Welcome New Kul Mom: Amanda DelValle

This has been a LONG time coming, but I would like to formally congratulate one of my dearest old friends, new Kul Mom Amanda DelValle (Aka Mandi, Aka Lola), and her fiance, Blake Holden, on the birth of their precious baby boy, Dean. 

On March 25th, 2015 this beautiful woman...

 

brought this handsome little package into the world!  

Over the past few months Dean has just gotten cuter and cuter! 

He enjoys sleeping, and...

SMILING!!!

 

 Mandi has always been an extremely gifted artist. This new addition to her life brought inspiration to create more exquisite things; Dean is her adorable muse! 

 

 

It is clear that Mandi and Dean are a match made in heaven.

 

Amanda, you are glowing and gorgeous! I knew that you would make a wonderful mother, Dean is very fortunate to have such a fabulously loving family. 

 

May your little family continue to grow in strong love and may God bless you and Blake, that you may never lack anything you need as long as you all live!  

I can't wait until our little boys are old enough to play and become friends. 

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Dads can be the hardest people to shop for, but finding something just right doesn't have to be complicated! Sometimes the one thing holding us back from thinking of the perfect present, is thinking way too much. 

The first step to finding the last minute gift of his dreams is taking a deep breath and remembering to keep it simple! 

Favorites - Things to keep in mind when looking for something for dad are his favorites. Favorite color, band, vintage show, movie, superhero? A gift card to his favorite store in a meaningful card is guaranteed to win you that smile you love so much! 

 
Books - There is no such thing as having too many books, and there is no such thing as a person who doesn't read. The question is what do they read? Comics, magazines, newspapers? Get your hubby a good thrilling read that he will greatly appreciate the next time he finds himself with a chunk of personal time. 

   
Free Time - Speaking of time, it seems like Dads don't ever have enough of it! When my husband isn't working, he is doing a chore around the house or hanging out with Nico; he never really has a moment for himself. If that sounds like your hubby, a nice gift might be a night to himself. The night before his day off, pack up the kids and take them for an over night trip with you to Grandma's house, leaving your husband all alone for 24 hours of man time! 

Nothing - The ultimate last minute gift is absolutely nothing! Make overnight arrangements for the little ones and spend the day doing nothing but watching his favorite movies/ shows, and eating his favorite junk food (don't forget the pizza!). Most importantly, spend the day wearing NOTHING AT ALL ;) 

  

Easy Last Minute DIY Father's Day Gift (Toddler Friendly!)

This year is my husband Pedro's second Father's Day! 

His second Father's Day is equally as significant as his first, because our son, Nico, is finally old enough to help me continue the tradition of the DIY Father's Day present!

 22 months old

Last year, I created a little picture book explaining what made Pedro the best father in the world. 

It was kind of last minute, but I was able to put together something that he could look at on a bad day, or when he needed something to make him smile. 

This year since I already had an idea, I put much more thought and time into his gift, and I was able to make him something just as personal as the first, but a bit more practical......  

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

A wooden picture frame! 

Painting is a wonderful toddler friendly activity! Not only does it help little ones develop fine motor skills and creativity, it's a great time to teach colors! 

Not to mention, painting a picture frame is a simple activity for busy Kul Moms that takes 30 minutes or less! The small frame cost less than 10 dollars at Walmart, along with the paint and paint brushes. And the newspapers were free, making this activity affordable on virtually any budget! 

Since Pedro's favorite color is green we started with a green base. Nico enjoyed aiming for the picture frame, but after a while, that turned out to be the last thing he wanted to paint. 

CAUTION: This is activity is only for Kul Mom's who like to get messy! 

While I finished the green base and painted the borders blue...

Nico smeared green paint all over his hands and in between his fingers. It turned out to be a wonderful sensory experience for him! 

 

I added strokes of yellow before the paint was dry to give it a funky texture and painted the back of the frame a solid green. 

I had a number of pictures that would have looked very nice in the frame but none that managed to send the right message. 

This Father's Day, I wanted Pedro to know that I appreciate him as a dad, and also that I am in love with him as a dad. When we were dating, I used to sketch pictures for him all the time and write songs and poems about how I couldn't be without him. My heart was seeping love and it had to be expressed! I need him to know that I still feel that way, more now than ever! He is not the boy I fell in love with. He has turned into an incredible man who means more to me than anyone will ever know. 

I drew him a new picture to show him that I cherish the bond he has with our son, and that I still love everything about who he is.