I am a runner, and yesterday’s tragic events during the Boston Marathon have affected me to the core. I know what it’s like to be that runner, to push yourself to finish a race when you’ve got nothing left. To feel like you’re going to collapse as you cross that finish line. To know that your loved ones are cheering you on, waiting for you at the end. And to get the second or third wind after you finish and feeling like you can do it all over again because you finished your first race. Or your 50th. Or you beat your personal record. Or simply because you went out and did it.
That wonderful feeling of celebration and happiness was taken away from yesterday’s participants and spectators because someone (or several someones) thought they could destroy us by bombing the oldest race, in one of the most historic cities, in our country. They may have temporarily halted our happiness, but they didn’t dampen our spirit. Amidst the sadness and pain of seeing the images of the bombing on TV, stories of good Samaritans helping one another shine through. Knowing that there were runners finishing the race and running to the hospital to donate blood gives me chills. Strangers opening their homes to those displaced bring tears to my eyes. We all have our differences, but when the going gets tough, we band together as the people of the great nation that we are. And I am prouder than ever to call myself an American, and a runner, today.
PS. Please forgive any grammatical errors, and run-on sentences. I wrote this as the words came to me, and didn’t want to edit to not lose what I was trying to say.
PSS. I know it has not been confirmed that this was a terrorist act, but no American would do this, to this event, and this city, so I am assuming that it was.
Today only, Shutterfly is offering 25% off your entire order. Please click on the image below to order. Time to order those Easter and Spring pictures and photo items!
Disclosure: I am a Shutterfly Affiliate and this post contains affiliate links.
I’ve been nonstop during the last five days at Hispanicize 2013. I am so thankful that Chuck E. Cheese picked me as the blogger they would sponsor to attend Hispanicize.
It was so fun for so many reasons: I got to meet people I follow on Twitter and Facebook in person, and see old social media friends. We had the funnest events and parties I’ve ever been to, with delicious food and drinks. And I got to meet a bunch of celebrities (that’s always fun!). But the essence of this conference was to celebrate being a Latina/Hispanic blogger and expand my knowledge base when it comes to blogging and social media. I attended amazing sessions that have enriched my arsenal of tools to make this blog better.
While each session had a different theme, there were a few recurring key points. One of the most important things is to be genuine: in your writing, with you readers, and most importantly with yourself. You are your biggest fan. Believe in what you’re doing, know your worth, and don’t let the “no’s” get you down.
Equally important is to build relationships with your readers, followers, and friends on social media networks. Engage with them to build a lasting relationship. That goes for brands too. If a brand finds that you are only trying to monetize your blog and that they can’t relate to you, they won’t want to work with you on a long term basis.
It’s also very important to have goals and know what you want. Whether it be figuring out your niche, or that you are a blogger who wants to venture into establishing a media business, it’s crucial to have objectives so that you know how to move forward.
This is just the first of a few posts I plan on writing related to Hispanicize. There really were so many wonderful experiences over the five days that I’m still letting it sink in. There will be more coming up, with lots of pictures. But I think the takeaways above are a pretty good start.
Disclosure: Chuck E. Cheese sponsored me to attend Hispanicize 2013.
I’m so very excited to share that Chuck E. Cheese has chosen to sponsor me to attend Hispanicize 2013! Yes, THAT Chuck E. Cheese, he of the fun place Where A Kid Can Be A Kid.
I’m so proud to be affiliated with Chuck E. Cheese, who stands by their promise to parents:
Kid Check: Every member of a party – adult and kid; family or group – who enters Chuck E. Cheese’s gets a unique hand stamp that is verified upon their exit to assist in our objective that families who come together leave together.
Clean, Open Environment: We clean and sanitize the bathrooms, showroom, gameroom and other areas of the store throughout the day. If you see a table or bathroom that needs attention, let one of our managers know. We’ll get right to it.
Wholesome family fun: We are very choosy about which games are allowed into Chuck E. Cheese’s. Whether it’s a video game or a game that encourages physical activity, like our Skytubes®, we believe all our games should be fun to play and fun to watch.
Food made fresh: When it comes to food, our priorities are freshness and high-quality ingredients. Every pizza is made to order, fresh (never frozen), and we use only 100% real mozzarella cheese. Our salad bar is always full of fresh items prepared by hand daily.
