The Story of Christmas Lights

Christmas lights are beautiful!

We can all agree that they have become the signature to any ideal celebration! 

For many Christians, a lit Christmas Tree symbolizes the light of Jesus shining in the darkness.  

But have you ever wondered why people decorate trees, or anything for that matter, with string of tiny colorful light bulbs?

It is speculated that Martin Luther was the first person to decorate an evergreen tree with candles. He was walking home one night and found himself fascinated but the way the stars twinkled through the evergreens. He chopped down and mount an evergreen in his home, and glued small candles to the branches to share the magic of the stars with his family. 

The tradition caught on and soon everyone was decorating their trees with tiny lit candles. Because of the extreme fire hazard, most people did not light their trees until the night before Christmas. 

Since then, Christmas lights have had major developments. 

In 1882 Edward Johnson wired red, white, and blue bulbs together and put them on his tree. His idea was a step in the right direction, but the bulbs were expensive and they had to be wired by a professional electrician. 

Finally, in 1917 Albert Sadacca decided to make the lights multicolored. He started a company called NOMA Electric Company, with his brothers Henri and Leon, which soon became the largest Christmas lighting company in the world. They used a new invention where the string of lights could be plugged in to a wall socket. 

In the 1960's the lights we all know and love became popular and are similar to the lights we use today. 

Minus the LED of course. 

Merry Christmas! ;) 

Throwback Thursday!

This Thursday we are visiting a wonderful November day at the park near our apartment in Puerto Rico. 

I pushed Nico there on his push tricycle and we had a really great time. The weather was perfect for taking pictures!

I hope this sunny day at the park brightens your life a little bit wherever you find yourself!

HAPPY TBT!!

ISIS Recruiting Teens

For those of us praying for peace in Syria, things have not improved by much, if anything they have worsened. The city is now a completely inhabitable ruin, and the fighting continues to rage on each day. 

The problem is that most of us are unaware of what ISIS even is. 

It stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Their goal is to create an Islamic state across Sunni areas of Iraq and in Syria. ISIS is the group of Islamic terrorists that have taken over much of Syria, forcing thousands of innocent people from their homes and murdering hundreds more.

What is worse is that they are beginning to recruit teenagers and young adults all around the world. They have propaganda in an estimated 23 languages so far, and the CIA has detained 15 teenagers in airports who were on their way to Syria to their "rightful place" with ISIS.

This group in KNOWN for being ruthless. They posted the graphic beheading of American captives publicly online, expressing no remorse. 

So, how are they getting youth to join?

Through effective social-media campaigns that promise devout Jihad spouses, and a home in a true Islamic State where they are free to devote their lives entirely to their religion and their God. 

The video looks a little something like this:

Let's not be so naive. 

Spread the word to everyone you can and inform them of the evils that ISIS has committed so that NO MORE youths are encouraged to join such a horrible group! 

Ignorance can infect an entire generation if we are not careful, knowledge is the only cure. 

The Perfect Movie Night In

When you have kids it can be hard to find time to go out. Heck, it can be hard for anyone these days to find time to date. Between work, school, errands, chores, kids, and pets (for some), finding time to spend with your significant other can get a little complicated. 

This is often true for Pedro and me. He works at night, I work/go to school during the day, and Nico takes up all of our time in between! We hardly have a moment alone, but when we do, we try to make the most of it. After all, the state of our relationship is important for a healthy family life and to give Nico a good example of what true love looks like. <3

Fortunately, there are many fun things to do at home, after the baby hits the crib for the night! 

This week, we had an amazing Netflix Movie Date! 

ON THE MENU: 

Soft Tacos!! 

Soft tacos are the perfect movie dinner! They are nutritious finger food that are fun to put together, and that don't distract you from the movie too much. It is a funny messy good time as you have folding competitions to see who can keep the most stuffing in their tortilla. 

Ingredients are simple: Tortillas, lettuce, tomato, 1lb ground beef, a can of pinto beans (to make re-fried beans), sour cream, and Mexican blend cheese. And, this is a great opportunity to use left over Taco Bell sauces!

ON THE MINI SCREEN: 

Bonnie and Clyde

This is a five star movie! Those of you who are romantics will enjoy the raw, unshakable love that kept these two together and fueled everything that they did! Those of you who would probably fall asleep if something doesn't blow up at least twice are also in luck, as Bonnie and Clyde were also fans of big guns that did immense damage.

ON ME:

Freshly washed hair and one of Pedro's old t-shirts

Men are honestly not very hard to impress! Often times, a clean natural look is sexier than heavy make-up and a tight dress. 

