Lifestyle

Thanks given through a Flashback

IMG_1367

No, no, and nope. I am not going to be cheesy and start to list all the things that I’m thankful or grateful for because, truth be told, there are too many things to list!

I am not a pessimist, neither am I an optimist. I linger somewhere in the middle because that’s my safe zone. In the past, I’ve had to manage a laundry list of mental health issues and would bounce from one extreme to another. Never feeling mentally strong or stable to understand myself and what I needed verses what I believed I wanted. When I was overly optimistic, I would only focus on the activities that were going “well” and that was it. I would miss the bigger picture or the long term goal because I’d try so hard to stay positive about the present or current situation. Then the opposite happened when my attitude become more pessimistic.

As I was clearing data from my laptop, I stumbled on the picture above. I quickly started to reminisce to that moment in time. I was in the middle of the feeding routine, a mundane task that typically last about hour from start to finish. But a crucial one for my daughters development. This picture was part of a series of shots, each seemingly doing something subtly different; Bella facing out the window or me looking down. As my iPhone was mounted on a tripod in the middle of my kitchen, I set up the self timer to capture us during the routine. Although I didn’t feel very confident wearing such a bold floral quarter sleeve t-shirt, I thought I still looked nice and put together. My hair was tied back into a high ponytail and in my mind, it had bounce, shape and length. Just to see the pictures afterwards and realize the only cute one was sitting still in her high chair wondering what the heck was that black thing doing in the middle of our kitchen.

During my postpartum year, it was unsteady but I kept reminding myself that the moment wouldn’t last. I planned to take it easy on myself for the sake of my mental health, but also wanted to find a way to document what was happening in the moment so I can compare my progress. My biggest fear was to somehow permanently impair my sense of rationality. It was a shakeup year and praying to God for an answer taught me what resiliency really meant.

instagram | twitter | youtube

Golden brush strokes

As my family was walking home after visiting our local Salvation Army, we stumbled on a pretty simple wall. It was simple, at least, compared to the other abstract and intricate street art walls surrounding this simple one. The wall was painted black with different brush strokes scattered over the black paint. In the center, what I’m assuming, was the artist’s graffiti signature drawn in a goldish brown hue. It was extravagantly minimalistic but with a pop because of the contrasting colors. It caught my attention from afar and drew me closer to observe the work, very much like an art gallery. I liked that it wasn’t overly conceptualized but neither was it a “wall flower”. The work had a balance while adding balance to the collection of street art surrounding it.

Naturally, I felt it would make an interesting backdrop. I didn’t notice the artists credentials or maybe I just overlooked it. But if you ever find yourself in Brooklyn, take the J train to Brooklyn and get off on a stop called Myrtle ave. Walk a few blocks south and you’ll spot it by making a left in the corner of the Papa Johns pizzeria.

I know I should have taken a picture of the street art by itself. I apologize. I only hope that it won’t distract you from being inspired by my very casual outfit of the day. My rain coat is from Nike. The black fleece pullover, a gift from a family member who traveled to Colombia. The black leggings from Pink by Victoria secret (although a size too big on my petite frame). The navy blue faux leather sack bag was thrifted from a Salvation Army across town. It’s been my favorite go to bag and it’s in great condition. I only wish I knew the brand. Yet again, do I really want to know? Lol

The cute coffee shop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

IMG_4118-2

IMG_4123-2

IMG_4116-2

IMG_4122-2

Over the weekend, my family and I ventured out to another part of town in Brooklyn called Greenpoint. We went out to celebrate my in-laws anniversary and to have some quality family time. We hadn’t set aside time to catch up since I started my first semester back for my bachelors degree and since my mother-in-law works as a professor at a local college, her work schedule has been more demanding. My in-laws have been married for 27 years and were in the mood to try something different. Since they hadn’t tried Thai food, we all went to try a Thai restaurant once in Greenpoint.

As we were walking towards the restaurant after parking the car in a dark residential street, we noticed the brightly lite corner of the residential block we had just parked on. The facade was painted white, with windows wide enough to barely make out what exactly was inside. The more we peered, the sooner we realized it was a cafe, but maybe a bakery? As we walked away, we were left wondering what could be inside.

Once inside, what stood out to me the most was how beautifully delicate yet calming the layout was. The big cooling refrigerator case of macaroons were lined up with multicolored cookies and on top were cakes of different flavors. The back walls listed the menu in chalk, as well as positive messages on other walls also written in chalk. Everything available looked appetizing and minimal decor was inspirational.

