Thursday, November 27, 2014
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Wednesday, November 26, 2014
A Word to the Critics
I recently read an article about how annoying mommy blogs are. Being a blogger myself, I couldn't help but feel some type of way. So I had to do some research and see exactly what it is about mommy blogs that make many of them come across as annoying.
The verdict? Well a good amount of mommy blogs write to complain about all the negative aspects of staying home. In my opinion, instead of writing about the horrors of staying at home, maybe try spinning those experiences into positive ones. Write about trying to find the humor in it all. There are a million other moms that are experiencing the same thing. Some may even have it a little worse, so you are not helping anyone by constantly complaining about what you are going through.
Now, on the other side of the spectrum, you get the mommy blogger that strives to be the model Stay At Home Mom. The gold medalist in the “mommy marathons”. They know everything. There way of parenting is the best. Their children are the best behaved kids in the world. They are the ultimate DIYer. The absolute best in couponing, their house is spotless, yada yada yada. You get the idea. In my opinion, these blogs come off as very condescending. I don’t know about you, but I live in the real world. Nothing will ever be this easy. Some moms try to compare themselves to these women. Let me tell you, that is the absolute worse thing you could do. The only possible outcome of this will be feelings of inadequacy. No one is perfect. And that is OK. There will be times that you are not able to fold those clothes, or clean the dishes, or heck, even take a shower. There will be days that all you will strive for is some alone time in the bathroom. Seriously, I have been there. It’s life. Things are not always going to be smooth sailing. Parenting is not easy. Being a wife is not easy. Taking care of the home IS NOT EASY.
The reason why I started writing was because I realized one day that I wanted to leave a mark in this world. I wanted my kids to look back and see that I had a voice. I want to show people that even though I stay at home, I am still able to be my own person. I still try my best to find the positive in everything. I still use my brain (there is somehow this impression that all we do is watch soap operas, clean house, and change diapers). I want to talk to women that feel the way I feel and work hard everyday to provide their families with love, nurture, and devotion. Its hard for us to take time for ourselves. So I am writing about my journey to finding that balance. And putting in the effort to make time for ME. I also write about different thoughts that go through my mind and try to find humor in my day to day. I write about family and friends.
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| My beautiful family |
When I spent countless nights awake because little man wouldn't stay asleep, it was blogs like these that got me through it. Well, my husbands support helped too. A lot. But the important thing is that mommy blogs showed me that I was not alone. I was not the only one going through what I was going through at the time. They reassured me that things will get better. They gave suggestions on what worked for them. They let me know that this does get easier. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I want to provide that same support, guidance, comfort and inspiration to others like me.
Being a mom, is hard work. Just like any other job. I am not playing the victim. I am not looking for sympathy. I am not expecting everyone to bow to me because I do what I do. I chose this life. I chose to stay home. I write simply because I enjoy doing it. I have a voice. I have something to say. I don’t view others with a condescending eye. Being at home has taught me a few things. It takes courage. Diligence. Discipline. Selflessness. Patience. It takes time management skills. Accounting knowledge. Culinary expertise. You have to be able to plan events, manage stress and multitask. I have had the chance to grow outside of my previous skill set, and so far it has been a blast.
So I understand why some may find mommy blogs annoying. But these are not the only blog types out there. There are many talented women, mothers writing about different things. Some write about fitness. Some write about fashion. There are food blogs, craft blogs, self improvement blogs (hello there). The list goes on and on of the types of mommy blogs available. Please do not pigeon hole all of us into one type of blogger. Whether you are a stay at home mom or a 9-5pm working woman, we are all striving toward the same goal: To make the world a better place for our children and to provide our family with the best possible version of life they can have. I can't wait to see where this journey brings me, and I hope you all enjoy the ride.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Black Friday Deals and Steals!!!
If you are among the 67.6 million people who participate in Black Friday, you may have already taken advantage of some unbelievable deals that have been floating around this entire week. Is it me, or does this event happen earlier and earlier each year? Now, they don’t even expect you to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with your family. With some doorbusters beginning at 6pm on Thursday, it’s a wonder people even bother cooking a nice dinner at all. Who has time for turkey when there are incredible deals to be had.
A couple of years ago, my husband and I decided the whole ordeal was not for us anymore. I couldn’t believe the crowds of people and how aggressive everyone was during this time. I would much rather be home with the kids or in bed sleeping (we used to get up at 5am on Friday morning to catch some some of these deals). But if you are looking to get in on the action, here are some highlights below:
Happy hunting, errr ummm, I mean shopping!!!
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Turkey...Meet the Levy family (Caribbean culture meets American tradition)
I don’t know about you, but everywhere I turn there is some cooking special about Thanksgiving. So here is my contribution...
