*This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Coca-Cola and DiMe Media and all opinions are my own. When my husband and I got married in 1999, we immediately discussed that we were planning on having children. We both had so many things in common when it came to parenting and we agreed on all the important issues that arise when two people are raising kids together. Unfortunately, we were unable to get pregnant right away and, year after year for four years, we were disappointed that it just wasn't happening for us. Suddenly, in late 2002, we got the news that we had been eagerly awaiting for, we were expecting and I was due to give birth to our child in June of 2003. During the entire pregnancy, we planned for everything! Every afternoon, we would both come home with new clothes for the baby which soon began to fill the closet in the nursery. There was so much planning for the arrival of our new blessing that we were actually painting the nursery in sky blue the … [Read more...]
Celebrate The History Of Latino Americans! @FordEspanol @PBS #LatinosPBS #LatinosFord
This is part of a compensated campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and Ford. However, all opinions expressed are my own. Last week, I shared a very special experience with my two sons who are ages seven and ten. We sat down as a family and watched the second episode in the PBS series Latino Americans which kicked off our official celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to spend quality time as a family and to reflect on the many contributions that Latinos have made over the last 500 years. This episode focused on the struggles that Latinos encountered during the World War II years and years that followed the war. Although many Latinos proudly served this country and defended it during the war, they were still discriminated against and had to fight for civil rights during this time. We also learned about how Latinos from Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Cuba came to the United States looking for better opportunities for their … [Read more...]
7 Years Bad Luck?
I have been extremely superstitious since I was a little girl. It all stems back to my childhood in Spain being raised by my Grandmother. She would always tell me stories about the region of Spain we were from called Galicia and how it was known for being the land of witches and incantations. Fast forward a few years to my maternal grandmother who was very superstitious and warned us about the bad luck that would befall us if we put our shoes on the table, opened an umbrella in the house, or walked past a black cat. I never fully understood why doing these things was considered bad but I definitely sensed the foreboding and fear in her eyes as she warned us against doing any of them. Now, don't go thinking that I'm a witch or anything because there is always that random reader who reads too much into posts and will go on a rant in the comments below about how they are unsubscribing because I have "wandered into the dark side." Rest assured that this is not the case … [Read more...]
Use Those Holiday Leftovers To Prepare Cultural Masterpieces! #HormelFamily
We are very fortunate to live in a country that is a melting pot for people of all different cultures and backgrounds. Most of us join our family and friends during the holidays to celebrate and to engage in those traditional customs that we have known and loved for many generations. It is very important to celebrate our differences and to share our unique histories with one another, especially during these precious moments. Food has always been a uniting factor when it comes to holiday celebrations. We love to prepare culturally inspired dishes that please our palates as well as showcase the recipes and themes that are familiar to us and have been a staple at family meals for years. Unfortunately, we often prepare well over what we need for these meals and we end up with mountains of leftovers after the holidays. Fortunately, Hormel Foods has some great ideas regarding how you can add a cultural twist to those holiday leftovers that are still in your … [Read more...]
I Decide My Cultural Identity!
This past week, I had a very interesting conversation on Pinterest with a complete stranger that was very confusing to me. In essence, I was told that I have no right to refer to myself as a Latina because I am of Spanish heritage and Spaniards are Europeans and, therefore, not allowed to use this title. Huh? That is exactly what I was asking myself. Never in my life has another person presumed to tell me how I should label myself culturally. I really felt offended because I have always identified myself with my Latin roots and I resented the fact that she was trying to separate me from everything that I have ever felt connected to or have identified with. I have always been raised to be proud of my heritage and to appreciate the ties that all Spanish-speaking people have to one another, regardless of what country they originated from. Plus, if we want to get into semantics, the definition of a Latino is anyone who speaks a language that is derived from Latin. This … [Read more...]
