DIY Vision/Inspiration Board

Over two weeks ago I started my Vision Board, I was almost finished with it when my dads health scare happened so it was put on hold. It also made all the things that I want for more my future that much more clear and serious.

If your wondering... What is a Vision board? A Vision Board is a board that you put your goals on to. You can do this in a variety of ways but the result you want is a place where you can see the things you are working for, dreaming of and pushing for. It helps you as a reminder to not give up, to keep going forward. Inspirational words to keep up your spirits. I have heard a lot of people who highly recommend it and I thought why not? I have nothing to lose and lots to gain so I made one to help me in 2013.

Here's How I made my Vision Board:







I Hope this helps me on my journey this year. Let me know if you make one and how it works out for you. Lets help each other on this journey to make our goals happen this year!



Happiness is________

Happiness is.... (Week 1)

Happiness is my son, His smile, his laugh especially now that he's feeling better.

Happiness is the sunshine that has come back after a lot of rain.

Happiness is being comfy in bed warm in your blanket when you're recuperating

Happiness is siblings. You're never going to be alone during hard times.

Happiness is my dads recovery going so well (beyond Happy).

The past two weeks have been kind of hectic and hard for my family but you have to find the happiness in life and spread it with others.

Lisa at Crazy Adventures in parenting has started a weekly series called "Happiness Is_____" where every Wednesday she will be having a link up for others to share what Happiness is to them. So go check that out and link up! You can also follow others along with the hashtag #HappinessIs on twitter and Instagram. Hope to see you there spreading the happiness!

Project 52: Week 3

Project 52: Week 3

Hi there! This week has been such a tough week for us. Last week I wrote that I felt so blessed and you know what? No matter how hard this week has been for my family I still hold true to those words, Because we are blessed. We have food in the fridge, a roof that keeps us warm on these cold nights and a family that stands strong together through all the hardship. Right now our health may be affected but its nothing chicken soup and good rest cant fix. As for my dad, with care and good doctors and lots of antibiotics he will come out all the stronger and wiser from his pain.

This week we had to take my dad to the Hospital in an emergency. He had a huge wound on most of his lower leg. I would say about a Frisbee size if you could bend it (includes the redness around it). He had actually been hiding the wound from us behind pants and was only caught when he ran out of pants to hide in. He didn't want to bother us with his problems even though he is a diabetic with prior amputations, which makes any wound all that much more serious. The middle of his wound was now black and very serious. Doctors told us that if he had waited longer he could have lost his leg. Thank God he ran out of pants! We spent 2 days in the hospital with him and apparently took home with us a serious cold bug. So this week has been hospital stays and more doctor visits and plenty of medicine and so far 3 visits to the pharmacist. But we are all staying strong. This week is a test to our strength. So thats why I have hardly been online, Im either giving medicine or making soup or at a doctor appointment. 

Please send us all the good vibes you can and please if you or your loved ones are diabetic please treat every wound as if it meant your life, because it does. And dont hide your problems from your loved ones, they are there to help you when you need it most. The pictures above are from the doctor waiting room, munchkin reading new books (Thanks to Barefoot Books contest) and starting a vision/inspiration board. 

New years Eve superstitions/traditions

Have I told you That ever since I was really little my mom raised us with New Years expectations that if they were not completed brought on superstitious dilemmas?

Well yes! That's how its been and of course being raised like that I still follow them myself. I don't think Ive ever shared them with anyone probably because they would stare at me like what? But as I'm doing them I thought I would finally share with someone.

Curious about what I mean?

OK here it goes:

• If you want your home in 2013 to be clean and prosperous you must start off the year with a clean house. So of course I clean like crazy to make sure the house will be clean. That includes laundry, dishes etc. So yep a lot of work!

• You must all be clean and bathed before the New Year starts or for the rest of the year your condemning yourself to being filthy! So we all pick out times to take a bath before midnight so we ring in the year fresh and clean

• You must have a job before the New year starts or else you will be plagued with bad luck in the job department. Well that's a tough one for me because I'm a stay at home mom!

• You have to be with your loved ones when the clock strikes midnight because if there not with you the year that's starting you will be distanced by life. Sounds scary doesn't it? So were all together as we watch the fireworks inside or outside but we all hug each other at midnight to ring in a  new year.

Those are the main ones my family does and that I have continued. I thought about this as I read the Latina December2012/January2013 issue where on the last page of the magazine it shows a picture of a bowl of grapes that says that before midnight there's a tradition of eating 12 grapes in the last 12 seconds of the year. Its a race to see who will have good Luck for the next 12 months. So I thought of our traditions and how weird they must sound to others because this sure sounded weird to me. But guess what? I'm going to try it! It doesn't hurt to try something new and I could sure use some good luck in the New year.