For the past few years, we have spent Thanksgiving with my husbands family. Being that he is Jamaican, and I am Puerto Rican, our dinners are usually very different from your traditional Thanksgiving dinners. In our cultures, we really don’t fuss over a turkey.
Hispanics usually cook a roast pork butt. Come to think of it, no matter what the holiday or celebration, there will be a roast pork butt cooking in the oven. The closest we get to a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas meal is a baked honey ham. Sometimes you get the classic turkey. Growing up I remember looking forward more for the pernil than the turkey. From what I understand, my husbands family never cooked a turkey for Thanksgiving. They just cooked a variety of their island food and that was that.
Since I have a family of my own now, I wanted to start a tradition. We will cook our traditional ethnic foods, but the TURKEY will be the center piece. So, ever since then, I have been in charge of the Thanksgiving turkey, in addition to my famous rice and stuffing.
Ok, now for the main event. The turkey. It is by far the best turkey I have had. EVER. Now, I know what you must be thinking. I am only saying this because I cook it. But no, seriously. This turkey is so delicious. My secret...BRINING. Yep, you read correctly. I can’t believe I just let it out. If you haven’t tried brining your turkey before cooking, you are seriously missing out on the juiciest, most flavorful turkey you would have ever eaten in your life. I always thought that basting was the secret to a succulent turkey. I was wrong. Dead wrong. Now, I will tell you that this process does take some time. But trust me when I say, it is well worth the effort.
Here is a recipe from Alton Brown Good Eats (This is what I used with some tweaks here and there):
1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil
Directions:
If using a frozen turkey, make sure to thaw it out in time.
Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
The night before you are cooking the turkey, combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the cleaned, thawed turkey (don’t forget to take the innards out) breast side down in brine. Make sure the bird is fully immersed. If you have a cooler that is big enough, place the bucket inside until you are ready to cook. I usually just set it aside somewhere making sure it will be undisturbed. I add extra ice throughout the night so that the bird remains cool. Don’t worry about any bacteria breeding. The brine has enough salt to kill all that nasty stuff. Half way through the brining process, I turn the bird so that the legs are at the bottom and the breast is now at the top.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (yes, I know this sounds high, just do it). Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. When 30 minutes has passed, take the bird out the oven (it should look nice and brown) and place a piece of oiled aluminum foil over the breast leaving it covered for the remainder of the cooking time. This will ensure that the breast does not overcook and dry out (I told you this is a long process). Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. For a 14 to 16 pound bird, it should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes before carving.
Note: the turkey drippings may be a little salty due to brining. So keep that in mind if you want to use it to make gravy.
Original recipe courtesy Alton Brown, also featured in Food Network Magazine
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Sunday, November 23, 2014
Fun Filled Weekend
This weekend was very eventful for me. I had a great family surprise and a fun night out with friends and loved ones.
First off, let me start with telling you I am psychic. I had been thinking about my cousin on Thursday night and was planning on reaching out to her on Friday. She had been carrying her 4th child and I knew she was due next month. So, Friday evening came and I decided to send my girl a text. Lo and behold, this amazing woman was at the hospital. She started to feel labor pains and arrived at her hospital around 6:40 pm. At 7:14 pm she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Another wonderful addition to the family.
Since moving down South, there have been quite a few changes in my family. And unfortunately, the close ties that some of us had, slowly began to drift apart. Earlier this year, I was able to make a trip back up for my brother’s wedding and got a chance to see my cousins. I miss them so much. So it is my goal to stay in touch as best as I can.
On Saturday, we celebrated my friends son’s birthday at Disney World. Let me tell you. If you are able to go during this time of year, please make the trip. It is BEAUTIFUL! The lights, the music, the decorations and the sentiment. It was great. The parks were pretty busy, but I am sure it had to do with the holiday break that the kids have (they will be off ALL next week, so pray for me yall). But, despite the crowds, we had a wonderful time. Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces was enough to help us get through the day. Their excitement was contagious. Even little man was very pleasant. He laughed, and played with them the entire time. Not once did he get fussy. Despite the gloomy weather, it was the perfect day. At the end of the night, we walked down the illuminated Main Street in Magic Kingdom and grabbed some wonderful pictures of the castle. The sight was breathtaking. We then stopped at a coffee shop to refuel before the trip home and grabbed a cupcake for the birthday boy. It was a nice and calm ending to a great day. I was so very grateful to spend that time with my dear friend and her family during such a special occasion.
The holidays look like they are off to a great start. A little blessing for my cousin, and a great day with loved ones. I couldn't have asked for a better way to start off the holiday week.
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| Balloon man on Main Street |
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| The crowd down Main Street |
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| View of the castle from other end of Main Street |
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| Cinderella's Castle illuminated at night |
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| Close up of the beautiful lights on the castle |
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Remarkable. That's Me
Many people look at me, I wonder what they see.
