News!

I've been gone for way to long! So many things to write!
But the highlight of all is I'm PREGNANT oh jeez! The word is out!.
I'm exited and happy to be a mom again. Unfortunately this pregnancy is harder for me than my first one. I remembered being hungry and sleep 24/7, but this time I lost my appetite and sometime I can't sleep at all. But well according to moms all over the web every pregnancy is different.
My little boy is turning into a big boy and my goal is to potty trained him before the new baby comes, Eli is turning 2 this December and i know is a bit early to train him but one can only hope and work hard!

For today's tip: Try not to check your Facebook  for the entire day and lets hope you find something fun to do besides checking peoples status. (between us I tried and failed :(... but I will succeed someday!)

check out this video of my son click here  :)

Romantic?

I used to believed that I was a very romantic person. I like chick flicks with happy endings, I cry at weddings and I like to see a couple holding hands and staring at each other's eyes. As it turns out I'm not :(. Our 3rd year anniversary was two days ago and I completely forgot about it ... I went blank. I couldn't think of a great anniversary present for him or a perfect way to celebrate our marriage. I suggested dinner but I think he wanted something else or perhaps more interesting.
During our three years of marriage I've learned many things about myself. I didn't know what was my favorite food, favorite color or any of the basics about me. We both have come to the conclusion that I never really knew myself. Now he believes I have ADD. I still think I'm not, but everything points to ADD and a bit of dyslexia.
For our anniversary we had dinner at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, the food was awesome! I am not a salad person but my salad was heavenly. I loved it. The bread pudding was great and the beignets were dreamy. In the middle of our dinner I tried my best to be romantic and tell him how happy I was to be with him, but it was more like "blah blah blah... I love you". I'm sure he understood. At the end of our dinner the Disneyland fireworks began and our walk to the tram was filled with noise but overall it was a romantic dinner.
So for today's tip. If you are married have a spontaneous dinner together and enjoy each other as if it was your first date.

An epic picture of  my  bread pudding

Nice to b back

 This past month has been very tough and crazy. First my mother was in the hospital and then my baby got sick. I stayed in LA to take care of my mom although she was very well taken care of by my aunts. I just couldn't be away from her after having had two surgeries. Then Eli got sick so I had to come back home to take him to the doctor. One week he had the HMF disease and the following week he had five days of fever, apparently with an UTI. He got some blood drawn and now the doctor believes it's something else which I trust the Lord he doesn't have. On top off all this we moved to our new apartment with the stress of having everything in its place and the need to clean up all the dust because of Eli's allergies. All of this left me with a bruised arm and leg. I definitely need a break from all the stress. Thankfully everything is now in its place and I can have some R&R. And to stay away from all the craziness I decided to paint a little something for Eli, he calls this tsango=chango=monkey :)

Click here to watch a video of Eli :) I'm so in love!

My search

Here is an awesome birthday present for anyone who likes to keep things interesting and routine free.

Treasure hunt!  

For my birthday my husband took me down to San Clemente State Park  handed me the first clue to a treasure. And so the search began with a message in a bottle... 

Through the woods, back home, parking lot, garden, the in law's house,

to the pool, a locked cabinet and finally back to my in law's house.

I found my treasure guarded by my son Eli :), it was a new tv. I love treasure hunts specially when I can spend my afternoon with my husband and to see at the end of my search Eli's face. My husband knows me very well he really knows how to keep me away from my routine.

Silliness brings smiles!

I'm currently working on a short video with the children at my church. Working with children is not as easy as I thought. Silly me thought I could finish a 2-minute video with 20 kids in an hour. As it turns out I need another day or perhaps 2. Kids are very unpredictable. The first project I did with them was meant to be a mother's day gift. I wanted to take pictures of them posing nice and classy. I asked them to relax and smile but I soon realized I was asking way too much from them. Kids in front of a camera become silly and not very classy. I understand now that kids like to be silly and spontaneous and not just in front of a camera but in their everyday life. I'm learning so much about them and how simple they can be, so free spirited and careless about the outside world. Their smile and silliness are like a very contagious disease and sometimes I wish everyone could be like them. They bring a huge smile to my face and I forget how hard life is. It also reminds me that this is what God wants from all of us (Mark 10:13-16). Kids hold no grudges. One minute they are fighting and the next they are laughing and playing as if nothing happened. So for today's tip, I suggest you spend some time with children and ask about their day, I can guarantee it will bring a smile to your face and it will help you forget about your tedious routine.

