Who Will You Remember This Valentine's Day? #HeartofHaitiLBC

Valentine's Day is the day to celebrate the ones you love. But if someone you loved died on Valentine's Day, it becomes a reminder of loss. 

This is what Valentine's Day has meant for me and my family for the last eleven years.

I grew up very close with my godparents. They were my parents best friends. My Mother and Madrina knew each other as girls - growing up on the same block.  Their families intertwined. When they married, their husbands became best friends. They were in each other weddings, baptized each other's children. And they loved each other's children as if they were their own. 

And I remember as a kid we spent holidays, vacations and lazy summer days at the beach together. Some of my best childhood memories are of all of us together. 

Watching my parents and godparents together, I knew that was the kind of friendship I wanted. And I'm grateful that I do.

When my Padrino died eleven years ago - I was devastated. We all were. On the eve of his wake my Madrina asked if I could say a few words. At the time, I couldn't. 

But I would've said he was a good man devoted to his family. The kind of guy who'd greet you with a smile after he came home from a long day of work and offer you his last beer. He loved the Yankees and every summer he'd urge me to participate in a game of baseball even though I lacked coordination and the interest. And I will never forget that summer when I was eleven, we all went to Puerto Rico. He drove up and down the mountains, one arm dangling out the window, a lit cigarette in the other hand, his hand barely on the wheel. I was terrified and thought we would drive off a cliff. But he'd laugh, assured me he knew what he was doing and kept telling me to enjoy the view of the mountains.        

When I think about all of our family memories, it makes me sad that The Boy never got the chance to meet my godfather. And I'm sad that my godfather never got to see me as a mom. And my godmother has moved to another state, so we don't see each other as often as I'd like.

The Boy has a special relationship with his godparents. And I want The Boy to know that I have a special one with mine. 

And I realized the other day, that I didn't have a single photo of my godfather. So when I received my Heart of Haiti frame, I knew what picture I'd want to place in it.

Valentine's Day will always be difficult for me. But I am grateful to have had my godfather in my life, even if it was for too short a time. And it's my day to honor his memory. 

My Godparents

To learn more about the Heart of Haiti products and initiative click HERE.

Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Heart of Haiti. No compensation has been received, however I did receive the frame and the Heart of Haiti pendant. All thoughts expressed in this post are my own.  

Show Someone You Care When They're Sick #KleenexSWS

It wasn't often that I was sick enough that my mother kept me home from school. But when she did, I enjoyed every moment of it. I got her full attention. I got to lay in her bed and watch TV. She brushed my hair back, pressing a cool washcloth over my face. She made her special chicken soup and served me tall glasses of ginger ale with crushed ice. 

The Boy is a pretty healthy kid and it's rare that I keep him home from school. But when I do - it's really tough. Because he can't tell me what's wrong. I have to guess. 

But as hard as it is seeing him sick, I sort of like it. Not like that he's sick. But there's a small part of me that likes that he needs me. I like that, for a few hours, he slows down. He'll lay in my lap and let me read a story without getting up once. And the first time The Boy spontaneously said I love you - was when he was sick.

And those times when he's so sick, he won't get up out of bed and I have to sit him up and hold a cup of juice with crushed ice to his mouth, helping him drink. As I press a cool washcloth over his head, I hope he gets better. Because while I like that he slows down long enough to need me, it hurts to see him helpless. 

As mom's we want to provide comfort to our loved ones they're sick. And part of that comfort is using a soft tissue. 

That's why I love Kleenex tissues. Because when someone sick and sneezing - who wants to blow their nose with sand paper? I was really excited to receive my share pack in the mail. Since I already have my supply of tissues at home for The Boy, I'm taking my share pack to the office and sharing with my coworkers. Because you never you know when someone will need a soft tissue to ease their comfort and make them feel better.   

Would love to send you a share pack! Leave a comment below telling me how you show someone you care when they're sick.

 *Giveaway is open to U.S. residents
* Must be 18 years & older to enter
* Giveaway ends Friday, December 14, 2012 11:59pm EST
* Winner will be chosen randomly via random.org & I will email the winner by Sat 12/16 

Learn more about, visit Kleenex on Facebook

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Kleenex. All statements and opinions are my own.

