Adventures of Three

Dancing with a monkey...

2012-03-27T22:19:00.000-07:00

Spring is here! To my family this means: planting flowers, cleaning (my favorite—not so much for my two boys…), rain, picnics, and DANCING! Yes, folks I said dancing. One of our favorite activities is going to our backyard, lighting some festive lanterns, and having a mini dance party (of course there is also turkey burgers on the grill and loads of snacks... we are foodies after all.)

Children don’t care if they are getting the steps right (well... most don’t), they just want to move! My boys and I enjoy spending time together dancing to just about anything. Not only is dance a good way to get some exercise in but it is also a fantastic way to cut loose, release stress from school/homework/chores, as well as spend some quality time with your loved ones. Which brings me to dancing with our favorite monkey: Curious George!

Do your little ones love Curious George like my kids do? Do they have some crazy moves? Well, I am happy to announce that Curious George is having his very first DANCE Contest in celebration of how much the arts influence our little ones! (Can you believe that Curious George is on its sixth season on PBS KIDS®? Yikes... I am feelings a little old here...)

You can enter a video of your child/ren dancing to the Curious George theme song for a chance to be featured on a Curious George DVD…Or maybe even win a visit from George himself!

Please note (parent and guardians) that you only have until April 2, 2012 to send in videos of your child/ren (under the age of eight) to CuriousGeorgeDanceContest.com. The public will then get to vote for a winner between April 16^th - April 30^th. Good luck and get dancing everybody – you can Spring Clean later :)!

~
Bere

This post was sponsored in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and WGBH.

Budding flowers...

2012-03-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

Many of you may not know but I had a birthday this month. Yes, I can actually admit my age (it is for a good cause I believe), I have turned 30! This has been an incredibly emotional year for me for a variety of reasons: New Job (which I love), New position within an organization that I consider like a family, possibly going back to school soon, the list goes on (there are a couple of personal ones that I feel deserve their own post)....

Reflections: A while ago I took the picture above at night at my son's school. I started to think about the many times that I didn't allow myself to "bloom" because I was too scared of rejection, anxious about regretting decisions later, and so on. HOWEVER, what has struck me the most is that something internal happened to me when I turned the big 3 0 ... I stopped caring. I no longer care about what others think of me, why? Well, I have finally realized that I have pushed on through some pretty crazy times... I am pretty doggone strong and resilient and I don't need the approval of any person that seeks to put me down or criticize me.

Lessons: I am very grateful there were MANY people that have been like guardian angels, at the right place and the right time to help me through some really rough spots. I have full faith in that if you stay ready, come prepared, and never treat people in a malicious manner, you will come out okay.This year, and for the years to come, I am excited about: taking chances, believing in myself, taking time to "smell the roses", and not allowing negative comments derail me from my goals.

What have you learned as you have gotten older/wiser?

~
Bere

Remedios Caseros

2012-02-23T16:42:00.003-08:00

Two weeks ago I was feeling so sick, however, as many of you know; I am a workaholic. I was driving home with bluish lips, wheezing, and a fever after a full week of work. Let me tell you by the next day... I called my Mami! She advised the usual: lots of rest, Vaporub (who hasn't used this to cure everything from a cold, allergies, burns, cuts ... etc...?), and chicken soup. Dragging myself out of bed and debating whether to give in to Nyquil and other meds … I decided to go with what I grew up with.

By the following day I was wishing that I had not been stubborn about seeing a doctor because my fever had risen to 105 and I was so dizzy I couldn’t function. I found out I had acute pneumonia and was given emergency antibiotic shots and fluids. There are so many occasion where I am a BIG advocate of holistic health and going with our Remedios Caseros however, I learned a valuable lesson that weekend: you have to go to the doctor if your fever persists because your body is fighting an infection that your remedios may not combat as quickly as your body needs.

I still recommend teas, vitamins (especially Vitamin C and Zinc), Echinacea, chicken soup, and lots of water. I also would advise anyone (especially with little ones) to see a doctor when your symptoms have persisted past a couple of days because even though medicine isn’t what we grew up with (well ... most of us anyway...). Medicine has come so far in being non-invasive and most doctors are very wary of giving little ones antibiotics.

It is second nature for us to “tough it out”, but as I learned these past couple of weeks, it can really hurt your body. There is no reason why you can’t do your holistic options as well as the headache meds, antibiotics, and other medicine that will make sure you are at least comfortable.

As Latinos we have tons of remedios handed to us from our families and friends but it is important to take advantage of the abundance of doctors and medicines that will help us get better quicker (and less contagious faster). What are some of your favorite home remedies? (Mine is chamomile tea for headaches )

The Shelter Pet Project

2011-12-06T01:50:00.000-08:00

“A person is the best thing to happen to a shelter pet. Be that person. Adopt.”

I have a confession: I found my soul mate last year. My doggy soul mate, my best friend, Snow Biscuit (yes, the boys named her). She was two and half when we got her. I was skeptical because everyone (including us) wanted a cute puppy, one that we could bond with from the very beginning. BOY were we wrong! She has been the best addition, not only to my family unit, but to my mom as well (actually she has "custody" of her during the week, mostly). She came fully potty trained, vaccinated, and already used to being left home alone for most of the day.

To say that she is amazing is an understatement. I initially accepted adopting her because the boys wanted a pet, she wouldn’t need any immediate medical visits, and she was free. However, now she is priceless. From the moment she came in our home she has taught us all something. She taught me that the love of a dog is the perfect cure to a bad day; when I get home from work she’s there with her tail going a mile a minute, no recrimination to being left for over 8 hours alone, no whining for not having a pricey chew toy. She taught the boys how to care for a little being that relies on them; they carry her around like a treasure and constantly tell her things that they wouldn’t tell anyone else. She has taught my mom how to walk for the fun of it and that she could have a pet just because it loved her, not for the kids.

My mom bonded with her so much that we “share” Snow Biscuit. HOWEVER, I fully plan on adopting again. I tried to adopt a puppy about 4 months ago, it did not go well. I had no clue how much work went into potty training a puppy and I had to give her back to the family that gave him to us.

