Friend Making Mondays- Halloween!

Yay, It's Halloween! My favorite Holiday ever, even thought now days we do it on a smaller scale I still love it. We took the kiddo Trick or treating Saturday and we are also going today. Aiden was a little shy at first but then he realized he got goodies he was all for it.

I'm also planning a Scary movie night with the big kiddo, would have love to go see "Paranomal Activity 3" but we are saving money so we are just going to watch "Scream 4" and enjoy a Taco dip.

Today I'm joining again Dear Kenley's Friend Makin' Mondays:

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: What do you do when trying to reclaim your healthy lifestyle after a few emotional, unhealthy weeks?

This is something that I struggle so much. We have so many outside issues that sometimes prevent me from doing well: trips to NYC, family coming over, budget, stress, etc. Granted I could do better choices but I feel weird going to visit family in NYC and asking them to go food shopping for me. And lets face it, baked white cheddar cheetos taste much better after a panic attack than any carrots can- just saying.

What I've learned is just to move forward, ignore the pass and just go forward for a better day. I cannot change what I did last week but I can certainly do better today.

Back in March I went down almost 15lbs and then gave up and gained all back up. I cannot focus on what weight I would be today if I would have kept going, I can only start over and say today I'm going to do better.

Last week I started exercising again, and even though my left arm has been a source of serious pain I'm not going to use it as an excuse. Today my schedule is mega hectic so after I gave lunch to the little guy I asked my oldest to watch him for 20 minutes, locked myself in the bedroom and did the Leslie Samsom 20min Cardio Slim down. Not earth shattering but I did get some exercise in and now there is no excuse.

I'm trying my best to plan ahead what I'm going to eat too, and I gave up juice and drinking more water (I'm still drinking soda, but one step at time).

I am really looking forward to read what others do because I can use more tips.

Hope you have a fantastic Halloween!!!

Over & out

Current Status

The Nightmare before Christmas, one of my most favorite Halloween movies- you know, besides the scary ones.

This week has been a tranquil one, one that has been very welcoming. Cleaning was a success and I was able to deep clean the carpet. I do love a clean house. When I had a house we used to go all out for Halloween, Parties, fog, strobe lights, etc. Now we have scale down much more but still enjoy the whole season.

I am so excited to go Trick or Treating with the kiddo. We couldn't find the costume we had in mind (a T-Rex) but we came up with another one that I think is going to be so cute. We are doing the TOT twice: tomorrow and Monday. We usually take him to the mall because he is still too little to go from house to house, but I can't wait until we get to do that.

So here is an update on my life today:

I'm a little late but I figure I would join since I love these:

1.) Mood: Excited. I get to take the kiddo for trick or treat twice this weekend.

2.) When making a sandwich, do you care if one of the bread slices is the end of the loaf? I used to skip the ends until I discovered Italian sandwich bread, yummo.

3.) What is the weather like today? Gloomy. We are expecting snow for tomorrow. yes, I'm aware is still October.

4.) Current nail polish: Julep Limited edition (dark with fuchsia specks) does not have a name in the bottle though.

5.) What ring setting do you keep your cell phone on at night: loud or silent? (Or the phone completely off?) : I don't own a cell phone (say what?!)

6.) Current outfit: Lucklily I was out and about today:Trouser Jeans, white tank, Gray sweater, brown boots and multi colored scarf.

7.) What is your favorite Disney movie? Beauty and the Beast!!!

8.) Can you whistle using your fingers? Nope, I can't whistle period.

9.) When doing laundry, do you separate loads (lights/dark's, dedicates, etc.) or throw everything together? Yes! I love doing Laundry and getting things sorted. I also do separate laundry for the kiddo, the sheets and another one for towels.

10.) Weekly goals: To enjoy myself this weekend, to make a taco dip for our movie night (Scream 4)

That's it for me. What are you up to?

Over & out

p.s questionnaire idea from the fabulous Amarixe

Staying home...decisions, decisions

It's Tuesday and I know is going to be a wonderful day. I have all this cleaning planned {you know I get the hots for Mr. Clean} and the big kiddo made me breakfast, not even cereal and milk but an omelet, toast, my coffee with Cinnabon creamer...yummo.

I skipped yesterday's FMM since they where posting healthy recipes. I do try to be good but let's face it, I'm the type who doesn't measure most of the time, I just go for it, wing it, then taste it. Plus my yummy enchiladas are not exactly healthy, no matter if I used fat free cream of chicken, healthier cheese, etc. *wink*




So due to our current situation the hubs and I've been talking about what is going to happen in the near future: are we moving? am I going back to work? the little guy going back to daycare?...all impending questions.