Just Because I'm Stressed Out, Doesn't Mean I Can't Have #FreshSkin

I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving. And in a few more weeks, I'll have finished another semester of graduate school. I have to register for the Spring semester and prepare my thesis. I still have a bunch of papers to write - I've kind of fallen behind on my school stuff. And then Christmas will be here soon too which means shopping and decorating...

I'm not going to lie. Writing all this down, thinking about all that needs to get done in the next few weeks sort of has me stressed out. 

And when I'm stressed out, I break out. (Because I forget about the little things like washing my face twice a day.) And when I break out - I don't feel my feel my best. Which is especially stressful because this is also the time of year when there are parties and gatherings and people want to take pictures and instantly upload them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.     And who wants to be photographed not looking or feeling their best? Certainly not me.

So I'm really excited about Neutrogena's Oil-Free Pink Grapefruit line of products.  

The Pink Grapefruit cream, gel and cleansers contain the patented MicroClear Technology that cuts through oil to speed the delivery of maximum-strength acne medicine, salicylic acid (2%) to the source of breakouts. And all the products are gentle enough for everyday use.
Neutrogena's Oil-Free Pink Grapefruit products leaves my face feeling fresh and clean and the citrus scent gives me that burst of energy I need - especially in the morning.

I condition myself to wash my face twice a day - right after brushing my teeth (in the morning and night). I'm already at the sink and it takes a few extra minutes. I think I'm worth the time. And I know I'll be Instagram ready.    

I cannot wait for the NEW! Neutrogena Oil-Free Cleansing Wipes Pink Grapefruit for Acne Prone-Skin (available January 2012). The wipes are great to keep in my desk drawer at work or in my bag. Because I am the kind of busy multi-tasking mom who will walk and wipe. 



This post is compensated and in collaboration with Neutrogena and Latina Bloggers Connect, all opinions are my own. 

My Mom. My Inspiration. #InspireCare

Growing up, my mom and I didn't always agree. I didn't understand her. She didn't understand me. She was old school. I was not. There were times I cringed when we were compared. And I spent most of my teenage years trying not to be like my mother.  

Then I grew up. Got a job. Moved out on my own. I got married...had a baby. I don't think I truly understood my mother, until I became a mother. Becoming a mother,  made me look back on my childhood in a completely different way. 

I looked at my mother in a completely different way.  

I realized that if I wanted to be a good mother to The Boy, I needed to be more like my mother.

My mother went without so that I could have. Growing up, I may not have had everything I wanted but I had everything I needed: a clean home, clean clothes, a hot meal. 

My mother was always more than willing to do everything for me, so long as I went to school and got good grades. She spoiled me in ways I could not understand, she did so much for me and expected nothing in return. Not even a thank you.

Over the last decade, I have watched my mother become the primary caregiver to my grandparents. And whenever anyone in our family needs help, she's always the first to offer. She gives so selflessly and she leaves me often in awe.  

During my pregnancy, I read countless of parenting books. Books on feeding, sleeping and parenting. But my first lesson on being a good mother, a good all around person came from my mother. 

I am not one of those people who longs to relive their younger years. But I wish I could go back in time and appreciate my mother a little more and to say thank you more often.

My mother and I still don't always agree. She is old school and I am not. We do not have the same taste in clothes, furniture or politics. She will still criticize the way I cook and clean. I'm okay with our differences. And I thank her every chance I get.  

But when it comes to being a mom, her advice is the one I'll always seek out first. For me, she is the measure of motherhood I want to live up to. She inspires me to the best mom I can be.  

  

***

For more than 125 years, Johnson & Johnson has been committed to serving the health care needs of others - especially mothers and children. Their history as a brand is pretty fascinating. Many of the products we take for granted, the products that are simply part of our every day lives - are because of Johnson & Johnson.   

It is estimated that Johnson & Johnson and its partners touch more than one billion people’s lives each day through health care products, services and various programs. 