Snow Biscuit is one of the reasons why I am so excited to tell you about this amazing project: “The Shelter Pet Project is a public service campaign from The Ad Council, The Humane Society and Maddie's Fund, and is aimed at increasing the number of pets that get adopted from shelters and rescue groups.” I would HIGHLY recommend adopting a pet from a shelter, especially if you are a family with children. Most rescue dogs don’t come with too many surprises since you are able to ask upfront: “Are they good with children?” “Are they used to be being left alone?”

When we are ready for our next addition we are definitely going to The Shelter Pet Project website because you can input your Zip code and start browsing pictures of local pets that are ready for a home (the boys are already getting excited… but we have to wait until maybe the summer when we can spend more time bonding with our new member of the family).

Please connect with The Shelter Pet Project on their other websites:

Youtube
Twitter
Facebook

I was selected for this campaign by Latina Bloggers Connect. All opinions are my own.

Storms

2011-11-29T22:54:00.000-08:00

I have missed writing to you .. and I can't promise that I will not neglect you in the future.. let me explain why. I HAVE TWO NEW JOBS!! I had to give up so much three years ago when I packed up my boys, leaving a job and financial semi-stability in Florida. I drove cross-country back to LA to have a second operation and I was unsure of the outcome of that, scared, exhausted, and desperate for a miracle.

My surgery and recovery were successful but I had no job, was living with my mom, and feeling lost. All I could think about was: storms. Let me explain; one day when I was living in North Dakota it was raining so hard we had to pull over because you couldn't even see an inch in front of you. The rain subsided in about five minutes but those five minutes felt like five hours. It was a tiny car, I had a crying 9 month old, and I was in the middle of nowhere. When it was over I had this thought, "Isn't this like life.. sometimes it storms so hard that you can't even see how you are going to go on (that one inch ahead of you blurs) and then in the next moment, the sun is shining and there is even a beautiful rainbow."

I thought about those moments today because I can feel that I am where I am supposed to be (for now). Both jobs are doing what I love helping people and social media. What makes it even more amazing is that on my last day, yesterday, at my previous job they announced that in two weeks they would be laying off about 60 employees. I felt blessed, humbled, and ready for more challenges because I had angels looking out for me -- making sure I got my rainbows and miracles.

I can attest that if you hold out in your storm, you will come out okay. However, prepare yourself, go back to school if you can, involve yourself in internships, and get out there -- do not isolate yourself. Be encouraged, be good to others (Karma is real and she has a long memory), and never forget your dreams --- let them be your incentives to push you through your storm.

P.S. For any job-seekers-- here is a blog post I did for an amazing company that may interest you: iHispano

LATISM'11 --- Letra de Amor

2011-11-14T22:52:00.000-08:00

I have had an amazing seven or so days, but the highlight has to be the two days that I spent in Chicago for the LATISM'11 conference. Yes, it was freezing but it is STILL one of my favorite cities. I didn't really get to take a lot of pictures because I worked as volunteer for this event, however, I can honestly say that it was worth everything to be able to go. The workshops were amazing, the highlight for me was the Education TownHall with representatives from the White House asking us questions and then having us answer them in both large and small group sessions.

There will be other blog posts about some of the companies that were in attendance because they had some truly incredible things to convey to us, however, I want to talk about one component that set this conference apart from the other conferences that I have attended.

For those of you that are not familiar with LATISM one of the things that we do is we have a weekly tweetup every Thursday. We have covered issues such as education, using social media for social change, and many others. We talk to one another, answer questions, and put our views out there for the world to acknowledge. In doing so we have become a community, a family, and we really do love each other very much. Over the weeks, we have gotten to know each other because if you end your tweet with the #LATISM hashtag believe me someone is there to listen.

Often you would hear the words, "...I follow you on Twitter.." or "..I was hoping you would be here hermano/a". It may sound cheesy but there was a lot of love in the air in Navy Pier. Sure, we love to debate over politics, social views, and so on .. but at the end of the day .. we have formed a family that supports one another and tries to lift each other up.

I was so proud to see my fellow LATISM brothers and sisters because they truly inspire me each and everyday to be better and to dream bigger. There were so many people there that said or did something that touched my heart and I will take the memories of this trip with me and look forward to more in HOUSTON for LATISM 2012!

Día de Los Muertos at the Autry Museum

2011-11-02T00:23:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I love museums; it is also no secret that I have passed this love on to my children. They enjoy seeing how artists express their creativity and passion through acting, singing, art, and dancing. What I have come to enjoy is seeing their faces light up when seeing something new.

This weekend, thanks to LatinaBloggersConnect, we got a chance to go to The Autry Museum and check out the artisans, shrines, dancers, face-painting, and awesome musical artists (they weren’t just singers.. these were some breathtaking performers!). As you can see by the pictures below, the boys had a blast and I was truly inspired by the elder that told Aztec stories with an accompaniment of instruments.

I have to say that this was my first time at this museum (I know.. insert *gasp* here), I am not sure if it is because of its location (it is right next to the Los Angeles Zoo and Griffith Park) or because I have always been fascinated by the LACMA, Getty, and Norton Simon that I have neglected the other museums, however, this must be rectified and soon!!

This museum had loads of interesting finds like a room that children can play in a kitchen or pretend they are selling food in a makeshift restaurant (cash register and everything). The boys specifically loved this (it was right up there with getting there face painted).

The Autry will be having “Las Posadas” in December *excited* ... the boys and I are definitely going, join us!

Disclosure: AdventuresofThree received complimentary entrance,however, this is not a sponsored post.

Social Media for Good?

2011-10-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

The future depends on what we do in the present. - Mahatma Gandhi

It is no secret that the biggest influences in my life are my children. Not just by their actions, funny quirks, but mainly because they exist. They are in my life; their wonderful hugs, their unbelievable trust in me, and their unconditional love. I am beyond blessed to be their mother.

I don’t need to look far to be inspired to push for equality in education, clean environment, and more affordable healthcare. Those two little treasures are enough, BUT, if I didn’t have them just being a part of a community such as LATISM would inspire me. Especially after the tweet chat we had tonight. With us was Johnson & Johnson (did you know they are the official title sponsor for LATISM 11?) because we were focusing on using social media to create the change we want in our societies.

J&J is celebrating 125 years! I was so happy to see them with us today. They have been a part of my life since I was a baby (who hasn’t been bathed in J&J baby wash?) and recently when I went to BlogHer11 they were there as well. When I saw them at BlogHer11 they were talking about their commitment to nurses (my mom who is a nurse said that they were one of the main companies to offer scholarships for nurses).