I could envision myself leisurely catching up on my reading while sipping a cup of cocoa on a cold winter day, if I lived close by that is. I was mesmerized & enjoyed those extra lingering minutes just sitting on that white painted chair after we had finished our melted marshmallow chocolate dipped desert.

instagram | twitter | youtube |

Au revoir l’été & Hola otoño

IMG_3709

 

What can I say? I was in a writing funk and I felt like something needed to change in order to get the motivation to keep creating content. I’m feeling a lot more organized especially after taking the step to purchase my own domain and customize my whole site to something that would get me inspired to keep going. I started my blog a few years ago with the intention of making interesting content and growing it into something amazing. I learned some valuable lessons through the process of creating but no where near did I get close to the goals I had set for myself. I became upset because I had fallen short and was being dishonest with myself.

Once the summer started I wanted to take that time to reevaluate some life priorities and put things into perspective for myself and family. Now that the new fall season is upon us, I feel centered and focused. I feel like its important for me to constantly stay self aware to admit when I start going astray from where I intended to go and take the time to re-address my direction.

 

Thrift Shopping Haul Try-On for Basic Casual Summer Outfits x Youtube Video

hi! how you all been?
I’ve been keeping busy… as all mothers do.

what rhythms with frugal? google? uggle? ok, is there more? lets continue this later cause I can only come up with these on the spot lol I’ve officially come to accept who I truly am. A frugalista college student new mommy who wants a semi fabulous life in the big city. Yup, deep down I’ve been ashamed for being “stuck” in a lifestyle where I have to manage everything I spend down to the last penny or else, I won’t have enough to buy quality produce at the supermarket. My priorities have changed completely compared to my early twenties and I’m now in a place where I think of the long term value versus what kind of immediate satisfaction I can get in the moment.

Its so easy to compare yourself to someone else because of the dominate use of social media, where everyone posts the highlights of their personal life rather than the mundane routines. It all starts to feel like a measuring stick to what life should look like compared to peers or to those in different age groups. Its sickening because this cycle will never stop unless your mindset changes and you’ve just got to get in a place where you no longer give a dame & stop lying to yourself. I’m learning to stop kidding myself by taking little diligent steps towards living up to my own values along with my own version of what abundance is.

Anyways, thats my rant of the day…

Can you believe I finally finished another youtube video? I was anxious to make sure that the style of the video was somewhat consistent and followed a little bit of a story so it’ll be interesting to watch from beginning to end.

This one is about my recent mini thrift store shopping haul try-on of the items for some spring and summer casual everyday wear outfits. The only thing I’m missing are shoes and those are items that I refuse to purchase at a thrift store because, well, foot fungus guys… foot f-u-n-g-u-s. lol

Thanks for reading along and I hope you will like, comment and subscribe. May you have a blessed day!

¡Hola! como todos ustedes han estado?
He estado ocupado … como todas las madres.

¿Qué ritmos con frugal? Google? uggle? ok, hay mas? vamos a continuar esto más tarde porque solo puedo pensar en esto en el momento jaja. Oficialmente he llegado a aceptar quién soy realmente. Una estudiante de colegio frugalista nueva mamá que quiere una vida semi fabuloso en la gran ciudad. Sí, en el fondo me avergüenzo de estar “atascado” en un estilo de vida en el que tengo que administrar todo lo que gano hasta el último centavo o, de lo contrario, no tendré suficiente para comprar productos de calidad en el supermercado. Mis prioridades han cambiado por completo en comparación con mis veinte años y ahora estoy en un lugar donde pienso en el valor a largo plazo frente a la satisfacción inmediata que puedo obtener en el momento.

De todos modos, esa es mi queja del día …

¿Puedes creer que finalmente terminé otro video de youtube? Estaba ansioso por asegurarme de que el estilo del video fuera consistente y siguiera un poco de historia, así que sería interesante verlo de principio a fin.

Esta es sobre mi reciente mini tienda de segunda mano probando los artículos para algunos atuendos casuales de primavera y verano. Lo único que me faltan son zapatos y esos son artículos que me niego a comprar en una tienda de segunda mano porque, bueno, chicos de hongos en los pies … pies f-u-n-g-u-s. lol

Gracias por seguir leyendo y espero que les guste, comenten y suscriban. ¡Que tengas un día bendito!

Easy Makeup of the Day x A Not So Helpful Guide lol

Honestly, when I feel like crap 💩 I like to do my makeup. Whenever I’m feeling so overwhelmed with different tasks, to do lists, and the on going little details of managing motherhood, I try my best to take a few moments to touch up my a face. Even with just a little bit on, my mood instantly changes from indifferent to motivated and focused. Managing motherhood feels like a challenge every day because you’ve got to learn to balance your own personal needs and the very cautious efforts of parenting and those minutes of just “me time” can make the difference. This feeling is something completely new to me and I only started to really embrace it after I gave birth. This just makes me wonder how much different my attitude about my daily activities would have been if I’d started this routine earlier in life? Why hadn’t another women ever mentioned this and how come its not more commonly mentioned? I don’t feel selfish by taking that little bit of time to just focus on me and sometimes I feel like thats the only time I can get a few minutes with my own thoughts.

