A Note of Thanks

This Thanksgiving, I would like to give a note of thanks to those close to me. For my friends and family that have kept ties to me despite the move and all the changes in the past 2 years.

We are blessed to have such a great support system here and to those we kept up North (you know who you are), thank you. Thank you for answering the phone or calling back. For listening to me when I needed an ear or talking just when I needed a distraction from my life. For making trips down to visit when budgets and time are tight.

To my family here, mom, dad, M and Ant, I can never express how grateful we are enough. For coming to my aid on more then one occasion. For answering my every homeowner question. To being better grandparents then perhaps parents. (So jealous. Haha!) My husband and I are forever appreciative of all you have done and continue to do. We know you don't do it for us so much but for the kids so we are all the more thankful.

That's me bottom left.

A special note to my dad who celebrates his 75th birthday today.

Dad you came to America with only a small suitcase and $30 in your pocket. As a son of a farmer from Dominican Republic you came with a dream. Later, you found mom, got married and started to have a family. In the midst of that you brought over relative after relative and started your own business. You continued to help your family back home while building a life for yourself in the United States.

When you look back on these past 75 years, I hope your heart is filled with pride. I know you are not a perfect man but you have been the best father you knew to be and I never felt less from you. Thank you for all you have given me. Thank you for all that you have given to so many. Without you, many people would be living very different lives.

I love you dad. This Thanksgiving, I hope you see and feel that from us all.

To my big brother, I simply say, I love you always.

Happy Thanksgiving.

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy, Be Beautiful! 

It’s PEEL season!!

When the leaves start to fall off the trees, I am reminded of one thing...It's Peel season!

Many of you would like to go to a spa or doctor to turn back the clock but maybe you don't feel you have the time or more importantly, the money to do so. I hear you! Though I believe that peels should be done by professionals, especially the more powerful levels, more and more companies are offering them to non-skin care professionals.  Why? Mostly because people just don't seem to have the time anymore  or money to get it done and at home treatments seems to be the latest movement for DIYers.  There are many different companies out there that sell at-home chemical peel kits. Some of which I have spoken about but be careful, not all peels are of the same quality. 

Chemical skin peels are made up of different strengths for different skin types or concerns. Some can be used by the majority of skin types for mild exfoliation while others are way more specific. Be sure you know what's going on with your skin before attempting one of these at home. If you have open soars or cuts wait until your skin has healed to do a peel. Start off with a very low percentage then work your way up gradually to layering or a stronger peel. Glycolic and Salicylic Acid peels are most common for beginners at 3-50%. TCA 70% or Blue Peels are some of the strongest and harshest peels but those are only done by professionals. For newbies, I like to try an Apple Cider Vinegar peel weeks before to gage how sensitive their skin is and may become. (Give your skin at least a week to heal from Apple Cider Vinegar peel before you try any chemical peel.)

That being said, there are those of you that will still jump right in without testing the waters. So for you, I recommend to please start off low and slow. Work your way up in timed layers. If you are the type of person that thinks, "if it hurts, it must be working", get a licensed professional to do this for you. You may leave it on to long and cause serious and perhaps permanent damage to your skin. Be smart and honest with yourself. Look at your needs as well as your limitations. If you want great skin, take your time to read the instructions and follow them accurately. No short cuts or thinking excess is better when it comes to at-home Chemical Peels. 

There are a few chemical peel companies out there that I have tried and I am okay with recommending. The percentages offered are less then a dermatologists office could offer but they still can cause harm, so again, PROCEED WITH CAUTION. 

Still want to try it on your own? Though I am a bit careful with people that want to do at-home peels, there are great products out there. The key is not to get carried away applying to much, to quickly, to often. 

Now to the brand I currently like and use. 

Perfect Image. Their chemical peels do the job and their recovery products are just as great. This company is strictly about the chemical peel process and skin recovery. They sell and recommend their product lines based on that commitment. The product lines are paraben free, sulfate free, and phthalate free. As an added bonus for you PETA fans, they are cruelty free as well. They have a great Sampler Pack option for those who want to work their way up to a stronger peel. 