All of this made me think of what inspires me and why. One of the main things I noticed tonight was that the best causes to support are those that YOU are the most passionate about. How true is that??

In my experience, it is the most important thing because I could always tell when someone was just trying “sell” me their cause and when they were trying to “wrap me” into their story. There is a big difference.

From their website, from meeting their reps in person and from the tweet chat today, I can tell you that Johnson & Johnson has demonstrated a true corporate passion to make their environment better, literally and figuratively. They sponsor initiatives that help women, children, advances in medicine, nurses, and poverty (I could go on but when you go to their website they outline all of their causes). I was so happy that a company that is already such a big part of my life was taking their money and putting it where it matters most, not just in their consumers but striving to better the global community.

Which brings me to my questions:

What inspires you? What are you doing about it? What changes do you wish would happen and what can you do to help make it come true?

Comedy Monday

2011-10-24T22:57:00.000-07:00

I know that I have been writing about some serious stuff lately: education, single mommy vents, and so on..

Well... thanks to Monique from:
BlogsbyLatinas
CLICK Latina
Curves and Chaos

My readers (you) are being an offered an opportunity to go to a screening to see the movie "Tower Heist"

The cities where the screenings are being held are the following:

PICO RIVERA

SOUTH GATE

VAN NUYS

ORANGE

SAN JOSE

If you are in any of the cities above and want to attend feel free to contact me (there is an "E-mail me" button on the right hand side).

See you at the movies!

Fine Print:

Passes are First Come First Served

Educational Adventures inspired by Univision's EDÚCATE Campaign

2011-10-21T00:47:00.000-07:00

Inspiration…

Even though the economy is hampering progress right now, I believe that things will get better. Maybe not soon, but eventually changes have to be made if we are going to advance to be the beacon we used to be. Remember when immigrants would talk about gazing at the Statue of Liberty for the first time and feeling like they could do anything? When did that change for the immigrant population? I digress...

Let’s come together and stop quibbling over whose politics make more sense and start recognizing (and caring) that while we bicker; there are unemployed people losing their homes, families with no food to eat, and a generation that is beginning to lose hope. I believe that change is sparked by an educated mind that is inspired to move toward a goal.

With that said, here are some things that I tell my children to inspire them:

1. Never forget that your education is your shield; no one can take it from you.

2. Never let someone tell you that you can’t do something; if they do—prove them wrong.

3. Remember that the best leaders in history didn’t always start off being brave and knowing what to

do; this came after they took a stand and followed their passion.

4. If you fall, don’t stay down, get back up and remember why you fell in the first place. Every failure

is just a lesson preparing you for success.

5. If you think only of yourself you can’t expect to be fulfilled in life because one the greatest feelings in the world is the contentment you feel when you help others.

Education week is wrapping up and I just want to say that I am happy to have been a part of something that I believe in. To me, education is the first step to financial success and cultural awareness. Hopefully something I said in my posts has inspired you to get involved in your community, go back to school, or maybe even motivated you to participate more in your children’s academic life.

For more information about Univision’s EDÚCATE Campaign please visit the following link:

http://vidayfamilia.univision.com/es-el-momento/

They offer information on scholarships, educational resources in your state, and an extensive list of universities.

My own educational adventure...

2011-10-20T01:11:00.000-07:00

High School Memories

Growing up in Los Angeles, I took for granted the diversity that surrounded me. I lived in East LA, went to school in South Central, and went through cities like Brentwood on a regular basis. Seeing the difference in their schools and their homes, I knew that I wasn't going to settle for living in poverty my whole life and the only way I knew to get out was to study. I petitioned my mom and step dad to let me go to a magnet school and they agreed but only if I got myself to the school because they couldn't take me. I decided on "King Drew High Shcool of Medicine and Science" in the heart of Watts.

It had some amazing teachers. It was a magnet school that had about 70 students and we were housed in 5 or so bungalows. They all coordinated their lesson plans so that they synced together; for example if we were studying velocity formulas in Math we were experimenting with those vectors in Physics. It was not rare for students to stay at the school until almost 7 at night because we were studying or in one of the many academic clubs that were offered. Many of the teachers knew I took the bus home (at this point I was living in Eagle Rock, about 2 hours away by bus) so many of them took me home.

Those teachers hold a very dear place in my heart because they took me under their wing (rides home aside). They listened to me when I was having a bad day, they encouraged me to do better if I got a B in a test, and they introduced me to some amazing experiences. Our economics teacher taught us how to waltz, our drama teacher helped us put on a Shakespearean play with sonnets sung to Prince beats, our science teacher took us to Magic Mountain to explain the way Physics made those roller coasters possible.

School was a haven for me; it was a world that took me away from the crazy home life I was living. I am so grateful that those teachers didn't just teach from 8 -3; they made us part of their family. We even ate at some of their homes on the weekend and held study sessions. I wish that there was a school just like that for my kids but ... (that school is now housed in a 1.2 million dollar building and only one or two of the original teachers remain).

It saddens me to think that schools have so little funding now that teachers are funding special projects on their own and with minimal parental support. Our children are suffering from overworked teachers (classroom size is bigger and not enough funding for TA’s), Music and Art programs are being cut, and most parents are under so much economic stress that they are either not able to attend school functions (working more hours for a job that pays less, working jobs where they aren’t full-time employees so if they call out they won’t get paid for that day) or are just not interested in going.

It is time to wake up. Not just parents. Our children’s future affects EVERYBODY. I would feel the same if I wasn’t a mom to two boys. As a society we need to encourage one another to volunteer (afterschool programs, non-profit organizations), tutor, mentor, in other words GET INVOLVED in your community. Many of our schools have cut Art programs, if you are an artist maybe you could volunteer at a public school when you have time. If you are musician maybe you can offer to go to an after school program once a week and teach children to play an instrument. Any little bit would help. Changing the life of even one child should be enough, however, we should strive for changing and encouraging ALL our children. We can do this by offering them our time and support. It begins with us.

I would NOT like to read as much as I do if I didn’t have an English teacher that introduced me to the wonders of Shakespeare (he even let me play Titania in the play with the Prince beats—one of my favorite memories of school), I would not remember how it felt to attend my first musical if one of the teachers hadn’t taken a Saturday out of her life to take a handful of us to see “Les Misérables”, the list could go on and on.