I fist became a SAHM mom because of being lay off, then of course good old former employer did not want to pay unemployment, which delay my payments, which put us behind in lots of bills. But ahhhhh, I worked for the VP of operations and knew that they always try to pull a fast one, so I've always kept copies of everything: Dr's notes, days off, performance reviews, so they had no option to pay up. Goes to show you that a job is just that, a job; no matter how much you like it, how good you are at it, how great the people are and how long have you been there...when they want to screw you, they will.

I'm not going to lie, the first couple of months where challenging, and there are some weeks that all I want is a day for me...and days when I want to give up and go back to work...but they trade off would not be fair, or good, or better.




I've never been a feminist, I've never wanted to be equal to a man.That was never my thing. I've always dreamed to being at home, taking care of the house and the kids, I just never thought it would happen since we are not financially stable.

But then, I read this post which I've mentioned before, from "Like Mother, Like Daughter" that spoke to me in so many ways. Maybe because I moved here and had to leave the big kiddo back home while I finish his papers, maybe because I missed so much of his growing up, I now cherish all these little moments with my family and kids.

I hear all the time 'friends" and even family, telling me how they would never be able to stay at home, how that would drive them crazy, how they need to feel productive. Because raising little individuals to be morally decent and honest, self reliant and independent individuals, with a good heart willing to help others is such a walk in the park.

Don't get me wrong, I know some women HAVE to work.
I was one of them. But it bothers me how some females in my life state things like "omg, not even with 2 MA's, a full time job I do as much" her tone is what bothered me, it was very condescending and why throw the MA's there? I went to college too! Or the comments "when you get back to work", "when you find a real paying job". SAY WHAT?!

I have a real paying job. They just don't pay me in cash. They pay me in "Mommy your back!", or "I love you", or "here, I made you an omelet".

A decision was made. Hubs is looking for another job. I will stay home.We will manage and figure things out as we go. And yes, we will be having more kids. This is the life we want for us and we will make it work. I know people will judge us, think we are nuts, think we shouldn't. We don't care.

This is the goal right now...it may change in the future but we hope it wont.
And those days when I need a break I will take them...like next Tuesday I have a schedule free facial.

So there's that. I hope you too go for your goals and dreams, whether is loosing weight, getting a new career, having kids...do what works for you.

I'm off to clean the bathroom while dancing listening to Selena, a great day indeed!

Over & out

A wondering mind

*** Random post Alert***

Finally this horrible, stressed out, panic attack inducing week is over. we survived.
I was able to finally have a descent sleep night on Wednesday after watching "American Horror Story". Figures. And let me tell you, this afternoon I though the truck was stolen and was panicking again...until hubs who was taking a nap told me he parked around the building since there was no space available. Fun, right?

My mind wonders aimlessly until I am so fed up of trying to go to sleep, that I just get up...something like this:

Ugh, I need to pay the car, then the rent and the cable... how do people do it? Seriously is like we are always paying crap. I want to go shopping instead. Yeah...MAC shopping and maybe Lush...wait, don't I have a free sample from L'Occitane? yeah I think I do...

I 've got to remember to get rice tomorrow, and cat food...crap I'm gonna forget. Fantastic.
oh, I like that purse from QVC...it would be good for Karina's Birthday. Crap even more money for Birthdays...
Birthday. Aiden's Birthday. I have to figure out how to do volcano cupcakes...or just top them with Dinosaurs, oh and I need stuff for the goody bags...ok is fine, is 6 months from now.
Better think of Christmas. Gift shopping. Crap. The Hubs needs a new coat, and boots... blah, blabidy blah...for like an hour.

Then I continue thinking of tv...

You know who I miss from tv? Barnabas Collins. Seriously "dark shadows" was awesome, and creepy...maybe because I was young.But I love it...and "Tales from the Crypt" why they don't so a Halloween special? ugh...maybe I can find it online...





oh and HEATHERS! I love Heathers...and Wynona Ryder...I do love her, hahaha, I'm dork. I miss seeing her on movies. Wasn't she the Mom of Spuck from that space movie thing hubs likes? yeaaaaaahhhh, I'm pretty sure she was....




I seriously have issues, and apparently a wondering mind that doesn't shut off.

Over & out

The day I wanted to dig a hole and crawl in it... or Hard day

I hope for arguments sakes that some of you have seen the movie "Fun with Dick & Jane" because the image above would make sense. Being in that place of desperation, thinking what can you sell to make things better, wanting to dig a whole and get in it.