The hair style is quick: Step away from the straightener and hop in the shower, wash your hair, condition it with hair oils immediately when you finish towel drying! 

Then, raid his drawers! Find his favorite shirt and a comfy/sexy pair of undies or even his boxers. 

This is a date that does not require a bra! ;) 

Whether you stay it or go out, remember to appreciate each other and cherish your precious time together!

New Tiny Teeth!

Babies are always more than proud to show off their brand new set of chompers, even if they only have one or two!

 

With new teeth comes new responsibilities! 

As soon as Nico had about six teeth we decided it was time for a visit to the dentist, who was pleasantly surprised upon meeting us!

She went on about how rare it was for parents to bring their child at such an early age, and about how amazing it was for Nico to have a head start towards healthy brushing habits! 

 We even got an adorable free toothbrush! 

A little bit of advice:  

Don't forget you camera! Unfortunately, I had to learn this the hard way because I left my camera at home. You are NOT going to want to miss seeing your little one in that giant green chair! It is something that you will want to remember forever! 

If your child is a biter there is a trick that the dentist showed me to prevent painful injuries, on my part and on his! 

Take two fingers and put them in between the back of his gums where he does not have teeth yet. This will hold his mouth open and though he will be instinctively biting down, you won't suffer any notoriously unpleasant baby bites. Your baby will not like this. 

Your baby doesn't really like foreign objects near his mouth unless he puts it there, or unless it's food, preferably something sweet. Don't be alarmed when the dentist asks you to hold him down, and keep your cool when he starts to freak out. This is NOT going to hurt him. So, smile at him, sing to him, tell him it's okay, and remind him that the dentist is a friend when everything is over! That will make return visits easier in the future! 

 

Stay healthy and keep on smiling =) 

 

 

Mommy & Me Monday!

I have missed this more than you guys know! But it is finally back! 

These are the rest of the pictures from The Shoot, the ones of Nico and me <3

Happy Mommy and Me Monday!

Being A Better You!

It is no secret that there is always room for improvement, and that goes for everyone. Sure, you might be successful and you might "have it all", or you might be a loser and have nothing; no matter who you are there are ways to turn yourself in to the person you have dreamed of being!

1. Read more! Studies show that people who read more have an easier time learning new things and setting large goals for their lives. That's right, readers are dreamers! Read more articles, magazines, newspapers, fiction, anything really. Also, readers are less likely to develop brain deteriorating diseases, such as Alzheimer's, in their old age. Apparently, one page a day keeps the doctors away!

 

2. Have one conversation a day that is NOT centered on you. The world does not revolve around any single person. The next time you talk to someone, try listening to him or her. Learn about their life and be excited for their accomplishments, or learn about what troubles them and offer productive solutions that can help them. One of the best ways to help you is by helping others! Not only will it make you feel good to show this person that you actually care, but also they are likely to return the favor!

3. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. The Japanese have recently let the world in on a secret! It seems that drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning has all kinds of amazing benefits! Aside from all of the health reasons, it put people in a better mood in general. Those of us who are not morning people will find ourselves surprisingly energized and, dare I say, HAPPY! When your body is feeling good, it will let you know by lifting your spirits. 

 

4. Set goals for yourself. In reality, everyone should set goals for themselves everyday, but at least once a week is good enough. The best kind of goal will help you reach an overall bigger goal later in the month or year. It could be anything! Think about what you would like to achieve and then make a clear path on how you are going to get there, and tell someone about it. Don't brag; just let them know what you have in mind so that someone will be there to hold you accountable. 

5. Make a budget. "I would be happy if only I could afford..." I hear that all the time, but here is something I bet you never considered. If you set and follow a budget you can afford literally anything you want. However, it usually takes a little while to get there, which is where most people drop the ball. Patience is truly a virtue. Good things come to those who wait!! 

6. Eliminate all excuses in your life. This one is perhaps the hardest of all. It takes training because we complain about and make excuses for everything. I was late because..., I didn't wake up early because..., I don't eat better because..., you get the idea. Simply stop using the words BUT and BECAUSE. If you are late, you are late, it doesn't really matter why does it? This will encourage you to find solutions for your behavior flaws instead justifying them. 

 

7. Be polite. For some reason, especially with our generation, common courtesy flies over most people's heads. It's like they don't understand the concept of "please" and "thank you." A nice smile goes a long way, and so does a simple compliment. I'm not saying you should walk around sucking up to people, but you should at least do you best to be nice. Try to remember the golden rule, teach it to your kids even: Treat other the way to want to be treated!