STREET FAIR!

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Saturday night Lucas and I took a bubble bath and practiced the alphabet by drawing on the tiles with washable crayons. We put on our pajamas and Lucas waited by my feet while I warmed up his milk. Off to the couch we went to snuggle under our favorite blanket, the one covered in milk stains that gets softer with every wash. Fifteen minutes later I carried a limp, sleeping toddler to his crib and cleaned off the drool puddle that had formed on my chest. Just our typical nightly routine. Then Lucas decided that routine is boring. Dull! For the birds I tell ya! He woke up at 1am happy as a clam and ready to party. We boogied until 4am. I’ll spare you the details and just say that we all woke up Sunday not so refreshed and a little cranky.
Nothing beats the morning grumps better than a street fair. Lucky for us there was one two blocks from our apartment, because ya know, like I said, we were sleepy – and sleepy = lazy. We ate grilled corn, gyros, and mozzarepas (the best darn things ever). Lucas skipped and trotted (yes, he trots) his way through the whole fair and even tried his hand at hula hooping. I see a dance future for this boy! Also, against my better judgment, I let Lucas into a bouncy house. To be fair I asked the attendant if he was big enough and she gave me an enthusiastic yes. There were also about three other kids inside the same size as Lucas. As he sat there staring at me, not bouncing, my heart jumped with every kid who flew past him. One minute later I collected my son, all toddler parts intact. Lesson learned. Mom fail aside, it was a mighty fine Sunday for this little family.
top c/o little boogaweezin | leggings c/o sweet luka mo | sneakers from little vida

DREAM BIG | EVERLYLANE DESIGNS

everlylane51379368679.859900.IMG_6038everlylane21379368685.223199.IMG_6037everlylane6I first came across Everlylane Designs when I was on the hunt for a tassel garland for Lucas’s first birthday party. I found a few shops but none had what I was looking for. Everylane was full of gorgeous colors and designs and every garland was just so beautiful! After Lucas’s shindig I promptly found a home for our garland above our bed and that is where it has happily resided for almost a year (many of you have seen it in all its glory on Instagram). I have to say, the quality has surpassed all my expectations. With just a weekly dusting, our garland is in perfect condition.

The crafty and talented Jess, creator of Everlylane (the ultimate garland), recently sent me this custom black and white beauty (POLKA DOTS you guys!) accompanied by a custom gold letter banner. It reads “Dream Big” and is the perfect addition to Lucas’s cozy nook. I might have did a happy jig when it arrived and made Ivan hang it up within 10 minutes of opening the box. Jess is giving one lucky duck  a chance to WIN a custom 27 tassel garland with your choice of colors and rope! Make sure to follow Jess and I on Instagram for details on how to enter.

BROOKLYN FOR THE WIN

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Last weekend we headed to Brooklyn (noticing a trend here..) for some good eats and quality time with good friends. We ate delicious burgers and mom and dad had a cold beer while Lucas’s drink of choice was milk. I got a little ahead of myself in terms of the weather. I’m wishing a little to hard for Fall and it was warmer than I had anticipated – boo! In any case, that’s why layers were invented, am I right?  My girl Latonya lives in the neighborhood and we were able to meet for crepes and coffee. Her gorgeous little River and my rambunctious Lucas have become fast friends. River is a bit older than Lucas and he just adores her. What can I say. He likes older women.  Did you check out those dance moves? These two have some serious rhythm!
It’s the weekend again. Not quite sure if we will make it out to BK again, but I’m looking forward to another adventure with my boys.

BESOS DE MAMAI | HOLA DEAR DEER

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This week Karla and I are super pumped to introduce you to Hola Dear Deer, created by two fabulous sisters from Houston, Texas. Erika and Jessica are a crazy talented duo (and apparently the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. They credit their knack for sewing from their papa who was a tailor.) Their shop is full of hand made goodies all created using up-cycled and vintage materials. Can we say LOVE! Lucas received their super hero cape and mama got a bowtie necklace. So let’s discuss the cape. Lucas is head over heels and flat out refuses to take it off. It is seriously just about the cutest thing ever watching him roam the streets of New York sporting his super hero accessory! Toddlers to the rescue, ya’ll 😉 My necklace? What’s more fab than a bow tie! It’s the perfect funky accent to pair with a white tee and a pair of skinny jeans (mom uniform anyone?).holadear3holadearholadear1

Here’s what Jessica had to say.

Any advice you would like to share to someone dreaming of starting a business or following their passion?

My advice would be to never give up. I know it is very cliche but it is very true. I would also suggest making a plan and trying your hardest to stick with it. As a full time bilingual teacher, my schedule is really tight. Good realistic planning and scheduling equals more productivity in my case. 

What part of being hispanic do you love the most?

Oh goodness..I love our culture. The food, family, and the fun :)

What do you enjoy doing on your free time?

I enjoy lots of things on my free time. Depending on my mood I guess, on a great sunny day I love to ride around on my bicycle. On those gloomy days, staying in and watching a movie or reading a book..I’m also very fond of happy hour. 

Who is your biggest inspiration?

I would have to say my parents are my biggest inspiration. They are such hard workers but at the same time keep such a great spirit. Also, we have a lot of family members who are very artistic or crafty with their hands. My dad is a tailor and my grandmother and aunt crochet blankets and little booties for the family. So I love the idea that we are continuing to keep the arts so to speak in the family. 