YOU can be a part of a child’s “first”, the first time they played the perfect note on the piano, the first time they painted on a canvas, or the first time they touched wet clay. It is time for us to stress the importance of education to our youth because it will prove to be their shield as they get older. However, as with any type of change it must start from within first. Educate yourself, expect more from yourself and then get out there and encourage the next generation. EDÚCATE!

This piece was written as part of a campaign of LATISM (Latinos in Social Media), reinforcing the importance of education and the campaign ¡Edúcate¡ Es el momento de Univisión.

Esta pieza ha sido escrita como parte de una campaña de LATISM (Latinos in Social Media) reforzando la importancia de la educación y la campaña ¡Edúcate¡ Es el momento de Univisión.

Educational Adventures inspired by Univision's EDÚCATE Campaign

2011-10-19T00:22:00.000-07:00

Bedtime Stories

As I said in yesterdays post, bedtime stories are a big deal in our house. We started off with reading children’s picture books, later came chapter books, and now we like to each take a turn and make up a story and see where it takes us. It is a tradition that only happens about three times a week now because of my crazy schedule, but we all look forward to it. When was the last time you read to your child? Talked to them about how their day at school went? Do you know your child’s teacher? What are some of the things your child struggles with at school?

As a parent, you should know the answers to most of those questions. It is so easy to blame teachers for the type of education that our children our receiving.Yes, it is also true that certain neighborhoods have better public school than others. I can concede to all of those points, HOWEVER, nothing affects a child’s emotional, academic, and overall well-being as much as parental involvement.

There are so many outlying factors that are affecting our children and may be keeping them from progressing academically but we cannot put the blame solely on those factors because PARENTAL involvement can solve so much. It can help a child know that he is loved enough that his parent/s care enough to be concerned about what is going on at school. Parental involvement also demands more of the teachers because if there are issues, those parents are there, wanting conferences and maybe offering to step in and help (alleviating the pressure on some of these overworked teachers).

I can be the first to say that I am not perfect in this area since I drop my children off at 6:30 AM and don’t pick them up until 5 or 6 in the evening. However, I am a very concerned parent, I am constantly emailing their teachers about updates on their progress (thankfully they understand and appreciate my concern). When I pick them up the first thing I ask them is “What did you learn today?”

I have never relied solely on their schools to teach them everything. We go to museums, watch educational documentaries, and we go to the library two or three times a week. Even though I am only supplementing their learning, I want them to know that I take education and learning seriously and expect no less from them. Having high expectations of their academic performance may seem extreme to some, but to me, it just means that I know what they are capable of and I am going to help them get there.

As a teen I would look at the planes going into LAX and wish I could go somewhere, anywhere and since I couldn’t, I escaped into my books. I longed for someone to encourage me to be more, or to tell me that my dreams were attainable. When I was pregnant I vowed that my children would never have to wonder if I was proud of them, that they would always have me cheering them on. They know I am proud of them and I am always quick to high-five their biggest (and even their smallest) achievements.

Take the time to go to your child’s parent/teacher meetings, know when your children will be testing and make sure they eat well and rest, and most importantly make sure they know that you not only care but that you SUPPORT them and that you believe that they can do AMAZING things.

A movement doesn’t have to be big to make a difference. Progress can begin in one household. It can begin with you. It can begin with you investing time and energy in your child. It can begin with one question, one book, one teacher meeting, one family at a time. EDÚCATE!

Educational Adventures inspired by Univision's EDÚCATE Campaign

2011-10-17T23:47:00.000-07:00

Going to College

When I was pregnant with my first child I had tons of ideas of what a perfect Mom was. She would make sure there were warm cookies and dinner waiting for her children when they came home from school. I blame television and the fact that more often than not you want what you didn’t have when you were growing up.

Needless to say I am NOT that Mom, but I strive to be the best nurturer I can be. When they were little my fondest memory of them was when I would read to them. I cherish those memories because it is so rare now that I am able to do that (after homework, dinner, and getting clothes ready for school/work all of which have to happen in less than three hours before they have to go to bed). Now, they read mainly on their own, although we squeeze in a story at least three days a week.

As important as catching a bedtime story with my boys has become it pales in comparison to the importance of preparing them for college. No, I am not being an overachiever, I am a first-generation college graduate and I had no idea what I was doing when I was applying for college. This probably contributed to my making some very bad educational as well as personal choices. I didn’t apply for any scholarships even though I graduated high school with a 3.9 GPA and pretty high SAT and ACT scores.

This is why I am starting now by making sure my oldest son has good test taking skills (we practiced at home for his California State Exams). He knows to write clearly, color in the bubbles completely, and so on. My youngest is in kindergarten so we are only reinforcing reading and focusing in class. These are small steps but they are the initial steps and are very important for our children to be comfortable as they get older and are competing with children in private schools, those with private tutors, and so on.

My mom’s first language was Spanish so she could never help me with any of the above tasks. She didn’t read any of the books I like so we never discussed what I read. She was shy around other parents so she never came to my plays, mock trials, or science competitions. I was doing all of these things without her moral support and it was not easy. I took buses to all of the aforementioned events (or one my friends’ parents picked me up). I lived about 2 hours away from my school so I studied and did my homework on buses instead of a library or a desk.

I am not complaining over my childhood, I am describing it because I am sure there are countless of children that are living through similar situations. Although, with our current economy there are some children that are now facing deportation, homelessness, and a variety of other personal obstacles that will hinder their dreams of college/university.

Let’s focus on creating a society that values education. We need to take them to university tours when they are available. We can also go to our children’s school and speak to their academic advisors. Your children need your help. They need to see you taking an interest in their academic future. Once they see you take that stand it will become an automatic decision for them to go to college/university. If they see that you believe in them that is one less person they have to convince and they have your voice inside them telling them that THEY CAN every time society or one their peers is telling them that they can’t succeed or dream that big. They should all WANT to go to college; it should just be a matter of “What will I major in?” not “Why should I go?” Or even worse “I can’t afford to go”.

Education is something that nobody can take away from you. Our children can’t defend their roots, if they don’t know them. Our children can’t get better paying jobs, if they aren’t equipped with degrees. Your children won’t feel cultural pride, if you don’t feel pride in yourself. Begin by educating yourself so that you can pass it on to your children. EDÚCATE!