That was us last night...ok, we didn't dig a hole since we rent and I don't think it would be a good idea...but I thought about it.

One does not know how hard a day can be until you have someone knocking on your door to turn off your electricity.

Then you talk them to give you an hour to call some places and while you are at it you get a call that the car is going to get repossessed because they won't wait 'till Friday to get the payment.

Then receive a due notice from the rent for Thursday.

All this within a matter of an hour.

I don't know how I kept it together but I did. The night was hard since our stove is electric, so no cooked meal for us. You have no idea how hard it is to keep telling a 2yr old that the tv and light are not working, but he did ok afterwards.

We end up looking something like this+ teenage boy - dog + a cat.

We are two people who have 4 yrs degree each on us, you would never picture- scratch that- I would have never thought we would be here but here we are indeed.

This is not a post so you can pitty me, or like one person once, to sent me an email on all the things I'm doing wrong because is not. We are working super hard to move forward, looking for jobs, working overtime, clipping coupons, etc.

Both my Birthday and Anniversary came and went and we didn't do anything because we know now is not the time. And is ok 'cause that is not a priority to us right now, our family is.

I want you to read this and know how blessed you are, we all are.

When you wake up and don't want to go to work know how lucky you are to have one.

To have a vehicle to drive instead of taking the bus.

When you come home and are tired and don't want to cook, know how blessed you are to have a stove, to have food, to have the option of cooking or not.

Last night was HARD. I am not going to deny that, nor the panic attack I suffered this morning. But I kept praying and saying IT WILL BE OK. {how many times can one say hard in a post?}

I kept thinking of the little boy from Camden, NJ that I saw on a documentary and how he slept outside with his little brother and his Mom and how all he wanted was a place to sleep (and curtains).

I keep thinking of those kids victims of violence that have lost their parents and now are responsible for their siblings. I though of how much worst this could truly be. And this time when I prayed I was thankful for what I have, for my boys, for my Hubs, for my family and my bed.

For I am not religious at all but I have great faith that God knows that this challenge we can endure and that he will guide us all the way.

Prayers get answer and the power is back on right now. and I'm grateful and hopeful that tomorrow would be a much better day and that love can conquer all. (and no, someone didn't hand us money, actually none of our family or friends know that thesis happening to us)

I leave you with what I wish is a message of hope, that no matter how much you are hurting, suffering, feeling sad or alone, thinking this was a bad day, remember your day can always get worse but YOU have the power to look thru all the mess and see that IT WILL get better, that there is beauty out there, there is a bright future.

I'm sending a prayer for you out there. :) be happy!

Over & out

P.S from my last post: I was not going to get mad if you didn't guess correctly people! LOL

I'm Dominican!

Friend Makin' Monday; Stereotyping

Due to my constant insomnia (why couldn't I inherit my Mom's managing skills instead of her sleep disorder? why? eh, why?!!!) I am joining on time to this week's FMM. It's not even funny that for the last week I've been going to bed at around 5am...no cool people, not cool. Right now is 3:09am and I've gone to bed twice only to get up because I couldn't sleep. Ok, proceed:

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Stereotyping

Have you ever been the victim of stereotyping? If so, will you elaborate? What do you wish people thought of you as they notice you for the first time?

Even though my weight has been uncomfortable for me and a reason of many embarrassing moments (usually with my family) I'm going on a tangent here people, but is not so much when people first notice me, but when they first get to know where I'm from. People usually don't guess correctly where I come from and that's ok, is when I tell them that I get annoyed and frustrated because the ignorant comments start. I don't think I have even mentioned in the blog, typically people think that being from an Island in the Caribbean a) we are all indians that live in a hut-not that there is anything wrong with that because after all, most of us DO have that heritage- that we have no running water, can cross the Island walking from one end to the other (psst) or b) that IT CANNOT BE since I'm not dark skinned or curly hair. That bothers me the most. I'm not even the lightest person there by far!!!

I hate when people assume Latinos means a bunch of Mexican crossing the river. Or ignorant people that can only clean houses and work at Taco Bell, which by the way if you only knew half the stories of what these people have to go thru and how hard they work you would be amazed.

It is sad that even people from my own race tell me "no way, you cannot be"...and I say why not? My little Island has a lot of African, French, Spanish and Indian Heritage, we are a well seasoned mix of beauty and flavor.

I had 3 grandparents with super light skin (mostly descendant of Spaniards) and blue eyes, and one Grandma that could pass for Hindu. we are not all created equal in color, we are all diversified.

