Stream Crystal Clear Sound With Chromecast Audio! @BestBuy @Chromecast #ad

    Our family lives life on a daily basis accompanied by the sounds of our favorite music and songs.  At any given time, we can be found listening to our favorite tunes around the house or with headphones on.  Add to that the fact that I have a teenager in the house and that tells you how important music is in our home.  That is why we are so excited about the new Google Chromecast Audio at Best Buy! It enables you to play music on your speakers, new or old, wirelessly from your phone, laptop or tablet.     Chromecast Audio uses WiFi instead of Bluetooth, you can stream crystal clear hi res sound.  You can listen to your favorite songs on your speaker by using your phone to  play, pause, or change the volume from anywhere in the home.  And while streaming, you can still text or call without interrupting what's playing or draining your battery.  This is extremely convenient for me because I love to check my email and use … [Read more...]

Help Your Kids Learn Big Lessons! #BeatBugs #StreamTeam @Netflix #Ad

    Summer is almost over and we are really excited about enjoying the last big weekend of the vacation together as a family for Labor Day.  My ten year-old son absolutely loves the Beat Bugs so we have been practicing his rendition of one of the Beatles most iconic songs.  Not only is it a classic song about love and acceptance, but it's by the legendary Beatles so we are also instilling a love of good music in our kids.     My husband and I believe that music and entertainment are great ways to come together as a family.  That is exactly why one of our favorite things to do is watch shows together and share memories about our childhood with our boys, including the music that we used to listen to when we were younger.       With the new Netflix original series Beat Bugs, inspired by the music of the Beatles, your next family sing-along can be “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” Thanks to five charming and energetic … [Read more...]

Shaila Durcal Sets Her Own Path With Her New Album! #ShailaDurcalWMAT @AccesoTotal #Sponsored

    Growing up in Spain afforded me the distinct pleasure of hearing some of the great Spanish singers and see them in concert when I lived over there.  One of the greats that stands out in my mind is legendary singer  Rocío Dúrcal.  Obviously, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree because her daughter, Shaila Dúrcal, also has tremendous singing talent.     Shaila Dúrcal is back on the music scene and has recently completed a very personal album which sets her own path.  The singer-songwriter was inspired to create this album from her stories and experiences.  Her music resonates with a new sound and allows her fans to get more insight into who she is as a person and as an artist.     As Walmart’s Acceso Total Artist of the Month, Shaila Dúrcal is also treating her fans and listeners to a live performance and interview.  Acceso Total talks to Shaila about her famous mother, musical influences and working with her family. Don’t miss her one-on-one interview, exclusive live … [Read more...]

Get To Know David Benoit-Composer And Pianist For Peanuts! #CBXmas @Snoopy #Giveaway #Partner

      Many people who have been fans of the Peanuts specials over the years also loved the music that accompanied these timeless shows.  The man behind many of these melodies is David Benoit, the renowned American jazz pianist, composer and producer.  Nominated for three Grammy Awards, over 25 of his albums since 1980 have made the charts and thrilled jazz audiences all over the world.     As a Peanuts Ambassador, I was given the distinct pleasure of interviewing David Benoit to learn all about how his passion for Peanuts and the Peanuts music began many years ago.  You see, when he was a kid, his family sat around the television during the holidays to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas just as our family has done for decades.     One of the things that I really enjoyed learning about David Benoit is that he loved the fact that the Peanuts specials maintained the true meaning of Christmas.  He feels that, despite the fact that Christmas has become such a commercial holiday, the message … [Read more...]

How Can You Teach Your Children To Give Back? #Clothes4Schools @Schoola #Sponsored

*This sponsored post is brought to you by Schoola, the best place to buy discounted kids clothes all while give back to schools in need. CLICK HERE to learn more about Schoola and to see what people are saying.       Anyone who has ever been a parent can tell you that it is not easy.  Children don't come with instructions and it's hard to know whether one is doing a good job or not all the time.  Early on, my husband and I agreed that we would teach our children to be appreciative for all their blessings and to be able to give back to those less fortunate.  This was especially important to us both since we had been raised in households where lack of finances and poverty had been real factors for our parents.     The question then became how exactly we would go about teaching our boys these valuable lessons about humility and generosity?  An answer might seem simple to some but, in these materialistic times that we live in, it's not always easy to explain to young people … [Read more...]