Nom Nom and Art

2011-10-16T23:06:00.000-07:00

We look forward to two days in the fall: Halloween and ART Night in Pasadena ( I know that they have a lot of them around the city but our favorite is the one in Pasadena.. partly because it so close to our home). I haven't been able to spend as much time with the boys because of all of the overtime I have been doing (even though over half of my OT earnings went in taxes, union fees, and retirement account) so we were all psyched to just spend time together.

It was a beautiful evening, warm, gorgeous moon, and we encountered some awesome performances. The highlight of the evening though was the food trucks (according to my foodie children) was the Nom Nom truck. Even though they got our order wrong both of the times we ordered, the fact that they were friendly made it semi-okay (they didn't fix the orders though...) The sandwiches were really good (we just scraped the stuff we didn't want off).

We hit up Kidspace and Darion told the engineer from NASA that he could make the Rover out of Legos :) ... he laughed and said that that is actually how they begin prototypes and later my son said that he wanted to be a mechanical engineer but he wanted to build cars not stuff that went to outer space. I laughed and told him that he could build a car that could go to outer space and he was very intrigued. I love that we have the kind of relationship that lets us talk about theoretical stuff like that and in the next breath talk about the painting we saw. My boys were exactly what I needed after a crazy week.

Here are some pictures from our evening: (Remember to be present in all of your relationships because they are like flowers, they need attention and constant watering. The bloom of a well-tended relationship is soooo worth it! XoXo!)

Delirium

2011-10-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

It is not a secret that women (okay ... I can concede that men are busy too) tend to overdue do it in their personal and professional lives. Take my past week for example:

I have been working non-stop since last Monday, partly because I need the money from my job BUT since I am single parent; I don’t exactly “get off” when I leave my job. I have the boys to tend to (oh and there have been open houses at their school this week) and that they entail such as dinner, homework, lunches for all of us for the next day, doing laundry and laying their clothes out. All of that after what has been 10 and 12 hour days. To say that I am exhausted would be an understatement (Oh and did I mention I tried to squeeze in my Spanish tutoring when I could?).

I am so blessed to have a job, I know this, but it makes it so hard when your commute is over 45 minutes each way, job is not what you envisioned doing with the degree that you have, and well I miss my kids gosh darn it (I really do want to say other words but.. hey my kids may read this one day)!! I know that as parents we are going to struggle with the duality of being a “professional” and being a present parent in our children’s lives and knowing this doesn’t make it easier.

I see some of the stay at home parents and I am envious of the time that they spend with their children and about the fact that they can volunteer at the school almost daily. I long to have dinner (or lunch) waiting for them when they get home from school. I dream of being able to work on their homework individually for 3 or 4 hours instead of having to cram it into 30 minutes.

I am so exhausted that I am writing this and I am wondering how in the world I am going to wake up at 4 AM tomorrow and face another 12 hour day? I am in awe of the parents that I see that have it all seemingly put together but I know that in my house the past week has been trying to say the least... but you want to know what made it all “worth it”.

Seeing my boys’ faces light up when I told them that no matter what I wouldn’t miss their open houses. Their faces when I placed a hot meal in front of them this week. It is those small victories that I choose to cling to when my body aches, things are going bad at work, and/or I want to curl up in bed and sleep an extra 15 minutes. I may not be rich, or one of those lucky moms that gets to spend unending time with their children BUT I am working my way into being content with who I am and where I am in life.

This is only a step in my journey; I have concluded that journeys are sometimes hard because the steps you are taking are going UP... and isn’t always harder to go upstairs than it is to go down? :)

Ritalin or not... that is the question...

2011-09-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

Here is another serious one folks. One of the things that I love so much about blogging is that I can write about whatever I want and I know that this next one may have some people definitely talking and ultimately that is important because we should always be able to look at each other’s point of view and agree to disagree.

My son is about to be six and he was in kindergarten last year and he didn't do very well academically. He is so amazing in his social development but when it comes to paying attention, well... let's just say he is not always there.

I have been worried about his development since he was one. He was in speech therapy at that age. I had to quit my job because it was daily therapy and Darion (my oldest) was also going through some health issues as well. I wanted to make sure that they both got the medical care that they needed without having to schedule it with my job (as I am currently doing).

Fast forward to these past few weeks. I was told my son's teacher that he was still not where she wanted him to be this year in kindergarten. He is still not focusing enough and spaces out quite frequently. I have always kept it in the back of my mind that one day I may to consider Ritalin for him because his dad has ADHD and had to take Ritalin in elementary school

His pediatrician has been advising Ritalin for about a year and half and I have staunchly refused because I worried about the side-effects that it may have for him, not only short-term but long-term as well. I have tried regular exercise and I changed his diet but none of these has seemed to work, I have gotten her (pediatrician) to hold off on the finality of medicating him but I am worried if this will also be a bad decision if he can't keep up with his classmates academically.

Their dad said that he stayed on it for a couple of years and that the drug helped to control himself to a point where he didn't need it anymore, but... drugs react differently in everyone. Here are some articles I found helpful:

More side-effects

If you are seriously considering medication here is a guide to might help you find the right medication.

I wish I could tell you that I knew what I was going to decide. Medications scare me and I love the way Jaden looks at the world, I don't want to take that away from him. Parenting decisions are often fraught with the hard choices and what makes it worse is that your choices will affect your children for the rest of their lives. I am not an absent parent; I work with both of my sons as much as a single working parent can. I got to all the parent meetings, special events, and very rarely go out without them. I say all that because there are so many people that would like to blame the absent parent for the academic demise of the child, however in this case it couldn't be further from the truth. Their academic, emotional, and over-all well-being is of the utmost importance to me. My children truly are the best presents that I have ever received. I am unbelievably blessed to be able to call them "mine".

With that in mind, I am in no way saying that drugs are the answer but what I am saying is that they are not a decision to be made out of frustration and we must try other alternatives 9even if they inconvenient for us) first before we, as parents, think about taking that step. I encourage you to take some breathing room, go for walk on your own, pray, meditate, and be calm when making this kind of decision. Surround yourself with a supportive team (i.e. teacher, doctor, friend, grandparents) because this road is not easy (parenting alone is hard enough) and make sure that all of you know all the side-effects and other pertinent information.