I’ve been steadily getting better at doing my own makeup by trying different things or a new technique every time I take up the challenge to apply it. For this look I put a little bit of eyeshadow along with a cate eye wing (which is something I’ve never tried doing cause eyeshadow kind of intimates me). From what I’ve noticed, a light hand is key as your applying it because it can easily start looking like a mess.

Here is a step by step of what I did & please, feel free to chuckle at the subtle humor of the commentary lol:

1-foundation

Step one: covering up my reptilian skin lol

2-concealer

Step two: using this awfully bad compact makeup as a under eye concealer because I needed to use it one last time so I won’t feel so guilty for throwing it out and wasting money on it.

3-powder

Step three: blended well… from this distance you can’t notice the bumpy skin. i think i did a job well done. Now its time to set it with some powder to minimize my oily skin build up. hooray

4-eyeshadow

Step four: some eyeshadow because i hardly wear it and these are subtle enough for others to not notice how mediocre i actually am with makeup.

5-eyemakeup

Step five: if i were in a stranded island, i would put a note inside a bottle asking for whoever reads the note to send me mascara and eyeliner… and some sunscreen cause no one wants to age prematurely6-liplinerStep six: a lip liner to overline my lips and as a lipstick cause my lips can make a desert look moist and plump

IMG_5476

Voila mistro… not bad.

IMG_5486

and another selfie to reenforce how naturally untalented I’m with makeup and girl,  let me just say that if you know how to work your angles, no one will even notice lmfao!

Thanks so much for reading along and maybe even getting a little inspired by this faux easy makeup tutorial cause a girl tried her best! show some love on the comments and I hope you all have a blessed day.

Lavender Floral Linen Maxi Dress #OOTD Inspo x Kodak Moments at the Park

Honestly, I wasn’t going to share these pictures because I’m very hesitate to put my daughter out on the internet… I get a little scared, for creeps or something or another. She’s the biggest, toughest and most influential person in my life currently, so why would I not show off what I love the most and spend most of my time around? so I just told myself “why the heck not post it!” especially since Mothers Day is right around the corner so this post fits right in with the timing lol (plus, I took all the pictures myself which took a lot of work to manage all the different hats to get the best kodak, candid shots I can manage while multitasking) 

I fall in love if the item inspires me or takes me by surprise with en eye catching print or fabrication. I’ll take it home even if it fits a little weird on my body shape. I felt really lucky to find this beautiful maxi linen lavender floral dress at a thrift shop. I’ve been thrifting a lot more then usual and I really love it because it sparks my imagination with all the different variety of choices and affordable price tags! I like to take my time and evaluate everything just because it is second hand after all and some items need to be investigated before a final choice is made.

I enjoy how fitted this dress is but I’m not a fan of how maxi it is (although I did at first). The buttons are starting to give me a problem by popping off every time I squat, which is super annoying! I might trim it to make it into a cute mid thigh length dress for the summer because it just feels like too much dress for such a small petite frame like mines.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Honestamente, no iba a compartir estas imágenes porque tengo muchas dudas de poner a mi hija en Internet … Me da un poco de miedo, por horripilantes o algo así. Actualmente es la persona más grande, más dura e influyente de mi vida, ¿por qué no mostrar lo que más amo y pasar la mayor parte del tiempo? así que me dije “¿por qué diablos no lo publicaste?” especialmente porque el Día de la Madre está a la vuelta de la esquina, así que este artículo encaja perfectamente con el tiempo (más, tomé todas las fotos yo mismo, lo que requirió mucho trabajo para manejar todos los sombreros y obtener el mejor kodak, tomas francas administrar mientras se realiza una multitarea)

Me enamoro si el elemento me inspira o me toma por sorpresa con una impresión o fabricación llamativa. Me lo llevaré a casa, incluso si se ajusta un poco a la forma de mi cuerpo. Me sentí muy afortunado de encontrar este hermoso vestido de flores maxi lino lavanda en una tienda de segunda mano. He estado trabajando mucho más de lo habitual y realmente me encanta porque despierta mi imaginación con todas las diferentes variedades de opciones y precios asequibles. Me gusta tomarme mi tiempo y evaluar todo solo porque es de segunda mano y es necesario investigar algunos elementos antes de tomar una decisión final.

Me gusta lo ajustado que es este vestido, pero no soy fanático de lo maxi que es (aunque lo hice al principio). Los botones están comenzando a darme un problema al estallar cada vez que me pongo en cuclillas, ¡lo cual es súper molesto! Podría recortarlo para convertirlo en un lindo vestido a la mitad del muslo para el verano, ya que se siente como demasiado vestido para un marco pequeño y pequeño como las minas.