Fun – for all ages: We have different games for different ages. But if a grownup wants to have a turn, we promise not to make fun of you.
(Isn’t that the truth?…while the kids run around playing their favorites, you’ll find me playing Skeeball!)
Stay tuned for future posts, I will be giving away Chuck E. Cheese Guest passes, each one is good for one large pizza, four soft drinks and 30 tokens (for kids or adults!). And follow them on twitter: @chuckecheese.
What is Hispanicize? It’s five days of bringing together bloggers, marketers, celebrities, filmmakers, musicians, and brands to network, discuss ideas, learn from each other, and have some fun. In it’s fourth year, Hispanicize is not just a conference, it’s an event! And it starts tomorrow. And I’m so happy about it that I’m bordering on obnoxious (just as hubby). Not only will I get to attend useful, informative sessions, and go to several special events like the Music and Film festivals, I get to see a bunch of my social media friends.
So it’s official, and I couldn’t be happier!
Want to follow along? Follow Chuck E. Cheese (@chuckecheese) and Hispanicize (@hispanicize) on Twitter, and use #hispz13 during the event.
It’s been two decades since we were all amazed by Stephen Spielberg’s dinosaur adventure Jurassic Park. Based on Michael Crichton’s book, Jurassic Park hit theaters the summer of 1993. My parents purchased the VHS tape (see: 20 years ago) when it was released, and I remember watching it together in our living room. I remember I was in awe by the calm majesty of the Brachiosaurus, being equally terrified and impressed when the T-Rex came on screen, and feeling just plain frightened when the Velociraptors were trying to eat everyone in sight.
Fast forward 20 years, and Universal Pictures is re-releasing Jurassic Park, this time in 3D. The four of us had the opportunity to attend a pre-screening this past Saturday, and I can tell you that it was like watching it for the first time. It was just as thrilling as I remember. Even though I have seen it several times before, I was still jumping in my seat thanks to the new 3D effects.
The boys both liked it, although there were of course times when they got a little scared. But the consensus was that the dinosaurs were “So Cool!” and they definitely want to see it again. It’s true what they say: “The more things change, the more they stay the same”. The years may pass, but little boys will always be fascinated with dinosaurs, and Jurassic Park’s re-release is sure to make it a hit with a whole new generation of fans.
Disclosure: Universal Pictures invited me to a pre-screening of Jurassic Park 3D. As always, all opinions are my own.
We were slightly off the grid this weekend as it was hubby’s 38th birthday on Saturday. He was at work for most of the day while I attended a friend’s baby shower, but we did celebrate that evening by going to dinner with friends. We went to Genghis Grill for the first time, and it was great! You build your own stir fry bowl with your choice of proteins, vegetables, spices, sauces and even starches. They are pretty new to South Florida, but seem to have many locations throughout the country, particularly in a lot of the Central states.
Yesterday, we were looking for something fun and inexpensive to do, visited another “new to us” place, Schnebly’s Winery in the Redlands, the Southernmost winery in the United States. We were supposed to go the night before after dinner, but didn’t make it so we headed that way for the afternoon. It’s a lovely family-friendly place that offers tastings of the fruit wines they produce. You can choose table or dessert wines, and you keep the glass they give you for 50% a tasting on a future visit. They offer tours, reservations for special events like birthdays or other celebrations, and have live music or karaoke on the weekends. Hubby loved it, and we definitely plan on going back often.
It was a fun weekend trying new things, and a great start to hubby’s 38th year.
A little over three years ago, I was suffering from chronic headaches. I thought it was my vision, thinking I was due for my yearly test. I went and had my vision checked, but the headaches continued. A few weeks later, I had my annual visit with my gynecologist scheduled, and as the nurse was taking my vitals she noticed the numbers were unusually high. She took them twice more, thinking it might have been an error, before she asked the doctor to review the numbers and they checked they compared them with those in my chart from previous visits. According to their records, the last time my blood pressure was high was during the later weeks of my pregnancy, two years prior. After my examination, he asked that I see my primary doctor as I seemed to be suffering from hypertension.