This year at the LATISM 2012 conference, Johnson & Johnson will be showcasing some of these initiatives under the theme “global motherhood.” And I am so honored to be chosen to help raise awareness about important issues and some solutions that make a difference.

Johnson & Johnson has been a part of my life since I was a little girl. My mom always purchased Johnson & Johnson products. Now that I'm a mom, it's the brand I trust for my own family. And as a company, Johnson & Johnson's share many of the values my mother tried to instill in me. They are the same values I want to pass along to my son.

Johnson & Johnson is a company who is committed to:

• Saving and Improving Lives
• Building Health Care Capacity
• Preventing Diseases

If you are attending LATISM, I would love for you to stop by the Arboretum II Suite to talk with Johnson & Johnson and their partners about the work they do. I'll be there too! 

Together we can help them spread the word through social media about the challenges that mothers face around the world. 

You can inspire mothers like you to join them in helping other mothers by raising awareness about important issues and some of the solutions that make a difference.

BUT - You don't have to attend LATISM to learn more about Johnson & Johnson's endeavors to make the world a better place for mothers and children around the globe.

If you're on Twitter follow them @JNJStories and their #InspireCare hashtag.
I'll be tweeting throughout the conference.

Visit them on Facebook - Johnson's Baby. Or go directly to the website by clicking HERE

Note: These photos represent a few of the many programs supported by Johnson & Johnson and its partner organizations to serve the health and well-being needs of communities and people around the world. To read more about these programs and others that help us care for those in need, please visit our website: http://www.jnj.com/connect/caring/. 

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions shared are my own.

Celebrating Another Year. Celebrating The #BestOfMe

I was one of those girls who always loved makeup. I wanted pink cheeks, red lips, eye lined eyes and long black lashes. I believed makeup made you beautiful.

My mother didn't feel the same way and forbade me from wearing make up until I was sixteen. She believed in natural beauty and less is more.

I took my mother's advice. As I started wearing makeup, I wore it sparingly. A little lipstick, maybe some mascara. I wore it for want, not out of need. As I got a little older, makeup became something I wore daily.     

And in my younger years, I never put much thought into my skin care regimen. I didn't use sunscreen. I didn't moisturize. I went to sleep without removing my makeup. Like most young women, I took my skin for granted.

In less than a month I will celebrate another year - my 37th. I've noticed that my body is changing.  My skin is changing. I even found a strand of gray hair. But those are superficial things. It's how I feel about me.   

I can't stop getting older. And I don't want to, I love and appreciate the knowledge that comes with age. But that doesn't mean I want to look older than my age.  
It's been years since I've taken my skin for granted - especially after my mother had skin cancer. I want my skin to be a reflection of  how healthy and radiant I feel. 

I wash my face twice a day and moisturize daily. I've started wearing makeup with SPF. I drink lots of water and I get as much sleep as I can (okay maybe I'm not so successful with this one). I take days off from wearing makeup to let my skin breath.

And on those makeup free days, I feel just as confident about how I look.

I feel good about my age. I am proud about the things I've done. I feel good about the path I'm on.
I am happy and content with the life I have made and all the people in it. 

I don't want to use makeup to hide my skin and I don't want to need makeup to feel beautiful.

Don't get me wrong. I'm still a gal who loves red lips and long lashes. But I've also learned that those aren't things that make a woman beautiful.    

That's why, I excited to partner with Neutrogena and share their new line of moisturizers called Rapid Tone Repair. Neutrogena understands the common complexion concerns so many women have.

In a recent survey conducted among one thousand women over 18 years of age in the US, including Latinas, 49% of Hispanic women reported having uneven skin tone or dark spots and admitted this represented their top skincare issue.

o       Neutrogena's new line of moisturizers called Rapid Tone Repair leverages the power of Accelerated Retinol SA and Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, to help return our complexion into a clearer more even canvas.

o       Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair is a lightweight silky moisturizer that absorbs quickly into skin and is clinically proven to help fade the look of dark spots, and discoloration, delivering fast results and healthier looking skin with minimal irritation and superior aesthetics.

