making dreams come true with their gorgeous selection of diamonds and fine jewelry. The company is built on a simple premise, that choosing an engagement ring or the right diamond is not a complicated task and they make it easy for you to make the right choice. They can create the earring, … [Read more...]
Our Christmas Family Traditions #JCPenneyLatino #RealLatinoHolidays @JCPenney #Ad
This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Latina Mom Bloggers and JCPenney. However, all opinions expressed are my own. Anyone who is close to our family knows that Christmas is a very important time for us. Since my siblings and I were children, we learned the value of spending quality time with our loved ones during this very special time of the year. As far back as I can remember, we were always surrounded by family for Christmas and there were unique traditions that we shared as part of this celebration. Since we are from Spain, my father always makes a huge pot of Paella for us to eat on Christmas Eve. It is a saffron-flavored Spanish dish made with varying combinations of rice, vegetables, meat, chicken, and seafood. You know it is Christmas in our home when the smells of my Dad's cooking come wafting through the entire house. We always celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve which is known as Nochebuena or "the Good Night." After we feast on … [Read more...]
Start A Holiday Tradition With The 2013 Hess Toy Truck & Tractor! @HessExpress #Giveaway #Ad
I participated in a campaign on behalf of Hess Express. I received a promotional item to facilitate this review and as a thank you for participating. When my siblings and I were little, our father worked in a neighborhood store and would always bring home treats for us to enjoy especially around the holidays. One year, he came home with a few Hess trucks for us to enjoy for Christmas but he explained to us that they were special because he was going to start a family tradition and buy the holiday Hess truck every single year for us to collect. Even then, we understood that this was something special that was going to be shared between us and our father. True to his word, he brought home a new Hess truck every year while we were kids. The best thing was that, although they were collector's items, he never stopped us from playing with them and we spent hours rolling them across the floor and turning their lights on and off. When we received the opportunity to review … [Read more...]