How about you? What are you doing tonight to ring in the new Year? Any superstitions or traditions your family does? Share them with me or try some of mine.

Happy New Year! 

Radio Disney Festival of Giving

 

What: Radio Disney’s Festival of Giving in San Antonio

Where: Huebner Oaks Shopping Center off IH 10 West

When: December 1^st from 10am to 1pm

Featuring: Holiday-themed entertainment, music and prizes including Walt Disney Records' "Disney Channel's Holiday Playlist."

Benefiting: Toys for Tots, The San Antonio Food Bank, The Animal Defense League and The Salvation Army. 

The following items are greatly needed:

San Antonio Food Bank – non-perishable food items

Toys For Tots – NEW unwrapped toys

Salvation Army – Gently worn clothing for all ages and gender

Animal Defense League – Pet foods, blankets, and cleaning supplies.  

Also a reminder to adopt pets for the Holidays.

 

Our Week with the Letter H

This week has been one of the best weeks for us with his alphabet journey. He has been really understanding the letter H. He can write the letter so clearly and he can sound it out in a word so well. I am really happy with his progress. I feel so proud of him with how far along he has come. Not so long ago he was the little boy in speech therapy who wouldn't speak. Who had zero vocabulary words and who therapists recommended for special education. Now my son just turned 4 and has such an extensive vocabulary that he can talk your ears off. (Never doubt a mothers determination) 

Here's what we did this week:

Monday: We worked on Letter recognition. For every letter of the week I redo his dry erase board with the Letter were working on and an item that represents that letter such as H is for Home or House! I also add to it with a flash card or a letter magnet or foam Letter. Anything with that letter that helps with the connection is welcome.

Right on top of the area that his dry erase board is I hang a recycled poster board type sheet with clippings of the Letter of the week that are recycled from magazines or newspaper or mail. It helps because your child gets to see the Letter there working on in different colors, fonts, sizes and that shows them that this Letter is still the same letter (the back side of the sheet is lowercase).

Tuesday: We worked with letter Magnets and books

Remember that with books there is more to be done than just reading them. You can ask them to help you sound out the pictures they see, find the various letters of the alphabet in the words your reading and ask them to read you the book by telling you what they see is happening in the pictures and go along from there.

Wednesday: We went to the first Play and Learn of November and checked out new alphabet books from the library to work on.

Thursday: We worked with paint to Make Heart prints: A Letter H craft with potatoes. It was a beautiful way to connect paint with letters and shapes. We then worked on some more Letter writing and recognition.

Friday: We went outside to created some fun Alphabet Chalk Art Then we worked on some more letter writing and recognition.

Saturday: We mainly hanged out and relaxed at home. But we did play with popsicle sticks and make the Letter H out of them.
Sunday: We had a family day and are still just relaxing. Happy Sunday ya'll!

I am really happy with all the progress we have done and hope your alphabet journey is going well. Don't let a bad week get you down and just keep going forward! If your child doesn't seem to be understanding that letter then find other activities that might fit your child's learning needs. Don't stress out because every child learns at there own pace. I know its easier to say than to do because trust me It was hard on me too, but don't give up! We are going to be working on the letter I this new week and hope you will be joining us as well.

Here are our weeks with Letter A-G:

A: Our week with the Letter A
B: Our week with the Letter B
C: Our week with the Letter C
D: Our week with the Letter D
E: Our week with the letter E
F: Our week with the letter F
G: Our week with the letter G
What letter activities have worked with your child? Any tips or advice are always much appreciated. Thanks!

San Antonio Public Library Dinosaur Day

The San Antonio Public library is hosting a special kids event this month at there different branches which is Dinosaur Day.

Join in on the fun as children play and learn about dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes.

These are the dates and sites where you go can and celebrate Dinosaur Day:

November 10  at  10:15 am Parman Library
November 13  at  4pm  McCreless Library
November 15  at  4pm Collins Garden Library
November 16  at  10 am Central Library
November 17  at  2pm Westfall Library

Click on the Library you wish to attend to see more information and other programs offered. Registration is not required just show up ready to Play and Learn! This event is free!

Our Week with the Letter G

This week we worked on the letter G. If your wondering where I have been on my letter journey well we took a week off after munchkins birthday. We had alot to do and we needed a breather so I used it as a review week were we played with alphabet puzzles and highlighter letters and we reviewed the letters A-F. I wasn't going to stop so dont worry we are back at learning! This is what we did this week with the Letter G:

Monday: On Monday we worked on letter recognition

Tuesday: We worked on letter writing and made a letter G craft out of handprints which by using white paint we made into spooky Ghosts.

Wednesday: We went to Central Library Play and Learn which was Halloween themed then we gave out candy at home for our Halloween celebration.

Thursday: We cleaned up our yard after Halloween, packed everything away and ate too much candy.