Do they see a woman, a wife,
Or a simple mother of three?
A remarkable being,
Is what I hope to be.
I’m not built like a model,
Or as tall as a tree.
But I am as rare as a gem
As sweet as a honey bee.
I am a remarkable woman,
My loved ones would agree.
It’s the love that I give,
The hugs they receive.
The food that I cook.
And the goals I help them achieve.
I am classy, intelligent,
Ambitious and sexy.
I am charismatic, creative,
Selfless, and sometimes cheeky.
When people look at me, I already know what they see
They see a remarkable woman, a dutiful wife,
And a wonderful mother of three.
-Maritza Levy
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Friday, November 21, 2014
Hello Sunshine!!!
Today is probably one of the most beautiful days we have had in a while. The sun is shining. There is a warm breeze blowing. Palm trees are swaying gently. Birds are chirping. Ok, you get the idea. It’s Friday, and I am feeling the thrill of the approaching weekend. Sitting at my windowsill, feeling the wonderful breeze. Smelling the grass. In the distance, I can hear the kids playing in the school playground. Their giggles and playful shouts are filling the air with a youthful spirit. I can feel the warm sun on my skin, and the gentle breeze flowing through my curls. Little man is babbling as he gazes out the window.
Days like this make me grateful to live in Florida. Then summer hits and I curse the day I decided to leave New York. But every now and then we get days like this. Whenever a day like today happens, make it count. Don’t stay inside and let life pass you by. Go out and enjoy the sun. Breathe the air. Let the breeze brush across your face. You work hard everyday. Just stop..and smell the roses.
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| Sun shining through my tree |
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| Beautiful blue sky |
Make today your ZEN day!
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Thursday, November 20, 2014
Weekly Zen
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If you look up the word ZEN, you will get a few definitions.
Webster Dictionary defines it as:
Webster Dictionary defines it as:
"a variety of Buddhism seeking to attain an intuitive illumination of mind and spirit through meditation, esp. on paradoxes. "
American Heritage Dictionary describes it as :
"Enlightenment that can be attained through meditation, self-contemplation, and intuition."
YourDictionary.com says:
"The definition of zen is slang for feeling peaceful and relaxed."
Heck, even Urban Dictionary weighed in on the topic:
"Zen is a way of being. It also is a state of mind. Zen involves dropping illusion and seeing things without distortion created by your own thoughts."
Me? MY definition of ZEN is finding peace, happiness, calmness, serenity. ZEN is a state of mind, body and soul. It takes self awareness and evolution. I believe that in order to achieve ZEN, I need to make sure I take care of myself. Take care of my mind. Take care of my body. Take care of my spirit. So, since having 3 kids, a husband and a dog doesn't really make it easy to completely engulf myself into this idea, I will start with baby steps. At least once a week I will do something that will bring me closer to ZEN. Voila! I present to you my first “Weekly Zen" Moment.
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| Symbol for ZEN: Enso |
Today I had a few hours to myself since the girls are in school and little man is with Auntie and GranGran. My husband thought it would be a good idea for me to do something for myself. I looked at my nails, and let me tell you. It was a sad sad sight. I had nail polish on there from 2 weeks ago. I know, embarrassing right? The polish was chipped (actually, each nail had just one little piece of polish left), my cuticles were horrendous. And my nails were in bad need of some filing and shaping. So I thought, why the hell not. The problem is, that since I AM a stay at home mom now, I feel EXTREMELY guilty spending money. But he insisted. And what was it going to cost anyways? $20 tops? So I dropped little man off came back home and cleaned a bit (just so I don’t feel like I was taking advantage of the situation). Then I did it. I decided to go and do something for myself dammit! I took a shower, got dressed, did my makeup (yes, if I am going to do this, I am gonna look good while doing it). I walked into the nail salon like the baddest b****. I am getting my nails done today!
Let me tell you...I forgot how nice it felt to have someone cater to me. The hand massage alone was worth the visit. I did not want it to end. I know, i’m such a loser :-). I picked a nice holiday color. I love deep reds. There is always something sexy and sophisticated about a woman with deep red nails.
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| Having my Zen moment with a cup of tea |
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Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Sanity Break Tip#1: Meditation
I try to aim to do this at least 3 or 4 times a week (though it has been a while since my last session). If i’m lucky, I can find 5-10 minute pockets when little man goes down for a nap or is put to bed at night. Find a time that works for you. If you are able to do it for at least 5 minutes, then consider that a win. It’s better than not doing anything at all.