The biggest thanks to these amazing ladies. Erika and Jess – you both rock! You can get more Hola Dear in your life by liking them on Facebook and following on Instagram

 

AN AFTERNOON AT THE PIER

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Sunday mama slept in. Oh yes she did! After the boys took a mid-morning nap (which by the way is just about the sweetest thing ever) and I had some coffee, we got the show on the road and headed down to Riverside. There was a little fair going on with treats and rides for the kiddos. To be honest I was expecting more of an old fashioned carnival but Lucas had a great time nonetheless. His favorite ride was the little car which was about 15 seconds of fun. If you happened to be there, we were the parents with a screaming kid trying to cut the line for more turns. This boy has a full blown obsession with cars! The swings were also pretty fun and that view – sigh – sometimes New York, you take my breath away. Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

LEÓN WEARS

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On Friday there was a distinct chill in the air that inspired me to tackle the big job of switching Summer/Fall clothes. About a 1/2 hour in I took a look at the mess and wanted to give up, but at that point there was no turning back. Piles upon piles took over the apartment – clothes to donate, clothes that were so stained they were no longer salvageable, clothes to save (both for the next kiddo and sentimental reasons)..the list goes on. After two hours I was home free. Beautiful (yes, beautiful) clean, organized drawers filled to the brim with clothes waiting to be worn on perfect chilly days. I’ve been hoarding this H&M Unicef shirt since last Spring. It’s still a tad big but I couldn’t wait for Lucas to wear it. And ps – those moccs? Freshly Picked has done it again. OX BLOOD people. They will be released on October 3rd and you don’t wanna miss your chance to get your hands on these bad boys. So mark your calendars 😉 Also, Susan – who is the creator of FP and just about the nicest, generous, super star mama around – is nominated for Martha Stewart’s American Made award. If anyone deserves to win, it’s this lady right here. It would mean the world if you could take a minute to vote. As if Susan couldn’t get any sweeter, she’s giving away a FREE pair of moccs a day through next Friday on Facebook. All you need to do is vote! 

                                          tee from h&m (old) | jeans from zara (similar here) | moccs c/o freshly picked

OUR BACKYARD

vsco_0-1vsco_1vsco_0-2vsco_0vsco_2-2vsco_1-1vsco_2-1Despite a very early wake up call, Tuesday kicked some serious butt. I’m hitting the snooze button early tonight feeling oh so grateful for our giant city backyard. What New Yorkers lack in apartment square footage, we make up for ten fold in our outdoor space. Central Park, we love you so. Despite forgetting to bring a beverage and being robbed $3 for a water. You’re just so good we can pretend that never happened. Goodnight loves. 

GETTING CLEANED UP AND ALL THAT JAZZ

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Saturday evening the parentals got dolled up for a wedding. What did this entail you might be wondering? A shower that lasted a whopping 30 minutes. No quickie 2 minute shower while simultaneously washing the pits and brushing my teeth (moms are expert multi-taskers). Nope. Not Saturday. I took the time to shave (what what!), shampoo and condition my hair, and get this – exfoliate. I felt like a new woman. Ready to hit the town with my man feeling like quite the handsome couple! It felt awesome to see my guy all decked out in his tux, feeling those butterflies, and thinking “damn!”. We danced the night away, had fun in the photo booth – mama and papa perfection (except for a flat tire on the way home. but it only made the night more interesting, to say the least. Ps this dress? I’m a clothes hoarder. I purchased this dress in a sample sale five years ago and Saturday it made it’s very first appearance. I think she did me good. A little black dress will always save the night, don’t ya think?

UNIVERSITY PLACE AND PANCAKES

photo-11Squaready20130902182743Squaready20130902182716Squaready20130902182656Squaready20130902182458Squaready20130902182359Squaready20130902182523Lucas slept in today until 10am. Yes, you read that correctly. I woke up genuinely confused and refreshed. I got my mama chef on and made some pancakes. I recently bought a bag of gluten-free mix at Costco. #fail. Maybe I somehow missed a step in the prepping but they were downright lifeless. What’s a pancake without the fluff? I’ll give them another try during the week but it looks like it’s Aunt Jemima for the win. I’ll keep you posted. Riveting stuff here.
Despite the flood alert warning that I received from Sprint, we got dressed and headed down to University Place to visit Uncle Phil. A little rain never hurt anyone. There was lots of great art to see, coffee to be enjoyed, and friends to talk to. Lucas especially loves seeing his Nina who spoils him with kisses and god mama lovings. We’re looking forward to play dates with pals and a trip to the zoo this week. Hope you all had a fab Monday.

IF YOU LIKE THEM A LOT, KISS THEM

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I came across this post on the Stone Fox Bride blog. I’ve read a lot of articles/posts on love but this one in particular struck a cord. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s everything I believe love is. Gritty, everlasting, beautiful. My relationship is far from perfect. We’ve had monumental ups and downs and I don’t like to pretend our love story was a fairy tale. But you know what. We love each other. The kind of love that builds with time, that consumes you, that can leave you gasping for air. This beautiful, imperfectly perfect person is mine. My life partner, my baby daddy, my ‘fits like a glove’ spooning expert, my soul mate.

If you like them a lot, kiss them
Tell a dumb fart joke. 
Laugh loud like a dork. 
Let them pluck your faith, like a plum, from the dark part of your heart. 
Trust that they won’t hurt you.
Wear a white dress. Say I do then be done. 
Make a home. Make a fire. 
Climb in the warm salt bath, brush your teeth side-by-side
Cup their palms and place your past in them, your scares, your scars, your fears, like birds in a nest, young and warm. 
Say: my fault
Give birth while they watch.
Say thank you twice a day.
 
You can read the full post here. Now go give someone you love a big kiss. Only if you really like them of course. 
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