As you are looking to shed that summer dry skin, remove sun spots, minimize wrinkles or prep your skin for winter, peels are great for that. You can start anew and have glowing skin all winter long if you follow the instructions, keep a good skin care regimen, exercise regularly, rest well and hydrate both from the inside and out. Also remember that the skin adjusts seasonally,  take that into consideration when looking into peels and the after peel care. I can't say this enough, always apply sunscreen, year round. Especially after doing a chemical peel. 

Before you start any skin care regimen, ask your doctor if there is any reason you shouldn't and learn what would work best for you. Hope you found this informative. Should you have any questions about this or any other skin care related questions, please comment below and I will answer them. 

Please take a moment to comment, Like, Share or Google+ my posts. Thanks so much.

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

Working hard...

Where have I been? It's like I fell into a hole or something, right? Well I have been kept busy and working hard trying to raise a happy family, strong marriage and keep my sanity. Emphasis on sanity.

I would like to tell you that I have had time this summer to watch my flowers grow. That I sat back and relaxed. That would be a lie. I literally have to take pictures of my flowers so I can remind myself that I have a garden. Which is beautiful by the way.

My goodness I have been busy with these kids so much lately. Especially now that they have more going on during the school year. Tending to a million things and needs all at once. Sometimes I even surprise myself by the amount of work I can accomplish with them. However, I often forget myself and my needs in the process. I'm sure if you are a devoted mom (parent) you know exactly what I mean. You become a master juggler for sure. Daily tasks, doing your best not to drop a ball or in my case, a child.

That's where I am at theses days but I have taken some time to continue to tinker with a skin care idea I have. So that is in development and testing stage. I have a few people using it and at the end of 30 days, they will let me know what they think and if tweaking needs to be made. Then I have to pick a name, price out cost for production (at home) starting way small and then a push to build demand. I love it but I have to get all of you to love it too. 

Also in the works, is a children's book that I have written about twins. A great friend of mine will be illustrating for me. If all goes well, we might be able to put it up for sale by Christmas 2016. Fingers crossed!! 

In any case, that is what I have been up to. Would love to hear from some of you? How do you manage to take care of your family and meet your own personal needs or goals? Curious.

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As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

My Cali Style Burger

Light Cali Style Burger

So I love grilling outdoors but I don't always enjoy the heaviness of a burger and hot dogs just don't sit well for me anymore. Yet sometimes, I want the burger feel. You know what I mean? The wrapping your hands around freshly warmed buns and that first bite of what feels like summer. However, sometimes that delicious burger you just bit into leaves you feeling like you swallowed a brick and can't digest it without a gallon of seltzer.

My goal was to come up with something that could freeze as easy as a beef or turkey burger and grill as equally fast. My solution, a light Salmon burger garnished with Guacamole, tomato and Kale sprouts. It's oh so good tasting and oh so good for you.

Here's the thing you could bake some salmon and then make the burgers (more power to you) but I also wanted to save time in the process. So although I usually try to avoid most canned foods, this was a corner I was willing to cut to save time and money.

Recipe to my Cali Style Burger
Makes about 10 patties

2 Cans     Wild Alaskan Salmon (1lb Fresh Sockeye Salmon)
1/4 Cup   Italian Style Bread crumbs
1/4 Cup   Olive Oil Mayonnaise
1 tbsp      Minced Garlic
1 tbsp      Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp     Fresh Rosemary Chopped
1/4 tsp     Salt (optional)
1/4 tsp     Black pepper

Mix with hands and let rest in refrigerator for at least an hour before making into patties. Cook however you like. I usually precook them on stove to ensure they stay together and then freeze for another day. To warm up, I defrost night before and put on the grill or microwave.