I am not a doctor and can in no way give anyone advice. I strongly advise that you get second and third opinions from pediatricians before making this kind of decision. Sometimes even a change of school may be in order because let’s face it, some kids learn differently in an environment that they either don't feel comfortable in or one in which they don't.

Lastly, if you haven't, spend one on one time with your little one, sometimes that extra attention really helps. Parenting is a crazy journey, but it has been rewarding in the best of times, and never boring at the worst of times. :)

Back to my basics..

2011-09-11T00:08:00.000-07:00

One of the days that I dread every year is the first day of school. One reason for this is because I usually feel extra guilty because I can't stay for all the morning like a lot of the stay at home moms. I wish I could spend more time with my boys and the first day of school is my first reminder that I am missing so much of their life and they just keep getting older... *sigh*

This year my oldest son started the third grade and my youngest started kindergarten. I am so overwhelmed by how much they have grown (both literally and figuratively) in just a year. In November my youngest will be turning six and it is crazy that just six years ago I was pregnant for the second time.

I am not sure why but this year has really made me reminisce on where I was when I was pregnant with Jaden. I found myself pregnant in Minot, North Dakota, all alone. My husband left us and I had no job, in a town where I had no family. To say that I was scared was an understatement. I was not new to being alone and pregnant because when I was pregnant with my first child he was deployed to Iraq. However, this time I was faced with my worst nightmare: being a single parent, for the rest of their lives.

Just thinking about this time in my life makes me feel so incredibly sad and I wish I could go back to just tell myself that I would eventually come out of it, no not that everything would be okay, but that I would not always be that broken person in the mirror..

I have always been incredibly blessed because in my life there has been full of people that have stepped in to be exactly what I needed at the time. Surrogate moms, incredible friends, and strangers that have offered immense help in some very troubling times.

I say all of this because of the MANY opportunities that having a blog has opened for me I had forgotten that one of the reasons I started a blog in the beginning was to get my story out, I don't know if would want to call it my virtual diary .. but it was to be a way for me to say a little bit of what went on in my head and also maybe help someone not feel so "alone" in a situation that may mirror mine.

Be encouraged, stay focused, you are not alone.

Love (hugs),
Bere

Jorge and me ...

2011-09-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

I had a big wish when I was little girl-- I wanted a pet. Not just any pet, I wanted a pet monkey just like "Curious George". I would sit for hours reading about all of his escapades and laugh and dream that I was right there with him, like when he painted animals on the wall of an apartment or when he helped a chef "cook" spaghetti.. he was one of my dearest childhood friends (along with Ramona Quimby .. but that is a story for another day).

That is why when I got the opportunity to write about the upcoming BRAND NEW season of Curious George that premieres on Labor Day (This Monday!!) I was very excited. I got the materials to review during the week but I have a very strict policy of no TV during the week (yes.. I know that sounds crazy .. but hey.. believe me it pays off) we hunkered down to watch the episodes yesterday.

You will not be disappointed as a parent because you already know that if it's on PBS it is educational but they have outdone themselves with these shows because they are not only educational they are exposing the children to the wonders of the arts.

He delves into an auction, goes to an opera, reads a map, becomes a detective, sculpts,and takes pictures. Also, George's Latino friend Marco is back! Those episodes are scheduled to re-air the week of September 19th in celebration of September being Hispanic Heritage Month.

Thankfully, my boys and I have always made it a point to go to museums, watched live performances online (we can't really afford to go to the opera at the moment) but man .. because we can't go to some of these things just seeing them and being exposed to them has made my kids think that they can create anything. They have some AMAZING imaginations (maybe I am bragging a little.. but I would say this even if they weren't my kids).. they have created spaceships, oceans, ships, and armies all with comforters and paper. I love shows that don't just entertain my children because I want the time that they do watch TV to feed them ideas not zap those ideas out of them.

I used to let them watch TV while I cooked and they would be like little zombies in front of the TV and when I would ask them what they just finished watching they would just talk about kids on TV hitting each other, or making jokes that I thought were kind of inappropriate, but when I drew the line was when my EIGHT YEAR OLD SON who weighs 40 pounds soaking wet said he didn't want to wear sweaters anymore because they made him look fat. I didn't want to just haul the TV out and leave it on our front door (okay.. maybe a little) but knew that I had to be more vigilant about what they were being exposed to and decided to limit the TV time they were having.

When I was growing up I loved all of the cartoons from PBS and that I learned a lot from their shows and so I had my kids watch all my old favorites. They were hesitant at first missing their old shows (I let them watch those every so often) but all in all they are in love with the PBS line up and I love that they are actually learning something.

The PBS family also wants our kids to be more involved in the arts and so sometime in February Curious George will be having their very first DANCE CONTEST!! Parents will be able to submit videos of our little ones dancing to the Curious George theme song and those videos will be posted on the Curious George website. One lucky monkey will be awarded a special prize (my boys are practicing now.. :-)

We had a ball watching the season yesterday and I believe that your kids will learn so much and maybe will be inspired to get out there and be creative just like our friend : Curious George!!

Here are some videos and links -- Enjoy!

Please visit the Curious George website for updates and more info: http://to.pbs.org/CG_thearts

August was STOLEN!!

2011-08-30T23:03:00.000-07:00

Yes readers, I was robbed. Somehow August has come and (almost) gone. What has happened this month you ask? Well, I attended my very first BlogHer, went on my first business-vacation with the boys, helped my mother move, helped her pick out appliances for her new place, attended my very fist CONCERT (SADE!!), and am giving my very first "virtual" Spanish classes to a very bright and funny little girl.

I have tons of free time right? (Did I forget to mention my migraines are back due to wonky dental work done back in March... ouch)

Well with that said there is more .. so much more that I am working on, I am researching some things for two more blogs that I will be debuting soon and am finish up another HUGE project. After all is said and done my original blog has suffered :( .. so I am sharing this with you now .. I will be turning thirty next year on March 7th and I have slowly been making some changes in my life:

1. I refuse to feel guilty for doing things that I love. (i.e if I want to go to a concert and dinner by myself and treat myself to dinner.. I will do so)

2. I have cut out my beloved soda from my diet (5 days a week.. :)

3. I will not apologize for things that I have to do for the well being of my children or myself. (Yes there are definitely some feelings that will be hurt)

4. I will NOT allow myself to become a pushover because I want to be nice to everybody (more on this at a later date) -- this has gone on for TOOO long and I refuse to go into my thirties being labeled as such.

