Ring In The New Year With Netflix! #StreamTeam @Netflix #Ad

    Tonight is New Year's Eve and, since we are nearing the end of holiday vacation, we know it's not long before the first "I'M BORED" will escape our kids' lips. That's why, this past week, Netflix and DreamWorks Animation Television started treating families to 13 hours of adventure, suspense and limitless imagination with the all-new series DreamWorks Trollhunters.       Millions of kids are out of school and the threat of boredom looms but Netflix is helping us parents keep the whole clan excited with 250+ inspiring moments from the epic saga, DreamWorks Trollhunters. And parents, apparently this show is not only for kids, you're just as likely to get hooked.     For those of you who are visiting family this weekend, great news!  Just in time for long holiday trips, Netflix recently announced that members can now download many of their favorite series and movies at no extra cost.  To start downloading today, make sure your Netflix … [Read more...]

As The New Year Approaches…

    With all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I have been very busy here on the blog sharing all of our family's experiences and even reviews and giveaways of some of our favorite products.  As the New Year approaches, I feel the need to slow it down a little bit for this post and share some of our family's behind the scenes stuff which I'm sure many of you can surely relate to...     Two weeks before Christmas, my husband got laid off from his job.  It certainly wasn't the best time for this to happen but then, is it ever good timing?  I keep reminding myself that it could be worse, at least I still have my job and medical benefits, thank God.  Every single time I turn around, I hear about families being hard hit by unemployment in these uncertain economic times and I'm thankful for what we do have.     Today, my boys attended a basketball game with my Father in Law at Fordham University and I stayed behind because walking around such a huge college campus is just not … [Read more...]

Keeping Track Of New Year’s Resolutions! #HTC8X #Troop8X

    Since January is half over, I thought it would be a great time to reflect on the progress that I am making with the one New Year's Resolution that I set for myself this year.  My resolution was to keep myself better organized in order to maximize on my time personally and professionally.     Like most technologically minded people, I rely heavily on my many gadgets to keep me organized with regards to my appointments, campaign deadlines, contacts, e-mails, etc.  Out of all of my gadgets, the one that I probably use the most is my cell phone.  As a result, it is important that I have a phone that is able to handle all of the tasks that help me to stay organized.     My new HTC8X smartphone is perfect for keeping all of my important information right at my fingertips.  Its 4.3 inch display it allows me to do all of my business from checking my emails to surfing the internet while, at the same time, enjoying the screen's bright and vivid colors.     The best part of my new … [Read more...]

Pamper Yourself For The New Year With Tree Hut Bath Products! (Giveaway)

    Those of you who are moms can really appreciate the importance of using luxurious bath products to wash away some of the stress that comes from daily activities.  I absolutely love great bath essentials and I have been using Tree Hut products since I had the pleasure of reviewing them last year.     Tree Hut prides itself in developing products made with natural ingredients that are never tested on animals and come from all over the world.  They smell heavenly and allow you to pamper your skin in order to preserve and to showcase its natural beauty and brilliance.     Their Brazilian Nut Shower Wash is infused with organic Shea Butter and and Brazil nut oil to cleanse the buildup of dirt and oil that accumulates on your skin daily.  It has a Brazilian Nut scent and is known to repair skin that has been ravaged by harsh chemicals and sun exposure.     Another fabulous Tree Hut product is their Tropical Mango Scrub.  It is made from real mango puree and designed to … [Read more...]

Lessons Learned in 2010

      This time of the year is a time of reflection as we approach the end of one year and the beginning of another.  We spend time thinking back to our experiences in the past year and we make goals that we would like to address or accomplish in the coming year.  These goals are often connected to how we conduct our interpersonal or romantic relationships, to where we would like to advance in our careers, and to self-improvement, both external and internal.     I am no different, in this respect, and I value this time of the year as an opportunity to evaluate some of the decisions that I have made this year as well as the relationships that I have maintained with others.  I'm definitely a firm believer in the old saying, "Out with the old, in with the new."  Obviously, this does not pertain to my husband, my children, or my loved ones.  (At least they hope it doesn't...)  :)  It definitely does pertain to those influences and people that I have deemed to be toxic or detrimental to my … [Read more...]

A Letter To My Readers:

  Dear Readers of ToughCookieMommy.com,     I am writing you this letter to thank you for being loyal readers of my blog.  Two years ago, when I began writing this blog, I never imagined that it would allow me to meet so many wonderful people.  My intention was to have a place where I could vent and discuss the experiences that I have daily as a Working Mom, wife, mother, and teacher.  Eventually, it became so much more than that.  The truth is that I have learned so much about myself through your feedback and through the connections that you have made to my life.  Everytime you share your personal experiences and stories with me, I am humbled that you trust me with such inner thoughts and private moments.  I spend a lot of time thinking about how to respond individually to each and every one of your comments.  After all, you deserve to hear what I have to say and not receive some kind of automatic response that I have set up in order to free up my time.     Since the … [Read more...]