To garnish, I like them best with Avocado, Kale Sprouts and Tomato for that extra kick of healthy. It's delicious! Trust me you will love them. Let me know if you have tried it would love to hear from you. And if you put your own twist on it. Always happy to hear new ways of making things.

Please take a moment to comment, Like, Share or Google+ my posts. Thanks so much for coming by.

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

Happy Birthday my Twins

As of yesterday, the twins turned two years old. Times certainly flies when your going insane. HAHA! All jokes aside, we absolutely love them and tried to show them that each and everyday. Since it was their birthday we tried just a little bit more. We did what they love most,  we went to the zoo and only went to see the creatures they like most, plus a few others for their oldest brother to see too. We had a small get together with family with A Curious George goes to the Aquarium theme. They got their favorite food, PIZZA. Play time in the pool and they had a special cake made by me which I will share the recipe with you here  Foolproof, One Bowl Banana Cake. Topped it with some homemade creams cheese frosting. So good!  Made my own cake topper since I had gone to store and there were absolutely ZERO Curious George party decor items anywhere to be found. So forgive me if it looks below standards, it is Curious George riding a dolphin.

"Big Country"

Here is just a small recap of the day.

My little girl, which her daddy affectionately calls "Big Country" woke up in a bad mood and continued that mood throughout the day. I am convinced that she woke up thinking, I begin my rein of terror today. That thought must be true because when she woke up this morning it was all screams and no this, and no that. Lord give me strength! In any case, I purchased the kids these adorable outfits for their birthday. She wanted nothing to do with her dress. She was pulling at it and trying to lift it over her head. I may have thought she looked so precious but she was like "If you don't get this dress off of me, I am liable to hurt someone!" She wasn't happy until we took it off. Then we put her in her swimsuit only to have her have another fit when we took her out of the pool and take the swimsuit off. When my husband took her out of the pool and brought her in she held on to the door, then the doorways on the way to her room. Then she fought to keep the swimsuit on, swung at us, kicked at us. Finally when it was off she grabbed at it to put it back on. She is a force to be reckoned with for sure and her big personality shows us that each day. She managed to pick herself up after cake and gifts but she struggled mood wise.

"Jumpy McDumpster"

As for my little man, which I affectionately call "Jumpy McDumpster" as he jumps around all over the place and dumps everything, he was so good. He had no complaints. Woke up so happy, as he always does now and played as much as he could. In the pool, he as able to maneuver up and down the slide all by himself sort of. Daddy held his hand as he slid down. He reached out for daddy's hand each time, so sweet. Was easy going when it came time to changing him and didn't mind when we took him out of the pool. He gets that when the fun is over, it's over and we move on.He was so happy when he had his pizza, two whole slices. Didn't eat his cake which was no surprise but he did have his favorite, Watermelon.  He tore through the gifts, taking everything out of its bag quickly examining the gifts as he tossed them to the floor. It was fun to watch.

Over all , a great day for the kids and that it was the day was all about. Celebrating them both and the love that we have for them. Eventually, they will each have their own special day. Two separate parties for two very different people but until then, they just have to share their air space just a little longer. Our kids continue to be the blessing and joy in our lives. Thanks to all that offered best wishes for them on their birthday.

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As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

Happy Mother's Day!

My son asked me why today was Mother's Day. I started by explaining to him that today is the one special day that Mama's are supposed to get some extra special care and love.

As I continued, I mentioned how I wasn't always a Mama. I was Elizabeth and had a very different life.  That Mother's day is very special to me  because it reminds me of a time in my life when everything changed. The day he was born. And that this change will connect us both forever, no matter how far away he may be or how big he may grow. 

Which of course prompted another question, "Why is it special?" I told him " Mother's day is special for me and I imagine many other mother's because they go from being just a woman taking care of themselves to bringing new life into the world or choosing a special child to be a mama to. It's a very big responsibility but we chose it because we have so much love inside that we need to share it or we might burst."

His response, "Mama, you are just like Tarzan's Mama Gorilla." followed by a cuddly hug by my son.