My primary doctor confirmed the hypertension diagnosis and grew concerned because of my family’s history with high blood pressure. He advised me that we had to monitor it as it was getting way too high. He asked me if I was stressed, and I immediately responded “yes”. Circumstances at work had changed and the environment had become quite tense. Additionally, my husband was going through management changes at work and was going through difficulties as well. My doctor prescribed a beta blocker, had me monitor my blood pressure at least three times a week, asked that I improve my diet by limiting salt intake and drinking more water, and that I try to do more exercise. When I told him the only exercise I do is chase the kids around the house, he frowned at me and told me I need to actually do an activity, like walk around the neighborhood for 30 minutes a few times a week. Never really an active person, I moaned about it when I got home to hubby.
I took the beta blocker for about six months, but didn’t do anything about exercise. There was always an excuse: “I don’t have time”, “it’s too hot”, “I forgot”. But then I realized that I didn’t want to be on medication forever. The beta blocker was doing its job, but if I could improve my health naturally that would be even better. A friend convinced me to try running, and after some more moaning I gave it a shot. There really was nothing to lose. At first I didn’t do well at all, I couldn’t run for more than a minute and it took me forever to recuperate after a run. But soon I could run without gasping for air, and eventually I could run and comfortably have a conversation. Now, I’ve got over a dozen 5K’s under my belt, and 5 half marathons too!
My eating habits changed as well. I used to skip breakfast, but I have made it a point to have something early on in the day, even if it’s a yogurt and some juice. While I still love to have my rice and black beans, and we do have burgers or pizza once in a while, I’ve tried to cut down portions, and have incorporated more vegetables and healthier snacks into my family’s routine.
It is so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, especially within the Hispanic community. Diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even childhood obesity are chronic health issues with Hispanics. But small changes can produce great results, and with awareness and implementing new habits these statistics can change. This Hispanic Health on the Run video highlights key points to increase health awareness within the community.
UHC Latino provides bilingual material, through their website and through materials provided with the employers they work with, tailored to meet the needs of it’s Hispanic members. Awareness is key, and United Healthcare is doing things right by providing the tools for their members to make healthy lifestyle choices.
United Healthcare and Hispanicize have teamed up to award one lucky blogger a pass to Hispanicize 2013, and amazing five-day event taking place here in Miami in a couple of weeks. I would love to be chosen as the winner, not only to be associated with these two remarkable brands, but to represent Hispanics who have made important changes in order to lead a healthier life.
Disclosure: This post is an entry for a giveaway for sponsored admission to Hispanicize 2013. All opinions above are my own.
Inspired by Unknown Mami’s post at Mamas Latinas (congrats on the new gig, amiga!), I wanted to write my feelings on children’s pageants. While I am the mother of two boys, I’m still a parent, and I cannot imagine dressing up my daughter in those outfits and parading them around like they are living dolls. The pictures in that slideshow really bother me: the over-the-top dresses, the fake nails, the huge wigs, wearing more make up than you find in a department store, and even the chest padding. It’s a form of child abuse in my book. Kids grow way too fast these days, and the way these girls are dressed up and made up is worse than any adult pageantry I’ve seen.
That being said, I have nothing against child modeling, as long as it’s age appropriate. My friend’s daughter has been modeling since she was a few months old, and at the age of 2 has participated in two pageants thus far. I’m proud of her for not overdoing it and allowing her little girl’s natural beauty to shine through. In her first pageant she won both Director’s choice and Glitz Supreme. While the pretty fluffy dresses are inevitable, there’s no need for all the other fluff. Isn’t she adorable?
(Photo: Rubio Photography via Lellany Ruiz)
My bottom line is, it’s okay to involve your daughters in modeling and pageantry, but it’s so very important to remember that they are children first. These first few years are so precious, don’t let them slip away by making them pretend they are older than they really are.
That wonderful feeling of celebration and happiness was taken away from yesterday’s participants and spectators because someone (or several someones) thought they could destroy us by bombing the oldest race, in one of the most historic cities, in our country. They may have temporarily halted our happiness, but they didn’t dampen our spirit. Amidst the sadness and pain of seeing the images of the bombing on TV, stories of good Samaritans helping one another shine through. Knowing that there were runners finishing the race and running to the hospital to donate blood gives me chills. Strangers opening their homes to those displaced bring tears to my eyes. We all have our differences, but when the going gets tough, we band together as the people of the great nation that we are. And I am prouder than ever to call myself an American, and a runner, today. 