Here are some of the pictures I took.

I used these picture to create a video, a present from me to them :)

They loved it! Click here to see their video

Flashback

So my birthday is in this month! Sounds like if I was exited about  it but the truth is I'm not. I really thought I was turning 24 until my husband drop the cold water on me and said "nope, you are turning 25" O.O really 25! I still can't believed it, some how the years went by so super fast that I got stuck on my  really early 20s. I blame this due to my pregnancy. I travel back in time with my wedding pictures, my pregnancy photos and celebrations through out the year. And realized that indeed time went by. If you haven't been pregnant yet you probably won't understand this and how uncomfortable can be with hormone changes, mood swings, lack of sleep, back pain and in my case carpal tunnel (which by the way its now gone but it can come back any time).

Eli's first photo  

I was 23 when I found out I was pregnant, it feels like yesterday April 1st 2010. I was 3 weeks pregnant went the doctor confirm what I already knew. The same day everything slowed down for a moment, I couldn't believed I was pregnant! And one thought came back to mind "didn't I said I was never going to have children?".

Before meeting my husband I had already made up my mind not to have children. I used to watch the news every morning. The unfortunate thing was that most of the news that were on TV were bad and depressing. There you hear things like children are being abuse by their own family members, a 13 year old kid just killed his classmate and a mom left her children because she rather go out and party than to take care of them, war here and there, earthquakes and all kinds of things that made me realized I didn't wanted to bring a poor innocent child to this horrible planet.
I knew I couldn't do things by myself or by my own strength, I am no one important nor I have money nor superpowers. I knew that there was a way to live life without worries and happiness, but which way to take?
Some how my parents after many years in search of a church, they finally found one they liked. My parents asked me if I want to join them and I told them "before I say anything, if I don't like that place you have to promise me you won't force me into going  again", both agreed and so I went. In there I felt different, suddenly I wasn't worried about anything nor afraid, the music was good, the preacher wasn't boring and the people were nice. So I heard and read things about Jesus that I didn't know, I liked it. So i decided to come back next week and hear more about Jesus and all the things he did. You're probably thinking you can always watch all the movies available about Jesus, but one thing I can tell you the book is always better than the movie.
I learn how God protects His children and His promise is unbreakable. My thoughts about this world change completely. There I met my husband , God designed him just for me. I got married and I couldn't wait to be a mom and teach my son/daughter how amazing and wonderful God is.
Being pregnant slowed down my days and my birthdays are now meaning less, now the only birthday in mind is Eli's. This is not just an excuse I made up to continue to tell people I'm 24, but this my blogger fiends is a true story.
Going through all pictures of good times can take you back in time and its also a good way to break away from the enemy ROUTINE! Stay routine free and make each better!

At the San Clemente Sate beach

Fun fact about this picture Eli never wore these shoes.

Photographer by: Lina & Lena Photography

Check out her website below.

http://www.linaandlenaphotography.com/

Creating

A trip is definitively a routine breaker, not to mention no naps, the lack of sleep, back pain due to I miss my bed syndrome. But I was able to do a hole week 0 routine. I was up in LA because I was doing some floral arrangements for my friends wedding. Not to brag about it but I'm pretty good, I did my bouquet and the floral baskets on my wedding. As I was building the arrangements I found myself lost in every basket I was making, it feels so right as if the world suddenly slows down and you have nothing else to worry. I get the same feeling when I paint, draw, sculpt or do my make up (except for the times I need to hurry). Creating is something that runs within me and when I'm creating something everything around disappears and the only thing I hear and see is silence. Finding what you love to do is the best way to exit from routine!

