New Year, New Inspiration!

Welcome to 2016! 

 

With the new year comes new motivation and new inspiration! This year is going to bring a variety of projects for me, and I hope it will bring lots of projects for you as well.

So many things happened last year that pushed me to grow in almost every aspect; this year I feel like I can do anything! Let's analyze; think about the struggles and impossible situations that you overcame in 2015. If you got through that, you can literally do or be anything you want. I realized 2 important things:

1. You don't need to be a professional to do what you love - We can't let the fact that we aren't "qualified" hold us back from our passions, because practice makes perfect. I used to be under the impression that a short film had to be this magnificent work of art, and that discouraged me from making movies. But I got tired of waiting for inspiration to strike, and I started making little videos to work on the technical side of my craft. If you love something don't wait until someone gives you permission. Just go for it!
2. Hard work, passionate work, always pays off - Passion can leak into to everything you do. When you try your best at something because you love it, the right people will notice and things will take off for you! And even if no one ever notices, the satisfaction of finishing a task that you know you put 110% of your best efforts into is indescribable. 

Maybe I am a little ambitious to be taking this on, but I feel like if I stick to it and work hard, I will succeed. One of those projects is to start a YouTube channel. It's time to take the time to practice my craft. So I started out already with a couple short videos...

my short film...

  

and a new trailer for my book!

 Soon I will also be posting irregular Vlogs documenting our transition from Puerto Rico to Raleigh.

(Stay tuned!)

The point is 2016. 

It is the year of inspiration, motivation, and new challenges! 

Forget about a new year's resolution! 

Set goals and make yours dreams happen! 

 

Mommy & Me Monday!

Let's start the week with a little LOVE.

(It makes the world go 'round)

He is the cutest toddler in the world and he's all MINE! 

HAPPY MONDAY ;)

Teaching Toddlers 103: Water Exploration Day

One impossibly hot summer afternoon, Nico and I decided to go outside to play. We don't have a fan in the living room/play area, so we roamed into the side yard hoping to catch a breeze. After watching Nico sweat it out for a few minutes, a brilliant idea occurred to me. 

I could turn the broiling day into a teachable moment! Nico already knew it was hot, he told me as much several times in both English and Spanish, so I came up with a fun way to cool him off without leaving the house and without wasting too much water. 

I went inside and grabbed a milk carton that I had been saving for a spontaneous craft, and using scissors, a sharpie, and a stapler, I turned it into a "watering can" and a "water house"!

It's okay if the pitcher has holes in it! The point is for the little one to see and feel the water fall out

The hole in the front is so that water can been seen going through the carton

The flap on the side is so that the toddler can see the water pouring off onto the ground

  

Once our supplies were assembled, I went inside and gathered water from the sink into a large pitcher. 

That's when the real fun began! 

Nico learned about pouring water, and that though it is tangible, it cannot be grabbed, only felt and contained. Of course I wasn't trying to explain those complicated concepts to my 23mo, he was content to figure it out in his own way.

Please excuse his naked lower half, we are still potty training =)

 

 He also learned that some things sink in water, while other things float, and that if you put enough force on an object in the water, you can push it to the bottom.

 

By the end of our little experiment, he was cooled down and soaked! 

He ended up running free in his birthday suit without a care in the world, and the hot hot sun was long forgotten! 

It was just another day of trying to keep my Gummy Bear from melting! 

Mommy & Me Monday!

The reason behind the Mommy and Me posts is to remind myself that Nico always comes before work. During the day while I'm writing, Nico crawls on my lap, craving attention, and I take a few minutes to snap some pictures with him to make him feel loved and special. 

 

He's growing up so fast, I refuse to miss a single second of it!

 

He will always be my baby!! 

 

 

Happy M&M Monday ;)

Don't forget to cherish the ones you love every moment of every day! 

Puerto Rico Adventures: El Yunque

My family and I are blessed to live on an island that is rich in history and diverse in nature and landscapes. From the rainforests, to the caves, to the beaches, to the salt plains, there is always something new to see! 

During the month of July, we planned a few affordable day trips around the island to take in as much of Puerto Rico as we can before we move back to the States later this year. 

Our first stop was El Yunque rainforest! 

Since we got a late start we did not have time to stop at the observation tower and viewing spots on the way up to the river. Our main priority was taking a dip in the cold Yunque water! If you want to see everything the mountain has to offer I recommend leaving early; the park is open from 7:30am to 6pm. 
Start heading down 45min. before they close to avoid getting left behind. 

When we arrived we were interested in going to the peak, but the hike is much too difficult for our 22mo, Nico. 

(My husband and I agreed to go together later) 

 

Instead, we tried to tackle the hike from the gift shop down to the waterfall. The path was steep and narrow and there were dozens of tourist passing by on the way up and down. Needless to say, Nico got very tired and when we realized we would have to carry him all the way back up the mountain we turned around.
(Again, we agreed to save this hike for another day) 

Nico and I suffered a minor accident when I stepped off the path and slipped on a rock, falling face forward, with Nico in my arms. 


 


I came down with his weight and mine on my forearms and elbows, and learned to never leave the path. The 30 or so people around me were very concerned about Nico, who was terrified but not hurt, and shot me "bad parent glances" when they passed around me, as I was now determined to never leave the path.

We eventually made it back up to a picnic area we had spotted on the way down, conveniently close to the parking lot and a tranquil shallow part of the river. 

We ate a delicious lunch of turkey, Swiss, and salami sandwiches with barbecue chips, then suited up for Nico's very first river bath!

 

He was freezing but excited and more than comfortable as long as he could cling to Daddy or me. 

I guided him up stream.... 


 

And before we knew it, it was time to go home. On the way down the mountain, Nico fell asleep...

and we were able to stop at a looking point with a view that is much better in person. 

Where the ocean and sky connect <3