5. I will love myself first.. (NO.. this doesn't mean that me being a Mom is not one of the most important and beloved roles that I play) I can't make anyone happy if don't spend some quality time with myself and really come to love who I have become.

Those are my top five -- but there are quite a few more..

I have really missed my readers and some of the emails that I have gotten from you guys make my day .. seriously.

Please tell me what changes you would make today (email or comments would be awesome!)! Until next time: Be inspired today .. because tomorrow is another chance at happiness and adventures -- meet it with a smile!

Mojitos and Tacones

2011-07-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

Anytime that I get ready to go out I never have a clue what I am going to wear! Since I was leaving from work, cooking dinner, supervising showers for the boys, and dropping them off all BEFORE getting ready I knew that I had to just go with a fail safe outfit (peep-toe pumps, jeans, and cute top), and hope that my hair would cooperate for the dryer.

Thankfully the boys and my hair cooperated and I was headed to LA Live. I have been there once before to eat at the Yard House (which has some awesome food by the way) but I had never been to the Conga Room. When I got there I was greeted by the wonderfully efficient Mariluz. She totally made me feel like a total VIP!! Look at the room they arranged for us!

Monique, Leslie (and her gorgeous prima), Cynthia, Teresa and I were treated to an awesome time. We hung out for a while (the mojito was great!), chatted and took pictures. Let me tell you, this venue is amazing just look at the floor (whoever designed this place did an amazing job):

*Sigh* -- Look at this view!!

When Tito El Bambino came on the whole place went crazy!! He really is an amazing performer (it does help that he is rather cute :p)..

I am so glad that I was able to meet some amazing ladies and hang out in a gorgeous venue... the entertainment was the icing on the cake for this overworked chica ;) ... sometimes it takes a night out to give you the boost you need to handle the rest of the week; I needed this.. thank you Conga Room!!

Coming up at the Conga Room:

SALSEROS--- Eddie Santiago will be there Thursday, August 18, 2011

Disclosure: AdventuresofThree received complimentary entrance,however, this is not a sponsored post.

Drive-ins, babies, and wizards...

2011-07-14T23:32:00.000-07:00

When my second child was just a baby I was living in Trotwood, OH. Things were so hectic; I was trying to finish my bachelor's degree, taking my other son to preschool, and trying to find a job. I couldn’t believe that I was a single parent. Just the year before I was living in Minot, ND, was married, and had on my figurative rose-colored glasses. What a difference a year made!

Darion (my oldest son—8 years old going on 40) and I had already started our love affair with movies. He wanted to see the movie “Ratatouille “ that had just come out but because I had no babysitter, not a lot of money, and I was randomly searching Google that night; I discovered that there was drive-in alive and kicking about 10 minutes from where I lived. That was perfect because we could take a restless baby with us, they only charged per car not per person and since it was during the week it was like $8, and most of all it was something I had always wanted to try.

I am not kidding when I say that that was the one of the most memorable nights of my life (as well as my son’s – he still remembers it). Maybe it was a combination of a night of being able to just relax, a warm evening, beautiful skies, and being able to share a “first” with both of my boys. We saw “Ratatouille” and the boys loved it (the baby just cooed and gurgled but hey, he didn’t cry). What I didn’t know was that you could watch two movies for the price of one (yes, legally)! This particular double-feature was joined by “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”.

That is when Darion and I began our obsession with the young wizard. I had never heard of the books let alone the movies and I was ready to dismiss this movie but Darion said he wanted to stay. Before the movie came on we got to walk around for a little bit. This drive-in was in the middle of a field and could you believe that there were actual fireflies amidst the cars?! I was stunned by the beauty of the huge screen and how it blended with the breeze of the fields and the fireflies that would carelessly fly around us. I had a car with a sun-roof so we got to glance up at the stars as well. *sigh*

By the time Harry Potter actually began, the baby was fast asleep and it was just me and my buddy. We hadn’t been able to spend any one on one time since the baby had arrived so we were pretty psyched about watching a movie together. The movie resonated with both of us for different reasons and to this day is still our favorite movie.

I enjoyed it because it was definitely something that I would have enjoyed as a kid. Also, since I didn’t know my biological father I identified a little bit with a little boy that hadn’t know his parents. Darion loved it because he liked to imagine that with magic he could make his world “perfect” again. He asked me for the first time that night “Why did Daddy leave?” That movie gave him the courage to ask something that he had probably been wondering for over a year. (More on this particular conversation later..)

We went home that day dazzled by the new world that we were introduced to and listened to all of the audio books over the next couple of weeks. We are so excited about watching the end of the series this weekend but it will definitely be very bittersweet.

Vaccines: Are they really necessary?

2011-07-12T23:08:00.000-07:00

It’s one of the moments that every new parent dreads “the first shots”. The first time was definitely the hardest because I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know that I should give my baby Tylenol about a half hour before the shots. I also didn’t know that if you massage the area immediately after the shots it helps the muscles not hurt as much later. My first-born was left to his devices and I was left a nervous wreck asking the pediatrician the following:

Are they really necessary?

Can immunizations cause Autism?

By the last question I was near tears (I blame the post-pregnancy and breastfeeding hormones. The experienced doctor told me to just take a deep breath. She told me that it is VERY important for children to get their immunizations not just for their health but that of other children as well and that it is just a myth that vaccines can cause Autism.

I won’t say I was relieved but her answers helped. It got progressively better to take him to get the rest of his shots throughout the years and I found that by keeping up with his regular checkups the nurses usually kept on top of when I needed to bring him in for his shots.

Upon researching the CDC website I learned that when the boys are teenagers they can even get a shot for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), although since this is spread through sexual contact just the thought alone that I will one day be looking into this for my boys starts giving me a mild panic attack!

Here are some links for those lucky parents of teens to look into in regards to HPV. (I was pretty surprised that it was even offered to boys!)

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/who/teens/index.html

  

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/who/teens/for-parents.html

Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post.