I also did my my husbands costume 

This is my bouquet

Here is the basket i did on my wedding

I also made the party favors

and my guest book

Routine

Talking about routine has become a routine. As a Christian reading our bible is a must, so to spice things up I listen ;) to the bible. I also know God provides a different day everyday so I'm guessing He does not like routines either. He doesn't create that same thing again, every creature you see is different even identical twins are different. I know this because in our family we have plenty of twins to through away JK. I try to escape from having a routine in a every way possible, but unfortunately when you are a mom you can't. So looking to do something fun during Eli's nap is a must, even taking a nap next to him helps me escape from my routine, unfortunately rainy days are never good. I used to go out in the rain and get soaked but now i have to keep my self healthy in order for Eli to be healthy. So i guess for today routine wins... unless I show Eli how awesome it feels to get wet in the rain,jump in puddles and stick our tongue and let the rain drops fall freely there. But unfortunately i think his dad is not going to like it. He is not as awesome as I am lol true story. I love my husband and he wants  the best for Mr. Eli . We'll see how the day ends but for now here is today's score:

ROUTINE 1 KAROLEENA 0

Read you later you bloggers!

Choose your own destiny

Today I wrote on pieces of papers all the exited things I want to do for today, I placed them in an empty jar and let fate decided for me. I place about 20 pieces of paper, I figured this is a good way to step away from the routine of me deciding my destiny. Also I added 2 things I hate to do, but I must do. According to math the chances of doing the exiting things today are pretty high. Right? So I began to pull 1 paper and thought to myself "this is what destiny wants for me" I open the paper and said "Ice Cream Cone!" awesome! destiny is finally rewarding me :D! Right?... WRONG! ...next "do laundry"... as you can see the chances of pulling out one of the evil papers are so tiny, it's all about the math unless destiny says otherwise. I opened the last paper and said "arrange Eli's closet" Turns out fate HATES me. And in this case math did not help either.

Here my fellow reader you will find the answer to many questions about destiny, no matter how hard you try to run away from it, it will chase you down like a Justine Bieber's 15 year-old fan. Choose your own destiny and since my day looks pretty bad already I decide to start with the ice cream cone :). And try to stay away from your routine and DO NOT include fate.

Have a beautiful day!

A lie from the past

Dear blog, (the lame beginning to my cyber diary)

Just few days ago I realized something awful, 8 years ago I lied to myself.

I live literally five minutes away from the beach walking! I've been in this apartment for the last three years and I've only been to the beach seven times. To family gatherings, beach picnic, pregnancy photo shoot, family photo shoot and I walked with Eli last Friday. I used to lived 30 minutes away from the beach (with no traffic on a car) or 45 minutes on the bus, I wouldn't go often because it was far and I had no car. Every time I visited the beach I used to tell myself this "if I ever live close to the beach I will go every morning to take a walk or to have an afternoon picnic until the sun goes down". Now what's my excuse? Why is it that i just don't go?...Simple, I've become lazy! I have a 15 month old baby boy and...so what? Well now i have to think for two people, and pack for two.

Few days ago I took Eli to the beach, I almost didn't go. I stopped thinking grabbed his dipper bag some snacks and headed out. Once i was there i realized i forgot sunscreen, a blanket for the sand, an umbrella to cover us from the 1 o'clock sun, sandals and to make my list short I was just not prepared to go and spend a nice afternoon on the beach. Some how I managed to have a great time. Eli loved it, this was his third time going to the beach but some how it seemed like it was his first time. Eli's face was priceless! He had his hand wrapped around my neck he pointed to the ocean and said "agua, agua!!" O.O he could not believed how much water that big tub was holding. He made me feel like a proud mother, I felt as if I had accomplished some thing huge and say proud and loud "I'm done for today, I'm the worlds greatest mom alive ñ_ñ!" Now here is my excuse to go everyday, but I know myself and I know will be going once a week or twice a month, and that's fine we don't want the beach to become a routine right? I have prepared a beach bag ready to go on an adventure.

I've learned something two things on this trip: 1.planning its great; you are prepared for anything and you get excited about your adventure. 2. Doing something spontaneously its so much better! That's how you start the adventure. What better way to break from your daily routine.