Friday: We worked on letter recognition through matching and worked online on our alphabet.

Saturday: We went to Main Plaza to see the Dia de los Muertos altar, then to La Villita for the Dia de Los Muertos Celebration and ended the day at Hemisfair Park for the Diwali Festival of Lights.

Sunday: We reviewed our letters and colored pictures of animals that started with the letter G.

Overall with everything we did this week I think we got plenty of learning in too. I'm so proud of my munchkin for all his hard work. He is really letting it all sink it.

How is your alphabet journey going? Any tips or advice to help us along our way?

Hello November!

I cant believe November is already here. It feels like October went too fast but at the same time like it lasted forever. So yesterday was Halloween and in a couple of weeks Thanksgiving and then my birthday and my brothers birthday (I'm the 29th and he's the 30th just 5 years apart though).

All over the blogosphere I saw everyone had one major thing in mind today besides too much candy and that was "Thankfulness". November is known for Thanksgiving so of course this month reminds us to be thankful for the things in our lives that mean so much to us and we should never take for granted.

What am I thankful for? I am thankful today for my family, for my loved ones. I don't have a big family so I get to love them all that much more. Above all else my son.

I would like to ask you to think about what you are grateful for? What means alot to you and why? Especially in times like these were Hurricane Sandy left so many people without a roof, food or electricity we need to give thanks for the things we have, the people we love and thanks for every day we get to be on this Earth.

Happy November ya'll! Make it a month to remember   :)

National Night Out October 2, 2012

This week we walked just around the corner to my old elementary school. This time around munchkin was joining me and It was special because this will be his school next year. We were going because I heard that our school was one of the sites for National Night Out. What is National Night Out? A night where people from your neighborhood come together over food, fun and music to strengthen neighborhood spirit. We hadn't been to one of these events since I was in school so I didn't exactly know what to expect.

We got there early and watched different organizations arrive to help set up tables and bring treats. We heard that even Mayor Castro was going to be coming to visit the school. We got information on parks and recreation and a huge firetruck came and several policemen came too. Everyone was very friendly and kind. The event was free and open to the neighborhood. The food that was brought was free and set up as a potluck. It was a very nice way to spend an evening. Munchkin got a tattoo and made a collage of fall/Halloween stickers, got a glow stick and a balloon and met some nice kids. He even got to take a picture with Mayor Castro!

We had a great time and are looking forward to more events at the school and in the neighborhood. I think National night Out did fulfill its purpose and bring together the neighborhood. I'm glad munchkin liked being at the school since I want him to only have positive feelings towards his future elementary school.

Did any of you participate in National Night out? What did you do at yours?

Banned Books Week

This week is Banned Books Week (September 30- October 6). I actually didn't know this until lately and wondered why they would have a week dedicated to this and so I looked at a bunch of articles and the overall feel I got was that it was about freedom, Celebrating the freedom to read. It was spreading awareness about it and I looked at lists of books that throughout the years have been banned and could not imagine why. These were books that were dear to my heart and here they were on lists of books that people had burnt and not allowed to be read at schools and such, it made me sad. I'm glad that I have had a chance to read these books.

 I wanted to share with you some of the books I have read that were on the List:

• Scary Stories to tell in the dark By Alvin Schwartz
• Of Mice and Men By John Steinbeck
• To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
• Harry Potter series By JK Rowling
• The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Grapes of Wrath By John Steinbeck
• The Lord of The Flies By William Golding
• Brave New World By Aldous Huxley
• A Farewell to Arms By Ernest Hemingway

I am thinking of actually going through these banned lists and reading books that i haven't read from the lists to see what makes them special. What do you think? Have you ever been denied access to a book you wanted to read? What books have you read that were banned too?

Go to your local library and check out the banned books displays and why they were banned. Its pretty interesting to look at.

San Antonio Goes Orange

This month of September San Antonio is going Orange for Hunger Action month. This is an issue close to my heart because Hunger is such a big word in this house. I remember growing up hungry. We didnt always have food or much of it. It wasnt that my parents didnt try because they did try there best. My dad had hurt himself and couldnt work. My mom went to work after that and was earning minimun wage and with 3 kids and lots of bills there wasnt always enough for everything. As we got older things got better. Then I became a mom and it was diffcult to provide to say the least. I looked for help for my little family and The food bank has always been there for us. To either help us look for a food pantry or with help with applications  or renewals they are an amazing source for help. My family will always be in debt to them for there kindness. So for this month to show support heres my munchkin sporting some orange.

We can all do our part to help in our own way through donating food or volunteering our time or even simply spreading the message of the value of food and how many struggle to have it on there plate. Because even the best of us parents still sometimes do, me included. I am proud of my city for promoting awareness of an issue that is very important to us all. So spread the word and sport some orange and hopefully we can end hunger one day.