Carlos Nieto III

2011-06-17T23:22:00.000-07:00

Visual Candy

That is what I thought about when I saw Carlos Nieto III’s work at the Estilo Con Causa fashion show. We met up at an Italian restaurant a while back to talk about his inspiration, his music, and most of all his art.

I discovered that he began his love for art at a young age and we bonded over historical facts. He even convinced me that anyone can be an artist. That is when I found out that he teaches art to children and I figured “Wow! What else can this guy do?” Well... it turns out he is also a part of a band.

It is unbelievable to me that someone can have so many ways to express his talents and be great in all of them. I am inspired by people that are able to make their passion their entire way of life and no one can do that as well as artists (dancers, actors, musicians, singers, painters, photographers, the list goes on and on).

I could tell you more about him but I feel that his work speaks to his vision, his quirkiness, and his innate attention to the beauty around him:

Looking for something to do tomorrow? Here is one of his events:

Time-----------------------------------------------------------Tomorrow at 8:30pm - Sunday at 1:00am

Location

SAC Studios

1734 N. Main Street

More Info

Please join us Saturday, June 18th for Art, Music and Drinks at the first ever ART BEAT The art and music event benefiting the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Art and music department.
This event will be held at SAC Studios 1734 N. Main St. LA CA 90031
Doors open at 8:30 pm
$20.00 donation at the door
21 and over with ID
Open Bar till 12 am
Over 30 emerging and established LA Artists will be showing their art, featuring artists from:
Disney, The Simpsons, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon.
There will be live DJ sets by
DJ Dirty Dave
DJ Mark Hill
DJ Farinheit

plus
Live painters
Live body painting
Live digital painters - (Alex Ruiz from the Simpsons)
The Frysmith truck

Sponsors
Half Off Clothing Store
San Antonio Winery
Tarascos Restaurant
Red Rose Photography
55 Degree Wine
The Coffee Table

Dr. Seuss and Univision

2011-03-03T23:32:00.000-08:00

Es el momento

This has been a crazy week! My sons came home last Friday and told me that they were having a Dr. Seuss celebration at their school on Wednesday. The day would begin with a parade and oh by the way.. they wanted me to find them Dr. Seuss-like costumes. So… here I am on Saturday working on their homework (yes.. five and seven year-olds have homework) and then on Sunday we were off on a mad dash to try to find costumes. Finally, I said we could just decorate shirts and they could go as “Thing 1” and “Thing 2”. They were not impressed but to placate me they agreed. WE had tons of other errands so we didn’t have time to get to the t-shirts until later then next day. On Wednesday they had their parade with kids that have artists as parents*side eye* and *sigh* and I was so excited that the full-on celebration was held in the evening. The school had pizza and apple juice for sale and were showing “Horton hears a Who” playing via projector in the cafeteria, computer Dr. Seuss games, a reading room dedicated to books, and an illustrators room where they made hats and a variety of other crafts…* insert Mommy falling asleep at the art table here*

I say this to say that although I wished I could have gotten some rest at some point, I wouldn’t trade doing all of these things with my boys for anything because growing up with a single mom.. she was there for none of my academic accomplishments or activities… First I thought it was because while I was in elementary school her English embarrassed her and that is why she didn’t come. Then in junior high I thought it was because her nursing career was taking off and she was just too tired and/or too busy to come. By the time high school came I didn’t have to make any excuses because I was too used to it to put too much thought into it. Most of my friends’ parents used to cheer me on as well... so... that made me feel okay. As I went on to college to Hawaii … I didn’t have the separation anxiety that most of my peers had because I pretty much knew how to function without parental guidance. I got a job, went to my classes, and found some roommates to my first apartment (did I mention I was barely 17 at the time ... lol). I would change anything because I am proud of who I am today but I knew that when I had children things were going to be WAY different.

When I was in elementary school I was living in Boyle Heights, a primarily Hispanic neighborhood. There it was very commonplace not to see many parents at meetings, ceremonies, or games. In junior high school I went to medical magnets and the parents there were more present. I would say 80 percent of parents came to all of our different activities.

When I had children I wanted to be at everything, but due to work I have to pick and choose what events I can go to, but I try to make it as much as I can. We do homework together and while I am cooking I have them take to turns reading to me. Being in constant communication with their teachers also helps me to feel like I am more in the loop. I was very impressed when I learned from LATISM about Univision’s “Es el momento” campaign because they encourage more parental involvement in the education of our children. They also talk about the importance of financial planning for our children’s college education. Please take the time to go to their website. I am so encouraged that such an organization sees the importance of using their influence within our community for such an important cause.

As parents we are our children’s first cheerleaders. They look to us for support and guidance. We must be able to offer them our time because at the end of the day even if it is an extra 10 minutes to read your kids a bedtime story, believe me, they will cherish those memories and use them as fuel to do better academically. I know it has done wonders in my children. Happy reading!

Delays…

2011-02-21T11:07:00.000-08:00

I know .. I haven’t really kept up with you guys like I should.. however.. so much has been on my mind.. you see.. I am going to be turning 29 on March 7th.. I have been spending a lot of time thinking about where my twenties went ..LOL! .. There has been so many ups .. some downs.. but most of all, I am amazed that I am “here” in life.. allow me explain: a couple of weeks ago I was having coffee with two awesome friends .. we have a monthly “girls evening out” .. and we were catching up and I was telling them about my goings on and I said this statement, “I am truly in a place in my life where everything else is just a bonus because amazingly enough I AM HAPPY” I know what you are thinking .. okay .. what is so amazing about feeling that way.. but for me it was an amazing moment because I honestly feel that way.. for so long.. I had felt like “okay.. if I can just [insert goal here].. then my life will be better (or complete)”… and that feeling of fulfillment never came .. Not after getting married, having two children, getting my degree, getting a steady job, or moving back home.. nothing made me feel “content”. Yes, I know now that you can’t rely on external actions to bring you personal fulfillment .. but I had to learn this on my own.. and I did that day when I was able to say the words “ I AM HAPPY” and mean them.
Please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that because I am happy that I am going to stop striving on personal and professional goals.. I just wont let those things determine my happiness. I AMMM BACK readers… just took some time to myself for a second to explore this new me.. nice to meet you self .. this is the start of a wonderful friendship!

Find your happiness people.. its inside you .. and it is an incredible thing!

XoXo,
Bere