Want to see prove how different we are? here is a picture of me and my four Sister's from 5 yrs ago (yay, witch Sis not included!)

Doesn't my Sis in red looking Hindu? I assure you, she is not.

I wish people would take the time to learn a little more about other cultures, to not judge a book by it's cover, or where we come from. Because of the way I look I can pretty much pass for other cultures and I have seen how others talk about my own race and ethnicity without realizing they are insulting me.

I'm not trying to give a sermon {although it looks lie it} but just stating that we all come in different sizes and colors, get to know us.

Now, can you guess where I'm from?

BTW- we have McD's, Malls, water and electricity and CABLE! bwahahahaha

Over & out

The Money Issue

After reading most of the post that where linked on Monday from FMM it got me thinking about money and how different the perception of having it changes with each person. We often don't want to talk about it, how much we make, how much we paid for certain items, it is so taboo.

Growing up I never knew much about money, my Father was able to send 6 kids to private school and Universities, build his own home with no money loaned to him, purchased cars cash. I just assume everyone did the same. It wasn't until I move here the reality hit me. I was poor and alone. I had to work hard to get what I had.

To me money is money though, it doesn't make me, it doesn't break me {ok, maybe a little when I see the upcoming check is already gone}, and to me is meant to be spent. I'm not one of those very conservative people that save as much as they can, I've never had. Maybe that's the root of my "problem".

The thing is that I have issues with people who don't enjoy life because they want to save money, they don't go out to eat because of savings, won't buy something they want or need because they are cheap. I understand having kids one must be prepared for the future, I get that but I don't get people that have money and don't help others. I hate that.

Do you remember the episode from "Sex & the City" in which Carrie is about to loose her home and Charlotte didn't offer to help her?

I know there are many people in the world that think like that: You are an adult and should learn to manage yourself, quoting "It's not my job to fix your problems". I think that we all need someone to help, maybe you lend a friend money you have and that person is the one who is always there for you, listening to you. Or the one who shows up when you are sick, the one who takes care of your pet, or just a fantastic friend.

I am the type of person that if I know you need my last $20 I will give them to you, I have help people that I know had nothing to eat, or giving them a ride spending my money on gas, etc. I just think that if you have money, why not help others?

Maybe that's why I am not rich. One close person to me told me a story about a coworker having the kids at her job, the kids where hungry and the mom had no money. This person went to the deli, got a sub and brought it back to work and ate it in front of the kids. The little boy just stared and said "that looks good". Now I know this person has and had money and just refused to spent their money on someone else's kids because they are not responsible. I could NEVER do that. what harm could it have dome to get another sub, cut it in two and give it to those kids?

I hear what people are going to say:"it's my money and I should do what I want", "their Mother should be more responsible", "they are not my kids", blah, blah, blah. That hurts me, to know that people can be so cold towards one another but specially kids.

Life is short, I don't want to be like my Aunt Dilenia who spent all her life saving money, eating the minimum, just to die and leave all this money to her kids, who are now fighting over it. How about sharing that when she was alive, teaching them to share and be there for one another and know that the money is not all?

Or my other cousin who tried to commit suicide because he was so overwhelmed with debt and a harassing brother. It took for him to land in ICU for his family to help him out and said you know what, you are not alone. Money comes and goes.

But that's just me. And maybe because I have been lucky enough that in time of need people have come to my rescue many a time, asking nothing in return, and perhaps is because when they have needed me I have been there for them too.

There has to be a reason why the wealthiest people in America give their money away, like Warren Buffett (below) or Bill Gates. Maybe they have it all and know money is not everything...

When I knew I could not afford my house anymore and needed to sell it, I called my Mom-ster and she just kept asking why I had to sell, try to keep it, the home this, the home that, she kept thinking about what others may think of it instead of what I needed to do. She didn't understand I was already sad and needed to get out of a bad situation...she just cared about the house.

And then now, being unemployed will teach you how people perceive you...which should have no reflection on Who we are. You realized those who really care about you no matter what your bank account says.

And yes, money is necessary, money is in our lives forever but I won't make it my defining factor of who I am, or who we are as a family. These days we don't have credit cards, we save money for the things we need/want or turn to places like QVC. This doesn't stop us from going out as a family once in a while, indulging on Pizza night, or planning to go on vacation...eventually.

I want my kids to know we are not measure by money, that we work hard to provide for them but that money is just paper, that they should be there for each other, and for others in need. That saving is all good and dandy as long as you don't forget to live life, enjoy it and help others.

Over & out