Save Music And The Arts In Our Schools! #Clothes4Schools @Schoola #Sponsored

*This sponsored post is brought to you by Schoola, the best place to buy discounted kids clothes all while give back to schools in need. CLICK HERE to learn more about Schoola and to see what people are saying.     When I first started teaching in 2000, our middle school had a band class, daily arts classes, and put on a full-scale play every semester.  During this time, our students were engaged and invested in these activities and it translated into improved academic performance in their core classes.     In many cases, they used some of the skills that they learned from the arts to help them learn in the areas of literature, Science, and Mathematics.  I have had the opportunity to see first-hand how participating in the Arts helps to improve the overall academic performance of all students.  Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, many of these arts programs have been cut from schools and many schools struggle to raise the funds to keep these activities afloat.     Since … [Read more...]

Keeping The Beat Alive With New Beats Neon Mixr Headphones! #SeHablaMusica #Ad

*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Target. All opinions are 100% mine. Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.       A girl can never have too much music or too much color in her life, right?  Well add to this mix centuries of Latino music and culture in my blood and you have a recipe for this woman who marches to the beat of her own drummer.  You can observe my passion for life and music in everything that I do from the bounce in my step to the color that I paint my nails.     Now, it's really important that I use products and accessorize in order to support my unique personality and to keep my personal beat alive at all times.  My music has to be portable so I can take it with me when I'm running around being fabulous and it has to sound great because cheap imitations are just not acceptable.  Let's add to that the fact that I believe variety is truly the spice of life and it goes without saying that one of the color options must … [Read more...]

Introducing The New Beats By Dr. Dre In Neon Colors! #SeHablaMusica @Target #Ad

*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Target. All opinions are 100% mine.     If you have a passion for music like I do, it goes with you wherever you go and you are never too far removed from your favorite tune or melody.  Having a great pair of headphones certainly guarantees that you always have your favorite playlists at your disposal, even if you are on-the-go.  However, in today's fashion conscious society, it's not enough to have headphones that sound great, you have to sport ones that look great too.     Beats by Dr. Dre has managed to create headphones that are light, sound great, can withstand a variety of conditions and, best of all, make you look great while you are wearing them.  They feature an adjustable headband, enhanced bass, and come in some fresh colors.  As if these headphones weren't great enough, they are now available in neon colors to bring out your trendy side.     I had the opportunity to check out the new Beats Neon by Dr. Dre at a … [Read more...]

Check Out My Tips For Discovering New Artists! #SeHablaMusica #Ad

*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Target. All opinions are 100% mine. Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.       I've always been a big music fan and I greatly enjoy listening to new artists so that I can support new talent and share great music with all of my friends and family.  Most of the time, radio and television stations only play popular music so we end up listening to the same artists and the same songs over and over.  Through the years, I've had to get a little creative in order to discover new artists and I'm so glad that thought outside the box because I've heard great music this way.     Believe it or not, television shows, and commercials are great resources for discovering new songs.  How many times have you heard a commercial jingle or the theme song to one of your favorite songs and wondered who the artist was singing it?  This has happened to me many times and it prompted me to conduct a little research in order … [Read more...]

Get Moving With My Latin Music Playlist! #SeHablaMusica

*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Target. All opinions are 100% mine. Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.     Last night, my family and I attended my nephew's first birthday party at my sister's house.  We all had a a great time talking, laughing, celebrating, and dancing.  As a matter of fact, one of the party games that my sister had planned for all the kids was a dance contest.  It was really a joy seeing my sons and nephews jamming to their favorite songs and spending family time together.     I can't recall any holiday or family event that we have had over the years that didn't include some kind of music and dancing.  It's almost as if the music is in our blood as Latinos and it moves us from within.  Basically, it's an extension of who we are and a large part of our culture and traditions.  Over the years, I have added a variety of songs to my Latin music playlist that move me and remind me of memorable events in my life.     When … [Read more...]