Throw Back Thursday: Nico's 1st Egg Hunt!

Today, I would like to revisit a day that I feel passed by entirely too quickly...

This Easter was a blessing for my family and I. 

We were fortunate enough to be able to spend a wonderful and relaxed day together! 

To start off the celebration, we attended a beautiful church service where we rejoiced for what Jesus did for us when he died and rose again. 

Three people accepted Jesus as their savior! 

After the service, Nico got to open his Easter basket. 

He was very excited about the snacks =)

This was his first Easter egg hunt! 

 

 

He quickly realized that the eggs on the ground were for him.

 

 

 

 

And he was delighted to find that they all had yummy, healthy snacks in them. 

 

All except for the Golden Egg of course.

 

 

That one had CHOCOLATE!

But that was NOTHING compared to the food xD 

THOSE TURKEY LEGS!!!!!!!  

We loved every minutes of it...

 

while I LOVED every minute of them <3

happy TBT ;)  

$15 Shopping Spree: Salvation Army

Today we went to the Salvation Army, where we donated the giant bags of clothes we've been stashing away, and where we were blessed by the things we found!

I get really excited when going to this thrift shop near Old San Juan because we always find amazing deals! 

The Prizes:

3 Dr. Seuss books

 3 books from the Little Golden books collection

Black Out by Lisa Unger

A super cute bag

 

A light weight Infanti stroller

 

all in amazing condition!

The best part:

I paid $15 for  EVERYTHING! 

Now that's savy shopping ;)

Inspiring Youth: Yamiles Elicier

Iconic, stunning, bold, original. 

That is what comes to mind when I think of the new clothing line, Zelimay by 18 year old Dominican-Puerto Rican designer Yamiles Elicier. 

Yamiles has always been passionate about fashion designing, loving every part of the creative process. By the age of 10 years old, Yamiles was already designing and tailoring her own clothes, though she lacked the confidence to share her genius with the world until she was around 14. 




Her decision to begin sewing her own products was due to her limited financial situation, but the young woman is an optimist; she would see amazing pieces in store windows and on magazine covers, and instead of thinking "I wish I could afford that", she thought "I know I could make better!" She was inspired to create clothing that people would crave! 

Now, the ambitious young woman doesn't let any circumstance hold her back. Her inspiration stems from anything, from Tumblr to architecture, that is beautiful and catches her creative eye. Once she has an idea in mind, virtually nothing can stop her from making that vision a remarkable work of art. 

Sure enough, as soon as people realized her immense talent, the orders began pouring in! The first piece she ever created for someone was a green v-neck dress that she made for her cousin. The sexy gown was tailor made to hug and compliment the curves of the voluptuous woman. Needless to say, the client was extremely satisfied, feeling great and looking great as she sported a Zelimay original. 

Model: Cousin of designer

That was when Yamiles realized that she had what it takes to become the next Oscar de la Renta or better! 

"I realized that my dream could be a reality when I not only saw that I was equipped to start my own brand, but when others were there to support me as well." - Yamlies E.

The talented young fashion designer also stated that there is nothing more amazing than having strangers believe in her work as if they knew her personally. When she sees others wearing her ensembles, she sometimes finds it hard to believe that she could produce such breathtaking designs. And when she wears her own pieces (she would be crazy not to!) she feels exhilarated and professional, like nothing and no one can touch her. 

 

Perhaps one of her best qualities is that Miss Elicier never shies away from a challenge. She constantly pushes herself to go above and beyond what she was previously capable of. The words "comfort zone" are foreign to her, as she is accustomed to breaking limits and not letting anyone tell her what she can or cannot create. Fashion has enabled her to grow and become more patient, daring, and selfless. Her family, who has witnessed her evolve into a mature artist, is one of the sources of her unshakable confidence, having always encouraged her and supported her talent and dreams. 

Yamiles has already had enormous amounts of success, landing photo shoots with models, features in magazines, and even interviews on television, but she humbly acknowledges that she still has a long way to go. She is grateful for every person who has entered her life and who desires to work with her. 

Model: Mitchelle M Cobb, 34 years old  Photographer: LUXe Creative Imaging

Within the next 5 years, Yamiles envisions Zelimay to be an international brand and a household name, having shows all over the world, and establishing a little family of her own. But for now she continues to build a strong foundation for her brand. She is well aware that this is only the beginning and that there is no where to go but up. 
 

Chilly Throw Back Thursday!

It was so hot at the park today! 

The only way Nico and I could stand it, was by reminiscing about the frosty Winters passed. 

Have a cool TBT! ^.^

3 Strategies for Feeding Stubborn Toddlers

My 19 month old son is as stubborn as they come. As he begins to explore his independence and to realize his place in the world, he is often unreasonable and too clever for his own good. His strong will can be especially frustrating when it comes to eating meals. 

A once easy 20 minute dinner routine suddenly turned into an hour long nightmare. It was the part of my day that I absolutely dreaded, until I started paying attention to what Nico was really trying to tell me. 

1. Change the plate: It was 30 minutes in to our evening food war and Nico was on his 3rd bite of food. His dad was sitting close by eating the same meal from his own plate. In an attempt to help my futile efforts to get nutrients in to Nico's little stomach, Pedro stooped down and offered Nico a bite of food from his own bowl which Nico happily and willingly accepted. The very next day during lunch time, I put Nico's lunch in a grown up bowl and fed him with a grown up spoon and he blissfully ate every single bite. From now on, I will serve him a variety of food on a variety of platters.

2.  Stoop to his level: Another thing I realized when my husband fed Nico from his bowl was that he got down to Nico's eye level and made eye contact with him while smiling. Frowning and worrying while trying to feed your child can create a tense atmosphere. While looming above them must make us seem like the enemy trying to squash their new found independence. During lunch time, instead of sitting in a big chair in front of him, I sat on the floor in front of him and offered him lots of smiles and encouragement. It worked like a charm! 

3. GOT WATER?: Along with all of those things that I tried, I also gave Nico a little bit of water in his Sippy Cup and let him decide when it was time for a drink. To my surprise, he did not try to chug it. Instead he would take a drink after a couple of bites of food, just like mommy and daddy. He especially enjoyed feeling like he was in control of at least one part of his meal!