For more information on Neutrogena be sure to follow them on Facebook - click HERE

And for more information on Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Products - click  HERE 

Disclosure: This is a compensated post and in collaboration with Neutrogena and Latina Bloggers Connect. All stories and opinions are my own.  

How I Tackle Parenting's Messes & Stresses

I used to be a squeamish kind of gal.

Before becoming a mom, I had never spit on my hand to wipe a face.  I never used an article of (my own) clothing to wipe a nose or mouth.  I never cupped puke in my hand (to keep it from spilling on the floor) or had poop on my arm.
  
If you're not a mom and reading this - it's okay to be grossed out.  If you are a mom and reading this, you'll probably laugh because you can relate.

I don't think any of the parenting books I read prepared me for how messy babies/kids could be.  Or how stressful dealing with messes can be.

Because messes are often unpredictable.  A mess can happen anywhere and at anytime.  A mess could care less if you're in the middle of dinner or out shopping.   

So how do I tackle a parenting mess without stress?

I don't stress.  Or at least, I try really hard not to.  Raising a six year old autistic boy (who still isn't night time potty trained), I have my fair share of messes.  I try to get through messy situations with an act first and laugh later attitude.  I tackle the mess as quickly and calmly as possible.  Because if I stress the mess, The Boy will become stressed.  And a stressed out kid, in the middle of a mess is the last thing I want.


Then long after the mess is cleaned up and done - I can laugh about it.  Because poop in the tub filled with water and toys is sort of hilarious.  (If you have yet to experience this new mommies - just you wait.  It happens.  I poop you not.)  

And just as important as how to tackle mess, is what you use to tackle it.     

So I'm excited to tell you about Huggies new and improved products designed to withstand the real life challenges of parenting:  Huggies Snug Dry Diapers and Huggies Wipes. 

Huggies encourages parents to try the new and improved Huggies Diapers and Wipes by putting Huggies to the test on Facebook!  Go to the Huggies Latino Facebook Page and share your stories about  Huggies for a chance to win a fully-stocked Huggies diaper bag.

And to help spread the word about this fun campaign, Huggies has collaborated with Poncho de Anda and Lina Amashta to put Huggies to the test during life’s stresses and messes.

So you tell me - How DO YOU tackle parenting messes & stresses?

*This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Huggies.  All thoughts are my own.   

Feels Good To Be Glam #MaryKayGlam

I can't tell you how often people tell me:  You look really tired.   As if I didn't know.  As if I didn't look in the mirror every day.  As if my tube of under eye concealer goes untouched.  As if the exhaustion is fighting its way through my make up.


But truth be told - I look tired, because I am tired.  I don't get much sleep.  (Just see the labels - Lack of Sleep or Exhaustion.)   


And even though, I go through the motions of applying under eye concealer, pressed powder, blush and painting on enhancing my eye brows.  And on a good day - curling my lashes and brushing on mascara.  I stop there.  


Even though I am a lover of lipstick.  I don't take the two extra seconds to put it on.  I apply clear lip balm to keep my lips from chapping.  But lipstick?  Not really.


And my reasons are silly.  Usually, I just forget.  Or I think, it will just come off while drinking my coffee.  I'll have to reapply it when I get to work or after lunch.  I think - what's the point?  Or - who am I trying to impress?  As if looking in the mirror and impressing myself is not reason enough to make the effort.


But it's amazing what a little lipstick can do?  


While attending the LATISM Top Blogueras Retreat, we were all pampered by the fabulous ladies of Mary Kay.


And we clustered around the Mary Kay Beauty Bar, giddy with girly excitement, trying on glosses - ohhing and ahhing over the products.  Every bloguera left with a sweet swag bag of Mary Kay products.  


I'll be honest, I've never used Mary Kay in my life.  But once I tried on their Rock n' Red
lip gloss - I was hooked.

photo courtesy of Latina Bloggers Connect
Mary Kay nourishine plus lip gloss in Rock n' Red

  
It felt light and natural.  It wasn't sticky - which I love.  And the best part?  It made me feel better about how I looked.
        



au naturel - not wearing a stitch of make up
#MaryKayGlam - feeling fab in Mary Kay nourishine plus lip gloss in Cream and Sugar

  Will a smear of lip gloss take away the exhaustion?  Probably not.  But if I can look in the mirror and feel a little bit brighter and a little less worn out - that's good enough for me.  