To all the mom's out there, hope you all had a great day and that you were lucky enough to get a cuddly gorilla hug like I did. 

P.S. - This conversation took nearly an hour. #Wouldnotchangeathing 

Please take a moment to comment, Like, Share or Google+ my posts. Thanks so much for coming by.

As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

Allergy season is upon us

AAHCHOOOOO!!

Well, it is that time of year where some of us start sniffling a bit more, sneezing a lot more and going through boxes of tissues like wild fire through trees. Many of us may feel as if we are trapped in a field of pollen, waking each morning tour cars coated with a sheath of glowing green pollen. Or for some,  it's like digging your face in cats tummy. AAHCHOOOOO!

So what are we to do? There are so many options out there, which do we chose, right. Here are some of the things we use in my house to reduce the affects of allergens.

Keep a dust free home - This is easier said then done but with some work daily on it, we can limit the amount of dust floating around. Also, we changed the air filter to our central air system and continue to clean it regularly for cleaner air in house.

Steam - I can't say enough about this. At night, I take a mist/steam shower with some of my J.R. Watkins Eucalyptus spray to clear out my air ways. Has really helped a great deal. I sleep better at  night for sure.

Local Honey/ Bee Pollen - The kids and I have been consuming more of the local honey in our smoothies and I have seen a difference in the amount of runny noses. I am a big believer in this. The key is using local honey so you build immunity to the local plants/pollen.

NOTE: If you are allergic to honey, I would skip this for sure. 

Echinacea tea - Drink this tea daily or when your feeling a bit under the weather to speed things along. I drink it at least once a week for maintenance and I haven't fallen sick yet. The brands I prefer are Traditional Medicinal or Yogi teas.

Over the counter medicines - Normally I don't go this route but I have moments when it calls for it. At least with the kids for sure. Zarbee's Naturals Cold or Mucus reducer is a brand I use for the kids. If they do catch a cold with cough, I still use it. However, I use Zarbee's Natural Mucus reducer Nighttime for when my 4 year old has difficulty getting to sleep.

NOTE: I like the fact that he can get to sleep with their nighttime relief but it seems to give him vivid dreams. So be aware that this may happen. 

As for the adults, my husband he uses Claritan D and Flonase. But his allergies were so bad this year that he had to seek further help. And since he refuses to eat the bee pollen or honey on a regular, I believe that is why he is worse off.

For me, I am just figuring out what it is I am actually allergic to since when I lived up North I never experienced allergies like this. All I have ever been allergic to before is Latex and Chocolate. Yes, I know. Valentine's day is lost on me.

See your Allergist - The best thing you can do is see an allergist and get tested to find out what it is that is making you feel so awful. If you are okay taking medications, they can help you with that for sure. Or at the least, let you know what it is you are allergic to in order to help you avoid those allergens. Example: If you know that you are allergic to grass and someone is cutting their lawn outside, don't go outside for a few hours, if you can avoid it. Or if the weather person reports that Dogwood is in high bloom, take your medications before heading out or don't go out. Simple right.

Lastly, when its really bad. We just don't go out. Keep windows closed and hang in doors. But that's not always possible. People have to works, kids have to go to school and so on. Life must go on even when your eyes are itching, nose running and throat aching.

Overall, you have many options out there to help you relieve symptoms of allergies. From simple home remedies to prescriptive medications. Be smart and educate yourself on your health. Talk to your doctor about possible natural remedies you can try before jumping in to prescriptive drugs. Maybe that's just me but I like to avoid pharmaceuticals whenever possible.

Hope this helps you. Let me know if you have a home remedy that helps you through allergy season or if you have tried any of the above with positive or negative outcomes. I would love to hear from you.

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As always, Be Blessed, Be Healthy and Be Beautiful!

FOR YOUR SAFETY ALWAYS SPEAK TO A DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING ANY SUPPLEMENTS, VITAMINS OR PRESCRIPTIONS.