 

IMG_6565-2

a flower crown for baby girl

IMG_6452-2

IMG_6475-2

IMG_6509-2

ugh, she’s learning how to walk

IMG_6808-2

a loose button for ventilation lol

IMG_6809-2

 

 

Book of The Month x L’art de la Simplicite by Dominique Loreau x Lifestyle Changes

For this month I’m picking something that’ll teach me about a new lifestyle attitude. This new lifestyle change is guided by L’Art De La Simplicite: How to Live More with Less by Dominique Loreau.

I found this book while searching the aisles of the public library and once I noticed the title, I wanted to take it home right away. I didn’t believe books about minimalist living were even written so I got really excited once I saw the book. Lately, I’ve been in the mood to change my beliefs and attitudes about my current lifestyle. I understand that its not going to happen overnight but I just want to know more about what it would feel like to become a person who desires less compared to excess. Plus, I loved the cover and how cute yet simple the font and overall look was.

From reading this book, I want to learn how to stop wanting more things that aren’t going to make a huge impact in my future and embrace living with less. Its hard to manage not wanting to have the most latest thing or having something for a sake of convenience simply because you can afford it. Since becoming a mom, I’ve had to let go of my full time job and find something part time which drastically cut what I was used to spending. Now that I have to adjust for bill payments, eating healthy, saving and the needs of a growing baby takes a toll financially. I know that this time and these moments will pass and eventually my small family will be in a different position in the future because we have a lot of faith in the actions were taking now, but I’ve got to stay in check, daily, so all the bills are paid for on time. So I want to understand the tricks or attitudes that would place one to desire less and place that energy towards things will matter in the long run! Do you know what I mean?

IMG_6829-2

IMG_6833-2

IMG_6834-2

 

New GNC & Walgreens Products Shopping Haul x Youtube video

hey everyone!

happy hump day and hows it going?

I went shopping for a few items that I’ve been in desperate need of during the weekend.   From body lotions for myself and my husband to a vegan protein shake, I talk all about it in my video.

I’d love and appreciate it if you would check it out. Also, let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions on other types of videos or topics that I should make!

Thanks for watching.

#OOTD Knit Midi Black Dress & Vintage Yankees Cap x Body Positivity

IMG_3804-2

IMG_3727-2

IMG_3760-2

IMG_3813-2

where to start?….

I’m in a plateau in my fitness journey and I think it has to do with the way I’ve been eating. Although I’ve been trying to be very careful with what types of foods I eat, I’m now realizing that it is not enough to truly change the numbers on the scale. But I am happy to say that my weight is finally starting to hover around the number that I was pre-preganancy. For the short period of time that I’ve been a mother, I’ve been going easy with myself by being conscious to not say negative things to myself about my body or how awkward my belly looks hanging over my c-section scar.

I finally got the courage to test my confidence and put on this fitted midi length Forever 21 knit black dress with a scoop neckline and short sleeves that I randomly found as I was sorting through the racks inside a messy Forever 21 store on 34th street in Manhattan. It was the last one that I could see around and sadly, it had some damages but I didn’t care. I was so in love with the silhouette and especially with the versatility of having it closed all the way or leaving room for ventilation lol that I bought it with a little damage discount to knock off some dollas off of the original price. I took it home and it fit right in with the rest of my pieces, an easy comfy dress to mix and match with other pieces effortlessly.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

¿donde empezar?….

Estoy en una meseta en mi viaje de entrenamiento y creo que tiene que ver con la forma en que he estado comiendo. Aunque he estado tratando de ser muy cuidadoso con los tipos de alimentos que como, ahora me estoy dando cuenta de que no es suficiente para cambiar realmente los números en la báscula. Pero estoy feliz de decir que mi peso finalmente está comenzando a rondar el número que era antes de la preganancia. Durante el corto período de tiempo que he sido madre, me he vuelto tranquilo al ser consciente de no decirme cosas negativas acerca de mi cuerpo o de lo incómodo que se ve mi barriga sobre mi cicatriz de cesárea.

Finalmente, tuve el coraje de poner a prueba mi confianza y ponerme este vestido midi 21 color negro Forever equipado con cuello redondo y mangas cortas que encontré al azar mientras clasificaba los estantes dentro de una desordenada tienda Forever 21 en la calle 34 en Manhattan . Fue el último que pude ver y, lamentablemente, tuvo algunos daños, pero no me importó. Estaba tan enamorado de la silueta y especialmente con la versatilidad de tenerla cerrada todo el tiempo o dejar espacio para la ventilación jajaja que compré con un pequeño descuento de descuento para quitar algunas dollas del precio original. Me lo llevé a casa y encaja perfectamente con el resto de mis piezas, un vestido cómodo y fácil de combinar y combinar con otras piezas sin esfuerzo.

Follow me on my socials: instagram | twitter | Youtube