I think as moms - especially as special needs moms - we put ourselves last.  We forget to make the effort.  We forget to put on the pretty dress that's hanging in the closet with the tags still on because we're saving it for a special occasion.  We forget to put on some blush or lip gloss or paint our nails or brush our hair (please someone agree with me, don't let me the only one...) because we're always running someplace, because we have a never ending to do list.  As moms, we make sure our kids have everything they need while we walk around looking like a hot mess.  (Or is it just me, that's a hot mess on most days?) 
So ever since coming back from DC, I've been taking those 2 extra seconds to apply a little lip gloss. Because the person I'm trying to impress, is me.  And I've decided I'm worth the effort.
What will YOU do to feel glam?

 Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post.  I was provided with complimentary Mary Kay products, the opinions expresses are my own.  

Dear Norrin (an open letter to my son #WeCare JOHNSON's Baby Cares)

JOHNSON’S Baby Cares, Save the Children and new mom Hilary Duff have joined forces to make sure families who are experiencing difficult times get the baby care resources they need. JOHNSON'S has been providing the best care to moms and babies for over 100 years and is the most trusted brand for babies by healthcare professionals.  “Baby Care Kits” have been assembled and are filled with essential JOHNSON’S Baby products that will be sent to families both in the U.S. and around the world. 

I am very excited to help spread awareness about this wonderful campaign.  As a mom, I cannot imagine not being able to provide my baby with the basic essentials.  As part of the campaign, I was asked to write an open letter to my child about a moment I cared for him during his time of need.

For more information follow the JOHNSON's Facebook Page or visit the JOHNSON's Site directly.  At the bottom of my letter, I will let you know how YOU can help.

* 

Dear Norrin, 

For years, I had heard the phrase, "a mother's love," but I didn't truly understand it until the very first time I held you.  And I knew that I would be your protector and your care giver for as long as you needed me.  And when you were diagnosed with autism, I knew you'd need me even more.  

You are a non stop kind of kid, a runner, a jumper, a squirmer, a mover and shaker.  It's tough to keep up with you most days.  And there are moments I wish you'd slow down - even if for a little while.  Just to give me enough time to catch my breath.  


The only times you slow down is when you're asleep and when you're sick.  And when you are sick, that is when you need me most.  It's a tough game of 20 questions and I play it alone.   While you are able to speak, you don't have the language to tell me what hurts.  

And that Christmas when you came down with Scarlet Fever.  That was the toughest.    Your face, flushed.  Your body splotchy red and burning hot.  You wouldn't eat.  You wouldn't drink.  I had to sit you up and hold the straw to your lips.  You lay in your bed. Not wanting to play, read or watch TV.  And I lay beside you, pressing a cold wet washcloth on your forehead.  You didn't even have the energy to push my hand away like you normally do when you're sick.  

You didn't care about Christmas.  Or about the presents under the tree.  Neither did I.

For those few winter days, you let me sit beside you, with my arm around your shoulder.  Not once did you try to wriggle from out of my reach.  You leaned against me or rested your head in my lap.  You reached for my hand when I tried to walk away.  If you weren't so sick, I would have basked in the glory of that moment.  But I couldn't  All I wanted was for you to get better and start running, jumping and squirming. 

A few days after Christmas you were back to your usually self.  And I didn't care that I was running to keep up with you.  I was just happy you were up and running again.


You may have outgrown the crook of my arm, you may try to wriggle out of my reach and you may run too fast for me to keep up.  But my hand will always be yours to hold when you need it.    

*

Support the campaign by purchasing any JOHNSON'S® Baby product between April 15 and June 10, 2012 and redeeming a $0.50 cent coupon at retail stores, in which $0.25 cents will be donated to Save the Children.

Disclosure: This a sponsored post in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect; all opinions are my own.