Way Back Wednesday: 1983

Let's think back to simpler times: 1983.

So what was going on in 1983?

That's me in 1983!

For one, it was a time of great music. Madonna was just starting her career. One of the number one songs was Every Breath You Take by the Police. Cyndi Lauper and Michael Jackson had songs in the top ten on the charts.

Return of the Jedi was one of the top money making films at a time when people actually went to the movies!

Cabbage patch kids and Rubik's Cube were the big toys! I got my first Cabbage Patch Kid that year. I was so excited! I later got two more and still have them to this day. I also had the Rubik's cube but I could never do it :(

Do you remember the fashion? Big hair and stir-ups pants? Leotard and acid wash jeans? Big earring and lace? Do you remember what you wore?

What were you up to in 1983?

Baby Essentials Box Giveaway

Baby Essentials Box Giveaway: Baby in Bloom is giving away a box with some essential items that new moms might need. The box contains a Baby Daze Ultimate Parenting Organizer, Tiny Love vibrating toy lamb, Mam anti-colic bottle, Lansinoh nursing pads, Dapple pacifier wipes, and Mama Mio Tummy Rub stretch mark butter. To enter the giveaway click here. Good luck!

DIY Bug Repellent

I decided to do this post because I recently went to the pharmacy looking for a bug repellent with little or no dangerous pesticides. It was a last minute thing that I needed so I didn't have time to order it or go to the organic supermarket so I had to settle for what was at the neighborhood store. I had a really hard time picking something out and in the end settled for something that said "natural" even though it really wasn't.

If you are going to be outdoors with your child, try to avoid going out at dusk or areas near water where there might be alot of mosquitoes. Cover the child up in light weight clothing, covering as much skin as possible if the weather allows. If you must use repellent use caution. Insect repellents containing DEET should not be used if your baby is under 2 months old. If you do use repellents containing DEET in children older than 2 months old, please use low concentrations (10%) and do not apply directly to the baby/child. The correct way to apply is to first apply to your hands and then rub your hands and then apply with your hands. Some repellents contain picardin which is a bit less irritating but it is still a chemical and should be used sparingly.  Remember products containing these dangerous chemicals are harmful and try to avoid!

Making your own repellent is a safe, effective alternative! Here is what I did:

First find a good spray bottle. I used a small one because I didn't want to make a big amount. The general rule is you should pick an essential oil (either lavender, cinnamon, citronella, or eucalyptus oil). Remember, do not use eucalyptus if your child is under 3 years old. Fill your water bottle with water and add lemon juice (about 1/2 cup) and add 20 to 30 drops of the oil. You can then add vanilla extract: about 3 tablespoons should be enough. Shake well and then apply. Avoid sensitive areas like eyes and ears.

I read some other articles that said to use other ingredients like alcohol (vodka??? or which hazel) and oils like olive oil or sunflower oil but that's up to you! Have you ever made your own repellent? If so what did you use and was it effective?

August Photo-a-Day Challenge

August is a bittersweet month for me. It has always been, even from when I was a kid. It is the last month of the summer. The prelude to the colder days to come. The final month to get in all your summer activities because it soon will be back to school, back to work, and the start of fall. I decided to do a photo-a-day because I love taking pictures and because I often search for similar challenges so I asked myself, why not make my own? I invite you to try the challenge too. You can post your pictures on Twitter with the hashtag: #lamommyAugust. You can participate for as long as you want. If you miss days you can make up for them if you wish or simple start from the current date. If you have a blog, feel free to participate and include the picture below. You can link back to my blog. Please don't forget to include the hashtag so I can see your pics!

Blueberries Muffins with Real Blueberries

I recently purchased a mix for making blueberry muffins that came with a can of blueberries. I figured I would just add fresh blueberries but I was pretty surprised when I decided to take a look inside the can the supposed "real wild blueberries" looked like. They looked really gross! Very tiny and not blue at all. They even smelled wierd! Ick! I am glad we added the real fruit!

We mixed all the ingrediets minus the can!

Look at the difference in the blueberries!

The finished product! As you can see everyone loved them :)

Interests We Share

My mom blogger friend, Teddy aka Multitask Momma invited me to join in a twitter party called #InterestsWeShare. So my children and I all got together and did it as a Saturday morning craft project. Since two of them are really little 2 1/2 and 4, I allowed them to pick pictures of things they liked out of a magazine. My 8 year old stepdaughter used pictures and words and hers came out the best! We had a nice time making our boards. The kids loved it!


My 2 1/2 year old:

Among her favorites are milk, books and cupcakes

My 4 year old: 

Among her favorites are halloween, cupcakes and oreo cookies

My 8 year old:

And lastly, here is mine!

Thanks Teddy for the great idea!

Make Time for a Saturday

I had a wonderful day with the hubby yesterday. We spent the morning going for a morning brisk walk and workout. It was very hot outside so it was twice as hard to do it. After the workout we went to the store and bought some workout gear and equipment and went home. We started to get ready for our night out. We got engaged at this rooftop lounge in a beautiful hotel in the city 3 years ago and wanted to revisit it and take pictures and possibly even be there in time to see the sunset. So we trekked to the city and found a great spot right near the hotel and went up to the rooftop. Needless to say, we were disappointed when no one was up there: no staff, no people, not a sound. So we called the hotel and they said they no longer serve dinner there and that they only use the rooftop for breakfast and lunch for the guests of the hotel. We were a little upset but took some pictures and reminisced for a bit. We made the best out of the evening by going to another place. We enjoyed tapas, exotic drinks and awesome music. I had a great time! My advice: enjoy time with your significant other. If you don't have time, make time! Even its only for a day <3




Our path and my new workout shirt




Reminiscing





Some pics I took in 2010




Yummy Tapas



Fourth of July Flag Cake Recipe

Happy Fourth of July! I hope everyone is getting ready for their celebrations! I have a quick and easy recipe for making a flag cake that I have used over and over in the past few years because it's easy to make and delicious!

The first thing you need to do is buy the following items:

1. Any type of plain/butter pound cake. 
2. Two packages of gelatin mix for making Jello. Any flavor will do as long as its red.
3. Package of blueberries
4. 16 oz of strawberries
5. Cool Whip (16 oz)

Next you need to boil 1 1/2 cups of water and mix it with the gelatin mix. Make you dissolve the mix completely. After it is dissolved, add 2 cups of ice cold water and mix again. Set aside.

Cut 3/4 of the strawberries into small slices. Add blueberries and strawberries to the gelatin mix.

 Cut the pound cake into 1 to 1 1/4 inch slices and use them to line a rectangular pan:

Next pour the gelatin mix over the pound cake and refrigerate for 4 hours.

After 4 hours have passed, cover the cake with cool whip. Decorate with blueberries and strawberries to resemble the American Flag! Refrigerate again until ready to serve! Enjoy!

Happy 4th of  July!