2 WAYS TO MEDITATE IN 10 MINUTES
- Deep Belly Breathing- Sit in a comfortable position, either in a chair, on the couch or on a floor cushion. Close your eyes. Now breath in deeply, making sure that your belly expands. Now slowly exhale. The time it takes you to exhale should be longer than the time it took you to inhale. While inhaling and exhaling, focus on your breath. Focus on the air as it enters your lungs and how it feels once you release that air. Repeat this process for however long your meditation session lasts. Deep breathing calms your body and mind.
- Chanting- I learned this during one of my Reiki courses. This is another form of meditation I do when possible. I usually focus on a specific word(s) or phrase and repeat them over in my mind. This serves kind of like an affirmation. My favorite words to use are: Peace, Trust, Integrity, Respect, Gratitude. I repeat these over in my mind, or just one word and reflect on the good things in life. It can go hand in hand with deep breathing. This usually puts me in a positive mind frame to take on the rest of my day.
Relaxing music helps. Incense, candles, Tibetan singing bowl (ok, I know you may not have that on hand). But seriously though, find what works for you.
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| Courtesy of reallifeglobal.com |
Hope you give it a try. Let me know how it works out.
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When Life Hands You Lemons
As a mom, we sometimes feel that we have to take on the world. Many times we give so much of ourselves that it causes us to become resentful. We work so hard on this idea that we can lead the perfect life. We have everything under control. We can tackle it all and still look good for our man. Then something happens and we get that brutal slap of reality. There is no need for us to feel the need to go above and beyond. Why are we killing ourselves? What are we trying to prove? And who are we trying to prove it to? Don’t get me wrong. It’s great to do extra special things for the ones we love. Birthday celebrations are over the top. Anniversaries are magical. But what happens when your efforts go unnoticed? Or you feel that you are not getting the recognition that YOU FEEL you deserve? You become resentful.
Just today my friend told me a story about her adventure in finding her sons birthday gift after work. Operation “Find That Gift” turned out to be a series of unfortunate events. She got rained on, caught in the middle of a tornado warning, locked out of the house. Had to battle the biggest wolf spider she had ever laid eyes on. Practically broke into her back porch. And to top it off, her husband was less than sympathetic. That was probably due to her flipping out when he called her. But who could blame her? She had just completed a mommy marathon with a couple of unforeseen side obstacles.
Would it be too much to ask for a little appreciation? A little gratitude. A little recognition? I can totally relate to my friend. Many times I want to go the extra mile to make everyone happy. But when I don't get it in return, I can’t help but feel resentful.
Maybe I AM getting the appreciation, but not how I feel it should be given. Are my expectations too high? No one will take care of my loved ones the way I would. So I can’t get angry when I feel like I deserve a gold medal and only receive a thank you card. I have to remember that even though everyday may not be magical, it is still a day I should be thankful for. I have a beautiful family, food in our stomachs and a place to lay my head down at night. I don’t have to be supermom. YOU don’t have to be supermom. You are human. You can’t tackle the world. No matter how much you try, things will never go as smoothly as you planned. These little (or big) obstacles are what shape you as a mother and a wife. They are what molds you into the incredible being that you are. This is life. It’s Not Quite Zen...but we are working on it.
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Monday, November 17, 2014
Fun Girls Night Out
Being a SAHM can be very challenging sometimes. There have been times where I spent all day in sweatpants and a t-shirt chasing after my 10 month old while trying to go down my list of to-do’s for the day. Once the girls get out of school, I rarely have a moment to myself. Sometimes it really gets overwhelming. You begin to feel as if you have lost your spark. That’s when I take my cue. It’s time for some me time. It’s time for a GIRLS NIGHT OUT!! Honey, it’s your turn with the kids. Momma’s gonna go have some fun!
Recently, I was able to plan a night out with the girls. I had been hearing about this cool thing called Paint Nite. It is basically an art class with alcohol. Sounds cool right? Well it is. And we had a blast.
What you do is visit the Paint Nite website and find an event near you. Once you pinpoint your area, a list of venues come up with dates and times. You even get to see a preview of the masterpiece you will be creating. Once you found the piece you like and a date that works for you and your crew, you purchase the tickets online. Let me tell you, these events sell out fast. It is that popular. Not an artistic person? Not a problem. The instructors are very cool and relaxed. They walk you through each step. Down to which colors to mix to get the desired hue. And If you are still worried that you won't be the next Picasso, then have a couple of drinks to really get those creative juices flowing. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Art is subjective. Art is emotion. Art is...who cares! You are out with the girls having a drink, making a beautiful piece of art. Trust me, after a few drinks you will swear that your piece belongs in a fancy museum. It was great. The best part is that after all that hard work (yeah, its so hard to drink and have fun with friends), you get to take that bad boy home and show it off. Who else you know has an original work of art hanging on their walls?
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| Finished Masterpeice |
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| The girls getting ready to create magic |
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| Me and my girls |
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| The whole group |
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| Me and the girls at Paint Nite |
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